NBC Developing "Friends With Black People" Comedy In Light Of Obama Win

Variety:

President-elect Barack Obama is already bringing about change -- to the world of network TV development, at least.

NBC is developing a comedy based on the book "Making Friends With Black People," a buddy comedy that will focus on the state of race relations in the U.S.

Show isn't specifically about Obama's rise as the nation's first African-American president -- but "Making Friends" hopes to capitalize on how Obama's success has changed the nation's dialogue on race.

"From time to time, race bubbles up in the consciousness of the country and then dissipates," said "Making Friends" author Nick Adams. "Now, with Obama, people are talking about race a lot more. We hope to capitalize on that and not let the dialogue die down. ... It seemed like a good opportunity to strike while the iron is hot."

Read the whole story: Variety

Comments

[Kalemanao]

The title of the book I am writing is "Making Friends With WhitePeople"...

[johnnycmlately]

This is some dumb "ish" folks, 4real. Just the sound of it makes me sick " Friends with black people" like "Black people" are some kind of hidden secret and taboo. this is stupid. What's next "Friends with the Darkies" or "Taking a trip to the dark side" a show about interracial dating. C'mon man!!!!

[bostongreen]

well said

[Haditup2here]

I second that. That is almost as bad as someone claiming that they are not racist because they have a friend who is black.

[Haditup2here]

I second that. That is almost as bad as someone who claims to not be prejudiced because they have a friend who "happens" to black.

[Lulu4prez]

you are sooo right....this show is goiing to be a disaster! definitely not - must see tv!

[citadelgrrl05]

THIS BETTER NOT BE SOME STEOREOTYPE OF BLACK PEOPLE B/C WE ARE NOT ALL THE SAME THERE IS A WIDE SPECTRUM JUST LIKE WHITE FOLKS. SO IF THIS IS A SHOW ALL ABOUT RACE, WE WILLPICKETT, B/C THIS SOUNDS LIKE THEY MIGHT TRY TO GO DOWN THE GHETTO WROUGHT. THER ARE A LOT OF US BLACK FOLKS THAT WENT TO PRIVATE SCHOOL, AND GREAT COLLEGES, WHOSE PARENTS WORKED HARD AND WERE PART OF THE WORKING CLAS OR UPPER MIDDLE CLASS. AND BTW WHY DOES A TAKE A BLACK PRESIDENT FOR THEM TO HAVE BLACK SHOWS, THIS MAY BE SEEN AS INSULTING IF IT IS NOT DONE RIGHT. IF WE GET A SHOW, WE WANT ONE THAT IS AS WELL WRITTEN AND THOUGHTFUL LIKE ANY OTHER WELL WRITTEN AND GOOD SHOW ON NBC.

[bostongreen]

racial humor has been done to death these past five years or so. we get it, white people enjoy laughing at black people's foibles.

[DanniLomo]

Oh man, I feel a lot of funky dances and mayonnaise jokes coming on. You know that this is going to be a stereotype-off. Gross. Bring back the Huxtables!

[uheardme]

Train wreck

[crayola 08]

if they really wanna capitalize on Obama's success why don't they develop a drama or sitcom where the family is interacial? a show like that is long overdue and now is the time to do it.

[chewie2008]

Wasn`t there one back in the 90s?A white women with her daughter married a black man with his son.Forgot the name,but I didn`t really like it, the script of this sitcom was pretty lame.But yeah,a series of an interracial family showing problems that biracial kids often face would be interesting.

[enomaj]

Yeah. I used to love that show until they changed the dad. I think it was called true colors.

[mervr1]

Why is it always Black and White? I'm African American and Native American and I'm pretty much tired of hearing about Black and White people.

There are so many other nationalities out here but you rarely hear about them. I heard about the Hispanic population during the election, but I barely heard anything about Native, Asian, and so many other Americans.

If someone wants to open a dialogue open it to everyone and why does it always have to be a stupid comedy that is not going to appeal to everyone.

How about a community of different races living and working together the way it really is.

[FanofPaine]

These are two groups that's been the most vocal about it. BUT don't just sit there and moan about it, get up and start speaking out. Get involved with a local Racial Justice or Racial Awareness Initiative or start one. Check out colorlines magazine or look into getting your employer involved in diversity training. See what the library is doing. Are there any American Indian Museums near you? See what they are doing. If you like in a part of the country with a large Indigenous population but don't have a museum, why not?

I'm a co-coordinator for a local racial justice program and the most annoying thing is when people whine about not having a voice, but then when suggestions are asked or events planned nobody but black and white people get involved. Hispanic people are definitely finding their voice and I believe Asians have a more resounding voice in certain parts of this country but do something about the situation. Look at Nick Adams, whether you agree or don't agree with him, the man wrote a book and now it's being expanded into something larger.

[NounverbPOW]

Folks- once again- READ THE BOOK! The writer is married to a Native American, so his perspective is pretty broad.

[walk0nwalls]

Well at least the title is funny.

Let's see how it goes out.

I only really watch "The Office" nowadays though

[westreal]

They were offered one called Living Single before it found a home on Fox. Instead they decided to rip off the Living Single idea and create Friends. And may I add Living Single was way funnier than Friends. And it had diversity, something you couldn't say about Friends.

[L3ftofC3nter]

Truer words have never been spoken. Friends was a definite rip off of Living Single. And Living Single was 12 times better.

Just like Sex and the City was a rip off of Girlfriends.

[midknightryder13]

While I did think that 'Friends' was funny, I ALWAYS had problems with the fact that the show was supposed to take place in the Village -- yet all you saw were white, straight people. I mean, COME ON!

[nostrand]

This show is not progress. Just reading the outline and hearing the title it seems to me that this show only continues to highlight black people as the other. Progress in my opinion would be a show with black people where they never have to comment on their race and if they do it isn't the source of a punch line. Progress would be show with a significant amount of people of color both in front and behind the camera. Progress would be more than one show on NBC or TV in general with Black, Brown, Asian, L.G.B.T people as LEADS. Progress would be TV shows that star black people that aren't just sitcoms. Progress would be the end of tokenism. Progress would be having an actual black person play Barack Obama on SNL. This is NOT the time to just except poor media representation. This IS the time of change get on the ball

[Pinkmarbles]

Well said!!!

[MrsPlear]

Very well said!!! Thank you.

[kutkreata]

Hope this one doesn't have a bunch of negative stereotypes of Black people like DL Hughley's show or Chocolate News...we'll see.

[chillmonster]

I'm glad they have black writers, but I think they should mix up that staff a bit. I think an all white staff would sanitize a script and make it unwatchable and an all black staff, though definitely much more comfortable with the subject matter, would find it hard to write someone else's perspective. The show is a good idea and a risk, which is something you don't see often on network TV. I hope they can walk the network tightrope while still creating a provocative and enjoyable show.

[AfroLatina21]

I guess it takes a black man to become president before any of the networks decide to put any shows geared towards minorites on.

I remember a few years ago the NAACP did an all out campaign against NBC,CBS, and ABC forcing them to put more shows geared towards people of color on their networks and to hire more minorities.
In the wake of that NBC and ABC put on a few shows with a whole minority cast like The George Lopez Show, My Wife and Kids, The D.L. Hughley show, and For Your Love and they were all cancelled within a few years.

On the top three networks I can only think of a couple of shows with an all minority cast or with a sizable minority cast and that's Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy.

[TuffCookie]

the title is unecessary but the concept isn't too bad. could be very funny. the Game and Girlfriends are pretty good shows. hope this one doesnt suck.