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Race & Ethnicity On TV


Message added by Meredith Quill,

This is the place to discuss race and ethnicity issues related to TV shows only.

Go here for the equivalent movie discussions.

For general discussion without TV/Film context please use the Social Justice topic in Everything Else. 

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19 hours ago, Trini said:

Asking this here, since there's probably an obvious/famous example that I'm simply forgetting: Has there been a minority TV family that has adopted (or informally "adopted") a white character? Involving lead characters? Like, a white character has a minority family?

I recently watched the movie Drop Dead Gorgeous, and one of the white girls in the pageant that the movie is about, was an adoptee of a Japanese family who wanted the daughter to help them acclimate to America ; ) 

It sounded familiar like there's been other examples, but hard to think of now!  On both My Name is Earl and King of the Hill there were both examples where a woman cheated on her husband with someone of a different race, and I think in both cases the white father helped raise the half-white babies that weren't theirs..... 

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17 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I recently watched the movie Drop Dead Gorgeous, and one of the white girls in the pageant that the movie is about, was an adoptee of a Japanese family who wanted the daughter to help them acclimate to America ; ) 

It sounded familiar like there's been other examples, but hard to think of now!  On both My Name is Earl and King of the Hill there were both examples where a woman cheated on her husband with someone of a different race, and I think in both cases the white father helped raise the half-white babies that weren't theirs..... 

1. You just reminded me that I need to watch Drop Dead Gorgeous again

2. You also reminded me of my favorite King of the Hill quote, where Peggy has finally realized that Nancy and Dale's clearly half-native American son is not Dale's (Nancy had explained to Dale their son was darker because of Dale's 'Jamaican Grandmother'): "Joseph is not Jamaican, and neither is Dale, and I'm beginning to suspect his grandmother isn't either!"

2 minutes ago, Silver Raven said:

Are we sure Daniel Dae Kim is actually a human, and not a god put on earth for us to marvel at his beauty? MY GOD, what a good looking man. 

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2 hours ago, Princess Sparkle said:

Are we sure Daniel Dae Kim is actually a human, and not a god put on earth for us to marvel at his beauty? MY GOD, what a good looking man. 

And on the other end of the scale, Steve Harvey is saying Asian men are undateable? 

Has he ever looked in a mirror?

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Agreed. But that may not stop him from becoming Secretary of Black People's Problems in the new administration.

In other news. noted conservative and Chicago Cubs pitcher Jake Arrietta decided that he was "too busy" to travel with the team to meet with President Obama for the traditional Presidential congratulation. 

I'm sure that if Clinton/Obama supporters LeBron James or Steph Curry should decide they are too busy to visit the Trump White House after winning the NBA Finals the media will also treat their story in a similar low key way and won't question their patriotism and respect for the President.

(HAHAHAHAHAHA!)

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51 minutes ago, xaxat said:

I'm sure that if Clinton/Obama supporters LeBron James or Steph Curry should decide they are too busy to visit the Trump White House after winning the NBA Finals the media will also treat their story in a similar low key way and won't question their patriotism and respect for the President.

You are too funny!

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On ‎01‎/‎17‎/‎2017 at 3:13 PM, Silver Raven said:

You know, I would say that I'm not generally into Asian men, but looking at this list, I realized that "Asia" covers quite a swath of the world, and yeah, there's pretty much something for everyone here.  Or what Joimiaroxeu said.

(And really, men's individual features vary so much within races/ethnicities that I could easily find attractive men no matter what.  There are plenty of white guys I don't find attractive.  And at least one really orange one who's absolutely hideous.)

Edited by proserpina65
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2 minutes ago, Silver Raven said:

Bruno Mars, who is Filipino American, hosted a show.

I think he is considered in the "Other" category because (I assumed) he is multiple races, but if not, that makes it 4 instead of 3. 

Edit: "His father is of half Puerto Rican and half Ashkenazi Jewish descent, and is originally from Brooklyn, New York. His mother emigrated from the Philippines to Hawaii as a child, and was of Filipino, and some Spanish, ancestry."

