Critics Throw Rocks At "Cavemen"

You might expect the new ABC sitcom "Cavemen" to run afoul of critics simply because it's based on a series of Geico insurance commercials. Or maybe just because it sucks. But "Cavemen" took a mild beating today because it seems to be a thinly disguised depiction of one particular race. The producers and actors swore up and down that we've got it wrong, that because the topic is cavemen, it refers to no real minority. But those guys may not have the standing to settle the question...

QUESTION: I'm looking at a stage full of eight white men, and you produced a pilot in which the ethnic group is unidentified, but they're known for their athletic prowess, their sexual prowess, their dancing.

PRODUCER JOSH GORDON: They're Jewish.

Ba dump-bump!

After a long stretch of attempted comic banter, producer Mike Schiff tried to answer seriously. "Look, is that a concern for the show? Absolutely. That's what we have to be very careful about. And believe me, we spent a lot of time sitting in the (writers') room talking about this," he said. "Unfortunately, if you pick an offensive stereotype of any kind, it's going to bump up into some ethnic group. It's going to happen. As we are, though, talking about the cavemen, it is a very specific thing. If there were cavemen in our world and people were, as they would likely be, looking down on them, what would be the things you would associate with cavement? You know, thickheaded, primal, not as sophisticated or cultured as us. And then, of course, what we want to show in the show is that all those stereotypes are incorrect."

The producers were asked about their off-camera staff, and claimed African-American and Indian-American writers, an Asian-American writer trainee, five women directors, three African-American directors, a female Latina director. Some of the critics in the room sounded mollified by this and went on to ask important questions along the lines of, How long does it take to put on the caveman makeup? But others, including some African American writers, said it was glaringly obvious the Cavemen were thinly disguised blacks.

It's tempting to write off the whole discussion. The entire (dismal) pilot is being re-shot and partially re-cast. Many critics expect "Cavemen" to be the first show canceled this season - one was even betting last night that it will never air. And there have been some ridiculous excesses by the guardians of political correctness. But ABC and the producers had better think long and hard about every line in this show and about whether they fully understand what they're doing.

Comments

[Aaron]

Yeah, I don't know whether to be more annoyed that it's stupidly racist, or that it's just incredibly dumb from the get-go.

[Liz Lacy]

Oh come on Aaron, can't we hate it for both reasons? There's plenty of hate to go around.

[John]

Come on now people this is the greatest show ever if you think its that bad then why are you on this site looking it up.

[online insurance]

I am pregnant and employed with a small company in New Jersey. My company does not have Short Term Disability insurance. I read recently that NJ is one of 5 states that requires this insurance by law. Does that law apply to all companies, or only companies of a certain size? Am I out of luck? Should I buy my own insurance? Thanks for any advice!