mekka okereke Dec 18, 2022

I'm not watching the world cup for reasons. But I don't want to talk about soccer. I want to talk about racism and erasure in major TV shows.

Shows set in New York City like "Sex and the City," "Girls," and "Friends," show an NYC almost exclusively populated by white folk. But real NYC doesn't look like that. 1 in 20 Black US citizens lives in NYC🤷🏿‍♂️

And American made shows like "Emily in Paris," show almost no Black folk in Paris. But:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P55XYp2KD2Y

Why France produces the most World Cup players

YouTube
Show threadmekka okereke Dec 18, 2022

The state of California is about 40 million people, around 5% of whom are Black.

France is about 67 million people, 4% to 7% of whom are Black.

France is Blacker than California, and there are more Black people living in France than in California.

Some folks including the show's creator, say things like, "But Emily in Paris is escapist fantasy! We want it to be glamorous!" Which makes me wonder, "🤔What are you escaping from?" And "Black people can't be glamorous?"

Show threadmekka okereke Dec 18, 2022

Here's the silliest part:

Way more than half of the "Emily in Paris" US audience would have absolutely no problem if there were more Black Parisian extras, or Black women with speaking lines.♥️👍🏿 And Black viewers would see themselves more represented. They would make *more* money.

If you're hiring extras for a crowd in Paris, and you want it to be almost all white, you have to intentionally filter out Black and Arabic actors. It's more work, to make less money🙂🙃

Show threadRachel F. ElsonDec 18, 2022
@mekkaokereke one reason I loved watching The Eddy. I hadn't seen another show (admittedly I'm watching US shows) that centered a Black/brown Paris.
Show threadAmelia Bellamy-Royds

@rachel_elson @mekkaokereke The Eddy was great. Lupin also features a racially diverse Paris, and uses upper society's anti-black bias in the plot without being specifically about race.

But interesting how both these shows were made for Netflix' French audiences first, while Emily is clearly a fantasy travelogue made for Americans, playing to all the stereotypes.

Dec 19, 2022 at 5:30pmWeb
Show threadDan SugalskiDec 19, 2022
@AmeliaBR @rachel_elson @mekkaokereke Yeah, Emily in Paris was kinda the intersection of American and French racism. It was... a thing.
Show threadRachel F. ElsonDec 19, 2022
@AmeliaBR I loved The Eddy so much. Talked it up ad nauseam; drove me crazy that it got no buzz. Taking a Netflix break but will add Lupin to my list when I get back...
Show threadMajestic_SlothDec 19, 2022
@AmeliaBR @rachel_elson @mekkaokereke By Lupin do you mean the show? Did you like it? I loved the Arsène Lupin stories and I have been very interested in the modern-day telling of it, but haven't made it there yet.
Show threadAmelia Bellamy-RoydsDec 19, 2022
@majesticsloth Yes, the show. I've never read the books so I can't compare, but it was a good catch-me-if-you-can thriller with lots of disguises and surprises. Not a direct updating of the original, but rather the story of a man who was strongly inspired by the books.
Show threadMajestic_SlothDec 20, 2022
@AmeliaBR Thank you, I'll have to give it a watch
Show threadOrnella 🍉Dec 21, 2022
@AmeliaBR @rachel_elson @mekkaokereke yessss! Thanks for talking about this! As a black more-or-less Parisian who lived in the US for 10 years, it’s the first time I’ve heard USians talk about this. Most think my background is exceptional. French = white = rich, which IMO is a big part of the Syndrome of Paris, when tourists land & realize there’s a LOT of black and brown (and working class) people in their whitewashed fantasy
Show threadLuke KaniesDec 21, 2022
@being @AmeliaBR @rachel_elson @mekkaokereke I’m so in love with Parisian rap. I don’t speak French, but the culture visible in those videos is just so unrelated to what we get through most any other media. And it’s clearly so much more true and complete
Show threadRafa Font 🌻 🇪🇺 🏀Dec 21, 2022

@lkanies @being @AmeliaBR @rachel_elson @mekkaokereke

I have just watched the first episode of "Standing Up" (Drôle), starring black French actress Mariama Gueye https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariama_Gueye and Younês Boucif, it takes place in a comedy club in Paris. Let me know what you think of it, if you watch it!

Mariama Gueye — Wikipédia

Show threadmekka okereke Dec 21, 2022

@rafa_font @lkanies @being @AmeliaBR @rachel_elson Added to queue!

The best part about this conversation is all of the great French TV show recommendations! ♥️👍🏿