Mad (Black) Men

[Ice Cold]

Good Day People of the Coli,

Often in this forum we see people talk about the lack of black people in tv shows, movies etc. Well one young man decided to take a different approach.

When Mad Men first premiered on AMC in 2007, Xavier Ruffin — a young, African-American graphic designer from Milwaukee, Wisc. — really wanted to like it.

"I wanted to be a fan of it when it first came out," Ruffin tells NPR's Arun Rath. "I just had my own personal differences. Not liking the way blacks were represented in their universe. I just couldn't get over it."

http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch...es-there-were-black-people-in-60s-advertising

Matt Weiner, the creator of Mad Men, has been criticized for not having more black people on the show. In defense, he's said repeatedly, that's because there were no black people in the advertising business in that era. Last year, he took it further, saying there were still no black people in advertising. Ruffin disagrees.

"There are black people in advertising," he says. "There have been black people in advertising. There isn't a great amount of representation, but we do exist and we are here."

Indeed, some of Ruffin's idols are African-American designers from the 1960s. Like art director Georg Olden, for example. "He actually designed the Clio award [statuette] that Don wins," Ruffin says. "And he won way more than Don ever won."

So show your support guys put your mouse with your mouth is and watch it

 

[Boolean]

I liked it. Bump.

 

[Master Teacher]

never watched this show, but from what I've seen first hand a lot of writers in hollywood are racist
as in they don't believe blacks do anything besides play sports and rap because they never have to deal with black people in their world

 

[jwinfield]

never watched this show, but from what I've seen first hand a lot of writers in hollywood are racist
as in they don't believe blacks do anything besides play sports and rap because they never have to deal with black people in their world

How many black ad execs should be in a show focused on one company set in the 50's 60's?

And black people are in the show.

 

[Master Teacher]

How many black ad execs should be in a show focused on one company set in the 50's 60's?

And black people are in the show.

don't know I don't know anything about, but looking up that Georg Olden guy, he was the truth obviously

plus why are you defending this man's statement he flat out said there are no Black People In Advertisement Today, which is a flat out false statement
and it gives you a window into what he thinks about black people in general

that has nothing to do with his show, so please don't change the subject

 

[Roaden Polynice]

Yikes.

I'm so tired of people bagging on shows because they don't reach some imaginary quota of minorities that they deem acceptable. And it's not even really a legitimate argument to say that you cannot relate to a show because the main character isn't of the same race as you.

I empathize with Betty Draper's loneliness and constant feelings of isolation, and Pete Campbell's never ending quest for masculinity, self-worth and basic value in human relations because they are human emotions that are incredibly well depicted and come off as downright resonant. You empathize with the feelings the characters convey, not their situation. Not many people who watch Mad Men can relate to being a chain smoking 60s housewife or an account executive at a 60s advertising firm. So it's empty to say that you can't relate to the characters because of their situation, you in fact miss the entire goddamn point of the show.

It's so fukking basic, but this is still coming up in discussions about dramatic television shows in 2014

You see in his little 5 minute clip,(and I know, it's 5 minutes) but who the fukk would watch that? A show of witty rejoinders said to white people by a black guy? That's just pure indulgence.

 

[NZA]

good to see pierre edwards in something

i was hoping for something that was more drama than comedy, but i would watch this

 

[Rekkapryde]

was pretty good.

Secretary had some big ass titties....shyt.

 

[Ice Cold]

Yikes.

I'm so tired of people bagging on shows because they don't reach some imaginary quota of minorities that they deem acceptable. And it's not even really a legitimate argument to say that you cannot relate to a show because the main character isn't of the same race as you.

I empathize with Betty Draper's loneliness and constant feelings of isolation, and Pete Campbell's never ending quest for masculinity, self-worth and basic value in human relations because they are human emotions that are incredibly well depicted and come off as downright resonant. You empathize with the feelings the characters convey, not their situation. Not many people who watch Mad Men can relate to being a chain smoking 60s housewife or an account executive at a 60s advertising firm. So it's empty to say that you can't relate to the characters because of their situation, you in fact miss the entire goddamn point of the show.

It's so fukking basic, but this is still coming up in discussions about dramatic television shows in 2014

You see in his little 5 minute clip,(and I know, it's 5 minutes) but who the fukk would watch that? A show of witty rejoinders said to white people by a black guy? That's just pure indulgence.