Edited by BoogieBurns
Bruno Mars' ethnicity
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20 hours ago, BoogieBurns said:

I think he is considered in the "Other" category because (I assumed) he is multiple races, but if not, that makes it 4 instead of 3. 

Edit: "His father is of half Puerto Rican and half Ashkenazi Jewish descent, and is originally from Brooklyn, New York. His mother emigrated from the Philippines to Hawaii as a child, and was of Filipino, and some Spanish, ancestry."

Filipinos are like Black Americans on that point, any known Filipino ancestry and they claim you as one of their own 

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I'd like to throw Phillipe Day's hat into the ring. He was in a couple of episodes in the first series of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.

MV5BMTk1NDAyNDYwNV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMjgw

I have only one thing to say about each man on that list (and the couple honorable mentions in this thread):

tumblr_mykh47xmny1rafdwyo1_500.gif

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9 hours ago, Raja said:

Filipinos are like Black Americans on that point, any known Filipino ancestry and they claim you as one of their own 

I'd agree with you if he wasn't mixed with Puerto Rican where the same rule applies. But like I said, take him from "other" to "Asian" and now we have 4 including Aziz. 

5 hours ago, Lord Donia said:

That list is not complete without Hasan Minhaj, no sir.

And he's funny!

She says "add more" at the very end. I love Ravi Patel and always think he is missing from every list. Plus Hannah Simone could be added to her own list too! Edit: I realized he applies to both topics we are discussing, so sorry if I assumed you meant he belonged to the SNL list. 

Edited by BoogieBurns
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On January 16, 2017 at 7:02 PM, Trini said:

Asking this here, since there's probably an obvious/famous example that I'm simply forgetting: Has there been a minority TV family that has adopted (or informally "adopted") a white character? Involving lead characters? Like, a white character has a minority family?

I'm just trying to figure out if Barry Allen's situation on The Flash is unique or not. He has a romantic relationship with Iris West, but Joe and Wally West both interact with him like family (father and brother, respectively).

"Gimme a Break" had Nell adopt Joey Lawrence and then made it even worse by adopting his equally annoying kid brother. 

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Black people come in all shades an skin tones. You have lighter skin toned Africans who don't have recent white ancestry.

As far as mixed race celebs I always through Derek Jeter and Jennifer Beals clearly looked mixed and wondered how people could think their tan skin was just from the sun.

Hallmark must be feeling some kind of backlash from their lack of diversity because they're finally working on a project with a non white/ non passing for white lead. And it is long overdue. I saw so many complaints during the holiday season from viewers black and white about their non diverse casting.

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/entertainment/television/Holly-Robinson-Peetes-Hallmark-project-has-Scandal-connection.html

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On 1/17/2017 at 2:37 AM, paulvdb said:

I'm not the only person who watched Like Family? It was also my first thought after I read Trini's post and then I saw your reply. I can't think of any others off the top of my head.

I thought I was one of the only ones who remembers that show. Years back when TV One first started they reaired it but I can't find the episodes anywhere.

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5 hours ago, charmed1 said:

"Gimme a Break" had Nell adopt Joey Lawrence and then made it even worse by adopting his equally annoying kid brother. 

Thank you! I knew there was one from the 80s I was forgetting.

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On 1/21/2017 at 5:03 PM, charmed1 said:

"Gimme a Break" had Nell adopt Joey Lawrence and then made it even worse by adopting his equally annoying kid brother. 

Gimme a Break was actually a pretty progressive show. If you forget about the fact that Nell was a maid and was often the Magical Negro for the white family she worked for, Nell Carter really was the star of the show. And her character eventually became more complex and layered as the show went on. 

RIP Nell Carter

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On ‎1‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 6:10 PM, xaxat said:

I just noticed that Byung-hun Lee didn't make that list. I'm a straight dude and he makes me swoon. 

I. . .oh, dear.  My panties just threw themselves at my computer screen.  Awkward, cuz I'm at work. 

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On ‎1‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 9:54 AM, Apprentice79 said:

Exactly!  Hollywood is so ignorant about things like that.  

