Posted: Sun 05 Nov 2006 03:13 Post subject: Cami on Laguna Beach MTV reality: Tragic 'mulatto'?
AAAhhh, pet your hair down, left then right, make sure it’s still straight, you’re still white, put your sunglasses on, flash a fake smile, look down at the landscape of your body to see if you’re fat and adjust your multi-layered tank tops, hop in the beamer and GO! Laguna Beach, Laguna Beach. I’ll get to the point: Cami of Laguna Beach “fame” is the anti-tragic mulatto that is so tragic in and of herself that she negates every tragic mulatto trait. Let me explain; what good is the tragic mulatto if she doesn’t present any racial drama, if she doesn’t tear her hair out with confusion (white OR black?!), if she doesn’t have an intimate family that’s torn apart with the Civil War, if she doesn’t have a distant uncle/cousin/aunt/grandparent that’s hell-bent on sending her to the darkness that is blackness? This is the United States, racial drama is as good as “terrorism,” “Hezbollah,” and “democracy”. Cami has it all she needs to fall into the flames that many tragic mulattos before her (to all of you who’ve read Clotel) have fallen to, what with her light skin, white surroundings and vague familial relations.
So what sets Cami apart? What makes her the anti-tragic mulatto? It’s precisely this: Cami serves no purpose in Laguna Beach as she serves no purpose in the racial landscape of people with real lives. The key to the tragic mulatto is the self- awareness that you’ll never fit in anywhere, that you’re doomed. Cami has no idea. Totally clueless. What Cami does do is further Oprah-esque stereotypes of “I’m a woman of color so that means I can’t get any ass” and “I’m a woman of color with money so that means I can’t get any ass” and “I’m a woman of color so that means the closest I can get to ass is through my best friend who’s a woman and who’s not unattractive.” Which brings me to a crucial point. Kyndra. The most devilish girl in all of Laguna Beach history. The temptation that male teenage viewers might feel toward Cami’s extremely large chest is quickly thwarted by her asexuality (due to her role as supporting cast to Kyndra, which isn’t doesn’t have the glamorous perks as supporting cast to, say, LC) and turned to the only person allowed screen time with the would-be vixen: Kyndra, the shit talking, pointy nosed, my momma gossips with me about my friends, popular girl/slut/bitch. The only thing that Cami is aware of is she serves to run behind Kyndra and keep her updated on all that is going on in LB so princess doesn’t have to leave the comfort of her couch. My, oh, my the house negro.
To the untrained eye Cami presents no racial drama, she’s nothing more than the Josephine Baker of the chorus line (the one at the end of the line, in the shadows, for those who don’t know); but that’s to the untrained eye. Cami is a double-D cup of racial drama.
What do we have: giant boobs, thin waist, supporting cast comments that fuel the fires of gossip, knowing glances, shiny hair, big sunglasses, money, light skin. We could re-interpret these qualities into: sex, house negro, that good hair, massa’s money and massa’s contribution to my momma. If these aren’t the making of a tragic mulatto(a) you’ve been disillusioned. Cami is the blackest thing to hit Laguna Beach since Stephen’s surfing tan, and the sooner she realizes it, the better. Whether or not Cami will joins the ranks of Deiter and the Mormon girl who almost didn’t get into BYU as the chosen useless few is up to her. Race awareness is race drama. Without it Cami’s life really is a tragedy.
Okay, this is horrible. Reducing a teenager, Cami, into this racially confused asexual thing is irresponsible. Laguna Beach is a reality TV show. Reality TV shows are edited for effect. Laguna Beach is a soap opera made from soundbytes of teenagers going through angst, lust, confusion, etc.
How many chubby insecure girls have played second-fiddle to a more popular queen bee? That's high school. The fact that Cami is brown is somehow supposed to mean that she can't or shouldn't fall into the same trap that girls all over America do? That's ridiculous. Teenage girls aren't sugar spice, they can be "Mean Girls." Cami and her girlfriends are such.
It's appalling that an adult would toss this kind of racial dirt at a child, expecting her to understand her sexuality and societal politics, when most adults still are trying to figure those things out. A teenager is reduced to "house Negro" says a lot about what's wrong with the author's line of thinking.
no, her race identity is barely discussed on the show...
...but I do think the author has valid points. As I wrote in a response...I grew up just like Cami and didn’t understand why girls who were less attractive than me received more attention, even though I was wealthier and more attractive.
You have to also understand that Cami will probably become enlightened in college, only if she chooses to…actually, not even if she chooses it — she’ll realize when black people give her a hard time or white people conciously or subconciously ignore her…
...yes Cami is a teenager, but she has the mental capability to realize that she is not treated completely the same...I wonder if she ever credits that due to race...
also, viewers on forums have constantly belittled Cami and continuously ask why she is even on the show, she's unattractive, fat (hmm, I wonder why they feel this way )that she doesn't fit into the Laguna style, and one even went as far to say that she should instead be selling oranges to the viewer on the side of the road! What do you guys think of that?
I don't deny that race plays a component in how Cami's existence and how it will shape her identity. That's inescapable in America. I object to the criticism of Cami that attacks her for her youthful naivete and reducing her into a "house Negro" instead of just another teen girl wanting to fit in with other girls. Moreover, the author refuses to admit that this "reality" show is heavily edited to create heroes and villans while manipulating the emotions of the show's participants to achieve a storyline.
To sum up Cami as the following is appalling. She's just snot-nosed kid:
Quote:
We could re-interpret these qualities into: sex, house negro, that good hair, massa’s money and massa’s contribution to my momma. If these aren’t the making of a tragic mulatto(a) you’ve been disillusioned.
I completely agree that it's not fair that some people expect Cami not to behave this way simply due to her race, however, we can not deny that it plays a huge role as to why she plays second fiddle to her best friend. I mean, why is she the ONLY character on the show that lacks a relationship(s) as some of them have more than one guy or why is she the main person that people seem to dislike and find most unattractive? These comments are based on viewers in forums who discuss this show. And this is not just Cacausasions...Afroamericans are ripping on her just as badly. It seems as if people are more hurtful of her because they don't think she should have that position of power.
The author has a good point. Cami comes across as a bitch. Is this because this is the only character she can play which will result in power for a woman of color when there is no one interested in her? Why is she the one that gossips and runs and tells everything to her best friend who coincidentally happens to be the pretty/popular girl?
Even when she did have a slight love interest...which really wasn't as it was only a prom date...he ends up ditching her for another girl.
I get what you're saying -- these labels aren't necessarily fair. But you must admit there are too many commonalities that tie in well with that of the 'tragic mulatta.' I can admit it.
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)that she doesn't fit into the Laguna style, and one even went as far to say that she should instead be selling oranges to the viewer on the side of the road! What do you guys think of that?