Ethnic Comedians

I'm not sure if there is a thread in this website discussing this question, so I'd like to post this up here: why is it that ethnical minority comedians can't succeed as their Caucasian counterparts in comedy?
ex) Omid Djalili or Shappi Khorsandi on the whole look like great performers, but their material just suffers on television. It looks as if they're allowed very little space apart from being foreign. Same with Stephen K. Amos, who goes around telling people he's black.
I'm curious because some gay or lesbian comedians don't always need to emphasize a hundred times that they're gay or lesbian. Is it that black/Asian/Oriental/other ethnical comedians start their career with the wrong material?

The Kumars, Goodness Gracious Me, Lenny Henry Television Show, The Chapelle show etc.

Have been good.

But TV producers do tend to box tick and fill. Hence Ms Jocelyn and other shows that don't seem to be based on talent. And often it's caucasian producers who don't understand comedy that well anyway just making up the numbers.

The best example being that lamentable all black sitcom on the BBC written by a white guy.

Quote: Thomas Blackwell @ June 7 2010, 4:51 AM BST

ex) Omid Djalili or Shappi Khorsandi on the whole look like great performers, but their material just suffers on television.

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I seem to remember Djalili's TV show was pretty funny and, eventually, not too reliant on him being of Persian descent.

Surely all that matters is comedy being funny regardless of subject matter... in both directions. Some of Richard Pryor and Chris Rock's best material is on race. Are Sarah Millican or Peter Kay banned from talking about being Northern or Working Class? If Dylan Moran talks about alcohol do we sigh and say "stop going on about it."

There are plenty of talented non-white comedians that talk about a variety of subject matter, but I find the notion that they are not allowed to talk about their race at all, especially when we continue to define them by it, questionable.

Lenny Henry did alright.

And Eddie Murphy/Richard Pryor/Chris Rock.

On the subject of Omid, isn't getting your own series pretty successful?

Quote: sootyj @ June 7 2010, 6:34 AM BST

The Kumars, Goodness Gracious Me, Lenny Henry Television Show, The Chapelle show etc.

Have been good.

But TV producers do tend to box tick and fill. Hence Ms Jocelyn and other shows that don't seem to be based on talent. And often it's caucasian producers who don't understand comedy that well anyway just making up the numbers.

The best example being that lamentable all black sitcom on the BBC written by a white guy.

View original

I think you're talking about The Crouches there. Rab C Nesbitt writer - can't get much more ethnic than that.

Aaron surely even you must realise there's more than one variety of ethnic minority

The writing staff of the Office US and Parks and Recreation, two of the best US sitcoms on at the moment are both filled with non-whites ... and it's a non-issue.

I think it's more some one spots a nonwhite comedian who isn't funny and assumes its' political correctness gone mad

Like assuming Rob Rouse got his show for being white. And not because there is no God.

Quote: sootyj @ June 7 2010, 1:42 PM BST

I think it's more some one spots a nonwhite comedian who isn't funny and assumes its' political correctness gone mad

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True. There's plenty of white comedians on telly who aren't funny.
People do tend to overreact.

Quote: zooo @ June 7 2010, 1:43 PM BST

There's plenty of white comedians on telly who aren't funny.

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You leave Jason Manford alone, you big bully!

Teehee.

Quote: sootyj @ June 7 2010, 12:11 PM BST

Aaron surely even you must realise there's more than one variety of ethnic minority

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Yeah, them ethnics are like bloody Heinz.

The very best and vastably superior to native brands?

You Aldi tin of beans you/