It’s common knowledge that we, here in the U.S., are hopelessly lacking in the field of trend setting – especially compared with our European cousins. I mean c’mon, Paris is the leader in fashion, Britain for music – hello, Beatles? Rolling Stones? And all the countries across the pond have been recycling and worrying about environmental sustainability since……well, forever. Is there any subject where we are the trendsetters?

Hold on, have you heard the buzz about the altered poster for the hit movie “Couples Retreat”? The movie is a comedy centering on four couples (3 white; 1 black) all of whom end up at the same resort for a couples bonding vacation whereupon madcap hilarity ensues. (OK, disclaimer: I haven’t seen the movie but this is what I gleaned from the trailer.) In any case, the posters distributed to promote the movie in the U.S. include all four couples. The U.K. version of the poster appears to have the black couple photoshopped out of the picture. Huh?!!? Wow. So maybe we’re a tad more progressive than our European friends. Can it be true? The article I read said that ethnic diversity in entertainment has been an ongoing issue in Europe. Newsweek says that black actors have had a hard time appealing to foreign moviegoers and, as a result, marketers have been downplaying the ethnicity of actors in order to ensure better box office returns. I even heard that Will Smith, a huge star in the U.S., does not draw crowds in Europe.

Here in the U.S. we also have the Multicultural Motion Picture Association. The MMPA’s stated purpose involves acknowledging those who contribute to diverse perspectives in the entertainment industry as well as honoring industry members who promote a greater understanding and portrayal of all cultures through their creative work in film and television. Apparently tickets to the MMPA annual Diversity Awards ceremony are the hottest item in town and very hard to come by. And I bet there are black people on the posters too!