But I worry that Hollywood can at times too easily excuse its bad casting practices by saying that “everyone” can engage with yet another petite blond 23 year-old, for instance. I invoke Havens’s concept of “industry lore” above, and he proposes that in the context of discussing how Hollywood believes that African-American programming doesn’t sell well around the world … as if everyone, black, white, or otherwise, could engage with a white family, but not a black family. The irony is that several shows with African Americans have done very well overseas. Hollywood seems to be in a similar bind here — they no doubt think that older viewers prefer, or can at least get behind, shows with lotsa young folk in them, so they don’t feel that casting older people is all that necessary, while young viewers (as evident with the White campaign, with Golden Girls’ continued popularity, or in worship for George Costanza’s parents) may actually appreciate older cast members. Young becomes a form of whiteness — the norm that supposedly everyone can get behind, and that marginalizes age in the process just as non-white racial “others” are similarly marginalized.

“‘Even as we sit here,’ I tell them, ‘you are spinning out from the core, becoming less recognizable as a group, less targetable by advertisers and mass-producers of culture. Kids are a true universal. But you’re well beyond that, already beginning to drift, to feel estranged from the products you consume. Who are they designed for? What is your place in the marketing scheme? Once you’re out of school, it is only a matter of time before you experience the vast loneliness and dissatisfaction of consumers who have lost their group identity.’ Then I tap my pencil on the table to indicate time passing ominously.”

Also, having said that, I have two words for you: Sunset Daze. Enjoy!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/arts/television/27daze.html

And to be fair to the show, the three stars of the show are outside of the demo (Malick is 60, while Bertinelli and Leeves are 50/49), so they are doing their part even with White in a marginal role.

I’m not sure if you subscribe to EW, but this week’s issue featured a nice article on White. The pictures themselves are enough to draw you in: http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20316039,00.html

PS. Any time I get to read an excerpt from BOSTON LEGAL, my day is made. Thanks! So many excellent self-referential lines in that show. Denny Crane, Denny Crane. =)

From said press release:

““Hot In Cleveland” revolves around three fabulous best friends from LA – novelist Melanie Moretti (Bertinelli), eye-brow archer to the stars Joy Scroggs (Leeves) and former soap star Victoria Chase (Malick) – who find their lives changed forever when their plane, headed for Paris, makes an unexpected landing. When the friends discover that they are hot in Cleveland, they decide to stay. Starting over, they rent a house that happens to come with a very feisty caretaker (White).”

Obviously, TV Land is not NBC and actually caters to older demographics, but they’re buying adspace during tonight’s show, so they’re clearly trying to use this as an opportunity to appeal to more young demographics who might want to follow White to her next project.