On the television show Community there are numerous racial assumptions made by all group members throughout the first season. The “community” is seven individuals that form a Spanish 101 study group. All coming from different backgrounds the group at numerous times have used race and ethnicity against their fellow study group members. In the episode “The Art of Discourse” (season 1, episode 22) Pierce is being kicked out of the group for “pantsing” Shirley. When the group confronts him about the inappropriate actions he has done and things he has said Pierce is completely in denial that anything he does is wrong.
When arguing with Shirley, Pierce says “that is the pot calling the kettle…bla…” and cannot even get the word black out of his mouth. Shirley replies with “you can say black Pierce, I am a black woman. The cat is out of the bag. You have literally identified me to strangers as the black woman”. Pierce replies with “this is out of context, context is everything”. Britta goes on to say how Pierce always mentions she’s a lesbian and Troy says “at least he doesn’t think Shirley’s my mom anymore, he think that were cousins.” Pierce replies “you’re not?” Abed, a Muslim student chimes in “he still assumes I’m a terrorist”. Pierce replies “you’re not, I’m sorry, if you are I’m a hero, I’m willing to take that chance”. Annie another group member adds “you said I have a crafty Jew brain,” which Pierce replies “nobody knows how to take a compliment anymore!"
Later in the episode the group realizes they need Pierce in the group as the type of “weird guy” in order to keep their group in sync. This group which involves people of different ethnicities somehow needs Pierce to buffer everything out, to say everything that no one else will say. In this episode Pierce basically makes some type of stereotypical assumption about everyone in his group except Jeff who is a white male. Does the show expense the use of race in order to get some laughs? In this example Pierce is demonstrating Goldberg’s (1993) “racial knowledge” as he is the one trying to extend control, power, authority and domination over the Others, he thinks he knows best. When in actual fact the Others overpower him and tell him to leave the group. Pierce may not have been intentionally trying to belittle the other members of his study group but obviously everything he had said stuck with the members of the group and obviously hurt them.
When arguing with Shirley, Pierce says “that is the pot calling the kettle…bla…” and cannot even get the word black out of his mouth. Shirley replies with “you can say black Pierce, I am a black woman. The cat is out of the bag. You have literally identified me to strangers as the black woman”. Pierce replies with “this is out of context, context is everything”. Britta goes on to say how Pierce always mentions she’s a lesbian and Troy says “at least he doesn’t think Shirley’s my mom anymore, he think that were cousins.” Pierce replies “you’re not?” Abed, a Muslim student chimes in “he still assumes I’m a terrorist”. Pierce replies “you’re not, I’m sorry, if you are I’m a hero, I’m willing to take that chance”. Annie another group member adds “you said I have a crafty Jew brain,” which Pierce replies “nobody knows how to take a compliment anymore!"
Later in the episode the group realizes they need Pierce in the group as the type of “weird guy” in order to keep their group in sync. This group which involves people of different ethnicities somehow needs Pierce to buffer everything out, to say everything that no one else will say. In this episode Pierce basically makes some type of stereotypical assumption about everyone in his group except Jeff who is a white male. Does the show expense the use of race in order to get some laughs? In this example Pierce is demonstrating Goldberg’s (1993) “racial knowledge” as he is the one trying to extend control, power, authority and domination over the Others, he thinks he knows best. When in actual fact the Others overpower him and tell him to leave the group. Pierce may not have been intentionally trying to belittle the other members of his study group but obviously everything he had said stuck with the members of the group and obviously hurt them.
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