Lack of Racial Diversity in Daytime

[NYC123]

I think right now AMC is diverse then it was a year ago.

We have Angie, Frankie, Jesse, Samual, Dre, Livia and Derek.

[MoTheGreat]

I believe that's what Soaps downfall going ot be blocking diversity. If they would look back when Ratings was high for soaps. Is when they had diversity on them.

[Casey]

James Reynolds spoke on this issue in a recent article...Victoria Rowell spoke about it some time last year...Debbie and Darnell spoke about it when they gave their return interviews...the producers, writers are aware and they ignore and that's what pisses me off more than anything.

James Reynolds (Abe) from DOOL Interview: Being Black On Soaps

As for black headwriters Michele Val Jean shared the spot with Elizabeth Korte for a short time on GH before McTavish came on in 2000.

[quartermainefan]

Daytime is totally racist. At one time daytime was ahead of primetime in breaking barriers. Erica was having her abortion well before Maude had hers. But somewhere along the line as the networks got gobbled up by the conglomerates, they lost their nerve with daytime. I will say it's been nice seeing Abe and Lexie on recently on DOOL. even though it is not really in stories about them. Still, they are both the chief authority figures in their respective realms, and that's nice.

But then there is the stuff to be optimistic about. AMC has taken the most famous and visible character in daytime and is sending her into some sort of interracial story (I refuse to watch as long as Kendell and Greenlee are on), so that's something of note.

[Money]

You've got to be joking. I must have missed the Vegas being on the frontburner since I can't remember the last time either Cristian or Antonio drove their own storylines. OLTL's diversity is window dressing. When was the last time we actually saw Carlotta or RJ for that matter. What is the use of giving them bilingual dialog when they're given generic romances on the backburner? Cristian is averaging about one episode a week, sometimes even less and he's a mere shadow of his former self. Layla is the definition of a token. Thalia is suppose to be Arabic when she's played by a white actress and it's only mentioned when the plot calls for it; Antonio might as well be with another white girl. And Vincent? Oh yeah, the actor was fired...oops... "dropped to recurring status". No wonder it's been so easy for soaps to get away with racist attitudes for years. All the regimes have to do is bring them out of the closet for a few days have them mingle with the core characters and send them back in. Diversity is cooking in the back of Carlotta's diner in the back alley where it's always been.

Blacks have always held commanding jobs, case in point: Abe from DAYS and Frye from AMC but they are always in supporting roles to the white characters. Neil on YR has just recently gotten a seat on NE after YEARS of service. The writers even made a storyline out of it and he repeatedly got looked over with empty promises. When has Abe ever had a frontburner storyline in his 20+ years as Chief? Even the baby switch that was freaking eight years ago was all about Lexie and sadly that was RJ's one claim to a frontburner storyline. Blacks on daytime are either lawyers or cops and I'm tired of Daytime saying, See! We're not racist because the white characters have to answer to the tokens when they're just used as mere plot points within the endless storylines given to the white characters. Why should anyone be content that Abe is chief and Lexie is now COS when they're shown once every two weeks.

As for AMC, they're gonna have to do a hell of a lot more with Jesse and Angie for me to be even excited about their diversity. Where will they be six months from now when Frons/BandE bring in their newest flavor of the month (RPG?) and they're put on that all too predictable backburner? The so called romance between Erica and Samuel is already DOA and they've switched gears already.

I'm more interested in what the white actors have to say about the lack of diversity. I've heard JR, VR and other minority actors speak repeatedly on the issue and I would have a lot more respect for those white actors with their well paying jobs and extensive frontburner storylines if they actually take a stand and stood up for diversity. But really...why would they when it does not affect them or their lifestyles or their cushy jobs? The status quo continues and minorities continue to ride the back of the bus in Daytime.

[TC]

If we want racial diversity we have to demand it. We have to be organized and we have to have someone willing to put in the time for it. Just talking about it here does nothing.

[Khan]

Nah, you go ahead.

[TC]

Who me?

[DevotedToAMC]

And the fact that she keeps reminding us that Korean Blair was recast with a white woman. We get it..you are upset. Get over it!

Well I have nothing to complain about since I watch AMC and we got a fine mix of color there (Derek, Livia, Jesse, Angie, Frankie, Samuel, Dre, Amanda, Julia, nuJake, and the Brits Myrtle and Aidan...they might be white but they are foreigners so I guess it works)

[bakedghoti]

why would it be difficult to have a meaningful discussion? that's what message boards are for. as for minorities, yes they are too few. and the ones that are there only prop up the white characters.

to this day there is not a single asian core family that lasted on soaps. gay white characters got a frontburner storyline (luke/noah) before a single asian core family was formed. and no jack abbot's son keemo and his mother don't count because they were written out quickly and are never mentioned despite y&r being known to incorporate its past. i guess incorporating asian core families and making them last (like the newmans, abbots, etc) is not a priority in y&r!

and they killed off their only asian male character JI MIN! how offensive!

[TC]

I don't think it is difficult to have a meaningful discussion as long as we don't try to hijack this particular thread in favor of something other than racial minorities.

[bakedghoti]

I think days had a first black female headwriter. but she did not even last for an entire year i think.

i don't know who wrote or created generations.

but i think it's very difficult to break into the headwriting gig at soaps. i asked marlenadelacroix about it because i was interested in writing soaps, but she didn't even know.

look at victoria rowell! she's been a daytime actress for years. she's talented, outspoken and wrote her own successful meoir. yet when she campaigned to get a writing gig at y&r, she was denied. she wants people of color to be behind the scenes in daytime. she's an asset to the daytime community and to people of color!

[bakedghoti]

if oltl cared so much about racial diversity, they wouldn't have recasted korean blair into a white, southern woman.

[bakedghoti]

BRILLIANT COMMENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ICAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't forget b&b. set in LA. in its 20 years and counting, there has never been a core family of color. the bakers don't count since lt. baker and det. baker are never on. recently tvguide usa reported that mykel shannon jenkins, winner of i wanna be a soap star, was going to be the first bonafide black romantic leading male on the soap. the headline was something like "finally black and beautiful". it was rumored det. baker would be paired with bridget. weeks later he's recurring.

and i hate it when brad bell and a soap journalist keep saying that b&b lacks racial diversity because it's a 30 minute soap. that's bull! the bells own b&b. brad can put characters of color on his show if he wants to, but he clearly doesn't.

and whenever someone talks about racial diversity in daytime, it's always an actor of color. you never hear white actors, EPs, Headwriters talk about making daytime racially diverse.

[DeeeDee]

The Vegas have been a great addition to OLTL especially the Vega brothers but does Adriana ever have scenes with Cristian, Tonio & Carlotta anymore & now would be a good time for OLTL to reintroduce The Halls and/or Prices again.

The Santos family has been decimated there's still a chance a SORASed Lorenzo could visit Aunt Julia & Grandpa Adam.

Sonny's populated half of Port Charles yet none of them speak a word of Spanish. lol