celeb news Cameron Diaz: I was likely an unwitting Moroccan drug mule in the early 1990s

[Espresso]

 

Quote

[...] In the US, she had made money as a catalogue model, but in Paris “I didn’t work a day. I was there a full year and I didn’t work one day. I couldn’t book a job to save my life.

 

“I got like one job but really I think I was like a mule carrying drugs to Morocco – I swear to God.”

 

Diaz went on to become one of the highest paid women in Hollywood and the queen of romcoms from My Best Friend’s Wedding to Sex Tape.

 

Before that, in the early 1990s,, Diaz recalled the modelling assignment, which involved her being given a locked suitcase “that had my ‘costumes’ in it … quote, unquote”.

 

It was only when she was at the airport in Morocco and was asked to open it that she started thinking: “What the **** is in that suitcase? I’m like this blonde-haired blue-eyed girl in Morocco, it’s the nineties, I’m wearing torn jeans and platform boots and my hair down. I’m like … this is really unsafe.”

 

She explained it was not her case and she had no idea whose it was.

 

Fortunately for Diaz this was before any of the rigid security measures that are in place at airports today.

 

“That was my only job I ever got in Paris,” she told Hillary Kerr for her Second Life podcast series.

 

It was soon after the Morocco incident that Diaz, 21, was cast in The Mask, her film debut. [...] 

 

[TROPICUM]

And she went from carrying drugs to carrying all of hollywood in the 90s i know that’s right 

[Terrielle]

“What the **** is in that suitcase? I’m like this blonde-haired blue-eyed girl in Morocco, it’s the nineties, I’m wearing torn jeans and platform boots and my hair down. I’m like … this is really unsafe.”

YIKES.

[Espresso]

12 minutes ago, Terrielle said:

“What the **** is in that suitcase? I’m like this blonde-haired blue-eyed girl in Morocco, it’s the nineties, I’m wearing torn jeans and platform boots and my hair down. I’m like … this is really unsafe.”

YIKES.

If you want to imply Cameron's implying all Moroccan men in the 90's were predisposed to rape white woman just say it and drop the virtue signaling.

 

Anecdotally, my Mom's best friend who was blond and blue eyed had endless stories of being cat-called, sexually harassed, and almost raped (not even clubbing or intoxicated) when on an internship in Turkey in the 1970's. She was specifically targeted for that reason and to imply otherwise is really naive. 

 

 

[Space Cowboy]

28 minutes ago, Terrielle said:

“What the **** is in that suitcase? I’m like this blonde-haired blue-eyed girl in Morocco, it’s the nineties, I’m wearing torn jeans and platform boots and my hair down. I’m like … this is really unsafe.”

YIKES.

 

Most arab countries are highly unsafe for women. That’s a fact 

[Terrielle]

44 minutes ago, Espresso said:

If you want to imply Cameron's implying all Moroccan men in the 90's were predisposed to rape white woman just say it and drop the virtue signaling.

 

Anecdotally, my Mom's best friend who was blond and blue eyed had endless stories of being cat-called, sexually harassed, and almost raped (not even clubbing or intoxicated) when on an internship in Turkey in the 1970's. She was specifically targeted for that reason and to imply otherwise is really naive. 

 

 

 

26 minutes ago, Space Cowboy said:

 

Most arab countries are highly unsafe for women. That’s a fact 

I'm not virtue signalling, I AM Moroccan. We have people with blue eyes and blond hair too, you're not special. That's A. 

And B, cat-calling, rape, sexual assault and harassment exist EVERYWHERE. You're both basically calling Arab men animalistic savages who have no self control, which is, you guessed it, RACIST.

Oh and wtf does Turkey have to do with Morocco?

 

#wypipostfuchallenge

Edited July 10, 2022 by Terrielle
b

[Espresso]

2 minutes ago, Terrielle said:

 

I'm not virtue signalling, I AM Moroccan. We have people with blue eyes and blond hair too, you're not special. That's A. 

And B, cat-calling, rape, sexual assault and harassment exist EVERYWHERE. You're both basically calling Arab men animalistic savages who have no self control, which is, you guessed it, RACIST.

