Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne recently made a series of tweets where he apologized for using Black face and portraying other people of color during a 1984 promotional video for the Talking Heads’ concert movie Stop Making Sense. According to Byrne’s recent statement, he had briefly forgotten about the clip until it was brought up recently by a journalist.
The clip for the promo features Byrne in his iconic “Big Suit,” which was featured prominently in the film, as he is interviewed by numerous journalists who he also portrays. While the video is done in a comedically awkward manner, a couple of Byrne’s journalist characters are noticeably dark skinned, with curly hair, which can be interpreted as satiric portrayals of Black Americans.
“To watch myself in the various characters, including black and brown face, I acknowledge it was a major mistake in judgement that showed a lack of real understanding,” the performer wrote. “It’s like looking in a mirror and seeing someone else- you’re not, or were not, the person you thought you were.”
Byrne’s recent comments comes during a time of increased awareness across the music industry, spearheaded by the Black Lives Matter movement taking place across the United States. Artists such as the former Lady Antebellum and The Dixie Chicks have changed their names in response to the movement, as they acknowledged parts of their problematic roots.
Byrne has had a busy career since the Talking Heads broke up in the late 1980s, embarking on a successful solo career and creating a musical American Utopia which had Broadway debut last year. He recently appeared on SNL in support of the musical.
Photo Credit: Kalyn Oyer
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