by Carmen Van Kerckhove
I’m working on a post right now summarizing the big trends we saw in the intersection of race and pop culture in 2006. I have a bunch of ideas already, but I wanted to throw this open to all of you as well. 
What did you think were some of the biggest trends we saw in 2006?
1. Hipster irony
2. Overt racism
3. Non-apologies
Just off the top of my head…
I thought of the same things as Y. Carrington. Also, an anti-PC movement has become a trend. I’ll try to think of some positives!
On those talk shows and reality shows, going “undercover” was a big thing. Like in Trading Spouses, sending a white mom to a black family, and vice versa.
Then back in March, it was that show Black.White. Remember that? Argh. I think it was the movie White Chicks that started this whole thing, and that’s just SAD.
Also, a big thing was comparing races, I think. We had that CNN special where they compared black people VS whtie people, and then there was that Tyra episode where she used her superior intellect to find out which race had it harder in America.
Then Survivor did the same thing with their segregated tribes. Good ol’ segregation, we missed you so.
So for me, the big trends were race comparing/”going undercover”.
I’m going to add another thing, but I’m not sure if it’s a big thing or not. This year, we saw a rise in “un-PC” humor. Like, if you didn’t find the racist jokes in Family Guy funny, you didn’t have a sense of humor. If you didn’t find the making-fun-of-mentally-challenged-kids humor funny, then you don’t have a sense of humor either. The latter really pisses me off, because I worked with kids who had Downs syndrome and mental retardation back in elementary, middle, and high school. People would pick on them all the time, and I think the only reason they wouldn’t get picked on when I was around was because I was taller than everybody else. But when they were alone, fuck, they would get picked on.
And then you have these “un-PC” jokes in shows today, and no one cares. They laugh, and no one sticks up for the mentally challenged kids. But when Michael Richards screams out threats and racist words, people lambast him (and rightfully so). So I’d just like to see people stick up for the mentally challenged people too, that’s all. Sorry if this is the wrong place to vent, but if I did it elsewhere, people would tell me to… get a sense of humor.
Can I change #1 on that list to “Hipster racism?”
Oh yes Katie…please do.
One more item : the colorface resurrection.
maybe it’s because i’m in one that i noticed and maybe it’s more of a crossover from last year but, interracial relationships were everywhere on tv… tv commercials, talk shows, reality shows, politicians, grey’s anatomy, brothers and sisters, house, er, daybreak, heroes, etc…
Hmm…
“Ghetto Parties” -maybe this would be classified under “hipster racism”
transracial adoption (re: white saviour/white man’s burden complex a.k.a colonial benevolence)
Wait…were the “Kill Whitey” parties this year? I guess file that under “hipster racism” too…or as the hipsters like to call it: “irony.”
The movie “Something New” starring Sanaa Lathan, Nip/Tuck featuring Sanaa Lathan, Sanaa Lathan on Oprah talking about interracial dating…or the fact that the episode sucked!
All things Africa. Adoption in Africa (Madonna), AIDS in Africa (The I Am African and RED campaign), war in Africa (Darfur), lack of potable water in Africa (Jay Z and Beyonce) even disfugured smiles in Africa (Jessica Simpson. All of it brought to you in the vein of “wealthy (primarily) white Westerners must save poor black Africans.” The only positive story to come out of Africa this year was the start of the first term of the first African female head of state, President Sirleaf of Liberia.
Also in two sitcoms (“How I Met Your Mother” and the dreadful “Men in Trees”) there has been the addition of a black, gay half-brother. Will we see more of this in 2007?
ABC’s Men in Trees Token Native Hooker:
ABC’s less than flattering portrayal of the only Native American who is really an INDIAN(from India) on “Men in trees”
Here is the letter I recieved from Jenny Bicks(creator and exec. Producer) through a network Lackey when I inquired about seeing positive Native American roles forthcoming on her show.
Subject: RE: Please forward to JENNY BICKS
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2007 22:26:57 +0000
From: “Smith, Marsha L” Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
To: “Gary Connor”
She asked me to let you know that there is a Native American on the show, Suleka Mathew, who plays ‘Sara Jackson’.
Thank you”
I must have subconsiously blocked it out. The character she points out is “Sara Jackson”. The Show started out with “Sara” as the town Hooker “Servicing” all the rest of the population in town which apparently happen to be all white guys. She left Hookerdom for a Bar owner who was seperated from his wife, went back to college, couldn’t handle college and snuck out of town. Then she comes back and pines over the Bar owner (big white guy) that is back with his wife and “Sara”ends up working at the bar. She found her pride in serving up whiskey in a dive to all the white guys she used to have sex with for money. The high point in the rest of her life…
The most distasteful thing about this is it is tatamount to “Blackface” as the actress isn’t even Native American. Suleka Mathew is an INDIAN (from India) .
It smacks of days where Italians played us… and then as now there are no roles for real Native Americans in network nor cable television. They wish to use NON NATIVES to portray us in less than the best light.
This abbhorent example is the only thing visible today for the USA audience in primetime. Please feel free to send a nastygram to the previously listed network Lackey’s email that is in the email she sent me (and comes before this email). and… taking the time to inform any people that you think would also find this wrong would be most appreciated.
If we all shirk our duty and believe it is someone elses problem then we will in short time be a portrayal of what the media chooses for us and who we really are fades into nothingness.
Gary Lee Connor (Stelkia/Black) Okanogan
605 N 2nd St. Yakima WA 98901 USA
1-509-577-1555
sirflying@yahoo.com
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of New Demographic, an anti-racism training company. She hosts the podcast Addicted to Race and blogs at Racialicious, Anti-Racist Parent, and Race in the Workplace.
Racialicious! is a production of New Demographic.
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Alas, a blog » Blog Archive » 2006 The Year In Race and Racism: The I’m So Hot I’m On Fire List of The Most Fashionable on 01 Jan 2007 at 10:16 pm
[…] Editor’s Note: The women of Racialicious asked what the big trends in race and pop-culture were in 2006, and I thought I would respond with my own post. I came up with a list on my own, and then I went and read the comments section on their blog to see what others were saying. Based on those comments I added one more thing to my list, but I was in agreement with several of the commenters over there. […]
The 10 biggest race and pop culture trends of 2006: Part 1 of 3 at Racialicious - the intersection of race and pop culture on 15 Jan 2007 at 11:14 am
[…] I figured I’d continue that tradition by breaking down the top trends in race and pop culture of 2006. Thanks to everyone who submitted their ideas. Here are some honorable mentions that didn’t make it into my list as stand-alone items, though you’ll see that almost all will be mentioned as part of other items: non-apologies, anti-PC movement, comparing races, un-PC humor, all things Africa, black and gay half-brothers on sitcoms. […]