Interracial awkardness on TBS’s My Boys
by guest contributor Stella Q
I am warming up to My Boys, a by-the-numbers, sitcom-ish TBS series about PJ, a cute tomboy navigating life as only a twentysomething can. The gimmick is that her friends are exclusively guys (all white and straight) with whom she talks sports, plays poker and generally hangs out. Her best (and only) girlfriend Stephanie is her polar opposite–a girly, high maintenance African-American woman she met in J-school. (Still not clear what said best friend writes about, but our tomboy is, of course, a sports writer.)
Anyway, in one of the first episodes, which you can access on-line, PJ wants to set up Stephanie with this African-American guy who is into sports and poker, i.e. the stuff that PJ lives for. Turns out that the African American guy is more interested in PJ (which makes sense, since, well, they’re both into sports and poker). After PJ tells Stephanie this, the dialogue (paraphrased) goes something like this:
Steph: Why did you set us up?
PJ: Because he’s a great guy!
Steph: Because he’s black?
PJ: (starting to look flustered): Er..
Steph: (interrupting) Have you ever dated a black guy?
PJ: (overcompensating for obvious discomfort by raising her voice enthusiastically) No, but I can’t wait to date a black guy!
And then the conversation reverts to the more innocuous rationale that PJ just wanted Stephanie to date someone PJ actually liked, and PJ was afraid of losing Stephanie to the kind of loser, I-banker douchebag Stephanie probably always dates, etc.
Anyway, thought this was a pretty realistic slice of life, and I would love to see this go somewhere. The episode is called “Team Chemistry.”
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of 
MetroDad wrote:
Actually, that whole exchange was ripped off from Lawrence “The Big Chill” Kasdan’s ensemble film “Grand Canyon.” The set-up date was between Danny Glover and Alfre Woodard. It did lead to an interesting conversation in the movie. Check it out if you get a chance!
Posted 22 Dec 2006 at 2:52 pm ¶
Mockingbird wrote:
I’ve only seen one episode of “MyBoys”, which I found fascinating and am looking forward to the aforementioned one. However, I have seen Grand Canyon and found the scene under discussion curiously strange. It’s decided that the Kevin Kline character introduced the Glover and Woodard characters because they’re the only two blacks he knows. I will reserve any further comment until viewing My Boys.
Posted 22 Dec 2006 at 7:12 pm ¶
Lyonside wrote:
Heh - I want to see both clips now - maybe it’s the same screenwriter (or the film writer is on the writing staff of the sitcom or some such..)
Or maybe it’s just a rip off.
Is it on point? I think so. While I was never the type to get set up, as a kid my own mom even said (jokingly, I think), Oh wouldn’t it been neat if you grew up and married John? (the only B/W biracial kid we knew at the time, and a friend of the family).
It’s not just race - at least 2 gay friends have had dates thrown at them, seperately, simply because the people were the same gender and orientation. Dude, if it doesn’t work for straight people (hey, you’re a boy, and you’re a girl, go date!) it sure ain’t gonna work for anyone else!
Posted 25 Dec 2006 at 10:47 am ¶
S wrote:
I’ve had a white chick do that to me. She knew full well that the guy liked her. She just wanted to feel good about herself because most of her relationships where dissasters. Hence the fact that she and I are no longer friends. I knew the guy was a loser and was never interested in him, but I had to cut her off based on principle. Now she’s dating another loser. Hope the show is different.
Posted 27 Dec 2006 at 8:19 am ¶
I am not Star Jones wrote:
Grand Canyon was released in 1991; My Boys airs in 2006 and it’s the same conversation when it comes to dating when it comes to interracial friendships.
Sigh.
Posted 27 Dec 2006 at 11:21 pm ¶
Koko wrote:
I am not Star Jone:
You’re right, thats pretty pitiful.
Posted 28 Dec 2006 at 12:07 pm ¶
Nina wrote:
In the same vein of interracial awkwardness, did anyone see the episode of “My Name is Earl” last week? Earl’s ex-wive was afraid to tell her parents that she had left Earl for a black man. She thought her parents were racist because they had forbidden her from dating a black boy in high school. Turns out her father had had a string of affairs with black women and was really just afraid that his daughter might end up dating one of his out-of wedlock sons.
Posted 29 Dec 2006 at 10:46 am ¶
Princess Tayisha wrote:
This comment has been deleted by the moderator. Please do not create multiple identities/personalities for yourself. If you have something to say, pick one identity and stick with it please.
Posted 02 Jan 2007 at 1:57 pm ¶