University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

The Boondocks cartoon: a social critique of race in America

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The Boondocks cartoon: a social critique of race in America

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THE BOONDOCKS CARTOON: A SOCIAL CRITIQUE OF RACE IN AMERICA

by

Dionne Moore

A Professional Project Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
(SPECIALIZED JOURNALISM)

May 2009

Copyright 2009 Dionne Moore

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT ................................................................................................ ii

I. THE BOONDOCKS INTRODUCTION .................................................1
Show Details ...............................................................................................2
Creator - Aaron McGruder ......................................................................3
Character Summary ..................................................................................4

II. STEREOTYPES....................................................................................11
Articulate Black People ...........................................................................11
Hurricane Katrina Blacks .......................................................................12
Gangsters ..................................................................................................14

III. HIP-HOP CULTURE ..........................................................................15
Rap Names ................................................................................................15
Rapper Lifestyle .......................................................................................16
Snitching ...................................................................................................18
Group-think ..............................................................................................19

IV. ISSUES IN AMERICA .......................................................................21
White Privilege .........................................................................................21
Race ...........................................................................................................24

V. BLACK AMERICA ..............................................................................29
BET............................................................................................................29
Ignorance ..................................................................................................32
Saying “Nigga” .........................................................................................34

BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................39

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ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to investigate the comedic nature by
which the popularly acclaimed cartoon, The Boondocks, highlights current historical,
social, and racial issues. While at the surface, this television show for many is
outrageous, hilarious, and at times, obscene, examining the social criticism written finely
into The Boondocks has been an enlightening experience. This study takes one through
the existing stereotypes in America of both Black and White people as displayed in the
show.

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I. THE BOONDOCKS INTRODUCTION

I am the stone that the builder refused
I am the visual
The inspiration
That made lady sing the blues

I'm the spark that makes your idea bright
The same spark
that lights the dark
So that you can know your left from your right

I am the ballot in your box
The bullet in your gun
The inner glow that lets you know
To call your brother son
The story that just begun
The promise of what's to come
And I'm 'a remain a soldier till the war is won

-Asheru, The Boondocks theme song

Show details

Wood Crest is a neighborhood of American taboos. Gay rappers, the return of
MLK, and biracial dating condemnation are all seen here. It’s also where Huey Freeman,
the main character of the cartoon series, The Boondocks, lives. Through different stories,
varying every week, viewers get a look into the social world of 21st century African-
Americans. It’s clear that life isn’t easy for Huey, who, at ten years old, is beginning to
notice that his world is full of racism, hatred, and ignorance.
“Jesus was Black, Ronald Reagan was the devil, and the government is lying
about 9/11,” Huey tells a group of upper-class White people at a neighborhood garden
party (The Garden Party, Season 1, Episode 1). They in turn, compliment his unexpected,

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impressive way with words. In his hometown of Chicago, Huey was known for being a
civil rights activist. The death of his parents left enough insurance money for his
grandfather to buy a nice house in another state, and more specifically, in a White,
suburban, neighborhood.
The integration of Black people into predominantly White areas has been
explored in other programs, such as the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. And as it did in that very
show, the move leads to the pilot episode of The Boondocks. Huey, along with his
grandfather and brother, are told that they must attend the Garden Party to get familiar
with their new neighbors. Huey says he doesn’t sip tea with the enemy. Knowing that
they will be singled out as the only Black people and feel uncomfortable, the two boys do
not want to go. And thus The Boondocks is born: The study and celebration of a Black
family trying to find their place in a White community while remaining true to
themselves and their heritage.
The unique aspect of this show is that it does not sugarcoat. Nearly every
offensive word used in America is used in the Boondocks. The majority of characters are
Black, but this does not mean that the creator of the show favors any race. Instead, the
best and the worst aspects of both the Black and White communities are shown
throughout the two seasons of The Boondocks that have aired on Adult Swim, a version
of the cable channel Cartoon Network which airs only at night for mature viewers.
Creator - Aaron McGruder
The writer, producer, and creator of The Boondocks began his fame as a comic
strip creator in college. The Boondocks, known to be controversial, ran in many

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newspapers, and highlighted the tensions between groups in society. No public figure,
race, or conflict was safe from scrutiny by McGruder.
At times, certain story lines were considered offensive and banned from
newspapers. Though the strips were popular and have now been archived in Boondocks
books, the cartoon has seen an even larger audience. Huey Freeman is The Boondocks
character that seems to most accurately reflect McGruder’s beliefs and, as such, has been
made the narrator of the show.
Character Summary
Being born into particular race has its automatic positives and negatives. And it is
these known characteristics that unite the people of one race, and differentiate them from
another (this situation most identifiable in American culture by the Black and White
races). As slavery faded and civil rights leaders won wars against racism and segregation,
new triumphs and tribulations emerged. The characters of The Boondocks (each, in their
own way) represent the after-effects of a people coming out of oppression’s shadows.
Huey Freeman

“My vision will turn your world upside down, tear you under your illusions and send the
sanctuary of your own ignorance crashing down around you.”
–Huey in A Huey Freeman Christmas, Season 1, Episode 7

As the main character, his lines read by actress Regina King, Huey says more
truth about the world as a ten-year-old than some do in a lifetime. He refuses to believe in
inherited traditions like the commercialization of Christmas, and scorns popular trends
like gangster rap for its bad influence on Black youth.

