Disney Tries to be Politically Correct and Look What it Gets Them

Disney is coming out with their 9th princess movie, this time based on The Frog Prince...or should I say The Amphibian-American Prince. Of course, whenever you try to be politically correct you can never be politically correct enough (h/t Don Surber):

The studio has been accused of racial insensitivity for making several changes to its new heroine.

The arrival of a black First Lady in the White House might have been greeted with celebration around the world, but the similarly historic debut of Walt Disney's first black princess has not been received so warmly.

The studio, known for its wholesome and predominantly white family values, has been accused of racial insensitivity for making several changes to its first African-American princess, Tiana, who will star in a new animated film entitled 'The Princess and the Frog'.

Disney changed the profession of the princess (an aspiring restaurant entrepreneur instead of a chambermaid) and name (Tiana instead of Maddy, which critics thought too similar to "Mammy", a once-common term for black female slaves in white households). Tiana will be played by Anika Noni Rose, who starred in 'Dreamgirls', while Tiana's mother will be played by talk-show host Oprah Winfrey.

The controversy intensified after it was revealed that the film would be set in New Orleans and that Tiana would find love with a white prince -- well, almost. His skin has been described as olive-toned and he will be voiced by Bruno Campos, a Brazilian actor.

"What? No black prince? What's up with this?" blogged James Collier on Acting White, an anti-racism website, in a posting typical of the general disbelief among the film's most vocal black critics. "Perhaps Disney doesn't want the future mothers of dwindling white America being imprinted so early in their lives with the notion of a black suitor."

Another blogger, Angela Helm, attracted nearly 3,000 comments on the Black Voices website when she complained that "even though there is a real-life black man in the highest office in the land with a black wife, Disney obviously doesn't think a black man is worthy of the title of prince".

Geez.

I can understand Disney's dilemma. Just think about it for a minute. The princess kisses the frog and it turns into a black guy. Couldn't you just hear Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson screaming through their bullhorns "DISNEY THINKS BLACK MEN ARE JUST KISSED FROGS!!"

Doesn't matter what they do, they can't win.

So far no comment from the Amphibian-American activists.