A $0.50 rant on Racism in True Blood, Chocolate News and the US Presidential Campaign

[hackthis_archive]

You know how you have shit building up and then you hit that tipping point and you're like, fine, I see I'm going to have to talk about this or I will be up all night yelling and scaring the neighbors.



When True Blood first premiered however many weeks ago, I had no real interest in it as I'm not into the whole vampire thing, the Mary Sue thing or pretty much anything about that entire concept. I watched it for two wholly shallow reasons 1) it's on HBO and 2) it will eventually have Alexander Skarsgard from Generation Kill. And because I was being shallow about it, I didn't expect it to be good, but I certainly didn't expect to have the only black female on the show in the first fifteen minutes be depicted as stroppy, lazy, poor and on the whole the most stereotypical racist depiction of an angry black female on TV that I've seen in a long fucking time. And that just seemed to be her entire purpose, to be angry and mouthy and pine after the most stupid, greasy, useless piece of human waste I have seen in a long fucking time. Seriously. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?

If the only depiction of you on a show was like that, you'd be fucking angry too. But you know, maybe this doesn't offend you. Maybe you think, hackthis, you really should get over it. But allow me to explain something to you: there are only X number of People of Color (POC) on TV at any given time. Certainly no more than 10% of the roles cast are going to someone who is non-white. There are whole series set in urban centers that NEVER have anyone darker than a spray-on tan on them. So, when you are a person of color, every last role, every last character is important, because to somebody out there in the viewing world it is going to represent you.

A non-POC can turn on the TV and with a little channel surfing, find someone like them: a geek, a nerd, a jock, somebody who's overweight or gangly or Juno or Buffy the Vampire Slayer or someone who's blond or brunette or bald or what the fuck ever. POCs don't get that. On any show that has a minority, there is generally only one. ONE. The strong black guy that has no brain, the Hispanic woman that's all sex, the Asian guy that's all brain, the black woman that's nothing but angry.

And you know what makes POCs angry? Getting stereotyped like that. Turning on a TV and having somebody else perpetuate a myth that all black women are angry and lazy and come from broken homes and pine over worthless men and have a cousin who sells drugs is just -- I mean really? Why not just say that we're all video hoes, worth nothing more than bling and spandex. Or welfare queens, even though the majority of people on welfare are not POCs.

And frankly, I don't care if this isn't how it goes in the books, this is what's on the TV and to me it's shameful and lazy and racist. But that's why people go with stereotypes, because it's so much easier to use them than to come up with something new. After all, how shocking would it be if Tara actually had a real job and a stable family and sex appeal of her own and she didn't need Sookie or run after Jason's nasty ass? Yes, clearly to depict a black woman like that would be shocking. Can't have that.

So, you know, if you like True Blood, that's fine, but don't tell me how they really don't mean it like that, because you damn well better believe that's what they're showing.

And if you think I'm overreacting or I just don't get it, name the last time you saw a positive depiction of a black woman on TV on a show that is not Grey's Anatomy. And by positive I mean someone who is allowed to be intelligent, and have a life and not be comedic relief. Now do the same thing with a Hispanic woman, a black man and an Asian man. Go on. I'll wait.

Which brings me to the new Comedy Central show, Chocolate News.

Jewish people have Jon Stewart.

Catholic people get Stephen Colbert.

Black people HAD Dave, but Dave got tired working for the man, and Comedy Central replaces him with David Alan Grier, who's doing a show perpetuating every fucking stereotype possible about black people being lazy, materialistic, inarticulate and straight up ghetto?

Fuck you, Comedy Central.

And while we're on the subject of people needing to get run over by a bus... I am a firm believer that you should be positive. That you get out of this world what you put into it, but let me tell you right now that if I ever come across Sarah Palin, she and I are going to have words. Major fucking words that will probably end with a Ari-worthy bitchslap. Not about rape kits and shooting wolves from planes. Not even about abstinence only lessons in schooling and naming just ONE Supreme Court case besides Roe v Wade (not that I was expecting her to name Dred Scott or Brown v The BoE), but because she has the audacity to go out on the road and tell people that Barack Hussein Obama isn't "an American like you and me."

And why is that? because I'm pretty sure he has a US passport. You know, that thing you finally procured in 2006, Mrs. Palin.

Now, is it because his name isn't Joe fucking Six Pack? Is it because he went to Harvard? Is it because he was a Community Organizer?

