Where are all the black women on TV?

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  • ftvftv Posts: 31,668
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    great answer

    Good answer but if broadcasters did not portray a cross-section of UK society, particularly in drama, it would be totally unrealistic, just as it would to have only non-smokers,non-drinkers and health fanatics in soaps. Why do we rarely hear about the lack of disabled people in drama (and I have noticed they don't exist on BBC quiz shows at all).
  • mossy2103mossy2103 Posts: 84,307
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    ftv wrote: »
    Why do we rarely hear about the lack of disabled people in drama (and I have noticed they don't exist on BBC quiz shows at all).
    Maybe people have to want to appear on such shows in the first place in order to be represented?


    And maybe there have been disabled people on BBC (why not mention ITV?) quiz shows, but they have simply not made an issue of it (not all disabilities are plain for all to see, and people might not feel the need to draw attention to a disbility).
  • MaxatoriaMaxatoria Posts: 17,980
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    mossy2103 wrote: »
    Maybe people have to want to appear on such shows in the first place in order to be represented?


    And mayb ethere have been disabled people on BBC (why not mention ITV?) quiz shows, but they have simply not made an issue of it (not all disabilities are plain for all to see).

    Perhaps we need to start rounding up those categories of people who don't appear on TV as much as it has been decreed by the department of political correctness and force them onto TV even if they don't want to appear...sometimes you have to make things equal so lets have some guy with no arms in Britain's strongest man competition etc ;)
  • mossy2103mossy2103 Posts: 84,307
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    Maxatoria wrote: »
    Perhaps we need to start rounding up those categories of people who don't appear on TV as much as it has been decreed by the department of political correctness and force them onto TV even if they don't want to appear...sometimes you have to make things equal so lets have some guy with no arms in Britain's strongest man competition etc ;)
    Y'know, I think that you've got something there. :D
  • bluesdiamondbluesdiamond Posts: 11,360
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    Thankfully, in some areas young people with disability are in the limelight. Paralympians, aside from Ade Apitian I cannot think of others to cross into presentation. But like Tammy Gray Thompson I hope they will be used by Channel 4 in this time frame to 2017 IPC Athletics London,

    Why doesn't Doctor Who have a assisstant with a physical disability? Would be great IMO. Thinking say Christmas or one off special, not sure if a wheelchair bound person would fit a whole season.
  • lundavralundavra Posts: 31,790
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    ftv wrote: »
    Good answer but if broadcasters did not portray a cross-section of UK society, particularly in drama, it would be totally unrealistic, just as it would to have only non-smokers,non-drinkers and health fanatics in soaps. Why do we rarely hear about the lack of disabled people in drama (and I have noticed they don't exist on BBC quiz shows at all).

    Certainly disabled contestants on quiz shows quite regularly, do they have to have a token disabled quiz show presenter to keep some lobby group happy?
  • lundavralundavra Posts: 31,790
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    ftv wrote: »
    Good answer but if broadcasters did not portray a cross-section of UK society, particularly in drama, it would be totally unrealistic, just as it would to have only non-smokers,non-drinkers and health fanatics in soaps. Why do we rarely hear about the lack of disabled people in drama (and I have noticed they don't exist on BBC quiz shows at all).

    I hope they select on ability only. Just think of the fuss if a black person was turned down for a job in one of the BBC regions because they had met their target of 3% black to match the ratio in that area.
  • BZRBZR Posts: 2,197
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    Why do white people feel the need to mention it?
  • ftvftv Posts: 31,668
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    BZR wrote: »
    Why do white people feel the need to mention it?

    How do you know they're white ?
  • BZRBZR Posts: 2,197
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    ftv wrote: »
    How do you know they're white ?

    Because the OP stated that they were!
  • ChuckyBlackhartChuckyBlackhart Posts: 2,468
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    They're on Eastenders.









    PS. Ridiculous thread.
  • ChuckyBlackhartChuckyBlackhart Posts: 2,468
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    Right now, I have a spot, from shaving to the left of my lip.


    I've noticed that there aren't enough people on TV with a spot to the left of their lip. :mad:


    I demand action! I demand action! :mad:
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 70
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    I've noticed this trope too. Black women are bottom of the casting list it seems.

    It's the same in America as I remember "My wife and children" (?) recasting the daughter and the Fresh prince of bel air changing Vivian too.

    The recast actresses were both lighter skinned/mixed raced looking and I don't think either was a coincidence..
  • BlizzardUKBlizzardUK Posts: 4,965
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    They're on Eastenders.

