# Halle Barry: Rein in in **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 25, 2002, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018 "2002-03-25T16:10:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/41 "2002-03-25T19:14:19Z")
> [@](#): > > BTW, I really am looking forward to my next Amsterdam trip. Expense account and all. I can just see you expensing the items on the menu at those bars with the pink neon light in the windows. Ah, happy memories of nights on the Zeedijk. Oh, yeah, and the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk, uh, Anne Frank’s house, the Heineken plant, er, I mean the Rembrandthuis… ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/42 "2002-03-25T19:20:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Trion \* > \*\* > And she shouldn’t celebrate this because … ? > > Because it annoys jarbabyj, apparently. \*\* I’m curious as to whether I’m the first person on this board to ever be annoyed by something and start a pit thread about it. And I’m also curious as to when the BBQ pit rules changed and that we can’t voice things we’re annoyed about. I think Halle Barry’s speech was waaay over the top. I also think Gwenyth Paltrow looked like absolute shit and Paul McCartney’s song was the crappiest piece of music I’d heard in a while. These are my opinions. They may not be yours. Life’s rough. I never said she shouldn’t celebrate. j ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/43 "2002-03-25T19:24:40Z")
Ahem. Ahem. Ah, yes. My expense reports are always immaculate, you know, image and all that. Think of division of labor. Some parties pick up the tab for regular hours, and then extended entertaining and business meetings our Dutch friends help out with. Efficiency, see there is there is the issue of comparative advantage… Hmmm, this ain’t helping. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/44 "2002-03-25T19:30:19Z")
Obligatory “It’s my own damn opinion, dammit”: > [@](#): > > And I’m also curious as to when the BBQ pit rules changed and that we can’t voice things we’re annoyed about. Pblogatory response: You voiced. Some people disagreed. Cope. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/45 "2002-03-25T19:34:39Z")
I’m coping fine Andros, and I’m not sure where you got the impression that I wasn’t. Trion thinks that it’s out of the ordinary that I would voice an opinion on a topic, and I think that’s what the forum is for. 'nuff said j ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/46 "2002-03-25T19:38:44Z")
huh. Okeedoke. I sure don’t see where **Trion** said anything of the sort. But your mileage obviously varies. After all, I didn’t hear Halle Berry claiming to be the second coming either. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/47 "2002-03-25T19:40:49Z")
Okay. Halle Barry had every right to have the reaction she had to getting the Best Actress Oscar. And **jarbaby** had every right to have the reaction **she** did to Halle’s getting it. (But you don’t get an award, dear, m’kay?;)) That said, I think **gobear** and **coldfire** , between them, said about what I felt about the situation. I do agree that she went just a trifle over the top, and on too long, and thanked just a few too many people – but that’s **my** reaction. And she was (a) clearly overwhelmed by actually winning, (b) aware of the historicity of the moment – and not egotistical but acknowledging of where she fell in the history of the awards in that part of her speech, and © clearly ad-libbing her thanks. I suspect strongly, without evidence other than her reaction and the way she did her speech, that she felt going into the awards that she was the “token black nominee” – and actually getting the Oscar was a shocking surprise. This may account for all the emotion and the stress on it being a first for a black woman in her speech. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/48 "2002-03-25T19:43:04Z")
Just for fun then, I’ll show it to you. > [@](#): > > Once again, things aren’t to jarbabyj’s liking. So sad. > > But hey, if we are to talk about my witnessing of your post, then the only person overreacting here is jarbabyj. And there’s a door that was first busted down long, long ago and has been much overused since. IOW: Jarbaby’s bitching again and I don’t like it. j ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/49 "2002-03-25T19:44:11Z")
But **Poly** , don’t I get an award for my reaction to **Jar** ’s reaction to Halle’s reaction? 😉 Truce, **Jar**. I apologize for being snippy with you. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/50 "2002-03-25T19:47:03Z")
Gotcha, **Jar**. I was reading **Trion** ’s second post, the one you last quoted from, and missed the first. ---
**Author:** ![BottledBlondJeanie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/0ea827/32.png) [@BottledBlondJeanie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BottledBlondJeanie)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/51 "2002-03-25T19:48:14Z")
Do you know what? It was a milestone…a huge one. I don’t particularly care for Halle, but she is the first black woman to win best actress. So, now young black women just starting their acting careers can look at the award to Halle and think “Hey, now it’s possible…that hurdle is gone.” It’s a big deal. This has become a huge debat and do you know what…frankly she could have gone up there and done damn near anything that showed she was grateful and excited that she won and she would have been perfectly justified in doing so. I don’t necessarily believe that the Oscars should be glorified as much as they are, but, since they are, it was HER night (and the other winners) it IS a HUGE deal for her. It is a huge debate, but the OP smacks of sour grapes…I mean to start it out by saying “well, I’m an actress and I would never do this.” just is bizarre…especially coming from the overly-dramatic jar. BBJ ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/52 "2002-03-25T19:48:18Z")
no problem andros. therapy is teaching me to cope with those who disagree with me 😃 j ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/53 "2002-03-25T19:52:13Z")
