truTV’s series, “I’m Sorry” was recommended to me as something I would enjoy for the mom’s comedic value. I watched the first episode and felt I cringed more than laughed. However, there were small redeeming nuggets. The daughter who is pre-K aged in the scene asks sex and anatomy questions. The dad stays quiet and shelled up like a turtle while the mom charges head on and tackles it with directness until an eavesdropper at a nearby table gives mom a questioning look. Then, the conversation turns into mom confronting eavesdropping stranger about what appears to be her own body insecurities and myths about the elasticity of female anatomy.
The second episode is where there’s an opportunity for both parents to have a direct and open conversation about racism with their inquisitive and equality challenged daughter. The dad plays his turtle role and the mom charges like a drunken bull not careful or considerate of the topic. I couldn’t finish the episode. I ended up rating it in Netflix with a thumbs down and exiting Netflix altogether that evening.
There are many things wrong with the episode (of what I did view) that are reflective and representative of the series, mainstream culture, and white supremacy. I’ll sum it up with the two mistakes that were the most troublesome:
First mistake: It’s a glaring one. When the daughter in the series proclaims that she doesn’t like the color of the skin of a child who her mother has invited as a playdate, the mother devolves into abstract analogies about foods that the daughter loves.
White people, STOP COMPARING BLACK PEOPLE TO FOOD.
Chocolate chip cookies, OREOs, and other brown foods have nothing to do with humanity any more than mayonnaise, crackers, or other white foods have anything to do with humanity.
Second mistake: The mother doesn’t boldly charge into this discussion with the same abandon she had in the sex and anatomy conversation. She had an opportunity to tell her daughter that her views and opinions were racist and hateful. She could have then told her that hateful behavior would not be tolerated in their home — in public — in their lives. I type this as an adult knowing that this is a conversation with a child. The mother is a comedy writer, she could have found a creative way to make antiracism understandable for her pre-K child, but she didn’t. She convoluted and dumbed down a vital conversation for a round of cheap laughs that further oppress, disrespect, and perpetuate prejudicial and discriminating discussions and behaviors.
I will admit that going into this show I had my doubts, biases, and I was skeptical. The photo on Netflix shows an all white cast. I was told it was about a “funny” mother. As a white woman and mother, that came across to me as code for reckless mouthed woman who acts a fool for cheap laughs. That is what I got in the 1 1/2 episodes I viewed.
I do like comedy and I do like to laugh, but not at the expense of individuals or groups of people who are objects of oppression. Not at the expense of someone’s humanity.
“I’m Sorry” gets remorse wrong, difficult conversations wrong, growth and maturity wrong, and comedy wrong. I want to see a show that does racial representation well, that handles with care tough topics, and that doesn’t perpetuate misogyny. “I’m Sorry” is an apology laced in placation and is a meaningless phrase vomited into our televisions.