No. It's not that.

It's because his mom is from Kansas and his dad is from Kenya. It's because when she's saying, he's not like 'us,' what Mrs. MY PROFESSIONAL SNOW MOBILING HUSBAND AND I PULLED IN ONE MILLION DOLLARS LAST YEAR is saying that Barack Obama is black, and black is scary. Black is different. Well, except for those people who are already 'different' but they're not like Palin anyway.

And sure the mavericks (even though a maverick by definition is singular, meaning one person doing it on their own) are going to bring change, but everybody knows the black man is scary. He's always been scary. He might steal your wallet. He might steal your car. The black guy, he might become president and enslave all the white people. And that's just way too much change.

These are trufax.

Jon Stewart even asked Barack if that was going to happen.

Except when Jon asked this question, he was joking. What Sarah Palin is doing is alluding to the fact that it might really happen.

Wow. That takes balls.

But, you know, if you're really afraid. If you really want to find the terrorists plaguing the United States right now, and you want to know why you're afraid at night and think about buying that gas mask from the Army Surplus, then look no further than John McCain's running mate. And then you can look at John McCain himself.

And if, when you go into that voting booth on November 4th, you want to vote for real fucking change and not the same old racist, good-old boy bullshit, vote for Barack Obama.

But if you think change is scary, and if you'd rather have the same Katrina-ignoring, economic failing, human rights violating, international-reputation destroying, warmongering same-ole, same-ole, you know, vote for McCain. It's your right.


eta: Do not link to metafandom. Thanks.

Comments

[duckyjane.livejournal.com]

I've got Zoë from Firefly? Otherwise, it's pretty much Grey's Anatomy. I wonder if anyone elses casting directors have noticed how different (read: pale?) their show looks next to Grey's?

NCIS has a new 'Director' who is a black man. Too early to tell entirely how he'll be portrayed, but right now it looks like they're going for intelligent.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I wonder if anyone elses casting directors have noticed how different (read: pale?) their show looks next to Grey's?


I highly doubt it. GA's written by a black woman, so I have no doubt she has a say in how GA was cast, the rest of Hollywood tends to reflect the people who write it too with their lack of POCs.

[vylit.livejournal.com]

Exactly. It's infuriating. White people get characters of depth, several of them on one show a lot of the time, but the TV execs feel like they can throw any old PoC on television, fill them full of the same tired stereotypes, and we're supposed to jump all over that with glee. Fuck them.

A friend told me to watch Tru Blood, and I watched one episode before having a rage blackout.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I was trying to let it go baby, I really was, but Palin just pushed me all the way over the edge. Not like nudge, but full on shove over into the abyss of white hot hate hate hate.

White people get characters of depth, several of them on one show a lot of the time, but the TV execs feel like they can throw any old PoC on television, fill them full of the same tired stereotypes, and we're supposed to jump all over that with glee. Fuck them.

WORD! You will never get a POC half as thought out as... well just pick one.

[random-flores.livejournal.com]

You know, I just got home from hanging out with Kimberly and watching Middleman, and we were JUST having a conversation about the show in which I said it was completely refreshing to have a lead character who happens to be Latina that isn't based on a stupid stereotype. So of course that show is on the brink of cancellation. *sigh* I know exactly what you mean.

And Sarah Palin... there are no words. She is setting herself for the world's biggest bitch fight with me, what with her 'I'm tolerant, I know a GAY!' bullshit and her fucking 'vote for me because I'm SAFE in a MAVERICKY way and I'm gonna keep all the TOLERANT people safe from all those scary gays and minorities' crap.

And making a note to stay away from True Blood, now. Thanks for the heads up. :-)

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

So of course that show is on the brink of cancellation. *sigh* I know exactly what you mean.

Really? I'd not heard that. I'm not watching it, but still, I'd not heard that. I though it'd been picked up. And as for Palin, I can't be sane about her anymore. I've tried, but everytime she opens her mouth she's so full of hatred and bullshit that I just... I'm totally losing my shit over this election.

As for True Blood, you know, I'm not telling anybody not to watch it I'm just saying, "this is what I see."

[fivil.livejournal.com]

I totally see where you're coming from.

