Amos 'n' Andy
Based on Thomas Cripps’ article and your viewing of Amos ’n’ Andy this Thursday, how did the television show portray middle class African Americans? Discuss why the sitcom became the center of a hot public debate as well as the arguments offered by each side.
Amos n' Andy on the surface seems like the average sitcom, but it actually has more layers than that. There are blatantly negative stereotypes of African Americans; all of the main characters speak with poor grammar, and act very much in Vaudevillian ways. It is easy to say this show is completely racist but that argument would be missing an element. What complicates this assessment is how supporting characters are portrayed. In the episode shown in class the judge and the police officer are black. They speak properly and have a level of respect. The professions they hold require much education and intellect so they would then break the stereotype of African Americans being poor working class people. So in one aspect black people are being degraded, but to offset it, they are being promoted to a higher status.
ReplyDeleteThese simple characterizations then make the debate complex. It can be said it is an offensive program because the show promotes a negative stereotype of African Americans. An argument is also that it is progressive to have black actors being broadcasted into white homes in a time of segregation. This then poses a tough position for those in favor of racial equality. Where the show hurts credibility for the African American community, it additionally breaks a racial barrier in a time of "White Flight".
While watching Amos ‘n’ Andy, it quickly became apparent that the show’s main characters are very stereotypical. Thomas Cripps states in his article that the show portrays the black middle class as "feckless, verbally crippled, ineptly conniving parvenus with hearts of gold" (34). It distorted the African American middle class in a way that provoked and angered black activists of the time. It was the black identity “that CBS violated in its narrow depiction of blacks as urban riffraff, tricksters, Falstaffs, and snarling matriarchs” (35). An African American newspaper called the Pittsburgh Courier attempted to have the show removed from the air. The NAACP also campaigned against it. But still there was a distinct divide among black scholars and critics about whether the content of Amos 'n' Andy was racist.
ReplyDeleteThe minor characters on the show are not the least bit stereotypical. They speak with proper grammar and are not the dishonest, abrasive, and gullible characters that lead the show. The television version of Amos ‘n’ Andy was certainly a leap from the offensive vaudeville show that featured white actors in blackface. However, there seems to be a clear, inherent problem with a television show that has its roots in such a racist spectacle. But perhaps having one disputed, controversial show with an all African American cast on the air was better than none. It provided a place for black actors to work and the supporting cast certainly had an air of intelligence. It’s a bit dicey to opine that the show should have been pulled off the air if there weren’t many other alternatives for black actors to get work.
Based on my viewing of Amos ’n’ Andy, I found that there were some things in the show I found myself laughing along. However, on the whole, many of the portrayals of the characters were quite stereotypical. For example, Kingfish was seen as a typical businessman; however, despite his role, he was quite deceptive and schemed a lot for only his interests. His selfish motives would cause many conflicts in the episode and the root of how the show played out. Further, he would manipulate Andy, appearing as the dim-witted character who falls for Kingfish’s tricks. Out of this, the show mainly presented African-Americans as people who would deceive each other for their own interests.
ReplyDeleteArguments supporting Amos ’n’ Andy may quote that for the appearance of African-Americans of television was a progression a vast majority of only caucasians appeared in television shows. This was seen as an opportunity for African-Americans to be in this job market. However, with that, there is the criticism that these portrayals of the black characters are stereotypical and gave African-Americans a negative light. These portrayals simply created a false image of blacks and would strengthen the stereotypes for those who watched the show. With this prejudice, there was public debate over the way the show was written and how these characters are seen as. Overall the public image of African-Americans was the concern because of the weekly viewings of this show. Over time, the viewers would formulate a negative perception of blacks.
Amos ‘n’ Andy portrayed middle-class African Americans as incompetent trickster figures who do not know how to handle the ins and outs of middle-class life. The main problem with the show and the source of most of the controversy surrounding it was the stylized Negro dialect of the actors and how it made African Americans look verbally broken. On one side of the argument were the Hollywood blacks who were just glad to have a job and fill roles that were previously filled by white men over the radio or in blackface even if it did mean representing their race in a false way. On the other hand the NAACP was glad to see African Americans on TV yet they obviously wanted the portrayals to challenge those existing stereotypes. The NAACP was really fighting a losing battle since, as Billy Rowe said, they wanted “to look at people of their own color, performing of people of every color,” who had very narrow perceptions of African Americans at the time. Basically, the Amos ‘n’ Andy show was not really made for black audiences therefore that tension between African American audiences and the NAACP and the network wasn’t one that could easily be remedied.
