Why That ‘Are There Too Many Minorities On TV’ Piece By Deadline Is So Infuriating

[TMC]

http://uproxx.com/tv/2015/03/deadlin...on-television/

A lot of the time, it really does feel like we’re going backwards.

In February, during SNL’s 40th anniversary show, Jerry Seinfeld and Ellen Cleghorne did a bit about diversity on television in which Seinfeld flippantly dismissed the whole thing by sarcastically apologizing for not curing all of society’s problems. This scripted exchange was met with scorn on social media. To defend Seinfeld ever so slightly, (A) it was a comedy bit, even if it didn’t land the way it was intended, and (B), well, that will take a little more explanation.

On Tuesday, Deadline Hollywood published an almost universally panned investigation into the “backlash” against racial diversity on television, which — intentional or not — came off as “you know, maybe it’s time some white people got jobs.” It cites a lot of unnamed sources complaining that white characters have been changed to “ethnic” (their word) characters in order to please networks and studios. At the very least, this piece is incredibly tone deaf. More likely, it’s somewhere in between that and a malicious attempt to get people angry. It’s hard to believe that wasn’t the goal. Regardless, if that was the goal, it certainly worked.

Okay, back to Jerry Seinfeld for a second. Seinfeld is considered to be the quintessential show of the ‘90s, but it actually debuted in 1989, in an era when The Cosby Show was still king (regardless how we feel about Cosby today). Should Seinfeld have been more diverse? It’s fair to say that every television show, movie, government agency should be more diverse, but this wasn’t far removed from the era where there were a lot of minorities on television, particularly the network television situation comedy. So much so that it really does feel like a regression now that minorities on television are slowly coming back, that a popular trade publication feels compelled to publish a piece that says, “Hey, hey, hold the phone. This just all seems like too much.” For heaven’s sake, this is 2015! In the early 1980s, this all just seemed “normal.”

Growing up, I was a devoted watcher of The Cosby Show, The Jeffersons, Benson, Diff’rent Strokes, Gimme a Break, Webster, Amen, Family Matters, What’s Happening?, Sanford and Son and Good Times (those last three in reruns). Now, we can certainly debate the merits of a few of these shows, but the point is that they were on, and no one was saying, “Well, this might all just be too much.”

In 1985, I lived in a very small town in mid-Missouri called Eldon, about as opposite as can be from my current home in New York City. At the time, I wasn’t exposed to a lot of other cultures, due to Eldon’s diversity breakdown (which actually broke down to “didn’t have much of one at all”), but I was exposed to other cultures on television, and I didn’t think much of it then, especially in a “oh, this might be too much!” way. Basically, it just all seemed normal. But I think about it a lot now, especially how I might be different today without that exposure. I’m glad that, back then, no one with any position of cultural authority thought that this might just all be too much.

Culturally, the success of Empire is so important, beyond the fact that it’s become a true phenomenon. It’s a drama starring primarily African-American performers on network television. It’s rare for a show like that just to get on the air, let alone be an enormous success. So, yes, that’s why Deadline’s story is so frustrating: That a true breakthrough finally happens and the headline reads, “Is this too much of a good thing?” And that Deadline is questioning that there’s too much diversity on television when, 30 years ago, this was all just considered “television.”

[bencasey]

Homosexuals make up around 2% of the population yet there's one on practically every single series these days.

[tlc38tlc38]

As long as the character is entertaining, I don't care about their race or sexual orientation. Everyone needs to stop tying to be so darn PC and just see people as people.

[waichingliu81]

Originally Posted by tlc38tlc38

As long as the character is entertaining, I don't care about their race or sexual orientation. Everyone needs to stop tying to be so darn PC and just see people as people.

totally agree

[king of comedy]

Ditto. But it's great to see a dramatic show starring black for a change instead of a sitcom. That show is Empire.

[FuriosityShell]

Originally Posted by tlc38tlc38

As long as the character is entertaining, I don't care about their race or sexual orientation. Everyone needs to stop tying to be so darn PC and just see people as people.

This.

I also don't mind Hollywood's supposed "gay agenda" as long its done tastefully and not shoved in our faces.

[tlc38tlc38]

Originally Posted by FuriosityShell

I also don't mind Hollywood's supposed "gay agenda" as long its done tastefully and not shoved in our faces.

As a gay many in my thirties, I totally agree with you on this statement.

It saddens me how Hollywood has made being gay glamorous. Believe me, it's so not glamorous. Basically, my live is the exact same as everyone else except for the fact that I'm attracted to men and not women...that's the only difference. Not all gay men act like giggling thirteen year old girls like we're portrayed on TV and in movies and we are no more sexually active than any straight person.

Sorry, I just had to rant for a while...

[king of comedy]

Originally Posted by tlc38tlc38

As a gay many in my thirties, I totally agree with you on this statement.

It saddens me how Hollywood has made being gay glamorous. Believe me, it's so not glamorous. Basically, my live is the exact same as everyone else except for the fact that I'm attracted to men and not women...that's the only difference. Not all gay men act like giggling thirteen year old girls like we're portrayed on TV and in movies and we are no more sexually active than any straight person.

Sorry, I just had to rant for a while...

It's good that you ranted. Family Guy portrays gays in a horrible light. On Brooklyn 99 the police captain is gay but he acts like a regular guy and it is refreshing. I hope we see more like that.

[Ron Ron]

Originally Posted by FuriosityShell

This.

I also don't mind Hollywood's supposed "gay agenda" as long its done tastefully and not shoved in our faces.

One of the worst was "Looking" on HBO. I tried to get into this show but for some reason I couldn't. The writing for it wasn't that good. And the low ratings didn't help the show either. I was expecting better from the show but got typical gay stereotypes on it. I am not sad to see it go as it was a huge disappointment in my book.