Black columnist: "Too many blacks on TV"

[alp227]

Erik Rush, a black columnist for WorldNetDaily, complains (h/t Ed Brayton) in his latest column that too many black people are given leading roles on TV shows.

As a result of the dim view this president has cultivated, and its potential cultural blowback, it appears that the producers of certain television shows might have come on board to effect damage control in this area. In order to to counter the perception of ineptitude that has come about associated with Obama and his lack of leadership skills, an effort seems to have been made to portray blacks in high places as competent leaders in dramatic roles.

To be fair, some of these occurrences took place prior to Obama actually taking office, but a good case could be made that it was the intent of these organizations to prepare the American public for the leadership of a black individual via positive portrayals of black leaders. I would contend that America needed no such preparation, but that's another issue. The stronger argument exists in these concerned parties making their efforts in the face of Obama's subsequent plummeting popularity.

In any case: Within the past two years, the producers of several popular police dramas have made wholesale replacements of Caucasian leadership figures with black characters.

Rush cites: CSI, NCIS, Castle, Fringe, and The Mentalist as examples of how black characters are replacing white characters in leading roles.

Gee, what kind of person (regardless of race) has a mind this dirty to think this way? Rush must be getting a big-time bonus from WND to write this kind of shit. Was Rush sleeping through the past four decades when many popular TV sitcoms had primarily black casts, including The Jeffersons (1975-1985), 227 (1985-1989), The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996), Family Matters (1989-1998), Good Tines (1974-1979), Benson (1979-1986), The Bernie Mac Show (2001-2006), and The Steve Harvey Show (1996-2002)?

The commenters on Brayton's blog entry call out Rush:

(#8) Naturally he ignores the black President characters from 24, etc, which came long before Obama was elected.

(#12) Not only is Ray Langston (Fishburne's character) not the CSI team lead, the lead position was filled by - eek! - a female character after Grissom was written out.

Terry Krepel wrote an article "The Other (And Even More Hateful) Rush" on his website ConWebWatch exposing Rush's other hateful speech.

And here's a more reality-based article concerning people of color on primetime TV.

(edited to add) This Rush guy reminds me of that racist C-Span Washington Journal caller who complained about "too many black people" calling into the program.

[hlthe2b]

1. The phenomenon of "self-hatred" combined with $$$ exploitation.

MLK died for this jackass to be able to pull the rug out from other African Americans and deny them opportunities. Contempt could not be sufficient to express what I feel for people like this.

[Angry Dragon]

2. I remember when I Spy was on

I remember at the time it did not cause me to wonder why one of the main characters was black

[hlthe2b]

3. Me either... It hough there were two suave male leads...

in a smart show.

[notesdev]

4. I remember the "West Wing" controversy

that was almost explicitly to prepare us for President Hillary Clinton. She knew basically from the moment that Kerry lost that she would run in 2008, and indeed it was mere months later that we were presented with a female TV President. I believe some coordination was acknowledged after the fact.

[Recovered Repug]

6. I never watched the show much,

but there was a female president on "West Wing"?

[NoPasaran]

7. I'm not sure you remember it all that well

Sounds like you're thinking of "Commander-in-Chief" with Geena Davis. Martin Sheen was the "West Wing" President to the final episode.

[notesdev]

10. Your memory is better than mine!

I don't watch TV so all so I barely if at all know one show from the next!

[PBS Poll-435]

9. I think you are talking about the Geena Davis show on ABC, not the WW

:shrug:

[DCKit]

5. Send this to Ebony, and Erik Rush won't be seen in public from now on. nt

[Canuckistanian]

8. Where should they be? Minstrel shows?

No, wait. Those are white men in blackface.

I guess that leaves Jazz and Tap dancing.

What an asshole. "The other Rush" is an apt description.