Have you seen The Carmichael Show? You should. For a comedy series in today's age, it is surprisingly insightful and entertaining.
I am particularly impressed by the second episode of Season 2 in the series. The protagonist of the show, Jerrod gets tickets to a live show by Bill Cosby for his family on his parents' anniversary following which there's intense and comedic discussion over whether they should attend the show or not, given the recent news of Cosby's scandals.
Jerrod's girlfriend is the first to put up her argument. She tells him categorically that there's no way she attending one of his shows. She even goes on to joke about how ironic it is that the only way she would go is if she were taken there unconscious.
Jerrod's father puts up a diplomatic front where he believes that until proven guilty in a court, he's not going to openly judge Cosby. While talking to Maxine, Jerrod's girl-friend, he even asks whether we should pass judgments based on what people are saying on the internet.
During all this the matriarch of the house and Jerrod's mother, keeps switching in her opinions. She's got fond memories of her and her husband laughing and enjoying Bill Cosby's stand up acts and shows. So she's torn between going or not and keeps looking at Maxine for validation.
Jerrod's brother doesn't have much to say and keeps talking of random stuff, all indirectly related to the topic at hand but never really anywhere close to the real point.
With Nekeisha's arrival (Jerrod's brother's ex wife), the women seem to have firmly decided that they will not go and hence show any kind of support to the tainted comedian.
Jerrod frustrated, puts up a beautiful point that I don't even want to rephrase. Read it for yourself. Facing Maxine he says, "You're being hypocritical, Maxine. Aren't you the same person who saw Blue Jasmine during the height of the Woody Allen scandal? Just putting money directly into his pockets? Fine, if you don't go see Bill Cosby, then I will never go see a Woody Allen film again. I'm not judging you for seeing his movies. You should see them. He's a great artist. I'm just saying you need to separate people's personal life from their work. I mean, anybody's capable of doing something violent or disgusting, but the list of people with genuine talent is limited. So, talent trumps morals."
Even if I don't support the last statement, I have to say, Jerrod makes a very valid point.
We as human beings are very selective in the moral principles that we follow. Just taking the entertainment industry into account, we listen to Michael Jackson despite the alleged reports of him being a pedophile.
While we slam Chris Brown for what he did to Rihanna, we are still grooving to his music.
We coo at Woody Allen's movies, openly acknowledging them as masterpieces despite his relationship and marriage to his former step-daughter, that began while he was still in relationship with the adoptive mother Mia Farrow. I myself carried a backpack with his face's impression on it for a year at college. And these three examples are just from the top of my head. There are so many more celebrities and artists and famous personalities whom we have supported despite their grave moral transgressions.
So why such double standards when it comes to judging them? We don't directly interact with the person because of his/her misdeeds. But sitting at home or elsewhere, protected by our anonymity, we continue to indulge in the fruits of these people's talents. Isn't that also a form of support, even if indirect. Every time we go watch their movie or buy their CD or even illegally download their work, aren't we appreciating them?
One might say that we're enjoying their talent and not them. But that is the question. Is a person the same as his/her talent? We conveniently detach the two when it suits us and when it comes to passing judgments from the comfort of our couches, we no longer remember the distinction.
I am not writing this to pass off my opinion. Not because I don't have one but because I know I will, however unknowingly, commit the act of hypocrisy. I cannot swear on my morality because I am humble enough to accept my imperfect humanity.
The important question is- What is your opinion?
