Why do most black shows cut down whites?

Question

This was brought up in a class at my college.

Ever notice that most of the black comedies out there, the white people are usually the butler, maid or the dumb kid.

The white people are always the low pay blue collar people while the blacks are doctors and such.

Otherwise the white kids are always the geeks and uncool. They always come to the black kids for advice etc..

I really never paid that much attention, but after it was discussed in class, I notice it like all the time.

How many times have you noticed it?
Is this a form of racism?

Answer 1

No, its not racism when blacks do it. They're allowed to say whatever they want. But let a white person make a single comment, the cries of racism can be heard for miles.

Answer 2

Ever notice that most of the black comedies out there, the white people are usually the butler, maid or the dumb kid.
NO. Not even sure if your question/statement makes any sense.
Examples?

Otherwise the white kids are always the geeks and uncool. They always come to the black kids for advice etc..
NO Examples?

Unless you have more details, I think it is all on your mind.

If you talking about the 'Cosby Show' and 'Fresh Prince' they have been off the air for years. If your talk about the 'King of Queens','Malcolm in the middle' and shows like that. Well its not black people who are producing these shows now Is it? So NO its not prejudice to show hard working white families on TV!

Every white isn't making millions of dollars per year and that's OK!

Examples: there's a theme here.

Answer 3

I don't think MOST black shows cut down white people. I can't think of a single black show that cuts down white people [do you have any specific examples?] Occasional a white character will be a janitor or really dumb, but never degrading. Especially because, when there is a white person in one of those roles, there is a usually a black person in a similar role.

I think predominately white sitcoms are more guilty of this. On these shows the black person is usually the only black person on the show [the token black] and they are usually given lines stereotypical of a black person, or "one-liners" On shows like Seventh Heaven and Gilmore Girls and the long running Friends there are very few black people even on the show.

Also the percentage of black shows to white shows is menial, so the level of "racisim" [as it was put] that white characters face on black shows is much lower than that of black characters on white shows. But I don't think that there is any racisim here, because I'm not sure that "black shows cut down whites"

Answer 4

I've noticed that, too - and while "white" shows used to do the same to blacks, I think they've since evolved a little and have started distributing the roles more equally. I still wish there could be more shows that mix the races together, and even show some interracial couples, asians and hispanics who aren't cast in really stereotypical roles, etc.

I think the black shows haven't really been around long enough to realize they should start trying to be more politically correct and equal. The first black shows didn't start popping up until the 70's, right?

Still, I do think it's a form of racism. Ideally, we wouldn't have to have "black shows" and "white shows" in the first place.

Answer 5

Hmmm. Honestly, the only "black" show I'm watching right now is "Everyone Hates Chris" and it doesn't cut down whites.

I don't know. I guess thats what Hollywood sees as the real black experience.

I hate black shows with one white character...its embarrassing for all.

I do know what you are talking about. Its not like every so often they touch on the touchiness of race in a funny way, its always some hokey white dude saying "fashizzel" or some crap who is the TOKEN!!!! Its no different than the TOKEN blacks, Hispanics or Asians of yesteryear...ONLY, we should no better by now.

Is it racist...I don't know, but it is ignorant and prejudiced and stereotyping and BAD COMEDY!!!!!

Answer 6

I have noticed that recently. Well the only thing I can offer up is that since allot of networks are hiring more black writers and comedians and the networks executives know that the black population has a major effect on their net work ratings so they have to gear allot of the programing toward blacks. I cant say that I am madd though. We have mad made fun of for hundreds of years maybe it's time that white people experienced the same feelings we have experienced for too long

Answer 7

Have you ever noticed most old sitcoms with white famnilies. The black kids are always the butler or maid, if they even have a good role at all.



Ha this question just proves that this race stuff goes in circle after circle.
You know how you get it to stop.


SHUT UP

Answer 8

I personally don't watch sit-coms but, yes, it is a form of racism.
Don't let it bother you, Partner. If you get all bent outta shape then whoever said the ridiculous things has accomplished their mission. Hopefully you don't resort to tv for reinforcement about how great your race is. I do not know what your race is nor do i care. Everyone should be proud of their race. It's the people who put down other races that lack self esteem. In the example you gave it must be a cetain tribe of Negroes who are feeling a little sad about their own heritage. So cheer up, you'll be fine.

Answer 9

No, it's not racism, it's Hye-larious! Remember Archie Bunker? This is all a totally natural reaction to that. Relax. We white people have learned from the Jews that being made fun of builds character, and hey, at least its some form of attention, right?