    That is true, there are a lot of black women on Eastenders, a prime time soap with high ratings. Also many on the BBC news channel and kids TV.

    I have to admit I do wonder why race is such an issue though, although the poster is correct that this is a forum so is good to discuss things. Some of my comments below are not directed at the OP's question but this topic of race on TV in general.

    I posted in another thread last month about it too after hearing Lenny Henry's / Reggie Yates comments. We are constantly told people should be colour blind and we are all the same, yet at the same time being told it is wrong there aren't enough black people on TV (be it women or men). If it is just a colour, then why matter ? Obviously if they were intentionally being held back because of race, that isn't good at all, but if it is just that the white people going for the jobs were better qualified than any black candidate at that time, then it is fair and that is all that should matter. Also for all we know there may not be black women going for many casting auditions, it depends if people are head hunted from previous work, or open advertised. We have to remember that given this countries demographics, if auditions were held in Scotland there may not be a single black woman actress/presenter who shows up. If they were held in London it may be different.

    I feel sorry for any Doctor Who actor that is black now because they will very likely feel they are only in that role because of their skin colour and not from merit, yet if there was no hullabaloo about racism in Doctor Who, picking a black Doctor would have worked just as well as a white one and there would be no thoughts other than that specific actor being best for the role. Actually speaking of which, Doctor Who was one of the first UK shows to feature a lot of black actors, as mentioned in the commentaries to the DVDs. I seem to remember the ones from the late 70's and early 80's had many in prime roles.

    Like said above, there are a lot of black women in Eastenders. I suppose if they make soaps demographic based depending on the area they film for realism, then it could be right. I don't watch the other soaps so not sure if they are ratio correct, but I would guess with Emmerdale being based in a country village there might not be any.

    Anyway, always good to have a discussion :)
  • simes188simes188 Posts: 190
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    mossy2103 wrote: »
    Maybe people have to want to appear on such shows in the first place in order to be represented?


    And maybe there have been disabled people on BBC (why not mention ITV?) quiz shows, but they have simply not made an issue of it (not all disabilities are plain for all to see, and people might not feel the need to draw attention to a disbility).

    There was a blind girl on University Challenge a few years ago. She's also been on Mastermind twice, including the most recent series. They've had other disabled people on.
  • simes188simes188 Posts: 190
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    Where are the black women on TV??

    Have you watched the news.... the weather.... the sport from the BBC....

    One of the main presenters of the ITV London News is black (Charlene White) and they have at least one black reporter (Ronke Phillips).
  • pburke90pburke90 Posts: 14,754
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    If blacks/gays/gingers/Muslims/Asians/the disabled/Martians don't put themselves forward for the jobs, or decide not to go into that line of work, then how are they supposed to be represented on TV? Pick people with no qualifications/experience off the street and shove them in front of a camera just to make up a quota?

    There was a blind man on The Chase on Friday and I have seen a wheelchair bound person on Pointless and also on The Weakest Link so they do get on TV sometimes, when they apply of course.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 70
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    BlizzardUK wrote: »
    If it is just a colour, then why matter ? Obviously if they were intentionally being held back because of race, that isn't good at all, but if it is just that the white people going for the jobs were better qualified than any black candidate at that time, then it is fair and that is all that should matter. Also for all we know there may not be black women going for many casting auditions, it depends if people are head hunted from previous work, or open advertised.

    The acting world doesn't work like that.
    When casting calls are sent out they usually have a "look" in mind,
    It has been known for an actor to impress a casting director so much that they change the race of a character but it's naive to think that colourblind casting is the norm.

    Marianne jean-baptiste is a good example of a black female actor having to leave the UK to find decent work.
  • BlizzardUKBlizzardUK Posts: 4,965
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    Damzel wrote: »
    The acting world doesn't work like that.
    When casting calls are sent out they usually have a "look" in mind,
    It has been known for an actor to impress a casting director so much that they change the race of a character but it's naive to think that colourblind casting is the norm.

    Marianne jean-baptiste is a good example of a black female actor having to leave the UK to find decent work.

    But surely there are 1000's of white actors also not getting a job ? How do we know she is not cast due to her colour ? If they tell her it is because she is not white, then fair enough, but otherwise I don't see how she knows it is due to her race.
  • BoxfreshBoxfresh Posts: 2,764
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    BlizzardUK wrote: »
    But surely there are 1000's of white actors also not getting a job ? How do we know she is not cast due to her colour ? If they tell her it is because she is not white, then fair enough, but otherwise I don't see how she knows it is due to her race.