ReplyDeleteAmos n' Andy focused on stereotyped African-American characters. The characters of Andy and Kingfish were depicted as one-dimensional stereotypes, not as fully fleshed out characters. Kingfish only had one goal in mind for the entirety of the episode entitled "The Rare Coin" - he simply wanted to steal money from his friend.
ReplyDeleteAll of the humor in the show is derived from the characters' inability to speak and their stereotypical actions. One such example was when Andy and Kingfish were in court and Kingfish says, "Your Honor, he's the one what done it!” This represents both his poor grammar - what done it as opposed to who did it - and his sneaky nature - trying to pin a crime that was his idea and fault on his friend.
The show created a large scale debate as to whether or not it should even be allowed to air. On one side was the NAACP, which wanted the show removed for its negative stereotypes of African-Americans. On the other side were the actors and many African-American viewers who believed that it was positive to have African-Americans on TV whether or not they are stereotypical depictions as it allowed them to have jobs and be in the media. The NAACP's claims definitely held water as other ethnic comedies at the time focused on general problems, such as the problems with the daughter missing school to avoid exams, while Amos n' Andy focused solely on their racial stereotypes for humor. However, the counterpoints also held weight in that only the main characters were complete stereotypes, the other African-American fringe characters were fully competent and could almost be seen as positive representations of the community, such as the judge in the episode "The Rare Coin". There was no clear-cut correct answer for this argument and both sides held merit; it wasn't good to allow negative depictions on television, but it also wasn't a positive when the actors lost their jobs when the show was cancelled.
Amos n' Andy down to it's very name os racist portrayal on African Americans, the idea that all black people for the most part were ignorant inarticulate buffoons. In the episode we watched all of these character traits were on display along with the added idea that African Americans were greedy people conniving to gain even if it's at the expense of their peers. In essence the show was nothing but a portfolio of different black stereotypes. This is why the show became a hot topic of conversation because there were arguments that could be made for both pro and anti viewers of the show. While the main protagonist Amos and Andy were walking stereotypes, there were background characters that weren't all absurd there were judges and officers that were the straight men for the "comedic" mayhem of Amos and Andy. It could also be argued that this was one of the only venues for black actors at the time. People disagreed with this argument and the show all together because they felt African Americans shouldn't have to relegate themselves to becoming essentially circus monkeys all in order to be on Television.
ReplyDeleteTelevision portrayed middle class African American in a way that would most entertain viewers because that would attract the most viewers and subsequently, the most advertising dollars. Unfortunately this depiction was one that bastardized the African American community at a point in time that they did not have the “ethnic confidence” to handle that bastardization. I do not think that Amos ‘n Andy was portraying blacks in this light for the purpose of degrading African Americans in general, however I do think that it inadvertently had this affect based on historical Caucasian discrimination of African Americans. At that time, blacks had only very recently gained their equality as human beings with their former masters, and it was still “too soon” to be portraying African Americans as unequal in intelligence. Other sitcoms at the time poked fun at the different dynamics of the white suburban family, such as Leave it to Beaver, which aroused no debate among the public, and if there was, it was quickly shut down by others because of complete silliness. This is because there was enough ethnic confidence among the white public because of their long history of dominating every scene in the books. Although there was a exaggeration of situations for the purpose of entertainment, this exaggeration lead to debate because of the history of white and black interaction.
ReplyDeleteIn his article on the popular 50’s television show Amos N’ Andy, Thomas Cripps describes the show as being a site of contention among black scholars and historians--a show that polarizes people even to this day. People on both sides of the issue were vocal about what they felt were the positives or negatives of the show. On one hand, many of the African American actors on the show expressed gratitude that they were receiving work and criticized the NAACP for being too touchy about the subject of black representation in media. On the other hand, liberal groups expressed dismay at the show’s blatant display of black stereotypes, pointing to certain characters’ scheming plotlines and broken English as examples of how the black middle class was being misrepresented and smeared.
