Source: Michael Buckner / Getty
Kenya Barris just can’t get a break. The extremely talented writer, producer, director and actor is facing some criticism for the trailer of his upcoming Netflix film You People. Apparently, some folks on the internet believe the Black-ish creator has a fascination with bi-racial relationships, and it seems like Black Twitter could be over it. Let’s be clear, I love Kenya Barris’ work. His nuanced, but culturally relevant comedy is a breath of fresh air. Regardless he’s getting dragged anyway.
From Madamenoire:
On Dec. 5, negative commentary about the film flooded Twitter shortly after Netflix shared the trailer for the upcoming project. Co-written by Barris and Jonah Hill, You People follows Hill’s awkward character Ezra Cohen as he tries to win over his Black girlfriend’s parents, played by Nia Long and Eddie Murphy.
The film explores the challenges of interracial dating and the cultural expectations and differences that can occur. Unfortunately, as the trailer began circulating on Monday, some fans weren’t too impressed with the film’s plot. Twitter lit into Barris, noting how interracial relationships and bi-racial characters appear to be an ongoing theme in many of his previous projects.
On Twitter, some users accused the famous director of having a “bi-racial obsession,” according to The Shade Room.
“If kenya barris doesn’t do anything else, he’s going to subject us to the biracial plight,” wrote one Twitter-goer named @imnotchase.
“He’s given us biracials in space. biracials on a boat. biracials in the big city. biracials on the farm. holiday biracials. biracials get a job. biracials.”
Another user slammed Barris for having a “wildly sick fetish with mixed folks.”
https://twitter.com/WoomyM_/status/1599840525322182656?
“That man’s work is so anti-Black,” the user named @WoomyM_ added.
Other naysayers joked that Barris may be closely related to the Lovings, the interracial couple who helped win the landmark 1967 U.S. Supreme Court case that made interracial marriage legal in the U.S.
Ok, yes maybe Kenya Barris does tell a lot of stories that center around bi-racial relationships, but is that really a bad thing? We can’t yell and scream about inclusivity, then criticize Barris for creating content that does just that. Also, how about we put our criticisms of a movie aside until the movie actually comes out?
Then, if Kenya deserves a dragging have at it.
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