Jet Magazine... Why?

Over spring break, I was lounging around my house watching TV being unproductive when I noticed a Jet Magazine resting on the arm of the couch.  As I begin to flip through the magazine, I came across an advertisement for a DVD collection. The ad was for the complete season of Amos n' Andy.  Immediately in my head I said "Oh! Amos n' Andy!"  Being that I'm just a lowly (late) 80's baby, I never had the opportunity to see the show when it was on the air; however, I have heard a lot about the show- mainly from conversations in my media course. As I continued to read the advertisement, it read something along the lines of 'Purchase your copy of the complete season of Amos n' Andy today. One of the funniest television shows ever!' The rest of the advertisement proceeded to compliment and promote the sale of the show.  Not long after I had read the ad in its entirety did the irony of this ad occur to me.  

When we discussed the show Amos n' Andy in my media class, it was in a much different light.  We first examined an excerpt by Herman Gray called The Politics of Representation in Network Television.  Here, Gray analyzed different aspects of representation in the media, especially among minorities.  It illuminated the fact minorities tend to fit very familiar stereotypical roles in the media. Amos n' Andy, though considered one of the funniest shows ever, is also considered one of the most racist as well.  The show was so racist in fact that it was eventually removed from the air by the NAACP.  I found it extremely ironic that a show such as this would be advertised in Jet, a magazine that targets a black audience. 

When Amos n' Andy first aired, it was during a time when it was rare to see black actors on television at all. I believe that the integration of different minorities into network television is by all means an achievement to be acknowledged; however, I don't believe that blacks and other minorities should accept these positions at their own expense.  By Amos n' Andy being promoted in such a way to a black community (target readers) I feel that in many regards it makes allowances for such portrayals as acceptable norms.