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This character represents the part of the Black community that is still fighting for
equality, and wants people of all races to do better. He is uninterested in a social life, and
spends much of his time planning ways to fight injustice and educate himself through
books and documentaries. His best friend, Jazmine, is moral support whenever Huey has
a plan, and does little to argue with his ideas, but wonders why he is always so serious.
In the episode, The Passion of Reverend Ruckus, Huey tries several ways to free a
Black man wrongfully accused of killing a White police officer in an earlier decade.
There is video evidence of a White man killing the officer, as well as a gun with
fingerprints, and stains from the chocolate donut the man was eating, but the Black
inmate was still found guilty. The majority of the episode is spent watching Huey make
plans to get his fallen “brother” Shabazz, out of prison.
His storylines are often times, subtle. Huey serves as the observant of conflict in
The Boondocks, and it is the audience’s choice to side with his analysis of the situation or
not. Most of his comments refer back to the Civil Rights Movement, ignorance, and the
need for more peaceful solutions to problems in America, and in the Black community.
Books by Shabazz and other African heroes, as well as posters of Martin Luther
King Jr., Malcolm X, and Mohammed Ali line the walls of Huey’s side of the bedroom.
The other half of the room belongs to Huey’s little brother, who is an aspiring rapper.
Riley Freeman

“Uhh nigga, you gay”

-Riley, in nearly all of the episodes

Riley Freeman rebels against anything he thinks is White culture: “White people
take the time out to study. White people arrest you. White people say the whole word

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(slow motion) l…i…k…e…. t…h…i…s.” As Huey’s little brother, the argumentative
tone and confident demeanor make it clear that these two are related. But besides their
looks, and the fact that Regina King dubs both their voices, little more than that do they
have in common.
Eight-year-old Riley is about making money (“I gets my paper”), females (“I get
bitches on MySpace”), and rap music (“Oh shit. This shit is hard right here!) (Ballin,
Season 2, Episode 9,Shinin, Season 2, Episode 8, The Story of Gangstalicious, Season 1,
Episode 6).
He is grossed out by even the mention of homosexuality, which the show implies
is an affect of hip-hop’s obsession with portraying masculinity. Riley is concerned with
being either with or like the rich and famous people he sees on television. Most of his
time is spent playing video games, watching rap videos, or partaking in an activity that is
either illegal or will get him into some type of trouble.
In Riley Wuz Here, the fourth grader expressed his taste for art by painting graffiti
on houses in his neighborhood. He is concern is with showing off so much that he writes
“Riley Wuz Here” large enough to draw the attention of everyone on his block. Instead of
having charges pressed against him, Riley is given the option to take drawing lessons, in
which the message here can be learned quite easily. If a kid likes paint, give him a
canvas.
He talks to his art teacher like he would a close friend. “Damn, can a nigga draw
without you looking over my shoulder like that? That’s gay,” he says, suggesting that the
teacher should stop watching him. (Riley Wuz Here, Season 1, Episode 12)

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He is proof in the show that what children see in the media heavily influences
their thoughts, ideas, actions, and dialogue. He says if rapping doesn’t work out for him,
he will get his money by doing what other hip-hop artists have rapped about, which is
selling drugs. At times, his get-rich-quick schemes even influence his granddad to lie and
be manipulative. “After you get the ho’s Granddad, they’ll call you Mr. Bitches,” says
Riley in an attempt to convince him to act blind for the reality shows Extreme Home
Makeover and Pimp My Ride.
Robert Freeman

“Mr. Bitches? Yeah, I like that.”

-Robert Freeman in The Real, Season 1, Episode 8
The Granddad of Riley and Huey has his immature moments. Since his wife died,
he has put most of his time into taking care of his grandkids. Robert is mostly concerned
with finding women on online dating sites and is very excited when Riley teaches him
about the online social network, MySpace. He instantly poses in a cheetah print bikini
bottom and posts his pictures to his web page.
There is a lot of history to Robert Freeman. He is a decorated World War II
veteran who was sitting next to Rosa Parks when she was handcuffed and taken off the
bus for not going to the back. He was even close friends with Martin Luther King Jr.
Though he tries to give the kids a good upbringing, Robert represents parents who
let their biases rule in many instances. He supports Riley when he can make money off of
his troublesome plans, and scorns Huey for going on a Hunger Strike against BET (Black
Entertainment Television).

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He asks Huey why he is always reading and encourages Riley, who’s chain was
stolen, not to listen to Huey’s peaceful solution against fighting to get it back.
“Don’t let nobody bully you. Do whatever you can to get it back,” says Granddad
(Shinin). He then tells the boys a story about how he tricked his friend into going to
Hawaii by buying airline and hotel tickets that he disguised as a contest prize. He did this
to know when his friend was gone so that he could break into his house and take a music
album his friend had stolen from him. It is true he sets a good example by having a nice
house in a safe neighborhood and making the kids go to school. But other than that, he
identifies with Riley much more than Huey, representing how parents are as much to
blame as the rap artists are for the current state of the negative portion of Black America.
Tom Dubois

“File sharing is a crime! And I’m not going to get anally raped so you can listen to

Usher!”

-Tom in Date With the Health Inspector, Season 1, Episode 5

Tom Dubois is the stereotypical, cartoon-version of someone nicknamed an Oreo
(black on the outside, white in the inside). This is a stereotype of Black people who speak
proper English, dress in business suits, and seem to share more values with the white
population than their own race. As the second district attorney criminal prosecutor,
Tom’s job is to send men to the place he fears most in life: Jail.

“Statistics say that if a man was raped it most likely occurred in prison,” he reminds

the Freemans. (Health Inspector)

Tom is courteous and eager to help anyone in his neighborhood. His marriage

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to Sarah has further distanced him from the Black community because she is White.

They are the parents of Huey’s best friend, Jazmine Dubois. Besides the Freemans

and Tom’s family, only one other Black person (Uncle Ruckus) lives in Wood Crest.

In the episode Tom, Sarah, and Usher, Tom thinks his wife is cheating on him

with the R&B singer, Usher. He moves in with his Freeman neighbors and spends

most of the episode crying. His paranoia and sensitivity are the bud of Riley and

Grandad’s jokes about him.

The thought held by characters of the show is that the most successful Black

man in the neighborhood is also the softest. Huey making fun of Riley’s pursuit to be

a gangster rapper shows how this idea is detrimental to the Black community because

being smart and speaking proper English should not be scolded or looked at as selling

out.

Tom becomes happy when he finds out the he is 36 percent Scottish, hinting

at the idea that he wants to be White, something that the Black community of the

show has outcasts him for.

“…and he’s married to a White woman,” says Uncle Ruckus, “lucky bastard.” (The

Uncle Ruckus Reality Show, Season 2, Episode 11)

Uncle Ruckus

“This is just more proof the white man made a tragic misjudgment when he made it

legal to teach niggas to read and write.”

