I Wrote A Sitcom

I wrote a sitcom with three characters, a camp gay, and two young black guys flat sharing and have been told it's stereotyping. I am furious. Gimmi Gimmi and The Thin Blue line have a gay character. Why is that stereotyping? if I wrote about a pathetic head of department...i.e...The Office, isn't that stereotyping? We all know a boss like Gervais. If I write about an Alzheimer's person is that not stereotyping? There are thousands if not millions world wide suffering from that disease. The reason I wrote parts for blacks is that they don't seem to get much work

Having not read the script, it's difficult to say though, isn't it.

Quote: bushbaby @ May 2 2010, 12:57 AM BST

The reason I wrote parts for blacks is that they don't seem to get much work

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Did you seriously write that? So you wrote a sitcom as some kind of leg up for out of work black actors? Or are you taking the piss and being "sterotypical"?

I meant I'd listed them as black in the characters, but they could be played by anyone any race

Ok. Just seemed a bit odd.

Quote: bushbaby @ May 2 2010, 9:10 AM BST

I meant I'd listed them as black in the characters, but they could be played by anyone any race

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That kinda doesn't sell your ability to write character all that well.

why Sootyj, I don't know what you mean

Because all of your characters should be distinct, influenced by their culture background etc. Making something as defining and essential as race or skin colour as a mere detail would make the character a little thin?

If it was on radio, the listener could pick out which one was speaking.

eh?

That's how it's supposed to be written, by what each character is saying. One is 40 and more mature, the other two are early twenties

So why make them black? Especially if it's on radio.

It's for TV but you still have to write the characters differently so that if it went to radio, they can be recognised by what they are saying

But you said they could be played by anyone of any race?

Quote: bushbaby @ May 2 2010, 12:57 AM BST

I wrote a sitcom with three characters, a camp gay, and two young black guys flat sharing and have been told it's stereotyping. I am furious.

View original

Quote: bushbaby @ May 2 2010, 12:57 AM BST

The reason I wrote parts for blacks is that they don't seem to get much work

View original

And the winner of the 2010 'Most Ironic Combination Of Statements' award goes to...