Off the topic, but thoughts on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
I live in Japan and don't have Netflix, so I have no easy access to some TV shows that are commonly available in the US. I liked the actress, Ellie Kemper, in her turn on The Office, and when her show, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, appeared, I made a mental note to watch the show if I had the chance. It's produced by Tina Fey, who I also admire. I recently bought Season One of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt on DVD to watch in Japan (over a year late), and I was intrigued by the Native American subplot that was introduced in Episode 3. While this has nothing to do with Pocahontas, it does touch on the topic of how Native Americans are portrayed in media, and it introduces a subject that has both Native Americans and non-Native Americans expressing their opinions, and (occasionally) low-level outrage. My thoughts on this are late and not terribly relevant to Pocahontas, but I decided to make a page here to add my two cents and make a list of links to online articles and comments about the show's Native American subplot.
Links to online commentary re. the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Native American sub-plot.
What’s Up With the Native American Subplot on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt? - Libby Hill - March 10, 2015; Vulture
What the backlash to how 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' handles race says about us - Kevin O'Keeffe - March 11, 2015; Mic
'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ Has Two Native American Actors. It Needed Three - ICMN Staff • March 12, 2015
Is Jane Krakowski Native American? As A Mixed Race Woman, I Question Her 'Kimmy Schmidt' Character's Past - Mallory Carra - March 12, 2015; Bustle
Racial stereotypes can be funny - Arthur Chu - March 13, 2015; Slate
Why Kimmy Schmidt’s Native Subplot is Great: A Native Fan’s Opinion - ICMN Staff • March 18, 2015
What it’s like to watch Netflix’s ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ as a Native American - Jacqueline Keeler - March 19, 2015; The Daily Dot
In Which I Explore the Native Cameo In Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Season 2 or Lets Band Together And Take Down The Washington Racial Slur Team Name - Dr. Cutcha Risling Baldy - April 19, 2016; Sometimes-Writer Blogger Cutcha Risling Baldy
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt star hits back at racism accusations surrounding the mega hit show - Shannon Molloy - April 27, 2016; News.com.au
The Native Plot on 'Kimmy Schmidt' makes us cringe, but is it all bad? - Claire Fallon • April 29, 2016; HuffPost
I Have a First Nations Background and Didn't Think Kimmy Schmidt Was Racist - Jordan Foisy - May 5, 2016; Vice
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt S2: Tina Fey and Robert Carlock’s Hate Letter to the Internet - Teresa Jusino - March 13, 2016; The Mary Sue
Why Tina Fey Doesn't Care If You Think Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Is Offensive - Laura Hurley - 2016; CinemaBlend
‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ continues its takedown of the Washington Redskins name - Emily Yahr - May 19, 2017; Washington Post
What’s Up With the Native American Subplot on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt? - Libby Hill - March 10, 2015; Vulture
What the backlash to how 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' handles race says about us - Kevin O'Keeffe - March 11, 2015; Mic
'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ Has Two Native American Actors. It Needed Three - ICMN Staff • March 12, 2015
Is Jane Krakowski Native American? As A Mixed Race Woman, I Question Her 'Kimmy Schmidt' Character's Past - Mallory Carra - March 12, 2015; Bustle
Racial stereotypes can be funny - Arthur Chu - March 13, 2015; Slate
Why Kimmy Schmidt’s Native Subplot is Great: A Native Fan’s Opinion - ICMN Staff • March 18, 2015
What it’s like to watch Netflix’s ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ as a Native American - Jacqueline Keeler - March 19, 2015; The Daily Dot
In Which I Explore the Native Cameo In Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Season 2 or Lets Band Together And Take Down The Washington Racial Slur Team Name - Dr. Cutcha Risling Baldy - April 19, 2016; Sometimes-Writer Blogger Cutcha Risling Baldy
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt star hits back at racism accusations surrounding the mega hit show - Shannon Molloy - April 27, 2016; News.com.au
The Native Plot on 'Kimmy Schmidt' makes us cringe, but is it all bad? - Claire Fallon • April 29, 2016; HuffPost
I Have a First Nations Background and Didn't Think Kimmy Schmidt Was Racist - Jordan Foisy - May 5, 2016; Vice
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt S2: Tina Fey and Robert Carlock’s Hate Letter to the Internet - Teresa Jusino - March 13, 2016; The Mary Sue
Why Tina Fey Doesn't Care If You Think Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Is Offensive - Laura Hurley - 2016; CinemaBlend
‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ continues its takedown of the Washington Redskins name - Emily Yahr - May 19, 2017; Washington Post
My Commentary (Sept. 2017)
I'm late to the party and have had the benefit of seeing the comments of others, but whatever, here are some thoughts, redundant as they may be.