-Uncle Ruckus in Riley Wuz Here

The quote says it all. Uncle Ruckus is evidence that humans can more easily

hate the things that are found within themselves. Ruckus is a Black, Wood Crest

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residence who hates Black people, and expresses this both privately and publicly. He

says he is Black in many episodes, but thinks he is only part-Black and blames his

skin color on a condition that he says is the opposite of what Michael Jackson has (re-

vertilago).

He works many public service jobs, from driving school buses to being a

custodian and school cross guard. He seeks to please White people, and regardless of

the mistreatment he receives, he says he understands and loves them.

After the downfall of his new religion that says Black people should

appreciate White people, the White God, and seek God’s forgiveness for being Black,

he finds another way to spread hate through television. Eventually BET (a network

that is portrayed negatively throughout The Boondocks) gives Ruckus his own reality

show in which he finds out that he is 100 percent Black.

He dismisses the idea of a skin condition. Ruckus quits his job and changes

his attire. “Well this is what niggas do. Buy sneakers. And maybe later we’ll buy loud

stereos and berate women in rap lyrics,” he says with a straight face and tone of

disappointment to Robert.

He hates being Black, and even more so, hates black people.

Though often a comic relief, Uncle Ruckus represents more than meets the

eye. First, he shows how silly it is for one to be racist, especially towards the race he

was born. He represents someone who has absorbed the subliminal messages of an

unequal society. He hates himself and his race because the stereotypical images he

sees of Black people. His exaggerated messages and acts of racism never lead to

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solutions or better situations showing the audience that racist, stereotypical thoughts

and actions do nothing to improve the world or an individual’s place in it.

II. STEREOTYPES

As shown in The Boondocks, “Blacks and Whites continue living in separate
neighborhoods long after the end of official segregation, the passage of major civil rights,
fair housing, and lending laws, and the growth of the black middle class,” says Thomas
M. Shapiro in his book, The Hidden Cost of Being African-American. Stereotyping is
more likely to occur when people are filling in information about others because of their
lack of interaction with them, he continues. In The Boondocks, Robert Freeman buying a
house in a primarily White neighborhood displays the issues that come from decades of
the two races living separately and what stereotypes are inherited from that divide.
Articulate Black People
This is a subject that has made people in today’s society question why a Black
person is complimented for speaking well. Huey, who uses vocabulary far beyond what is
taught at the ten-year-old level in school, gets very frustrated when he tries to tell
someone older than him a story. Wow, you speak so well, is all he hears in response. In
the first episode, regardless of his government corruption and anti-white supremacy
insults, the people of Wood Crest gather in crowds to hear him speak. They clap when he
is finished talking. “Rich White people don’t care,” he says, “they’re rich.” He shakes his
head with disgust when they clap for Uncle Ruckus who has just sang about not “trusting
them new niggas o’er there.” (The Garden Party)
He is even complimented by a rapper when Riley points out that Huey enjoys
reading. Reading. “Did you just congratulate me for reading?” he asks (The Story of

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Thugnificicent, Season 2, Episode 5). Huey at many times seems disgusted by the fact
that he is looked at as a good talker relative to his race. He figures some just think that
Black people are ghetto and use incorrect or obscene language to get their points across.
The Boondocks shows that this is a stereotype towards Black people, that not just White
people have.
The idea that only a small percentage of Black people speak well is as obscene as
the stereotype displayed in The Boondocks’ Hurricane Katrina episode about Black
people being lazy and ungrateful.
Hurricane Katrina Blacks
Many Boondocks’ characters and story lines reflect the stereotypes of American
society. The show does not pinpoint particular people for spreading these ideas, knowing
that it has more to do with culture than individual thoughts. But it does show how these
stereotypes are detrimental to race relations, and other social aspects of life.
In an episode about Hurricane Katrina, Robert ignores the calls of a cousin from
Louisiana who lost his house in the flood. He says he really wishes he could help, adding
that America talked about Katrina but failed to cover its aftermath, but contradicts
himself not wanting to talk to his own family. He fears that they will be “typical niggas”
(as said by Ruckus in Invasion of the Katrinians, Season 2, Episode 10) and overstay
their welcome. After showing up at his front door unannounced, Robert hesitantly lets
them in. The stereotype here is that Black people are unappreciative and mess up
whatever is given to them. Though this is easily identified as racist, the family does just
that.

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Robert’s cousin and the cousin’s son refuse to get jobs. They bring his pregnant
girlfriend who sits on the living room couch all day, as well as four kids who run around
the house with no manners. Robert’s female cousins’ complain that his house is dirty and
that Riley doesn’t make the Kool-Aid the way they like it. “Oooh no, I don’t drink that
one,” she tells him in opposition to a flavor she does not like.
They run up the electricity and phone bills watching television and calling
F.E.M.A. about their check. Once the family has practically destroyed the interior of the
house, they receive a check for $200,000. Instead of paying back what they owe to
Robert, the family pretends they are going back to Louisiana to reclaim their state while
still waiting for their F.E.M.A. money.
The lazy stereotype was true in this instance proving that some people live up to
the stereotypes of themselves, but it doesn’t mean that everyone in the race is that way.
The Boondocks displays this idea through a little girl who misses Louisiana and
apologizes to Robert, knowing that her family did not respect his household.
“I’m sorry,” she says, as she sits on the roof, reminiscent of what she had to do in
Louisiana because of the floods. On one hand, the episode evokes sympathy while the
other points a finger at being prepared. “This is how you got into this mess,” claims
Robert, “by not having a job, not saving money.”
A key to this episode is that The Boondocks never points a finger in only one
direction. So while it shows how racist it is to think certain people are lazy, the show also
highlights that the people lying and cheating (or killing) to get ahead only help confirm
such views.

