Episode 148 — Stereotypes in Sitcoms

[admin 330]

Andrew Ti & special guest Joselyn Hughes solve Friday by discussing how stereotypes are the easiest type of comedy, the pressure to be down with all stereotypes, and the difference between the audiences of “2 Broke Girls” & “Girls.” As always, leave us a message about anything you think is racist at (323) 389-RACE.

[Cracktivity 23]

who are these people in Chicago and Detroit who have never seen a black person?

[wakefresh 689]

This woman's take on "Girls" is fucking stupid. The reason people were pissed about "Girls" is because white women were pushing Dunham's view as the voice of a generation and that it was so groundbreaking, blah, blah, blah. But to everyone else who didn't have white skin, it was the same story that has already been told -- the trials and tribulations of well-to-do white women in the big city. Its no different than "Sex and the City," save that one of the main characters isn't conventionally attractive. There was one really stupid critic who tried to use the fact the Dunham was heavy set as a check off of body diversity and racial diversity (because every black woman is heavy).

 

And yes, nothing happens in a vacuum. So the fact that she was the offspring of a pair of New York art world celebs, and then goes on to get her own show ripped from the pages of her diary is infuriating. Don't sell that shit to me or anyone else as "groundbreaking" or "revolutionary". It's the ramblings of the upper class. It doesn't reflect the real world because she has never had to live in the real world.

[memichelle 41]

So the people who write the jokes are not racist/sexist (because they are your friends and you know them). They are just being forced to be racist/sexist by everyone in the midwest? Awesome.

[imhatch 271]

"girls" is fucking awful and i hate how toothless andrew is on the podcast versus his website. i couldn't get through this episode. if someone's defense of "girls" being white-washed is "lena dunham is just writing her reality" then go one inception level up and question her reality and whether it is one that merits all this dumb "voice of a generation" talk.

[Hyde Parker 9]

"Yo, Is This Milquetoast Enough for a Sixth Grade Social Studies Class?"

 

who are these people in Chicago and Detroit who have never seen a black person?

The ones with their eyes closed. Shit b real in Chiraq.

 

one of the main characters isn't conventionally attractive.

One?

 

And yes, nothing happens in a vacuum. So the fact that she was the offspring of a pair of New York art world celebs, and then goes on to get her own show ripped from the pages of her diary is infuriating. Don't sell that shit to me or anyone else as "groundbreaking" or "revolutionary". It's the ramblings of the upper class. It doesn't reflect the real world because she has never had to live in the real world.

I would watch a show about how you punched all the racists in literature class, Shariq.

[Hyde Parker 9]

"girls" is fucking awful and i hate how toothless andrew is on the podcast versus his website. i couldn't get through this episode. if someone's defense of "girls" being white-washed is "lena dunham is just writing her reality" then go one inception level up and question her reality and whether it is one that merits all this dumb "voice of a generation" talk.

You ask this like the answer is already determined in your favor but - to view the world through two shows Donald Glover is in - which is the more accurate representation of the racial make-up of American social cohorts: Girls or Community?

[imhatch 271]

yo here is an accurate representation of my posts *makes a fart sound with my mouth for 10 seconds* ha ha sike who cares about community girls is awful

[DanielLaSpata 4]

This is the first Yo, Is This Racist I could not finish. As a Chicagoan, I cannot understand the absolute scorn for our city this week, this impression being put forward that all Chicagoans are podunk ignorant racists. Perhaps that is the small segment of our city your guest was acquainted with, but it is simply not representative of the whole city or the Midwest. Very frustrating and a little hurtful toward your Midwest listeners.

[Hyde Parker 9]

yo here is an accurate representation of my posts *makes a fart sound with my mouth for 10 seconds* ha ha sike who cares about community girls is awful

Fair enough.

[dlo burns 129]

who are these people in Chicago and Detroit who have never seen a black person?

 

they live in the suburbs

[tocheap 2]

For a podcast that points out ignorant broad sweeping generalizations, I was pretty disappointed to hear the ones made in this podcast. I'm glad to see this already pointed out. I felt I should chime in as well.

 

I am a faithful Earwolf listener from Arkansas and it's disappointing to be grouped into a gigantic band of "racists/etc."

[wakefresh 689]

This is the first Yo, Is This Racist I could not finish. As a Chicagoan, I cannot understand the absolute scorn for our city this week, this impression being put forward that all Chicagoans are podunk ignorant racists. Perhaps that is the small segment of our city your guest was acquainted with, but it is simply not representative of the whole city or the Midwest. Very frustrating and a little hurtful toward your Midwest listeners.

 

 

Man, if your main complaint about a podcast that is devoted to social justice is that your hometown city looks and sounds racist it is probably because it is racist. Yes, Chicago is just like every other major city in this country. It is racist. It is segregated into "white" areas and "black" areas. There is a history of disenfranchisement of minority peoples. That shit didn't just go way when you were born. It didn't disappear when Barack Obama was elected president.

