I’ll never understand why slamming white people and only white people is considered a joke. Furthermore, I can’t understand how liberals seem to do it so easily despite their claim “love trumps hate.” Both those things are on full display from just one line in the most recent episode of ABC's Fresh Off The Boat.
In Tuesday's episode “Sisters Without Subtext,” Jessica (Constance Wu) takes her sister Connie (Susan Park), with whom she's had a longstanding rivalry, on a college tour when Connie decides to go back to school. Bonding over their newfound common value of education, they joyfully sing together to the soundtrack for The Color Purple, which they soon refer to as “The Color of White Cruelty.”
♪♪ You wonder why♪♪ ♪♪ You wonder why♪♪ ♪♪ Maybe God♪♪ ♪♪ Maybe God♪♪
Jessica: "The Color Purple" is so emotional.
Connie: When Miss Millie wouldn't let Sofia go see her son?
Jessica: On Christmas! What kind of animals?
Connie: What...kind...of animals? I would have quit, too.
Jessica: She had no choice. "The Color Purple." More like "The Color of White Cruelty."
Connie: Mm-hmm.
Jessica: Oh, this is my favorite part.
Connie: Me too!
Both: ♪♪ Maybe ♪♪ ♪♪ Maybe ♪♪ ♪♪ God is ♪♪ ♪♪ God is ♪♪ ♪♪ Trying ♪♪ ♪♪ Trying ♪♪ ♪♪ To tell you something ♪♪
Jessica: I'll go high. You go low.
Both: ♪♪ Maybe ♪♪ ♪♪ God is ♪♪ ♪♪ God is ♪♪ ♪♪ Trying ♪♪ ♪♪ Trying ♪♪ ♪♪ To tell you something ♪♪
Jessica: Oh, such a strong alto for such a petite frame.
Connie: We are so good!
Both: ♪♪ Tell you ♪♪ ♪♪ To tell you something, ooh ♪♪
The show’s supposed to ruin their bond by revealing Connie’s desire to go to art school rather than, in Jessica's mind, get a "real" education, but that scene was really where the moment’s ruined. I could never get away with calling one person cruel let alone an entire race, which Fresh Off the Boat has done before, calling whites "the cruelest race." And I don’t care how graphic The Color Purple can get, the 1985 movie starring Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey is hardly indicative of all white people, and Fresh Off the Boat's analysis completely ignores the horrific rape and violence black men in the story inflict on black women.
However, the episode did deliver one great unrelated punch line. Although the show takes place in 1997, the art school Connie is looking at already has a "safe space" in its "free-expression village." The hippy-dippy tour guide explains, "It's a safe space for students to express their creative selves through a wide range of mediums." Jessica remarks, “There's no safe space from your parents' disappointment.” I’m definitely saving that one!
