Ramos1

Jovan Ramos

English 113B

Professor Lawson

April 25, 2017

Project Text Rough Draft

Word Count: 1786

Creating an Audience

Donald Glover is considered one of the most creative artist in the 21st century. Typically

known by his stage name Childish Gambino, Donald was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia;

since a young boy Donald has had a passion for music composition, acting and screenwriting.

Glover graduated from New York University with a degree in dramatic writing in 2006. His

unique writing has been shown in multiple projects such as, The Muppets, Clapping for the

wrong reasons, and The Martian. His success has given him the opportunity to produce his

own television show called, Atlanta. Many critics claim that the television series is very dry

and humorous, Glovers way of using present on going issues such as racism and social

inequality throughout the show is very well appreciated from critics around the globe. This form

of dry humor can also be very controversial, many people believe that when a show is about

racism or social inequality it is not to raise awareness but to attract a mass audience. Attracting

an audience all around the nation helps market the show and adds more income to the network

and Donald Glovers team. The show has strong critics mainly because instead of raising

awareness for these social issues, the setting and plot mimics serious real life situations in the

funniest way possible. In the publics eye this type of dry humor is not okay simply because

these issues have been ongoing since the 1900s. Donald Glover combines dry humor with topics
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such as racism and social inequality in his television series, Atlanta to not only attract a very

diverse audience but to prove a point to society that these issues are still prominent.

The television series Atlanta does not just use satirical racism to attract a diverse

audience but also to raise awareness that racism can occur anywhere and in any place. This is

demonstrated in episode one, Donald playing the geeky black main character Earl is having a

discussion with a white friend on why his friend cant say the N word. Glover repeatedly

mentions the history and absurd abuse of the word to his white friend. His white friend listens to

everything that Earl must say about the word then proceeds in calling Earl the N word.

Minutes later Earls friend comes out of a discount store and Earl continues bully his white friend

to call Earls friend the same thing he called him. The scene shows Earls friend get nervous and

aware of what he did so he avoids conversation and leaves quickly. When this scene is shown in

the opening act of the first episode it draws the attention of the audience quickly. Why? The

simple tension between Earl and his white friend can be felt by the audience although it was

shown in a funny way it gives us a glimpse of the hatred people of color must have for the word

that was being said.

Glover is a colored successful arts media genius, In the mid-season of the show; Glover

comes out in an interview with NPR stating that Atlantas purpose is to show people what its

like to be black. The way Glover portrays this statement continuously throughout show is what

makes the show highly obsessive and enjoyable, states a fan. Glover uses his childhood home,

the hip hop culture of a trap artist, and present time racial issues to do one thing and that is

make everyone know what it is like to be black. He makes a white man know what it is like to

think black, see black, look black in a humorous way. He makes the general audience understand

that African Americans are not being respected to a full extent. Creating scenes in this way helps
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one race understand the emotions and discomfort of another. Glover doesnt like to pick on

certain races but it is clear to the public that the main issues are between two races, black and

white. This is shown when Glover has a trans- racial episode mimicking a white woman Rachel

Doleza, who pretended to be black. Glover switches the side of the issue in a way where it is

twisted and humorous, he has a young black man by the name of Antoine Smalls think he is a

white man. Not just white but completely White. Polo Ralph Lauren button down shirt with

khakis and Sperry top sider boat shoes.

There are multiple scenes in Atlanta that portray racism, these scenes not only make

the audience laugh but also give the audience an understanding on discrimination and what it

may feel like to be discriminated. One situation where Glover tries to prove this point is when

the show has a scene on why a white trapper isnt taken as serious as a black trapper. The

white drug dealer is being accused of being a narc when he really isnt. Meanwhile the white

dealer is being accused, all his clients go to a black drug dealer (the competition) with no

hesitation and no questions on whether the black drug dealer may be a narc himself. The black

drug dealers facial expression in the show gives us a sense of discomfort because all these white

hipster kids are judging him from his skin color. This is Glovers way of saying, yes black

people may not be able to do some of the things white people do in our society but remember

white people cant do certain things the same way black people do it. This humorous

scene/statement helps the also audience understand the normal paradox occurring in the city of

Atlanta; it motivates us to understand how the colored community of Atlanta may feel for always

being thought as thugs, crack heads and thieves.

