Maybe we should be able to laugh at anything. But slavery?
Nels Abbey
Yes, slavery, suitable for comedy, satire. Great. But:
Look again at the projects listed above. All are American, the product of a diverse group of creative people. But in Britain, when it comes to satirical or comedic pieces on race and minority religion, the money, power and creative control tend to be placed in the hands of white people, or at least, out of the hands and reach of people of colour.
Black writer complains that no black writers are being paid to do this.
So children, can we all spell “Grift”?
I must have imagined ‘Goodness Gracious Me’ and ‘Citizen Khan’ then…
Black people are hilarious, so I laugh at them.
(except Lenny Henry)
As usual, slavery means blacks enslaved by whites. White slavery is simply ignored.
There have been at least two comedy series revolving around slavery; Up Pompeii and Plebs.
But they were white slaves in Roman times: like Socialism it was not “real slavery”.
As he gave up a career at Blackrock (stop sniggering in the back) it appears the race-grifting hustle can be even more rewarding than investment banking.
P.s. when he says “slavery” what he really means is black transatlantic slavery. He’s not remotely interested in the Arab white slavery that predated it, out-ranked it for numbers captured and sold, hugely outranked it for cruelty – castration anybody? and finally is still going strong today..
Not all slaves’ lives matter.
“Try being a Black or brown writer trying to explore, for example, the world and wiles of Black and brown politicians. I’ve tried. No dice, so far.”
Don’t undersell yourself. I’d say that you had been at least partially successful. You were very good at being black or brown, but people didn’t like your writing, that’s all.
Try being a Black or brown writer
No, I don’t think I will. Your Race Card hasn’t just expired, the bank issuing it is also bankrupt and on fire.
Person in 3% subset of the population complains that 97% of the gigs are got by other people.
Really, it is that simple. In the USA, black people are 30%+ of the population, so *NATURALLY* you see a lot of black creatives, producers, whatever. Here, black people are 3%,. Regardless of how much shouting you do, YOU ARE ONLY THREE PERCENT. You already get WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY more representation than proportinal to your numbers. SHUT THE FUCK UP. You’re already making out like bandits, sthcreem and sthcreem that you’re not getting enough and people will notice and take action. And it won’t be the action you want.
The Kumars at No 42? Conceived, written, acted, etc by Asians.
Or aren’t Asians black enough and diverse/inclusive enough to qualify?
jgh
December 13, 2023 at 1:14 pm
Really, it is that simple. In the USA, black people are 30%+ of the population.
Actually, 14.2% according to the 2021 census. It just seems more, because like in the UK in the media they are ubiquitous – in every nook and cranny of the landscape and social fabric.
Desmond’s (71 episodes – Channel 4’s longest running sitcom) and The Real McCoy (34 episodes and 5 series) were funny and hugely successful.
Both shows had black writers, black producers and, overwhelmingly, black actors.
John – it never gets any recognition because it was the Wrong Type of Diversity*, but Red Dwarf was putting black and coloured actors in starring roles on mainstream TV 30+ years ago.
*Comfortably British Diversity is no good for their purposes, i.e. rubbing your nose in it
Steve,
Red Dwarf was notable for an early example of the “stupid unpleasant white male” trope (Rimmer) compared to the witty (Lister) and cool (Cat) black crew members.
John – Arnold J Rimmer isn’t taking the piss out of YT, he’s taking the piss out of the kind of people who work for the council.
Also there was Ace Rimmer, what a guy he was.
You’d think there would be a niche for a black conservative writer in Great Britain & NI (although NI not so much).
But we have to look to the USA to get our black conservative porn, Walter Williams RIP, Thomas Sowell, the actor in Shawshank.
I notice Somalis are regarded as lazy spongers here, but in other parts of the world the attitude to them isn’t so condescending and they’re just unsuccessful or low income working migrants.
So just wondering if there’s something wrong with this country – that the subset of ones who do want to sponge end up here more than other places so we don’t have as much chance of homegrown darker hued conservatives.
Yerwot, Red Dwarf had black and coloured actors? (binges a few episodes) bloddyell, you’re right. Never noticed that before.
I. Wonder. Why.
Actually, 14.2% [black population] according to the 2021 census.
I’ve just spent some time reading through USA demographics, and I think I must have been taken in by the activist line of black+brown=Black (with a capital bee) which is 30% of the population. Black (proper black, with a proper bee) population has been amazingly consistently around 12% for an amazingly long time.
Could be that the black people in America can be funny – there is a thriving black comedy scene here – and the black people in Britain aren’t?
I used to think Roots was funny.
The quality of their cars was hilarious.
Tut, tut Steve! That’s Sir Lenworth George Henry CBE a British actor, comedian, singer, television presenter and writer knighted for his…
Actually, why was the unfunny comedian who can’t sing, can’t write and can’t act, knighted? Must have been his excellence at reading the autocue…