Roles that Women Play in Various Culture

In this module, we will consider how particular groups are represented, in particular, gender, race/ethnicity and class.
Questions to ask:
What sort of attention is paid to the roles that the women play in culture, or in the world of work compared to the roles of the male characters? What are their attitudes towards and experiences with people of other races, ethnicities or religion? Are all the characters of the same class? What sorts of signifiers of their class do they present? Does the show provide realistic markers of class for each character? Are there contradictions between what the characters say, and how the show portrays them?
Although we will delve further into these questions in a later module, you may also ask: What attitudes do the characters have or display towards LBGT+ issues? Is there a significant emphasis on spending time with the elderly? How does it treat the disabled?
One episode to consider is Friends, “5 Steaks and an Eggplant.” Please find and watch this episode, or if you cannot, find an episode description or transcript online.
Friends is what is called a hangout sitcom. This subgenre effectively did not exist before 1989 when Seinfeld, and then shows like Girlfriends (1993) and Friends (1994) brought us shows about groups of people who neither worked together, nor were related. Some people consider these family sitcoms, but families can fight, but (at least on TV) stick together because of family bonds. These people stay together by choice.
In Friends, you may notice that the men and the women both work. That is different from many of the earlier situation comedies or some current family situation comedies in which the women are primarily housewives. Yet, do these characters demonstrate a realistic picture of how work is part of people’s lives? Do they seem to live according to their means?
You might notice, for example, that Monica, who has new clothes in every episode, lives in an extremely nice two bedroom apartment in New York City. In the early episodes, she works as an assistant chef, not at all a well paying job, and one that in real life requires tremendous amounts of time at work. Yet, she rarely seems worried about money, has, like the rest of the characters, seemingly unlimited time to hang out at the coffee house with her friends, and typically has a cup of cappuccino or a pastry in front of her. The characters occasionally spend time with their families, but not a great deal of it. They spend a lot of time hanging out with each other, sometimes going to restaurants, the movies, or shopping, and rarely seem to read, volunteer, or participate in political discussions or action, even Phoebe who, at first glance, would seem to lean that way.
This is only my analysis of “The One With Five Steaks and an Eggplant.” You may disagree with me. One of the things about cultural studies is that there is no right answer:

1. Friendship is extremely important to these characters. They spend lots of time together, and tend to do things as a large group. It is unusual for part of the group to do anything without inviting the rest. In this episode, they celebrate each others birthdays and successes. A message is that friends matter over all other factors and that betraying your friends is a terrible thing to do.
2. Amusing themselves is very important to the characters. For some of the characters in this episode, amusement is too costly. This differs from nearly every other episode in the series, in which money simply is not an issue. As Colorado State University professor Naomi Rockler states in her article, “Be Your Own Windkeeper”: “Friends,” Feminism, and Rhetorical Strategies of Depoliticization: This episode is unusual in the sitcom genre because, at least to some degree, it addresses economic disparities and does not anoint its characters with unlimited spending power. However, these economic issues are presented exclusively in the context of social life dilemmas, as the activities the friends cannot afford include expensive dinners and Hootie and the Blowfish tickets, as opposed to utilities or basic food. One of the more realistic treatments in this episode is about work. Monica receives steaks as a “bribe” as part of her promotion, but loses her job because that’s against the rules. This suggests that there are rules of capitalism that may trump other sorts of rules, like that of friendship or loyalty. What is this episode saying about money? About social class? About work?
3. Unlike other episodes, the characters are all single in this one. Although romantic love is extremely important in many episodes, in this episode only casual relationships—both Jade and “The Blowfish” who gave Monica a hickey—are emphasized. Casual sex is completely accepted among the characters in this episode. No one feels that Jade is being taken advantage of, including Jade. What else is this episode saying about love and sex?
   After reading all this you may say, “Well, so what?” The ‘so what’ is that when we view similar messages over and over they start to become naturalized. We wonder why we don’t have as much time to hang out with friends when we’re working or in school or both. Some viewers may feel dissatisfied that we aren’t as slender as those characters, or dressed as well, even thought they seem “just like us” in many ways. We may observe that younger people have a more casual attitude toward casual sex than much older generations, perhaps because on TV (and in other media), it is presented with so few consequences.
   Works Consulted:
   Rockler N. R. (2006). “Be Your Own Windkeeper”: “Friends,” Feminism, and Rhetorical Strategies of Depoliticization. Women’s Studies in Communication, 29(2), 244-264.

