White writers writing for Black characters
So yeah, fandom, you wanna talk about this? Then let's talk.
Because, first, after the collective amnesia of forgetting what Claudia said to Louis about being a slave in Season One (when there was a black writer on staff btw) seems to be no-so-much anymore right now as far as I can tell, the other side of the argument seems to be the fact that there were no black writers on staff this season, and that means the writers shouldn't have done it, even if it wouldn't have been out-of-character for her to say such things.
But the real nonsense -- yes, nonsense -- I've been seeing lately is this idea that, if there had been a black writer or two on the show this season, the things we are seeing when it comes to the whole show, would not be happening. Or, somehow, be drastically different.
Well, let me give some of you who might be thinking this the reality check you seem to desperately need -- because no, it would not.
Because this show was not CREATED by a black person or POC. It was created by a white man. Rolin Jones. The vision of this adaptation, and the direction in which it is going, is based on how HE wishes to adapt the source material.
And no matter who is on the writing staff? That will always remain the case.
That vision of this show and the story it's telling isn't going to change, no matter how many black writers -- male, female, they or them -- you put in that writer's room.
What the show is doing right now, the direction of the story that is being told, would not change just because a black writer or two was in the writer's room.
Because, again, overall, this is Rolin Jones' adaptation of Anne Rice's work. And it will always be that, at the end of the day, no matter who is on the writing staff.
That you would have gotten this ship you wanted because there was a black writer or two on staff? (Because I'm not stupid, I know that is what is at the heart of much of this talk.)
You are being naรฏve at best, and basically advocating for tokenism at worst. Because guess what? Nothing would be different wrt how the show was being written or where it is going from where it is right now.
Because at the end of the day, this show is Rolin Jones' vision. And it will always be that. And those black writers would be writing with Rolin's overall vision of the story in mind.
Now, I'm not saying that no black or POC writers should ever write for the show. Not at all! I think such a thing would, hopefully, benefit the show even more, particually when it comes to such voices advocating for the black and POC characters in the show.
My point is, however, that if you think such a thing would change the overall direction of the story the show is telling? That we wouldn't have gotten the seance scene -- which is lifted directly from the books, btw -- or that the focus of this season, and what it's setting up, would have not happened and changed completely?
Then you are being naรฏve at best about that. Because none of those writers would be the actual creator and showrunner of this show. The one who actually dictates the overall story and direction of this show.
Rolin Jones is the one who has always been directing how this story, how it is told, from the very first episode. Because it is his pitch for the show that AMC decided to go with.
So where the show is right now is always where it was going to go. And that would not have changed even if there had been a black writer or two on staff.
So, with that said, should white writers write for black characters?
Well, instead of making a long argument about this myself (though yes, I'm still going to have comments about it), I'm going to let two actual black TV writers and, even more importantly, showrunners/creators talk about what THEY think about this.
This video is from The Hollywood Reporter Drama Showrunners' roundtable back in 2018. And the two black showrunners on the panel, Courtney Kemp and Lena Waithe, had, IMO, some of the most insightful comments on that panel, IMO, especially about this very topic, starting at 46:04. (Transcribed below).
I just feel like, when we start to say "Only this person can write this narrative," those of us who are of color, or somewhat othered, that means we can only write ourselves. Nuh uh, I ain't signing up for that. I am not going to say that only people of color can write people of color because that means only white people can write white people, and that's not okay.
Every writer should be able to write anything; if you do the research, you're sensitive enough to ask the questions, because I come from journalism. Would we say the same thing about journalist? Would we say that only certain journalists can cover certain things? No. Educate yourself! Ask people!
A big thing for me is, if you are a white, straight showrunner? And you want to tell a story that isn't like your life? That's totally cool. But you've got to have someone whose life you are writing about, right next to you. And you've got to be asking them, because sometimes the thing that I don't love is the white male straight showrunner that acts as if they have the audacity to tell a narrative that isn't theirs without asking for help.
Seriously, watch the whole roundtable if you can. It's one of the best ones The Hollywood Reproter has done, IMO.
Anyway, what Lena said about having someone in the room next to the person writing about things such as this?
Well, that is exactly what IWTVL has with Jacob Anderson and Delainey Hayles. The two black actors who are playing Louis and Claudia, respectively, and who have talked openly and often about the collaborative process that Rolin has done with them. Both of them, especially Delainey, have done so in the After Dark episode post EP306. And even more recently, Jacob did so in a TV Guide interview.
But, as is always the case with this fandom, their opinions are either ignored or dismissed. Some people even treat them like they shouldn't be allowed to have an opinion because they are biracial and, therefore, a poor, dumb sell-out who doesn't know any better (Jacob).
Which, frankly, I find way more insulting -- along with the just outright ignoring of what Delainey has said -- than anything the show has done this season.
Jacob and Delainey are not just some poor, dumb, black people who some of you think need to be "saved" from the show via a bunch of performative advocacy, thanks. ๐
Because it is also not lost on me that the majority of people doing things like this are white fans. (Like the one who was reporting the show to the NAACP. Really!? ๐)
Anyway, as I said above, at the end of the day, this show is Rolin Jones' vision. And it will always be that, no matter who is on the writing staff for it. The white showrunner who created the show and the overall story arc that the show is telling.
And any black writers would did join the writing staff would be writing with Rolin's overall vision of the story in mind, not their own.
And definitely not with any fandom fanons or headcanons some of you think would be implemented on the show if there were a black writer or two on the staff.
And, at the end of the day, when the things you think would change about the show didn't change, many of you would just do the same thing with those black writers that you are doing with the black actors on the show -- Jacob, Delainey, and now Sheila -- and just ignore everything they have said regarding the show, their characters, and the collaborations they have done with the writers regarding where the story is going, at best.
At worst, you do the same thing to them that some of you have already done to Jacob, especially if any of them are biracial like he is. But even if they were not, you'd still probably just call them sell-outs when you still didn't get what you really wanted the show to do, and things remained exactly the same.
Plus, thinking that any and all black writers would think the same about the story is just, once again, seeing black people in a monolithic way that some people have -- that all black people think exactly the same about all things.
Because, for all anyone knows, if there had been a black writer on staff? That scene might have gone down even harder than what we got . . . with even harsher language than what we heard.
And maybe also with the stabbing of Louis that Claudia did in the book to him during that scene, remaining in as well.
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