Just Another Stupid Minstrel Clown Show - Family Matters (1989) Discussion

[–] arcticdragon (530) a year ago

How so?

reply

[–] contorno (102) a year ago

Martin - the main character is a goofy, stupid radio disc jockey from the hood. The show is comprised of 95% silly plots that festered on black stereotypes, based on Martin Lawrence's upbringing.

Family Matters - features a stereotypical and comical nerd, who happens to be African-American. Every situation that he is in, is a screwball antic. He is very annoying and persistent, pestering the Winslow family at every moment (i.e. falling in love with Laura, thinking he is Eddie's best bud and tormenting Carl --- a la Dennis the Menace to Mr. Wilson).

reply

[–] arcticdragon (530) a year ago

Family Matters - features a stereotypical and comical nerd, who happens to be African-American.

I never watched Martin. But for Family Matters, is this really all you have?

reply

[–] Furienna (3345) a year ago

Martin - the main character is a goofy, stupid radio disc jockey from the hood. The show is comprised of 95% silly plots that festered on black stereotypes, based on Martin Lawrence's upbringing

If it was based on his upbringing, there must have been truth to it though.

Family Matters - features a stereotypical and comical nerd, who happens to be African-American. Every situation that he is in, is a screwball antic. He is very annoying and persistent, pestering the Winslow family at every moment (i.e. falling in love with Laura, thinking he is Eddie's best bud and tormenting Carl --- a la Dennis the Menace to Mr. Wilson).

But except for two episodes about racism, race was barely even an issue on this show.

reply

[–] CarterBlunt (1401) a year ago

No.

reply

[–] Kowalski (76234) a year ago

NO...THIS THREAD IS AN EYESORE.

reply

[–] contorno (102) a year ago

The truth hurts, doesn't it?

reply

[–] Kowalski (76234) a year ago

SOMETIMES...NO TRUTH HERE THOUGH...JUST YOU RACE BAITING.

reply

[–] contorno (102) a year ago

Something a Typical racist Trump-supporter would say. Good luck in 2024, you bum.

reply

[–] Kowalski (76234) a year ago

FUCK TRUMP

reply

[–] arcticdragon (530) a year ago

You're still here. But you didn't respond to my last question:

Family Matters - features a stereotypical and comical nerd, who happens to be African-American.

I never watched Martin. But for Family Matters, is this really all you have?

reply

[–] contorno (102) a year ago

The show is stupid.....it should have been animated, instead.

reply

[–] arcticdragon (530) a year ago

You called it a minstrel show and criticized it for setting black people back. But if you don't explain what race got to do with it, then you're just wrong.

reply

[–] contorno (102) a year ago

When a black kid is smart and very intelligent....in a sitcom, then why does he have to act like a clown.

There are other black sitcoms with intelligent black youths, and they do not to resort to such clownish, slapstick behavior. Michael from Good Times, Franklin from My Wife and Kids and Carlton from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air are examples of the black nerd......but they do not act like cartoon characters. It takes an annoyance as Steve Urkel, to bring a black character to that level. Throughout the 1990s, he became the poster child of the black nerd, to be admired and ridiculed at the same time by the masses.

It is now 2023 and a very popular sitcom that featured nerds - The Big Bang Theory - highlighted whites and Asians, but dismissed an African-American (who represents 13% of the USA population), simply because the show did not want another 'Urkel' or possibly felt that black were too stereotypically moronic to feature in the popular sitcom. And I will tell you one thing, it was also a successful show that the right-wing conservatives sponsored and adored. Gee, I wonder why.

reply

[–] arcticdragon (530) a year ago

They made Steve Urkel that nerdy because it was funny. It would be the same if he was a white guy. Being black had nothing to do with it. If everybody else was white, and the only black guy was what you call a "clownish nerd", then MAYBE you'd be just a LITTLE closer to being right.

And I will tell you one thing, it was also a successful show that the right-wing conservatives sponsored and adored. Gee, I wonder why.

Sorry, when you said this, did you mean Family Matters, or Big Bang Theory?

reply

[–] contorno (102) a year ago

The Big Bang Theory was loved and adored by the right-wing conservatives (more than the liberals). I researched it, through several polls that were taken.

reply

[–] OnanTheBarbarian (12126) a year ago

As opposed to what, "The Cosby Show"? That was as funny as watching paint dry.

The characters in a comedy are supposed to be goofy.

reply

[–] contorno (102) a year ago

The Cosby Show was classier, as opposed to the moronic Family Matters sitcom.

reply

[–] Bloodshot77 (13842) a year ago

Jaleel White is an excellent actor. Just look at all the characters he played. Steve, Stephan, Myrtle. Comedy gold. I laugh every time Myrtle says "Eddie Wiiiiinslow"

Signed, million man.

reply

[–] contorno (102) a year ago

Good for him. Clowns are good actors, too. That is why we have circuses.

reply

[–] blue1981 (7825) a year ago

Well Martin was based off the stand up act of Martin Lawrence and Family Matters was a spinoff from Perfect Strangers. I think Family Matters was great as it was a staple on ABCs TGIF lineup for many years. Everyone was a fan of Steve Urkel.

reply

[–] contorno (102) a year ago

Martin - goes overboard with the slapstick AA humor.
Family Matters - quickly became the Urkel Show.

reply

[–] blue1981 (7825) a year ago

I never watched many episodes of Martin but yes Steve Urkel was the most popular character on Family Matters so its no surprise he was front and center at the majority of the episodes.

reply

[–] contorno (102) a year ago

Family Matters aka The Urkel Show, should have been animated. At least the clownishness of the sitcom would have been more appropriate. The show is a guilty pleasure, and an embarrassment.

reply

[–] blue1981 (7825) a year ago

If it's a guilty pleasure than it's not an embarrassment.

reply

[–] contorno (102) a year ago

It's a guilty pleasure for the youth.

It's an embarrassment for adults/mature audiences.

reply

[–] Furienna (3345) a year ago

You seem to only remember the Jaleel White-centric storylines, but plenty of other storylines weren't "cartoony".
Even in the last season, there were episodes about Eddy becoming a cop or Carl and Harriette adopting 3J.

reply

[–] AmeriGirl26 (14484) a year ago

How old are you? Because if you weren't a kid in the 90s, you have no idea how people viewed this show or why people loved it. It didn't set anyone back, in fact it brought race relations forward a bit better in that time period.

You want shows that put race relations back by 50 years, try all the ones where white characters were swapped with black ones.

reply