If everything was just so neat and easy. Obviously, Barack, Michelle, and those two adorable children are the twenty-first century Huxtables. Good looking, law abiding, upwardly mobile, urbane African-Americans. Examples to both their own people and the rest of America as to how inner city blacks can put away poverty and reach the upper middle class. A real American success story.
But life is just not that simple. Up against our modern Huxtable show is another program. This one features John and Sarah Brady. You know, a lovable white middle class family. One that looks and acts like so many of the majority white population. There is grandpa patriarch John and his stunning wife, Cindy. Sarah and Todd have a bit of a malfunctioning family that still manages to go to church every Sunday, enjoy the great outdoors, and are content to live within their accepted social status. No going on to Harvard for their children. One is so patriotic that he joined the Army right out of high school while another is having a baby while still in school. And to make things a bit more exciting there is Sarah's sister who takes refuge in the house from a mean spirited husband.
The older John and the younger Sarah are the stars of this new Brady show. They are tough when they have to be and yet so easy to relate to. Especially to the majority white population. TV executives are always looking to reach the desired demographics. The Huxtables are dominating with fellow African-Americans, professional cosmopolitan types, and the college age that always looks for ways to act different from their parents. The Bradys still draw higher ratings because for all its diversity, the nation's TV viewers still skew older, small town, and overly white.
If things were just so simple, we could understand how these two shows would split the ratings with the Bradys perhaps having a bit of an edge. But life is more complicated than that. The folks behind the Bradys were in a panic because the original pilot featuring John and Cindy was not drawing much of a buzz. So back to the drawing board they went and came up with the idea of adding another family to the show. Now this blended family that stretches from seventy-two year old John all the way to newcomer baby Trig has the opportunity to reach all ages. Their new found love of guns and God reach the church demographic. Their home in the Alaska wilderness sits well with those who used to watch Little House On The PraiCrie.
What can the Huxtables do to regain the lead? Not much. If they spice things up and have one of their daughters become pregnant all the fun will come out of the show as viewers will be reminded about the lack of morals that inner city folks supposedly lack. If they give up those hard won jobs that both Barack and Michelle have gained they will look just like so many other African Americans that did not try in school. If they get angry and point out the lack of thinking, sophistication, and utter regard for the underclass that the Bradys exhibit, white viewers will increasingly become scared at the angry black Barack and never turn to that channel again.
Barack and Michelle Huxtable are cute and intelligent blacks. But really, do you want them on your boob tube day after day? Wouldn't you, Mr. and Mrs. white viewer, want someone who is no better than you, someone who you share so much with, someone who you can so easily relate to, to be in your home for the next four years? Wouldn't you?
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