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Gangsters
Black people lead gang banger lifestyles. Another stereotype. Of course some do,
because there are gang members of every race. The fact that gangs are most classified
into black culture by the media or used as a joke or punch line about the race, offends
many people. In a Boondocks episode named The S* Word, Season 2, Episode 13, about
using the N* word, a conservative commentator, the fictional version of Ann Coulter,
defends a White teacher who says “sit down nigga” to Riley.
Seeing no more than a few glimpses of Riley (wearing white tank tops, baggy
pants, and braided hair) on the news talking about the classroom incident, she concluded
that he was a bad person and deserved to be called that.
Said the Coulter character, “He stood up to some foul-mouthed gang member.
They should be giving him a medal, give me a break. It’s about time someone in the
classroom had the guts to not back down to thugs like that.”
Though, as seen in society today, the N*word scenario would have quickly gotten
the teacher fired, the Coulter character displayed the misjudgment people have on other
races. She defended the side she more closely identified with regardless of the racism
against the Black student.
III. HIP-HOP CULTURE

Patricia Collins, the author of the book Black Sexual Politics, believes the tough, gangster
persona displayed by many rappers comes from a history of abuse and embarrassment in
a Black man’s heritage. White men attacked Black men not just because they were Black,
she writes, but also because they were male. The aftermath of this, according to Collins,
are the Black male protests in the form of a “celebrated hip-hop culture.” Not only are the

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rappers protesting against following the typical American way, but they are displaying an
abundance of masculinity. They are proving that the embarrassments, harassment, and
beatings by White men did not take away their male qualities (such as strength and
confidence). The rappers are making up for the poverty many of them have suffered first-
hand, by showing the world that this impoverished state did not hold them down.
Through their lyrics, many of the rappers seek to prove that even with money, they are
still “authentic ‘ghetto’ Black hip-hop artist.”
Hip hop is a huge influence on episodes of the Boondocks. It provides a place to
unite for many people of the Black community in the show. Riley loves hip-hop and sees
the music as a guide to a certain lifestyle he will go through anything to attain.
Rap Names
The names of the rappers clearly express the show’s opinion on rap.
Gangstalicious is a gay rapper who refuses to go public about his sexuality. Eat Dirt and
Gangstalicious are constantly “beefing,” a term about rappers having arguments that
sometimes turn into diss records about one another or violent shoot-outs. The names Eat
Dirt and Gangstalicious reflect the negative images that are given to the young population
in regards to what is cool.
Thugnificent is another rapper. He is part of Lethal Interjection Crew. All of these
names are something about gang life or just mean in general. Slang about thugs,
gangsters, and eating dirt, are the most popular rap names in The Boondocks and do not
stray far from real-life gangster rapper names, like Ghostface Killa and Ol’ Dirty Bastard.
The influence of these names is shown when Riley announces himself as AKA
Horsechoker on a fictional version of MTV’s Pimp My Ride, an episode in which he lies

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and says his Grandpa was a blind man running a homeless shelter to get on the show. It’s
clear that it is mainly about appearances to Riley. He wants to be rich and “hard” like the
rappers he sees on television. Even after finding out first hand that Gangstalicious is not
the person his music portrays him to be, Riley still wants the lifestyle bragged about in
rap lyrics. This shows that such art forms have lasting effects on the minds of today’s
youth.
Rapper Lifestyle
“Sometimes crazy becomes normal,” says Huey in The Block Is Hot, Season 1,
Episode 14. In the case of rap culture in The Boondocks this is exactly what happened.
Rappers on the show are so concerned with coming off as ‘gangsta’ as possible that even
if just one chair is thrown at a hip-hop awards show and hurts no one, a huge fight breaks
out (Mimicking the Source Hip-Hop Awards where fights and gun violence have
occurred nearly every year).
Gangstalicious has been shot many times. Though at the hospital he tells Riley
he’s tired of it all, he still releases a song glorifying the incident called “I Got Shot” to
maintain his image. Real-life rappers 50 Cent and Lil’ Wayne both rap about the times
they were shot as well.
Another aspect of rap culture seen in the show is the idea that no matter where
you go in life, you should never forget the hood. In Thugnificent’s case, he brings “the
hood’ with him to Wood Crest.
In the episode titled The Story of Thugnificent, the rapper buys a house in the
suburban Wood Crest area and proclaims, “I’ve brought the ghetto to Wood Crest yal!”

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(The Story of Thugnificent, Season 2, Episode 5) He comes into Wood Crest with a crew
in three Hummers blasting loud music. “Booty butt cheeks! Booty Butt cheeks!”
Thugnificent climbs out of the moving car to sit on the hood. When the neighbors
come outside, he throws tons of money for them in the air. Soon, the block is full of cars,
loud music, and provocatively dressed females, with loud noises from the night to the
early morning due to the rapper’s large parties. It seems as though he is unconcerned with
his neighbors comfort. Eventually he and Robert Freeman have an argument about the
noise.
Thugnificent becomes an even worse influence on youngsters when his next
single, called F* Granddad, promotes beating up the elderly. News reports come out that
old people are now getting assualted by teens, so the AARP (an organization tailored to
the needs of senior citizens) has a protest against Thugnificent. He has therefore
confirmed the perception that rappers’ are bad influences on the youth.
At a press conference Huey explains the conflict to the media: “What started as a
simple disagreement between neighbors has devolved into senseless ignorant self
destructive generational tribalism.” (The Story of Thugnificent)
Snitching
The Boondocks shows their own version of the ‘No Snitching’ movement that
recently took place in hip-hop. It became a known fact, that in order to remain street
certified (and/or alive), one must never go to or give information to the police. The
results have been devastating for victims’ loved ones who know that there are witnesses
that will come forward because of this movement. Worse, is that murderers might worry
less about getting caught. Yet rappers wore shirts and spoke lyrics against being a

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‘snitch.’ These shirts became part of popular culture with teens wearing the words ‘No
Snitching’ as a fashion statement.
In the episode named Thank You For Not Snitching, Riley refuses to tell who

is breaking into Wood Crest homes, even after he witnesses them taking his

granddad’s car.