M4.1 Discussion: Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Class on Television

Watch a situation comedy that includes at least one adult working woman in a major role (housework or office or other types of work all can count as work). Consult Bianculli on Family Sitcoms, Workplace Sitcoms, Splitcoms, or Single Working Women Sitcoms.
Here are some good specific choices of classic sitcom episodes that say something about race, class, or gender:
● The Honeymooners, “A Woman’s Work is Never Done”
● Mary Tyler Moore “Love is All Around”
● Seinfeld “The Cigar Store Indian”
● Friends “The One With Five Steaks and an Eggplant”
● All in the Family “Meet the Bunkers”
● The Jeffersons “A Friend in Need”
● The Simpsons “Scenes from the Class Struggle”
● black-ish “Pilot”
After you watch, complete the following for your initiating post:

1. Explain which episodes of which shows you watched, and briefly outline the plot.
2. Please quote and correctly cite the assigned Mittell or Bianculli readings in at least one of your postings.
3. Find a critical online essay from the ESC Library on gender, race, or class and a specific show or genre—and incorporate that into one of your posts. [Link to it using a permanent link. Make sure it opens in a new window.]
   You should be examining the various ways American culture is represented and reflected on television. You may also wish to bring current shows into your analyses, but do not neglect the older shows.
   Avoid using attachments in discussion areas; copy and paste if needed, but always cite your references and/or properly (hyper)link any online resources when appropriate.
   In at least one of your posts, you must incorporate at least one quote from each of the assigned textbooks reading and cite them correctly.
   Refer back to the M4 Content Guides for additional information.
   You may only reply in this discussion, you cannot start a new discussion. Read the earlier part of the discussion and then respond in a way that continues the conversation (so don’t just repeat what everyone else said). Please participate at least three times in this discussion (once to respond to the question, at least twice to respond to another student).
   If you want to talk about something more general about TV, post it in the “What are You Watching?” area that is open all term at the top of the page. We can use that space for more conversation.