    Because Marianne Jean Baptiste was not just some struggling, unknown actress trying to catch a break. In 1997, she got nominated for an Oscar, a Bafta and a Golden Globe.

    That made her one of the "elite". No white actor who gets nominated for an Oscar, Bafta and Golden Globe will ever struggle to get a half decent role in this country. When you reach those levels of accolades, an actor expects to get steady work and decent roles.

    So Baptiste's complaints have more more credibility than if she was just some standard actress with little major acclaim. She knows that if she was a white actress with those accolades to her name, she wouldn't be struggling for work in the UK. They'd be building TV shows and films around her. The fact that she is always working in America in high profile TV shows and films is because those accolades (particularly the Oscar nomination) carry so much weight in the acting industry. People know you are an Oscar nominated actor, they'll often create roles specifically for you.

    If Baptiste wasn't getting decent roles in the UK with her track record of accolades, then it's not hard to look past race. She's neither stupid or naive.
  • mossy2103mossy2103 Posts: 84,307
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    Why doesn't Doctor Who have a assisstant with a physical disability? Would be great IMO. Thinking say Christmas or one off special, not sure if a wheelchair bound person would fit a whole season.

    Why would there be a need to have one? I would hope that they would be there on merit rather than tokenism or a box-ticking exercise.

    And (from comments last year regarding a proposal to amalgamate the Paralympics with the main Olympics) might I suggest that some (or maybe even many) disabled people don't actually want special treatment, they don't want their disability to be used as a lever. They want their place on merit. Otherwise it could be seen as rather condescending.
  • CharnhamCharnham Posts: 61,157
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    Casualty has a very balanced cast to the point it looks like the producer is playing the numbers game. I have not sat and counted the number of white people, and black people, but its noticeably more than on other shows.
  • TUCTUC Posts: 5,105
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    BZR wrote: »
    Why do white people feel the need to mention it?

    Because its usually well meaning white liberals who feel they need to speak for everyone else, even if they haven't been asked.
  • bluesdiamondbluesdiamond Posts: 11,360
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    mossy2103 wrote: »
    Why would there be a need to have one? I would hope that they would be there on merit rather than tokenism or a box-ticking exercise.

    And (from comments last year regarding a proposal to amalgamate the Paralympics with the main Olympics) mig
    ht I suggest that some (or maybe even many) disabled people don't actually want special treatment, they don't want their disability to be used as a lever. They want their place on merit. Otherwise it could be seen as rather condescending.

    I really meant, that some mainstream shows by format would struggle to have a wheelchair bound actor (Doctor Who has lots of rushing around), but have any script writers considered a story at Christmas or when David Tennant did the one offs had a wheelchair bound assistant.
    How would the Doctor explain his world to a blind person?
    What about an amputee, with a arm or leg missing, like Jonnie Peacock.
    Is it just about lack of talent or not the right production that excludes/under represents some sections of society?
  • mossy2103mossy2103 Posts: 84,307
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    I really meant, that some mainstream shows by format would struggle to have a wheelchair bound actor (Doctor Who has lots of rushing around), but have any script writers considered a story at Christmas or when David Tennant did the one offs had a wheelchair bound assistant.
    How would the Doctor explain his world to a blind person?
    What about an amputee, with a arm or leg missing, like Jonnie Peacock.
    Is it just about lack of talent or not the right production that excludes/under represents some sections of society?

    I see what you mean, however there would have to be suitable actors/actresses available and up for the part, and who pass the screentest.

    And that then would entail the writers coming up with a storyline specifically for that person or disability - which comes back to box-ticking rather than "on merit"
    (and might actually give us a weak story - one that has obviously been staged just to encompass that disability).


    Whilst I think about it though, I am sure that Eastenders did feature someone with dwarfism - she was cast as a teacher (I think), and was introduced to the plot in a matter of fact sort of way (which is how it should be) rather than an all-singing, all-dancing "look, we've created a storyline just so that we can feature an actress who has dwarfism".

    Edit: the character was Sandra Fielding, she was employed at Walford Primary School and tested Liam Butcher for dyslexia, and she made three appearances. She was played by Kiruna Stamell (and she also appeared in Life's Too Short, see Warwick Davies, below)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_EastEnders_characters_%282008%29#Sandra_Fielding
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiruna_Stamell


    Doctor Who also recently featured Warwick Davies, and again his condition was not central to his storyline.

    Come to think of it, Warwick Davies has featured on a few other BBC shows - Life's Too Short, and Great British Bake Off for Comic Relief. (I'm sure that he was also in a Ricky Gervais programme)
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