Brothers and Sisters

[Wind Dancer]

ITA! Great show and Gilles was the dessert! I heard he was supposed to be on for about 4/5 episodes so we have at least 2 more to look forward to. The pool scene was reminiscent of his character in SATC movie and of course his dancing expertise from DWTS. I think the producers are having some fun with the viewers! Gilles has done a great job and has revealed his acting ability beyond his dancing and eye candy appeal. I am sure we will be seeing him alot on screen in the future.

The Walkers will go back to all the drama once Luc returns to France I am sure!

All the business with Gilles' character was great!

And most of it in-jokes for Gilles fans.

What a treat!

I loved how they made gentle fun of what Gilles is famous for.



(Unfortunately I am getting writer's vibes that the Gilles character is not what he is being presented as being. That there is something darker on the horizon...sorry. But my writer's antennae really are going up and quivering about this.)

[Broadway]

JavaJo--hi.

I wonder--how hard would it be to hire Hispanic/Latino and Black actors in ADDITION to an actor to play a gay?

I agree with the poster above who mentioned the whitebread tv shows of the 50s and 60s.

Almost 25% of ALL Americans are Black/Hispanic/Latino.

If they won't even include ONE (non-talking babies do NOT count)--then what does that say about the audience they want to attract?



ETA--having WHITE gay characters is not nearly the same thing as having characters who are obviously "ethnic."

This is about subconscious perceptions--and let's face it ALL the adult characters are WHITE in a state that has a huge Hispanic/Latino and Black and Asian population.

Kind of looks like a very expensive case of denial of reality on the producers' part.

Or a highly misguided attempt to make their target--White--audience "feel good" and comfy about themselves.

Okay, so you think it would be better if someone was hired simply BECAUSE they are Asian, Hispanic, or Black? If I were a person in one of these races and/or ethnicities I'd be offended by the claim that you feel there needs to be a "token" representative just to make you feel better. (And what's with the "a gay" terminology??)

I agree with JavaJo in that this show is a representative of the Walker family and their close family interactions. Rarely do we see anyone from outside of the family circle... so to make a big deal out of the fact that there isn't an ethnic character is a bit silly. It's a shame that one of the Walkers isn't magically Hispanic, eh?

This entire discussion is starting to remind me of the protests of Disney movies.

[Wind Dancer]

Okay, so you think it would be better if someone was hired simply BECAUSE they are Asian, Hispanic, or Black? If I were a person in one of these races and/or ethnicities I'd be offended by the claim that you feel there needs to be a "token" representative just to make you feel better. (And what's with the "a gay" terminology??)

I agree with JavaJo in that this show is a representative of the Walker family and their close family interactions. Rarely do we see anyone from outside of the family circle... so to make a big deal out of the fact that there isn't an ethnic character is a bit silly. It's a shame that one of the Walkers isn't magically Hispanic, eh?

This entire discussion is starting to remind me of the protests of Disney movies.

The bolded part is a mischaracterizatioibn of what I've posted.

It is the lack of Black/Hispanic/Asian characters that is the problem.



BTW--if this were only about the family's world within their four walls that arugment might be valid--but they routinely show each of them at work--like being a senator and being the head of a corporation.

Only WHITE people in those settings?

Not in California.

They can't really have it both ways.

Because when they try to keep it whitebread it only highlights just which audience they think they are appealing to.

And as part of their audience--I am insulted to think that anyone would think I ONLY want to look at WHITE people or I will become very uncomfortable.

Hogwash!

(As my grandma would say)

[JavaJo]

They do show them at work occasionally, but they dont' show many employees. When they show Holly, she's interacting with Saul, Rebecca, Ryan or another member of the Walker family, mostly. Same with the senator...we see him in his office talking with...more Walkers.

[Wind Dancer]

Last night's show had a scene at the senator's office and there was a whole crowd of people--ALL of them White.

I dunno--maybe they're trying to make Republicans look bad?



BTW--I wonder if the Luc character is their idea of "diversity"?