ReplyDeleteWhile viewing the episode of the show in class, I felt myself torn between both sides of the debate. On one hand, I clearly saw the absurdity of the plotline, with Kingfish and Andy made to look like fools who were chasing a simple nickel and being ruled by their own greed. I felt that the character of Kingfish in particular was portrayed as being conniving, manipulative and selfish. Andy too seemed to be a stereotype of buffoonery, as in one scene where he seemed to be too stupid to realize that he was holding on to a plastic human hand instead of a real one. However, I could also see that the show provided ample roles for black actors, and that not all the roles were stereotypes. As noted in the article, many of the supporting characters were stoic and straight-laced, speaking English well and fulfilling necessary and meaningful positions in a society (policemen, judge, etc.) Still, I do believe that the negatives of the show outweighed the positive, making Amos N’ Andy into a show that was more regressive than it was progressive.
The show portrayed middle class African-Americans as conniving and foolish, "complete with baggy pants, plug hats, foul cigars, pushy wives, misfired schemes, and mangled grammar." However, it seems the African American community was split down the middle as towards their opinion of the show. Many didn't see anything wrong with it, while others were offended that it ever aired. The reason so many hated it is because it came at a time of “liberal rededication.” The black community was in the process of achieving some level of respect, as there was a rise in black political consciousness. Organizations such as the NAACP where angry at the portrayal of fringe characters and on Kingfish who seemed to emulate, “a caricature of the black middle-class aspiration.” Others such as Spencer Williams, a senior cast member of the show (Andy), argue that the show portrays situations in the home that transcend race. Also, the actors strived for a different form of integration: job opportunities in Hollywood.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that both sides wanted the same thing in the end: racial integration and the acceptance of the black political consciousness in a predominantly white society. I don’t think Amos ‘n’ Andy was a particularly racist show, in fact I thought it was quite funny. I just think that it aired at the wrong time: when racial integration and civil rights were just starting to gain momentum after the war. It is hard to push for a cause when a popular television show is stereotyping the group of people who are pushing for the cause in the first place. Had it aired a few decades later, I think it would have been a much more successful and beloved show. There are many shows today that poke fun and stereotype white people, different religions, different races, etc. It is refreshing and entertaining to make fun of your own dispositions and everyday situations that you have potentially gone through. The reason there was so much debate around Amos ‘n’ Andy was timing, that’s all.
Structured around what seem to be nothing more than disgustingly small-minded racial stereotypes, the 1950s sitcom, Amos ‘n’ Andy, proves itself a far more enigmatic program than initially meets the eye. Indeed, the ambiguities surrounding the show fostered a continuous debate between blacks – and whites – about the meaning and significance of contemporary prejudice.
ReplyDeleteAbhorred by the NAACP and other black activist groups for what they perceived to be a purposeful and regressive “misrepresentation of the black middle-class” (Cripps, 34), Amos ‘n’ Andy was nevertheless tolerated and even embraced by working-class and Hollywood blacks, the latter of whom praised the show as an important stepping stone on the path to a more diverse entertainment industry. Thus, the true motivations for the outrage of the “black bourgeoisie” can be understood to be less racial than class-based in nature. Having made great social and political strides in the post-World War II era, the black middle-class viewed the program as little more than a “parody of their historical struggle for social mobility in a hostile society” (41). Regrettably limited in scope, such indignation would not – and could not – be channeled into a mass movement, mainly due to the fact that by solely focusing on the middle-class, such activism “appeared to concede that the… show had been accurate in its depiction of the black lower classes” (42).
Given precious few opportunities to see people of color on their television screens, many African Americans – especially actors – supported the program. And, although it did portray offensive, minstrel-like caricatures, Amos ‘n’ Andy curiously seems to have been constructed upon a somewhat enlightened framework. Despite the dialect and physicality of the anachronistic protagonists, they are by all accounts “neutral, bland [and] goodhearted” (40) men, whose lack of major achievement “never resulted from want of striving” (45). Indeed, as the author Thomas Cripps so astutely observes, it is this very perseverance that strongly suggests that they are, in fact, “still marching toward some form of bourgeois success” (46). In keeping with this tendency, the majority of ancillary black characters that inhabit their world are often depicted as respectable, middle-class citizens.
