# Newsweek takes on the real issues: Angelina Jolie's kid's hair. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 13, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713 "2009-10-13T22:49:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hung\_Mung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hung\_Mung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hung_Mung)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/21 "2009-10-14T02:31:22Z")
I can only assume that Newsweek is completely thrilled at having a controversy over such a toothless article. Lots of website hits, lots of discussion, lots of attention, but not a lot of actual content. Who loses? We do. Honestly, the best thing to do is _not_ direct traffic to their site. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/22 "2009-10-14T02:53:40Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > What do you want to bet if she DID get her hair all styled and braided, or whatever, she’d be accused of conforming to society’s expectations of what a black woman’s hair is supposed to look like? Or trying to make her look “white”, by the constant use of products and straightening perms and hot combs? The irony is that I’ve heard all kinds of criticisms that the Obama’s don’t let their kids wear their hair natural (when the reality is that they do and have, it just seems that more often than not, the girls have their hair “done”) and they are trying too hard to make their kids “look white”. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/23 "2009-10-14T03:27:38Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > One possible factor: Chris Rock has a documentary out on this subject generally (as in not specific to Jolie), so the issue may be considered front and center, in a cultural sense. Mr. Rock’s documentary (_Good Hair_) is quite excellent, BTW. It’s pretty funny and touching in places, and scary in others. Like the part where a stylist cuts hair upside-down in a giant fish tank. Or the three-year-old girl getting a relaxer treatment. My favorite part is when Chris tries to sell a wig shop some natural black-person hair. “Don’t you guys sell black hair here?” he asks. The shopkeeper says “of course” and shows him a box of hair from India. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/24 "2009-10-14T03:28:24Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Mr. Rock’s documentary (_Good Hair_) is quite excellent, BTW. It’s pretty funny and touching in places, and scary in others. Like the part where a stylist cuts hair upside-down in a giant fish tank. What?! Why would anyone do that? ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/25 "2009-10-14T03:34:40Z")
It’s a bummer the kid’s too young to read, so she doesn’t yet know that her only value as a human being is her looks. In my opinion, society doesn’t do a good enough job of telling girls that early enough. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/26 "2009-10-14T03:50:44Z")
> [@Campion](#): > > It’s a bummer the kid’s too young to read, so she doesn’t yet know that her only value as a human being is her looks. In my opinion, society doesn’t do a good enough job of telling girls that early enough. Well, except for Cesario. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/27 "2009-10-14T03:56:39Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Well, except for Cesario. _rim shot_ ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/28 "2009-10-14T04:03:44Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Well, except for Cesario. You are fucking EVIL, you know that? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/29 "2009-10-14T05:04:35Z")
“Why is Newsweek printing this crap?” They’re not. It’s a fucking BLOG, which reflects the opinions of the writer, not of Newsweek; if it’s like most corporate-sponsored blogs, they exercise minimal control over its content. In this case the writer is Allison Samuels, but the regular author is Kate Dailey. She declared the entire week of October 6th-13th to be “Good Hair Week” in response to Chris Rock’s movie, and Samuels’s post is entirely relevant to that, though I have no idea whether her criticism is well-founded, as I can’t tell a thing from photos and know nothing about African hair. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/30 "2009-10-14T06:03:18Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > “Why is Newsweek printing this crap?” > > They’re not. It’s a fucking BLOG, which reflects the opinions of the writer, not of Newsweek; if it’s like most corporate-sponsored blogs, they exercise minimal control over its content. In this case the writer is Allison Samuels, but the regular author is Kate Dailey. She declared the entire week of October 6th-13th to be “Good Hair Week” in response to Chris Rock’s movie, and Samuels’s post is entirely relevant to that, though I have no idea whether her criticism is well-founded, as I can’t tell a thing from photos and know nothing about African hair. You’re right: it’s a blog on the Newsweek website, with the Newsweek logo all over, and the posting ends with "Allison Samuels is a senior writer at Newsweek " Why on Earth would anyone think Newsweek endorses such things? ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/31 "2009-10-14T06:12:07Z")