[Broadway]

Seems to me there were several ethnic characters at Ojai Foods. Christian de la Fuente, anyone? And my memory could completely be misguided, but I do believe one or more of Robert's aides were black. But, as has been pointed out several times now.. we don't see many interactions with people in those offices. And how soon we forget the interactions that Kitty and Robert had in the hospital with the nurse who was black, and who gifted them with the opportunity to adopt their son. By God they don't count because they are not regular characters in a show about a white family.

To continue to be upset because the Walker family is white and Kevin isn't dating a Hispanic, Asian, or Black man is insane and is more of a detriment to the issue than it is a benefit.

[JavaJo]

Seems to me there were several ethnic characters at Ojai Foods. Christian de la Fuente, anyone? And my memory could completely be misguided, but I do believe one or more of Robert's aides were black. But, as has been pointed out several times now.. we don't see many interactions with people in those offices. And how soon we forget the interactions that Kitty and Robert had in the hospital with the nurse who was black, and who gifted them with the opportunity to adopt their son. By God they don't count because they are not regular characters in a show about a white family.

Exactly. If you pay attention, you see other ethnicities. They just aren't members of the Walker family.

Frankly, it's a non issue with me anyway. Where's the outrage that there aren't many white people on shows like Brothers or that sitcom Damon Wayans had a few years ago? Certain shows are geared towards a certain audience. That's just the way it is.

[PWS]

Seems to me there were several ethnic characters at Ojai Foods. Christian de la Fuente, anyone? And my memory could completely be misguided, but I do believe one or more of Robert's aides were black. But, as has been pointed out several times now.. we don't see many interactions with people in those offices. And how soon we forget the interactions that Kitty and Robert had in the hospital with the nurse who was black, and who gifted them with the opportunity to adopt their son. By God they don't count because they are not regular characters in a show about a white family.

To continue to be upset because the Walker family is white and Kevin isn't dating a Hispanic, Asian, or Black man is insane and is more of a detriment to the issue than it is a benefit.

Not to quibble, but I believe the mother of their son was a doctor.

[Wind Dancer]

Exactly. If you pay attention, you see other ethnicities. They just aren't members of the Walker family.

Frankly, it's a non issue with me anyway. Where's the outrage that there aren't many white people on shows like Brothers or that sitcom Damon Wayans had a few years ago? Certain shows are geared towards a certain audience. That's just the way it is.

That is what's so disturbing.

I do NOT want to be considered part of a target audience that is somehow upset by seeing ethnic diversity.

Much more of this all whitebread approach and as soon as Gilles is out of there--so am I.

Maybe if they realize--by losing viewers for their advertisers--just how offensive their ignoring and ignorant attitude towards anyone who is NOT white is--they'll come to their senses and realize what they've been doing wrong.

I don't want to watch any show that thinks I am afraid of seeing people who do NOT look like me!

[JavaJo]

That is what's so disturbing.

I do NOT want to be considered part of a target audience that is somehow upset by seeing ethnic diversity.

Much more of this all whitebread approach and as soon as Gilles is out of there--so am I.

Maybe if they realize--by losing viewers for their advertisers--just how offensive their ignoring and ignorant attitude towards anyone who is NOT white is--they'll come to their senses and realize what they've been doing wrong.

I don't want to watch any show that thinks I am afraid of seeing people who do NOT look like me!

But they don't. They had Christian D on (he's latin), Kitty adopted an african american child, his bio mother , Danny Glover had a romance with Nora, Vanessa (on for 3 episodes) , Noah , Dr. John Massey..all black...there was a paramedic that was Indian...all from IMBd. Now they have a frenchman, a black med student and director of the med program.

So really, how can you say it's a show about white people? I think they throw a nice mix in. I guess if you don't like it, turn the channel. But to say they are biased isn't true. I mean really....do you think Nora should get a hispanic maid? What more could they do? Really? I don't want to see more interaction of them at work. That's boring. And that's the only option to include more diversity that I can see. I certainly don't want to watch play dates with Paige and her latino friend. There is only so much they can do and so many places they can fit characters in. The show is already overflowing with storylines.