No, America is so ignorant about that. My maternal grandfather and his wife were both light-skinned black people, and of the twelve children they had the skin tones ranged from 'pale-could-pass-for-white' to 'boot' black. My mother, the child of the first marriage was a lovely shade of coffee brown, like her mother. Nobody in their community thought anything was amiss because they all resembled their parents, and black folks, back in the day, knew we came in all shades. But it seems that people today think that a light skinned black person cannot possible have two dark-skinned parents. Perish the thought! Genetics are amazing and can make almost anything happen. Viva variety of the species!

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8 hours ago, cakes1975 said:

No, America is so ignorant about that. My maternal grandfather and his wife were both light-skinned black people, and of the twelve children they had the skin tones ranged from 'pale-could-pass-for-white' to 'boot' black. My mother, the child of the first marriage was a lovely shade of coffee brown, like her mother. Nobody in their community thought anything was amiss because they all resembled their parents, and black folks, back in the day, knew we came in all shades. But it seems that people today think that a light skinned black person cannot possible have two dark-skinned parents. Perish the thought! Genetics are amazing and can make almost anything happen. Viva variety of the species!

That is  so true.  We come in all shades.

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20 hours ago, cakes1975 said:

No, America is so ignorant about that. My maternal grandfather and his wife were both light-skinned black people, and of the twelve children they had the skin tones ranged from 'pale-could-pass-for-white' to 'boot' black. My mother, the child of the first marriage was a lovely shade of coffee brown, like her mother. Nobody in their community thought anything was amiss because they all resembled their parents, and black folks, back in the day, knew we came in all shades. But it seems that people today think that a light skinned black person cannot possible have two dark-skinned parents. Perish the thought! Genetics are amazing and can make almost anything happen. Viva variety of the species!

Exactly I don't get why people swear up and down that black folks lighter than a certain shade have to be mixed. Granted my family is generationally mixed and we all come in different shades but we always identified as black. I have cousins with dark skin parents who are light skin

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16 hours ago, In2You said:

Exactly I don't get why people swear up and down that black folks lighter than a certain shade have to be mixed. Granted my family is generationally mixed and we all come in different shades but we always identified as black. I have cousins with dark skin parents who are light skin

Amen to this, I don't know how we became so ignorant.  Today in my church there was a birthday celebration of one of the members, (he's 100 years old).  He is VERY light skinned and yet no one sat there with strange looks on their faces saying, "is he biracial?"  Seriously, I don't get it.

Edited by Neurochick
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I know this is relatively old news, but another black female journalist is being replaced by a blond woman. As my grandmother used to say, "Ain't this some sh*t?"

 

From the website Page Six

Tamron Hall will be leaving NBC News and MSNBC, Page Six has learned. An email went out internally to NBC announcing the news.

[and in a separate article]

NBC is canceling the third hour of “Today” to make way for new star Megyn Kelly, sources exclusively confirm to Page Six.

We’re told Kelly will take over either the 9 a.m. hour from Tamron Hall and Al Roker or will replace Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford.

“If she takes over Hoda and Kathie Lee’s 10 a.m. hour, they will move to the 9 a.m. hour,” an insider said.

She will continue to host “Deadline: Crime” on Investigation Discovery.

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Yeah - that Today Show debacle was enough for me to boycott the show.  Left a horrible taste in my mouth even if they claim to have tried to give her a cable show.  Cable isn't the same as primetime and Megyn Kelly can suck it.  

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Just now, Neurochick said:

I guess the networks are getting rid of all the black reporters now that Obama is no longer in office.

There are times when I actively hate this country.  Bigotry can be 9-feet tall and breathing fire and people will refuse to see it.

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2 hours ago, Neurochick said:

I guess the networks are getting rid of all the black reporters now that Obama is no longer in office.

That certainly seems to be the case at MSNBC. They went from fairly (for a news organization) diverse to two hours of Joy Reid on the weekend. 

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On 2/4/2017 at 6:02 PM, Neurochick said:

I guess the networks are getting rid of all the black reporters now that Obama is no longer in office.

