I'll Take Manhattan - But Hold the Diversity?

Why is it that “smart and hip” TV shows set in New York City have no African Americans in them?

In the few episodes I've seen of Kitchen Confidential, a defunct show from 2005 now in reruns, there were no African Americans except for one overweight clownish character who did not return; Asians were in one episode and likewise were apparently gone for good thereafter; and there were no Hispanics at all – which is particularly surprising given that Anthony Bourdain, whose autobiography is the show’s basis, emphasizes their centrality in New York’s gourmet kitchens. What gives? Is it simply the realpolitik of agents needing to give good acting roles to white actors?

The history of Seinfeld should be a lesson to us all. People living outside the US and watching Seinfeld and Friends, among other shows, would think New York is not racially and ethnically diverse. My wife, for one, was shocked when she first visited New York in 1994, and couldn’t help but ask, “Why are all these different people here?”

I seem to recall that when Seinfeld was beginning to dominate, many critics questioned its lack of diversity and the consistent insensitivity to diversity in the show’s scripts and plots. A few points:

1. In reality, groups of friends in places like New York, LA, Miami, Philadelphia and London are at least as likely to be mixed than not. Ironically Jerry Seinfeld’s own real life friends and colleagues, as shown in his autobiographical documentary Comedian (2002) - a fascinating and highly artistic film - are quite diverse.
2. Maybe if the show had made a solid commitment to diversity the entire flap with Michael Richards would never have happened.
3. These days an all-white cast means you are losing valuable talent and audience – and money. Oprah’s success is not merely accidental. An all-white cast on a TV show or in a film is equivalent to an all-white basketball team in 1974; good, but its days are numbered. Message to Hollywood: Need to get ahead of the curve, folks.