This really got me thinking about good POC's in my favourite shows. Tamara Taylor as Cam on Bones I suppose is one; the actress is mixed and she doesn't have a very strong race identity on the show but her backstory is that she's worked as a cop in Bronx and is currently a kickass scientist and a firm boss. Bones as a whole occasionally makes me groan with the stereotypical portrayal of, well, just about everybody (from minorities to subcultures). So it's in no way otherwise ideal. But Cam is an awesome character.

By the way, can I ask you where the US is in terms of terminology nowadays? My country is 90% Finnish and white, so we're really not up-to-date with this sort of stuff, and my Cultural Anthropology professor said in the US "black" is nowadays not cool and the preferred term is "African-American". But I see you use the word here, is it seen as a type of word people can use to describe themselves but to use it about somebody when the speaker is a member of the white majority themselves, it's not cool? Or how does this go? Sorry for cluelessness. :)

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

By the way, can I ask you where the US is in terms of terminology nowadays? My country is 90% Finnish and white, so we're really not up-to-date with this sort of stuff, and my Cultural Anthropology professor said in the US "black" is nowadays not cool and the preferred term is "African-American". But I see you use the word here, is it seen as a type of word people can use to describe themselves but to use it about somebody when the speaker is a member of the white majority themselves, it's not cool? Or how does this go? Sorry for cluelessness. :)

The politically correct term is 'African-American.' It's the one you will see used most often in the media and by people who consider themselves enlightened. So, yes, I'd think people who aren't black will use that term. I, however, say black. It's a personal choice. When I hear other people call themselves Korean-American or Irish-American or Guatamalan-American, then I'll go with AA, but until that day. Yeah, not my thing.

[refche.livejournal.com]

While I do see your point, I don't see it the same way. I have a problem with pretty much every character representation in fandom. I'm generally aware that I slash mostly because on some level there are no female characters I like enough, and the ones I do like canon isn't giving me what I need. It's the same with slash, we take these heterosexual (often homophobic) boys and turn them into something our own. How we see them.

For me, Tara and Lafayette are pretty much the most normal representation of people in that entire show. Everyone else is a freak. Everyone else is a freak that thinks they're normal while those two have a basic understanding of how society works and how they fit in or don't. And while it's still different, I choose to see it in a positive light, and as a commentary. I'm white and relatively privileged and able to see it like this because it doesn't affect me the same way.

(I'm also a big mouthed loser that keeps hopping jobs and thinks school if for other people, and hangs out with drug dealers while being disapproving. So my love isn't exactly noble or hard to explain.)

God, why does discussion about race make me instinctively want to curl up and not say anything because I might be stepping on toes and shit? I found myself feeling guilty because Tara is the personification of awesome for me. I totally understand your POV, it's just that fear of disapproval. This random fangirl on the internet, she might think less of me omg.

I won't even pretend to understand the whole Palin thing Americans have going for them. I mean, I was interested when the election was about the right thing and a good man and someone taking a stand against cynicism. But now that you guys are fighting on a front you were drawn to, and it's this stupid and pointless and irrelevant battlefield... It feels like smarm and politics again and it makes me tired.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

For me, Tara and Lafayette are pretty much the most normal representation of people in that entire show. Everyone else is a freak. Everyone else is a freak that thinks they're normal while those two have a basic understanding of how society works and how they fit in or don't. And while it's still different, I choose to see it in a positive light, and as a commentary. I'm white and relatively privileged and able to see it like this because it doesn't affect me the same way.


Would you care to explain this a bit more? You consider them normal how? And opposed to who, exactly.

[londondrowning.livejournal.com]

Another two cents to add in, because this is something that's been bothering me lately, and a couple people have told me I'm "reading too much into it" or "it's reverse racism for you to be upset by this because you're white", which...bugs me. A lot. For reasons I won't get into, but:

I can't remember the last time on SNL they had Kenan Thompson do anything but play: a convict, a dude in a menial joke, dress him in drag, or do basically anything with him where the joke wasn't "did you notice that he's black? Because Kenan Thompson's black, guys, and that's humorous."

[londondrowning.livejournal.com]

And I meant "job" there, not joke. I'm tired. It's late and, like you, if I have to argue with one more person about Sarah Palin...my dad and I had this discussion the last time I was home where he said I was being close-minded because I told him I do, actually, think less of people who think that she's a great role model and I just don't want to get it anymore. That self serving idiot has inspired my broke, jobless ass to give way more money to Obama than I can afford.

