Kim Possible Disappointment

[lovespoohbear]

My kids are HUGE Kim Possible fans. Where did you see them? This would be a big, big deal!!!!!

K in SA

if you are going from voyage of the little mermaid head straight towards the backlot tour. you will pass jojo, little einstiens(sp), and then kp and ron will be on the corner across from bakclot. when i saw them noone was in line. i guess people didnt realize they were characters because they wear "street clothes" and no spectacular costume. after i got their autograph there was a line.

 

[lovespoohbear]

Here are the Kim and Ron we saw in Sept.

the ron i saw did the exact same pose lol i even asked him about his naked mole rat

 

[Robo]

That reminds me of the time I saw a national touring company of Peter Pan and the male actor(BD Wong) playing Peter Pan was Asian. Go figure!!!

I saw that same tour show at Starlight Theater, Kansas City, MO.

 

[Dreamseeker]

I once saw an Asian Pocahontas and a rather dark, non Asian Mulan...within just a couple of minutes... makes you wonder why they didn't just switch them...unless, of course, they weren't trained for the respective character.

 

[TravelMom]

I seem to be the only one skeeved about the original message (and I am seriously not trying to stir the pot!); I agree with the poster who mentioned non-traditional casting and also pointed out that Peter Pan is often played by a woman (and truthfully, can't even fly!).

It's acting, it's theater, and hopefully it shouldn't matter if an Asian or Indian or black or whatever actor is playing the part. Whoever is playing Winnie the Pooh probably is not a real bear, either. (I know, I know, there's a difference between face characters and costumed ones and all that.)

It just seems like saying one was 'disappointed' to find a character of color is a little troubling to me. I would hope that when my child was that age, they would have been able to look beyond those things.

 

[mking624]

Oh come on, let's not play the race card here...because that's what starting to be implied. How ridiculous.

The reality is that there are a lot of little kids who believe these characters are real. So showing them something on tv only to show them something extremely different in real life blows the whole purpose of fantasy for these kids who are meeting the characters they know and love. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting consistency with how a character translates from screen to reality.

 

[Hollymom1229]

And as for that WW - ewww... she looks like she's on drugs!

If you had ever been to our fine local SF, you would realize that your statement may not be wholly untrue. Whenever my DH complains about going to WDW again I always offer up SF as it's less than 30 minutes from our house. For some reason we always seem to book another WDW trip.

 

[martyshoney]

Oh come on, let's not play the race card here...because that's what starting to be implied. How ridiculous.

The reality is that there are a lot of little kids who believe these characters are real. So showing them something on tv only to show them something extremely different in real life blows the whole purpose of fantasy for these kids who are meeting the characters they know and love. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting consistency with how a character translates from screen to reality.

I totally agree with everything that you said!!! I know my DD truly believes that everything in Disney World is for real and why should we have to explain that she looks different for this reason or that, she is only 5, she is too young to understand all that complicated stuff about playing a character.

On another note, the Kim we met at the beginning of Jan. even disappointed my DH, after he took his and the kids pic with her he told her, "call me beep me if you wanna reach me" and she barely even knew what he was talking about. Now that is just plain pathetic, she should at least know the main line of the character she is portraying, don't you think???? I thought about finding out who I could contact about that but I just said I won't worry about it.

 

[hmp2z]

I seem to be the only one skeeved about the original message (and I am seriously not trying to stir the pot!); I agree with the poster who mentioned non-traditional casting and also pointed out that Peter Pan is often played by a woman (and truthfully, can't even fly!).

I totally disagree with this & stand by my original post. If it's an actor, playing a character without a mask, then they should somewhat physically resemble the character. It's well & good to say that there should be diverse actors - I absolutely agree with this.

BUT...

Those actors should be assigned to roles where they LOOK LIKE the character. I am 100% sure that, if any parent here took their kids to WDW and there was an 85 year old woman playing Cinderella, they would be cheesed off. Fairy godmother, sure, that would fit the bill. But part of keeping that fantasy alive is at least making a semblance to resemble the characters.

I find it ludicrous to pretend otherwise.

Disney isn't about avant garde theatre; it's about making fantasy come alive for millions of children and adults every year.

On another note, I was commenting this week how there really aren't any characters (besides miscellaneous ones like the Dreams dancers) who could be played by African American actors. I think there should be.

Also, I edited my original post to add the photo of the Asian Kim.

Cheers!
Heather W

 

[DaisyD]

Oh come on, let's not play the race card here...because that's what starting to be implied. How ridiculous.

The reality is that there are a lot of little kids who believe these characters are real. So showing them something on tv only to show them something extremely different in real life blows the whole purpose of fantasy for these kids who are meeting the characters they know and love. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting consistency with how a character translates from screen to reality.

Next we will be having Donald Duck wear Goofy's hat and portraying Goofy. Mulan IS asian and should be portrayed by an asian. I'm sure those that want to toss the race card would flip if there was an African American princess being played by a white person. Give me a break!

