Is Cavemen the Series About Black People ABC Was Too Scared to Make?

LOS ANGELES – I summed up my reservations about Cavemen with a single question to the producers and cast here today: "Is this the series about black folks that ABC was too scared to make?"

I asked because the pilot episode of the show given to critics showed an opressed group of people who had athletic ability and sexual prowess, faced stereotypes of being dumb and lazy, and fought the popular notion that they were inclined toward criminality. From my perspective, the program offered a clumsy, intese allegory to black people -- with the added benefit for ABC of not actually starring any black people.

"In terms of them standing in for any one ethnic group, that's not our intention," said producer Josh Gordon, one of five producers onstage with the show's three stars, a long line of white guys defending their questionable choices. "We're aware that the pilot seems to lean a little more in that direction."

At first, I wasn't so passionate about this show and its choices, because it seemed so likely to fail. And for most people, the first question they probably had upon hearing ABC was developing a TV comedy starring the GEICO cavemen was: Why base a series on characters from a car insurance commercial?

But after 45 minutes watching the cast and producers of Cavemen field questions from TV critics here at the summer press tour, it was obvious: Even they don’t know why there should be a series on a concept whisked from a moderately funny collection of TV advertisements.

Executive producer Mike Schiff, a veteran of series such as In Living Color and 3rd Rock From the Sun, could barely stammer out an answer when asked what the series would actually focus on. Another producer, former adman and GEICO caveman creator Joe Lawson, said he was surprised critics would question a series developed from a commercial: “I didn’t know we would catch so much hell,” he cracked. “It was a nice surprise.”

Mostly, this crew could only agree on what Cavemen was not; noting that its leaden, heavy handed pilot episode – in which the cavemen are subjected to the kinds of stereotypes which often trouble black people, such as assumptions of laziness, stupidity or lawlessness – would not air until the 5th or 6th episode.

“Unfortunately, if you pick an offensive stereotype of any kind, you bump up against an ethnic group (victimized by it),” said Schiff, sitting among a collection of eight actors and producers who were all white men, saying the show would focus on the struggle for acclimation by outsiders.

They didn’t seem to get the irony; that a stage packed with white males would try writing a series about exclusion from the mainstream. Or that they would admit -- as these producers did during the press conference -- that there will be no cavemen shown who are not white people underneath.

Critics seemed to abandon any ire they might have felt about the pilot’s clumsy racial overtones for a feeling of pity – these guys clearly have no idea what a drubbing they are in for.

Comments

[The Carl]

I don't know anybody anywhere, and I know a lot of people, who drew a parallel between GEICO's Cavemen and black folks. I thought they were being compared with gays in the earlier spots, then turned into metrosexuals later. Maybe if I saw the pilot, but I doubt I'll even bother to set the DVR for this tripe.

[Doug]

Hey Eric,

I would be remiss if I didn't thank you for giving the people what they want in terms of some Caveman coverage. (In this instance, the people probably being just me.)

In regard to your angle on the coverage, well I guess I'm just going to have to see for myself. I'm waiting anxiously.

Okay, most kidding aside, I hope you can spare a little column or blog space somewhere down the line to report whether your concerns are borne out after the four weeks that this thing is on the air.

[Dick Tater]

Sometimes a caveman is just a caveman.

[Lena]

I always thought the commercials were poking fun at gay men, since there don't seem to be any cave women. Black people never occurred to me.

[GlennS.]

I have to admit I love the caveman commercials, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best regarding this TV series.

Of course the cavemen are stand-ins for blacks and gays, and probably fat guys, computer nerds and Baptists too, i.e., any group that has been unfairly stereotyped. Is it now politically incorrect to use allegory? If so, there go an awful lot of great movies, books, etc.

I'm also tired of people trashing this show simply because the source material is a series of commercials. Remember, The Simpsons started as a short, silly segment on the Tracy Ullman Show.

Look, I'm not saying this show is going to be great. It will probably stink because, well, most shows stink. But lets not write the obituary before the thing has even aired, okay?

[Eric Deggans]

I think you guys are assuming the TV show is like the commercials. Though the TV show pilot was written by the guys who also wrote the commercials, it is very different.

If they ever air the pilot that critics saw, you will see how strong the connection to black stereotypes are.

And i'm not the only critic who reacted this way. Critics for the Washington Post, Newark Star-Ledger and Philadelphia Daily News were similarly concerned...

Here's a clip from youtube where one caveman get offended when another uses a slur for cavemen in the same way some black people use the n-word...

[Eric Deggans]

Whoops. Here's the clip...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18rcvH6uGWQ

[FG]

Why do black people think EVERYTHING is about "black people". And so what if it is!!! get over it. Oh!! and by the way ... I'm black. I think I speak for most of us when I say," who cares!

[Eric Deggans]

As I said in my earlier post, critics from other papers -- who are not black -- all felt the same way.

http://www.bradenton.com/breakingnews/story/107883.html

http://www.mercurynews.com/tv/ci_6488027

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/25/AR2007072502467_3.html

So maybe there might be a little something to this observation, FG, if so many TV critics reacted to it...

