There were times when especially Samantha said things that were racist, but she wasn't trying to be. It was innocence, or just a white child's ignorance. For instance, when she sees the black Jesus, she proclaims that Jesus is white and then says it has to be the photo negative. In the same episode she says it's weird for her being the minority. She's in a room full of blacks, and she's the only white person until the Chief gets there. She's clearly uncomfortable. And then Samantha says that she didn't know white people had roots, to which Julie says "sure we do, we just can't dunk worth a damn". Julie was of course implying that all black people can play basketball.

And then there is the infamous episode where Samantha asks Nell how would she like it if someone called her the "N" word. I've watched that a few times, and I don't know if Samantha was trying to be hurtful, or if that again was just innocence/ignorance. The Chief certainly didn't think so. I don't know. If you look at Samantha's face right after she says it, she immediately knows she's in trouble. She takes off running before the Chief has time to say anything. I never heard Katie say anything racist, but maybe I'm forgetting.

Julie and Samantha probably got this from their father. He also had some innocent/ignorant racism. The Chief was clearly not a racist per se. He respected Nell and people of all races. Still, he said some things throughout too. For instance, in the first episode he blames busing for the deterioration of society. Then another time he asks Nell to cook dinner because the mayor is coming over. The mayor is black. The Chief can't believe Nell didn't vote for him because he thought all blacks voted for blacks just because they're black. Also, he wants Nell to cook some food like "you people" like, as if there is a certain food all black people like.

Samantha's worst hour was when she dressed Joey in blackface. That was NOT innocence. She clearly MEANT to hurt Nell. That was the whole reason she did it. It was bad that she used race to hurt Nell. It's hard to understand why she would do that when just a few years before she apologized for saying the "N" word and saying she didn't mean anything bad by it. I can't remember. Was this after the Chief died? Where was he? I would have loved to see his reaction to this. That would have been a good ass-chewing, better than the one Nell gave.

There were times when especially Samantha said things that were racist, but she wasn't trying to be. It was innocence, or just a white child's ignorance. For instance, when she sees the black Jesus, she proclaims that Jesus is white and then says it has to be the photo negative. In the same episode she says it's weird for her being the minority. She's in a room full of blacks, and she's the only white person until the Chief gets there. She's clearly uncomfortable. And then Samantha says that she didn't know white people had roots, to which Julie says "sure we do, we just can't dunk worth a damn". Julie was of course implying that all black people can play basketball.

And then there is the infamous episode where Samantha asks Nell how would she like it if someone called her the "N" word. I've watched that a few times, and I don't know if Samantha was trying to be hurtful, or if that again was just innocence/ignorance. The Chief certainly didn't think so. I don't know. If you look at Samantha's face right after she says it, she immediately knows she's in trouble. She takes off running before the Chief has time to say anything. I never heard Katie say anything racist, but maybe I'm forgetting.

Julie and Samantha probably got this from their father. He also had some innocent/ignorant racism. The Chief was clearly not a racist per se. He respected Nell and people of all races. Still, he said some things throughout too. For instance, in the first episode he blames busing for the deterioration of society. Then another time he asks Nell to cook dinner because the mayor is coming over. The mayor is black. The Chief can't believe Nell didn't vote for him because he thought all blacks voted for blacks just because they're black. Also, he wants Nell to cook some food like "you people" like, as if there is a certain food all black people like.

Samantha's worst hour was when she dressed Joey in blackface. That was NOT innocence. She clearly MEANT to hurt Nell. That was the whole reason she did it. It was bad that she used race to hurt Nell. It's hard to understand why she would do that when just a few years before she apologized for saying the "N" word and saying she didn't mean anything bad by it. I can't remember. Was this after the Chief died? Where was he? I would have loved to see his reaction to this. That would have been a good ass-chewing, better than the one Nell gave.


In answer to your question, no the one with the blackface was not after the chief died. However, I think that the actor was sick and was seen less and less. I am not sure how they explained his absence in that episode.

I don't think Samantha did that blackface thing as a racism thing. I think she did it because she knew it would push Nell's buttons. Seeing as how Samantha was jealous of Joey, she was willing to do anything to get Nell's attention. Samantha went about it completely wrong. As I've said, the girl was a weirdo. Any teenage girl whose gonna get jealous of an 8 or 9 year old boy has serious mental problems.