Home » Haterade, Our Shame

The Only Black People I Can’t Stand Part I

Thembi Ford 14 March 2008 20 Comments
This post has been a long time coming because I wanted to make THE definitive list of black people I can’t stand. I quickly realized that to be realistic, I need more flexibility than that. There is so much hate to go ’round, especially since I’ve been really nice lately … It may be MY problem that I can’t stand them; they may have done nothing wrong but be themselves and try to make a little money and they may not bother you one bit. But to me, these people deserve at least a demerit…

Tony Sinclair, The Tanqueray Guy

Boy, is this dude obnoxious. I know that being an advertising icon is a great way for up-and-coming actors to gain exposure, but please allow me to blow “Tony Sinclair’s” spot and let you all know that his name is actually Rodney Mason and he grew up right in my hometown of Philadelphia. For that, I’ll take it easy on him, but the last type of black man I need to see on television is a nappy dandy suckin’ down gin.











The Pine Sol Lady

Why am I looking at a thick ashy arm and a sweatband right now? Diane Amos, also known as the Pine Sol Lady, is one of the few black actresses who shows up in movies and tv once in a while that I will NEVER profile for her unsung achievements. It’s not just because she’s been playing a modern-day mammy in commercials for the past fifteen years. It really comes down to the sassy twist at the end of her catchphrase “That’s the power of Pine-Sol, Baby!” Baby? Is that necessary? Oh yes, and those braids.




T.C. Carson, aka Kyle Barker

I’ve been watching a lot of Living Single lately, and aside from marveling at how great the acting was, my distaste for Kyle Barker hit me like a freight train during every episode. It felt like listening to an old album and remembering why you didn’t care for certain tracks. I know I’m not the only one who never quite liked the cut of this dude’s jib. Between his snarling laugh, his corny come hither look, and his over-enunciating, pseudo-Yale Drama acting style, I just can’t stomach him. A close second: Tommy (Thomas Ford) from Martin.








The Big Random Universal Studios Commercial Lady


Just what we need, more mammies. Although she is only on-screen for a split-second in a Universal Studios ad, everytime I even think of it I get irritated. “I’se so scared on this here ride, I just had to take my bebbies and hold ‘em to my bosom. Even tho dem white folks back dere is laughin’ and havin’ fun, this here ride is de debbil, I say… havin’ some sweet bebbies on my bosom always make me feel soooo much better, and if I does it right I won’t even break a nail!”

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading ... Loading ...

20 Comments »

  • LaJane Galt said:

    co-sign on all of those, espcially the clasp mah chilluns to mah bress lady at the end…

    # 14 March 2008 at 12:42 pm
  • Invisible Woman said:

    That fool is from Philly? Hilarious!

    The first time I saw that roller coaster lady my mouth was suuspended open for like 10 seconds. I could not believe what I just saw.

    # 14 March 2008 at 12:52 pm
  • Undercover Black Man said:

    The Pine Sol Lady! lol…

    The one I can’t stand is the Honey Bunches of Oats lady… (“It’s like a mouth full of joy.”)

    # 14 March 2008 at 1:11 pm
  • Thembi said:

    @UBM – I CANNOT stand her…with those goggles and whatnot!

    # 14 March 2008 at 2:20 pm
  • Dara said:

    that pine sol lady really gives the bye-bye arm a bad name. it’s called vaz, and it makes everything better.

    # 14 March 2008 at 3:42 pm
  • justjudith said:

    i hate the honey bunches lady too!!!! YOU HUNGRY??? no! this is a hilarious post. i do like the big brotha that is so indignant about miller high life. that dude cracks me up.

    # 14 March 2008 at 5:46 pm
  • Kellybelle said:

    ROTFLMAO over the rollercoaster lady.

    # 17 March 2008 at 6:35 pm
  • Regina said:

    ROFLMBO!!! @ the universal lady! That is hilarious! “havin’ some sweet bebbies on my bosom always make me feel soooo much better, and if I does it right I won’t even break a nail.”
    HaHaHaHa!!

    Oh and I HATE Kyle Barker, I also hated him in the movie Final Destination 2 and was so glad when he died!

    # 17 March 2008 at 7:50 pm
  • Qucifer said:

    UGH I HATE T.C. Carson with the fire of a thousand suns, which is why I couldn’t ever watch Living Single more than a few moments at a time!!!

    I’m so mad you called out the Pine-sol lady “modern Day Jemima” game proper indeed

    # 18 March 2008 at 11:30 am
  • Anonymous said:

    I hated that roller coaster lady too. But I liked Kyle Barker 1) he wasn’t the stereotypical black male on TV 2) I loved it when him and Max would go at it.