[chinawolf.livejournal.com]

I totally see your point about True Blood. However, as a rather neutral observer who might know some prejudices prevalent in the U.S. but who doesn't actually have to live (with) them - I live in Germany/France - I honestly have to say I didn't *see* that Tara was portrayed in any negative way. The store culture of avoiding customers that you see as making Tara typically black lazy is the same in Chuck (or even Reaper, which I do avoid for other reasons), where anything that makes the chars avoid customers is cool. I did not jump to the conclusion that sure, it was a black chick, of course she's lazy. Tara never struck me as lazy at any single point.

Tara's weird crush on Jason (yuck!) is utterly unfathomable, but I can't help but think that this has nothing at all to do with her race. Just like the ueber-slutty waitress could have been white or black, race doesn't matter to the viewer that lives in a world where we don't have to break that prejudice in the first place. I fear I am not explaining my point well - I just think that to a neutral viewer, the character doesn't read as ticking "typical black" boxes. Which makes it possible for me personally to not be offended, even though I realise now that on an intellectual level, I shouldn't just pretend that this is set in an America where race doesn't matter, especially because it *is* talked about by the characters.

All this to say - thanks for giving a different point of view on this that I couldn't see by myself. As the commenter above, I had until now seen both Tara and Lafayette as the most grounded characters in the show. I'll keep my eyes more open now.

Re black women on TV:

West Wing had the occasional strong black female guest. Weeds had Heylia, who I saw as an incredibly strong char, but I suppose that might be removed from actual reality as well. Someone above mentioned Cam (Bones), Zoe (Firefly), the Lt. on Dexter and of course Wendy of The Middleman, whom I could not possibly love more, even if that show is anything but grounded in reality in the first place. I suppose Anna on Chuck does nothing to break the stereotype of smart Asian, even if I personally find her totally kickass. Eureka has a strong (for a given definition of) non-white female lead, though she does make me want to tear my hair out occasionally, and the sidekick is also a a non-white smart woman. Numb3rs, even if a carcrash in many other ways, does have Amita, though the only way she breaks the stereotype is by holding a science prof tenure as a woman (nevertheless playing secretary to the white male).

Private Practice has a black female lead, but that's Grey's 'Verse. ReGenesis had a black female (guest) lead in the last season. Shark had a very strong black female in the ensemble (I thought- again, can't know if she wasn't built out of a mix of prejudices). Standoff had Gina Torres as the FBI boss of the negotiating team, though I can't tell if she had a life. SGA has Teyla, however one may think of what the writers did to her, she is strong and allowed to be intelligent occasionally, plus, all females in SGverse get treated like dirt by the writers so it's not about race. Veronica Mars had Jackie in Season Two, and Wonderfalls had Mahandra (though she, too, was in love with the lead's much more charming brother and too often served as comic relief, but I thought she was a character of her own despite that).

I agree that there is a severe lack of black female leads in American tv, and to a lesser extent also on British tv. But from my admittedly not-as-aware perspective, it is getting a lot better than it used to be in the last five to ten years.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I just think that to a neutral viewer, the character doesn't read as ticking "typical black" boxes. Which makes it possible for me personally to not be offended, even though I realise now that on an intellectual level, I shouldn't just pretend that this is set in an America where race doesn't matter, especially because it *is* talked about by the characters.

Ah, but there is no such thing as a neutral viewer, every thing you see and think and do is colored by your experiences and the way you view the outside world. There is not one person who can watch TV and not think, well, I can relate to that or not related to that because I am/think/was raise/ and have X experience. And there will never be an America where race doesn't matter.


All this to say - thanks for giving a different point of view on this that I couldn't see by myself. As the commenter above, I had until now seen both Tara and Lafayette as the most grounded characters in the show. I'll keep my eyes more open now.

Why do you consider the black gay drug dealer and his smart mouthed cousin to be grounded as opposed to the other characters? Why them and not Sam, who's just running a bar. Or one of the waitresses. There are vampires and Sookie is a telepath, so they're abnormal, but Sam and all those waitresses are just as 'normal' as anybody else on that show. I'm not jumping down your throat, but you're the second person to say this so I'm genuinely curious.

Sorry, long response...