Riley is worried that he will look like a sell-out in the rap and black

communities if he tells. His loyalty is to maintaining a hard, rapper image much

before his care for his family or even himself. At the end of the episode, the guys who

he refused to tell on give Granddad back his car, but steal Riley’s bike. This is

supposed to be a lesson for young Riley, but he still refuses to see rap culture separate

from reality.

The sense his Granddad and brother try to talk into him is no match for the

heavily influential rap culture he absorbs. When asked why he just wouldn’t tell, he

replies, “What will my niggas think of me if I snitch,” (Thank You For Not Snitching,

Season 2, Episode 3) explaining why many parents refuse to buy children rap music

because of the culture it represents.

Group-think

It is important for people to maintain their individuality. But in the rap culture of
The Boondocks, this idea is broken when Riley wants to become part of Thugnificent’s
music crew. I have to make sure your ideas are along the same lines of mine, the rapper
tells Riley (Shinin). The first test is to see if they agree on music. Thugnificent plays a
beat, and one of the crew members says he likes it but he would turn up the bass. Because

18
he didn’t give the beat of the song praises like everyone else, his Lethal Interjection chain
is snatched off his neck and he was kicked out the crew.
Then Riley had to prove his courage by “ghost-riding the whip” a popular rap
term for being on top of a moving car. The last trial was getting “ho’s” to come over.
Riley orders them on MySpace and soon women in bikinis are at the mansion. He is let
into the group as long as he always agrees with Thugnificent. When Riley finally gets his
chain he says he is willing to die for it because Thugnificent thinks he should be. This
reflects a group-think in the rap community about what is cool and what is not. They
would rather Riley be an image of stereotypes than for him to disagree with anything they
do.
Thugnificent’s watch is so full of diamonds that the glare it gives off in the sun
makes it impossible to read. He teaches his audience that ‘Shinin,’ as the show is titled, is
more important than common sense or earning money in a respectful manner. In order to
get the diamonds, do whatever you gotta do, he teaches. Riley believes that whether it
requires killing or selling drugs, all Black young men should have chains and be “shinin”
in diamonds.
“Rags to Bitches,” is Thugnificent’s phrase, which is similar to the mottos of
many present-day rappers who came from poor neighborhoods, or unstable upbringings.
The success of rappers in The Boondocks is criticized because their music portrays
women, themselves, and Black people very negatively.

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IV. ISSUES IN AMERICA
The chapter, “Profiling and ‘Getting Past Race’” in John McWhorter’s book on
race in America, says that while many people are focused on “getting past race” with
diversity sessions and the argument that race should not be asked on standardized tests,
the real issues are being overlooked. On one end, “Black victimhood” in the twenty-first
century is rightly being criticized by Black academics. But on the other hand, “the
physicality and invasiveness of being regularly stopped by the police…interrogated…and
sometimes even physically abused” creates a sense of embattlement. Racism still exists in
America in this way and many others. The author believes the encounters between White
police officers and the young, Black males is the most “immediate interactions with
Whites they ever have.” This displays a roadblock to positive race relations. The
Boondocks shows both sides of the story, giving truth to the victimized self-image of
some Black people (this victimhood being detrimental to the success of individuals in the
Black community), while showing that there are still many Black Americans, and other
minorities facing racism.

White Privilege

The Rich Bandits

Even in the first episode, it is safe to say that The Boondocks does not shy away
from topics that are sensitive to today’s culture. Appearing in this episode and many
others are two rich, White men in their twenties that wreak havoc in Woodcrest. One of
the men is the grandson of Mr. Winsler, who owns almost everything in Woodcrest. He
owns the banks, the malls, the houses, etc. Because of the status of their family, the two

20
men get away with breaking the laws. When Robert found out the men stole his car, he
refused to press charges, knowing that Mr. Winsler could kick him out of the
neighborhood.
They have many guns and endless funds. In an episode where Tom is wrongfully
accused of being the “X-Box Killer”, Riley asks them to help him find the real killer to
get Tom out of police holding.
After harassing a whole neighborhood and getting no information, the two guys
stop by the liquor store. When the Arab clerk will not let them take two cases of beer for
free, they are stunned. My Granddad got you this store, the young Winsler yells to the
owner. They both take their guns out and hold them toward the clerk. When the police
come, the men take advantage of the Arab-fearing culture that America has been in since
the terrorists attacks of 9/11.
“Do you wanna die?” he asks the police. “This man is holding a gun. He’s a
terrorist. he’ll shoot you.” As the clerk yells that he is not holding a gun the police is
more and more convinced he is. “He’s a terrorist!”
It is clear that the clerk is unarmed, and his hands are in the air. He gets shot and
killed anyway and the two White men get their beer. When they walk out along with the
police officer, a crowd of people gathered at the scene begins clapping. The men are
considered heroes for fighting terrorism.
The two even try to kidnap Oprah with no repercussions.
“Control of Oprah is control of women. Control of women is control of bitches.”
But their plan goes terribly wrong when they hold up the wrong bookstore and grab Maya
Angelou instead of Oprah. They throw her out of the get-away car and go home to play

21
video games. When the police find a wallet the young Winsler left behind, they casually
bring it back to him, knowing that his grandfather’s money is a huge contribution to the
city.
The Boondocks here points out the relationship between money and power. While
privilege may be determined at times by money, the show was giving a clear message by
making these two men that get away with almost anything be White.
Harry Winsler
Harry Winsler, who practically owns the whole city symbolizes corporate
America. He uses people then gets rid of them just as quickly, representing the
exploitation of the American consumer. Exemplary of America’s corporate system,
Mr.Winsler liked Robert’s Sunday brunch cooking so much that he opened a restaurant
called “The Itis” with his own twisted motives behind the investment (The Itis, Season 1,
Episode 10). He replaced his own health-food store as a means to bring down the
property value. In The Itis, food servings were so large that they could only fit on large
platters. The customers were served on beds they had to pay hourly for. The food was
packed with calories, fat, cholesterol and everything else unhealthy that put them to sleep
right after eating it.
Eventually lines get really long, and crowds start fighting for reservations. The
street becomes less glamorous and stereotypical of a ghetto un-kept neighborhood. Mr.
Winsler claims he is shutting down the restaurant because the unhealthy food will lead to
lawsuits. Instead, his plan to lower the property value of the park across the street has
worked perfectly.

