I hold the attitude to acquire the native American language and get to know the real American life and culture when I came to watch Friends, a popular American television program portraying a white America has six white characters: Ross, Chandler, Joey, Rachel, Monica and Phoebe. Not long after, I began to notice how unpractical to gain the idea of the real America just by watching the six unmarried, young Americans hanging out at a café in the New York City. They are just impressing on viewers the humorous all-white American lifestyle. However, Friends is popular, because it poses all the qualities that people enjoy. Number one, the characters are all beautiful or handsome. Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, and Lisa Kudrow are all irresistible female actresses, while Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer, and Matt Leblanc are all good-looking actors. They all fit into the mainstream glamour of today’s media. People look up to and imitate popular actors and actresses as these. Next, the show is very humorous. See Phoebe, she plays the funny, stereotypical dumb blond role. Lastly they all fit into the category of whiteness. Prominent people in America for the most part are white and this is what people are used to. Only if we pay enough close attention, can we be able to notice one or two African-Americans or Mexican-Americans in the background. Friends is a lovable show that is compelling to the public, reinforcing the idea that whites are dominant figures over minorities. This is not what really happens in society. People will not see a homogenous portrayal of all-white society as they walk down a city block. Then why do television shows, for the most part, display a perfect white homogenous society? As a viewer, a non-white viewer, I cannot help asking, why don’t these characters have any minority “friends”? Why does the television depict popular white America while leaving out minorities?
No Asians in the main culture--this is always the case with American television, not only with Friends, but also with many others: Desperate Housewives, L.A Law, Will and Grace, for example. If there are some exceptions, the Asian character must either be a maid, or be an owner of a stinky, mucky little dark grocery around the corner. Those TV shows impact viewers constantly, leaving the image of an all-white society.
第23集
