The Talk is a programme that was originally broadcast on Channel 4 in early August of this year, we decided to create blog post around this as we feel it important to discuss the matter of 'the talk' whether it be famous faces in the public eye or not. For many there will be a time in which the discovery of negativity towards race will be something they will experience for the first time, we hope there will be a day in which this situation does not happen nor need addressing however this can only be hoped for if spoken about more.
In the programme a range of celebrities including Tinie Tempah, Emeli Sande, Rochelle and Marvin Humes, Ade Adepitan, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Ashley and Jordan Banjo, Gillian Joseph and Maro Itoje each speak about their first hand experiences when it comes to race. Some of the celebs were joined by family members to recall their first experiences of racial prejudice. Although each of the stories shared were different in many ways and happened in different eras, the underling issues were very much the same and would easily be related to by viewers.
All participants of the show speak about how they have each shrugged off racist comments and slurs on more than one occasion with the idea that just having to "learn to adapt" to a racist world is the best way to cope with a lot of situations. Gary Younge highlights early on in the show with the hard-hitting statement of: “The consequences can be death”. Moments like this in the programme hit hard - we know as a society this is not how it should be however this is the everyday experience for many black people.
During the show there are many times you hear comments such as "you have to be ten times better, work ten times harder" and how black males must be prepared to face the words "you fit the description" when stopped by police. Both appearance and colourism is spoken about including Rochelle Humes sharing times when comments such as "you're pretty for a black girl" and "you're lucky you got a good nose" are said to her from an early age, Leigh-Anne Pinnock discussing a time when she had tried to relax her hair as well as the heartbreaking story shared by Emeli Sande about the time she was getting her face painted at the age of seven, only to be told "I didn't know butterflies could be brown". No matter what the age, race, gender of the viewer these statements are gut wrenching and show just how important it is to help stop these incidents from happening. These ignorant comments can have such a huge effect on people, comments like this are bound to stick with a person and result it a negative effect. Emili Sande says she wishes she could go back and talk to her thirteen year old self. Rochelle and Marvin speak openly about them wanting to have the discussion with their daughter to ensure she is prepared for possible situations but knowing when the right time to approach the topic can be hard.
Towards the end of the programme, Lennie James points out how often new and younger generations are told that the experiences black people go through have improved but this is not the case. The show is a sure acknowledgement that an issue of race is still very much under discussed.