It's pretty interesting. It didn't matter as much because I'm a singer, not an actress, but my face is more acceptable in a way now than when I first came on the scene, because I'm part black. My mother's mother was black. - Carly Simon, 2004
She's so vain. She probably thinks this blog post is about her. When Carly Simon revealed her racial heritage to designer Michael Kors for Interview magazine back in 2004, nobody seemed to care very much. I didn't hear it until a few days ago. I always find these things interesting. I remember very clearly sitting at my grandfather's kitchen table as a little boy when out of the blue, he launched into a discourse on how to "spot" and "classify" folks with a little more color in their background than most people would think. He would've known what he was talking about - he was born into such a family!
This "conversation" was most unusual since Grandaddy was in his last days and not quite used to having one-on-one conversations with me. Since then, there have been times - seemingly from out of the blue or the distant past - when Grandaddy's words have come rushing back to me. Like when I clocked that secretary at work who didn't want to be clocked. I guess she figured if I could tell what time it was - everyone else could too! But the truth was they couldn't and they didn't. Or if they did they didn't care!
Who cares? That's the question! What's the answer?
*It suddenly occured to me that my grandfather probably received this same lesson as a child from his own mother. Late 19th Century America would have classified her as a Quadroon and she would have known the drill. Perhaps it was an attempt to be sociable with his grandson?
Corey thank you for this!
I ALWAYS thought Carly Simon had some black in her! You can see it around her mouth and just everything.
I guess since I come from a background where there are a lot of mixed people it was just easy to see. But I never thought she was a "white" woman.
Posted by: Toddy English | May 10, 2011 at 11:36 AM
well the other half is Jewish....
Posted by: Brandon | May 10, 2011 at 03:28 PM
Funny, I never saw it, my Pop's goes on and on about who is and who isn't, until my brothers daughter had a baby with her white husbad and that kid does not look at all black, mixed or anything else, a little white girl, which I think is a hoot, now said neice does nto want anymore kids, I bet she knows that the next one will not look like the first one!
But, at the same time, many people will own up to being being 'mixed' as long as its not with black, especially those of Hispanic backgrounds, ligter skin and the tell tale give away hair, like that America chick from Ugly Betty.
Posted by: Sebastian | May 11, 2011 at 10:57 AM
One's race shouldn't really be an issue. It's good that she confessed to it! She's one of the prettiest women people I have ever seen. No one would've noticed that she's black! Just look at her facial structure! Superb! ♥
Posted by: Lilian Hulen | June 30, 2011 at 09:50 AM
@Lilian Hulen! NO, one's race should NOT be an issue, but welcome to the U.S. where one's race has always been and will always BE an issue! "No one would've noticed that she's black" you say, and then you denote her facial structure. LOOKS BLACK TO ME! Or are you saying she's so pretty as NOT to be black ?!?!?
Posted by: Corey | June 30, 2011 at 10:43 AM