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'My Crazy New Jamaican Life' played up old stereotypes

JAMAICAN LOVERS: Holly, left, and Debbie (Channel 4)

STEREOTYPICAL AND offensive are two words that spring to mind when describing My Crazy New Jamaican Life.

As I eagerly awaited the new Channel 4 show I did not think I would be left fuming by its end.

I was looking forward to watching the documentary by Vanessa Van-Yeboah for two reasons. One, my background is Jamaican and although I knew the show would be following two white British women, I was intrigued to find out why they were obsessed with Jamaican culture.

Secondly, there are a lack of shows on TV which explore and discuss the black community so I tend to tune in when there is anything of this kind on.

However, within minutes my excitement turned to disappointment as I could tell the direction the show was going in.

My Crazy New Jamaican Life followed Debbie, 25, and Holly, 19. Debbie was from Lewisham, south London, and in a relationship with Jamaican-born Variel, with whom she had three children.

During filming, Debbie found out that Variel was expecting a baby with another woman, and although she was unhappy there was another “baby mother” it did not faze her because it was part of the “Jamaican culture” she so loved.

How is having numerous “baby mothers” and “breeding” multiple women regarded as “Jamaican culture”? Although the show tried to back this point up by stating Variel’s father, who had been married nearly 20 years, had children outside of his marriage, there were no statistics to support this.

I agree that I see and know Jamaican men that have children with different women, but this is not limited only to “Jamaican culture”.

The only plus to this show was that Variel was not shown to be a deadbeat dad; he worked three jobs so I am assuming he looked after his children financially.

The other plus was that Holly from Kent, the second British woman featured, seemed to gain confidence and respite from bullying through her love of bashment music. But once again, bashment music and the dances moves that come with it are not the only things which represent Jamaican culture.

By the time the episode finished, I was not the only one whose blood was boiling - Twitter was awash with people criticising the show and many even attacked the narrator Shola Ama for her part.

Channel 4 is known for featuring minority groups in a negative light and came under heavy criticism for My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding.

However, My Crazy New Jamaican Life was a one-off documentary. It was not a series which showed different aspects of Jamaican culture.

The show made assumptions and generalisations about Jamaican men. If you did not know any and watched this show you would be correct to think that all Jamaican men have roving eyes and want to "breed up" as many women as possible.

For me, what also made this show offensive was its timing. October is black history month and instead of getting a show that celebrates our achievements and inspires the younger generation, we get a show that shows black culture in a harmfully myopic light.

Some may have found the show entertaining, but I think it did more damage than good.

So congratulations to Channel 4 TV commissioners for helping reinforce tired racial stereotypes that exist in the UK and keeps others ignorant of black people and our culture. Brilliant work, thanks a lot.

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