Even FoxNews fired Stacy Dash once President Obama left office.  Not that she added anything of value.  But pretty obvious that her role was no longer needed.  

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Don't forget the Melissa Harry Perry's ugly departure from MSNBC.  In fact, I would say her issues were the harbinger of the changes on NBC and MSNBC

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2016/03/02/the-ugliness-of-melissa-harris-perrys-departure-from-msnbc/?utm_term=.31f41560efc5#comments

My husband, white moderate guy,  stopped watching his beloved Lester Holt because he hates Megyn 'Santa Claus is just white' Kelly and the minute NBC hired her, NBC was dead to him.

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16 minutes ago, DearEvette said:

Don't forget the Melissa Harry Perry's ugly departure from MSNBC.  In fact, I would say her issues were the harbinger of the changes on NBC and MSNBC

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2016/03/02/the-ugliness-of-melissa-harris-perrys-departure-from-msnbc/?utm_term=.31f41560efc5#comments

My husband, white moderate guy,  stopped watching his beloved Lester Holt because he hates Megyn 'Santa Claus is just white' Kelly and the minute NBC hired her, NBC was dead to him.

MSNBC is dead to me, too. And I love Rachel Maddow--but I don't like the new, more conservative direction of the network. I never watched the Today Show on NBC, so I will continue to boycott it. Can't give up NBC entirely, though. I'm hooked on This Is Us, Superstore, and The Good Place. 

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I haven't been a news watcher in ages.  My husband is though.  He is an old fashioned, sit down at 6:00 and watch the national news kinda guy.   So I had nothing to give up.  I checked and the only scripted show I watch on NBC regularly is This Is Us.  Weird, i hadn't realized my viewership of that network had fallen so sharply.

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14 minutes ago, DearEvette said:

I haven't been a news watcher in ages.  My husband is though.  He is an old fashioned, sit down at 6:00 and watch the national news kinda guy.   So I had nothing to give up.  I checked and the only scripted show I watch on NBC regularly is This Is Us.  Weird, i hadn't realized my viewership of that network had fallen so sharply.

I miss the days of must-see TV. I remember during my college days, clubs couldn't have meetings on Thursday Or they could, but almost no one would be there. We'd be in our dorm rooms watching The Cosby Show, A Different World, Cheers, (and to some extent, Night Court or Dear John). 

Wasn't a "Friends" viewer but I knew plenty of people who were. 

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1 hour ago, topanga said:

Can't give up NBC entirely, though. I'm hooked on This Is Us, Superstore, and The Good Place. 

This Is Us is the only "must-see" that's definitely continuing after this season.  Grimm is done, and Emerald City is weak.  Powerless looks mildly entertaining, but it's a "wait and see" show.  Almost all my faves are on Fox (and Pitch better be renewed!!!)

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4 minutes ago, jhlipton said:

This Is Us is the only "must-see" that's definitely continuing after this season.  Grimm is done, and Emerald City is weak.  Powerless looks mildly entertaining, but it's a "wait and see" show.  Almost all my faves are on Fox (and Pitch better be renewed!!!)

You're right about Pitch. It might be one of those shows that catches on better in its second season--let's hope it gets a second season. 

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7 hours ago, After7Only said:

Even FoxNews fired Stacy Dash once President Obama left office.  Not that she added anything of value.  But pretty obvious that her role was no longer needed.  

This makes me pretty happy actually - except I have a friend who was also a pundit.  Black guy.  Fox News.  Usually the only liberal sane voice in the room.

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CNN's Chris Cuomo

Quote

“I see being called ‘fake news’ as the equivalent of the N-word for journalists,” Cuomo said on Sirius XM's "POTUS."

"[It’s] the equivalent of calling an Italian any of the ugly words that people have for that ethnicity. That’s what fake news is to a journalist," he continued.

“It is an ugly insult, and you had better be right if you’re going to charge a journalist with lying on purpose," the host of CNN's "New Day" added. "The president was not right here and he’s not been right in the past.”

I really don't know what to say about that comparison. 

He later apologized on Twitter.

Edited by xaxat
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