On the central premise:
One of the objections to the Native American subplot is whether the premise itself-that a Native American woman ashamed of her ethnic identity-is an appropriate situation for comedy. On this point I am reminded of when I was an elementary school student in the 60s and my then 4th grade teacher disapproved of "Hogan's Heroes" because a show about prisoners in a German internment camp was not an acceptable comedy situation. As a child, I quickly dismissed the objection, and perhaps I haven't learned much in the intervening years, as I don't feel this recent 'Kimmy Schmidt' subplot egregiously stretches the bounds of decency. After all, to watch this show, you have to accept the central premise of the program, that a woman (the titular character, Kimmy Schmidt), who was kidnapped as a child and held prisoner underground for 15 years, as has tragically happened to real women, is an OK premise for a comedy show.
On the other hand, I realize that most of us would probably draw the line somewhere. So we (or some of us) have embraced a sympathetic serial killer (Dexter), as well as a couple of sympathetic methamphetamine dealers (Breaking Bad) in TV dramas, but would we really want to see, for example, a child rapist as the main character in a comedy series? I think not. And one's own ethnic identity, i.e., whether you are Native American or not, will likely influence your thoughts on "Kimmy Schmidt." As I am not Native American, I have a hard time getting outraged by the 'Kimmy Schmidt' subplot, particularly since a number of Native Americans have come forward to express their support of it.
On the "white-washing" of the character:
Another objection to the subplot is that the actor, Jane Krakowski, is white and playing the part of a Native American who is trying to pass as white. It has been suggested that the casting should have been for a Native American actor. This topic has become a kind of litmus test for one's views on diversity, and basically, there's a rule that every Native American role should be filled by a Native American actor, regardless of the circumstances. To say that the role of Jacqueline in "Kimmy Schmidt" was always with Krakowski in mind, and the Native American subplot was an afterthought is unlikely to satisfy everyone. On the other hand, one can say that the plot device of Krakowski, an obviously white actor playing an Indian pretending to be white, is the source of the comedy, such as it is. While I don't necessarily find this episode hilarious, I have to admit, I do appreciate the detail of Jackie appearing as a Native American teenager with black roots showing at the part in her "dyed" blond hair, since we're in on the secret that Krakowski is a natural(?) blond.
I'm late to the party and have had the benefit of seeing the comments of others, but whatever, here are some thoughts, redundant as they may be.
On the central premise:
One of the objections to the Native American subplot is whether the premise itself-that a Native American woman ashamed of her ethnic identity-is an appropriate situation for comedy. On this point I am reminded of when I was an elementary school student in the 60s and my then 4th grade teacher disapproved of "Hogan's Heroes" because a show about prisoners in a German internment camp was not an acceptable comedy situation. As a child, I quickly dismissed the objection, and perhaps I haven't learned much in the intervening years, as I don't feel this recent 'Kimmy Schmidt' subplot egregiously stretches the bounds of decency. After all, to watch this show, you have to accept the central premise of the program, that a woman (the titular character, Kimmy Schmidt), who was kidnapped as a child and held prisoner underground for 15 years, as has tragically happened to real women, is an OK premise for a comedy show.
On the other hand, I realize that most of us would probably draw the line somewhere. So we (or some of us) have embraced a sympathetic serial killer (Dexter), as well as a couple of sympathetic methamphetamine dealers (Breaking Bad) in TV dramas, but would we really want to see, for example, a child rapist as the main character in a comedy series? I think not. And one's own ethnic identity, i.e., whether you are Native American or not, will likely influence your thoughts on "Kimmy Schmidt." As I am not Native American, I have a hard time getting outraged by the 'Kimmy Schmidt' subplot, particularly since a number of Native Americans have come forward to express their support of it.
On the "white-washing" of the character:
Another objection to the subplot is that the actor, Jane Krakowski, is white and playing the part of a Native American who is trying to pass as white. It has been suggested that the casting should have been for a Native American actor. This topic has become a kind of litmus test for one's views on diversity, and basically, there's a rule that every Native American role should be filled by a Native American actor, regardless of the circumstances. To say that the role of Jacqueline in "Kimmy Schmidt" was always with Krakowski in mind, and the Native American subplot was an afterthought is unlikely to satisfy everyone. On the other hand, one can say that the plot device of Krakowski, an obviously white actor playing an Indian pretending to be white, is the source of the comedy, such as it is. While I don't necessarily find this episode hilarious, I have to admit, I do appreciate the detail of Jackie appearing as a Native American teenager with black roots showing at the part in her "dyed" blond hair, since we're in on the secret that Krakowski is a natural(?) blond.
(C) Kevin Miller 2017
Updated March 25, 2019 (dead link deleted)
Updated March 25, 2019 (dead link deleted)