Jaleel White Says 'Family Matters' Is Overlooked Because It's Not 'Hood'
By Jovonne Ledet
December 12, 2024
Family Matters star Jaleel White is under fire for his thoughts on why he believes his hit show isn't as popular among Black people.
White starred as the quirky, clumsy nerd Steve Urkel in Family Matters, a sitcom that ran from 1989 to 1998 following the life of a middle-class Black family in Chicago.
While promoting his new memoir "Growing Up Urkel," White held a talk last month at Delaware's Wilmington Public Library, where he discussed his iconic role on the show and how he believes it was perceived by the Black community.
White said he sometimes feels left out of the Black community because of the type of show he was on.
"Being a part of the TGIF brand, sometimes makes you feel like you don't completely belong in the pantheon of Blackness," Jaleel said. "You know, Blackness has been treated as a very monolithic experience in entertainment."
The actor then suggested that Family Matters doesn't rank as a favorite among Black people because it's not a "hood story."
"If it's not a hood story, it's not a Black story, and sometimes I feel left out of that. If there's ever a poll and they say, 'What are your favorite Black shows"...[if] Martin is in there or Living Single, or any of those kinds [of shows], I already know we're (Family Matters) coming in last."
Jaleel White on feeling left out in the legacy of Black entertainment, saying, “If it’s not a hood story, it’s not a Black story,” and speaks on Family Matters always ranking last on polls for favorite Black shows, underneath Martin and Living Single.
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) December 9, 2024
(🎥Wilmington… pic.twitter.com/Bz72OtmjRw
White added that if Martin wasn't included in a general ranking for family shows, then "all of a sudden" Family Matters would jump higher in the ranks. The actor said he believes such rankings are an interesting reflection of how Black people view themselves.
The former sitcom star faced backlash over his comments as several social media users pointed out that Martin and Living Single weren't "hood" shows. Others pointed out how Family Matters included several storylines about gang activity.
See the response to White's comments below.
Living Single was about an entrepreneur, an actress, a lawyer, a stylist and boutique manager, a self-employed handy man and an investment banker—hood where???
— Drew McCaskill (@DrewMcCaskill) December 10, 2024
Martin, Pam & Gina had amazing jobs and Shenaenae—OWNED her salon… the Family Matters writing was NOT great. IMO… pic.twitter.com/dEsRBLJNGn
Family Matters was a Tv show with black characters that was written by white writers who in no way lived the black experience in America and the content of the shows themselves showed that year after year. So they played it safe and never introduced any topics affecting the black…
— ฿ł₲ł₦QɄɆɆ₦₴™ (@biginqueens) December 10, 2024
Family Matters ranks last ‘cause it’s an inferior black story in quality compared to Martin, The Wayans Bros., A Different World, The Jamie Foxx Show, Moesha, The Parkers, Smart Guy, Sister Sister, The Steve Harvey Show, My & Kids, One on One, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, etc.
— I have so many questions? (@english_shamar) December 9, 2024
I don’t consider Martin a hood show. Gina and Pam had careers at an ad agency, Martin was a radio host, Cole worked at an airline, we never knew what/if Tommy did. Martin showed a typical relationship between him and his woman and friends that just happened to be black people.
— Dntchase_Replace (@dntchase) December 9, 2024
Fresh Prince ain’t hood Cosby show ain’t hood. Steve Harvey show ain’t hood. Family matters was just a mid sitcom lol.
— Carolina Connect (@CarolinaConect) December 9, 2024
Maybe Family Matters ranks last as a favorite Black show(to Black people) because it’s written by yt people and outside of that scene with Eddie and the cops it could be replaced with any race/culture🤷🏽♀️ It’s a spinoff so they were always gonna be Black but when I sit back and…
— Afro-Chicagoan (@its_lindz) December 9, 2024
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