In the comments section, answer the following questions based on your reading in complete sentences BEFORE viewing the episode.
- How did "The Cosby Show" differ from other sitcoms featuring a prominently African-American cast?
- How did previous sitcoms depict African-American families?
- How did "The Cosby Show" change these depictions.
In the comments section, answer the following questions in complete sentences AFTER viewing the episode (which can be viewed here)
- Do you feel that the children in "The Cosby Show" have respect for their parents? How can you tell?
- What is the conflict between Cliff and his son (Theo). How is this conflict resolved?
- Do you think the mom falls into a stereotypical role?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete1.)This show wanted to rebut stereotypes, many more profound series and more influential series, and als as for funny, Cosby's reality-based clowning set new standards. No character rendered a simple honest reaction funnier than Cliff Huxtable. nolong did the afri9can americans have a bad out look from a tv series.
ReplyDelete2.) No longer were the black familes based in the gheto. They were just simply an all american family.
3.)It gave the show the loookof an average normal funny american family.
1. The Cosby Show didn't shock the nation and force feed it a new category of comedy.
ReplyDelete2. They made stabs at social statements, and talked at each other instead of to each other. They made it seem like all African American families are "ghetto".
3. The Cosby Show showed that blacks can be well-to-do, have class, and have thriving careers.
1. Sitcoms before the Cosby show that introduced an African-American cast usually played little roles in the show would make cruel jokes
ReplyDelete2. They introduced the noble black poor of "Good Times" this was a struggling family that managed to preserve a sense of dignity despite the lack of available jobs and decent housing.
3. Bill Cosby was encouraging more black writers.
2. Before The Cosby Show black sitcoms made occasional stabs at social statement. "The Jeffersons" was a very funny and well-intentioned show about African Americans that, however, implied: "You can take a black out of the ghetto, but you can't take the ghetto out of a black."
ReplyDelete1. The Cosby Show showed a family with two parents that were both very succesful and were well off. Cosby showed that African Americans can possess class and make something of themselves.
3. This show also showed that a black man can not only get a job, but also that he and his wife can have good professional careers. I t changed the thought that all black people are ghetto and can't keep a job or a relationship and paved the way for African Americans to move up in the world.
1. "The Cosby Show" differed from other TV shows featuring a prominently African-American cast because it offered greater understanding between races, introduced the idea that African-Americans can raise and educate their own children to be racially proud and socially responsible, and that African-Americans can obtain thriving professional careers.
ReplyDelete2. Previous sitcoms depicted African-American families as struggling, dysfunctional families who communicated poorly to each other, could not keep down steady jobs, and whose kids were better off if they were raised by white parents.
3. "The Cosby Show" changed these depictions because Bill Cosby and his wife held steady and professional jobs, were respectful and proud parents, and captured the natural rhythms of middle-class black behavior.
It differed from other sitcoms because "There have been funnier series and, despite Cosby's desire for his show to rebut stereotypes, many more profound series and more influential series.". It had more influence than other sitcoms. It changed it because people could relate and be thier selves in front of someone else and this tv show showed them that they can achieve some of the big hurtles in life.
ReplyDelete1.Yes they do because they tell them that they will try harder.
Delete2.Try to get better grades by showing him how to balance money.
3. yes I do very much so
1. "The Cosby Show" differed from other sitcoms featuring a prominent African-American cast by capturing the natural rhythms of middle-class African-Americans behavior, shunning the broad antics and forced jokes.
ReplyDelete2. Previous sitcoms portrayed African-Americans as people who could not hold down a job, could not raise their children, were low class, and talked at each other rather than to each other.
3. The Cosby Show changed these depictions by showing America that African-Americans could raise and educate their children to be racially proud and socially responsible human beings. The show also showed that African-Americans could get jobs; even those that are thriving professional careers.
1. People weren't used to this kind of sicom. Also, The Cosby Show stayed around much longer then previous sitcoms featuring African American actors.
ReplyDelete2.Others depicted African American families as poor and that they lived in the ghetto.
3.It showed that there are sucessful middle class African American families and that they act the same as a white family.
1. the cosby show was a family that talked to easch instead of at each other
ReplyDelete2. as either poor familes that couldn't hold a job or as a rich family that acted ghetto
3.they showed how a family could live together keep a job and could ask each other for advice.
