All Minority Television Shows
By: Rachel Hewitt

The media plays a large influential role in the daily lives of Americans. We can look back and see how the media can change the way we think, the way we dress, the way we interact with others, and so much more. Oft times when we think of the “media” we think of reality shows and the real lives and drama in the lives of the rich and the famous. But in actuality the media is in everything around us. Newspapers, magazines, television shows, movies, etc. all make up what we view as the media. Each one of these has its own manipulative power that sometimes we may not even recognize. Beginning around the 1950s television gave us what seemed to be the perfect family through a show called “Leave It To Beaver.” The show portrayed a loving family with children, a working father, and what seemed to be an all American family, an all American Caucasian family. However, there was something that was missing. Not in the actual television show but ON the television period, a family of color. As the years went by more and more minorities were being added to the television entertainment scene, diversifying the media now more than ever. The year 1984 brought forth a total turn of events. Of course at this point African Americans had already been introduced into the media but one show changed the whole face of minorities in the media. “The Cosby Show,” starring Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad as “Heathcliff” and “Clair Huxtable,” showed the family life of two successful black parents raising five children. This show was like something the media had never seen before. Not only was this a black family, but it was an intact black family that was overwhelmingly successful. The show was filled with everyday issues and life lessons and it wasn’t the average sitcom that audiences usually saw.
In many cases The Cosby Show was such a relatable show that the race factor could have been easily omitted from the minds of its audience. However, looking at it from a different perspective is a definite possibility. Ask yourself this question, would The Cosby Show have been as successful as it was if it were a Caucasian family? A father as a doctor and a mother as a lawyer in an upscale neighborhood with all of the children going to ivy league schools? The answer is, probably not. Why? Because there were so many other shows that would have been just like it. “I Love Lucy,” “Who’s The Boss,” etc. are all examples of television shows that focus on the family. What differentiated those shows from The Cosby Show was the color of their skin. So is this a good thing or bad thing? It could go both ways. It could have been the fact that the show was so revolutionary that made it popular. Or it could have been the fact that to some people the concept of this lifestyle of an African American family could have been unrealistic. Regardless of the side chosen, the fact is that the Huxtables changed and revolutionized the African American family in the media. It wasn’t your typical “Roots” sort of show. It was a breath of fresh air.
Although The Cosby Show is a perfect example of minorities in the media, I’ll take into consideration that it was over 20 years ago. So, in taking a more modern approach to analyzing the topic, there is only one way to go…”George Lopez.” George Lopez is another “all minority” program that portrays the life of a working family. George and his family are a Hispanic family that have two children and an overbearing mother in law that I’m sure many can relate to! The thing that must be realized is that television shows like this are successful because they incorporate all of the aspects of our real lives and make them a comedy so that when we watch these shows we see ourselves. By having shows that have African Americans, Hispanics, Caucasians, etc. it brings all cultures together. It helps us to learn that despite the color of our skin we all go through the same things and can easily relate to each other. The Cosby Show helps us to see that there will always be the son that doesn’t want to be like the father but wants to do his own thing. George Lopez helps us relate when our teenage daughters want to wear mini skirts and belly shirts in middle school. These are just two examples, there are so many more shows that are all minorities. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Family Matters, etc. these are some more. But each of these have their own unique way the message into the media that we are all different on the outside but the same on the inside.