House of Payne

Although stereotypes of blacks in tv sitcoms are played out everyday, there is an upside. As Tyler Perry says in the interview, they are tools. When you think about a lot of his movies and about the sitcoms this article talked about, they tackled very large social issues. Racial identity, religion, parental relations, abuse, and many other tough subjects are brought to the for front in an Oprah show-esq way. At the end of the article Coleman mentioned that black women feel like they are strengthened by their portrayal on tv. These stereotypes may and probably are false in many ways. However if thought of as a tool, like faith, to get through tough times with advise from trusted friends have they served their purpose? It may be bad for society to see these stereotypes played out, but if the shows are speaking to their audience and delivering an effective message, could it be a good thing?