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Family Matters star Jaleel White is under fire for his thoughts on why he believes his hit show isn't as popular among Black people.
White starred as the quirky, clumsy nerd Steve Urkel in Family Matters, a sitcom that ran from 1989 to 1998 following the life of a middle-class Black family in Chicago.
While promoting his new memoir "Growing Up Urkel," White held a talk last month at Delaware's Wilmington Public Library, where he discussed his iconic role on the show and how he believes it was perceived by the Black community.
White said he sometimes feels left out of the Black community because of the type of show he was on.
"Being a part of the TGIF brand, sometimes makes you feel like you don't completely belong in the pantheon of Blackness," Jaleel said. "You know, Blackness has been treated as a very monolithic experience in entertainment."
The actor then suggested that Family Matters doesn't rank as a favorite among Black people because it's not a "hood story."
"If it's not a hood story, it's not a Black story, and sometimes I feel left out of that. If there's ever a poll and they say, 'What are your favorite Black shows"...[if] Martin is in there or Living Single, or any of those kinds [of shows], I already know we're (Family Matters) coming in last."
White added that if Martin wasn't included in a general ranking for family shows, then "all of a sudden" Family Matters would jump higher in the ranks. The actor said he believes such rankings are an interesting reflection of how Black people view themselves.
The former sitcom star faced backlash over his comments as several social media users pointed out that Martin and Living Single weren't "hood" shows. Others pointed out how Family Matters included several storylines about gang activity.
See the response to White's comments below.
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