Even today in the American prime time television, minorities
still tend to be typecast in stereotypical manner if they appear in those shows at all. In an average cast of characters
of European descent, minorities are rare or one is added to add “diversity” to
the show. In those Caucasian-character driven shows, African-Americans are most
commonly still depicted as the comic relief while Indian-Americans are often portrayed
as academically intelligent, can only speak English with a heavy accent and are
destined to be controlled by their Indian culture. Both typecasts are “token”
minorities who generally accept their roles as underdogs within the shows. According
to Marxist thinker Antonio Gramsci, this would be an example of cultural hegemony: The lower class of a
society accepts its position that the upper class dictates. Since the general
protagonist in American television is still the white male, the minorities in
those shows do not have the same status or power but accept these situations
anyway. By comparing two current top-rated prime time TV shows, viewers can see
whether that racial stereotyping is a continuing factor or if it is being
finally being put to the test by one of Big Three Networks: ABC.
Credit: Screenshot
from CBS’ sitcom The Big Bang Theory
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Big_Bang_Theory_main_characters.png
In America, prime time TV is considered 8:00PM to 11:00PM. As
of May 4th, 2012, Amanda Kondolojy of website TV By The Numbers, the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory was rated number #1 of Thursday night prime
time viewing, even beating out FOX’s ever-popular American Idol: http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/05/04/tv-ratings-thursdaybig-bang-theory-wins-night-as-all-cbs-shows-rise-american-idol-down-the-office-parks-and-recreation-up-awake-missing-hit-series-lows/132416/:
Time
|
Net
|
Show
|
18-49 Rating/Sh
|
Viewers (Millions)
|
8:00
|
CBS
|
4.7/16
|
13.91
|
|
FOX
|
4.0/13
|
15.56
|
||
NBC
|
1.4/5
|
3.20
|
||
ABC
|
1.2/4
|
6.32
|
||
CW
|
1.2/4
|
2.54
|
The Big Bang Theory
first aired in the fall of 2007 and has had no season breaks. The famous/infamous
Chuck Lorre co-wrote and co-produced the show with Bill Prady and Steven
Molaro. Coincidentally, Lorre is the same writer of Two and a Half Men, another
popular show that is fueled with character lines that are filled with sexist, ageist
and racist remarks.
In The Big Bang Theory,
the minority character Rajesh “Raj” Ramayan Koothrappali is an Indian-born astrophysicist
working at the California Institute of
Technology with three other scientists: Sheldon Cooper, Leonard Hofstadter,
and Howard Wolowitz. Though all of them are in their late 20’s and
hyper-intelligent in the fields of their specific sciences, they are so
socially awkward that they only hang out together, thus having to endure each
others' idiosyncrasies which drives the humor of the show.
"Sheldon" believes he knows everything because of his high IQ
level but cannot grasp empathy or social graces. "Leonard" is more realistic
about social norms but has low self-esteem and tends to over-analyze even simple
situations. "Howard" is an engineer who is driven to please his live-in mother
while simultaneously scheming to obtain women for sex. They all realize they
are nerds, who enjoy playing “Halo”
on Wednesdays, paintball on weekends and always collecting comic books, but generally
dismiss outsiders who do not share their similar pastimes or analytical reasoning.
Since they still need four people to play different games in an evenly numbered
fashion, Sheldon considers them to be a “group” that needs to be made up of
four members. Thus, co-worker and fellow nerd “Raj” is accepted into their fold
to fill the 4th spot, and, according to Sheldon, he adds “diversity”
to their group because “Raj” is a minority. And because “Raj” is a friendless scientist
who appreciates the same activities and thinks he has no other options, he accepts
his position in the “group” hierarchy.
“Raj” is not American born or Caucasian like the other three
characters of the "group". In The Big Bang
Theory, “Raj” is typecast the stereotypical Asian-Indian man who is intelligent,
educated and has successfully immigrated to the United States but has a heavy
accent and mixed feelings about both cultures. Additionally, the writers of The Big Bang Theory gave his character a
serious psychosomatic ailment of “selective mutism”: He cannot talk to women
outside his family unless he believes he’s intoxicated. This is an effective
way of silencing the only minority of the cast while everyone else is able to socialize
freely when women are around. And though they do rib each other over their eccentric
mannerisms and peculiar family members, it is “Raj” whom they pick on about his
Indian race.
Credit: Promo photo from CBS’
sitcom The Big Bang Theory http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRTQIkZfstqI0Vh9rGkwt6aO3Lv04MhGl6yZVqU3yNCKPcHF6nMzvCT0mF8
"Sheldon", the self-proclaimed ringleader of the group and and expert of knowledge in all things also happens to believe he knows more about
Indian culture than “Raj” himself. "Sheldon" is quick to point out any discrepancies
to “Raj”, even while “Raj” is arguing with his Indian parents in a live SKYPE conversation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSZP8qOGTJ8&feature=related
(begin at 1:13, end at 1:58)
"Howard", who is supposedly “Raj’s” best friend, openly mocks “Raj’s”
culture whenever there is an opportunity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROLoRLkKLno (begin at 0:13) and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQbfqfl3of4
(begin at 0:18)
“Raj” openly tells the group when he is offended by their
remarks, but he is largely ignored and an apology rarely offered. And though “Raj”
knows he is too often the “scapegoat”, he continues to accept his place as “the 4th wheel” of the group. He is caught between a rock and hard spot,
because until he changes his race and his own heritage, he will
never become part of the ruling class, even in this world of nerds.
The character “Raj” remains the victim of cultural hegemony because
the majority, his academic working world and Caucasian colleagues, have predetermined
that he is still only a second-class citizen because of his race. By Hollywood standards,
he fits the bill perfectly by being a man of color and new to American
culture; and thus, he is the focus of ridicule. Though “Raj” is financially
stable and an accomplished adult in his field of astrophysics, he will never reach an
equal status with his American-born character counterparts as long as Hollywood
writers and producers continue to perpetuate racial stereotypes in their
programming.
The Big Bang Theory show details are cited from Wikipedia.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Bang_Theory
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