Black People Love Paramore: "A Goofy Movie" (March 6, 2025)

Host: Sequoia Holmes
Guests/Co-hosts: Ryann Graham
Topic: Why "A Goofy Movie" is a Black cultural staple, generational shifts in Black media representation, and cartoon characters’ racial identity.

Episode Overview

This episode of Black People Love Paramore dives humorously and thoughtfully into the Disney classic A Goofy Movie, examining its unexpected status as a "Black staple." Sequoia and Ryann break down how nostalgia, animation style, music, and cultural context have given the film a lasting legacy among Black millennials and Gen Z. They also discuss broader topics like Black joy in 90s media, trauma-focused narratives of today, and the "de-Blackification" of animation. The conversation is lively, insightful, and peppered with hot takes and laughter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. "A Goofy Movie" and Black Nostalgia

• Why Talk About It?

  • The film turns 30 this year ([04:05]) and is being celebrated for its unique, under-acknowledged place in Black pop culture.

• Sequoia’s First Watch:

  • Sequoia had never seen the movie before prepping for the episode ([04:22]).
  • Surprised by the movie's emotional heft:

    "It broke my heart a lot more than I anticipated it breaking my heart." – Sequoia ([04:31])

• Max and Goofy’s Dynamic:

  • They analyze the troubled but loving father-son relationship, which feels more emotional watching as adults.
  • Max is called out for his brattiness; Goofy is praised for his patience.
  • Both hosts agree Goofy’s method of parenting echoes TV dads like Carl Winslow or Dr. Huxtable, emphasizing loving, non-stereotyped Black fatherhood ([09:37]).

• The Absence of Mrs. Goof:

  • Ryann notes Mrs. Goof is unaddressed, adding a somber undertone ([05:10]).

2. Is "A Goofy Movie" Black? On Animation, Music, and Vibes

• Blackness in the Film:

  • The music—especially Tevin Campbell as Powerline—is a core reason why Black audiences claim the film ([05:46], [25:09]).
  • Visual cues: Town feels multiracial, many side characters read as nonwhite ([06:08], [06:18]).
  • Both agree: Goofy and Max themselves read as "white kids who grew up with Black kids/the MTV era," but the film’s world is filled with Black cultural signifiers.

• Memorable Quote:

  "Goofy nor Max read as black at all... Max seems like a white kid who grew up on MTV." – Sequoia ([06:29])

  • Roxanne, Max’s crush, is discussed as the "original IG baddie/light-skinned pipeline" ([10:58]).

3. 90s (Black) Joy vs. Today’s Narratives

• The Shift in Black Representation:
  • Ryann: “Blackness felt mainstream and ubiquitous... Now everything’s an echo chamber," noting the shift to niche and trauma-centered content ([07:25], [08:13]).
  • Sequoia: “A lot of mainstream blackness is rooted in trauma and hardship," contrasting that with the celebration and joy found in older TV and movies ([08:54]).
  • Discussion of how today's mainstream often "de-Blackifies" or compartmentalizes Black culture compared to the 90s.

4. Villains & Characters: Who’s Really the Problem?

• Primary 'Villains':

  • The principal (for projecting "gangster" onto Max for harmless behavior – an allegory for racist school authority [15:18]).
  • Pete (Goofy’s toxic coworker, possibly abuser, but also sort-of supportive [17:04]).
  • Max (for being a rude, lying teenager):

    “I don't. I hate teenagers... If there's an age group that I actually dislike... it's from about the ages of... 12 to 24.” – Sequoia ([17:48])

• Max's Teenage Selfishness:

  • His lies and disrespect stem from adolescent self-centeredness, which the hosts both recognize and gently roast ([18:11], [36:16]).

5. Powerline: The Black Pop Icon We Deserved

• Music as Core Blackness:

  • Tevin Campbell’s "Stand Out" and "Eye to Eye" are peak Black nostalgia ([25:00]).

    "Tevin Campbell singing on anything. Right." – Sequoia ([25:09])

  • Ryann notes the musical numbers make the film feel "almost like a musical," with Sequoia later singing a bit.

• Origin of Powerline Character:

  • Powerline is a composite of Michael Jackson, Prince, and Bobby Brown ([33:43]).

  • Bobby Brown may have been cast originally, with references to jacket, lightning bolt haircut, and "bad boy" energy that led to his recasting.

    "I know it was Bobby Brown because of the shoulder pads." – Sequoia ([34:09])

6. Discussion of Cartoons with ‘Black Energy’

• Game: Is This Cartoon Character Black? ([46:37])
  • A hilarious interactive segment where the hosts debate whether characters (Bugs Bunny, Elmo, Lola Bunny, SpongeBob, Tom & Jerry, Sonic, etc.) code as Black, and why—using speech, style, and "vibe" as their criteria.

