I happened to be browsing on YouTube when I saw a recent interview with "Scandal" actress Kerry Washington on "The Jimmy Kimmel Show." One comment she made during the interview stayed on my mind while I was writing this blog:
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Washington spoke about how her mother insisted that she had African American Barbie dolls growing up. Even when Washington wanted to be Snow White one year, her mother was okay with it. But Washington smiled at the thought of young, African-American girls having a bigger variety of character to choose from now, including Pocahontas or Princess Tiara.
The same can be said for young, African-American boys in today's society.
The same can be said for young, African-American boys in today's society.
Having diverse characters to choose from gives them someone to relate to. I am not saying that these young people cannot look up to different people of different ethnicities, but having someone that looks like you and has a similar background is exciting. Diversity is in the forefront of people’s mind and it should be. Seeing African-American characters on television makes young boys feel included. Young people pretend to be Superman, Batman or Spiderman, but these young boys now have the opportunity to pretend to be Power Man, The Falcon or Black Panther.
Kids want to connect with people they see on TV and in real life. From 1988 to 1993, African-American kids could easily connect with Kevin Arnold from “The Wonder Years” because his character transcended race. He was a kid who had real issues. He worried about homework and relationships like most people that age worry about. He loved his family and wanted to enjoy his life as a young person.
But there's something about seeing African-American teenagers and positive role models in TV shows like "Family Matters," "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," "The Cosby Show," "Sister Sister," "Roc," "The Jeffersons," "The Wayans Bros.," "227," "The Bernie Mac Show," "Black-ish," "Everybody Hates Chris," "Good Times" and a slew of other shows.
All of these sitcoms had different plots and plights, which made it easier for both minority and majority cultures to get past stereotypes to see a wider range of characters. Personally, I related to "The Jeffersons" and "A Different World" the most.
Kids want to connect with people they see on TV and in real life. From 1988 to 1993, African-American kids could easily connect with Kevin Arnold from “The Wonder Years” because his character transcended race. He was a kid who had real issues. He worried about homework and relationships like most people that age worry about. He loved his family and wanted to enjoy his life as a young person.
But there's something about seeing African-American teenagers and positive role models in TV shows like "Family Matters," "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," "The Cosby Show," "Sister Sister," "Roc," "The Jeffersons," "The Wayans Bros.," "227," "The Bernie Mac Show," "Black-ish," "Everybody Hates Chris," "Good Times" and a slew of other shows.
All of these sitcoms had different plots and plights, which made it easier for both minority and majority cultures to get past stereotypes to see a wider range of characters. Personally, I related to "The Jeffersons" and "A Different World" the most.
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"A Different World" made me want to go to college. I loved Dwayne Wayne and Ron Johnson for being funny, always trying to have a good time and getting an education at the same time. They were young, middle class students like me and had the same struggles I did. I really related to "The Jeffersons" because I loved the way George Jefferson worked hard to become a success. He did not quite fit in with high society and did not quite fit into his old neighborhood. He was right in the middle and was always true to himself. His confidence was mesmerizing, and he made a point of "keeping it real."
Everyone may have their pros and cons about the TV shows mentioned above. But can you think of one con for Hollywood, independent filmmakers and screenwriters embracing what America keeps calling itself: a melting pot? I cannot.
Everyone may have their pros and cons about the TV shows mentioned above. But can you think of one con for Hollywood, independent filmmakers and screenwriters embracing what America keeps calling itself: a melting pot? I cannot.
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