I'll preface this by saying that I grew up in a NYC borough bordering the ones this show supposedly takes place in during the same time period. This changes my view on the show..... A lot of flat out lies depicted as fact to suit the narrative. Without that background knowledge or ignoring said knowledge, the show has more appeal. Fact is, some of the stuff borders on offensive, but hey, as long as it works to tell a distorted story of a rough childhood, it's ok....
First of all...... In the 1980's, NYC was one of the most diverse places in the country, especially the outer boroughs. It was the height of immigration, particularly from iron curtain European countries, Asiatic countries, and South America..... This whole all-white neighborhood in Brooklyn thing is abject falsehood. Outside of Jewish schools, there was absolutely no such thing as a school without black students (as in more than one).... Seems like someone on the production staff knew it because they tossed in an Asian actor here, a hispanic one there to try to cover the lie.... And the level of racism portrayed in the show is a lie.... The REALITY was that areas with predominantly African American and Hispanic populations (like Bedford-Stuyvesant) were the most racist and dangerous places in Brooklyn without equal --- if you were caucasion or Asian, you were taking your life in your hands going into that neighborhood and a few others like it. Yet this show wants you to believe that neighborhood wasn't dangerous, just the supposedly "white" neighborhoods.
More on the schooling..... In NYC in the era depicted, without breaking the law, you didn't have a choice regarding the public school you sent your child to.... The entirety of the city's public school system was zoned.... You went to the school your address was zoned for, period.... There were only two ways out of that, one legal, moving, the other illegal, claiming you live at an address you didn't actually live at in the district you wanted your kid to go to school in.... Wasn't pretty if you got caught. The show wants you to believe they could easily choose where they sent their kids to..... It's a lie.... No way you were sending one kid out of three to a diff't school district without changing their name and address.
The neighborhood..... Bedford-Stuyvesant was one of the "armpit of NYC" neighborhoods.... It was dangerous, garbage everywhere, apartment buildings had bars on the windows (especially the lower floors), and graffiti was EVERYWHERE..... Yet this show wants you to believe white ppl described it that way, but it wasn't true.... Wrong..... No one lived there by choice, it was and still is a ghetto and has one of the highest crime rates in NYC. Cars, buses, trains, buildings (including churches & schools) nothing was exempt from being covered in graffiti. In the show, everything is all nice and clean, cars mostly shiny. Hell, even the post office windows had bar on all the windows!
Doesn't show the reality of the supposed racism either.... According to the show, it only went one way.... It's a lie..... There was soooo much cultural diversity and mixing, there really wasn't much racism and definitely nowhere near the level portrayed. The BIGGEST source of bigotry and such was perpetrated by caucasian ppl who were American born.... They targeted immigrants like nobody's business. They didn't need to mess with African American ppl and risk getting shot or stabbed.
Drugs, weapons, gangs..... Non-existent in Chris' fairytale neighborhood, only the mob in the "Italian" neighborhood. The reality? Bedford-Stuyvesant was rife with gang activity, guns more available than libraries. It was and continues to be one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in NYC.
Depictions of the teachers in the "white neighborhood" school is a flat out lie.... It could never happen --- for one thing, a public school with only one black kid in any neighborhood in Brooklyn, aside from Brooklyn Heights, is a myth. The level of ignorance, outright racism, and apathy by teachers & principles is a lie. It's actually offensive to portray them that way.... NYC Dept. Of Education made substantial efforts to ensure teaching staff was multi-cultural/diverse, going as far as hiring special teachers to address the teaching of English to Chinese-speaking students in certain schools, one of my schools have 5 specialty teachers to address diff't groups of non-American students' needs .... There was no such thing as the level of racism this show wants you to believe existed. There was bullying, sure, but it was equal opportunity -- mostly targeting kids who didn't speak English, actually. African American kids were primarily bullied by their own.... "White" bullies were mostly smart enough not to risk having a gang turned lose on their behinds.
Suspension in NYC public schools.... 3x and you're expelled, 2x expelled and your problem behind needs to find another school (good luck).... Chris gets suspended plenty, but still manages to stay in school.
Anyway.... I don't pretend to know Chris Rock, nor would I care to .... But I'd have to say, having firsthand knowledge of the neighborhoods mentioned, the stories about his childhood neighborhood and school are largely exaggerated for ratings in a time when shows about "black" ppl were a supposed novelty.
