Mathew Klickstein on Nickelodeon’s Diversity Problem and the DC writer who agrees with him.

[Tandaemonium]

Source: Flavorpill and Vox

Thought this was relevant to current DCE and what we've seen unfold before and after the New 52.

This guy. LOL.

Brief: Mathew Klickstein, the author of SLIMED! An Oral History of Nickelodeon's Golden Age, did an interview with Flavorwire to discuss his upcoming event "New York Super Week," a festival celebrating late '80s and early '90s Nickelodeon nostalgia.

The interview starts out as a fairly typical publicity chat, but midway through, Klickstien's comments take a turn for the worse — to put it mildly. After being asked a question about whether or not a white upper-middle class show like Pete & Pete could succeed today, he responded with more than 1000 words of explanation (in the presumably edited-down transcript, no less) that essentially proved how little understanding he has about the importance of diversity on television.

[CrimsonEchidna]

You can see the exact moment the interview went south the minute he played "Most Basketball and Football players are black!"

[Fuzzy Cactus]

"Why does character X have to be Indian?"

Good god, what the Hell?

[Desh]

I didn't read the whole thing, but what I read was pretty sickening.

Again, I'm seeing this line of thinking (which I've seen on this forum) about, "There's no reason for this character to be a PoC, since it doesn't do anything for the plot, so why have them as one?" Well, why not? White people are not the only ones who exist. Also, it's interesting to note how when the shows that feature PoC stars are brought up, he brushes them aside as not being that good.

It's surprising what strange and backwards views people have when these subjects are brought up, but it certainly explains why things are the way they are in entertainment.

And man, this guy has got a serious hard on for Pete and Pete for some reason. Clarissa Explains it All is a way better show than that, and from what I was able to discern, considerably more influential.

[exile001]

I just read the whole thing, and it just reads strangely as "why not just use white people for everything unless the entire production is 'X'?" When called on it, he just repeats and spirals down the hole of 'political correctness' is bad, while failing to acknowledge the incredible bias towards white men in the entertainment industries (or mentioning the shed-load of bad programing that has come from that stable).

It's funny when the interviewer clearly starts getting annoyed with him.

And of course Clarissa was a HUGE hit! I'm from the UK, and have never heard of Pete & Pate, but Clarissa? Everyone loved it!

And man, this guy has got a serious hard on for Pete and Pete for some reason.

Yeah, really noticed that. I honestly began thinking he worked on it or something.

[Desh]

Just read more...

Telly, for Christ’s sake, on Salute Your Shorts, is a great example. Here’s someone who is black and a cute girl who is a tomboy who is beating all the other kids at sports.

>____>
Hurray for stereotypes! Ugh... this guy.
I'd really be interested in knowing who the DC writer is who agrees with him.

[nightrider]

This has to do with DC because?

[Nite-Wing]

Man Nickelodeon's good shows during its golden age were way more popular than pete and pete
Granted My brother and me got cancelled quick a show like pete and pete would undoubtedly not be aired at all if it were under todays standards
All that! lasted quite a bit and it had all races on its cast
The secret world of alex mack had some POC cast members
Kenan and Kel
cousin skeeter
Its amazing that a Nick fan could have such radical opinions when pretty much everything he's saying isn't true at all

[The Darknight Detective]

Ren & Stimpy is the only show I remember from that time (I never saw the other two shows, FWIW).

[victorxd1999]

I didn't read the whole thing, but what I read was pretty sickening.

Again, I'm seeing this line of thinking (which I've seen on this forum) about, "There's no reason for this character to be a PoC, since it doesn't do anything for the plot, so why have them as one?" Well, why not? White people are not the only ones who exist. Also, it's interesting to note how when the shows that feature PoC stars are brought up, he brushes them aside as not being that good.

It's surprising what strange and backwards views people have when these subjects are brought up, but it certainly explains why things are the way they are in entertainment.

And man, this guy has got a serious hard on for Pete and Pete for some reason. Clarissa Explains it All is a way better show than that, and from what I was able to discern, considerably more influential.

The only time I heard the argument "why should he be black? It doesn't do anything for the story" when talking about the new Wally West, on which I agree that it's weird and almost offensive. Creating new non-white characters? Sure, I'd like that. But turning existing white heroes black just for the sake of being black? That's almost offensive. I would just like to see DC create some new, good, non-white superheroes that can get popular for other reasons than just being Asian or Latino or black.

[Desh]

The only time I heard the argument "why should he be black? It doesn't do anything for the story" when talking about the new Wally West, on which I agree that it's weird and almost offensive. Creating new non-white characters? Sure, I'd like that. But turning existing white heroes black just for the sake of being black? That's almost offensive. I would just like to see DC create some new, good, non-white superheroes that can get popular for other reasons than just being Asian or Latino or black.

Yeah, that's fine. I wasn't alluding to anything involving Wally West. Also, I think the DiDio/Johns ran DC turned Wally West Black to screw over the character, while doing it under a supposed noble aspiration, but that's another discussion for another time, I suppose.

[MetalWoman]

The full interview is hilarious. It is not like the interviewer was trying to trick him or challenge him. He just started ranting when the interviewer implied Clarissa was as important as Pete and Pete, and then kept digging himself deeper and deeper.

Edit: Still not sure what this has to do with DC though.

[Kryptoniac]

Yeah, that's fine. I wasn't alluding to anything involving Wally West. Also, I think the DiDio/Johns ran DC turned Wally West Black to screw over the character, while doing it under a supposed noble aspiration, but that's another discussion for another time, I suppose.

I really dont think Johns' is at fault here tbh..He was incredibly surprised at the whole superheroes should be unmarried thing while he was writing Aquaman..It probably is more of a Nelson/Didio thing with Wally's current state..And Venditi/Jensen who are actually writing him..Blaming Johns for everything wrong with Flash universe is pretty stupid considering he was the last good Wally writer

[The Darknight Detective]

Edit: Still not sure what this has to do with DC though.

I agree the connection is very small, but I don't know if it's small enough to move the thread elsewhere.

[CrimsonEchidna]

The only time I heard the argument "why should he be black? It doesn't do anything for the story" when talking about the new Wally West, on which I agree that it's weird and almost offensive. Creating new non-white characters? Sure, I'd like that. But turning existing white heroes black just for the sake of being black? That's almost offensive. I would just like to see DC create some new, good, non-white superheroes that can get popular for other reasons than just being Asian or Latino or black.

One thing I have definitely heard is the "Why Can't insert minority group here just relate to a white character instead?" or, more to the point, "It's hard for a white reader to relate to a PoC."

The latter you'll definitely hear less often because the implication is more blatant.