"First, the idea that there is only one essential way of being 'black' is incredibly problematic."
All of the characters do not hold this view, only Andre (Anthony Anderson). Andre does hold that view in the beginning of the episode and fails miserably trying to spread his "keep it real" gospel, but by the end of the episode he learns and resolves those feelings or beliefs. Andre Jr. (Marcus Scribner) says something to the effect, after his father accuses him of trying to be a white boy, that he is not trying to be white but only be himself and he is still trying to figure out who he is as an individual. Best to view this show by all accounts not only by the lead character.
"Black-ish serves to validate the stereotypes that 'keeping it real' means that all black people play the same sports, live in one type of neighborhood or that "fried, fried chicken" is a 'black thing,' rather than perhaps a southern thing. "
Did we watch the same pilot? Andre, at first, believed keeping it real was about basketball and eating fried chicken and what nots... By the end of the episode he has an epiphany that keeping it real means to do the best he could do for his family. The show is to serve as a learning opportunity for Andre, who grew up in the hood, but now is embarking in a new world of raising a black family in a predominantly white upper middle class. The dynamic part of this relationship between him and his family is that it is a collision of two worlds, and maybe three once you throw in Pops (Laurence Fishburne).
"The sad thing is that the producers, writers and actors seem to miss is that it is not fried chicken or playing basketball that defines who 10 million diverse black people are."
THEY DID NOT MISS THIS! Sorry for the all caps. They make the point that they are all different within the Johnson family. Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross) was arguing with Andre the whole show about this. She encouraged and was proud of her son making the field hockey team. It is a culture shock for Andre that a black person, let alone his son, wants to play field hockey and thus comes in the overreaction and the do not be black-ish gospel.
The show did a job well done of breaking down the stereotypes that Andre had of black people. He believed his son should played basketball because he is black and field hockey was for white people only. But through conversation he learns that there is a reason why his son wants to play field hockey. "Black-ish" challenges the black stereotype that blacks have of themselves and says that blackness cannot be obtain by doing certain things.
"Perhaps the problem is not where this imaginary family lives, but that these imaginary black parents have not taken the time to discuss the important and real challenges and victories of African American life today."
Once again, this is exactly the point the show wanted to make. This is not suppose to be a perfect family or great role models as the Huxtables were in the '80s. It is time to embrace something new and realistic with imperfect family structure. Parenting is a learning experience and parents do not always have it right! Sometimes parents can learn from their children of what is wrong and right. AND THAT IS WHAT BLACK-ISH DOES with the pilot. The Cosby Show has already been done and it was successful. There are other type of black families then the Huxtables. Although the Cosby Show was and is a great show, a lot of black people couldn't relate it to real life experiences. The Cosby Show pilot episode was Cliff and Claire Huxtable being the fixers of the family, the children had a problem and mom and dad were there to fix it. Black-ish is sort of the parody of that where the children do not have any problems but instead it is the dad, and it is his wife and kids there to fix Andre.
"The juxtaposition of the pride taken in Jewish culture with the complete lack of context for the historical place of true African rites of passage programs that are far richer than the joke Black-ish makes them out to be..."
The whole Bar Mitzvah and African rites of passage scenes I thought were funny. This is a comedy and should be taken as such. Jokes wasn't offensive and if it was that is one of the facets of comedy: pushing the edge. Not making fun of those things but making fun of Andre's understanding of it. The Bro Mitzvah is based on Anthony Anderson's real life experience with his son. The kid wanting to change religions for his birthday is not that big of a deal to me; he is teenager in America so of course he wants to do whatever it takes to get the gifts! Wait, is that a bad stereotype?
