No, I'm not targeting "South Park" nor any animated programming aimed towards adults.

Nor cartoons from the 1940's like "Herr Meets Hare", a WWII Bugs Bunny cartoon, & Bob Clampett's infamous Snow White parody.

Recently, I watched a couple episodes of "The Proud Family" , and it featured many stereotypes of Asians, Hispanics, whites, blacks, etc. that I've haven't seen in current children'sprogramming.

Especially the snobbish Hispanic girl & her father who's a bigger stereotype than Speedy Gonzales, which was banned from Cartoon Network some time ago.



Unlike the hispanic character on "Proud Family", Speedy was quick, smart, and not lazy.

http://www.rateitall.com/i-25046-proud-family.aspx


More about the show...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0293737/

What's your opinion.  Good or bad?


IMO, it's a dumb topic, but I'm confused that this show is on air and the classic WWII & Speedy cartoons are shelved.

They should be viewed for historical purposes in it's proper context & late night for animation fans, historians, and mature audiences.

But for "The Proud Family", I surprised that the FCC, NAACP, etc. didn't sue the Disney Channel.


BTW, I'm a fan of "South Park" &  don't discriminate against any race, culture, religion, etc.  IMO, the best & only thing to do is switch the channel if "The Proud Family"  is on.

I have never seen "The Proud Family," but I don't doubt the stereotypes.  Stereotypes--whether positive or negative--are the province of television.  Why stereotypes?  Because they're simple and predictable.  The entire driving force behind television is to sell you things.  The complexity of thought it takes to confront a non-stereotypical world happens to be hazardous to the consumer impulse. 
Before I would complain about "Proud" or any other program, I would confront television commercials.  The stereotypes and prejudices in the programming are nowhere near as destructive as the the messages imparted to the viewer by commercials--especially to children.

I have never seen "The Proud Family," but I don't doubt the stereotypes.  Stereotypes--whether positive or negative--are the province of television.  Why stereotypes?  Because they're simple and predictable.  The entire driving force behind television is to sell you things.  The complexity of thought it takes to confront a non-stereotypical world happens to be hazardous to the consumer impulse. 
Before I would complain about "Proud" or any other program, I would confront television commercials.  The stereotypes and prejudices in the programming are nowhere near as destructive as the the messages imparted to the viewer by commercials--especially to children.


As long as people try to shove this "embrace diversity" crap down our throats, you can expext stereotyping to flourish and even grow.

The concept of America as a "melting pot" means that ethnic cultures must blend into a unique "American Culture".  Ethnic groups that self-segregate, and in some cases, that statistiucally embrace criminality and lack of commitment to the nuclear family, bring on stereotyping collectively.  And statistically we can show this in America today.

In 2004, it is MUCH LESS COMMON to hear of people stereotyping Italians, Poles, Slovaks, etc (immigrant groups of the early 1900's), because these ethnic groups worked hard to ASSIMILATE into the collective American culture.  But "some" ethnic groups today want you to think that assimilation is somehow "bad".  And so the stereotypes are fed and individuals suffer.

than Speedy Gonzales, which was banned from Cartoon Network some time ago.




Thats about the most idiotic thing i've ever heard.

Oh jesus. It's a fricking kids cartoon. Kids are not going to understand the concept of stereotyping or anything. They just want to be entertained. ::)

I approve of this show much more than some other Disney stuff, like the Tar Baby cartoons or the book aimed at children where they refer to African Americans as n*****s. :P

As long as people try to shove this "embrace diversity" crap down our throats, you can expext stereotyping to flourish and even grow.

The concept of America as a "melting pot" means that ethnic cultures must blend into a unique "American Culture".  Ethnic groups that self-segregate, and in some cases, that statistiucally embrace criminality and lack of commitment to the nuclear family, bring on stereotyping collectively.  And statistically we can show this in America today.

In 2004, it is MUCH LESS COMMON to hear of people stereotyping Italians, Poles, Slovaks, etc (immigrant groups of the early 1900's), because these ethnic groups worked hard to ASSIMILATE into the collective American culture.  But "some" ethnic groups today want you to think that assimilation is somehow "bad".  And so the stereotypes are fed and individuals suffer.

European immigrants in the 19th and early 20th centuries were exploited for cheap labor and nobody gave a d#mn about their "assimilation."  The upper classes wanted them out of sight and the working class "Nativists" wanted them to go home.
These Irish, Italian, Poles, Slovaks, and what have you, held their heritages close.  It was all they had. 
The difference today is economic.  Bilingual education, for instance, is blamed for later academic failures and consequent occupational failures of children who speak a language other than English first.  Well, in the old days, academic success was not required or even expected of the "lower classes."  There were plenty of jobs were one could earn a living and support a family without much literacy at all. Not true today.  Thus, the concern itself for literacy and language skills is well placed.
What bugs me is the way the right-wing frames the issue.  They blame teachers, parents, and pop culture, and never the decimation of the blue collar economy.  Right now, even white collar jobs are being outsourced.  The same fascist bosses are now telling us that outsourcing is no big deal.  But I digress.
African Americans are not immigrants.  The only ethnic group with a longer history in New York is the Dutch.  The American southwest was Spanish-speaking Mexico for longer than it has been English-speaking United States.
Both African Americans and Mexicans/Mexican-Americans have suffered racist economic exploitation by the agricultural and industrial powers of the U.S. for hundreds of years.  The exploitation continues today.
The origins of all the ethnic stereotypes you see in the media come from the white establishment.  Stereotypes were a useful tool in reducing the humanity of the exploited.  The lazy Mexican on siesta, the big black mammy maid, and the sage Chinaman all had their role in normalizing the economic hierarchy.
Stereotypes are now packaged and sold to kids, particularly as violent and misogynist hip-hop culture.  Conservatives bemoan this phenomenon.  But who is selling it?  Multinational mega-corporations.  Pat Buchanan, Bill O'Reilly, and Bill Cosby all make a killing off dividends from corporate investments.  If they want me to take their complaints seriously, let 'em pull out of the Wall Street game first.

