Producer Kenya Barris Responds To “Black Excellence” Critics
‘Black-ish’ Creator Kenya Barris announced a new Netflix project called ‘Black Excellence’ and was immediately met with criticism from folks over the promo photo of the family cast in the comedy. The show stars Rashida Jones and a cocktail of light-skin children.
Some critics in the thread of the announcement noted there is a lack of melanin in the comedy, despite the ‘Black Excellence’ stamp. In the past, Barris has been criticized for casting mostly mixed women and children in his ‘Black-ish’ spin-offs so folks were questioning WHY he needed yet another series with curly-headed Black folk representation.
Kenya Barris' first @Netflix comedy, #blackexcellence, has found its family.
Introducing: Genneya Walton, Iman Benson, Scarlet Spencer, Justin Clairborne, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, and Richard Gardenhire Jr.
Coming 2020 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/m4nGPCRQDh
— Strong Black Lead (@strongblacklead) December 20, 2019
Barris noticed the critics and began firing off direct responses. He wrote:
Guys, this is supposed to be real. What do u think Rashida & I’s kids would look like?
Have you seen MY actual very real and definitely BLACK family? Don’t we have enough hate from others?
Here is Barris’ family he’s referring to.
The producer continued:
And I’m also not gonna make up a fake family that genetically makes no sense just for the sake of trying to fill quotas. I LOVE MY PEOPLE!—
I’m going to say this and then let what happens happen… Colorism is a divisive tool used by the powerful to separate the truly powerful.
Unfortunately, folks didn’t like his explanation and his clap back blew up the topic even more!
He said he’s not related to any darkies irl so they can’t be on his diet black sitcoms that mostly white people watch I’m crying lmao 😂😭 https://t.co/iOsLP5DVLu
— Rashida Renée (@evilrashida) December 22, 2019
Are YOU offended/tired/annoyed by the ‘Black Excellence’ cast too? Hit the flip to see how people are dragging it.
You're not allowed on the set of Kenya Barris' shows unless your shade is Fenty 360
— Fiona Applebum Says Don't Give Shaun King Money!🍎 (@WrittenByHanna) December 22, 2019
Kenya Barris knows damn well he watched The Cosby Show just like the rest of us did and saw 3 generations of The Huxtable family that included about every shade of black within it so he needs to cut this weak bullshit out. pic.twitter.com/KwWyRYLBy5
— 🎄🎄Derek🎄🎄 (@Latin4Cookies) December 22, 2019
Someone said the show is based on his life but isn't that what Black-ish is based on? Who convinced kenya barris that we want more shows about him? pic.twitter.com/93g2IWHlIA
— litgitte bardot (@MimieZaforas) December 21, 2019
#SNL did a better job casting a Black family than Kenya Barris LMAOOOOO
— The Great Blaxby. (@HunseckerProxy) December 22, 2019
Can I be honest?#Blackish, #Grownish, #Mixedish & etc is NOT for us-ish… I like Kenya Barris & his work, but those shows cater to light skin Blacks & play into society’s standards of beauty..
His new show #BlackExcellence (below) falls right in that box. Sorry, I said it! pic.twitter.com/RtJstuXG5F
— Jerome Trammel (@MrJeromeTrammel) December 21, 2019
Kenya Barris when darkskin actresses show up to auditions: https://t.co/GcDPpaph6U pic.twitter.com/UZXwcyIQiW
— Best Picture: ATLANTICS (@aesthethink) December 22, 2019
Continue Slideshow
Kenya Barris castings be like pic.twitter.com/hN0DctoMpi
— 𝐀𝐃𝐔𝐓 𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐂𝐇 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓 (@theesudani) December 22, 2019
No one:
Kenya Barris: “I give you the Black family…in Springtime!” pic.twitter.com/2wWjr5oV8H
— Saint Negrita (@AsthmaPumpPuffa) December 23, 2019
This is how Kenya Barris thinks he’s casting actors for his shows https://t.co/b2aQe7jhId
— W.E.B. DuBarnes (@DrTGIF) December 22, 2019
Why Kenya barris gotta base every show on his family, can he come up with sumn else?? Whose the audience, is it only His family watching?? His explanation makes it worse, & the nerve to call it black excellence. I’m sick pic.twitter.com/HNsPklhVGR
— a random black girl🤨 (@wadingx) December 22, 2019
Kenya Barris: I just wanted to make a show for my kids. This colorism narrative is a conspiracy by the rich and powerful elite
Interviewer: It says here you have a net worth of 75 million and recently signed a 100 million Netflix deal
Kenya: pic.twitter.com/IBgGrLVtVA
— Blerds Online (@BlerdsOnline) December 22, 2019
Kenya Barris on twitter trying to make black people feel bad for wanting representation pic.twitter.com/anb3P75dqG
— Leah Korneagay (@AliyahKorneagay) December 22, 2019
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