The Next Voice You Hear: BlacKkKlansman, Sorry to Bother You, and Crazy Rich Asians

Abstract

Two recent movies have used a similar plot device: A young Black man employs a “White voice” on the telephone to accomplish job tasks and achieve success. But in both cases he encounters problems in his personal and African American community relations. The contradictions of passing for White by voice are discussed. Another recent movie concerns class bigotry and xenophobia among Chinese people in Singapore. The contrast between the two popular culture models is examined in this article.