Following the season finale of the Fox television show “Empire,” Dr. Boyce Watkins and a handful of other guests appeared on a Don Lemon-led panel on CNN to discuss “Empire” and the impact the show has had on black actors.
During the panel, Dr. Watkins defended comments he made earlier in the week, in which he dubbed the show “coonery” and a “ghettofied hood drama.” He then went on to explain that the show puts black actors “in the entertainment ghetto.”
Dr. Watkins also shot down comparisons to “Dynasty,” a past show with similarities to “Empire,” but with an all-white cast.
“I think that a lot of black actors and actresses are just tired of being put in the entertainment ghetto,” Dr. Boyce Watkins said. “The entertainment ghetto is basically the place where you have roles that are specifically designed for black people. Where black actors are kinda locked into. I can tell you this, if that family were a normal family and didn’t have so many dysfunctions, those characters would have been white…This is ‘I’mma slap yo bitch ass cause I’m from the hood’…If you’re black and you wanna play roles that involve being a thug, a hoodrat, a gangster, a killer, or a criminal, there are plenty or roles for you in Hollywood.”
The “Empire” season finale aired on Wednesday, March 18 and pulled in 16.7 million viewers. The show also garnered a 6.5 rating in the 18-49 age bracket.
Following its premiere in January, “Empire” welcomed guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, and a handful of other artists.
For additional Empire coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
Dr. Boyce Watkins is using the show to get attention. Unfortunately, he’s not the only bottom feeder who is doing this.
We should have an all black drama where everyone gets along and they all talk about their feelings for 50 minute installments every week.
And listen to some “Drake ft Drake” in the background
Its always the most ratchet black “shows” that get the most attention….ALWAYS
Did Rick Ross have any music featured in this season?? also Curtis Jackson is jealous because ‘Power’ sucks
As I said before a lot of people look at the negative aspects of the show: drug dealing, murder, deceiving, cheating lying, etc. But what about the topics that are addressed in the show: suicide, mental health, racism, homophobia, relationship between husband/wife,father/son, mother/son, sibling rivalry. There are a lot of topics that are addressed in the show that may not ever be touched upon especially in impoverished communities.
Some people bash the show so that they get heard and/or attention, no the show is not perfect and maybe stereotypical to some degree but at the same time it does bring awareness to some serious topics.
Uncle Ruckus (no relation)