 

#wypipostfuchallenge

Never said people with blond hair and blue eyed are special. Never said there weren't Moroccans that didn't have blond hair and blue eyes. Never said harassment didn't happen anywhere else. Never said all Arab men are animalistic savages. Never implied any of the above either. 

 

I'm not going to discount the experience of a person I know personally and trust who was targeted in a country that largely doesn't have people that are blond and blue eyed (or at least perhaps didn't then) because they're blond and blue eyed. 

 

Harassment that's not even necessarily sexual works both ways and I'd apply the same logic to targeting the other way in other countries that has occurred as well. You don't get to pigeonhole what I'm saying here as no one's experiences are universal and I doubt she is either.  

[Terrielle]

1 minute ago, Espresso said:

Never said people with blond hair and blue eyed are special. Never said there weren't Moroccans that didn't have blond hair and blue eyes. Never said harassment didn't happen anywhere else. Never said all Arab men are animalistic savages. Never implied any of the above either. 

 

I'm not going to discount the experience of a person I know personally and trust who was targeted in a country that largely doesn't have people that are blond and blue eyed (or at least perhaps didn't then) because they're blond and blue eyed. 

 

Harassment that's not even necessarily sexual works both ways and I'd apply the same logic to targeting the other way in other countries that has occurred as well. You don't get to pigeonhole what I'm saying here as no one's experiences are universal and I doubt she is either.  

What does your mother's experience have to do with Morocco in the 90s?  

[Espresso]

10 minutes ago, Terrielle said:

What does your mother's experience have to do with Morocco in the 90s?  

OK, I mean this indicates you didn't actually bother to read my initial post so I'm wondering if it's worth engaging, but whatever. You also didn't address the points I raised.Her friend (close with the family) interned in Turkey and also spent a lot of time in Morocco. She's blond and blue-eyed. This was in the 70's so I'll concede the argument could be made of less comparison to 1990's Cameron's talking about when things could've have changed significantly in customs or racial composition but I don't know the data off the top of my head. But as I said, she was targeted daily on her commute, while on errands, and at work, specifically because of her blond hair and skin and blue eyes, which those there actually said explicitly when they harassed her in many instances (and witnesses she knew). Was that the norm in that decade or in the 90's for those with blond hair and blue eyes? I'm not saying that and never did. But I'm not going to pretend I can't extrapolate that to possibly having happened to anyone else there that was blond and blue-eyed.

[RockStarShit101]

I'm not a woman but I do think any female isn't safe anywhere in the world. Let's not act it's only in the Arab countries. Sadly, harassment and rape happen in the west, too, and I hate saying these things because it's not a competition, I'm just stating facts about how men in general sucks.

[Terrielle]

5 minutes ago, Espresso said:

OK, I mean this indicates you didn't actually bother to read my initial post so I'm wondering if it's worth engaging, but whatever. You also didn't address the points I raised.Her friend (close with the family) interned in Turkey and also spent a lot of time in Morocco. She's blond and blue-eyed. This was in the 70's so I'll concede the argument could be made of less comparison to 1990's Cameron's talking about when things could've have changed significantly in customs or racial composition but I don't know the data off the top of my head. But as I said, she was targeted daily on her commute, while on errands, and at work, specifically because of her blond hair and skin, which those there actually said explicitly when they harassed her in many instances. Was that the norm in that decade or in the 90's for those with blond hair and blue eyes? I'm not saying that and never did. But I'm not going to pretend I can't extrapolate that to possibly having happened to anyone else there that was blond and blue-eyed.

Shouldn't I be the one saying this? I mean you're making so many assumptions and raising vacuous points based on potential anecdotes of someone else (not first hand accounts, that YOU have experienced) that COULD be biased, misleading or just lies. and to top it off, about a different country, in a different continent at a different time (literally 2 decades difference). NONE of which directly relate to MY comment, which I have the right to have, as a Moroccan person. I am offended and I have the right to be offended. 

 

BTW, the statistics say that in Turkey the percentage of natural blondes is around 4%, only 1% below the US. So this whole blond hair thing is kinda dumb.

