Everyone has different experiences. Just because you (figuratively, not literally) and dozens of folks you know only hang out with folks that are (mostly) of the same race, or just because you and dozens of folks you know are living examples of what the great Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King described in his "I Have a Dream" speech, it doesn't mean that the rest of the world, or even most of it, lives the way you do.
Additionally, in my opinion, most, if not all, of the people who make mass marketed entertainment don't care about you or the way you live, except insofar as it helps them in their neverending chase for almighty cash. Sure, if enough of us got together and insisted on someone of African heritage appearing on the show, or someone of Native American, Asian, Indian, Latino or whatever heritage, they might listen to us, if we made enough noise. And, of course, the show will go bye-bye if it doesn't do well in the ratings. But for now, they will continue on with these four American, relatively young, Caucasian, apparently heterosexual, middle class-ish, Judeo-Christian males (I know at least one of the characters is Jewish or has a Jewish background, not sure about the other three, but I'll hazard a guess here that they're all either of some type of Jewish or Christian religious background, lapsed or not). From what I've learned about mass marketed entertainment (which I admit isn't a ton), I believe that the reason they will do this is because they think it will play to the public--and sadly, they probably have marketing research that indicates that they're correct.
From ddblundell:
Bigoted TV, made by bigots, for bigots.
Those involved in making and airing this show may or may not be bigots, but I don't think that's the issue--money is. I also doubt that they're aiming for or even reaching a bigoted audience, depending on your definition of bigotry. Most people viewing the show probably don't even consider race when choosing to watch it.
From ddblundell:
I enjoy how people say that it's a moot arguement because in real life people of the same color only hang out with each other, etc. Here's what that translates into: "Be a racist like me and stop complaining."
Again, the people making such comments may or may not be racists, but I don't think that's the issue, and I'll hazard a guess that they would not be considered racist by most of society if all of their thoughts and actions were examined in their entirety. They're simply speaking from their own experience, as you and I and everyone else speak from ours. Granted, I believe, as you seem to, that it would be nice if more of those producing entertainment would make diversity a priority. Unfortunately, cash appears to be the priority most of the time. Apparently, many entertainment producers either don't feel that diversity is necessary to win the advertising dollar, or, even more sadly, it has not thusfar been necessary in several cases, including this one. Perhaps this is an opportunity to not only change the channel or switch off the TV when shows like this are on, but also to watch where we shop and support business that advertise on shows that feature racially diverse characters in meaningful roles.
From ddblundell:
So if you want to keep the races separate in every way, just keep watching shows like "Four Kings," that enforce the idea that whites only hang out with whites, etc.
I truly, truly hope that no TV show, especially not a mediocre sitcom like
Four Kings, has the power to divide people along racial lines. However, I do agree that it doesn't offer the best example in terms of making diversity both "normal"
and "the norm" i.e., below:
From ddblundell:
We need to send a message to the networks that we WANT to see non-whites on TV in "regular" roles, not just as stereotypes.
I'm completely on board with this. I believe that most
Four Kings viewers know that diversity is "normal," in that it exists. What would be nice for us to see on TV is the somewhat more intimate concept of "the norm," in that diversity is more incidental. Like, one of the kings just happens to be of African heritage...and that's it. Like Turk on
Scrubs, a show that I think handles racial issues very well, if you're not a viewer with what I would consider to be sacred cows (just my opinion).
From KingKoala:
Yeah, they should have a token black guy, who just stands around and says things like "Damn!", and "Shiit!", and "That is whack!".
From ddblundell:
You know, the kind of people who think the only black people on TV go "damn!" and all that. Heh, that had to be dumbest post I've ever seen.
The people who put black guys like that on TV may not have been racist, but the people who think those are the only kinds of black guys on TV almost certainly are.
ddblundell, in the above passage, were you referring to KingKoala's post? If so, I know that it
seemed offensive, but I don't think KingKoala
meant to be offensive (although I
certainly can't say for sure). I think KingKoala was referring to a very funny movie (in my opinion) called
Not Another Teen Movie http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0277371/ . In fact, the movie seemed to be pointing out that too many minorities are portrayed in stereotypical roles, as in people of African heritage being tokens that say, "Damn!" etc. The movie just seemed to be highlighting this sad fact in a comical way.
From ddblundell:
How nice to know there are people like that at IMDB. Really helps me sleep at night.
I hate to say it, but if you haven't already found this to be true,
there is wwwwaaaayyyyy worse behavior lurking on IMDb. (And elsewhere, too, of course.) Some people are shockingly rude!
I know you're an emotional girl-it takes a lot for you to not lose your faith in this world.
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sethgreenroxmysox
18 years ago
it is true that on most sitcoms (lately) there have only been white people and i really have no idea why it kinda makes you wonder what happened to shows like family matters.
~*~Eddie Guerrero (1967-2005)~*~
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snowbunny2003
18 years ago
there's enough, African Americans in sitcoms, so I have no problem with Four Kings
Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean that no one is after you.
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sethgreenroxmysox
18 years ago
oh i don't either but it is an intresting point.
~*~Eddie Guerrero (1967-2005)~*~
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weezerrox101
18 years ago
It is an interesting point, let me counter it with this
Milk was a Bad choice.
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parker-55
18 years ago
*beep* why is it that it's fine to have entirely black casts or shows where the only white characters are protrayed as morons who wish they were black. The reality is that the show has four white guys because that's the show. I'm tired of this idea that all white people are evil and all black people are saints. Did no-one consider the fact that this is probably written by a white guy so he feels he can inhabit the mind of a white person more easily than african american or hispanic characters. Stop with all this is it cause I'm black *beep* now
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friskythecat08
18 years ago
Hey, first I just want to thank RunAwayRunAway for writing such a thorough, accurate, and polite comment. I hope we see more of this on imdb.
Second, I see the points people have made. True, the cast could use diversity - yet, at the same time, should they cast someone simply because of their race? In an ideal world, the cast would incidentally have minorites. However, if the actors who are best for the part all happen to be white, why should this be a problem? I'm not saying whether or not this is true for Four Kings - I'm simply conjecturing. I mean, how would you feel if the producer said, "Ya know, you're a great kid, really funny, but we already have three white guys on this show, and we need a minority." Likewise, how you feel if you realized that you were only cast so that the show would be "diverse"? I think that this would be just as racist as turning someone down because they were a minority.
And that's what it really comes down to. Were the actors for this series handpicked, or did they audition? Did any better actors audition, and was anyone rejected or ignored on the basis of race? That's my definition of racism. What race, and for what "reason" doesn't matter.
Of course, questions of race will never have an easy answer. As I said before, in an ideal world, we wouldn't give a thought about anyone's origins. Aren't we all just people? Also, someone's appearance can't always display their heritage to our stereotypical world. I have red hair, blue eyes, and freckly skin, but I'm one sixteenth Native American. Will that make or break my career? It shouldn't. I hope it won't.
I may be a geek, but at least I'm lovable sometimes.
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