1. Maybe as a matter of trust, they have proven more able to keep celebrities secrets?
2. Maybe their mere presence is an automatic/obvious deterrent to encroachment.
3. Maybe, just maybe they viewed as in the Army, more willing to take a bullet for the client.

Cord, It doesn't have to be a negative thing.

Not to take it too far back, but during the period of slavery (especially in urban environments throughout the Americas), black escorts were a marker of status and therefore an old-school "must-have accessory." It kind of still holds true in certain societies — Peru, for example, is dotted with black male pallbearers, doormen, and club bouncers. Which is a whole other story about why their access to other kinds of jobs is blocked, but I think it's worth talking about why the black male escort is such a common sight. Sadly, though, it's hardly a "new" phenomenon.

"Cord, It doesn’t have to be a negative thing."
agreed

well i think it IS negative. it just feeds into the same black stereotypes that have plagued black people for years and if you can't see it then your not colorblind, your just blind.

There is a high level of trust, loyalty and respect that goes in to celebrity bodyguard, qualifications goes beyond being black.

The big black gentleman next to Alicia Keys is not her bodyguard. He's her manager, Jeff Robinson. Just because he's big and black doesn't mean he's a bodyguard. Maybe we should examine our own susceptibility to stereotypes.

You forgot a shot of the recent cover of Vogue.

so you guys are celebrating the fact that people think black men are scary, which is why big black bodyguards are always hired?

that’s the most backwards logic i’ve ever heard.

are you listening to yourselves? the reason these white celebs hire the beefy black men are to frighten would-be crazed fans or stalkers or whatever. THAT'S the image you're comfortable supporting?

just because it's a job doesn't mean it's a good one.

I love watching Rob and Big though…

hmmmm…what up with white horse-racing jockeys or middle-eastern convenience store owners or…

Andrea it was written with satire.

You can view it that way but if I thought I was in danger, I'd probably hire some 6'8" Incredible Hulk looking thing with crazy eyes. If it was standard and I didn't think there was a risk, I would go for someone armed who would blend in. Look at the ones who look more like friends or dates than body guards. Would they be black? Probably.

I would not hire a just huge one though. Something more like a linebacker (?). I don't know what they're called. They have to run a lot in football and they have to be big. Those people. You'd want someone with both a size and speed advantage.

and for goodness sake, is this a representative sample by any stretch of the imagination? The only body guards I could think of off the top of my head are Britney Spears' one that testified against her (Hispanic I believe), Beyonce's giant and Patty Hearst's bodyguard-turned-hubby.

Have you seen Nicole Kidman's bodyguard. Smaller than those guys above but just as lethal. He beat the breaks off of a poparazi(sp) photog a few weeks ago.

Actually the vast majority of bodyguards are white and a good portion are ex Israeli commandos.
(Just did my research)
there are only a few Black bodyguards by comparison, but if you are someone who sees race around every corner, you could walk into an office of 3000 Whites and by seeing 200 Blacks there, say it's a totally Black office:)

Incidentally that has worked against Blacks in hiring.

TruthTeller, thanks for fact checking

It helps to have a friend who finds financiers for various types of businesses including those. some are actually publicly traded.

Because celebrities are insecure and for the most part covet what their piers and rivals have? The competition to score the "it bag" has been taken to the next level–how else can you explain the legions of models willing to fuck Pete Dougherty? Talk about exclusive, he's an accessory you can only get off the arm of Kate Moss! Does this explain the rage for big, black body guards? All these K-Fed types trying to create the appearance of having "black friends" they can be seen with and buy matching necklaces for, hoping for street cred? Maybe it's none of these reasons. Who cares? As far as I can see, this is a great business opportunity for these guys. It's ridiculous for society to try too find some way to shame successful black men when they dominate an industry.

Pete Dougherty wow,^^ I can't understand his appeal either.

Well some people blog and some people are bodyguards… isn't it great when anyone does their job exceptionally well?

Umm, can I have Mariah's bodyguard? Please and thank you.

"Actually the vast majority of bodyguards are white and a good portion are ex Israeli commandos." <<<

Oh that explains it. And it's anecdotal. Thanks for that very involved "research." LOL!

“Actually the vast majority of bodyguards are white and a good portion are ex Israeli commandos.” <<<

But are those the vast majority that people see when they flip through their USWeekly or scan the gossip sites? Nope, the one that we see most often are attached to highly visible celebs - those that frequently photographed by the paps. So it would appear to readers that when you are in the market for bodyguard - a huge Black man preferably bald.

The actual numbers are almost made irrelevant by the fact that the public sees more Black bodyguards more frequently than white. (Perhaps it's just a visibility factor. We know the Black guy ain't with LiLo so we assume he's the bodyguard).

SweetDiva don't be un-smart, I am talking about the celebrity bodyguard services. wasn't the conversation about celebrities, well, sorry the next I will s.p.e.l.l it out clearly.
Many more celebrities have white bodyguards and people call them part of the celebrity entourage.

Why don't you do your research and you will find there was a few years back that there were complaints that Black weren't being allowed into the celebrity guarding business.
In reality it probable cost more to hire a White bodyguard than a Black one so perhaps that's where you should point your finger.

It's a legit revenue stream so what's the problem? Would you prefer that these men be unemployed?

according to some people mindset.
Whenever Black males begin working in an industry it needs to be some form of affirmative action, that it cannot be based on merit.

The only way they could have gotten the job is:
1. they are being used (because they are not worthy of employment).
2. They are planning some criminal act.
3. The employers are scraping the bottom of the barrel.
4. It's all about color because they aren't qualified.

Some Blacks think the same way about Blacks, as too many Whites do, every job a Black person does has to be an affirmative action hire.

do you people think before you write, or do you just write and think about it later or never. i've seldom read such a load of crap. all i see is opinions parading as fact.

All my non-blk friends like to call on me whenever they're about to get in a fight, even when they're the ones at fault. It's as if the "ability to fight" is a gene every blk person possesses. Even blk people expect u to know how to fight.

Ike are you a big guy(6ft +)?

Not for nothing, but if I hired a bodyguard, I'd hire the biggest dude I could conveniently transport. Are there height/weight statistics for black guys that might show there are more huge black men than equally-sized men of other races? The largest person I know is a friend who is 6'5", around 300 lbs of solid muscle, and he's black. He happens to be a bouncer- mostly because they pay him good money "for standing around being large". I would also want people to notice that I had protection around me, like "See this enormous man next to me? Don't even think of trying anything…" If I had a 6 1/2 foot black man next to my pasty 5-foot self, that would be the most noticeable arrangement I could think of.

Wow! Didn't know the stereotype that said "that blacks are ogreish and brutal" !

So all the men pictured are "large DARK men"…

This post is scary. Cord's motto seems to be "once you blog anti-black, you never go back" or "anything to make you click on the link".