    "Elmo is like certainly a black three year old baby. Like, stop playing with me." – Ryann ([47:54]) "Jerry is also resourceful, nimble, flexible... I'm going to get my cheddar period." – Sequoia ([50:11])

7. ‘De-Blackification’ of Cartoons & Media

• Noting the shift away from Black-coded characters in remakes and redesigns—even the Nesquik bunny and Sonic the Hedgehog ([50:35]).
• Ryann: "What is the deep blackification of mainstream media right now?" ([51:35])
• Sequoia decries the periodic "Black droughts" in mainstream entertainment, likening them to network cycles (UPN, early 2000s, etc.) ([51:49]).

8. Life Lessons, Adult Nostalgia, and Final Thoughts

• Adult Rewatching:

  • Both reflect on watching the film as adults: appreciation of Goofy’s parenting, nostalgia for 2D animation, and the pain/funniness of teenage embarrassment ([21:44], [38:14], [42:53], [45:15]).

• On whether Max’s quest for Roxanne was worth it:

  "Spending time with your dad's more important. No, I would say not worth it." – Sequoia ([45:03])

• Disney’s Subtle Brilliance:

  • Homages to Disneyland, marketing genius ([45:49], [46:06])

Notable Quotes

• On generational difference:

  “Mainstream blackness is rooted in trauma and hardship [today]... It was a lot of celebration... Like their blackness just is. It is not a plot point.” – Sequoia ([08:13], [09:11])

• On the Powerline/Tevin Campbell connection:

  “Tevin Campbell was a really big deal in the 90s... And I don't know if he's out..." – Sequoia ([27:02], [27:10]) "He came out in 2022." – Ryann ([28:18])

• On the rise and fall of Blackness in media:

  “Blackness felt mainstream and ubiquitous... Now everything’s an echo chamber.” – Ryann ([07:25])

• On teenage cringe:

  “There was...in my 20s where I look back, I tried. I'm actively still trying to scrub it from my brain right now. You ever have those?” – Sequoia ([37:45]) “Why did I say that?” – Ryann ([38:14])

• On 2D animation:

  “…That type of animation doesn't really exist anymore. Like, everything's kind of 3D or like CGI now, and we don't have that kind of like 2D.” – Ryann ([23:24])
  “I love 2D animation...it's endearing, it's heartwarming.” – Sequoia ([23:36])

Important Timestamps

• 00:29 – Introduction
• 04:05 – Why this episode: film’s 30th anniversary
• 05:46 – Discussion: Is "A Goofy Movie" Black?
• 06:47 – Max is a “white kid who grew up with Black kids”
• 09:37 – Goofy as Cosby Show/Winslow TV Dad
• 15:18 – Who’s the villain: principal/authority as the “real villain”
• 17:48 – Max/teenager roast
• 25:00 – Tevin Campbell/Powerline & “Stand Out”
• 33:43 – Powerline’s origins: Bobby Brown, Prince, Michael Jackson influence
• 36:16 – Cringe teenage lies and consequences
• 42:07 – Character “Flanderization”/Comedic relief
• 46:37 – Game: “Are They Black?” cartoon debate
• 50:35 – Discussion: De-Blackification of animation (Nesquik bunny, Sonic)
• 51:49 – “Black droughts” in mainstream media cycles
• 53:01 – Hope for a new Black renaissance in media
• 54:17 – Closing thoughts and favorite songs tangent

Memorable Moments

• Heartfelt Reactions:
  • Sequoia unexpectedly moved by Goofy’s attempts to connect with Max as an adult viewer ([04:31], [45:15])
• Roasting Teen Max:
  • Hilarious and honest about adolescent stupidity, making it relatable for all ages.
• Flanderization Discussion:
  • Insightful conversation about how popular cartoon characters gradually become caricatures ([40:28])
• Cartoon Identity Game:
  • Laughter-filled, clever debate on which animated characters "feel" Black ([46:37])

Closing / Call to Action

Sequoia invites listeners to sound off on whether to have an emo-themed karaoke birthday and to continue the discussion about "A Goofy Movie" and Black nostalgia on social media (@BPLPPod, @sequoiabholmes) ([55:00]). They tease future episodes, merch, and recommend catching her on the SiriusXM show "The Daily Dirty" ([01:09], [55:37]).

Summary

This episode offers a mix of humor, critique, and nostalgia, centering "A Goofy Movie" in the Black cultural canon. It explores why a film with ostensibly "white" main characters resonates so deeply, highlighting the importance of music, background culture, and the depiction of Black joy and family bonds. Broader reflections on cycles of Black representation in media—and the loss of "mainstream Blackness"—tie the subject to generational experience. The “Are They Black?” cartoon segment, insightful music history, and honest talk about growing up add depth and fun, making this episode a must-listen for anyone who loves pop culture, animation, or just a really great laugh.

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