22
Though the public now has a worse neighborhood and the people have become
obese and unhealthy, the Winsler Corporation has benefited. He even commercializes
Jazmine’s lemonade stand by promising her a pony if she sells 2,347 lemonades. The
young girl works all day exhausting herself and putting up with Mr. Winsler’s mean
comments until Mr. Winsler fires her. During a child labor protest against the stand,
Winsler comes to the neighborhood and announces he has a child-cruelty free-lemonade
by Winsler Corporation. Indeed, he made money off of exploiting Jazmine then coming
up with the solution for the angry adults. He sold the problem to sell the solution,
representing the disgraces committed by America’s corporations and how they taint
otherwise decent people’s lives. (The Block is Hot, Season 1, Episode 14)
Race

Issues in The Boondocks are focused around race. No matter what the story line,
it is always addressed. In a couple of episodes, the topic of race is directly related to the
situation at hand.
Race in the Media
Bill Cosby’s outspoken speeches about Black men needing to do better by taking
care of their children, avoiding gang affiliation, and turning the orange jump suit statistic
into a work suit statistic, The Boondocks makes it clear that it is a show that does not
favor his lessons. In many episodes, they criticize Cosby’s messages to Black people.
Likewise, the journalists on the show are rarely depicted as minorities. This
explains why Riley sees the news as a White thing. When Gangstalicious is shot (Collins
2004)Riley says, “I actually had to watch the show my brother calls The News to find out
more information about it (The Story of Gangstalicious).” The president of BET is a

23
character on the show that does not know what CNN (a popular cable news network) is,
implying both known arguments that Black people are not watching the news enough,
and are not faces of the news channels enough either.
In an episode where Granddad is planning a ‘Do it big’ vacation to Costa Rica,
Tom warns him not to drink Cristal, (this is a real-life drink featured in rap music and
videos that is currently being boycotted by many Black people because the owner of the
company told an interviewer that he never wanted the rap community embracing the
alcohol like it did). The true story was integrated into the show to make people aware of
the situation. Uncle Ruckus, being extremely racist towards Blacks described the idea
that this segment was making fun of:
“…white men can’t have nuthin nice for himself anymore; polo, niggas got to that;
timbaland; white women…” lists Ruckus about what he believes Black people have
stolen from White people when talking to Tom and Robert about Cristal. (Home Alone,
Season 2, Episode 12)
Police Brutality
But what Ruckus didn’t expect was to be a victim of racism himself. When he
called the police to tell them Riley had broken the fire hydrant to play in its showers on a
hot day, they pulled up and shot at Ruckus 128 times (mocking the common news of
police firing at an unarmed Black men). The police then broke his ribs in an attack, due to
his wallet being mistaken for a gun. Even recently, police have been criticized for their
brutality of Black men and incorrect accusations.
When Ruckus takes a job during the Christmas season playing Santa Claus at a
mall, the line of eager children and parents to get pictures with Santa disappears.

24
This Christmas episode highlights America’s common discomfort with Santa and
Jesus being portrayed as Black people. And then there are the people that seek to make
money from racism.
Playing the race card

Another subject suggested in The Boondocks concerning race is that some people
take advantage of being minorities by manipulating the people on their side. Riley and his
Granddad were excited that a White teacher called Riley a “nigga” because they think it
means they will make thousands of dollars in a lawsuit against the school. Riley puts on
big-rimmed glasses in front of the news cameras and cries. He lies, saying that he has
never used that “hurtful n*word” and is sad that anyone would say it to him. Robert uses
this situation to promote a book he plans on writing. (The S* word)
Riley, in fact, has called the teacher a “nigga” many times. The word is a part of
his everyday vocabulary. Some people have gone so far from the Civil Rights Movement
that they want a White person to call them the N*word in hopes that there will be a
monetary gain from the incident. This displays a mindset that the show suggests some
people have in the Black community; a mindset that contradicts all that was said and
fought for during the movement.
The show boldly aired another example of race being exploited in The Trial of
Robert Kelly episode. The episode is based on actual events where the R&B superstar, R.
Kelly was found Not Guilty of child pornography charges. A leaked sex tape of a man
who many believed was R. Kelly had gotten out prior to the trial, and many believed the
person the man was urinating on was an under aged female. Some of his fans who were

25
outside of the courthouse celebrated with yells, claps and smiles when the verdict was
read.
During the fictional version of the trial on The Boondocks, Tom showed the
recorded proof that R. Kelly had urinated on the minor on tape. R. Kelly supporters were
stunned and disgusted until his lawyer told the jury that not only was this case just a
White man’s excuse to take another innocent Black male to jail, but Tom, the persecutor,
was a worse person than R. Kelly because he was married to a White woman.
“Tell that to your white bitch,” said a member of the jury. In this instance, the
lawyer played the race card to make the jury believe that this trial was about racism, not
molestation. This was Huey’s response:
“What the hell is wrong with you people? Every famous person that gets arrested
isn’t Nelson Mandela. Yes the government conspires to put a lot of innocent black men in
jail on fallacious charges, but R. Kelly is not one of those men. We all know the nigga
can sing. But what happened to standards? What happened to fair minimum? You a fan
of R. Kelly? You wanna help R. Kelly? Then get some counseling for R. Kelly. Introduce
him to some older women. Hide his camcorder. But don’t pretend that the man is a hero.”
(The Trial of Robert Kelly, Season 1, Episode 2)
The audience stopped their dancing and all eyes were on Huey until Riley
screamed out “Booooo!” sending the jury and audience members back into their happy,
dancing with R. Kelly state. He was given an innocent verdict.
Playing the race card is the popular term for using race to get or get away with
something as the fictional R. Kelly’s lawyer did. This episode points out early in The

26
Boondocks’ release that McGruder hates racism, but also is frustrated with many aspects
prevalent in the Black community.
IV. BLACK AMERICA

