The Subject Is Race

James Lott Jr explores the subject of race on Falcon Crest! 

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Many of the primetime soaps didn't havea lot of minorities on their shows.
I think of Dora May on Dallas. Later they did bring on Frank Williams
and his wife and daughter. I'mnot landing Dynasty dip. Bring on Diane

(00:24):
Carroll, you know that her daughterto her daughter, they about question.
They had Chowie, so he wasyou know, Shirley Ralph's character on towards
the tours later episode of the seasons. I guess they're very Italian head because
there was course Wineries, Yeah,Gretty's a lot of stuff. It's all

(00:48):
very it was very it was veryfamily oriented show, all the inner workings
of the each VACU member. Broit's very there was well with part p
LR. We got you know,miss pr Ortega, we got we got
some Latino in there. But Iguess it's mostly a white watched the show.

(01:10):
I guess I guess mostly which atthat time. You know, they
California. What are our black folksthink? Get on California? But where
they lived it was mostly other thanthat, So I guess I don't know.
It's it's just interesting to be lookingback at these socialized as I do

(01:34):
look at these storylines. I stilllove Falcon crests into it the whole thing.
And that's for anybody who's not representingon our screen. We have to
just watch it for what it's worth. Get into it, and then you
know there's any madd you can youknow, get called out for a line

(01:57):
or whatever a person, but itfeels like you have been running, running,
running, running running. It's it'sit's a refusal years ago. It
was tough for him. I'm sure. I'm sure if you us watching it
and going, well, we haveto kind of that's kind of self watchers

(02:23):
period, So watches of color period, whether it's Latino, Asian, black,
or we kind of have to justwatch the show for what it is.
And we always were very adaptable.We are we will adapt to what
we don't see and well I willfind ways to relate to the characters,

(02:44):
which is a which is a goodthing too. I mean, I want
to give that. I want tosay that to you. You won't be
able to relate to a character orlike a character regardless of the color of
their skin. You want to justlike the character as presented, which your
chantes's care d I liked and that'she's just regardless of race or he's he's
a great character, and so changea great character. Listener is a great

(03:08):
character there, they were great regardlessof what their backgrounds were. But you
just wonder do the creators just notis there is there a conscious bias and
and like put aside or is itfor real? That's a good question which

(03:32):
I'm always, as you guys know, looking into you. I've always tried
to hear things and see how thingschange, and I'm always I'm just like,
Okay, I'm going to question thisperson what they think they believe in,
and let's talk about it, andjust you don go from there.
But you know, everybody's pretty nice. And I imagine many people on the

(03:58):
show I've heard over the years werevery nice. And when you're an actor,
you're having a good job. Youare happy. He's a your job.
I can't see him screaming at Ican't just it's you're there to work,
You get there, you're there towork, you have a job.

(04:23):
You want fans to tune in theratings. This is the eighties, so
I know there are things that different. They were different back then. Now
we have prime time soaps that haveevolved more into you have different races,
different colors and that kind of stuffout there. Now we're talking forty years

(04:44):
ago. Did do we take thatexcuse? I don't know. It's it's
just it's something that I was thinkingabout with this show and with some of
the other shows. Like I said, Charlie, I guess was constant.
But he could say he well,he was Subsurvi and he worked for Angel

(05:06):
Changing and the and the family atFalcon Crest. But you know I did
show on that already, as Idid show on that, you be gonna
listen to that show about him?And was him being on screen enough?
I know it's it's it's he leavesa legacy. He's part of Falcon Crest,

(05:26):
he is a part of Asian Americanson television. He is to be
revered giving his flowers, the kidssay he did his part. He did.
I'm James, U just food yourthoughts out there. You know,
we know what you think. Willyou find this podcast against the fucking show
after show, fucking show Falcon Crestafter show, check out all the episodes.

(05:53):
Talk to you. I'm James jTatch you later