Black on Black Cinema: Ep59: Watermelon Man

This week on Black on Black Cinema, the crew discuss the 1970 comedy-drama film, Watermelon Man, directed by Melvin Van Peebles and starring Godfrey Cambridge and Estelle Parsons. The story of an unlikeable (by everyone) white man named Jeff Gerber who wakes up one day as a Black man in the 1970s. Challenging notions of white liberalism, disparity, and pushing the envelope of racial comedy in its time, Watermelon Man pulls no punches. More than simply a morality tale, Van Peebles takes a stab at the heart of what it means to be a man of color during that time.

Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).