A discussion between two popular American social figures was held and then
published in A Rap On Race. James Baldwin, a Black man, and Margaret Mead, a White
woman had a discussion about race in America. They came to agree that disparities in
power produce terrible relationships. By relating this to race relations in America, their
reasons for the issues were described with a three-word statement. Power and fear.
Having power over the Black people, but a fear towards them as well was Mead’s answer
in 1970 for why racism exists. The producers of The Boondocks believe that the Black
community’s response to this power with their own channel, Black Entertainment
Television was a good idea executed badly. Another part of the response is the ease many
rappers and other Black people have in using the word “nigga” as a way of now owning a
term that was first used against them.
BET

“You expect White people to portray Black people a particular way. The anger comes
from Black people portraying Black people a particular way. That brings out a different
sense of frustration.”
“BET [Black Entertainment Television] has been around 20 to 25 years and it’s
progressively gotten worst. If you were Huey, the character in this show, he would be
against the only major cable channel that makes entertainment for black people but only
caters to the most ignorant of what black people are.”
-Rodney Barnes (co-producer of The Boondocks, Season 2 bonus features)

27
The Boondocks’ two banned episodes (due to high risk of lawsuit) are both about the
negative influence of the cable network channel, BET. In the first episode, Huey goes on
a hunger strike announcing to CNN that he will not eat until BET is taken off the air and
the head executives “commit Japanese ritual suicide.” The fictional CEO of BET in the
show wants to make the network as evil as possible to further her agenda she has named
the “destruction of Black people.”
The Boondocks producers say it was necessary to tackle the issue of BET being
for the people, but hurting the people at the same time, because it is, in their opinion,
getting worst. From the exploitation of women in the videos, to the reality shows given to
celebrities that are bad influences, says Barnes, “BET sucks.”
The channel is the only one dedicated to the African-American community. It is
the only channel that Riley watches. This scares the man who is loosely based on
Reverend Jesse Jackson is Rev. Rilo Goodlove. He hears about Huey’s hunger strike and
decides to help him bring down BET to further his own publicity. The two hold a protest
against BET where he says the problem with the network is that “stripper’s asses are…in
the face of our young children.” (The Hunger Strike, Season 2, Episode 6) He adds that
every time he watches the network he feels that as a Black man his pride and the
“freedom struggle of the last 35 years is sucked away.”
Continues co-producer Rodney Barnes, “Uncle Ruckus being the thorn in the
black man’s foot …BET would naturally gravitate to giving that person his own show,
much like Keyshia Cole (an R&B singer with a bad reputation) and many of the other
people that have shows on BET.”

28
To this effect, in the second banned episode, BET gives Uncle Ruckus a show
about how he hates Black people to ensure, says the fictional CEO, that BET remains evil
(The Uncle Ruckus Reality Show). The show follows Ruckus throughout the day to
display on BET how much this Black man really hates Black people.
To further BET’s evilness, one of the executives proposes a ban on words with
more than one syllable stating that it will be easier for BET’s audience to understand
(“especially the ones in the South,” he adds).
At the end of the episode, Ruckus and the BET executive agree on the point that
BET does not provide good entertainment: Says the executive, “You think we put this on
the air to be entertaining…Hey lets be entertaining, how bout a Baldwin Hills reality
show. No, I know entertaining. Gregory Hines is entertaining, we air this shit because we
despise our audience. And the only people who suffer are Black children, and I know
that’s something we both can live with Ruckus.” (The Uncle Ruckus Reality Show,
Season 2, Episode 11)
These episodes were banned because of the action that could be taken against the
show and the network had they aired, implied McGruder in the bonus features of the
Season 2 DVD collection. These two episodes suggests that BET should improve how
they portray Black people and be a better influence on Black youth. Through Ruckus and
the executive he has befriended, the episodes farcically suggest that influential Black
people should be better to their race. With much of its content being rap music videos
displaying gangsters and provocatively dressed women, and realities shows about Black
people not getting along, Barnes believes BET is the worst channel for a Black child to
watch because it glorifies only the most ignorant aspects of Black culture.

29
Ignorance
Nigga Moments

When Huey talks about a force in the black community that is a negative influence on
people’s lives, he is talking about ignorance. In an episode about his Grandfather getting
into a fight, Huey names these moments of extreme ignorance “Nigga Moments.”
Riley explains it as “a moment when ignorance overwhelms an otherwise logical
Negro man causing him to act in an illogical self destructive manner, i.e., like a nigga. If
they had their own category, Nigga Moments would be the third leading killer of Black
men behind pork chops and F.E.M.A.” Though the term may be offensive, the premise is
a learning lesson. “A private Nigga Moment changes you. A public Nigga Moment
changes the whole race,” cites Huey (Granddad’s Fight, Season 1, Episode 4).
He is describing the instances in which small incidents between two people blow
up into huge ordeals that involve fights, deaths, and jail time. And when Granddad
encounters a man who is trying to kill him over a small parking lot argument, Huey
realizes that these type of moments between dueling people can be prevented. He
encourages the man to calm down by relating to him explaining that a “Nigga Moment
cannot be resolved in violence. Where there is harmony and peace a Nigga Moment
cannot exist.” (Stinkmeaner Strikes Back, Season 2, Episode 4)
The Boondocks in this episode seeks to show how ignorant it is for petty fighting
to be turned into violence. Huey asks for peace and harmony. This message is targeted to
the large numbers of Black males killing each other; a result of gang violence. How far
from the Civil Rights Movement the race has come, points out the show, in that Black
people were united and stood up for one another, young and old alike.