Edited July 10, 2022 by Terrielle

[Espresso]

10 minutes ago, Terrielle said:

Shouldn't I be the one saying this? I mean you're making so many assumptions and raising vacuous points based on potential anecdotes of someone else (not first hand accounts, that YOU have experienced) that COULD be biased, misleading or just lies. and to top it off, about a different country, in a different continent at a different time (literally 2 decades difference). NONE of which directly relate to MY comment, which I have the right to have, as a Moroccan person. I am offended and I have the right to be offended. 

Let's try and be productive about this. What was the percentage of people with blond hair and blue eyes who lived in Morocco in the early 1990s? I'm being serious. That data's probably not easily accessible. I'm placing a safe bet it was a very small minority and if I'm wrong I'll concede that point. 

 

My former work colleague who's a black woman told me two stories of feeling intimidated and vulnerable being the sole double minority among a group of white men in the UK, and this was only three years ago. This logic works in multiple directions, contexts and countries so to imply Cameron is some massive racist while voicing legitimate concerns that aren't assigning this trope (that I'm not pretending doesn't exist either, for the record) to all men there outright isn't fair. I stand by that position.

[Terrielle]

Just now, Espresso said:

Let's try and be productive about this. What was the percentage of people with blond hair and blue eyes who lived in Morocco in the early 1990s? I'm being serious. That data's probably not easily accessible. I'm placing a safe bet it was a significant minority and if I'm wrong I'll concede that point. 

 

My former work colleague who's a black woman told me two stories of feeling intimidated and vulnerable being the sole double minority among a group of white men in the UK, and this was only three years ago. This logic works in multiple directions, contexts and countries so to imply Cameron is some massive racist while voicing legitimate concerns that aren't assigning this trope (that I'm not pretending doesn't exist either, for the record) to all men there outright isn't fair. I stand by that position.

I never called her a massive racist. You don't have to be a raging racist to have 'racially charged' thoughts. She's the one that basically brought race into the conversation with the blue eyes comment. As for the percentage of blondes in Morocco, I live in the Rif region, a place that is ethnically 'berber'/'amazigh' Most of the women (and men) I know could easily pass for white in Europe. Including my own sisters and mother. So blue eyes and blonde hair are nothing special to us Moroccans, at least for us that live in the Northern region.

 

This is for the user who's implied that Arab countries are the least safe places for women: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANndgzkW3Es 

[Espresso]

1 minute ago, Terrielle said:

I never called her a massive racist. You don't have to be a raging racist to have 'racially charged' thoughts. She's the one that basically brought race into the conversation with the blue eyes comment. As for the percentage of blondes in Morocco, I live in the Rif region, a place that is ethnically 'berber'/'amazigh' Most of the women (and men) I know could easily pass for white in Europe. Including my own sisters and mother. So blue eyes and blonde hair are nothing special to us Moroccans, at least for us that live in the Northern region.

 

This is for the user who's implied that Arab countries are the least safe places for women: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANndgzkW3Es 

I changed my post as you had changed yours to say very small minority as well as the story of being in Turkey and Morocco, but anyways I'm aware of the region and the populous. 

 

She based her fear on an assumption that people with blond hair and blue eyes were a very small minority in Morocco in the 1990's at the time which she'd probably admit if questioned on it more closely was wrong and thus that she was at risk of being targeted more heavily because of that but to have held that assumption, being outside that region especially, and not admit it because she should be embarrassed about it in today's context, doesn't make sense and also isn't productive.

 

There's the underlying assumption I'm getting from you that she's applying her mistake from early 90s Morocco as a warning today too. It's just, a lot to take from a few lines in an interview - it's reading way too much into this and she's awfully low-hanging fruit for some fight against white tourists impressions of Morocco. Those that still believe that today have bigger problems no attempt on education on the topic is going to fix.

[tiagol88]

2 hours ago, Terrielle said:

“What the **** is in that suitcase? I’m like this blonde-haired blue-eyed girl in Morocco, it’s the nineties, I’m wearing torn jeans and platform boots and my hair down. I’m like … this is really unsafe.”

YIKES.