1) "Black sitcom characters talked at each other more often than to each other." Also, that "He (Cosby) showed that a black man can not only get a job, but also that he and his wife can have thriving professional careers."
ReplyDelete2) They though that they couldn't find jobs and couldn't raise children "the right way" as whites would, and couldn't educate them properly.
3) They saw how their everyday life really was, and (as i quote again) "showed that a black man can not only get a job, but also that he and his wife can have thriving professional careers." "and captured the natural rhythms of middle-class black behavior, shunning the broad antics and forced jokes so much the norm even now."
1. They showed that they were just the same as everyone else. People liked to stereotype other people and the Cosby's were really just great people. Who had good family values.
ReplyDelete2. They were living in the ghetto.
3. They were an all american family and the dad was a doctor and the mom was a lawyer.
1. Because people viewed others in different ways and people were not used to it at the time.
ReplyDelete2. The Cosby Show set standards unlike others.
3. Made it funnier and an influential series.
1. I feel like they do, but like all kids there are things kids do to misbehave.
2. Theo is getting bad grades and his dad tells him he needs to be successful but Theo says he just wants to be a regular person. This is solved by saying Theo is willing to try instead of being lazy.
3. Yes
!. yes, because of how they speak to them
ReplyDelete2. Theos grades. Cliff shows him how hard it is for regular people to have money
3.no, because she has a job and isn't a stay home mom
1. It delivered equally relevent messages and it didn't force a new outlook on standards during that time.
ReplyDelete2. The characters talked more at each other rather than to each other, most of the shows portayed black parents to be bad at raising children.
3. The Cosby Show showed blacks can be well-to-do and possess commensurate class and captured the natural rythms of middle-class black behavior.
1. I feel like they do in a way they listen once they are told to do something, but they still fight a lot.
2. Theo gets bad grades and says he just wants to be a regular person so he doesn't need to get good grades and Cliff explains he won't have enough money to live on his own without a good education
3. Yes, in a way because shes yelling at the kids a lot and shes cooking and cleaning most of the time.
1. I think that they do because they listen to them and don't talk back.
ReplyDelete2.Theo had bad grades and want to be "noraml people". Cliff has a talk with him and talks to him about money. Theo said that he would try harder to get better grades.
3.No because she is more of the boss. She tells Cliff what to do as well as the children and is extremely outspoken.
1. Seems like the kids don't have much respect because they always fight and yell at their siblings and parents.
ReplyDelete2. The conflict is that Theo has bad grades, Cliff talks about what will happen in the future and then Theo thinks about it.
3. Bo the mom is basically the boss even Cliff goes to her.
1. I do believe that the children have respect for their mother. I think this because they do what she tells them to do. Also, they do not talk back to her when she tells them to do something they do not want to do.
ReplyDelete2. The conflict between Cliff and Theo is that Theo does not think he needs to try hard in school, because he wants to get an average job. It is resolved by Cliff teaching him that it is important to try in school so that he will have money in the future.
3. I do not think that the mom falls into a stereotypical role, because during this time African American's were not viewed as being successful, put together people, like she is shown.
1. I think they have respect. They usually listen when their parents are yelling at them. Also when their parents tell them to do something they do it.
ReplyDelete2. Theo wants to be a regular person. Cliff shows him that it's better to work hard and to not be lazy.
3.Yes, she cooks dinner and tell Cliff to punish the kids.
1.the family was a upper class family.
ReplyDelete2.they made it seem as if all black people were ghetto.
3.They were an upper class family and weren't living in the ghetto.
1.Yes, they listen to them.
2.He just wanted his dad to love him for who he is, and he does he just had to be more realistic about life with him.
3.Yes.
1. I think the kids have a lot of respect for their parents. I can tell because they listened to thire parents when they asked them to do something. They were a little reluctant at times, but they still did what they were told.
ReplyDelete2. The conflict between Cliff and Theo was that Theo made bad grades in school and told his dad, Cliff, that he wanted to be "regular people". This problem was solved by Cliff giving Theo play money and showing him how fast it would be gone on " regular people" salary. They then had a hear-to- heart and came to a resolution.
3. Claire is sort of falls in to the sterotype portrayed on television in this episode. She wasn't ditsy like Lucy, but she stayed in the house the whole episode as far as we know and you saw her do a lot of hosehold work. In other episodes she is not like that at all and is a new representation of women on television.
