Black males were further stereotyped through early American films, in which they were portrayed as Toms,and coons. In the film The Birth of A Nation, the roles and images of Black men were altered and exaggerated in an effort to alter the landscape of post-Civil War America. The film directs Black people to occupy “certain spaces, such as kitchens, and into certain supporting roles, such as criminals, on the screen.
The Cosby Show was a Brooklyn based African American sitcom
that lasted from 1984 to 1992 starring comedian Bill Cosby. Bill Cosby (Cliff
Huxtable) is shown as a doctor in the show and is accompanied by a lawyer wife
(Clair Huxtable). The show is very misleading to its viewers because of how
rare it is of the family situation at the time of the show's airing. Even in
present times, for a black family to have a doctor and a lawyer generating
income in the same household is a very rare occasion. In this situation, if one
is to look at the show as a reflection of society, they would flat out be
wrong. Anyone who would classify this show to represent what is common in
society at this time would be saying that most blacks are not in the streets dealing
drugs, doing them, or in some form of way affected by drugs around them. To
make this assessment is incorrect. If one is to look at this show as an image
of what society should turn into, they would be partially correct except that
there is no indication of what a black person has to overcome to reach these
levels of success.
I think you make a great point on how the Cosby Show didn't really portray the real struggles of the African American community. When we look at TV shows and analyze what we're seeing it's proven that statistically minority groups are more likely to be placed in roles that don't take the spotlight. It's an alarming thing when we think about the ways young men begin to see themselves as they grow up. Those who grew up watching the Cosby Show probably didn't live in an environment where everyone was happy and life was good and they had everything provided for them. It's Important to provide representations of all people in the television industry. From experience I can say that because I grew up in Russia I wish I saw more representations of life in Russia that's closer to the realities. All I ever see is that it is super cold like it's Antarctica and that the people who come from there are vodka drinking mobsters. So I hope that people begin to provide different representations of all races and classes.
ReplyDeleteAs we saw in the "Class Dismissed" documentary, "The Cosby Show's" portrayal of an African American family created a set of expectations for real African American families. The idea that if the Cosby family could make it, so could any family set an unrealistic standard while simultaneously marginalizing the hardships and bigotry faced by African Americans of all class levels. "Roc," on the other hand, was another sitcom focusing on an African American family, received less attention and critical acclaim despite addressing important social issues. The main characters were Roc Emerson, a garbage collector, and his wife Eleanor, a nurse. The gulf of popularity between the two shows possibly stems from the narratives both presented. While "Roc" presented a narrative that ran contrary to the "bootstrap mentality" of established norms, "The Cosby Show" largely followed a narrative revolving around the idea that success was based on individual effort alone. The show may have unintentionally fed into subtly racist ideology, even if it wasn't intended to.
ReplyDeleteThe final video you linked is especially interesting as it shows that "The Cosby Show" did represent some wealthy African American families, even if some of the actresses involved admitted that it wasn't fully realistic. It's important to note that the show also presented an "American Dream" stylized narrative, which isn't necessarily a bad thing even if the concept is unrealistic and mostly unattainable. In the end, I think it's important to examine both "The Cosby Show's" positive and negative qualities.