The Impact of African-American Sitcoms on Americas Culture Essay

The Impact of Afro-American Sitcoms on Americas civilisation Since its start, the telecasting industry has been criticized for perpetuating myths and stereotypes about blacks by characterizations, story lines, and plots. The situation funniness has been the body politic that has seemed to draw the most criticism, analysis, and disapproval for stereotyping. From Sanford and Son and The Jeffer give-and-takes in the mid-seventies to The Cosby Show (1984) and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the 1990s, sitcoms featuring black casts and characters have invariably been controversial. However, their implication upon our American culture cannot be disregarded. During the 1950s and 1960s, 97% of the families were Caucasian. In the outgrowth five years of the 1990s, nearly 14% of the television families were black (Bryant 2001). These statistics plain show the substantial impact our American culture has had on Afro-American television families.Sanford and Son was set in the ea rly mid-seventies. They were a actually low class, low-income family that was very disjointed. The father, Sanford, spent most of his time wino and move his son down. There were few, if any, family values emphasized. The only ordained pass along conveyed was that the son and dad loved each other. One of the next habitual African-American shows to appear was The Jeffersons. It was about a nouveau riche African-American couple, George and Louise Jefferson. Jefferson was a flourishing businessman, millionaire and have seven dry cleaning stores. They lived in a ritzy penthouse on the East Side. In fact, the theme song referred to the fact that they were movin on up They lived their lives filled with notes and success. It was the first television program that... ...way to a safer note where he could be raised properly. This sitcom emphasized positive African-American stereotypes, such as honesty, love, strong family values, and success. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air als o demonstrate that the problems money can bring were not confined to one race. scratch line with Sanford and Sons done the progression of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, it is evident that the changes transpiring in rules of order ar slowly entering the television industry. What would have been acceptable in the 1970s would be totally unacceptable in this day. No long-dated is an African-American father in a sitcom shown as a worthless, unmannerly individual. The father figure is now shown more as a responsible, loving, and moralistic person with more realistic faults. Color now seems, through evolution, to be taken out of the equation for the African-American television families. The Impact of African-American Sitcoms on Americas Culture EssayThe Impact of African-American Sitcoms on Americas Culture Since its start, the television industry has been criticized for perpetuating myths and stereotypes about African-Americans through characterizations, story lines , and plots. The situation comedy has been the area that has seemed to draw the most criticism, analysis, and disapproval for stereotyping. From Sanford and Son and The Jeffersons in the 1970s to The Cosby Show (1984) and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the 1990s, sitcoms featuring black casts and characters have always been controversial. However, their significance upon our American culture cannot be disregarded. During the 1950s and 1960s, 97% of the families were Caucasian. In the first five years of the 1990s, nearly 14% of the television families were African-American (Bryant 2001). These statistics obviously show the substantial impact our American culture has had on African-American television families.Sanford and Son was set in the early 1970s. They were a very low class, low-income family that was very disjointed. The father, Sanford, spent most of his time drunk and putting his son down. There were few, if any, family values emphasized. The only positive message c onveyed was that the son and dad loved each other. One of the next popular African-American shows to appear was The Jeffersons. It was about a nouveau riche African-American couple, George and Louise Jefferson. Jefferson was a successful businessman, millionaire and owned seven dry cleaning stores. They lived in a ritzy penthouse on the East Side. In fact, the theme song referred to the fact that they were movin on up They lived their lives filled with money and success. It was the first television program that... ...way to a safer place where he could be raised properly. This sitcom emphasized positive African-American stereotypes, such as honesty, love, strong family values, and success. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air also demonstrated that the problems money can bring were not confined to one race. Starting with Sanford and Sons through the progression of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, it is evident that the changes transpiring in society are slowly entering the television indus try. What would have been acceptable in the 1970s would be totally unacceptable in this day. No longer is an African-American father in a sitcom shown as a worthless, rude individual. The father figure is now shown more as a responsible, loving, and moral person with more realistic faults. Color now seems, through evolution, to be taken out of the equation for the African-American television families.