30
The Return of the King
Martin Luther King Jr. came out of a coma in 2000 in The Boondocks. He was
scorned and cast out of the public eye when, after the Sept. 11 terrorists attacks, Mr. King
said America should not retaliate in violence. Huey tried to team up with him to inspire a
second Civil Rights movement where Black people demanded rights and equal treatment
again. But at the community gathering, ministers exploiting the Bible for money, women
dressed provocatively, cussing, and fighting, happened all before Mr. King showed up.
“Is this what I had all those ass whoopings for?” he screams to the uninterested audience
that would rather be watching music videos, dancing, or fighting. (Return of the King,
Season 1, Episode 9)
Movies

The beginning of Season 2 in The Boondocks is a preview of the fictional sequel
to the comedy, Soul Plane. The movie is called The Blackjacking, the narrator reads,
about how “black incompetence is the funniest weapon against terrorism.” The pilot is
shown smoking marijuana in the cockpit while the flight attendant is cussing at
passengers. As the trailer displays, the movie more so exaggerates black incompetence as
a matter of ignorance and stupidity, which reinforces stereotypes as many black comedy
movies tend to do; such as Next Friday, Soul Plane, and How High. (Or Die Trying,
Season 2, Episode 1)
Lifestyle
When Huey’s granddad creates The Itis restaurant, he makes one of his entrees a
plate full of chitlins, which are the intestines of a pig. Riley warns Robert that the food he
is serving will eventually kill the customers because of how unhealthy it is. A cook tells

31
Robert, “Slaves were given the part of the pig White people wouldn’t eat. I don’t think
you’re really supposed to eat that.” (The Itis, Season 1, Episode 10) Still, unwilling to
acknowledge the history, Robert serves the food anyway, showing how one being stuck
in his or her ways and not knowing the story behind such traditions turns detrimental.
SAYING “NIGGA”

“After a lifetime of being treated like a nigga, if I get the right of the word good for me.
Shoot, all the years I’ve been on this earth you know how many times I been called a
nigga for free and you couldn’t do nothin but go around the corner and cry…”
-Robert in The S* Word

Huey is okay with using the word “nigga.” And if the show is to be realistic, the
Black culture has indeed embraced the word as something they have ownership to. In the
Boondocks, the teacher who gets put on non-paid leave asks his boss why Riley can use
the word so often but is offended when the teacher says it to him.
It is an issue that few know how to tackle. The Boondocks stance on the use of
this word is as clear as the messages it sends weekly to viewers about racism, stereotypes,
capitalism, and anything else. If they’ll have Huey and Martin Luther King Jr. so freely
use the word to get their point across, the producers probably feel like the N*word is the
least of the community’s worries. They make this apparent in The Return of the King
Speech:
The fictional Martin Luther King Jr: “For I had a dream once. It was a dream that
little black boys and little black girls drink from the river of prosperity freed from
the thirst of oppression. But low and behold some four decades later what have I
found but a bunch of triflin shiftless good for nothin niggas. And I know some of
you don’t wanna hear me say that word; it’s the ugliest word in the English
language, but that’s what I see now, niggas. And you don’t wanna be a nigga, cuz
niggas are livin contradictions, niggas are full of unfulfilled ambitions, niggas

32
watch and wane niggas love to complain, niggas love to hear themselves talk, but
hate to explain, niggas love being another man’s judge and jury, procrastinate
until it’s time to worry, niggas love to be late, niggas hate to hurry! Black
Entertainment Television is the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life. I’ve seen
what’s around the corner what’s over the horizon and I promise: You niggas have
nothin to celebrate!”

He then thanks Huey for inspiring him to speak out and leaves the stage. The

audience is silenced. (Return of the King, Season 1, Episode 9)

Speaking out about taboos, issues, and unnerving events is what The Boondocks
is all about. Its humor gives the audience a comfortable place to confront social issues in
the Black community, thus in America as a whole. It gives people funny characters that
make it okay to not only laugh at, but to agree with how crazy certain beloved aspects of
American culture, like hip-hop, look from an outside perspective. It gives one the journey
of laughing then learning all to promote a better society. It is clear that the people behind
The Boondocks yearn for equality, better influences, and improved mentalities all for the
sake of America’s youth. The Boondocks wants to influence changes within the Black
community, hoping that it will lead to a change outside of it.

And then there’s Huey. With his protests, distaste for degrading music, thirst for
knowledge, and willingness to be different, to stand up against wrongdoing, to highlight
sensitive issues, Huey is the critical voice of the show. It is his social critique that needs
to be heard. It is Huey who represents that change.

33
BIBLIOGRAPHY

James Baldwin, Margaret Mead. A Rap on Race. New York: Dell, 1992, c1971.

Collins, Patricia Hill. Black Sexual Politics: African Americans, gender, and the new
racism. New York: Routledge, 2004.

McWhorter, John. Authentically Black: essays on race in America. New York: Gotham
Books, 2003

The Boondocks: The Complete First Season. Written by Aaron McGruder and Rodney
Barnes. Performed by Regina King. 2005.

The Boondocks: The Complete Second Season. Written by Aaron McGruder and Rodney
Barnes. Performed by Regina King. 2008.

Shapiro, Thomas M. The Hidden Cost of Being African-American: How wealth
perpetuates inequality. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.

Abstract (if available)

Abstract The purpose of this study is to investigate the comedic nature by which the popularly acclaimed cartoon, The Boondocks, highlights current historical, social, and racial issues. While at the surface, this television show for many is outrageous, hilarious, and at times, obscene, examining the social criticism written finely into The Boondocks has been an enlightening experience. This study takes one through the existing stereotypes in America of both Black and White people as displayed in theshow.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Moore, Dionne (author)

Core Title The Boondocks cartoon: a social critique of race in America

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Journalism (Print Journalism)

Publication Date 05/14/2009

Defense Date 04/01/2009

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Aaron McGruder,Black people,Huey Freeman,OAI-PMH Harvest,Race,The Boondocks cartoon

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Page, Ellis Tim (committee chair), Anawalt, Sasha M. (committee member), Keeling, Kara (committee member)

Creator Email jordan1232008@yahoo.com,Mabbgl1@aol.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-m2259

Unique identifier UC1306425

Identifier etd-Moore-2841 (filename),usctheses-m40 (legacy collection record id),usctheses-c127-236394 (legacy record id),usctheses-m2259 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-Moore-2841.pdf

Dmrecord 236394

Document Type Project

Rights Moore, Dionne

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Repository Name Libraries, University of Southern California

Repository Location Los Angeles, California

Repository Email cisadmin@lib.usc.edu