Poll: Is it weird for a white guy to love shows like The Boondocks and Black Dynamite?

[HardkorSB]

they are both written (or created) by African American writers, so I think it's reasonable to assume that it's sort of told through their respective creators' lenses. That I find quite fascinating, and in a way enlightening, and surprisingly rare to find still to this day. But on the other hand I can't help but feel like those shows probably weren't made for me, and I wonder if the creators would object to me, a German guy who is about as white as white can be, enjoying their creation.

Following that logic, if a white person creates something, should other races not be able to enjoy it, simply because the difference of skin colour and/or social/cultural background?
Seems kind of silly to me.

 

[Czann]

Are said white guy member of an alien species? Because otherwise I can't see why it would be weird.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Following that logic, if a white person creates something, should other races not be able to enjoy it, simply because the difference of skin colour and/or social/cultural background?
Seems kind of silly to me.

In the west, at least, the lens of the white perspective is one that everyone has to be familiar with, regardless of their own background. That doesn't always work the other way around.

 

[Davroth]

Following that logic, if a white person creates something, should other races not be able to enjoy it, simply because the difference of skin colour and/or social/cultural background?
Seems kind of silly to me.

I don't think that can be just equated like that. Sure, in a perfect world, without a rather uncomfortable history of racism, not to mention still underlying tendencies of racism in the present, this would be an absolute none-issue, and it might very well be a none-issue as is.

That's why I made this thread essentially. xD

 

[neoontime]

No, I'm pretty sure the show was made with the intended audience of white people as well. Everyone is made fun in those shows so it's not bias or seriously antagonizing any group. Plus there isn't ever really anything culturally new or strange in any episodes that doesn't get explained later. If it was written for white people and other races to like, then of course you shouldn't feel weird when the creators did their job of making you like it.

 

[VanQ]

I'm pastier than a glue factory but I love the Boondocks. That episode about throwing chairs still causes me to piss myself laughing every time. Why would that be weird?

 

[Rabbitboy]

I haven't seen the Boondocks but Black Dynamite is a great movie. It's not weird to like something that wasn't made with your Demographic in mind. Just look at My Little Pony and when I was younger I really liked Totally Spies and W.I.T.C.H.

 

[Ihateregistering1]

Heck no, they're both great shows. It's not like their message is "all white people are terrible and all black people are wonderful". Aaron MacGruder (Boondocks creator) is very critical of basically all cultures and peoples, no one escapes unscathed.

As for Black Dynamite, the whole point of it is that it's a parody of 1960-1970's "Blaxploitation" movies. It's supposed to be hysterically over the top and ridiculous, and it achieves that largely by going comically over the top with stereotypes.

 

[Davroth]

I saw Dave Chappelle mentioned so I feel the need to add, if you're enjoying Boondocks, at least understand what the show is trying to do. Dave Chappelle just up and went and quit his show because he thought his show was being misunderstood and perpetuating racism[footnote]Found a fan documentary on that a while ago that was pretty good, in case you're interested about him and his act of quitting the show. http://vimeo.com/97769906[/footnote]. I don't doubt that you or anybody else here are smart enough to understand the show, but I've seen people who watch the show and laugh, but they don't quite get it, and that makes me really uncomfortable and its honestly a disservice to the show to either laugh at it because "lol black people" and as a fan of the show, it kind of ticks me off.

I mentioned him in the exact context of one of his sketches. Since it seemed relevant. And I sort of doubt that that sketch in particular made a lot of people think 'lol black people'. XD

 

[freaper]

Is it weird for a black guy to watch a show primarily populated by white people?

No?

Then it's not weird.

They don't have much choice

Captcha: carry a towel

Thank you, Captcha! You're keeping everyone in safe space.

 

[Erttheking]

If there's no "No white guys allowed" signs on the top, I don't see why it would be a problem.

 

[cleric of the order]

Okay, so something I have been thinking about for a while now.

I can't help but really love those two shows, and part of me feels sort of guilty about it. As a bit of background, I'm German, I grew up in Germany and my touching points with African American culture have been slim at best. It basically boils down to a few Eddie Murphy movies and The Cosby Show.

That said, those two shows really captured my imagination for some reason. I'm not saying that they are a realistic portrayal of African American culture, but then again, they are both written (or created) by African American writers, so I think it's reasonable to assume that it's sort of told through their respective creators' lenses. That I find quite fascinating, and in a way enlightening, and surprisingly rare to find still to this day. But on the other hand I can't help but feel like those shows probably weren't made for me, and I wonder if the creators would object to me, a German guy who is about as white as white can be, enjoying their creation.

What do you guys think?

Also, if this is the wrong board for this discussion, I apologize profusely. I don't make a lot of threads on here.

No.
It isn't man, It never will be man.
Just love what you love man.
More over, some of the thematic framing I found in the show was damn white people may be a bit over sensitive.

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

They say that Bill Cosby did more for race relations and the acceptance of Blacks than Al Sharpeton, Jesse Jackson, The Black Panthers, and Louis Farrakhan put together.

Why? Because he simply showed that there is more than the stereotypes. He put some to light, he joked them away, and then he went to family and the like, showing that his fears and troubles were universal. That's what people got from it.

If you like the show and were 'brought to light' about some things that affect the black community... not only is it ok... It's Mission Accomplished.

captcha: Uncharted Island.

Damn, Captcha... you racist...

 

[BNguyen]

I've never really been interested in the Boondocks primarily because it's just black characters acting with overt racism towards those not black and every other race is made to be a stereotype, of course a black person being overtly racist is also a stereotype in its own right but I've just never found it to be interesting enough to watch - first and only episode I saw had the main kid speak down on rich white people about how Ronald Regan was the devil just because his first, middle, and last names all had six letters and the only significant white character was a gun extremist

 

[V4Viewtiful]

That's like asking is it weird for a Black Guy to like Seinfeld and Bob Dylan

(?)