Black Sitcom Portrayals, by Robin R. Means Coleman, examines the way African Americans are depicted in sitcoms. Typically, blacks on television have been associated with the lower working class, inferiority, and lack of upward mobility. Shows such as The Jeffersons counter this stereotype by “presenting economic achievement in the black community.” (80) Blacks are displayed as self-sufficient and of higher status, which presents a unique picture of rich African Americans. Freddie also considers the maintained relationship between affluent and poor blacks important, as wealth can be “misconstrued as whiteness,” as seen in the Cosby Show. J. C. likes to see moralistic values in African American sitcom characters such as Fresh Prince’s Carlton, despite the ridicule by other characters. Gale believes black men should be seen as the authoritative figure of an intact family, and supports a husband-wife team as opposed to the single-parent trend. J.C. claims that black females are often portrayed as partnerless and choose good looks over substance. The men are often deficient in love and family life and are mostly failures. Multiple participants also called attention to the fact that Hollywood prefers lighter skinned African Americans with white features over darker skin, leading to intraracial segregation. In addition, participants were also angered over the absence of the black church in sitcoms, although they admit that churches in general tend to be left out of any sitcom. Jennifer offers further opposition to sitcoms that focus on black struggles that focus on racism, since many blacks have to deal with those issues daily and don’t view them as entertainment. However, Valerie, Lonette, and Jasmine can relate to the strong, successful, independent black women portrayed in shows such as Living Single.
Timothy Haven’s ‘The Biggest Show in the World’: Race and the Global Popularity of “The Cosby Show” also deals with African American portrayal in sitcoms, by focusing on The Cosby Show and how it has achieved global success. The Cosby Show set the standards for African American shows, in a time when middle-class African American sitcoms are being increasingly exported into a decreasingly regulated economy. Audiences are beginning to identify themselves based on gender, race, and ethnicity as opposed to nationality, which contributes to global success of shows such as The Cosby Show. Gillespie argues that imported culture contributes to the creation of new ethic identities. Many non-white viewers feel a connection to The Cosby Show due to a common history and regional identity, which correlates with race and helps explain the transnational dimensions of radicalized television discourse. The Cosby Show was most popular outside the U.S. and received high ratings in countries such as Lebanon and Norway. Successes and failures of the show are explained when analyzing the response to the show in the UK and South Africa. In the UK The Cosby Show was aired on an upscale channel, and was poorly received by black audiences, while in South Africa the show aired on a channel for general audiences and was popular with blacks. The state of the television industry and racial political climate also contributes to a show’s level of success. Viacom held the copyright laws for The Cosby Show from 1984 to 1994—a time of decreased regulation of television systems, increased programming needs, and technological innovation. Viacom experienced an increase in exports as non-western countries opened their markets to U.S. goods. When satellite TV was introduced, Viacom eagerly and cheaply filled programming gaps with The Cosby Show, and the initial lack of confidence in the show was soon disproved by its success. Still, its hard to say why this certain show was so well received, as Family Ties was a similar show and only differed from The Cosby Show in race. Havens suggests the show was popular because it avoided dealing directly with American economic problems and short-term political issues, instead focusing on domestic life and familial growth, which diversified groups can relate to. Both blacks and whites appreciate the dignity and upper-middle-class values of the show’s characters.
I chose to show a clip from The Cosby Show, since it is mentioned by Coleman a few times and served as the basis for Haven’s main argument. In terms of Coleman’s reading, the show is praised for representing black families as successful, wholesome, and financially sound. Wealth is displayed immediately, as Bill Cosby is dressed in a suit. Also, son Theo mentions that his father is a doctor and his mother is a lawyer. Additionally, the basis of the conversation revolves around the idea of Bill Cosby encouraging Theo to improve his grades so he can go to college, which demonstrates both upward mobility and an authoritative father figure. In terms of Haven, the show can be seen as globally popular due to its focus on family issues rather than economic or political concerns. People are all types are able to relate to Bill and Theo Cosby in a father-son relationship, further contributing to its success. Like Coleman argues, the dignity and middle-upper class standing the Cosby family attracts various audiences. Finally, this clip further illustrates how The Cosby Show avoids loud, physical “black” humor of the working class and instead uses intelligent humor, or wit, which further appeals to diverse audiences.
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