 

[marciemi]

Just adding that SF near Chicago has the same Wonder Woman! DH took a pic with her on our last trip (he was feeling too nauseous to ride another rollercoaster with me and the kids and we came off to find him getting someone to take his picture with her!). It was on camera phone though, so don't know if he still has it.

 

[raidermatt]

It just seems like saying one was 'disappointed' to find a character of color is a little troubling to me. I would hope that when my child was that age, they would have been able to look beyond those things.

They weren't disappointed to find a "character of color". They were disappointed to find a character who looked so unlike the character they were expecting. Just as those who saw a "charcter of non-color" in Mulan's role were disappointed.

Its not the race persay, its the appearance.

The Peter Pan example is a bad example because it is possible for women to play that role and look very much like the character, especially from a distance as they are when on a theatre stage.

Again, its not the race, its the general appearance. Think of it as the same as finding a brunette Cinderella.

 

[Silly Girl]

I saw that same tour show at Starlight Theater, Kansas City, MO.

That cracks me up because that seems like sooooo long ago!!!! I did think he made a good Peter Pan.

 

[sticker231]

I seem to be the only one skeeved about the original message (and I am seriously not trying to stir the pot!); I agree with the poster who mentioned non-traditional casting and also pointed out that Peter Pan is often played by a woman (and truthfully, can't even fly!).

It's acting, it's theater, and hopefully it shouldn't matter if an Asian or Indian or black or whatever actor is playing the part. Whoever is playing Winnie the Pooh probably is not a real bear, either. (I know, I know, there's a difference between face characters and costumed ones and all that.)

It just seems like saying one was 'disappointed' to find a character of color is a little troubling to me. I would hope that when my child was that age, they would have been able to look beyond those things.

Seems to be making the whole thing a little trivial. The bear thing and Peter Pan actors not being able to fly, what does that have to do with it. Our kids watch movies and are shown certain images in the Disney movies. Going to the parks and not seeing the same images can be disturbing to some children. My daughter, adopted from Korea, relates to Mulan as another Asian Princess. We all identify Mickey Mouse as a mouse. Going to the parks and seeing Mickey Dog would be a similiar situation. You expect to see an accurate portrayal in the parks.

As far as being "disapointed" to find a character of color--it is sad it has to be dragged down that road. Coming from the New York City area, my family and I are surrounded by diversity daily. My children and one of the previous posters stated their children were Asian, so they are aware of ethnic diversity. So sad it has to be made a racial issue!!!

What is portrayed in the movie should be portrayed in the parks. That was the idea of the post.

Stepping down from my soapbox.

 

[sknydave]

Some people are way too politically correct.

If I saw Mulan being played by a black woman I would laugh. Why? Because Mulan is a young asian woman, not a black woman.

 

[Andy B]

A major example is Peter Pan.
On the stage, "he" has traditionally (and very OFTEN) been a female actor.
But I have also seen the stage show with male actors in the role.
So would THIS be "nontraditional," or "traditional" casting?

---------------------
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/arts/non-trad-casting.asp

"The phrase "nontraditional casting" refers most often to "cross-racial" casting -- placing a non-white in a role not specially written for a non-white actor. (New York Times 1993) A more comprehensive definition of nontraditional casting is the "use of actors of any race, sex, ethnicity or degree of disabilities in roles for which such factors are not germane to the development of stage characters or the play." (Washington Post 1987) But even this definition might seem too limiting for some proponents of nontraditional casting."

Firstly Peter Pan as a stage show predates Disney and is in the tradition of English Pantomime theatre in that although it is not a pantomime it is often perfomed at the same time of year and with Pantomime billing. Secondly Peter Pan as a character is a boy who never grew up and physically a slim actress fitted the role rather than a mature actor.

I have no problem with non traditional casting for most roles except for where the appearance is integral to the part and it cannot be overcome by costume or make up. I would not want to see a black woman playing abe Lincoln or Winston Churchill or a white one playing Malcolm X or Nelson Mandela. In the parks characters are meant to maintain the illusion of reality close up and clearly non traditional casting would not do this.

 

[DizBelle]

I have no problem with non traditional casting for most roles except for where the appearance is integral to the part and it cannot be overcome by costume or make up. I would not want to see a black woman playing abe Lincoln or Winston Churchill or a white one playing Malcolm X or Nelson Mandela. In the parks characters are meant to maintain the illusion of reality close up and clearly non traditional casting would not do this.

I can see it now. Jack Nicholson as Martin Luthor King in the next motion picture about the civil rights activist. That would NOT WORK at all.

 

[TraceyL]

Here's 'our' Kim & Ron. DD was decked out in all her KP stuff (even flip-flops) & they were great with her

 

[scoolover]

Here is Kim from Jan 10, 07
On a side note, I am now a HUGE Kim Possible fan!!!

 

[scoolover]

Why did you have to do this. For weeks to come, I am going to have to explain to people why I am laughing at seemingly nothing. This image will stay with me forever.

Before you all get too tough on the characters. It could be worse this is from our Six flags.