SEINFELD'S TREATMENT OF BLACKS

Jul 29, 199718 posts by 17 posters
😐 Mixed🔥 Controversial

Thread discusses whether Seinfeld portrays Black characters in a racist manner, with disagreement over whether negative portrayals reflect the show's humor or genuine bias.

18 posts
James

Seinfeld show is as racist as it is funny. If you watch carefuly, nothing says "jew" in that sitcom more than their treatment of blacks. (African-Americans, as they like to be called). There was only one single instance where a black person portraied a normal human being, and that was in the episode in which George had to go to a romantic movie with Susan, while Jerry went to see some kind of action flick with this negro fella. But that scene, of them coming out of the theatre, only lasted few seconds.

On the other hand, blacks portraing mean, weird, rude, arrogant, attitude and complex carrying individuals (the precise perception of blacks among many caucasians communities [excluding violent and lazy - which would be too much even for Seinfeld show]). To give you just few examples: exterminator, person at the newstand George wanted to be a friend with, person George watched the Breakfast At Tiffany's with, woman at the South American clothing store where Elaine shopped, superintendent from Elaine's building who wouldn't let her move her new armoair in on Sunday, newstand guy who made George and Kramer buy lots of things just so he would break their hunder dollar bill, even George's co-worker who later got fired for oversleeping was a pretty arogant prick. Care to add more examples?

On Tue, 29 Jul 1997, WR wrote:

I thought the father and daughter watching Breakfast At Tiffany's were acting normal under the circumstances, what would anyone else do if a weird, annoying stranger came to your door and asked to watch a movie with you.

If anyone on this show is portrayed in poor taste it is the four primary characters. They are extremely weird, annoying, aggressive individuals, but hey that's what makes them funny and that is why I watch the show.

Josh

This whole damn country has just gone off the deep end when it comes to being politically correct. WHO GIVES A SHIT!!!! They stereotype everyone, themselves included, and it's funny, the way the show should be. Hell, I'm a straight, white male, nothing I do or say is politically correct, and if it is, well, I'm just saying that to appease those who are less than me,(or so the world believes.) I'm so fucking sick of this attitude! Everyone has there own idiosynchricies and it's funny when they can be exploited, not necessarily demeaning to the person or group of people the joke is directed at. People, get a clue and a life. My two cents worth, for what it's worth. Steave

If you ask me (and I know that nobody did) you can't say there is this kind of attitude on Senfeld... Because if you think they portray blacks as mean, weird, rude, arrogant, etc., take a look at how the portray everyone else. I mean, has there ever been a normal character on the show?? I can't think of someone on the show who didn't have some problem. This applies to all races on the show....

Benjamin Chadwick 703-742-6227 [email] A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man. -Jeb Springfield

What about the security guard at Ross? He was a nice guy. On the other hand, Kramer's 'coffee was too hot' lawyer was a shyster.

Jim.......

In article , James Broumand Evans wrote:

..........blacks portraing mean, weird, rude, arrogant, attitude

I thought the security guard was pretty arrogant, given how friendly George was trying to be. And generaly I agree that most of black characters on the show have a certain attitude. But that's basicaly a realistic reflection of their characters in real life, so that realy shouldn't be a cause for a complaint.

Ledermanlost

George's co-worker at the Yankees is a cool guy and George gets along well with him. George wants black freinds but just doesn't have any new freinds. The Sugur Ray remark was stupid but not racist. The show definetly uses stereotypes like the exterminator, Chinese delivery person, even the soup nazi, but it seems in good fun not evil.

Just my .02 cents.

Josh

There it is again - lets fail their mathematics teachers. 2 cents = .02 dollars!!!!!! Unless of course your thoughts are worth .0002 dollars. :-)

In , The News Guy writes:

Hey Barry, we've all read Josh's posts. Please stop refuting his math skills!! (teehee!) ;)

[email] (Hammer nail here--> <-- for a new monitor.) (Remove XXXX to reply)

In article , [email] wrote:

with him. George wants

stupid but not

delivery person, even

I thought the funny part was that the guy really does look just a little like Sugar Ray - enough to make George's remark seem plausible.

I don't really understand how the soup nazi is an ethnic stereotype.

Just my 0.02 dollars

Babu (who is definitely an ethnic stereotype) -------------------==== Posted via Deja News ====----------------------- http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Post to Usenet

Lets wake up and smell the coffee. There is exactly one identifiable group that the show stereotypes in a bad light: NEW YORKERS!

-the shambling wreck '...always have, always will' -King

How many times must we have this round table? Seinfeld is not racist. It's about time we give up this theory that television is always trying to pull one over on us and just enjoy it.

LCW

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On Tue, 29 Jul 1997, WR wrote:

The VallesJames

Sir, I think you forgot your medication......Pul-lease!!! You are totally seeing things that are not there...........how would YOU like it if a complete stanger came to YOUR house to watch a movie?????? Would you be sugar-sweet and offer him popcorn??? NO, you probably wouldn't have let him in the house! And as far as weird rude and aggrogant people, HELLO! EVERYBODY THEY COME IN CONTACT WITH IS LIKE THAT! That's what makes the show so funny. It's not just a "black" thing, you moron. And another thing, "nothing says JEW....more that their treatment of blacks"????? You racist bigot. How can you be so close-minded. Get a life.

V.V.

WR wrote in article ...

was

Elaine's

newstand

I think you miss several points. African-Americans and Jews are roughly treated by society at large in the same way: presented as stereotypes. I've always felt that any perceived animosity between them is fueled by an American majority that despises both groups. In real life, it has always been both groups fighting for human rights etc. So don't fall into the same perception trap. As for "Seinfeld," everyone and everything is treated with the same merciless comic edge; no one is singled out. That's why it's so amazingly funny and widely appealing.

Bob Seletsky

I think you all have missed the point. Has anyone noticed the number and quality of roles for african americans on the show?!? For a show that is set in the big apple I don't think they portray the ethnicity of the city accurately.

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Jason Fox
Carleton University
Email address: [email]
"If I can leave, with a little bit of explanation Then anywhere in the world I choose to go I'll have it made -Goodbye Shannon Hoon-1967-1995
DaveJames

Oh yeah. And you say Seinfeld is racist?

Nothing says "jew" more than mistreatment of blacks???

Get the hell out of my newsgroup, you anti-semite troll nutjob. [email] (Hammer nail here--> <-- for a new monitor.) (Remove XXXX to reply)
RFerrieJames

Well, first, let's have a list of all the "nice, kind, friendly" characters on Seinfeld. Um. Er. Don't you know it, *everyone* on the show is flawed. That's half the point. All ethnic groups are portrayed *equally badly* on Seinfeld. *Everyone* is a jerk.

Seinfeld is an equal-opportunity offender. And that's part of its very considerable charm!

Renee