Tarzan is on exhibit at the Musee du Quai Branly in Paris through September. The museum is well-respected for its exhibitions that explore African, Asian and Pacific art and culture. However, the museum's curator, Stephanie Martin, says the exploration of Tarzan will focus on the sensuality created from a white man living among a continent of muscular black men and near-naked black women. Martin claims the uncensored heat between Tarzan and Jane was Tarzan's biggest appeal to western audiences. Mmm… I thought the appeal was a white man rolling into Africa and showing the "mumbling and naive black folks" how to really tame a jungle, or treat its orphans, or… I'll stop.
I must admit, I watched reruns of Tarzan as a kid. It wasn't must-see TV, but it seemed to always find its way into Saturday morning programming. I wasn't keyed into the sensuality of Tarzan and his damsel Jane. In fact, Jane was about as attractive as coconut. But I was always fascinated with how a British aristocrat could roll up into Africa, be exposed to its richness, but then morph into a grunting, one-word-speaking, un-tanned Neanderthal who'd intimidate the mightiest of Africans. Stephanie Martin says the exhibit is "fun", but says she also provided a little exploration for why some are bothered by Tarzan's relationship with the black Africans. I don't know why that's comical to me.
Keith Josef Adkins is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter and social commentator.