THE WHITENING OF TV

Last year I thought that TV was beginning to have more speaking parts for Blacks and other minorities.

Last night I discovered that Covert Affairs had killed off the only minority spy. This leaves only White characters, reflecting the problems within the actual CIA.

I honestly do not think that TV people set out to have only White characters. I think they write about the people they know, and that they do not know any minorities.

It can not be true that the TV people think that people will not watch minority actors. I think that the actor that played Jay on Covert Affairs is VERY nice to watch. Ditto for Sam on NCIS LA.

This is important. If we are all going to get along, we need to have an image in our heads about how to speak with a minority person. Yes, it is simple, just treat them as you do everyone else. But it took me years to be entirely comfortable dealing with minorities, so anything that the media can do to help, they should be doing.

Of course, TV wants all its characters to be cut from the same mold. This is as boring as always setting the cop shows in LA.

And do not get me started about Harry's Law. I am surprised that a show about a round, older woman attorney lasted two seasons. It is doubly sad as Harry's Law presented the legal questions that we will all have to answer in the 21st century.

Please let the TV people know that we all want to watch people who are NOT white, skinny, wearing stupid shoes, and with White model faces. Variety is the spice of life.