These very constructs are on full display in the 1951 episode, The Rare Coin, in which Kingfish and Andy – the former having stolen a valuable nickel from the latter – have run-ins with an African American police officer and judge, both of whom carry themselves in a dignified manner. After displaying alarming naiveté, Andy finally manages to turn the tables on his trickster, cleverly feigning stupidity in order to secure what is rightfully his. With this and other aforementioned nuances in mind, the viewer can appreciate – rather aptly – that, for Amos ‘n’ Andy, when it comes to issues concerning race – be it perpetuating stereotypes or breaking down barriers – nothing is ever simply black or white.
Amos n Andy was an extremely controversial show by itself, made even more controversial by the progressive, liberal era that it was released in.
ReplyDeleteThe NAACP regarded Amos n Andy as an insult to middle class African Americans, and it can very well be argued that they had a point. If one believes that the writers intended for people like the Kingfish to be an accurate representation of a typical person in the African American middle class, Amos n Andy can definitely be considered offensive. Kingfish appears to be very conniving and vein. The main characters all speak in extremely rural dialects.
On the other hand, Amos n Andy was often seen as beneficial for African Americans. At first glance, Amos n Andy at the very least provided jobs in the television world for African Americans. Those actors and some other African Americans often disagreed with the NAACP, who they believed were being overzealous in their attempt to get Amos n Andy off the air. Also, there were often minor African American characters who were portrayed in a better light. Minor African American characters did not have the rural dialect of the Kingfish and his friends, and were often doctors or judges, or in other highly influential fields.
According to Cripps, Amos ‘n’ Andy created a division among individuals of the black community – those in favor and those in disfavor of the show – ultimately causing the CBS program to be the center of a public debate.
ReplyDeleteAiring in the 1950s, Amos ‘n’ Andy was released at the same time Blacks were beginning to gain a more respect and equal rights to a certain degree in America; the Black middle-class was on the rise as was the Black bourgeoisie to postwar political awareness. With that said, many African Americans did not believe Amos ‘n’ Andy was portraying blacks in such a positive light, especially the black middle-class.
Black activists were most disturbed by the representation, or better yet misrepresentation, of the black middle-class.
Organizations like the NAACP, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, was by far the most disturbed of Black activist groups - proactive in their efforts to shutdown the show after already achieving “considerable success in changing the black image in Hollywood movies” (Cripps, 34).
The NAACP ended up leading many protests in 1951 and gained support from “various white liberal groups,” and especially the black middle-class, who “challenged what they took to be a parody of their historical struggle in a hostile society” (Cripps, 41). Nannie Burroughs, who spoke for the middle class, complained of American TV broadcasters, such as CBS, who “characterized blacks as uniformly ignorant, shouting, fighting, rowdy element” (Cripps, 34). Furthermore, the NAACP was infuriated by the overall “caricature” representation of the middle-class through the minor figures on the show. Despite the activists argument, the “actions led by the NAACP caused dissension among black circles” (Cripps, 42).
Therefore, many blacks were against the efforts of the NAACP and were supportive of Amos ‘n’ Andy, especially Black actors who were striving for integration by receiving job opportunities in Hollywood (Cripps, 48). For example, the Council of Negro Performers once threatened to picket the NY NAACP (Cripps, 47).
Furthermore, Cripps expresses many characteristics of the show as fair and unbiased. For example, whites were not allowed to refer to race or notice any principals of blacks. Additionally, the development of most of the characters was left in the hands of the actors, therefore, not forcing them to play a demeaning role.
Overall, the NAACP, black activists and the black middle-class were unsuccessful in casting Amos ‘n’ Andy as an enemy of the entire black world. However, Walter White, a member of the NAACP, was in agreement that the show slandered the black middle-class but still believed that CBS’ program accurately depicted the black lower-classes. Conclusively, it is clear that the overall majority believed that Amos ‘n’ Andy depicted the black lower-class in a negative light.