1. I feel they do have respect for their parents because, for the most part, they obey them and actually listen to what their parents have to say. Like when Theo actually thought about what his father said about "regular people" and how he thinks Cliff should love him no matter his social status because he is his son.
ReplyDelete2. Theo tells Cliff he doesn't want to go to college and that he just wants to graduate high school and get a job as a bus driver or a gas station attendant like "regular people." Cliff explains to him what "regular people" live off of on a monthly basis and then tells Theo that he should try his very hardest in school, despite Theo's wishes to slack off.
3. Somewhat because she does take control of the children and prepares their meals, but she also isn't a stay-at-home mom and is a lawyer during the day, which drifts away from the stereotypical mother figure.
1. Yes I do feel that the children respect their parents. I can tell this by the way that they act towards them, for example, when Claire asked the children to turn the radio off they did and the children talked to their parents with respect.
ReplyDelete2. The conflict between Cliff and Theo is that Theo brought home a report card that was not up to his parents status and Theo was trying to explain to his father that he should accept him for who he is, bad grades included. The conflict is resolved by Cliff showing Theo that he won't make at as a "normal person" and Theo agrees to try harder in school.
3. I do not think that the mom falls into a stereotypical role because unlike the women who acted before her she played a strong character who did not make humorous mistakes and who didn't solely rely on her husband to fix her problems.
1. It has an African American as the main character.
ReplyDelete2. family living in the ghetto.
3. By them being a wealthy blacks family with him being a doctor and her being a lawyer.
1.Yes, because they are scared of there parents and do as they say.
2. Theo wants to be normal and his dad wants him to be better than normal. They solve this by Mr. Cosby explaining it to him with monopoly money.
3.Yes
Before
ReplyDelete1. Family was upper class and more successful. “The Cosby Show” lasted a lot longer than most show. “The Cosby Show" was funny and showed that black fathers could be just as good as a white father. He showed that blacks could get a job and be responsible and take care of his children. It had black writers and black actors.
2. The shows made blacks seem like they couldn't raise their kids properly with a right education. Also that blacks couldn't get a job as easily as whites.
3. It made people realize that blacks can be just as good as others.
After
1. They have respect for their parents but they don't necessarily follow their rules as well as their parents would like them too.
2. The conflict between the two is that Theo wants to be a regular people type of person and his father is trying to explain to him that in order to have a nice life and things you need you have to work to your best ability. This is solved because Theo said he would try harder to get better grades
3. I would say that the mom wouldn't fall into a stereotypical role because she isn't just a stay at home kind of mom she also has a successful job.
1) I Feel like the children don't really have respect for their children, the father had to repeat "come here" multiple times before they actually came.
ReplyDelete2) Fist Cliff tried to talk to his son in a heart to heart conversation, he used example from the world. It ended with Cliff standing up and acting like a father and telling his son straight forward.
3) I think that the mom doesn't really play a stereotype because usually moms love the children and are always there for them and understand them. In this show it's the other way around, the father plays more of that stereotype.
1. I feel like they do to some extent. You can tell that they appreciate their parents but they take them for granted and misbehave because of it.
ReplyDelete2. Theo got 4 D's on his report card and he tells Cliff that he wants to be a "normal person", by not making much money and not working that hard. Cliff then tries to get Theo to work harder in school to get a better education, they end the talk with a hug.
3. I don't think she does because she is mean, unlike most other parents. She is mean but in a funny way and treats her kids in a respectful but rude manner. I really like her character and the way she treas her children.
1. Yes I think the children have respect for their parents. They don't act misbehaved or rude to them.
ReplyDelete2. The conflict between Cliff and his son is that Theo is getting bad grades in school. This conflict is resolved by Theo saying that he will do better.
3. No I don't think the mom falls into a stereotypical roll.
1.) The Cosby Show was different then other sitcoms because it wasn't all about comedy and stereotypes. The show was trying to stray away from the common stereotype of African American people.
ReplyDelete2.) Sitcoms depicted African American families as poor, underprivileged and uneducated. Some people believed that In the T.V show The Jefferson's was depicted as "You can take the black out of the ghetto but you can't take the ghetto out of the black."
