It wasn't funny the first couple of times

I've been watching the crazy, sexy, cool jumble that is the television series Californication on DVD. We don't have enough cable to sneeze at, let alone Showtime, where this series is aired. I believe the show is currently on Season 3 and I've just finished Season 2.

I won't be watching Season 3.

There are no black main characters on this show, I have yet to see even a black person with a speaking role, just blackground extras. But that's not why. The main characters occasionally attempt "black" slang accents and inflections with a humorous air that shows they are self-deprecatingly, hopelessly white. But that's also not the reason why I won't be renting Season 3.

I won't be renting Season 3 because yet again, I was confronted with the "This Baby Isn't Mine, It's Black, Ha Ha, Ain't that Funny" attempt at humor. If you're not familiar, let me explain. A white woman gets pregnant & claims some poor unassuming white male is the father. He has some doubts but decides to wait until the baby is born. However once the dark skinned infant is born and shown to be African American, the man is elated and celebrates that he "just knew" the baby wasn't his.

I don't know if this tired joke is funny to white folks, but it sure as hell isn't to me. Sadly enough, this is the third show I've seen do this, as I previously wrote about the first two here. It's a shame that Californication will join Desperate Housewives and the now canceled My Name is Earl to shows that I won't watch.

Why does Hollywood persist in trying to make this tactless, racist joke funny? White babies get Gerber....black babies get to be the butt of jokes.

This is one joke that isn't.

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