Let's get something straight by your complete dismissal of this show I'm going to ask you one question: Are you white?
If you aren't white hey I won't even bother arguing with you, but if you are white yeah no kidding you can empathize with the characters if they resemble you. I never watched Mad Men, it doesn't really appeal to me, but for you to try and deride a show because it has too many uppity negros is ridiculous.
This is the problem, there are plenty of downright horrible shows on TV right now, but if a black man comes through with a show that's not what you want it to be it should be thrown in the bushes? Why not give this show time to grow and to become a good show?
You say "pure indulgence" like that's not the conceit of plenty of popular TV shows, what's more indulgent about this then two guys road tripping across america and killing people and monsters (supernatural), two waitress having ridiculous adventures (2 broke girls), or a ex-cia hitman who uses an algorithm to prevent crime or some crap (Person of Interest)?
This guy is doing something constructive instead of just criticizing, why don't you do the same?

 

[Czerka]

don't know I don't know anything about, but looking up that Georg Olden guy, he was the truth obviously

plus why are you defending this man's statement he flat out said there are no Black People In Advertisement Today, which is a flat out false statement
and it gives you a window into what he thinks about black people in general

you taking his statement way out of context

do you think he LITERALLY meant there are 0 black people working in the industry?

"There are still no black people in advertising," said Mr. Weiner, who was interviewed by author A.M. Homes Sept. 27 at the New Museum as part of itsVisionaries Series. "Advertising in particular is still not integrated."

The even more unfortunate truth, he said, is that advertising remains a white person's world today. "Those African-Americans who are in the halls of these -- now there are two agencies in the world, I think, they've merged so much -- they are pioneers," he said.

i don't know anything about the advertising industry, but i wouldnt be surprised if that's true.

 

[jwinfield]

you taking his statement way out of context

do you think he LITERALLY meant there are 0 black people working in the industry?



i don't know anything about the advertising industry, but i wouldnt be surprised if that's true.

Yup.

And the issues of race and gender have been discussed on the show

People that haven't watched it think it's a show about rich white people having fun not dealing with minorities

 

[Roaden Polynice]

Let's get something straight by your complete dismissal of this show I'm going to ask you one question: Are you white?
If you aren't white hey I won't even bother arguing with you, but if you are white yeah no kidding you can empathize with the characters if they resemble you. I never watched Mad Men, it doesn't really appeal to me, but for you to try and deride a show because it has too many uppity negros is ridiculous.
This is the problem, there are plenty of downright horrible shows on TV right now, but if a black man comes through with a show that's not what you want it to be it should be thrown in the bushes? Why not give this show time to grow and to become a good show?
You say "pure indulgence" like that's not the conceit of plenty of popular TV shows, what's more indulgent about this then two guys road tripping across america and killing people and monsters (supernatural), two waitress having ridiculous adventures (2 broke girls), or a ex-cia hitman who uses an algorithm to prevent crime or some crap (Person of Interest)?
This guy is doing something constructive instead of just criticizing, why don't you do the same?

You missed my point breh.

My point is that NO ONE can relate to mad men on a situational level i.e. a bunch of white dudes in a 1960s advertising firm, perhaps some guys can say they relate to being in the office at a corporate level but then again I don't know many white corporate people and their tv watching preferences but I'd reckon those people are few and far between.

So you can basically throw out any argument for any piece of narrative fiction that goes along the lines of not being able to relate to a character because of their individual situation. Mad Men is resonant because the characters are incredibly well written and delves into feelings that most people can empathize with regardless of race.

And I'm not writing off Mad Black Men because it's a bunch of uppity negros that are talking back to white people, I'm writing it off because in that 5 minute clip it was just straight up shytty dialogue and writing. When I was talking about indulgence most novice writers write themselves as characters and put a bunch of dialogue that they themselves would have said or that they thought was cool which is straight up amateur hour and makes for shytty television in general, let alone drama.

Now I'm not saying that there isn't television that isn't indulgent that aren't successful or popular. There are plenty, just recognize that they aren't good, which is fine. There are plenty of spaces for mediocrity and nonsense and it's OK to enjoy that, just recognize that that is what you're watching. (Which I'm not sure what Mad Black Men is going for. Again, it is five minutes but is it a spoof? A dramedy? A comedy? It would work better as a skit but the dude said he's already written 5 seasons of it so I dunno )

 

[Master Teacher]

you taking his statement way out of context

do you think he LITERALLY meant there are 0 black people working in the industry?



i don't know anything about the advertising industry, but i wouldnt be surprised if that's true.

How I'm taking anything out of context when why you posted is even in the article the OP posted
I'll reread it again to check, nope. IF that's from somewhere else just say it's from somewhere else where it completes the statement
still doesn't change my statement in my first post.

 

[Czerka]

Delete

 

[Czerka]

How I'm taking anything out of context when why you posted is even in the article the OP posted
I'll reread it again to check, nope. IF that's from somewhere else just say it's from somewhere else where it completes the statement
still doesn't change my statement in my first post.

Your post was criticizing Weiner for suggesting that there are zero people in advertising which is clearly not what he meant. He was simply lamenting the lack of diversity in advertising. Nothing he said was controversial