[Guest*]

Did anyone see Bernie Mac last night? It was HORRIBLE.

Basically, Bernie was away and the kids weren't listenting to their aunt. He gave her a belt to use!!! She never hit them, but flung the belt around and snapped it to instill FEAR in the kids. Then they were obedient...

I stopped watching after that. I'm HOPING by the end they all learned that fear and hitting with belts is not a good way to raise children. Doubt it though.

 

[Greenie]

Eeh, this is why I don't watch TV. I don't think that Bernie Mac is funny, either. Me loves me some Arrested Develeopment, though!!

 

[paquerette]

I watched a few episodes of that show when it first came out and I thought it was horrible the way he treats those kids.

 

[sparkprincess]

Ugh. That's terrible! I cannot stand to see punishment even hinted at on TV (well, anywhere really).

 

[carla72]

saw it uggg shut it off.

 

[boomingranny]

not to condone anything but there IS a cultural context that you're missing here...and a certain humor

 

[sugarbeth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlpolzin I'm HOPING by the end they all learned that fear and hitting with belts is not a good way to raise children. Doubt it though.

Actually, that's pretty much how it ended.

 

[shayinme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boomingranny not to condone anything but there IS a cultural context that you're missing here...and a certain humor

ITA. I'm black and for me its a show that resonates deeply with the way my family was growing up. I think if you watch the show not seeing that cultural piece its easy to be really shocked. Like Boomingranny, I am not condoning anything but speaking from my experience.

Shay

 

[Kathryn]

I loathe that show. I even change it when the commercial for it comes on. I hate it. I understand it is a cultural thing, but I still hate it and think it's terrible for it to be on TV

 

[hhurd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boomingranny not to condone anything but there IS a cultural context that you're missing here...and a certain humor

Humor often stems from uncomfortable subjects.

 

[christiab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kathryn I loathe that show. I even change it when the commercial for it comes on. I hate it. I understand it is a cultural thing, but I still hate it and think it's terrible for it to be on TV

Ditto to the PPs about it being a cultural thing. I remember growing up and seeing all the grandmas and moms walking around at church w/ switches (tree branches/twigs for ya'll that don't speak Southern). The mere threat of actually using them was enough to keep most kids in line.

As far as the idea of fear being used to keep kids in line, for Black kids in the South, this could be the difference between life and death. Remember Emmett Till? You either listened to your parents when they told you how to act around White folks or you could potentially bring violence and hardship to your family. There was no room for "free thinking." Free thinkers had the Klan show up at their door.

I am raising my son w/ GD, but I understand where I came from and why things were the way they were. Bernie Mac is funny to me, because I can suspend reality while watching TV. I can also understand where he's coming from and how that can be perceived (by some) as an act of love. Particularly by those who haven't been exposed to any other way.

 

[shayinme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by christiab Ditto to the PPs about it being a cultural thing. I remember growing up and seeing all the grandmas and moms walking around at church w/ switches (tree branches/twigs for ya'll that don't speak Southern). The mere threat of actually using them was enough to keep most kids in line. As far as the idea of fear being used to keep kids in line, for Black kids in the South, this could be the difference between life and death. Remember Emmett Till? You either listened to your parents when they told you how to act around White folks or you could potentially bring violence and hardship to your family. There was no room for "free thinking." Free thinkers had the Klan show up at their door. I am raising my son w/ GD, but I understand where I came from and why things were the way they were. Bernie Mac is funny to me, because I can suspend reality while watching TV. I can also understand where he's coming from and how that can be perceived (by some) as an act of love. Particularly by those who haven't been exposed to any other way.

: You said exactly what I was trying/wanting to say earlier. To some degree it is not possible to disconnect from the cultural context even in this time and day.

Shay

 

[boomingranny]

It's ez to criticize when you're on the outside, but there's a rich history and I for one find the show funny. If you listen to Bill Cosby's old stuff you could make the same critique (which is pretty ironic).

 

[Kathryn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boomingranny It's ez to criticize when you're on the outside, but there's a rich history and I for one find the show funny. If you listen to Bill Cosby's old stuff you could make the same critique (which is pretty ironic).

I've never enjoyed the parenting part of Bill Cosby's stuff either.

 

[newmommy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kathryn I've never enjoyed the parenting part of Bill Cosby's stuff either.

Really, why not? I thought his discipline style was "talking" to his kids in that "grave" tone of voice of his...I've never seen him spank.

The Cosby show that is...

 

[Kathryn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by newmommy Really, why not? I thought his discipline style was "talking" to his kids in that "grave" tone of voice of his...I've never seen him spank. The Cosby show that is...

I'm talking about his stand up comedy, not his show.

 

[Rigama]

I just watched Cosby: Himself on HBO a few nights ago. I hadn't seen it in...well 10 years or so. WAAAYYYY before I had a kid. DH and I found it absolutely revolting. The parenting parts of it anyway. I know he's a comedian and is exaggerating for effect, but still.

"When your father gets home, he will kill you! He will shoot a bazooka at your face and kill you. And I swear to god, this time I will not stop him!"

His wife announced that "The Beatings were about to begin by grabbing a YARDSTICK and shouting I have had enough!"
And a lovely set on the noises that he could hear from downstairs as his wife beat all four children with said stick.

I turned to my husband and said "wow, the world was different in 1982!" It was all very hard for me to watch. Doubtless some stuff was funny, but the parenting stuff...Well it just brought back too many memories of my own childhood, which I don't find funny or amusing in any way!

Sorry. Stepping off my soapbox now.

 

[Kathryn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rigama I just watched Cosby: Himself on HBO a few nights ago. I hadn't seen it in...well 10 years or so. WAAAYYYY before I had a kid. DH and I found it absolutely revolting. The parenting parts of it anyway. I know he's a comedian and is exaggerating for effect, but still. "When your father gets home, he will kill you! He will shoot a bazooka at your face and kill you. And I swear to god, this time I will not stop him!" His wife announced that "The Beatings were about to begin by grabbing a YARDSTICK and shouting I have had enough!" And a lovely set on the noises that he could hear from downstairs as his wife beat all four children with said stick. I turned to my husband and said "wow, the world was different in 1982!" It was all very hard for me to watch. Doubtless some stuff was funny, but the parenting stuff...Well it just brought back too many memories of my own childhood, which I don't find funny or amusing in any way! Sorry. Stepping off my soapbox now.

Yep, that's what I'm talking about. It's not funny cause I lived it.

 

[Ann-Marita]

This stuff was way funnier before I was a mom, before I faced the reality of my own childhood.

Now, sometimes it just hits too close to home to be funny.

(Although, being from the South, with mixed-race relatives, I DO understand the cultural context behind Bernie Mac.)

 

[captain crunchy]

Yeah, I see the point of some of the posters, but I also recognize that the old "it's a cultural thing" excuse can also hide a world of bad, unacceptable behavior...