Members DRW50 Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 I guess a lot depends on audience response and where the show is willing to go with it. Before Jesse, AMC only had token black characters. Then Jesse became popular and so did his friendship with Jenny. Then they brought in Angie or paired him with Angie, who also became very popular, and they were a supercouple, just as popular with fans as any other big couple at that time. Would a soap do any of that today? Or would they somehow see Jesse's friendship with Jenny as a threat? Would they even allow a black man to be close friends with a white woman? If this became popular, would they just banish Jesse? Would they pair him with a day player and have him show up a few times a month, because they just assume that viewers do not want to see any relationship which is not about white people? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeeeDee Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 The thing is that no matter how good those actors are they will NEVER be good enough. It has nothing to do with them & everything to do with the system the work in. A system which was created & maintained to work against them so the glass ceiling stays in tact. Then when those same actors push for progress & better representation they are derided as "uppity" and/or "divas" or as some moron said "they should eat a bowl of dicks". At the end of the day regardless of tenure, popularity or status those very same actors are minorities & therefore expendable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeeeDee Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 At first TPTB just didn't want us to be equal. Seperate was fine but equal no way. Now it's nothing at all. Exactly. Not only has the equal part of the equation been rendered nil the seperate part has too. Anything that is remotely culturally organic is treated as WITCHCRAFT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Leia Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Eric83 Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 That's exactly how it would happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeeeDee Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 But Mamie wasn't a token. Real Mamie's existed & the character shouldn't be penalized for reflecting reality. As the great Hattie McDaniel said "I'd rather play a maid than be one" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members marceline Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 My understanding is that Darnell and Kim got a ton of hate mail even for Jesse and Jenny's friendship. The thought of them living together was too much for the rednecks to handle even if it wasn't sexual. Fortunately, the show stuck with that story, although I'm sure DW would've been happy without the death threats. That sad truth now is that the network probably would scrap that story and fire DW. There never would've been an Angie at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Leia Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeeeDee Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 Jesse's son is the perfect example. Frankie & Colby were treated like the bubonic plague. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 I can see that getting hate mail, sadly. I guess that's one of the reasons they brought in Angie, which also worked out. I guess that's what I miss about soaps, is that they even made the effort, because they knew the effort was worth it. Today everything is so shallow and they pander to the worst of the audience. I don't believe that America is some sort of racially tolerant paradise but I do believe the public is far more willing -- not just willing, but eager -- to watch a diverse canvas than today's soaps give them credit for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SFK Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 I totally agree with all of this. I just hate it and I am beyond frustrated with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeeeDee Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 Darnell. Keith. Kristoff. The only one who escaped it was Shemar & that's mainly cause he was kept a eunuch. I hate it too but as long as TPTB & fans work in tandem to keep the paradigm in tact that's the way things will be. Yep. Minority men = Sexless eunuchs Minority women = Bed Warmers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members catsmeouch Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 I'd prefer an all-out Jessica/Cristian reunion, but I'll settle for a love triangle with Brody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeeeDee Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 It's 2010. America has a Black First Family yet television has regressed in a horrific way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SFK Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 As we were talking about a few days ago, Cris and Layla have been kind of sidelined, simmering on the back burner. But it's amazing how his history with Jessica has turned out to be this insurance policy for Cris, ZAP goes Jessica's brain, BAM, Cris is back on the front burner. It'll be a little tougher for Brody and Layla to find their feet. I hope at least that Brody has Layla and Kelly possibilities, and Layla has Brody and Greg possibilities, the more possibilities the better for those two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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