If I didn't know the reality, this show would've gotten a higher rating from me.... Ignore the truth, though, and it's pretty funny.... Until the ghetto snob stupidity and spoiled obnoxious attitude little girl get on your nerves ;) The best character is that of Julius, the father =)
First of all...... In the 1980's, NYC was one of the most diverse places in the country, especially the outer boroughs. It was the height of immigration, particularly from iron curtain European countries, Asiatic countries, and South America..... This whole all-white neighborhood in Brooklyn thing is abject falsehood. Outside of Jewish schools, there was absolutely no such thing as a school without black students (as in more than one).... Seems like someone on the production staff knew it because they tossed in an Asian actor here, a hispanic one there to try to cover the lie.... And the level of racism portrayed in the show is a lie.... The REALITY was that areas with predominantly African American and Hispanic populations (like Bedford-Stuyvesant) were the most racist and dangerous places in Brooklyn without equal --- if you were caucasion or Asian, you were taking your life in your hands going into that neighborhood and a few others like it. Yet this show wants you to believe that neighborhood wasn't dangerous, just the supposedly "white" neighborhoods.
More on the schooling..... In NYC in the era depicted, without breaking the law, you didn't have a choice regarding the public school you sent your child to.... The entirety of the city's public school system was zoned.... You went to the school your address was zoned for, period.... There were only two ways out of that, one legal, moving, the other illegal, claiming you live at an address you didn't actually live at in the district you wanted your kid to go to school in.... Wasn't pretty if you got caught. The show wants you to believe they could easily choose where they sent their kids to..... It's a lie.... No way you were sending one kid out of three to a diff't school district without changing their name and address.
The neighborhood..... Bedford-Stuyvesant was one of the "armpit of NYC" neighborhoods.... It was dangerous, garbage everywhere, apartment buildings had bars on the windows (especially the lower floors), and graffiti was EVERYWHERE..... Yet this show wants you to believe white ppl described it that way, but it wasn't true.... Wrong..... No one lived there by choice, it was and still is a ghetto and has one of the highest crime rates in NYC. Cars, buses, trains, buildings (including churches & schools) nothing was exempt from being covered in graffiti. In the show, everything is all nice and clean, cars mostly shiny. Hell, even the post office windows had bar on all the windows!
Doesn't show the reality of the supposed racism either.... According to the show, it only went one way.... It's a lie..... There was soooo much cultural diversity and mixing, there really wasn't much racism and definitely nowhere near the level portrayed. The BIGGEST source of bigotry and such was perpetrated by caucasian ppl who were American born.... They targeted immigrants like nobody's business. They didn't need to mess with African American ppl and risk getting shot or stabbed.
Drugs, weapons, gangs..... Non-existent in Chris' fairytale neighborhood, only the mob in the "Italian" neighborhood. The reality? Bedford-Stuyvesant was rife with gang activity, guns more available than libraries. It was and continues to be one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in NYC.
Depictions of the teachers in the "white neighborhood" school is a flat out lie.... It could never happen --- for one thing, a public school with only one black kid in any neighborhood in Brooklyn, aside from Brooklyn Heights, is a myth. The level of ignorance, outright racism, and apathy by teachers & principles is a lie. It's actually offensive to portray them that way.... NYC Dept. Of Education made substantial efforts to ensure teaching staff was multi-cultural/diverse, going as far as hiring special teachers to address the teaching of English to Chinese-speaking students in certain schools, one of my schools have 5 specialty teachers to address diff't groups of non-American students' needs .... There was no such thing as the level of racism this show wants you to believe existed. There was bullying, sure, but it was equal opportunity -- mostly targeting kids who didn't speak English, actually. African American kids were primarily bullied by their own.... "White" bullies were mostly smart enough not to risk having a gang turned lose on their behinds.
Suspension in NYC public schools.... 3x and you're expelled, 2x expelled and your problem behind needs to find another school (good luck).... Chris gets suspended plenty, but still manages to stay in school.
Anyway.... I don't pretend to know Chris Rock, nor would I care to .... But I'd have to say, having firsthand knowledge of the neighborhoods mentioned, the stories about his childhood neighborhood and school are largely exaggerated for ratings in a time when shows about "black" ppl were a supposed novelty.
If I didn't know the reality, this show would've gotten a higher rating from me.... Ignore the truth, though, and it's pretty funny.... Until the ghetto snob stupidity and spoiled obnoxious attitude little girl get on your nerves ;) The best character is that of Julius, the father =)