Hey BottleBlonde, what a gas. I really missed you I started the OP by saying I’m an actress and I’m sure I would cry and stumble and not be able to talk. Nowhere did I say I would never do this. In fact I also said “I’m not saying I’d give the best speech ever” Once again, BBJ, I’m glad she won, because this year, she was the best actress in that category. Am I jealous of her success? Yes. I also said THAT a few posts ago. I’m jealous of every actress who wins an oscar because that is my goal in life. hell, I’m jealous of actresses in Pizza Hut commercials. One thing it seems we agree on is that Oscars should never be the barometer by which we measure class, race or sex relations in this country…since it is such an odd and elite population of people. jar ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/54 "2002-03-25T19:55:29Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m curious as to whether I’m the first person on this board to ever be annoyed by something and start a pit thread about it. And I’m also curious as to when the BBQ pit rules changed and that we can’t voice things we’re annoyed about. And I’m curious as to whether we no longer need to back up our posts in the Pit. I suppose we can just say “It’s my opinion” now regardless as to whether the opinion in question is based on ignorance or not. You said that Ms. Barry was “presenting herself as a one woman race relations magnate” – a clear exageration to justify your annoyance. You even said “You are not Rosa Parks, you are not Martin Luther King Jr.” – another exageration. She never said she was. I’ll try not to call you on such things in the future. :rolleyes: > [@](#): > > I think Halle Barry’s speech was waaay over the top. > > I also think Gwenyth Paltrow looked like absolute shit and Paul McCartney’s song was the crappiest piece of music I’d heard in a while. > > These are my opinions. They may not be yours. Life’s rough. Yup. Life is rough. Sometime people will even try to express a contrary opinion that _doesn’t_ rely on an exageration of the facts. FWIW, I said: > [@](#): > > But hey, if we are to talk about **my witnessing of your post,** then the only person overreacting here is jarbabyj. And there’s a door that was first busted down long, long ago and has been much overused since. See, that bolded part was a reference to you giving your opinion while I give mine. Don’t like it? Life’s rough. > [@](#): > > I never said she shouldn’t celebrate. No, but you asked her to “Rein it in” without giving me any reason why she should do so that made any sense. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/55 "2002-03-25T19:58:03Z")
::: presents **Andros** with the \*\*Wildest Bill Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement in Over-the-Top Humorous Comments ::: ::: then ducks and runs ::: ---
**Author:** ![corvidae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@corvidae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corvidae)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/56 "2002-03-25T19:59:14Z")
I guess I sort of see where jarbabyj is coming from. I didn’t see Monster’s Ball, but I heard Halle Berry’s performance was beyond fantastic, so I’m happy for her that she received recognition for a job very well done. I was even excited for her - she obviously didn’t expect it and was absolutely thrilled. But as her speech went on (and on and on), I was just sitting there thinking, “It’s only a movie! World hunger will not be cured tomorrow! It won’t really change anything for anybody outside of Hollywood.” It’s not really Halle Berry I had a problem with. It’s the overdone, sanctimonious, self congratulatory tone of everything and everyone at the Oscars. Yes, a colour barrier of some kind was broken, but so what? It’s just Hollywood! Wake me up when there’s a black astronaut (or did I sleep through that one, too?) That said, I think I’ll be more excited when there are more visible minorities in Hollywood in general. I can’t remember the last time I saw a movie with a Native American actor, or an actor of East Indian descent, etc. Then again, I don’t go to the movies much, so maybe I blinked and missed the racial diversification of Hollywood, not just black and white. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/57 "2002-03-25T20:05:06Z")
I do not understand all of the recrimination against **jarbaby**. I didn’t see the speech, but I have no problem giving my opinion in general. I don’t care if HB was the first actress with two heads to win an academy award. I find public gushing disgusting, especially from a talented, trained professional at the top of his/her field. Whether or not the person “deserved” to babble and drool or not is irrelevant. I prefer to act like a slack-jawed moron in private, and I expect others to do the same. Especially those with enough national exposure to qualify them as, perish the thought, role models. A little class goes a long way. ---
**Author:** ![BottledBlondJeanie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/0ea827/32.png) [@BottledBlondJeanie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BottledBlondJeanie)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/58 "2002-03-25T20:05:38Z")
Jealous, yes I caught that admission, I just thought it sounded like the basis of the whole rant was that reason…not, hey, I’m jealous, but… it seems you really do believe it…jealousy aside. Me, I’d be a raving FUCKING lunatic if they ever handed that puppy to me. Just MHO. But I will also agree w/ you that Gwyneth looked like ASS. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/59 "2002-03-25T20:08:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by corvidae \* > “It’s only a movie! World hunger will not be cured tomorrow! _It won’t really change anything for anybody outside of Hollywood_.” > > \ > > Yes, a colour barrier of some kind was broken, but so what? It’s just Hollywood! Wake me up when there’s a black astronaut (or did I sleep through that one, too?) (italics mine) As usual, a more eloquent poster finally says what I was trying to say. Thank you…corvidae, for putting my opinion in a much better form. jar ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018/60 "2002-03-25T20:13:33Z")
**Jarbaby** , as **Andros** said, you ranted, we disagreed, deal with it. Sure, Halle Bery’s spech was emotional, ans why not? She won an Academy Award. As she said, the moment was bigger than her. Halle Berry recognized that she stood on the shoulders of all who had gone before her: Josephine Baker, who had to flee to France to be respected as a human being as well as an entertainer Hattie Mcdaniel, the first black Oscar winner, who never got to play anything but a menial Butterfly McQueen, an accomplished dancer and singer who only got to play simplemnided servant roles Lena Horne, whose sultry scenes were cut out of her films when they were exhiited in the South Dorothy Dandridge, who could perform in Vegas hotels but couldn’t stay in them, or even walk in the front door And all the other black actresses of the day who were never allowed to kiss the hero, who never got to play Cleopatra or Juliet, who were stuck playing the loyal maid or the simple-minded “darky.” I suggest you read Donald Bogle’s books, or rent “Hollywood Shuffle” and “Bamboozled.” Yes, the day will come when color is just an attribute with no more significance than one’s shoe size, but today isn’t that day. Halle Berry’s award is a shout out to every little girl of color in the US that says you, too, can achieve. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halle-barry-rein-in-in/100018.md?page=4)