More Cries of Racism on Apprentice

[Mike F]

"In the first season of "The Apprentice," Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth was vilified (perhaps correctly so) in the wake of her confrontational attitude, charges of racism and potentially feigned injury. In the second season of "The Apprentice," Stacie Jones Upchurch was booted from the show because her team of amateur psychologist diagnosed her with some potentially dangerous mental problems and convinced Donald Trump that firing her was the only solution. In the third season, Verna Felton nearly destroyed her team in the season's second challenge by quitting, only to return and then quit again"

"Once you start looking at how all the black men are perceived as lazy and laid back and non-assertive and not aggressive, and all the black women are quite the opposite, I think there is a pattern," says Omarosa

The Author of the article seems to agree with the charge:

"Burnett ignores the genuine problems that have developed because his team has obviously gone out of its way to either cast easily provoked African-American women or to edit African-American females as villains in three consecutive seasons of one of television's most popular shows"

Zap2it's TV News

Thoughts?

[Agamemnon]

Kevin was black. He went really far in the Second Apprentice, and I don't think anyone thought he was lazy. I think this is crap. Stacie J _was_ crazy, just not all the time.

[transplant99]

Never mind that a black woman WON Survivor....also a Burnett show.

[looooob]

Originally posted by Agamemnon@Feb 18 2005, 12:01 PM
Kevin was black. He went really far in the Second Apprentice, and I don't think anyone thought he was lazy. I think this is crap. Stacie J _was_ crazy, just not all the time.

not to mention Kwame was RUNNER UP in season one

Black males have done exceptionaly well in Apprentice

there are two black players on team net worth that seem to be doing just fine right now

can you really blame Burnett or Trump if Omarosa is nuts? or lazy person quits this year?

do you think that Michael (lazy white guy) looks good right now? how about Danny (freaky hippy white guy) or any number of other countless players fired from this show over 3 seasons

I dunno

[looooob]

. White women have displayed similar erratic or diva behavior in all three seasons without achieving anywhere near the level of on-air punishment and post-show notoriety. It's not a coincidence and it plays into long-standing stereotype made even more problematic by the already spotty racial casting on Burnett's shows

on-air punishment? maybe that's true of Stacie J. I think her firing was harsh (although not unique)

Verna QUIT. what do you want them to do??

as for post show notoriety---I'm sorry but Omarosa is bringing that on herself. period.

[moon]

These cries of racism are bogus. There were way too many incidents with Omarosa for it to be them "editing" it to look like she was lazy/poor worker. With Stacy J. for me it wasn;t just the fact she was crazy that one time she was a poor worker at other times as well.

As it has been mentioned Kwame and Kevin have done well. The black dude on the street smarts team has been one of the best so far and the girl also seems to be fairly safe.

I think it has to do with the nature of the show in that in any one episode someone can look really bad. It happens whether you are white, black, chick or dude.

As I have mentioned before for them to be "racist" like this would be such a huge mistake and idiotic move by two guys that are much smarter than that businesswise.

[Mike F]

I think the notion that they only chose black women to be on the show that they thought would portray negative stereotypes -- They pick interesting people/strong personalities in general because it makes for good TV

However, it's not too much of a stretch to say that the black people cast are there to be the "token" nod to minorities:

Survivor 1 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 2 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 3 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 4 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 5 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 6 - 1 black woman
Survivor 7 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 9 - 1 black man
Survivoe 10 - 1 black man, 1 black woman

The Apprentice 1 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
The Apprentice 2 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
The Apprentice 3 - 1 black man, 2 black women

Is that OK?

[Cowperson]

Well, Michael, the white guy voted out last night, was crazy and lazy. Was it reverse racism to portray him that way?

There's plenty of those in all colours.

As others have pointed out, blacks have been crazy or lazy AND they've also dome very well and been portrayed very well on both Apprentice and Survivor.

Remember Osten on Survivor - all muscles and all quit? What are you supposed to do? Who would have predicted ahead of time he'd just up and walk off, folding his tent like a little girl in the face of a few bugs, probably the most disgraceful exit in Survivor history?

You couldn't have thought up Verna's Zombie Girl imitation if you'd tried.

As to Omarrosa, white's aren't the only racists in the conversation 100% of the time.

Cowperson

[looooob]

Originally posted by Mike F@Feb 18 2005, 12:44 PM
I think the notion that they only chose black women to be on the show that they thought would portray negative stereotypes -- They pick interesting people/strong personalities in general because it makes for good TV

However, it's not too much of a stretch to say that the black people cast are there to be the "token" nod to minorities:

Survivor 1 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 2 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 3 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 4 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 5 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 6 - 1 black woman
Survivor 7 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 9 - 1 black man
Survivoe 10 - 1 black man, 1 black woman

The Apprentice 1 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
The Apprentice 2 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
The Apprentice 3 - 1 black man, 2 black women

Is that OK?

African Americans make up what? about 13% of the US population?

I would think there numbers come close to reflecting that on these reality shows..although perhaps slightly under-represented

however don't know if they are more, less , or equally likely to apply to these shows

regardless, like Cow Said, who could have predicted Osten folding his tent? or Verna quitting

I think 3/4 of reality show contestants come off looking as flawed, of every race

[Patek23]

Originally posted by Mike F@Feb 18 2005, 06:44 PM
I think the notion that they only chose black women to be on the show that they thought would portray negative stereotypes -- They pick interesting people/strong personalities in general because it makes for good TV

However, it's not too much of a stretch to say that the black people cast are there to be the "token" nod to minorities:

Survivor 1 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 2 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 3 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 4 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 5 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 6 - 1 black woman
Survivor 7 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
Survivor 9 - 1 black man
Survivoe 10 - 1 black man, 1 black woman

The Apprentice 1 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
The Apprentice 2 - 1 black man, 1 black woman
The Apprentice 3 - 1 black man, 2 black women

Is that OK?

