In some ways the effect of race in popular culture is obvious. However some in other areas the effect of race seems to be based on perspective. Through television, music, video games and movies we tried to gauge the impact of race in popular culture.
Television
It is an undeniable fact that television is one of the most enveloping and influential roles of American culture. Nearly every household in America has at least one television. Between the dramas, comedies and reality shows, almost every person in the nation is influenced by what we see on television. The way that race in popular culture plays out in television does not help us have a good perspective of either.
Shows about African Americans are constantly being harped on saying the producers are always doing something wrong. When we go back to older shows like Bill Cosby, many people said it dominated the television world. It was a show that focused on an upper-middle-class black family. Unlike other black families previously seen on television and situation comedies, “the program avoided one-liners, buffoonery and other standard tactics designed to win laughs” (Hunt). It instead found humor in “realistic family situations... Thus episodes generally shunned typical sitcom formulas by featuring, instead, a rather loose story structure and unpredictable pacing” (Hunt). Many critics said that it was more of a white family painted black. They didn’t believe it portrayed a typical black family. Studies found that “black viewers tend to embrace the show for its positive portrayals of blackness, but express misgivings about the Huxtables' failure to regularly interact with less affluent blacks” (Hunt).
When we step forward to some present African American shows, like Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, which is a complete opposite of The Cosby Show, we also see a show that gets tons of criticism. Many say that the characters are over exaggerated. When looking at comments on a website, Television Without Pity, many said it is “poorly written” and a “monstrosity” with the “consistent ‘thud’ of joke after joke after joke”
As we can see, no matter what shows are about, if it’s a show about African Americans, it is always getting criticism. If it’s a show about African Americans acting out, it gets complained about saying it’s an annoying show, or it doesn’t portray them in the right way. Then when we turn to a show about African Americans being conformed, it gets criticized saying they’re acting more like a white family. So why is it that every African American show gets tons of criticism? Have we not reached the era of equality between races? Television shows us that we have not.
Music
If you want to know whether race impacts Popular Music the first step is to look
at the Billboard Music Charts. Scanning through the top 50 lists you can almost segregate the music into genres by race. For example, the top 50 songs by Country artists are all white bands while the top 50 R&B/Hip Hop are predominately African American.This is not a coincidence. Prior to the 1950’s Cultural Revolution in America the Popular Music scene was all white. African American singers, musicians, and bands were subject to having their songs rewritten to be played down and popularized by the white majority. While the Cultural Revolution dimmed the Color line between musical genres, it is easy to see that it still exists. While rap became popular in 1979 with the Sugar Hill Gang, there were very few white rappers.
R&B, originally called “race music” due to its African American artists, was coined by Jerry Wexler, in an effort to de-race the genre. Still, today R&B is stereotyped as African-American. In an interview with Billboard R&B artist Robin Thicke describes how he is still hitting the color line:
“When I did a recent interview with Vibe magazine I asked, "Why can't I get the cover? This is a magazine I love. If there's one magazine that I'd want to be on the cover of, it's Vibe." Their response was they don't have white artists on the cover; that the only white artist they've had on the cover was Eminem. I guess if that's what it is, it is what it is. And I respect
that because I live in a house with a black woman. I won't use the word "racism." I will say it's a tough—but rewarding—fight.” (Billboard)
We may call music a universal language, but it will not be universal until the industry stops categorizing it by race.
Video Games
Nothing best represents the issues of race in video games than the latest installment of an incredibly popular series, Resident Evil 5, a shoot-em-up zombie game that takes place in Africa. Since it takes place in Africa, the zombies are African. 
I’m not sure where the problem lies- The fact that the main character is white as the driven snow or the fact that the zombies aren’t the same race as him. “The white man’s job is to destroy [the Black zombies] and save humanity… This is problematic on so many levels, including the depiction of Black people as inhuman savages”, according to Kym Platt at Black Looks (An online blog regarding issues concerning African women).
But should race be such a concern in video games? I have never paused during a gang raid in Grand Theft Auto, thinking “Oh goodness, I’m killing African-Americans, aren’t I? I should stop.” No, I have thought “OMG, QUIT SHOOTING AT ME! LET’S SEE HOW YOU LIKE IT, BIATCH!” That is what Resident Evil 5, nay, most video games are about: Killing the beings that are trying to kill you. It’s not racist, it’s not offense-worthy, and I can’t wait until the time that I can go online and NOT run into twenty topics on how “OMG, this game is racist!”
Movies
Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail (2009)- This movie has an all black cast. The main character, Madea has anger management issues and gets sent to jail. Another character has drug problems and she is a prostitute. To better understand you can watch the following trailer. You will see quite a few negative stereotypes of black women. Not only is it black characters but the only in trouble are all women. Why do movies like this, Barber Shop, and many other movies that Tyler Perry is in like Tyler Perry’s Meets the Browns show such negative stereotypes? I don’t believe that African Americans are portrayed truly in these films. Madea Goes to Jail
Movies like Akeelah and the Bee and Finding Forrester show how young African Americans are smart and able to succeed overcoming some of the negative stereotypes of popular media. Dream Girls and Cadillac Records show how African Americans were discouraged from doing well but overcame the hurdles. Dream Girls
The movie Crash has a main focus on race which brings many different races while each character crosses path they discover something new about themselves while also displaying racism that is hidden and in the open. This is one of the few movies that’s sole purpose is the discussion of race. Crash
Poster's Note:
The Poster (Allison Price) couldn't let her 'Race in Popular Culture' pass by without the following video. This by no means reflects the opinions of the group or the other group members. But enjoy nonetheless.
Thank you and goodnight.
Works Cited
Movies.yahoo.com
Kym Platt, “Resident Evil 5”. 11 March 2009
< http://www.blacklooks.org/2007/07/resident_evil_5.html >
“Darnell M. Hunt.” The Museum of Broadcast Communication. 12 March 2009
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Television Without Pity. 12 March 2009.
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“Robin Thicke: White Like Me.” 9 Sept 2008. Billboard.com. 11 Mar 2009 < http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003852980 >.
“Hot Country Songs.” Billboard.com. 11 Mar 2009. < http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/charts/chart_display.jsp?g=Singles&f=Hot+Country+Songs >.
“Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.” Billboard.com. 11 Mar 2009.
< http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/charts/chart_display.jsp?g=Singles&f=Hot+R%26B%2FHip-Hop+Songs >.
This is an ideal and excellent posting--you make your own, original arguments, provide support, and make the best use of the multimedia medium. Additionally, you took an a clearly organized approach, dividing "popular culture" into what you see to be the distinctive categories, and within each category exploring the complexities of race particular to it. It is interesting that African American television shows, music, etc., seem to be judged by standards that aren't always fitting. As you point out, the Cosby's were "weren't black enough" while House of Payne was "too stereotypically black." You can't win. I was struck by the comment in the "video game" section: I have never paused during a gang raid in Grand Theft Auto, thinking “Oh goodness, I’m killing African-Americans, aren’t I? I should stop.” I agree with you--to a point. If we try to make everything about race, we end up doing more harm than good. However, I do think it's important to question and examine the roots of racism--and the way that racism is seemingly invisible at times.
ReplyDeleteOverall: Great! Thanks for ending on a strong note.
P.S. Alison, I'll be sharing that "bonus clip" with my next class on race and popular culture! Thanks!