[lovetheboys.livejournal.com]

Okay, so I'm about as white as it gets (Seriously, if I was any more white I'd be transparent...), but I try really, really hard not to be a blinded-by-privilege white person. So I had wondered if I was being closed-minded for not liking what I saw on the commercials for David Alan Grier's new show. Thank you for telling me I wasn't just being closed-minded. I pretty much looked at it and thought, "Wow, that seems so wrong..."

I have almost no interest in True Blood (can we please stop with the vampire obsession now?), so I have little to no idea what you're talking about, but it sounds like it totally sucks.

Um, most of the PoCs that come to my mind are from canceled shows, which means most of them haven't been on TV in a while, which sucks. But most are on DVD, so they're still out there somewhere. Someone already pointed out Lt. Van Buren (who was made of awesome), and other than Zoe from Firefly I'm kind of blanking on other non-stereotyped black women (I wish I wish I wish I could say Teyla from SGA, but unfortunately the writers failed her potential big-time). Um, for an Asian man, I would like to point out Det. Danny Woo from Witchblade, who was human; great partner, great cop, good husband, but was also allowed to get angry, get scared, get stressed out, be concerned, be smart, be a little slow, be condescending to the rookie they were training, and be a good mentor. Danny was made of awesome. As for a good black male character, I would like to point out Mickey Stone from Hustle, which is a BBC show. Mickey is the leader of a group of con artists (all of whom besides him are white). He is cool, calm, intelligent, extremely good at the con, is a great leader and is very much a sympathetic charming rogue archetype. He also loses his temper, makes mistakes (not many, since he's the hero), and is occasionally the butt of a well-meaning prank from his mentor. Unfortunately, I think Adrian Lester kind of got tired of the role, because he's only in 18 of the 24 episodes, which also explains why I haven't been watching it lately...

...and damn it, I should be able to do better than this. There's also Det. Green from L&O, played beautifully by Jesse L. Martin. In that same vein: ADA Carver from L&O:CI, ooh! Doctor Eric Foreman from House. Malcolm in the Middle turned the stereotyped racial-social order thing on it's head by having the low-class white family contrasted with the upper-class black family.

Completely agree with you on everything political. Nothing relevant to add there, except that woman really honestly scares me. At this point, if I hear anyone say anything positive about her, I will lose all respect for them.

I have a question, and it's something that I've been wondering for a while. (I'm trying to phrase this carefully, and I apologize if I stick my foot in my mouth...) My question is this: does it bother you when white people point out racist stuff? I mean, obviously the fact that it was noticed is probably a good thing, but at the same time do you feel kind of like, "Sit down, I can speak for myself?" Or is it just a kind of mixed blessing when the blinders of white privilege are taken off for a few moments? I've always wondered, because I'd like to add my voice to a fight for social change, but, as I said, I'm about as white as it gets and I kind of feel like it's not really my place to fight, sort of like I'm just butting in where I don't belong/am not wanted?

I read somewhere (though I can't remember well enough to site my source) that the sad fact is that the problems in our society, often involving "minorities", are not really listened to until someone in the "majority" begins to talk about it and point out said problems as well. And it does cause change, but it also rightfully causes resentment in the form of, "I've been shouting my lungs out about this for years, and just because Rich White Guy over there says it, now you pay attention?"

I guess I'm mostly just wondering what you feel about it.

P.S. Holy crap, sorry for the long-winded comment...

Re: Sorry, long response...

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I think... I think if you see injustice then you should speak up about it. It doesn't matter what ethnicity you are. I think if you think something is wrong, then you should tell somebody about it. If you want things to change you have to be willing to get up and say, I'm not going to wait for someone else to do it, or that it only counts when people are looking or that it's only relevant once it's been giving a voice by The Man. If you holler long enough and loud enough, some one is going to notice. Does that answer your question?

Also?

(can we please stop with the vampire obsession now?),

WORD.

[snookscribbles.livejournal.com]

Amen! Every time Sarah Palin opens her mouth I get angrier. And apropos everything - why the hell is Alaska more "American" than Hawaii? Could it have anything to do with the fact that Hawaii is a multiracial melting pot? Nah....

And its a sad when HBO moves from The Wire to True Blood.

The only show I can add to the list others have mentioned is The Unit. Hate the politics, love the action, and Denis Haysbert pwns me. He carries that show!

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

And its a sad when HBO moves from The Wire to True Blood.

WORD!

Amen! Every time Sarah Palin opens her mouth I get angrier. And apropos everything - why the hell is Alaska more "American" than Hawaii? Could it have anything to do with the fact that Hawaii is a multiracial melting pot? Nah....


