Too Many Blacks In Commercials?

3:09 am EST July 9th, 2007 | News | 8 Comments

I almost think he’s right. Also, there have got to be more black police chiefs and judges in the movies than there have ever been black judges and police chiefs in real life, ever.

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8 Responses to “Too Many Blacks In Commercials?”

  1. Jadegold says:
    July 9, 2007 at 9:45 am

    It’s entertainment.

    That’s why most crooks on TV and the movies are geniuses and great-looking.

  2. drinkof says:
    July 9, 2007 at 12:25 pm

    OK, so it was just shift commander, but any trend that got Yaphet Kotto in a lead role for 1/2 dozen years has to be good, right?

  3. Randy Brown says:
    July 9, 2007 at 1:46 pm

    On “Homicide,” the part of Al Giardello WAS originally written for an Italian…but they decided to give it to Kotto (they gave him a black mother and an Italian father). Giardello was a far better role that Kotto tended to get during his “blaxploitation” days.

  4. Randy Brown says:
    July 9, 2007 at 1:46 pm

    Sorry…a better role THAN Kotto tended to get.

  5. mary says:
    July 9, 2007 at 6:14 pm

    Hi Oliver, your blog is one of my favorites and I’ve been reading it for a couple of years. I think I’ve left a couple of comments before this one.

    My understanding of this is that market research has shown that white folks (like me) will buy stuff advertised by black folks, but black folks aren’t as likely to buy stuff advertised by white folks. Advertising is all based on market research, don’t doubt it for a minute. They know how to sell product and that’s all they care about.

  6. AJ says:
    July 9, 2007 at 11:28 pm

    Sigh,

    I hate when people make blanket statements without even taking the time to make an educated guess.

    Look up some numbers, you may be surprised. Most big city police departments, and city governments have black officials in those positions cause thats where the majority of the black population lives. Detroit, or Philly, or Atlanta, or Cincinnati for example.

    And hell there are even more black doctors than there are portrayed on tv.

  7. Jay says:
    July 10, 2007 at 9:17 am

    Remember too that these are actors playing a part. The role may call for a judge and it just so happens that a black actor auditioned best.

    We’re often under the assumption that the person in a role is exactly who the filmmakers or television producers had in mind and that’s not always the case.

    For instance, S. Epatha Merkerson got her role as Lt. Van Buren on Law & Order because of her powerful performance in the first season as the mother of an 11 month old shooting victim.

  8. Christian says:
    December 19, 2008 at 8:51 pm

    Most areas have leaders that reflect the majority population. Color matters more than competence. Reality of identity politics in this day and age.