rafi-dangelo

Rambling Wednesdays: The Golden Age of Black Sitcoms

I miss seeing black people on TV. I say it often and loudly to anyone who will listen. My memories of growing up watching TV included tuning in to see a variety of faces that looked like mine. There were black sitcoms (Martin, Living Single, A Different World) and sitcoms that just happened to have black casts (The Cosby Show, Family Matters) but we were represented. Today, aside from subpar offerings from Tyler Perry’s cadre of mediocre actors and treacly plotlines, black people have been relegated to the background as supporting actors in largely white casts.

So let’s revisit the 1980s. Let’s talk about that glorious moment in time when television studios didn’t find it so outlandish to think white audiences would tune in to watch black people on TV.

What happened to black media?

I feel like black media took a nosedive after the 90s, in film and television. I grew up with 227, the Cosby Show, Fresh Prince, Living Single…Spike Lee, Antoine Fuqua, John Singleton…now black people are just invisible.

We’re still here, Hollywood. We were a viable source of revenue in the 90s and we still are. And we would like our children to be able to turn on the television or go to the movies and see realistic depictions of people who look like themselves on the screen the way little white children can.

I think I’m going to talk like Sandra Clark for the rest of the week. Oh wait. Saaaaaaaaaandra.

11:57 am • 4 March 2012 • Let's talk about what you think.
| sandra clark| 227| jackee| tv| 80s| black people|

Look at this photo.

I’m sorry, but this is a picture of the cast of 227 in 2011 and also the cutest thing in the world.

Everything else on the planet is irrelevant right now.

5:07 pm • 18 October 2011 • Let's talk about what you think.
| regina king| marla gibbs| 227| black people| tv| 80s| 90s| jackee|

Marla Gibbs is 80 years old today!

marla

So let’s watch 227.