Steve Harvey with Flavor Flav and his family on Celebrity Family Feud. Source: Instagram | Family Feud ABC
Whether it be on social media, traditional media, or everyday conversations, Reality Television has become a cultural phenomenon that has captured the minds and hearts of many across various age gaps due to its entertainment value.
Across genres, several reality television programs have not only become fan favorites, they have also raked in huge amounts of revenue and catapulted many to stardom. With shows like Family Feud, Big Brother, American Idol, and The Bachelor amongst many others, the drama, personal stories, triumphs, and failures of contestants have ensured that these shows become a daily part of people’s television experience.
As with the impact of media on public perception, reality TV shows have become instrumental as a platform for visibility and cultural education more so for African Americans whose representation on such shows affords many the opportunity to get a first-hand glimpse of the values, beliefs, and lifestyles of the African American.
This was not the case in the early beginnings of Television. Many of the roles for popular television programs were left for an all-white cast with minor roles portraying a stereotypical bias and basically for the comic relief of audiences were left for African Americans.
Despite obvious discrimination, many African Americans continued to push for more roles. This breakthrough opened up bigger opportunities for African Americans to star in popular family comedy shows like Good Times, Sanford and Son, and the Jeffersons among others. The success of these programs opened up opportunities that paved the way for more African American representation in television.
Image: The Evans Family in the television program, Good Times. CBS Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
As programs evolved from the conventional family drama to movies and then reality shows, there rose an increased presence of African Americans and in some cases a full cast of Blacks.
This has ensured that the reinforced stereotypes of Black men being angry, untrustworthy, and prone to crime have constantly been challenged and disabused from the minds of the uninformed. Over time, and with the popularity of reality shows, there has been a better understanding of the culture, history, and values of African Americans.
Among such popular shows is the Reality TV game show – Family Feud hosted by the legendary Television Presenter and Comedian Steve Harvey. During some of the show’s screen presentations, Steve, on numerous occasions had used the opportunity to talk about his Southern upbringing and cultural experience.
Leveraging on his experience as a TV host and comedian on many platforms, Steve was able to draw the attention of the audience to the experience of the average African American as he/she confronts the challenges of living in America and climbing the ladder of success.
Aside hosting reality shows, many African American who appear as contestants in these shows also use the opportunity to showcase the challenges of everyday life, the struggles and triumphs that viewers can resonate and identify with.
Whether they be a mixed or an all-African American cast like The Bachelors, Love and Hip Hop, Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business, or Basketball Wives LA, these shows offer insight into the lives of African Americans as they navigate the world of marriage, love, family, friendship, careers, personal growth and the other values that are not only identifiable in the African American culture but are also relatable across all humanity.
