AFAS 320 Extra Credit Dr.

Campbell
Grant

Sitcom: _Girlfriends__________________________________
Episode Title: ___LA Bound_____________________________
Gender
*How is gender represented in attire, roles, and/work? (Who is dressed casu-
ally, professionally etc? Are bodies of either gender revealed or emphasized?
Describe.)
1.Joan: In this episode they are on vacation in NY. Joan is dressed casually and she is no longer
wearing work attire. She seems to be flustered about a man so her clothes reflect this. She does not
seem to be as put together as she usually does.
2.Toni: She is also on vacation so instead of wearing dresses and skirts she is wearing jeans and a t-
shirt. She is also having men problems in this episode so she is not as put together as she usually is.
Her attire is more laid back.
3.Maya: Maya is always dressed to the “T.” She is always very fashionable and never seems to be
wearing scrubby clothes. Even though she is on vacation and is on an air plane she is still wearing a
sexy dress with high heals.
4.William: He is also on vacation so instead of wearing work clothes he is wear slacks and a nice
t-shirt. He is still well dressed but has toned it down. He is no longer wearing a suit.
5.Lynn: she did not come along on the vacation so she is at home. She is wearing comfortable
clothes but she seems to have grown up. She is no longer wearing scrubs. She seams like she is
starting to take time to put herself together. This episode is from season 5 so it seems like Lynn
character has evolved into a women and no longer a college student
Race
*Identify direct & indirect references to race (including “black” or “white” be-
havior).
1. Toni is married to a white doctor which is representative to an interracial marriage. Most of the
characters on this show are black so it is sort of unusual to have one of the characters married to
white man.
2.Toni also has a stereotypical black women's attitude in this episode. She is pushy and outspoken.
She starts a fight with the flight assistant and gets in her face. Many people view black women like
this so her character this time seemed to represent a stereotypical black women.
3.While Lynn is at her fathers house there is a reference to church. Going to church and having God
in you life is considered to be important to the African American culture. It is a stereotype associated
with the African American culture.
4.There is also a reference to grits and greens. Grits and greens are stereotypical black meals.

Class
*How is class constructed/defined in the episode? What material posses-
sions, attitudes, or behaviors distinguish members of one class from
another?
1.While Joan is getting on the plane she is carrying loui vuiton luggage. This luggage is very expens-
ive and it shows that she is wealthy and successful women.
2.Toni and Maya are seated in the first class drinking champagne. Maya looks down upon the people
that are seated in coach and does not want to be associated with them. This is an example of class
separation

Humor
*Who is the heavy in your episode & why (this character is the butt of jokes)?
Are several characters heavies? Explain.
1.Joan is the heavy of this episode. It seems like the episodes mainly focus around Joan and the
funny things that happen to her. Joan is seated by accident in coach and is stuck sitting next to an
over weight man who will not let her get out of her seat. Joan is willing to do anything so she can
switch seats but the man next to her is not willing to move. Joan is also stalked by a lesbian couple
and is accused of having feelings for one of them. Joan is seen multiple times throughout the movie
having to hide and run away from this couple.

AFAS 320 Extra Credit Dr. Campbell

Grant

Sitcom: _Girlfriends__________________________________
Episode Title: _Friend Chicken________________________________
Gender
*How is gender represented in attire, roles, and/work? (Who is dressed casu-
ally, professionally etc? Are bodies of either gender revealed or emphasized?
Describe.)
1.Joan: She is a lawyer so she is usually dressed in business attire. When she is at home she still
wears professional clothes but they emphasize her boobs and mid drift.
2.Lynn: She is a college student so she wears clothes that college students wear. Her personality is
one of a free open minded college student almost hippie like. She also wears clothes that show her
mid drift. Her attire is very laid back and it does not seem like she puts allot of effort into what she is
wearing
3.Maya and Antoinette Marie: They both are fashionable and dress to impress. There clothes mostly
emphasize there cleavage. Their attire attract attention.
4.William: He is Joan’s boss and he is always in professional attire. He plays a lawyer so he is
presented as a business man
5.Preston Hall: He is also a well know lawyer who is guest staring in the show. He is also dressed
professionally.

