Is ‘Black-ish’ Too Focused On Race? Creator Kenya Barris Responds To Critics

Since Donald Trump was elected president, some viewers of “Black-ish” have said the show has become too focused on race. With Season 3 episodes such as “Lemons” focusing on the election and “Being Bow-racial” dealing with Rainbow’s (Tracee Ellis Ross) race and Junior (Marcus Scribner) dating a white girl, series creator Kenya Barris has heard the criticism but he isn’t fazed.

Speaking during a Clark Atlanta University gala, as reported by the Atlanta Black Star, Barris said he hears the feedback and also loves it, but he won’t let it dictate what he and his team do with “Black-ish.”

The series creator added, “I love any and all feedback. Someone said a long time ago, like, ‘If you believe any of it, you believe it all.’ So I listen to it all, [but] I do not allow it to sort of define what we do.”

It appears that Barris and the “Black-ish” team have become aware that race is a frequent topic on the show and have begun to make jokes about it, including having Dre’s (Anthony Anderson) co-workers criticise him about his rants about race.

But like Dre does on the show, Barris isn’t going to let critics stop him. “I think everyone is entitled to their opinion and, you know, I don’t like everything on that’s black — not in any way, shape or form,” he said.

Barris also doesn’t think everyone needs to be a fan of the show and believes it’s important to make people feel uncomfortable sometimes. “And I don’t know if I would like if everyone did like [the show]. I feel it’s important that the rubber hits the road sometimes and it rubs people the wrong way.”

According to the “Black-ish” creator, rubbing people the wrong way can actually cause “more change than something people really enjoy.”

While the show may have its opponents — including President Donald Trump who once asked, “Can you imagine the furor of a show, ‘Whiteish’!” — the series is a top 10 show for ABC in the 18 to 49 demographic, behind “Scandal.”