S10.E08: Mean Streets [Tracy Morgan & Anthony Ramos]

[shapeshifter]

Episode premiering on PBS: 8 p.m. ET, Tuesday, February 20, 2024
Watch episode: pbs.org/weta/finding-your-roots/watch/episodes/mean-streets

Quote

S10.E08: Mean Streets
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. traces the roots of comedian Tracy Morgan and actor Anthony Ramos—two native New Yorkers whose roots stretch to surprising places and contain inspiring stories of survival.

 

Edited February 21 by shapeshifter

[sempervivum]

Well, that was slightly different. Tracy turns out to have had a free black ancestor and is 5% Jewish. I never know whether to take his emotional outbursts seriously.

Anthony is only known to me as the cute guy helping folks before showing up at his mom's with a bottle of Crown Royal. 'Look at that creature over there!' Per wiki, he is also part Jewish, although I don't believe Gates brought that up. Don't think they've ever shown anyone with Canary Island roots.

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, sempervivum said:

Well, that was slightly different. Tracy turns out to have had a free black ancestor and is 5% Jewish. I never know whether to take his emotional outbursts seriously.

Tracy's emotion seemed genuine to me, but the verbal explanations for his reactions and Anthony's indicated to me that they were lacking some key historical knowledge (as do we all) that might have made Tracy's emotions seem less genuine to some, especially if you're used to seeing him doing a routine. 

Tracy Morgan's half-Jewish ancestor looks like he could be my Dad's father's cousin, LOL. 

 

                 ꧁༒❊༒꧂

 

2 hours ago, sempervivum said:

Per wiki, he is also part Jewish, although I don't believe Gates brought that up.

Yes:

Anthony's royal ancestor looks like both a Greek god and a modern day superhero that indigenous Hawaiian Island actor Jason Momoa might play.
I would love to know more about the artist who created the statue:

Edited February 21 by shapeshifter

[carrps]

I loved Ramos saying the guy should have put some pants on.

I remember someone with Canary Island ancestry, and I'm pretty sure it was John Leguizamo. Maybe everybody whose family has been in PR for a long time has Canary Island ancestry? Maybe they were being pushed more than other groups by the Spaniards to emigrate.

 

[meep.meep]

6 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Tracy's emotion seemed genuine to me, but the verbal explanations for his reactions and Anthony's indicated to me that they were lacking some key historical knowledge (as do we all) that might have made Tracy's emotions seem less genuine to some, especially if you're used to seeing him doing a routine. 

Tracy Morgan was in a horrific auto accident several years ago, he barely survived.  I'm pretty sure some of his reactions were related to that.

[shapeshifter]

19 hours ago, meep.meep said:

Tracy Morgan was in a horrific auto accident several years ago, he barely survived.  I'm pretty sure some of his reactions were related to that.

I wondered about that too.

[Yeah No]

I found this episode inspiring and different in a good way.  It was nice to see some historical events and backgrounds featured that weren't the same as usual for this show.  Also, it was obvious that most of this was completely new and surprising to both of them.  I don't get that impression with every guest, but when I do it is often inspiring to see someone learn some amazing things about themselves and their families that they never could have imagined themselves.  Also, the fact that both were from humble beginnings in NY and I knew who both of them were also helped.

9 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

I wondered about that too.

I didn't know about the accident but I did wonder about his reactions.  Now it makes sense.

[sskrill]

I enjoyed Tracy's story - he had a little bit of everything going on.  And him mentioning early that he's sensitve made perfect sense.  People who are very sensitive and grow up like he did find a way to cope - and humor had to be his. I love that we didn't see crazy, loud Tracy.  This was clearly important to him and he came to learn.  It was nice that he didn't even try to fake not being moved by it.  My family came from a small Polish village that was mostly Jewish, and I grew up in a very Jew heavy community in NJ, so it made me laugh that Tracy is 4% more Jewish than I am.

I didn't enjoy the other guy so much.  He's a stage performer who started nearly every sentance with "Yo, like ... " I get where he came from but, man, expand your vocabulary in conversations. I really struggled to engage in his story because every time he started to talk, my ears started to bleed.

 

[PRgal]

On 2/21/2024 at 8:38 PM, meep.meep said:

Tracy Morgan was in a horrific auto accident several years ago, he barely survived.  I'm pretty sure some of his reactions were related to that.

Thanks for letting us know.  The way he reacted to things made me worry about him a bit.  He felt a bit "off."

[iMonrey]

On 2/22/2024 at 11:40 PM, sskrill said:

I love that we didn't see crazy, loud Tracy.

I've never been a big fan of his. I've seen him on talk shows and he basically just babbles nonsensical gibberish like he's just riffing until something "funny" comes out of his mouth. And this was well before his car accident.

I agree it was nice to see a more serious side of him, although crying over learning your grandfather fought in WWI is a bit much IMO, even for a "sensitive" person. Fighting in a war doesn't automatically make you noble. For all we know the kid was drafted against his will.

[Vanderboom]

I think that Tracy Morgan is one of those people whose emotions are very close to the surface, and I'm sure the accident also took an emotional toll on him. I can imagine that knowing more about his ancestry helps to fill in some of the blanks in his life.

I enjoyed Anthony Ramos. I cracked up at his impression of his dad selling Raid to bugs. His segment made me want to learn more about the indigenous Canary Islanders.

[blueray]

On 2/21/2024 at 3:10 PM, carrps said:

I loved Ramos saying the guy should have put some pants on.

 

I laughed at that part. I didn't notice it until he pointed it out. Anyhow that is really cool that they were able to trace his family back that far.

[PRgal]

Is the season over?  I noticed there wasn’t an episode yesterday?  I thought they were doing a non-celebrity episode?

[Lugal]

38 minutes ago, PRgal said:

Is the season over?  I noticed there wasn’t an episode yesterday?  I thought they were doing a non-celebrity episode?

They pushed the last two episodes off until April for whatever reason.

[Salacious Kitty]

12 minutes ago, Lugal said:

They pushed the last two episodes off until April for whatever reason.

*cough*pledge break*cough*