 

Hell, if Chicago isn't racist, like you say, then why is the Southside of Chicago still majority black. Has the same percentage of the black population as it did when your city forebearers red-lined that district for "the negroes." What it sounds like is that you want to continue the racist practices of your city forebearers and take credit for being "progressive". Can't do it, son. You have to choose one or the other, and the majority of Chicagoans chose to keep those racist traditions, institutions, practices in place.

[wakefresh 689]

For a podcast that points out ignorant broad sweeping generalizations, I was pretty disappointed to hear the ones made in this podcast. I'm glad to see this already pointed out. I felt I should chime in as well.

 

I am a faithful Earwolf listener from Arkansas and it's disappointing to be grouped into a gigantic band of "racists/etc."

 

This isn't "Yo, is this a sweeping generalization?" This is "Yo, is this racist?" Racism not just about stereotypes, it is about practices, institutions, and the power dynamic that keeps minority people oppressed. And you're from Arkansas, where the governor brought troops in to keep black kids from going to school. This is also the same state that elected this man.

[action52 554]

Man, if your main complaint about a podcast that is devoted to social justice is that your hometown city looks and sounds racist it is probably because it is racist. Yes, Chicago is just like every other major city in this country. It is racist. It is segregated into "white" areas and "black" areas. There is a history of disenfranchisement of minority peoples. That shit didn't just go way when you were born. It didn't disappear when Barack Obama was elected president.

 

The problem isn't them calling Chicago racist so much as that in early podcasts I remember someone talking about how New York isn't racist because you have so many people mixed together. Which is total bullshit--I mean having different races may make it less racist than most areas of the USA, but it still has the same segregation by neighborhood as any other big city, with the white people generally living in the richest areas. If their point was that New York may still be racist, but is still relatively better than most of the country, fine... but then isn't the same true of Chicago, LA, etc.?

 

I also think it would have been interesting to have a discussion about how racism works in Chicago specifically, but that never happened. Listening to them talk it sounded like neither of them knew jack shit about Chicago.

[wakefresh 689]

 

The problem isn't them calling Chicago racist so much as that in early podcasts I remember someone talking about how New York isn't racist because you have so many people mixed together.

 

Njrefugee's problem was that they called Chicago racist and he felt that the city wasn't racist, blah, blah, blah. But Andrew is pretty quick to call out every major city in the U.S. as being racist, some just less so than others.

[wakefresh 689]

 

Njrefugee's problem was that they called Chicago racist and he felt that the city wasn't racist, blah, blah, blah. But Andrew is pretty quick to call out every major city in the U.S. as being racist, some just less so than others.

 

Should have added that the categorization of "less" is really up to the POC in question. It's not some absolute numbering scale.

[DanielLaSpata 4]

 

Njrefugee's problem was that they called Chicago racist and he felt that the city wasn't racist, blah, blah, blah. But Andrew is pretty quick to call out every major city in the U.S. as being racist, some just less so than others.

 

Shariq, I suppose I should clarify. My problem is not that I don't believe Chicago has problems with race and structural racism issues. It clearly does. My problem is the generalization being put forward the cities not on coasts / fly-over states have a greater level of ignorance/prejudice than NYC, LA, etc. I didn't believe it was fair to level those charges so indescriminately.

[wakefresh 689]

 

Shariq, I suppose I should clarify. My problem is not that I don't believe Chicago has problems with race and structural racism issues. It clearly does. My problem is the generalization being put forward the cities not on coasts / fly-over states have a greater level of ignorance/prejudice than NYC, LA, etc. I didn't believe it was fair to level those charges so indescriminately.

 

Since this is your first time, listening to the podcast, Andrew calls out all cities in the U.S. as being somewhat racist. As a POC, you can't get away from it. Refer to my previous statement that the level of racism that a particular POC will tolerate is personal preference.

[Lurdiak 1]

Andrew you have to learn to not be afraid to talk shit on people you like. If you got a question from someone hemming and hawing like you over this kind of thing you'd take them to school.

[dlo burns 129]

 

Shariq, I suppose I should clarify. My problem is not that I don't believe Chicago has problems with race and structural racism issues. It clearly does. My problem is the generalization being put forward the cities not on coasts / fly-over states have a greater level of ignorance/prejudice than NYC, LA, etc. I didn't believe it was fair to level those charges so indescriminately.

 

Oh he calls out LA for being mad segregated all the the time.

[Cracktivity 23]

uh oh Earwolf war starts on Improv4humans Episode 85.5

[Podus 108]

You got it!

[Miss Underfold 4]

uh oh Earwolf war starts on Improv4humans Episode 85.5

 

That's what brought me here! Someone in LA or NY pretending those cities are bastions of racial harmony and suggesting that people in Detroit have never met a black person.... Oy.... This is the first time I was so annoyed at an Earwolf podcast I had to visit it's forums to make sure folks were calling it on its crap. Is the show/guest always so clueless? Is this a good show to hate-listen to, or should I just skip it?

[FUCK! 189]

This is the worst podcast I have ever heard. So ignorant. Earwolf should get rid of this trash.