African American Stereotypes in Television Sitcoms
In television today there are many stereotypes, especially the typical African American stereotype in sitcoms. You know what it is, the bumbling idiot, or maybe the oblivious smarty pants. Whatever it may be, there is always the "token black guy." As bad as that sounds, that is sadly how our society is, in any mainstream, network sitcom there is always the one or two black people that fall into the African American stereotype that has been around for a very long time.
There have always been African Americans in television sitcoms, The Bill Cosby Show, Family Matters, and Sanford & Son. Back in the day African Americans had their own sitcoms that they could relate to and enjoyed thoroughly. Now there are only a handful of comedies that are all African American and when there are African Americans in comedies that aren't all black they play a somewhat limited role in the overall story and plot line. Some sitcoms, like Tyler Perrys' Meet the Browns, revolves around an all African American family and the issues they go through on the outside and within their family. Shows like this seem to be a very positive device to control the stereotypes that are given to African Americans on television. African American stereotypes are found throughout television today and there are different kinds of stereotypes being portrayed.
Early African American Stereotypes
In a novel written by Donald Bogle, called Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies, and Bucks, he describes the early African American stereotypes that were used "to entertain by stressing Negro inferiority"(Bogle 4). Bogle said it best when describing the reason the stereotypes came about, "Fun was poked at an American Negro by presenting him as either a nitwit or a childlike lackey. None of the types was meant to do great harm, although at various times individual ones did. All were merely filmic reproductions of black stereotypes that had existed since the days of slavery and were already popularized in American life and arts. The movies, which catered to public tastes, borrowed profusely from all the other popular art forms. Whenever dealing with black characters, they simply adapted the old familiar stereotypes, often further distorting them (Bogle 4)." The last line of what Bogle is describing rings true even today. The African American stereotype has been adapted through the ages, beginning with Uncle Toms Cabin, where, even though he was portrayed by a nameless, slightly overweight white actor made up in blackface, Uncle Tom, from Uncle Tom's Cabin was American movies first black character (Bogle 3). There are many stereotypes mentioned in the novel by Bogle but the main ones that will be referred to in these Wikis will be The Coon and The Mammy. There are also The Tom, The Tragic Mullato and The Brutal Black Buck. These three all have their place in history and are also still prevalent in today's media.
The Coon
Besides The Tom, The Coon is one of the first African American stereotypes to be brought to light in 1904 in the film Ten Pickaninnies (Bogle 7). Bogle describes The Coon as generally, a harmless, little screwball creation whose eyes popped, whose hair stood on end with the least excitement, and whose antics were pleasant and diverting." The Coon is a somewhat wild young man that craves attention and will do almost anything for a laugh.
The Mammy
One of the earliest African American women stereotypes is The Mammy. "The Mammy is distinguished by her sex and her fierce independence. She is usually big, fat, and cantankerous" (Bogle 9). Mammy's are known to be quite loud and also be very opinionated whenever they are called upon to give their two cents. There is another type of Mammy though that is seen more today than the original Mammy stereotype, and that is the aunt jemima offshoot. "Generally they are sweet, jolly, and good-tempered - a bit more polite than mammy and certainly never as headstrong." (Bogle 9). This is the description Bogle gives of the Aunt Jemima spinoff of The Mammy.
The Tragic Mullato
The Tragic Mullato is a somewhat lesser known kind of stereotype characters but that does not make it any less important. The third character of the black pantheon and the one that proved itself a moviemaker’s darling is the Tragic Mullato (Bogle 9). The Tragic Mullato is usually a mixed race child that was brought up in a home in which the father had cheated on his Caucasian wife with an African American mistress. Usually the Mullato is made likable – even sympathetic - and the audience believes that the girl’s life could have been more productive and happy had she not been a “victim of divided inheritance (Bogle 9).
The Brutal Black Buck
There are two types of Brutal Black Bucks, the Black Brutes and the Black Bucks. "The Black Brute was a barbaric black out to raise havoc (Bogle 12). Audiences could assume that his physical violence served as an outlet for a man who was sexually repressed" (Bogle 12). "Bucks are always baadddd n*'s, over-sexed and savage, violent and frenzied as they lust for white flesh." (Bogle 13).
Links
The Links below will explain two other topics dealing with African American stereotypes in television sitcoms, the comparison of the above early stereotypes to the African American stereotypes in television today, and the viewer reactions to African American stereotypes on television. These links will take you to any of the aforementioned Wikis or any other page you may be interested in.