Race
*Identify direct & indirect references to race (including “black” or “white” be-
havior).
1.It is thanksgiving and they are frying a chicken instead of cooking it in the oven. Fried
chicken is associated with a black stereotype
2.There is a reference to the white house, and how they do not get B.E.T on their televisions.
B.E.T. is an all black television show.
 3.2.While they are cooking Joan talks about Martha Stewart's “white cooking”. Joan says
that she listens to whatever she says about cooking because she knows what she is doing un-
like her.
4.3. They make reference to “black food” at Thanksgiving time.

Class
*How is class constructed/defined in the episode? What material posses-
sions, attitudes, or behaviors distinguish members of one class from
another?
1.1. Lynn volunteers at a homeless shelter for thanksgiving but while she is there people keep
mistaking her for a homeless person because of her attire. Lynn is offended because she al-
ways wears those type of clothes and she cant believe they would think she is homeless.
2.Preston Hall makes a sly remark to the restaurant owner, one of his long time friends that
he is still bussing tables for a living. Almost putting him down but in a joking way.
3.Preston Hall and the restaurant owner are talking about women as if they are sexual ob-
jects. They are unknowing disrespecting the women.

Humor
*Who is the heavy in your episode & why (this character is the butt of jokes)?
Are several characters heavies? Explain.
1.Joan is the heavy in this episode because she is trying to get some alone time with Preston Hall
but can’t seem to. Her friends keep coming in and embarrassing her. She also has those pop in and
outs when she is only talking to the audience and she presents herself as a goof.
2.Maya is also a heavy because they present her character as someone who only cares about appear-
ances and money. Her character is presented as shallow and unintelligent.

AFAS 320 Extra Credit Dr. Campbell

Grant

Sitcom: _Girlfriends__________________________________
Episode Title: _Losing it________________________________

Gender
*How is gender represented in attire, roles, and/work? (Who is dressed casu-
ally, professionally etc? Are bodies of either gender revealed or emphasized?
Describe.)
1.Lynn: Her hair in this episode is in braids. Many African American women get extensions in their
hair but instead of leaving it straight they get small braids. Lynn is not the professional type and she
wears clothes that represent her. She is usually in jeans and a t-shirt. Lynn is more of a rocker chick.
2.Joan: Joan is again wearing business attire. Even though she is going to work her clothes still are
very feminine and show off her body in a positive way.
3.Maya: She is always very fashionable and sexy. She is always wearing short dresses and heels.
Her clothes reveal her body and attract attention
4.Darnel: Darnel is Maya’s husband and he wears jeans and t-shirts. He works at a garage so he is
rarely dressed in professional clothes.
5.William: William and Lynn just bought a restaurant but he is still dressed in professional attire.
William is a successful man and it is obvious by they way he presents himself.
Race
*Identify direct & indirect references to race (including “black” or “white” be-
havior).
1.Maya is talking to her boyfriend and says “ I know how you like your dark meet.” She was talk-
ing about the lunch she made him for work, but obviously she was talking about herself.
2.Maya makes a joke about cutting her hair into a very short afro. An afro is a black hair style that
many African Americans wear.
3.The girls joke about getting there “Hair did.”
4.Darnel, Mayas husband calls her his “Baby mama.”
5.Maya’s publicist says that her book sold like “ hot cakes” at the black expo
6.Williams wife uses the line “negro please” when talking about being fat
Class
*How is class constructed/defined in the episode? What material posses-
sions, attitudes, or behaviors distinguish members of one class from
another?
1.Lynn is living in Joan’s old house and Joan cant stand how she lives. Joan is worried what the
neighbors will think of Lynn. Joan is a professional and wants to keep her reputation. I think Joan
feels like she is in a different class than Lynn and wants Lynn to grow up.
2.Joan calls Darnel a “greece monkey.” Darnel works in a garage and without knowing Joan puts
him down.
3. Maya is very concerned about writing another book because she knows that they need the
money. Maya is a respectable women and by writing she can provide for herself. She knows if
she doesn’t get another book deal she wont be able to live the life she is used to.
Humor
*Who is the heavy in your episode & why (this character is the butt of jokes)?
Are several characters heavies? Explain.
1.Maya is the heavy in this episode. She is pregnant and her husband can’t get off her case. She
wont stop and relax and her husband calls her every 5 minuets. She is also writing another book
but the things that she comes up with are laughable