As an writer, I'm ashamed of John Ridley for creating something so culturally poisonous as the HBO series barber Shop. And I'm ashamed of the entire cast of actors for allowing themselves to become iconic puppets for someone's racial or political agendas. Notoriety is not worth your dignity. After watching 2 shows. (all I could stand) I was sickened at the callous handling of serious social issues. I laughed at a few thing but all of that was easily overshadowed by truly offensive content. It seems all of Mr. Ridley's talents were applied liberally into creating a socially demeaning disgrace. I still can't believe he, as a black man wrote this trash. While listening to the actors uncomfortably recite someones badly scripted ideas of black humor and consciously demeaning an entire race. It sounded just like it had been written by some purebred 250,000 a year, middle age white mans vision of what a black person would say. Do. Put up with. No basis in reality at all. Just a long list of slanderous perceptions handed out as freely as you would penny candy. All the "Strong Black Men" (They sure use that word a lot too) men are either criminals or idiots. But sensitive idiots so it's OK. Sex is not even a surprise in this neonazi misrepresentation of black culture. Each of the actors must have a mandatory nudity clause in their contract because promiscuous romps with any and everyone is standard fare. With predictable white bred humor it usually comes full view right after discussions of someone's mother. No depth, no pride and no respect. This series should be yanked from the air as soon as possible and all the institutions involved with creating or promoting it should be boycotted. Just knowing they are a part of such a destructive act of hypocrisy and social degeneration will haunt these struggling actors long after the series is gone. And I sincerely regret being witness to the moral judgment of the female cast in particular. The precedents you set now are not yet in stone. Speak up and out before you doom another generation of young minority women into mandatory nudity clauses. Even Sherly Lee Ralph lent her name and body to this shameless venture of comedic propaganda campaigns. A beautiful, intelligent actress with years of experience. I won't even ask why. To watch this series is to contribute to a cultural disgrace. A blatantly racist and sickeningly offensive diatribe of garbage. There may be some gems inside but the vehicle they reside in is completely unlike it's successful predecessor and far from any roots.
A quote from Mr. Ridley when asked about his movie Undercover Brother and it's potential to "help" the black artists:
{{{ I don't know if white people would have made this movie. I don't know if white people would have had the same kind of love of the blaxploitation movies that we sent up. But also we weren't trying to put down anybody. We were trying to make fun of the stereotypes that everyone has. By nature, coming from two black guys, it has a different feel. The white version is the Austin Powers movies, which are about having fun, and being funny, those are really funny movies but we wanted to add a different layer to it. }}}
I don't think they would have either. Only an insider could ignorantly achieve such deep betrayal and get away with it.
