Diversity / Confusion
Seinfeld is een Amerikaanse comedyserie die in de jaren ´80 op de Nederlandse televisie vertoond werd en nog steeds herhaald wordt. De serie werd gemaakt in de periode ´89 – ´98 en won veel prijzen waaronder een Golden Globe voor de hoofdrol Jerry Seinfeld en een Emmy voor Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. Schrijvers van de serie zijn Larry David, Jerry Seinfeld en verschillende anderen.
De comedy werd wel A show about nothing genoemd, omdat onnozele voorvallen, kleine ergernissen en terloopse opmerkingen werden uitgesponnen tot compleet verhaal. De serie speelt zich af in New York en draait om vier vrienden: de komiek Jerry, buurman Kramer, ex-vriendin Elaine en loser George.
In het fragment uit de aflevering The Wizard (seizoen 9), wordt fijntjes aangestipt hoe de multiculturele samenleving en politieke correctheid tot verwarring kunnen leiden.
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| V.l.n.r. de karakters Kramer, Elaine, George en Jerry |
Uit:seinfeldscripts.com
The Wizard (1998) written by Steve Lookner
Jerry: “What about you datin’ a black guy? What’s the big deal?”
Elaine: “What black guy?”
Jerry: “Darryl. He’s black, isn’t he?”
Elaine: “He is?”
George: “No, he isn’t.”
Jerry: “Isn’t he, Elaine?”
Elaine: “You think?”
George: “I thought he looked Irish.”
Jerry: “What’s his last name?”
Elaine: “Nelson.”
George: “That’s not Irish.”
Jerry: “I think he’s black.”
George: “Should we be talkin’ about this?”
Elaine: “I think it’s OK.”
George: “No, it isn’t.”
Jerry: “Why not?”
George: “Well, it would be OK if Darryl was here.”
Jerry: “If he’s black.”
Elaine: “Is he black?”
Jerry: “Does it matter?”
Elaine: “No, course not. I mean, I’d just like to know.”
Jerry: “Oh, so you need to know?”
Elaine: “No, I don’t need to know. I just think it would be nice if I knew.”
Elaine: “What black guy?”
Jerry: “Darryl. He’s black, isn’t he?”
Elaine: “He is?”
George: “No, he isn’t.”
Jerry: “Isn’t he, Elaine?”
Elaine: “You think?”
George: “I thought he looked Irish.”
Jerry: “What’s his last name?”
Elaine: “Nelson.”
George: “That’s not Irish.”
Jerry: “I think he’s black.”
George: “Should we be talkin’ about this?”
Elaine: “I think it’s OK.”
George: “No, it isn’t.”
Jerry: “Why not?”
George: “Well, it would be OK if Darryl was here.”
Jerry: “If he’s black.”
Elaine: “Is he black?”
Jerry: “Does it matter?”
Elaine: “No, course not. I mean, I’d just like to know.”
Jerry: “Oh, so you need to know?”
Elaine: “No, I don’t need to know. I just think it would be nice if I knew.”
***
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| Vriendje Darryl Nelson |
[approaching Darryl’s apartment, Elaine hears loud rap music being played, and smiles knowingly]
Elaine, as Darryl opens his door: “Hey.”
Darryl: “Hey.”
Elaine: “Great music.”
Darryl: “Oh, it’s my neighbor. They blast that stuff twenty four hours a day.
I hate it.”
Darryl: “Yo, you! Turn it down!”
Elaine: “Oh, wow, these are nice. Do they have any cultural significance?”
Darryl: “They’re… African.”
Elaine: “Right. African.”
Darryl: “Well, not Africa, actually. South Africa.”
Elaine: “South Africa.”
Darryl: “My family used to live there, but, uh, we got out years ago, for
obvious reasons. You know how it is.”
Elaine: “Maybe.”
***
Waitress, to Darryl, who’s with Elaine at Monk’s: “Coffee?”
Darryl: “Sure.”
Waitress, to Darryl: “Are you black? Or should I bring some cream.”
Darryl: “I’m black.”
Darryl, re-thinking: “Oh, you know what? Bring a little cream.”
Darryl, seeing a couple gesturing towards him and Elaine: “Did you hear that?”
Elaine: “What?”
Darryl: “God, there are still people who have trouble with an interracial
couple.”
Elaine: “Interracial? Us?”
Darryl: “Isn’t that unbelievable!?”
Elaine: “Yes, it’s awful! They’re upset because we’re an interracial couple.
That is racism!”
Darryl: “I don’t feel like eating.”
Elaine: “Me neither. Well, maybe this turkey club.”
Darryl: “Sure.”
Waitress, to Darryl: “Are you black? Or should I bring some cream.”
Darryl: “I’m black.”
Darryl, re-thinking: “Oh, you know what? Bring a little cream.”
Darryl, seeing a couple gesturing towards him and Elaine: “Did you hear that?”
Elaine: “What?”
Darryl: “God, there are still people who have trouble with an interracial
couple.”
Elaine: “Interracial? Us?”
Darryl: “Isn’t that unbelievable!?”
Elaine: “Yes, it’s awful! They’re upset because we’re an interracial couple.
That is racism!”
Darryl: “I don’t feel like eating.”
Elaine: “Me neither. Well, maybe this turkey club.”
***
Waitress at Monk’s, handing Elaine a menu: “Here you go.”
Elaine, to the black waitress: “Long day?”
Waitress: “Yeah, I just worked a triple shift.”
Elaine: “I hear ya, Sister.”
Waitress: “Sister?”
Elaine, as Darryl comes into Monk’s: “Yeah. It’s OK. My boyfriend’s black.
Here he is. See?”
Darryl: “Hi, Elaine.”
Elaine: “Hey.”
Waitress: “He’s black?”
Elaine: “Yeah.”
Darryl: “I’m black?”
Elaine: “Aren’t you?”
Waitress, leaving: “I’ll give you a couple of minutes to decide.”
Darryl: “What are you talking about?”
Elaine: “You’re black. You said we were an interracial couple.”
Darryl: “We are. Because you’re Hispanic.”
Elaine: “I am?”
Darryl: “Aren’t you?”
Elaine: “No. Why would you think that?”
Darryl: “Your name’s Benes, your hair, and you kept taking me to those
Spanish restaurants.”
Elaine: “That’s because I thought you were black.”
Darryl: “Why would you take me to a Spanish restaurant because I’m black?”
Elaine: “I don’t think we should be talking about this.”
Darryl: “So, what are you?”
Elaine: “I’m white.”
Darryl: “So, we’re just a couple of white people?”
Elaine: “I guess.”
Darryl: “Oh.”
Elaine: “Yeah. So do you want to go to the Gap?”
Darryl, leaving with Elaine: “Sure.”
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