'Will' depicts ethnic slur

Viewers taking part in this week's Latino/a boycott of major broadcast networks, dubbed a "brownout,'' are protesting the new season's lack of minority characters.

That means they'll miss tonight's premiere of "Will & Grace'' on NBC, for which they might be grateful.

In a scene that plays with startling insensitivity, tart-tongued character Karen Walker notices that her Salvadoran maid has paused for a conversation.

"Hey, you're on the clock, tamale. Get to work,'' snaps Karen (Megan Mullally).

In the melting-pot Southern California neighborhood where I grew up, epithets like "tamale'' were fighting words. Turns out they still are.

"Oh, no,'' Federico Subervi, a University of Texas media professor, said after hearing the sitcom exchange. "It's an ethnic slur. ... I don't know what it is with these scriptwriters. What's in their heads?

"The writers and the network executives, the ones who have the final word, they don't get it. They really do not get it,'' Subervi said. "When Latinos and others are saying increase our numbers, it does not mean increase our stereotypical representations.''

The verbal sparring between Rosario Salazar and her boss on "Will & Grace'' isn't a fair fight, a case of tit for tat.

Rosario responds to Karen's very personal barb with a weak "Listen, lady, I'll squash you like a wormy apple.''

Asked about the use of the word "tamale,'' which was included in a preview tape of the episode distributed by NBC, series executive producer David Kohan said a longer version of the scene called Karen to task for her ignorance. It was edited for time.

Although no offense was intended, he was not minimizing anyone's objections to the scene, Kohan said.

Rosario and Karen have a prickly but caring relationship, one that is "much more evenhanded'' than tonight's episode indicates and which will be demonstrated in the future, he added.

A more thoughtful approach clearly is needed, said Lisa Navarrete of the National Council of La Raza, the group coordinating the two-week boycott of ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC that continues through Saturday.

She said the sophomore series about the friendship between homosexual Will (Eric McCormack) and heterosexual Grace (Debra Messing) takes care to include a range of gay characters and is otherwise smartly written.

"It's unfortunate that a show that has done quite a bit to break stereotypes about gays would resort to such cheap shots at the Latino community,'' she said.

"It seems as if it's a pretty lazy thing for them to do when they are meeting a high standard in other areas.''

The inclusion of such a slur when television is under scrutiny for excluding minorities is revealing, Navarrete said.

"That's the frustrating thing for us; people are not connecting the dots, and this is an example,'' she said. "Here's the network under siege for not having enough diversity in its minority characters, and the writers and producers aren't making the connection that maybe they shouldn't engage in this kind of thing.''

The sensitive nature of ethnic (or racial or religious) differences, however, does not mean that they have to be skirted or treated in a timid, politically correct fashion.

Consider scenes in two new series.

NBC's "The West Wing,'' debuting Wednesday, shows presidential aide Toby Ziegler trying to mend fences with members of a Christian political group at odds with the White House.

His diplomacy ends when a woman in the group castigates another White House aide for his "New York sense of humor. ... They think they're so much smarter.''

A seething Ziegler snaps back: "She meant Jewish. When she said, 'New York sense of humor,' she's talking about you and me.''

Last week's premiere of the risque Hollywood satire "Action," used religion to make a funny, telling point about its unscrupulous main character, producer Peter Dragon, and the movie business.

Dragon is berating a Jewish screenwriter for talking business at a Christmas party when Dragon is abruptly summoned to confer with his studio chief.

"Probably about the Baby Jesus or the Maccabees,'' the producer sputters.

Latino/as and other minorities are calling for such well-considered attention - and the sooner the better.

"Not only have we been penalized and offended by being excluded (from television), but we're being insulted with the kinds of roles we get,'' said Alex Nogales, chair of the National Hispanic Media Coalition.

"It's unbalanced, it is unfair, it is prejudicial.''

09-21-99