Did you know that Palin's husband is half-Inuit, at least that's what I heard in the beginning. Yeah, I dunno either. She's just so special that just typing her name makes my blood pressure spike.

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

Oh dear god. just...no, to all of that. But Palin, do keep spouting the crazy, it's meaning that McCain's approval ratings keep dipping. Everyone's waking up to the fact that there's a very high chance that he might die before his first term, and then they'd be stuck with Ms. Crazy.

re: True Blood. Haven't started d/ling it, but all I can say is thank god I live in the UK, where stereotyping tends to get whacked over the head very quickly - the only PoC I've seen stereotyped in recent years on something high-profile was Tosh in Torchwood (japanese geek). But to balance her out all the guest stars *weren't* stereotyped. (dear Torchwood writers : More Det. Swanson, plz)

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

re: True Blood. Haven't started d/ling it, but all I can say is thank god I live in the UK, where stereotyping tends to get whacked over the head very quickly - the only PoC I've seen stereotyped in recent years on something high-profile was Tosh in Torchwood (japanese geek). But to balance her out all the guest stars *weren't* stereotyped. (dear Torchwood writers : More Det. Swanson, plz)

And that's one of the (many) things I miss about the UK. The class issues, you know, problematic, but with race, people just tend to think 'what the fuck ever.' Okay, some people don't, but things will never be ideal.

Palin is going to send me to the doctor with high blood pressure.

[moosesal.livejournal.com]

I love your icon. I had a big Farscape marathon at home yesterday.

[xanatosdecrion.livejournal.com]

Co-sign with this entire post. (from a fella sister of color) ;)

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I feel you.

[moosesal.livejournal.com]

I just scrolled through all the comments to see if anyone would mention Without A Trace and no one did. One of the things I like about the show is the diversity of the cast. Two Latinos - Danny Taylor (Enrique Murciano) and Elena Delgado (Roselyn Sanchez) - and an African American woman - Vivian Johnson (Marianne Jean-Baptiste). They make up half of a team of six people and I think they're pretty good characters -- they get to be smart and strong and as normal as the white characters, which is nice. I find these days that it's hard to find any characters on TV that don't annoy me in some way. It's very sad.

I have NOT watched True Blood because I couldn't even get through 1/3 of the first book. It was not for me. My husband has been watching the show and I've walked in a couple times and just sort of boggled at bits and pieces that I've caught. Definitely not for me.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I find these days that it's hard to find any characters on TV that don't annoy me in some way. It's very sad.

WORD!

[artemis-rain.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes, yes. I couldn't agree more. As a white girl, I sympathize. As a lesbian, I empathize. Erm... representation please? (I know it's not the same thing, but I do get where you're coming from)

If we're thinking awesome black female characters, one must not overlook Dee from Battlestar Galactica. She's not perfect, but she's way smarter, healthier, more stable, and more intelligent than most of the other women on that show.

As a Canadian, I have no power over the outcome of this election (which makes it even more depressing), but we're actually facing a very similar situation here up North. Our current Prime Minister is made of EVIL, and is looking at re-election this month. It's really quite distressing. Cross your fingers for my country, and I'll cross my fingers for yours.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I agree, Dee is awesome. I dunno how she puts up with Lee's whining and pining ass though. I will think good thoughts that both of our elections go favorably, because if ours goes to the dogs, you're going to have a fat glut of immigration from this side.

[serialkarma.livejournal.com]

Can I dance to your tune?

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I will even share my earbuds with you.

[takemejustasiam.livejournal.com]

Word to all of this!!!

I admit that I do watch True Blood. For me the thing that makes the character of Tara worse is that I don't even remember her from the books. I think she might have been there, but more on the periphery. But that is not the bad part. The bad part is that with that being the case, they could have taken her in any direction they liked, but they chose the one you described above. I like the actress (she is much better then the actress that was in the pilot), but the character itself plays into so many stereotypes.

I hate Palin. I am a white woman who has volunteered for the local Obama campaign, and is terrified that the racist vote will stop Obama from becoming president. McCain said he would take the high road, but clearly with what has come up in the last day or so he has no problem winning the White House by using the "fear of the OTHER" strategy. The whole thing just makes me sick.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

MY BAD! That comment was to someone else!