Answer 10

Hold it. It's always been "funny" to make blacks butlers and maids, and whenever a black character came on he/she would speak dumb phrases ("I's is scaid" and "Feets don't fail me now") and you'd hear the funny music in the background... for the longest! And, let's not forget the Blackface acts. Or when Nat King Cole was on TV they'd actually put make up on his face to make him lighter. Or, how the music industry would refuse to use Black singers' faces on their OWN albums for many, many decades!... how much more denigrating could the media have been for Blacks for the longest?

Wait. Are you suggesting that there are NO White butlers or any White maids? Or, are you suggesting that a White butler or a White maid won't work for a rich Black family?

Black families with White butlers and White maids?How about in "The Jeffersons," which was a spin off of "All in the Family" where they actually had a Black family with a BLACK maid?

What about Benson (Robert Guillaume), where the only sane person WAS the butler? In that series, he became the Governor's most trusted employee, Chief of Staff and eventually he became the Governor (in the comedy series that lasted about 7 years). It was a successful comedy show and it was FUNNY without making fun of races.

And what about the many decades that aired westerns and comedies and variety shows without a single Black character or a Hispanic or an Asian? Didn't Blacks and Hispanics and Asians exist in America?

BRUCE LEE was considered for the lead part in the TV series, "Kung Fu" but the part was given to David Carradine because the executives didn't want a CHINESE as a lead in a TV series... With Bruce Lee's immense talents, skills and knowledge, can you just imagine who this GREAT show would have been if they had cast him instead of a dancer (that was David Carradine's specialty, and his brother, Keith, was a guitarist/musician now also an actor; their father, John, was a horror movie actor and sculptor).

Or, several decades before, in the Jack Benny Show (in both the radio and TV), where the butler also was the only sensible person in the show? Look up "Eddie Anderson" or click the link below.

Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, was an African American comic actor who became famous playing "Rochester van Jones" (usually known simply as "Rochester"), the valet to Jack Benny's cheap-skate title character on the long-running radio and television series The Jack Benny Program.

It's nothing more than a comedy formula that works. Why would you and others feel resentful, bothered, offended or "insulted" since Blacks were always portrayed as buffoons, smiling tap dancers or dumb janitors or simply maids, butlers, cooks, or rail road porters for so many, many, many decades on film and TV...? How about the many, many decades that deliberately, systematically and as a matter of policy excluded Blacks, Hispanics and Asians from their shows and programs and even from being seen in the news footage or in a news interview! The news started showing only those Hispanics and Blacks with poor communication skills... but never some minority member who spoke well and intelligently; I wonder why...?

Aside from "I Love Lucy," what other shows had minority members in the cast during the 50 and 60s ("Rochester" in The Jack Benny Show, and the slew of buffoons in "Amos 'n' Andy")? Are you going to mention The Cisco Kid... with "Pancho" the lazy sidekick that gave Mexican Americans and all other Hispanics a bad reputation?

Sorry, I disagree with your premise. It would surprise me some since most, if not all, of the TV stations are owned predominantly by rich Whites or by corporations owned by rich Whites... don't YOU find that curious that THEY would allow this?

Look at Law & Order, for example, and you'll see how Hispanics are portrayed as drug pushers or really dumb, ignorant people afraid of "deh poleeeseea," (or as tough cops with chips on their shoulders that paid their dues) but never as educators or professionals without thick Spanish accents and broken English (with Salsa music, Merengque music or Ranchera music in the background). Or Chinese as students, Chinese store owners or Restaurant owners or gang members (or the token one that is a very intuitive FBI profiler who is neither a Martial Artist or speaks like Charlie Chan). What, aren't there any Black or Hispanic or Chinese businessmen that speak clear American Standard English? Are Whites the ONLY ones capable of speaking Standard American English in America and not living in ghettos?

EDITED: I recall when "All in the Family" first came out. It was hailed as one of the best comedies ever! I remember living in a predominantly White building in a White neighborhood, and everyone would quote some of Archie Bunker's lines in my presence of in my wife's presence all the time, in the halls, the elevators (the lovable bigot of the show, and the main character). But, the minute "The Jeffersons" came out... whoa! They'd make a straight line to me or to my wife to let us know how disappointed they were with that kind of show on the air disparaging Whites! The minute I mentioned that the creators of "All in the Family" were the same creators of "The Jeffersons" and the same writers and I'd often say, "It's all done in the same humor as with Archie Bunker..." They stopped speaking with me! I won't wonder why...? Hmmmm....!

Answer 11

Get over it! How many leading roles have you seen with Hispanics?

In American movies could you give me the names of 3 leading men who played the part of a Hispanic that was not a drug dealer or something generally considered negative?

We need to stop looking for pride from a race point of view rather than a moral human point of view first!

We need to design structure in society that will allow us to rely and build trust with each other irregardless of race.

Do you think a Marine cares if another Marine is of Hispanic, African or Irish decent?