New ABC sitcom faces racial divide

The year 1971 saw the incarnation of one of television's greatest characters, Carroll O' Conner's Archie Bunker, a loud-mouthed ignoramus whose landmark "All In the Family" tackled groundbreaking issues concerning race and social culture. Four years later, a spin-off show starring Sherman Hemsley as the African American and richer version of Archie, George Jefferson, greatly furthered the already racial and social issues raised. Now, in 1998, ABC brings a new sitcom comedy, "The Hughleys," on board to deal with the issue of racial divide. The show fails miserably at it.

D.L. Hughley is Darryl Hughley, a self-made, well-to-do black man who moves his family to white suburbia. "The Hughleys" is a horrible tirade packed full of overused, unfunny, insulting black and white stereotypes. Not five minutes into the premiere episode and there are already jokes concerning Hughley receiving Ebony and his elderly neighbor asking him to, "Fetch my trash."

This trash of a sitcom only gets worse when Hughley's friend Milsap, played by John Henton, visits from the 'hood. First Milsap sings "We're moving on up," a probable tribute to "The Jeffersons," which paved the way for this show to even be a possibility and covered similar material in a far better manner more than 20 years ago. Seeing that Hughley has taken up golf, Milsap criticizes him saying, "What you trying to get your ghetto pass revoked?" What are they saying here, that blacks can't play golf?

To counter this golf argument, Hughley explains that "Tiger Woods won the Masters," but Milsap juts in saying, "Tiger is only part black, and you know that ain't the part that won the Masters." Yes, the humor descends lower and lower when Milsap becomes staunchly amazed that Hughley pays his bills on time. These stereotypes are neither funny nor interesting and are the accelerated downfall of the show.

The second half of the show introduces the Hughley's white neighbors Dave and Sally, portrayed by Eric Allan Kramer and Marietta Deprima. This plastic couple both feel it is good to be "exposed to different cultures," a reference to the Hughleys moving into the neighborhood.

During conversation, Hughley asks Dave if his kids have any black dolls. Dave replies, "We just have one son and well, if I'd ever caught him playing with any dolls, (fake crying) I guess I'd have to love him anyway." Come on. Hasn't this old, boring homosexual joke landed on the cutting floor yet where it deserves to be?

At the pinnacle of this conversation, a forced awkward moment ensues when Dave explains, "I don't think we're gonna make any headway on this 400-year-old race problem." Though Hughley and Dave end up reconciling in the sugary end, Dave's statement leaves a lasting impression on the overall show.

Shows such as "The Hughleys" don't advance issues or realize any new epiphanies with concern to racial divisions and prejudices in America. They simply capitalize on it and reaffirm overwraught stereotypes that rekindle the hurt already caused.

The characters of Archie Bunker and George Jefferson worked so well in that they were unaware of their own ignorance and were repeatedly punished for it. They may have been uneducated bigots, yet they were also loving, supportive husbands and fathers.

Hughley, on the other hand, is fully aware of ignorance and in a perfect position to rise above it. But he never does. And worse, he's not funny doing it.

Executive Producer Chris Rock might want to check in on what the writers of "The Hughleys" are doing so he knows where all his money is going. The rest of us should just check out something else.

09-22-98