FORD-Discussion Question

Ford’s study mentions that stereotypical black television characters are more common on black sitcoms than on multi-racial shows. Why would African American sitcoms be MORE stereotypical and play into racial stereotypes? Ford discusses how humor may serve to “create a tolerance of discrimination by providing cues that discrimination is not serious or is not to be examined critically.” However, Ford believes that this portrayal of social outgroups is a message directed at whites. How then, do we explain the sitcoms with stereotypes that are directed at African American audiences? Are these stereotypes purely meant to be appreciated for their humor, and they only have negative effects when the viewer does not have a real life contradictory example to set off the stereotype? What would Ford’s study be like if he did it with black participants—would their interpretations of Tyrone’s and Todd’s guilt be affected by the stereotypical skits or would they be immune to the skits’ influences? Because the skits are jokes that they have real life contrary evidence against, would they not be affected by it? Are the representations only influential if you don’t know any black people in real life and it’s your only basis?