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Jun 18, 2020 · How watching an old British series full of racist tropes in Pakistan changed my perspective on whether such shows should be banned. Racist stereotypes were common on British television shows in ...
- 'The Big Bang Theory' This uber-popular American sitcom revolved around awkward, nerdy scientists. In its long run of 13 seasons, it brought home many controversies, but a major problem with the show was one of its main characters, Dr. Rajesh Koothrappali.
- 'The Simpsons' Apu in The Simpsons is another problematic stereotype that has gone on for years. An Indian store owner with a thick accent, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon has an arranged marriage and eight kids.
- 'That ‘70s Show' Another classic with a problematic character. That ‘70s Show has been criticized for making a mockery of Fez. He is an immigrant in the U.S. but it is never revealed where he is from.
- 'Modern Family' Modern Family is a beloved sitcom that made Sofia Vergara a star. But her character, Gloria, has also come under fire for promoting Latina stereotypes of a fiery, temperamental, oversexualized woman.
Jul 21, 2017 · More than cheap Chinese accents, black face-paint or gags about curry, this is the most damaging stereotype to emerge from Britain’s racist comedies, and the one that still won’t go away.
- Angus Harrison
- The Jeremy Kyle Show
- Little Britain
- The only Way Is Essex
- Shameless
- Benefits Street
- Skint
This show often featured people of lower socio-economic backgrounds, resolving private conflicts in front of the whole nation. People watched Jeremy Kyleto poke fun at other people’s real life stories and their humiliation. Yes, the media got working class representation, but the one show that did had a reputation for its shock value, from featurin...
This show was truly the centerpiece of all offensive stereotypes possible. From ableism, racism to homophobia, what did Little Britain not have? Let’s focus on the characterisation of Vicky Pollard, a teen single mother who represents “chavs”, which is commonly thought to be an acronym for “council housed and violent”. Vicky has catchphrases such a...
When you read “Essex”, you’re probably picturing a stereotypical loud “dumb blonde” persona with stilettos and fake tan. Owen Jones, a columnist, notes in his bookThe Only Way is Essex presents the “grotesque caricatures of working class life”. This scripted reality show takes the image of “chavs” and makes a whole brand of it for entertainment (so...
Shameless was a comedy series set in council estate in Manchester, and it actually has some great reviews. It follows a dysfunctional family, inspired by the creator Paul Abbott’s own difficult experiences growing up. Whilst this is all good, why can’t a series about a working class people in Britain not tackle a particularly high number of crazy n...
This Channel 4 documentary followed the lives of several residents of James Turner Street in Birmingham where newspapers reported 90 percent of the residents claim benefits. The series portrayed the absolute worst of the residents, showcasing shoplifting, drugs, gangs and more – further worsening the prejudice towards people who receive benefits. B...
This documentary series followed members of the general public in various locations, often council estates, who are either unemployed or have very little income and are shown involved in alcoholism, drug misuse and prostitution. Again, whenever members of a lower socio-economic background are put under spotlight, it seems the media’s mostly interes...
The impression the show leaves is of communities living outside the law and governed by the violent drug world. As we saw with the tragedy of Trayvon Martin in the USA, when Blackness symbolises the ‘ghetto’, the consequences can be deadly. British television needs to do much more to expand the narratives of Blackness available on screen.
In 1967, when the BBC was faced with a petition by the Campaign Against Racial Discrimination requesting an end to the televised variety program the Black and White Minstrel Show (1958–1978), producers at the BBC, the press, and audience members collectively argued that the historic presence of minstrelsy in Britain rendered the practice of blacking up harmless.
Jun 12, 2020 · For many Britons, blackface is understood to be an ugly relic of the country’s past, used to ridicule and demean people of color and perpetuate racist stereotypes. Blackface on British TV is ...
