Ironically, almost a year to this day, I briefly noted that in a GQ magazine article, writer Devin Friedman who is White decided to put pen to pad detailing his experiences in trying to diversify his friendship scene. In other words, he was looking for friends of color. I wasn't sure what to think about his quest only that so much thought should not be put into color coding the need for companionship. Shouldn't friendship just be a natural occurrence among like-minded folks, irrespective of ethnicity? Well Mr. Friedman's article has just been greenlighted for a major motion picture, starring Good Hair's Chris Rock. Here's more info, courtesy of Comingsoon.net:
Will You Be Chris Rock's Black Friend?
Lionsgate and Harpo Films, Inc. announced today that they will partner to develop the film Will You Be My Black Friend?, starring Chris Rock (the upcoming Good Hair, I Think I Love My Wife, "The Chris Rock Show").
The project is based on a magazine article of the same name written by GQ senior correspondent Devin Friedman. Published in the magazine's November 2008 edition, "Will You Be My Black Friend?" chronicles Friedman's unorthodox and admittedly self-conscious quest to make "black friends." The producers of Will You Be My Black Friend? are Oprah Winfrey, Kate Forte, President of Harpo Films, and Carla Gardini, Senior Vice President, Production of Harpo Films. Lionsgate will distribute worldwide. The announcement was jointly made today by Joe Drake, Lionsgate Co-Chief Operating Officer and Motion Picture Group President, Mike Paseornek, Lionsgate President of Motion Picture Production and Harpo Films' Forte.
The studio describes the film as follows:
Inspired by a true story, a white, married journalist living in Manhattan comes to the unnerving realization one night at a cocktail party that virtually his entire social circle is white. Indeed his entire existence has become steeped in a certain style of "whiteness": a rarefied industry (publishing); a weekend house in the Catskills; yoga; ambient music; and seasonal gourmet cooking. With help of the internet, a "white guy" sets off on a humorous journey to make "black friends," only to discover that regardless of race, the older you get, the harder it is to make friends.
I'll ask today what I asked before when this was just an article and not a prospective film.....is the idea of cross-racial friendships so novel and unusual that it requires the celluloid treatment? I can predict the deadpan cliches and awkward slights the film is undoubtedly going to use before the first trailer hits Youtube. What are your thoughts? Is this necessary and does it have the slightest chance of being funny?
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