I said it before, I’ll say it again: Just because you _can_ blog doesn’t mean you _should_. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/32 "2009-10-14T06:31:30Z")
[Comment apparently based on false premise due to failure to read. Sorry.] ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/33 "2009-10-14T06:34:00Z")
As a parent I find this article laughable. I dare you to try and keep a 4yo’s hair looking nice and pretty 24/7. Go ahead, try it!! I dare ya!! You’d sooner get health care reform passed… ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/34 "2009-10-14T06:34:45Z")
Outrageous! Child cruelty! I hope Allison Samuels contacted the relevant authorities. This is bullshit. There is definitely an agenda here, ie she needs a black mom. It’s African-American sites with that same unspoken agenda which have been stirring the shit on this. As the writer admits: > [@](#): > > African American blogs and forums such as Media Takeout, Black Hair Media and even mainstream outlets like TMZ have been on fire the past few weeks demanding to know why Angelina won’t just comb Zahara’s hair? Each blog receives hundreds of e-mails every time they run a picture of the little girl with her hair uncombed. "I just hope that they realize she has different hair needs and find someone black who can keep her hair looking good,” said a commenter on [Bossip.com](http://Bossip.com). “Angie, if you can’t comb hair then get someone who can. This is ridiculous now. Your hair is always in place and so is Shiloh’s. Why does Zahara have to always look like she just woke up?” writes a commenter on [TheFabLife.com](http://TheFabLife.com). TMZ (and now obviously Newsweek) will give houseroom to any gossip, no matter how silly, if it concerns a celebrity. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/35 "2009-10-14T06:40:05Z")
> [@Mighty\_Girl](#): > > And on another note: why is the author, a white woman, taking it on herself to espouse what black people do or should think about their hair? :rolleyes: [She’s not white](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://freshfiction.com/images/authors/14798.jpeg&imgrefurl=http://freshfiction.com/author.php%3Fid%3D14798&usg=__A0WdM8Dmoa8COBHTGCAHMXcfJNE=&h=265&w=175&sz=9&hl=en&start=29&um=1&tbnid=9Hx509LzxpSYyM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=74&prev=/images%3Fq%3DAllison%2BSamuels%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26start%3D18%26um%3D1). ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/36 "2009-10-14T06:40:54Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > “Why is Newsweek printing this crap?” > > They’re not. Buddy, you might consider joining the interweb age, because when I click on a link and it says “Newsweek” I think it’s “Newsweek”. It’s up there in the left hand corner. Granted, I’m just a trained monkey, but even I know that’s _Newsweek_. Do I really have to explain how publishing online _is_ publishing? Especially when you put the corporate name all over the top? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/37 "2009-10-14T07:01:34Z")
Kid’s as “African-American” as Charlize Theron. She looks great. The blogger is an ass. And **Boyo Jim** , I laughed out loud, you bad man. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/38 "2009-10-14T07:03:32Z")
One other thing. That kid’s hair doesn’t look that bad. The kid’s got it going on. Just look at the picture **Diosa** linked to. I want everybody reading this post to look at the kid’s expression again. [“yea, baby. That’s my bitch.”](http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2009/10/09/Zahara-Jolie-Pitt-and-the-Politics-of-Uncombed-Hair.aspx) I’m telling you right now, that kid’s got the P-funk in his blood. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/39 "2009-10-14T08:19:59Z")
> [@Mighty\_Girl](#): > > And on another note: why is the author, a white woman, taking it on herself to espouse what black people do or should think about their hair? :rolleyes: > [@TWDuke](#): > > [She’s not white](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://freshfiction.com/images/authors/14798.jpeg&imgrefurl=http://freshfiction.com/author.php%3Fid%3D14798&usg=__A0WdM8Dmoa8COBHTGCAHMXcfJNE=&h=265&w=175&sz=9&hl=en&start=29&um=1&tbnid=9Hx509LzxpSYyM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=74&prev=/images%3Fq%3DAllison%2BSamuels%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26start%3D18%26um%3D1). I’m kinda curious why **Mighty\_Girl** assumed she was. I think a white person would be too afraid of being accused of being racist to make those remarks. It’s not that far from “nappy-headed hos.” At least, no further than using “elitist.” The thing is, even coming from a black woman, it sounds racist–as if saying that the reason Jolie (or Pitt) doesn’t know how to do the child’s hair is because she’s white. Or, apparently, what **aldiboronti** said. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713/40 "2009-10-14T08:36:20Z")
Who “treats” a 4-year-old’s hair, anyway? You wash it once a week and attack it with scissors when it gets too long. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsweek-takes-on-the-real-issues-angelina-jolies-kids-hair/513713.md?page=3)