    # 18 March 2008 at 1:40 pm
  • stella said:

    Black,Bald,Republican pundit by the name of Armstrong. Hate Hate Hate him.

    # 20 March 2008 at 4:18 am
  • stella said:

    Bob Johnson (founder of BET) and the black guy on Studio 60. Hate that’s wide and deep. Good post!

    # 20 March 2008 at 4:25 am
  • Ehav Ever said:

    It is funny I thought I was the only person bothered by the Universal Studios lady. If I was those kids I will be yelling out, Get her off us, we don’t even know this woman! Our parents are at the Batman Adventure. Get her off us, please! I can’t breath! Cough, cough!

    I also found that Honey Bunches of Oats lady annoying.

    I liked the Kyle Barker character from Living Single. Not as much from a personal level, but I liked his dynamic on the show. Especially in contrast to Overton, Max and even Regine. I think his character was placed on the show to give that kind of dislike contrast. Thus, much of what he said was offensive to the female characters on the show. The episode in the first season at the club, when Kyle was getting dissed left and right was classic. Also, when he got caught seeing two different women was funny to me.

    When I was in college I had a friend who was almost exactly like the Kyle Barker character. I also had a fraternity brother, (actually my line brother) who acted just like Overton “Wakefield” Jones.

    There was one episode where Kyle is talking about not wanting to seem sexist to a female exec, when Overton says to him, But you are sexist. Kyle response was, All the more reason not to seem so. That sounded like a typical exchange between a few of my friends on college. So I can understand how a character like that could be annoying.

    # 21 March 2008 at 1:21 am
  • jazzfan360 said:

    OH MY GOD THIS BLOG IS AMAZING. I laughed SO damn hard reading this. Though I gotta agree with the above person who appreciated Kyle for the contrast he brought to the show’s dynamic. It would not have been the same without him…they needed that character there, especially as a foil for Max and more importantly as the yin to Overton’s yang.

    Best of all though, you put Diane Amos out on front street. And those fake braids that SCREAM 1995.

    I am SO glad somebody called out the Honey Bunches woman. She bugs like WHOA. And I totally believe she’s a real factory worker they plucked for that first ad, because there is no way they woulda chosen someone THAT weird looking. Now, I’m not one to whip out the “mammy” accusations much, but I get disgusted and embarrassed every time I see her because I feel like they took some random laborer and made her a pseudo-mammy to shill their product to the masses. It’s kinda gross.

    I don’t know ANYBODY who doesn’t hate “Tony Sinclair.” What the hell is the deal with that character?

    # 27 March 2008 at 8:58 am
  • j.l.o.theoriginal said:

    PRESIDENT URKEL ?

    # 9 November 2008 at 10:25 pm
  • Black History Month Pop Culture Challenge Week 2: Answers | What Would Thembi Do? said:

    [...] correct answer can be found in my archives in the post “The Only Black People I Can’t Stand Pt I.” I gave partial credit for any reasonable answers, but they are Tony Sinclair, The Pine Sol [...]

    # 16 February 2009 at 1:45 pm
  • Luvvie said:

    The Pine Sol lady has always rubbed me the wrong way (no pun intened0. She reminds me of the black maid from Ton & Jerry. The one that wore house shoes and had cankles. For shame

    # 16 February 2009 at 3:03 pm
  • The Only Black People I Can 39 t Stand Part I What Would Thembi Do | Wood TV Stand said:

    [...] The Only Black People I Can 39 t Stand Part I What Would Thembi Do Posted by root 2 hours 17 minutes ago (http://www.whatwouldthembido.com) It may be my problem that i can 39 t stand them they may have done nothing wrong but be but i liked kyle barker 1 he wasn 39 t the stereotypical black male on tv 2 i loved it add your comment below or trackback from your own site powered by wordpress log Discuss  |  Bury |  News | The Only Black People I Can 39 t Stand Part I What Would Thembi Do [...]

    # 31 May 2009 at 6:34 pm
  • William Earley said:

    All this whining about black character actors that play roles that may be perceived as stereotypical sounds to me like sour grapes. These people are working and earning a living people! e.g. The distinguished and handsome man on the “uncle” ben rice box does me no harm . . . . aunt jemima neither. In the inimitable words of my Alabama cousin (now deceased): Don’t knock the shovel out of my hand.

    # 26 June 2009 at 11:31 am
  • jazzfan360 said:

    Did we ever get part 2?

    # 2 February 2010 at 10:09 am

So what do you think? Please be respectful to other readers!

Add your comment below, or trackback from your own site. You can also subscribe to these comments via RSS.

You can use these tags:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

This is a Gravatar-enabled weblog. To get your own globally-recognized-avatar, please register at Gravatar.