[Zucchini Flower]

I was amazed when I first heard about the series because I don't find the commercials even slightly amusing. I just don't get it. It's if they were written by 14 year olds. Plus, people may say I'm racist for feeling this way, but I found the commercials to be racist, so I bet I'll feel the same way about the show. What a waste of valuable air time. The only ABC shows I've watched in some time were Traveler, Lost (best show on Network TV), American Inventor, and The Nine, which disappeared. Lost fans: a new Marvin Candle orientation film is available at abc.com.

[matt stechel]

Lordy, this article was awesome. Someone is definitely reading too much into Cavemen...i may have not seen or heard a single second of the pilot but i can pretty much guarantee you that there was absolutely no thought put into the making of the show as a social parallel or satire of hell anything, but if there was...I just want to say more power to them--but really I think ABC just wanted a show that could play well as a companion (and hopeful replacement) with the millionth season of According To Jim.

(which I like damnit! -- with G.Lopez gone, its now officialy the only show on the network to really honor their legacy of great mediocre live action studio audience sitcoms about down home families with a very non traditional leading character! A formula perfected with Who's The Boss?, Mr. Belvadere, Growing Pains, Family Matters, Roseanne and Home Improvement and Grace Under Fire, et al. These shows that kids in their college years and beyond have returned to because of the fond memories they had watching it with their familes when they were young...who the hell is gonna be watching reruns of Dancing With The Stars in 15 years??? exactly!)

People--We need sitcoms now more then ever!!! Even if their hopelessly mediocre tv economics needs them to helpfully fill in dead airspace on the hundreds of channels out there in the ever expanding tv universe

[Eric Deggans]

I think you make a great point Matt -- the TV sitcom is a venerated institution, and the network TV suits are letting it fade away.

As far as what Cavemen is trying to say or not -- all I can say is that I have seen the entire 30-minute pilot, and I also spend lots of time tlkaing with the show's executive producer during a TV writers' reception last week. So I have a fair amount of firsthand knowledge on this topic.

I do find it kind of amazing that folks who have not seen the pilot are so skeptical about critics conclusions about it...

[FG]

Eric,

There maybe something to your observation / or maybe not... There's a saying..." We don't see things, the way that they are, we see things the way that we are". Think about it. Maybe this is your observation because of your life experience, and those who agree with you. But it's not mine so I could care less!!!

[Kathy in Sarasota]

Maybe the writers thought that using black stereotypes would attract black viewers - I can't think of any other reason why they would be so obvious... it would have been better if they had been a little more creative and came up with origional (lighthearted) 'cavemen' stereotypes. I have really been looking forward to this show so I hope that the writers didn't screw this up by turning it into a racism issue and thereby ruining this great opportunity. And I also don't get what the big deal is about using characters from a commercial. What exactly is the acceptable source for sitcom themes or characters?? A show should be about interesting characters... what difference does it make where they originated from??

[tony facade]

I would give up driving before buying Gecko Insurance. I thought the cavies were displaced Greenwich Village types, I didn't make the jump to blacks. I like the airport commercial when the cavis with the badminton raquet (he doesn't have enough arm to swing a tennis raquet) getd his thong in a knot. But the psychologists are getting stereotyped also.You know, the OTHER Village types.

[Kami Singh]

Perhaps other stereotypes from other races will be added on as the show progresses. I think it would probably be cool to have all stereo types from all racial subgroups placed onto the caveman. This may allow people to begin to detach the stereo types from the racial/socio-economic subgroups.

The question has been asked, why is this important? Why would something like this be so upsetting to black people. While society is certainly making strides bringing a little balance to the racial divide. We have in no way arrived. A mere 30 years ago the last black-faced show aired. If writers and producers are not careful they may simply reinforce negative attitudes and stereotypes while deepening the racial divide that still exists in this country. For any of young readers or even older readers who seem to have forgotten how far we have come, here is a link to what black-face is and I'm sure you will see how this type of represenation could be similar. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackface

If the show either is more inclusive of other stereotypes or just sticks with the original Geico stereo-type of lesser intelligent, it potentially poses a problem. I'm sure if the stereotypes were related to not being able to drive on the sabbath and not being able to eat certain foods etc.. and had other anti-semetic undertones, we would not be asking this question.

I am seriously disappointed with the decline of respect toward the African American struggle. It is not so far enough in our past that it is okay to forget. The Civil Rights movment ended no 50 years ago and Apartheid ended after that.

In conclusion, the producers are going to be in for a bumpy ride. And I'm disappointed strongly in anyone that thinks a black person should just get over it!

[John Carr]

It never ceases to amaze me how some white people will have overt racism right in their and act as if it doesn't exist or that blacks are over sensitive. By the way I am a white republican male and I can admit that honestly the caveman adds are about blacks. Its like everything else from work to politics we pretend it doesn't exist as long as we are benefiting from it. Don't believe me look at Katrina.

John.

[PDove]

I don't care what you tell me, after watching the second episode, I clearly think that this show is poking fun at black people. This madness has to stop. I give if a few more episodes before black organizations shed light on this.