Thats about the most idiotic thing i've ever heard.
I heard they wound up bringing Speedy Gonzalez back, because there was a huge outcry from the Hispanic community who LOVE Speedy Gonzalez.

I have never seen the Proud Family so I really can't comment. There was one children's show that discussed diverisity which I thought was great was the Puzzle Place. There were six charactors- black, Asian-American, Native-American, Jewish, Hispanic, and of course white. They celebrated their differences as well as their similarities. There was one episode where they were talking about their eyes and how they were different. They realize that they weren't "wrong" just different. And all these charactors were looking at each other's eyes. I just thought it was great.



Cat

I'm not a fan of the show, but my daughter and I have watched it a few times.

You asked why the NAACP did not get involved, I would think that since the show was created by an African-American man and the majority of the people doing voices are also African-American (as well as other ethnicities) makes a big difference, it not like it's a bunch of white guys trying to sound Asian, Black, Hispanic or whatever.  Does that make any sense?

I'm not a fan of the show, but my daughter and I have watched it a few times.

You asked why the NAACP did not get involved, I would think that since the show was created by an African-American man and the majority of the people doing voices are also African-American (as well as other ethnicities) makes a big difference, it not like it's a bunch of white guys trying to sound Asian, Black, Hispanic or whatever.  Does that make any sense?


It does make sense.   :)

IMO, most of the WWII & other stereotypical cartoons (except "Speedy Gonzales", which I don't have a problem with) are far worse than most seen on "The Proud Family" and even  "South Park" & "The Family Guy".

Like many stereotypes that are nolonger acceptable like  shown in many cartoons from the '30's & '40's, especially from the infamous 'Censored 11', which were 11 banned Warner Bros. cartoons that were banned in 1968 that dealt with African American stereotypes like "All This & Rabbit Stew" & the mentioned "Snow White' parody. (The title itself is also too offensive).

Though I still think some of the content is a bit too "over the top" for a kids' show that would be more suited for a show aimed at teens & adults like "Mad TV" & "South Park".








I heard they wound up bringing Speedy Gonzalez back, because there was a huge outcry from the Hispanic community who LOVE Speedy Gonzalez.


True, but unfortunately, The Cartoon Network hardly airs Looney Tunes for a bunch of their current programming  like "Powerpuff Girls". And an occasional Scooby Doo or Tom & Jerry, which ironically still features a stereotypical maid, but those cartoons were done in the 1940's & 1950's. When segregation & discrimination was common. It's a reminder of what times were like. And how times have changed since then.

IMO, I think Looney Tunes are now shown on Boomerang.

BTW, I'm not a animation historian nor fan, but "Looney Tunes" should be looked as classic films & tv shows not just "kids' programming

Plus, some should be un-cut & viewed in it's proper historical context for fans, historians, and mature audiences.

Though I still think some of the content is a bit too "over the top" for a kids' show that would be more suited for a show aimed at teens & adults like "Mad TV" & "South Park".


I did notice that they show it later in the day, about 5-ish.  I agree about the content and that small children should probably not watch it, but then again I think Spongebob is more of an adult cartoon.  My three year old loves it, but half of the jokes she just doesn't understand.

Dumb news...Disney canned "The Proud Family" for complaints of the show being racist.  :P  >:(

Source: this thread from another board that was posted on TV Tome

http://www.sitcomsonline/boards/showthread.php?s=&threadid=120664


Has politically correctness gone overboard?


Atleast Boomerang probably air a couple Speedy Gonzales, who I have nothing against since I'm Hispanic myself, on their Looney Tunes block.

Didn't you want Disney to can the Proud Family? How is it dumb news? One hand you say it's stereotyping and on the other hand you mention political correctness going overboard?

I'm trying to figure out why the Hispanic/Latino community admires Speedy Gonzales. He is a major stereotype, not something to be admired for.




As long as people try to shove this "embrace diversity" crap down our throats, you can expext stereotyping to flourish and even grow.

The concept of America as a "melting pot" means that ethnic cultures must blend into a unique "American Culture". Ethnic groups that self-segregate, and in some cases, that statistiucally embrace criminality and lack of commitment to the nuclear family, bring on stereotyping collectively. And statistically we can show this in America today.

In 2004, it is MUCH LESS COMMON to hear of people stereotyping Italians, Poles, Slovaks, etc (immigrant groups of the early 1900's), because these ethnic groups worked hard to ASSIMILATE into the collective American culture. But "some" ethnic groups today want you to think that assimilation is somehow "bad". And so the stereotypes are fed and individuals suffer.


How unfortunate that you think these way. Oh, by the way, I guess your ears were closed to the Polish jokes always said, the complaints from Italian-American groups regarding "The Sopranos", etc.

Stereotyping stem from those that, instead of acknowledging their ignorance of various groups, "create" generalizations of groups. Generalizations, much like your statement, " statistically embrace criminality and lack of commitment to the nuclear family".