black sitcoms

Robin R. Means's article "Black Sitcom Portrayals" gives a very good insight on the complexities and themes of some sitcoms that predominately feature African Americans throughout their creation. He uses Class Depictions (79), African American Culture/Communities (84), and Identity and Self-Image (86) as sub themes in his topic that discuss the issues. Means goes into detail a lot about class and how class is portrayed amongst African Americans in sitcoms. For example most feature them living in less than perfect conditions that we expect the "perfect" American home to be, like with a white picket fence, happy parents, two kids, and a dog. Some shows feature characters living as a single parent, or living poor. While "The Cosby Show" features a family living middle to upper class (88).

I have a lot of points to make about this article but its hard to say without coming across like a complete racist, but, I find it interesting that it is okay for the sitcoms that feature african amercians to almost be allowed to ridicule white people as part of the jokes. In turn, it is not okay for a live action sitcom, featuring predominately whites, to be able to make the same sort of jokes. Obviously both occur vice versa, but I believe it occurs more in black sitcoms. Jokes like: "look at that white boy, or cracker [ do something stupid]" I have heard before in some of these black sitcoms. If the tables were turned, and a group of white people said something regarding the N word, I do not believe it would be allowed to broadcast. Race is a very touchy thing on television and it is hard to handle it right, but the point I am trying to make is that blacks get more leeway when it comes to making jokes regarding whites or any other race for that matter, including their own race. Obviously there is a lot of historical and cultural history that makes all of that possible.

Overall I think that the article was a very fascinating read and how Means pulled it off was very well done without coming across too harsh.