Another scene is with of the main characters of the show that goes by the name Paper

Boi. Paper Boi is known for being a trap rapper that goes day by day hustling in the difficult
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streets of Atlanta selling drugs at night but rapping and recording mixtapes during the day. When

Paper Boi has a hit single on the radio, he reaches out to record labels and radio stations for

interviews or a record label. Paper Boi begins to experience color inequality when he is criticized

by a record label for being colored and for not caring about the way he speaks. He is questioned

on why he didnt finish high school and his response is, There isnt no room for a negro in your

classrooms, there isnt no room for me in congress, I got to pay for my chicken somehow.

Critics claim that the background character of a rapper from the hood only creates audience to

want to watch the show just to see if Paper Boi ever has the money and riches he desires.

Social Inequality is another issue in our society that Glover primarily wants to target.

This is shown in an episode when, Paper Boi is invited to attend and play in a celebrity all-star

basketball game. When he arrives, photographers dont want to take pictures of him only because

he is a thug and a bad image for the black community. Moments later Justin Bieber arrives to

the celebrity all-star basketball game, all media turns to him. There is one twist in the show,

Justin Bieber is a colored boy that behaves white. A photographer states, How can someone so

black be so white? Justin as you know is white in real life and lives a well celebrity life style

this is changed to help us understand that you can be colored but if you behave the way society

wants you to behave then you will be treated well by the white community. Towards the end of

the episode Justin and Paper Boi have an argument over some non-sense. Majority of the scuffle

is Justins fault and the media targets and blames Paper Boi. While Paper Boi is in the back of

the media room watching, Justin perform a new song, Justins agent (black as well) comes up to

Paper Boi and tells him, You know he (Justin) hates it, he hates not being himself. He hates

having to pretend to be someone hes not so that they can accept his color. Glover doesnt
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directly target the issues but these scenes give us an understanding on life and how the world

really is.

With this being shown to the audience, Glover creates Paper Bois and Earls journey to

success just eye dropping and hypocritical. Hypocritical in a sense where Glover in interviews

has said, the black man is never looked at with the respect and seriousness as a white folk.

Atlanta shows us that through the Atlanta Trap culture. But is Glover only re writing the

struggles of African American brothers just to make a greater connection with the audience and

attract big time viewers like journalist and celebrities. The Impact the show Atlanta has in

famous community is crazy. Glover had real life artist act in his show like the rap group

Migos. Also has other artist wanting to make an appearance in the second season of Atlanta,

rappers like Lil Yatchy wanting to be a part of the cultural shift the show is making. Yachty has

stated multiple times that Glover is a genius and he has said, I need to be in Atlanta Season 2

on twitter. These claims made about the show Atlanta are not only creating the show a higher

rating but also creating an audience that dislikes the show for showing modern racial issues that

are occurring in the United States. Glover tries convincing the audience that yes there are issues

happening currently in our communities but that there is also people in our society laughing and

not doing anything to help fix the issue.

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Works Cited

- Viruet , Pilot. "'Atlanta' Is Great at Talking About Race Without Talking About
Race." Vice. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.

- Snydel, Michael. "Atlanta Suffers a Setback with "Nobody Beats the

Biebs"." Pastemagazine.com. N.p., 8 Sept. 2016. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.

- Gross, Terry. "Donald Glover Challenges Stereotypes About Rappers In 'Atlanta'" NPR.
NPR, 01 Nov. 2016. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.

- Dockterman, Eliana. "Star of Atlanta Doesnt Care What You Think Anymore." Time.
Time, 25 Aug. 2016. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.

- Butler, Bethonie. "Atlanta tackled stereotypes with fake commercials and a parody news
show." The Washington Post. WP Company, 12 Oct. 2016. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.

- Dozier, Kimberly. "New Power Center in Trumpland: The 'Axis of Adults'" The Daily
Beast. The Daily Beast Company, 16 Apr. 2017. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.

- Glover, Donald. Atlanta. FOX. Atlanta, Georgia, 08 Sept. 2016. Television.