African American Stereotypes in Television Sitcoms
In television today there are many stereotypes, especially the typical African American stereotype in sitcoms. You know what it is, the bumbling idiot, or maybe the oblivious smarty pants. Whatever it may be, there is always the "token black guy." As bad as that sounds, that is sadly how our society is, in any mainstream, network sitcom there is always the one or two black people that fall into the African American stereotype that has been around for a very long time.
There have always been African Americans in television sitcoms, The Bill Cosby Show, Family Matters, and Sanford & Son. Back in the day African Americans had their own sitcoms that they could relate to and enjoyed thoroughly. Now there are only a handful of comedies that are all African American and when there are African Americans in comedies that aren't all black they play a somewhat limited role in the overall story and plot line. Some sitcoms, like Tyler Perrys' Meet the Browns, revolves around an all African American family and the issues they go through on the outside and within their family. Shows like this seem to be a very positive device to control the stereotypes that are given to African Americans on television. African American stereotypes are found throughout television today and there are different kinds of stereotypes being portrayed.
Early African American Stereotypes
In a novel written by Donald Bogle, called Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies, and Bucks, he describes the early African American stereotypes that were used "to entertain by stressing Negro inferiority"(Bogle 4). Bogle said it best when describing the reason the stereotypes came about, "Fun was poked at an American Negro by presenting him as either a nitwit or a childlike lackey. None of the types was meant to do great harm, although at various times individual ones did. All were merely filmic reproductions of black stereotypes that had existed since the days of slavery and were already popularized in American life and arts. The movies, which catered to public tastes, borrowed profusely from all the other popular art forms. Whenever dealing with black characters, they simply adapted the old familiar stereotypes, often further distorting them (Bogle 4)." The last line of what Bogle is describing rings true even today. The African American stereotype has been adapted through the ages, beginning with Uncle Toms Cabin, where, even though he was portrayed by a nameless, slightly overweight white actor made up in blackface, Uncle Tom, from Uncle Tom's Cabin was American movies first black character (Bogle 3). There are many stereotypes mentioned in the novel by Bogle but the main ones that will be referred to in these Wikis will be The Coon and The Mammy. There are also The Tom, The Tragic Mullato and The Brutal Black Buck. These three all have their place in history and are also still prevalent in today's media.
The Coon
Besides The Tom, The Coon is one of the first African American stereotypes to be brought to light in 1904 in the film Ten Pickaninnies (Bogle 7). Bogle describes The Coon as generally, a harmless, little screwball creation whose eyes popped, whose hair stood on end with the least excitement, and whose antics were pleasant and diverting." The Coon is a somewhat wild young man that craves attention and will do almost anything for a laugh.The Mammy
One of the earliest African American women stereotypes is The Mammy. "The Mammy is distinguished by her sex and her fierce independence. She is usually big, fat, and cantankerous" (Bogle 9). Mammy's are known to be quite loud and also be very opinionated whenever they are called upon to give their two cents. There is another type of Mammy though that is seen more today than the original Mammy stereotype, and that is the aunt jemima offshoot. "Generally they are sweet, jolly, and good-tempered - a bit more polite than mammy and certainly never as headstrong." (Bogle 9). This is the description Bogle gives of the Aunt Jemima spinoff of The Mammy.The Tragic Mullato
The Tragic Mullato is a somewhat lesser known kind of stereotype characters but that does not make it any less important. The third character of the black pantheon and the one that proved itself a moviemaker’s darling is the Tragic Mullato (Bogle 9). The Tragic Mullato is usually a mixed race child that was brought up in a home in which the father had cheated on his Caucasian wife with an African American mistress. Usually the Mullato is made likable – even sympathetic - and the audience believes that the girl’s life could have been more productive and happy had she not been a “victim of divided inheritance (Bogle 9).
The Brutal Black Buck
There are two types of Brutal Black Bucks, the Black Brutes and the Black Bucks. "The Black Brute was a barbaric black out to raise havoc (Bogle 12). Audiences could assume that his physical violence served as an outlet for a man who was sexually repressed" (Bogle 12). "Bucks are always baadddd n*'s, over-sexed and savage, violent and frenzied as they lust for white flesh." (Bogle 13).
Links
The Links below will explain two other topics dealing with African American stereotypes in television sitcoms, the comparison of the above early stereotypes to the African American stereotypes in television today, and the viewer reactions to African American stereotypes on television. These links will take you to any of the aforementioned Wikis or any other page you may be interested in.
Home Page - Stereotypes in Television Sitcoms
Comparison of African American Stereotypes in Community and 30 Rock
Viewer Analysis of African American Stereotypes in Television
Citations
Bogle, Donald. Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies, and Bucks: an Interpretive History of Blacks in American Films. New York: Continuum, 1989. Print.