1.Write initial response to this prompt 300 words cite a source

2. Respond to my two classmates below 150 words each try to cite a source

The show I chose for this discussion is All in the Family. In my opinion, one of the most controversial shows of all times and the fact that it aired in the 70’s has always astounded me. In fact, Larry Wilmore who wrote for shows such as the Daily Show and the Nightly Show on Comedy Central and is also a professor at Rowan University says, “There are things on All in the Family you couldn’t say on television today”. He states that many of his students are “surprised All in the Family existed at all, much less in the 1970s.” (Bianculli 274).
I have to admit, I pay very little attention to writers, producers, and actors names so it surprised me to learn that Norman Lear was the writer/creator for so many of the more controversial shows. He talks about how he became a TV writer when there was no such thing as a TV writer, Lear and Ed Simmons just kind of created the idea or title of “TV Writers” (Bianculli 288). Lear’s sitcoms such as All in the Family, Sanford and Sons, Maude, and The Jeffersons pushed liberal values, examined minority perspectives, and gave voice lifestyles and concerns that had never before been depicted on TV. (Bianculli 289)
Nielson ratings is the important audience measurement system that networks use to decide programming and respond to new conceptions of the audience. There was a large shift in the late 1960’s and CBS gambled big by cancelling shows such as Hee Haw and Green Acres to move to more controversial and risky shows such as All in the Family and The Mary Tyler Moore Show and it paid off (Mittell 82).
The pilot episode of All in the Family introduces to us to the working-class Bunker family in Queens. We meet Archie, the patriarch, who is a cankerous, loudmouth bigot and his wife Edith who is sweet, ditzy, and much more loving person. We also meet their daughter Gloria and her husband Michael who are living with there while Michael finishes college. They are both very liberal and bump heads with Archie. Gloria comes across as kind of whiny and Mike, who is well meaning, is just as hardheaded as Archie and argues with him constantly.
We also meet the next-door neighbor Lionel who happens to be black and is fixing Archies TV. He does odd jobs for money to earn money to go to school to become an electrical engineer. Archie thinks he is doing Lionel a favor by paying him for odd jobs, but throughout the episode he is very demeaning to Lionel and other people of color in general. In fact, Lionel says “Lectrical Engineer” in a very stereotypical accent because it makes Archie laugh. Mike and Gloria ask him why he does it to which he responds, “it’s just how it is”.
During the episode Archie refers to blacks as “Spades”, Hispanics as “Spics” and Mike, who is Polish as a “Polock”. In fact, the show ran a warning before each episode was aired to warn viewers about the controversial topics and conversations that would occur on the show. The warning said the sitcom “Seeks to throw a humorous spotlight on our frailties, prejudices, and concerns. By making them a source of laughter we hope to show, in a mature fashion, just how absurd they are.” (Bianculli 270). That warning sums up what the show was trying to do with its hot topics and racially charged conversations. Carroll O’ Connor who played Archie, was credited for giving Archie “such a lovable core which diffused, if not excused, some of the abrasive things he would say or do.” (Bianculli 273).
During one of the arguments between Archie and Mike, Archie feels he is above most colored people because he worked hard to get to where he was and earned everything he had. He feels most people of color are poor because they are lazy and do not want to work their way out to a better place in life. Mike tries to get Archie to see that for the most part, they did not have the same options available to them in order to earn a more successful life. Basically, what Mike is doing, is talking about white privilege. I will post a link to an essay that I read by Peggy McIntosh from 1989 called “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”. I feel this really hits home about what white privilege is and how most whites do not even understand that they have hidden privileges and advantages to them just for being white. It is really something to think about, and this show in the 1970’s was addressing the issue of white privilege before it was a “thing”. Archie was a white male, so had many privileges to him that women and minorities did not. I love that Edith mentions his cousin got him his job, she is great for sly quiet comments that are actually jabs at Archie. Along this line, white women still do not have as many advantages as white males. I bought a house last year on my own and my stepmom who is in her 70’s mentioned how when she was younger, she could not buy a house without a husband or father to sign with her – it is hard to believe that a mere 50 years ago that was still an issue. Today, many minorities still have a harder time getting mortgages and business loans even with loans geared towards minorities, crazy to think about.
I love that All in the Family addressed these issues and other shows addressed issues such as women’s rights, gender issues, and sexuality as well as race and ethnicity. TV has a lot of sway in the general cultural movement. Sitcoms can address these issues with subtle (or sometimes not subtle) comedic situations that make people think, and more importantly, get people talking. Television and culture go hand in hand, not only depicting current views and trends, but often times setting new ones. Do you think that these shows achieve the goal they are trying to reach?
Mittell, Jason. Television and American Culture. New York, Oxford University Press, 2010.
Bianculli, David. The Platinum Age of Television. New York, Doubleday, 2016.
Mcintosh, P. “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”. Peace and Freedom. July/August 1989. https://psychology.umbc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2016/10/White-Privilege_McIntosh-1989.pdf

Person 2

Jada
Blackish
I watched the show Blackish season 1, episode 1. The plot of the show started with Andre who is an advertising executive looking forward to receiving a promotion. Hes looking to be promoted to be the first black senior vice president of the advertising company. His son Andre Jr is going through some changes, he wants to change his religion and culture. Dre tries to educate his son about African American heritage so he can embrace it. Overall Black-Ish is a charming sitcom with interesting characters played by talented actors and skillful writing that has the potential to be one of the best diverse comedies. In my opinion, Blackish isn’t crude or offensive and it knows how to poke fun at stereotypes. According to ‘’The Platinum Age of Television’ ’Bianculli states” Being an actor is a job that always changes and demands you flex different muscles on different days.’’ (Bianculli) To me this statement shows me how talented actors shape themselves to play such diverse roles. Some actors may be intimidated by such roles because its different from the normal. Another great quote from the book was “Over the decades the television I’ve enjoyed the most, has rewarded me in other ways as well.’’ (Bianculli) I want to further talk about this quote because it stood out to me. Some people only watch television as entertainment, and then some people learn from it. I think what Bianculli meant in this statement was that Tv has taught him life lessons, Tv was able to be a learning experience and not just 4entertainment. Shows like ‘’Blackish’’ are meant to be entertaining while teaching life lessons. To bring light to African American family and heritage. The essay that I read was titled “Black Comedy in Society” Comedies are not based on words on a paper, it’s based off who says those words.’ (Rose) I agree with that statement 100% because words can be funny, but I think it’s really the character who makes the joke funny. Which goes with my previous statement about actors/actresses shaping themselves to become the role.

Bianculli, David. The Platinum Age of Television: From I Love Lucy to The Walking Dead, How TO Become Terrific. 2016.
Rose, Zelan. “Black Comedy In Society.” Television in Society (2021).