It's true but it's not just black people Survivor always has

1-3 lawyers
1-2 Gay/Lesbians
1-2 Black People
1 Hick/Redneck
1-3 Dumb Blondes/ Primadonas
3-6 Run of the mill white people
1-3 for the weird and wacky nut jobs.



It's all formula, to get a differenet mix of people put them together and for the most part (not my opinion) makes good TV.

[transplant99]

However, it's not too much of a stretch to say that the black people cast are there to be the "token" nod to minorities:

How is it a "token" nod when in each of the previous Survivors (until this year) there were 16 people, and in the majority of those seasons, there were 2 blacks.

Thats just over 12% of the cast...and just over 12% of US citizens are black. Its a fair representation IMO.

As for the quality of the individuals picked, thats a whole other debate, but I can say quite clearly that guys like "Johnny Fairplay" are hardly the representative of the average white guy either.

Either way, I just don't see any discrimination at all on choices. The "normal" folks have come in all shapes and colors, and have the whack jobs.

[Patek23]

Originally posted by transplant99@Feb 18 2005, 07:07 PM

How is it a "token" nod when in each of the previous Survivors (until this year) there were 16 people, and in the majority of those seasons, there were 2 blacks.

Thats just over 12% of the cast...and just over 12% of US citizens are black. Its a fair representation IMO.

As for the quality of the individuals picked, thats a whole other debate, but I can say quite clearly that guys like "Johnny Fairplay" are hardly the representative of the average white guy either.

Either way, I just don't see any discrimination at all on choices. The "normal" folks have come in all shapes and colors, and have the whack jobs.

He would fit in my Wacky/Weird category.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally posted by Cowperson@Feb 18 2005, 11:47 AM
Well, Michael, the white guy voted out last night, was crazy and lazy. Was it reverse racism to portray him that way?

No doubt.

They've made plenty of white people look lazy/stupid/confrontational. You name it, a honky got the treatment.

Trump and this Burnett fellow care about only one color (how did it take so long for this lame comment to be said?) and it's green

In other news, Zap2It.com needs an editor in a serious way. Thus far, though, Tara has flown so far below the radar that she has been appeared in any of the show's episodes, a fact that isn't lost on Omarosa, who has befriended Tara.

?

[V]

Amirosa was always quick to play the racist card in the show too though. I remember in one of her many fighting scenes where one of the chicks said "That's the pot calling the kettle black" and she flipped out and called the girl a racist.

[Mike F]

Originally posted by transplant99@Feb 18 2005, 11:07 AM

How is it a "token" nod when in each of the previous Survivors (until this year) there were 16 people, and in the majority of those seasons, there were 2 blacks.

Thats just over 12% of the cast...and just over 12% of US citizens are black. Its a fair representation IMO.

So you think that a show like survivor should be cast exclusively based on the demographics of the country?

Do you really think that, when casting each show, they chose the 16 most interesting people and with only 3 exceptions it was exactly one black man and one black woman? It's just a coincidence?

Token - made, given, or existing merely because expected or required

It seems like, based on their casting history, either very few blacks apply for the show and so there are always many, many more interesting white contestants, however they still cast one black man and one black woman merely because expected or required , or they don't feel that black contestants appeal to their target audience and so they cast prodominantly white contestants, keeping one black man and one black woman merely because expected or required.

Either way it would make them token nods to minorities.

[4X4]

So what are you saying, Mike F? Are you saying that Burnett and/or Trump are racists? Are you saying that the only reason thay put black people on their shows is because they HAVE to? And because they have to, they pick the flakiest ones?

Wouldn't Omarosa be insulting herself by bringing this whole thing up?

This is a big conspiracy isn't it Mike... The big bad white man is trying to stick black people in their place by accurately representing their audience's demographic and simultaneously casting the three flakiest black women in america. I bet it was on the application:

1. Do you have business experience?

2. What is your education?

3. Are you a loose cannon that might make your particular race appear to be as human as the rest of humanity?

[4X4]

Maybe I shouldn't have directed those comments toward Mike F so much, but this issue is so annoying.

This reminds me of the whole Sienfeld is racist BS.

[KevanGuy]

Originally posted by 4X4@Feb 18 2005, 01:47 PM
This reminds me of the whole Sienfeld is racist BS.

I don't remember that. Whats the story?

[calf]

While not really getting into the racist debate, did anyone else find it a little, um, odd that the black guy of NetWorth (what's his name????) got successful with a shoe-shine business? Now if that doesn't protray stereotypes, I don't know what does....

[4X4]

There weren't many Seinfeld episodes that had black people as guest stars. A whole thing started up that Seinfeld was racist because of it. Of course, nobody noticed that there were plenty of episodes that had blacks, asians JEWS(every episode) etc. Nope, Seinfeld was racist. I guess it was also never noted that he portrayed italians as crazy wierdos. Funny, that never bothered me (my dad came to canada from Italy).

People just have way too much time on their hands.

I've got a question. Why do asian restaurants always have asians working there? What a bunch of racists.