Those countries can be unsafe for women for sure. That's not even a controversial thing to say lmao. It was probably worse back then 

[Terrielle]

17 minutes ago, tiagol88 said:

Those countries can be unsafe for women for sure. That's not even a controversial thing to say lmao. It was probably worse back then 

ANY country can be unsafe for women. I'm not even gonna bother anymore, some of you just CHOOSE to be ignorant.

[Terrielle]

45 minutes ago, Espresso said:

I changed my post as you had changed yours to say very small minority as well as the story of being in Turkey and Morocco, but anyways I'm aware of the region and the populous. 

 

She based her fear on an assumption that people with blond hair and blue eyes were a very small minority in Morocco in the 1990's at the time which she'd probably admit if questioned on it more closely was wrong and thus that she was at risk of being targeted more heavily because of that but to have held that assumption, being outside that region especially, and not admit it because she should be embarrassed about it in today's context, doesn't make sense and also isn't productive.

 

There's the underlying assumption I'm getting from you that she's applying her mistake from early 90s Morocco as a warning today too. It's just, a lot to take from a few lines in an interview - it's reading way too much into this and she's awfully low-hanging fruit for some fight against white tourists impressions of Morocco. Those that still believe that today have bigger problems no attempt on education on the topic is going to fix.

It's not a fight. That comment made me uncomfortable as a Moroccan person and I expressed that discomfort. Based on some responses in this thread, my discomfort is very much justifiable. 

Either way, I'm over it. People (not you, specifically) will always hold discriminatory views in their minds and I can't change that so let's just end this here.

[Espresso]

2 minutes ago, Terrielle said:

It's not a fight. That comment made me uncomfortable as a Moroccan person and I expressed that discomfort. Based on some responses in this thread, my discomfort is very much justifiable. 

Either way, I'm over it. People (not you, specifically) will always hold discriminatory views in their minds and I can't change that so let's just end this here.

I mean...impressions have hopefully changed since the early 1990's as well as the reality on the ground. 

 

None of this interview, let alone that section, will likely cause much waves regardless as Cameron's career has been quiet(er) for a while. (I mean it's trending on The Guardian but I think that's it). That's fine, thanks for your thoughts on it. 

[tiagol88]

1 hour ago, Terrielle said:

ANY country can be unsafe for women. I'm not even gonna bother anymore, some of you just CHOOSE to be ignorant.

You need to travel more if you think women are treated the same way everywhere in the world. You're right about your last sentence for sure

[Space Cowboy]

4 hours ago, Terrielle said:

 

I'm not virtue signalling, I AM Moroccan. We have people with blue eyes and blond hair too, you're not special. That's A. 

And B, cat-calling, rape, sexual assault and harassment exist EVERYWHERE. You're both basically calling Arab men animalistic savages who have no self control, which is, you guessed it, RACIST.

Oh and wtf does Turkey have to do with Morocco?

 

#wypipostfuchallenge

I went to Jordan some weeks ago on vacation with my group of friends and all my female friends had an awful experience. The men were absolutely disgusting and they endlessly harassed all my female friends.

 

Many of them males shamelessly tried to record my female friends while we were walking as if they haven’t seen a woman in their lives, they “accidentally” touched and pushed them, they would’t stop staring at them like not even trying to hide it, etc… 

 

My female friends were terrified everytime we went to a crowded street. I’ve never seen anything like that and this happened in 2022.

 

Maybe Morocco is different idk, but arab men didn’t leave a very good impression on me.

[Terrielle]

2 hours ago, tiagol88 said:

You need to travel more if you think women are treated the same way everywhere in the world. You're right about your last sentence for sure

I LIVE here. Can you not read?

[Katy V.!]

People pretending that Cameron ******* Diaz doesn't stand out to pretend they're outraged 

[Pans Labyrinth]

Western beauty standard is a real thing and especially true in the 90s. Cameron looks like a bombshell so she’s more likely to be preyed upon. There’s nothing wrong with what she said

[Cloudy]

I mean Cameron Diaz was a bombshell in the 90s and she stands out a lot so I'm sure it did happened. She mentioned Morocco, but I'm sure it would have happened in many other countries

[ConceptD]

I love her so much and I’m glad she’s coming back but I don’t think this new generation is ready for her unfiltered way of speaking.