[cat-eyed-fox.livejournal.com]

For the TV POC rep I'm goin' with Scrubs. I mean they mock JD (who is yes, Jewish) for being a dweeb, and always call him lovingly on his inappropriate racial comments, but let's be honest, Turk and Carla are both people of color and while they are both funny, and Carla is very close to her Dominican Republic (I believe) heritage, they do not seem to be stereotypes to me.
I could also be a shit and say Battlestar Galatica, because you've got Duala who's black and Athena/Sharon/Boomer who is Asian, and neither of them are stereotypes of their racial group. But when you're dealing with a SciFi show with a group of people who do not possess the same stereotypes America has, it might not count.
I do completely agree with you about TrueBlood. I wanted to like this show, I did. But I can't.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I had forgotten about BSG, which is a shame, because one of the first things I noticed (and really liked) about it was that it had diversity of cast.

[chicklet-girl.livejournal.com]

1. Word.

2. If we're listing characters of color on TV shows, Numbers just added Sophina Brown to replace Diane Farr. Brown's character is a veteran of the LAPD who has a law degree and now works for the FBI. (For some reason, the IMDB has her listed for only two episodes, but I swear I heard she's a regular character.) Numbers also has Alimi Ballard in a regular role, and Navi Rawat plays a mathematician, and the head of the college math department is a woman (played by Kathy Najimy). Oh, and I've heard that Rob Morrow, David Krumholtz, and Judd Hirsch all assumed before the first season that the Eppes family is Jewish (they themselves all are Jewish), but the network apparently wanted to avoid making that explicit.

2a. But then at the end of every episode, most of the supporting characters fade away and the focus is on the Eppes family.

3. I've noticed that almost all of the shows we're discussing with POC regulars are workplace-based shows. There's no POC version of, say, Brothers and Sisters, and that situation is beyond annoying.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

3. I've noticed that almost all of the shows we're discussing with POC regulars are workplace-based shows. There's no POC version of, say, Brothers and Sisters, and that situation is beyond annoying.

That is a fucking excellent point, because you know POCs actually exist outside of work. Did you not know that?

[mecurtin.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I kind of walked into (http://mecurtin.livejournal.com/657433.html) this one myself (http://mecurtin.livejournal.com/657756.html), saying things that were ... not sufficiently squeeful, in my shock at seeing TB's credit sequence. I still have no idea what's going on with that.

One thing I noticed as I was trying to find out more about TB & the people involved in it, cruising around IMDB (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0844441/), is that on IMDB shows and movies look whiter than they really are, because actors of color are *far* less likely to have a little iconette next to their name in the credits than white actors are. Is this a deliberate choice by their agents? Or is it something the actors are expected to do for themselves, and PoC don't?

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

The first time I saw the title sequence I had a sufficently large WTF moment, but when I thought about it I said, "okay. If you're detailing the south, I guess he's being thorough," but it doesn't mean I didn't think it was distasteful. But I actually find a lot of True Blood distasteful *besides* the race issues, for a start it has the most unsexy porn ever. Watching a steady basis of that could put me off sex forever.

One thing I noticed as I was trying to find out more about TB & the people involved in it, cruising around IMDB, is that on IMDB shows and movies look whiter than they really are, because actors of color are *far* less likely to have a little iconette next to their name in the credits than white actors are. Is this a deliberate choice by their agents? Or is it something the actors are expected to do for themselves, and PoC don't?

No, it's not a race thing it's an agency thing. Stuff like imdb is generally taken care of by your 'people' the further down you are on the totem pole the less likely you are to have people actually paying attention to stuff like this.

[bearfairie.livejournal.com]

Thank you and amen to your whole freaking post.

Honestly? IMHO we should ALL be having rage blackouts b/c of shit like this. The Palin shit (I agree with an earlier post where you said your blood pressure spikes just typing her name... I have the same reaction...), the complete lack of decent PoC characters on tv, the unchecked racism that calls itself entertainment on my tv, etc. Racism absolutely hurts some of us more than others, but ultimately it hurts *all* of us, regardless of our race. A fact which I wish more white people realized. In general, I really don't watch alot of tv b/c it pisses me off almost universally. The senseless violence which then desensitizes us as a culture to *real* violence, the direct and indirect racism, the sexism, heterosexism, homophobia, the part where something traumatic happens to a character who is then magically fixed with NO LASTING CONSEQUENCES! by the next episode b/c some heroic usually white dude shows up and saves him/her? shall I go on? We all have our specific hot buttons around this stuff, but honestly I just end up thinking we as a society should be demanding more from entertainment and the media in general, and I wish I knew how to make that happen. I'm so not about censorship ever, not at all, but we all get to vote with our feet/dollars/eyes/attention/etc.

