Erika Alexander is co-signing Ari Lennox’s claims of colorism in ’90s entertainment.
Alexander’s commentary came while promoting her podcast, ReLiving Single, which is centered on her successful ensemble sitcom, Living Single, on the Higher Learning podcast. When asked about Lennox’s criticism of colorism in ’90s television, Alexander agreed the criticism is “valid.”
Alexander reflected on how portrayals of Black characters in the ’90s were sometimes predicated on skin tone. She noted that darker-skinned actresses often received supporting or stereotyped roles, while lighter-skinned actors tended to receive more visibility and lead parts.
“Colorism was real & hindsight shows some jokes hit differently,” she said.
She emphasized that this isn’t about laying blame. Instead, Alexander stresses the importance of continued conversations around past missteps so the industry can do better going forward.
“We talk a lot about colorism, and we all suffered from it,” she said, urging that admitting the reality can help shape more thoughtful portrayals today.
Lennox’s initial observation was that ’90s Black media was rooted in shade and color bias. Her specific grievance came from the popular show Martin.
“The thing that pissed me off about Martin was how much he was goin’ in on Pam,” Lennox continued. “Pam was so f**king beautiful and so fine, and I just feel like growing up as a chocolate girl, I don’t even know if I was able to understand the greatness of Pam because of what I was being fed.”
Although Lennox’s claims garnered a mixed response, Alexander agreed. She states that many lessons remain to be learned.
The ReLiving Single podcast strives to unpack these issues, giving viewers behind-the-scenes perspectives on both nostalgia and the unintended harm of normalized biases.
As audiences grow more critical of how past media handled representation, voices like Alexander’s remind fans that progress in culture often arrives through examination, not erasure. Recognizing where things went wrong doesn’t negate the good that came from them. It opens a pathway for more authentic and considerate storytelling in the future.
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