I'm not a political person but the way Kenan is sort of a lead but not good enough to be the lead feels racist to me. Maya and Marty are in the open and then they have poor Kenan come in looking like an intruder, like they're doing him a favor. Its as if they started doing the show and tried to figure out a way to make him a key player without calling him one. It's weird and uncomfortable.
shareA big break for Kenan and not at all related to race. The show is great.
It's weird and uncomfortable....for you. Try watching it differently.
You mean standing on my head?
Forget racism - it's still awkward.
The last episode where he suddenly appears to participate in the Summer Song - it was just awkward. He should be there for the whole open then.
A big break for Kenan
Try watching it differently.
Is he doing it wrongYou saw that I said that? I didn't.
Telling someone to "try watching it differently" implies that you think they were "doing it wrong". So yeah, you did say that. It's weird that you are backtracking now.
But I'll bite...
What did you really mean when you said "try watching it differently"?
"try watching it differently" implies that you think they were "doing it wrong"Now to me, that statement implies that you need to define my statement in order to make your objection valid. So there's no backtrack, there's just your ego.
But I'll bite...It's not that tough. Why don't you just imply what it meant. It's not really complex.
What did you really mean when you said "try watching it differently"?
Now to me, that statement implies that you need to define my statement in order to make your objection valid. So there's no backtrack, there's just your ego.
It's not that tough. Why don't you just imply what it meant. It's not really complex.
He's been famous for well over a decade nowOn SNL and a kids show from what I understand. Not everyone watched them. This was a primetime gig, therefore I think it was a break.
I'm pretty sure SNL is more popular than some summer variety show with only 6 episodes.
If he was famous with you before, then great.
I'd say he falls into that category.Fine. .... and I meant primetime would bring even more recognition. There are levels of famous you know.
In fact, here is a definition of famous from our friends at Merriam-Webster:Wow, am I wrong in thinking that sounds very condescending?
Fine. .... and I meant primetime would bring even more recognition. There are levels of famous you know.
Wow, am I wrong in thinking that sounds very condescending?
About as condescending as telling someone to watch a show differently.I guess if it were, that would justify your little story that you claim was implied. But it wasn't intended as condescending.
You duck questions and you try to make this about me
Your double-digit bird icon speaks to me about you.
So I assume you're a kid, at least as opposed to me.
Imply whatever you want from the above.
How you must be bullied in real life to come here and try to put out your keyboard courage for such a stupid cause.
I pity you, and have tired of your avoidance of any valid points and hissy-fit lashing out. Looks like you spent the full Sunday here, I'm glad you're hiding indoors where the world can't get to you. I was out today living my good life.
If you're not a child, all the more shameful for you. That I engaged you, all the more shameful for me. I was trolled on the Maya & Marty web board. Laughable.
My remedy, you're going on ignore so the last words will be yours, but I won't see them. Be a better person.
May you receive all that Karma has to offer.
I'm fine with you not seeing my posts. In fact, I would prefer that.
How you must be bullied in real life to come here and try to put out your keyboard courage for such a stupid cause.
I pity you,
Looks like you spent the full Sunday here, I'm glad you're hiding indoors where the world can't get to you.
My remedy, you're going on ignore so the last words will be yours
Be a better person.
Maya and Marty are both talented. Kenan is also on the show.
shareCan't agree with you. I can tell you're a fan and that's great but he's not *that* big and certainly nothing compared to Martin Short. Personally, I think Maya is really great and funny but she can't hold a candle to Martin. He's a living legend. Kenan is definitely not as famous as Maya so he's 3rd, as it should be. He's a co-star.
Bottom line, the show is called Maya & Marty, not Maya, Marty & Kenan. That's why we see him once in awhile and no more. And it has nothing to do with prejudice. Maya herself is half black.
I actually created an account just to reply to you, because I felt like you didn't get a fair answer. Kenan was definitely made the butt of many jokes about his role on the show and it was definitely satirizing racism, but I think any actual racism would have gone undetected due to this overbearing ruse. In any case, I don't believe there is racism, just satyrical stereotyping. If Kenan were getting only repeatedly stereotype roles it would be blatantly racist. (I'm looking at SNL, which I love, just sayin'). There were some roles Kenan did where it was obvious he was the butt of a joke where both Marty and Maya's lines were clearly meant to overshadow whatever line Kenan had just delivered, or where Kenan's lines were expressly gripes about getting the short end of the stick with his role on the show. These aren't Kenan's actual gripes, they are Kenan's delivery of the lines that were specifically created for his role. In all of his scenes I can recall, he wore a tux, sang along with the hosts and none of his lines or his delivery was a stereotype of himself or black Americans, Dominican baseball players, or any of the usual black stereotype roles he normally portrays on SNL.
You have to admit, Kenan's role on Marty and Maya does seem to ring true as a testimonial to his career, thus far, most memorably portraying stereotypical roles that are definitely racist, now moving into this role where he complains about his role in a very unassumingly wonderful way. After appreciating his characters and thinking about it for many years, I long ago decided that Kenan enjoys these roles. I get the feelign that the senior cast members of SNL (one of which is Kenan, by a landslide) get a lot of creative control over their roles, so this role is a change of pace for him, playing himself, not a character, but obviously embellishing with some comedic, imaginary beef and bitterness, putting on a charade that Kenan would have prefered a lead role. It's all just a big joke and that it's all in good fun.
It's true that Kenan isn't a host on Maya and Marty. I think he would make a totally awesome host, but you have to keep in mind that Kenan is a current SNL cast member and probably a little busy to take on a host position, while Marty and Maya aren't currently in commited long-term positions. Marty spent a bunch of years in almost a partial retirement, so this is Marty's big amazing come back, which happens to make me very happy as a life-long fan. Maya is captured my heart with "faux columns" and Idiocracy. I'm glad it's going well for them.
There are a few obvious compliments that Maya, Marty and Kenan all equally deserve. They're all three amazing comics, singers, dancers and each TV and film veterans. I'm almost certain Kenan is happy that Maya is hosting. If he was upset about it, wouldn't it be sorta weird for him to accept a side role? I could easily go on, but I think you get the idea. He hasn't been put in the corner. He is doing this because he loves it. Wouldn't you love it? Kenan isn't the type of celebrity that gets hate mail because people love him. He gets love mail. I think it is safe to assume he is loving his career and his life in between the various ups and downs that complicate everyone's lives. It seems likely to me that Kenan would laugh at us for even worrying about it.
In summary, and to reiterate, compare Kenan's roles on SNL to Marty and Maya and it's clear he's doing something much less stereotypical than what's happening on SNL, neither being blatantly racist and not racist at all, from what I can tell. I know it's satire, but I don't know how they produce the show, so who knows, maybe some actual racism has managed to slip through at some point, but I can't recall an instance. The great thing about both shows is that neither are hateful in nature, although I may not the best party to voice my opinion on the matter, not being a black American, like Kenan, but I believe it is an objective viewpoint, don't you?