palin makes me want to cry on a good day, resort to senseless (is it senseless when SHE DESERVES IT??) violence on a not so good day. I am dreading the upcoming election - I really don't know what I'll do if the psychopaths win. I really honestly think McCain/Palin is *worse* than Bush/Cheney, for real. And the current state of our economy, our endless wars in the mideast, our failing world reputation, and all the other charming things that Bush Inc has done to our country... the record speaks for itself. I'm honestly afraid it'll be worse if they win. I am hard pressed to imagine what worse would look like but...

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

WORD! Yes, I know, not the most eloquent reply ever, but I certainly agree about the mind-boggling amount of real violence on TV that nobody seems to object too, but if you curse or show a naked ass, OMG! CALL THE GUARD! The hypocrisy I think is the real issue there, although personally I'd be all for less violence and more ass.

I can't even be sane about Palin anymore, I just hear dogs barking in my head and I've had to stay away from the news channels because when I see her I want to put my fist through the TV. That fact that in 2008 we can have a black candidate running and have a women on TV basically talking about how 'he's not like you and me' makes me just. Okay, there goes my blood pressure again. I agree. I truly do think McCain/Palin would be worse than Cheney/Bush, because while Dubya has ruined our reputation and our infrastructure, I think McCain/Palin would break our hope. And that's really all we have left at this point.

[grey-bard.livejournal.com]

Criminal Minds is pretty good. Derek Morgan is one of the heroes of the show (there isn't really a main character on the show) and has at *least* as interesting and complex a personality and backstory as the white characters. Also, there was a Latina character, but the actress quit.

Of course, this is not to say that from a certain angle you couldn't find a few problematic points. For example, in all the advertising copy, the other characters are described by their work capabilities and Morgan is described simply as "hot" and a "hunk". Also, it's a wee bit wow watch your subtext to have the black character be the one who (for extremely valid and traumatic reasons) is emotionally unready to handle romantic commitment, and instead has a series of friendly one night stands.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

For example, in all the advertising copy, the other characters are described by their work capabilities and Morgan is described simply as "hot" and a "hunk".

Shocking, totally... not shocking.

[daraq.livejournal.com]

I'm nodding so hard that my neck hurts. Thank you so much for posting.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

You're welcome :)

[redjacket.livejournal.com]

Yes. I wanted to give True Blood a try, even though I am so not into vampires, because of Alexander Skarsgård. But I started watching it and...yeah, no. For pretty much exactly these reasons.

And also because it was bad.

The only show I can think of is, uh, Project Runway? I don't really watch much tv and that was on last night and I realize I am far behind the curve on what exactly goes down because I have to wait for it to come here (we're at the drag queen episode) but Korto and Terri seem to be consistently and entirely awesome. Maybe because they're actually real. In the tv show sense.

The actress who plays Dani on Life is Iranian and gets to be in the show and is, in general, pretty goddamn awesome and flawed but still kick ass, uh, I totally love her. But I'm nervous about where they're going this season.

The Palin thing...I'm not an American. I'm worried about my own currently happening election. But. I cannot listen/watch her OR McCain without starting to just yell. I can't even understand how you can have that mindset. I just don't get it.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I love Project Runway, because everyone is equally bitchy and crazy. And yeah, I have tried True Blood, more than once, even I didn't mention that in the post, because you know, Alexander, but that's just, no.

Are you in Canada? I heard your election is kind of suspect too. I am sorry.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

(sent here by moosesal)

Dude. YES to True Blood. I sat slack jawed at the first few minutes when Tara did her head roll/finger snap/Imma call my babydaddy routine. Good fucking hell.

But then, I'm a believer that Alan Ball is the Jane Campion of HBO: over rated and pretentious. He clearly hates the south and believes in ALL of the southern cliches, and that show is chock full of them.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I had forgotten how much I hated The Piano until you brought up Jane Campion. Huh.

[theothersandman.livejournal.com]

Seriously: When are the Team Hackthis t-shirts coming out? 'Cause I want one.