3.) The Cosby really changed all that around because the Cosby family was anything but poor and underprivileged. The Cosby family really sparked curiosity in the white community because of the way they were depicting the Cosby family as wealthy and very well educated.
AFTER!
1.) I think that the children in The Cosby Show have a lot of respect for their parents. When Theo comes home with another bad report card his mother was very upset that he wasn't working his hardest. When Cliff comes home from work he talks to Theo and makes him realize that grades are important.
2.)Theo and his father create a conflict about his grades. Theo had gotten his report cared earlier that day and his mother was not all to happy about the grade. When cliff got home he was told to talk to his son about his grade. Theo said that maybe he wanted to be a "regular person" and he didn't need to try hard at school. Later on Theo came to realize that he has to try his hardest to make it in life.
3.) I think the mother in a way falls into the role as a stereotypical mother she
is the one that makes all the dinner and makes sure all the kids are cleaned and ready for bed.
BEFORE
ReplyDelete1. The Cosby Show differed from other African American shows' by giving the African American a main role in a show.
2. Before the Cosby show, African Americans were seen as maids, custodians or servants. They were seen to have a low class life.
3. The Cosby show changed the way people saw African Americans by adding humor and normal family issues that made the audience realize that every race, was the same and had the same issues and problems as everyone else.
AFTER
1.I think the children are acting like typical typical children towards their parents. They have respect for them but they are also comfortable arguing back to them.
2. The conflict is Theo's school grades and Cliff is teaching him how real life works and without education how bad of a place Theo's life could go.
3. The moms' role is kinda a little stereotypical but i think as the show goes, the role of the mom kinda gets a dominant and more independent.
1.)The show wanted showed that stereotypes can't make it in hollywood, and as well be funny, Cosby's humor made a whole new world for this.
ReplyDelete2.) Black females were not based in the ghetto. They were just a normal american family.
3.) It gave the show the look of an average normal funny american family.
AFTER
ReplyDelete1.) In the show they seem to not care much, the boy is extremely stubborn.
2.) Theo thinks he can be normal by failing school and working at a gas station, yet he doesn't learn until Cosby shows him expenses.
3.) Sometimes, especially in the "kitchen" part. Most people think they're just for cooking and cleaning and thats where they were most of the time.
1) It broke away from stereotypes from that time
ReplyDelete2) They were often very stereotypical
3) they broke away from the stereotypes and showed them as a normal family
1)They children do respect their parents
2) His grades and they make him promise to get better grades
3) no she is not a stereotypical mom
ReplyDeleteashleyFebruary 18, 2014 at 10:21 AM
1.)This show wanted to rebut stereotypes, many more profound series and more influential series, and als as for funny, Cosby's reality-based clowning set new standards. No character rendered a simple honest reaction funnier than Cliff Huxtable. nolong did the afri9can americans have a bad out look from a tv series.
2.) No longer were the black familes based in the gheto. They were just simply an all american family.
3.)It gave the show the loookof an average normal funny american family
1.)No because they never listen to them andalways ignore them.
2.)His grades and he promise he get them up.
3.)She's hard on them and makes the dad do all punishment.
BEFORE
ReplyDelete1. “The Cosby Show” differed from other sitcoms featuring a prominently African-American cast because it did not force feed the public information, it showed the reality that African Americans can be just as well off as other races and can be successful in society as well.
2. Previous sitcoms depicted African-American families as being underprivileged and falling in the lower class of society.
3. “The Cosby Show” revealed that African American families can thrive and be considered “middle class” citizens in a society. The show also broke away from the previous theme that white adults raised black children. Overall the show proved an African American male can provide ample money and raise a well-off family and not be poverty stricken.
AFTER
1. The children in the movie do have respect for their parents. This can be identified when all the children refer to their parents by “Mommy” and “Daddy,” they also obey and try to do the right thing when told so. For example, when the eldest daughter was told to change her clothes before her date, she did just as her father asked of her.
2. Cliff and Theo are arguing the importance of an education and how important in life it is to have one in order to be successful. The conflict is resolved when Cliff comes up with the scenario of fake money and going through a “typical adult” month full of expenses with the use of a minimum wage job. Theo then realizes he cannot live well off with just a “normal” job without furthering his education.
3. The mother does fall into a stereotypical role. Throughout the entire episode she is either cooking, cleaning, or tending to her children or husband in some way.