There’s been something bothering me for quite some time now. I’ve always wanted to discuss it and well since I now have a forum to discuss things that bother me, here goes. Today we go HARD IN THE PAINT on the lack of African Americans on television or as I like to call it, “Why I Really Don’t Watch TV Anymore, “ leggo!!!!
I come from a simpler time (the 70’s) when although television should have primarily been Caucasian in nature, surprisingly…there were a lot of shows on that prominently featured African Americans such as “Sanford and Son,” “The Flip Wilson Show,” “Good Times,” “The Jefferson’s” and “Different Strokes” just to name a few. The pinnacle of such television revolution came to pass when “The Cosby Show” premiered. As African Americans we had a vast example of shows that represented us from all walks of life. Even “A Different World” showed us that we could go to college during the late 80’s and who can forget shows in the 90’s such as “Martin,” “Living Single” which was friends before “Friends” first came on the air and just how many superstars did Keenan Ivory Wayans launch from his 30 minute comedy show, “In Living Color?” Lest we forget, “New York Undercover” was adopted by all of us…African American and Latino Americans alike. And last but not least what about such wholesome programming as “ Sister, Sister,” “Mr. Cooper” and “ Family Matters?” Man I miss those days.
My how times sure have changed. While African Americans do have for the lack of better terminology our own network, BET otherwise known as Black Entertainment Television…some might argue that while the “Television” station is “Black,” it stopped being “Entertainment” a long time ago. Be that as it may, this channel is located on cable and while some of you might ask, “Who doesn’t have cable these days,” I have a better question. Why do I have to purchase cable to see a fair representation of “me” on television? I mean really, what happened to shows that featured minorities in roles that we could actually be proud of instead of the so called “Reality” foolishness we see on television these days?
When I look at CBS, I mean my God man, we’re smattered throughout the network. On all of the CSI and NCIS shows there is not one African American that leads a team. LLCoolJ is relegated to co star status on NCIS Los Angeles and Lawrence Fishburne is no longer on CSI Las Vegas. And there you have it. A very good argument could be made that the African Americans on CBS regardless of how well known they are or how many movies they have starred in are basically relegated to “Token Black” status. Oh you don’t know what that means? Well here, let me explain it to you. It basically means you have a Black person on your show just to say, “See we have a black person on our show.” Think I’m making much to do about nothing? Examine the programming roster on CBS and tell me on what show are their multiple African Americans, let alone multiple ethnicities playing prominent roles on shows other than their so called reality shows. I’ll wait.
NBC is no better. Someone once asked me several years ago if I watched “Friends.” My response was no and when they asked why, I told them simply, “Because I’m not on it.” I mean here was this show that took place in multi ethnic New York and I was supposed to believe that these “Friends” had little to no interaction with people of other races? That’s absurd. I lived in New York for several years and that my “Friend” is virtually impossible. Even the “Huxtables” had white friends. Before I go on a tangent though, examine NBC’s roster of shows. God knows for every “CSI” show on CBS, NBC has a “Law and Order” show. And all the African Americans on those shows are relegated to co star status and when you look at those shows…you’re only going to find one African American. They will be the ones standing out like the lone chip in a “Chips Ahoy” cookie.
Oh and ABC, please don’t think I’ve forgotten about you. Aren’t you the station getting sued by African Americans because they don’t have a fair chance on your shows, “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette?” Personally speaking, anyone of color who thinks they have an actual chance on these shows is more of an optimist than I am and that’s really, really hard to do. But I digress. You openly don’t believe in minorities being the spot light of your shows. God bless George Lopez, you can still find his show on Nickelodeon. Anyway, is it actually too much to ask to have a brutha or sistah be the bachelor or the bachelorette? If the sports and entertainment world have taught us nothing else, it is that high profile African Americans do not and I repeat do not have a problem dating and or marrying low profile Caucasians. How’s that for ratings? I will give you credit for “Scandal” though. Kerry Washington and Columbus Short are actually on the same show. I could say something about her dissing a brutha to be with the white President but hey, it’s a sistah that’s writing the show. Altogether now, raise “The People’s Eyebrow” with me.
Last on this piece is Fox. When it first came on the scene, it gave us promise…much like the UPN and the WB networks that followed it. Those last two have combined to form the channel CW. Regardless of who has partnered up with whom, once these networks got their ratings up by giving us such shows as “Martin,” The Jamie Foxx Show,” “The Steve Harvey Show,” “Moesha,” “The Parkers.” Do we even want to discuss the success stars from these shows such as Martin Lawrence, Jamie Foxx, Steve Harvey, Brandy and Monique have enjoyed since these shows aired? There was a lot of talent there, huh? Sad to say, once these networks got up and running, they abandoned and I mean they abandoned shows featuring African Americans and any other race altogether. Sad…truly sad.
See I know by now that some people (conservatives) are going to say, “Quit your belly aching. Ya got your own network for crying out loud.” Seriously though, if you have to say that, you’re making my point. These broadcast networks that rely on so called Nielson ratings and commercial sponsors should reflect all of America…not just a portion of it that according to a our last presidential election is shrinking by the year. As it stands right now, if I want to watch shows that feature African Americans in starring roles, I gotta wait until football and basketball season rolls around and that is truly a travesty. The network “Bounce” just started up and its cool but in case you haven’t gotten my point…it is a simple as this. I don’t want to watch a network that features one race while discounting another race. I want to watch programming from a network that prominently features representatives from all races. That in its very essence is what makes our country so special, why people from other countries come here, why are and forever will be…the great melting pot. It’s long overdue but it’s just my opinion on the matter. I’m out.
HARD IN THE PAINT 