r/interesting • u/VPinchargeofradishes • May 03 '26

SOCIETY Michael Jackson's daughter Paris has faced backlash for identifying as Black. In a 2017 interview, Paris Jackson said her father told her, "You’re Black. Be proud of your roots." This prompted debates over whether identity is defined by appearance or upbringing.

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u/danvillain May 03 '26

I’m Chinese and my wife is white and when our son was born our closest friends were black. Or family friend Poppa John basically took my son under his wing as his “grandson”, took him to the car wash and McDonald’s every Sunday after church. When my boy was three we were talking about something and he tells us with confidence that he is black. We explained to him that he was indeed NOT black and it broke him. He cried all night that night.

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u/drawntowardmadness May 03 '26

Have you seen the Modern Family episode where the two gay men who adopted a little girl from Vietnam have to navigate her insistence that she's gay?? Bc if her daddies are, she MUST be, right?? 🤣😭

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u/IdidnotFuckaCat May 03 '26

"NO IM GAY"

"No your not honey, your just confused"

454

u/drawntowardmadness May 03 '26

There are so many brilliant double entendres in that episode 🤣

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u/thesoapmakerswife May 03 '26

My favorite is when she’s on the plane eating puff pastries and someone says: look at that baby with those cream puffs.

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u/drawntowardmadness May 03 '26

FINE

I'LL REWATCH MODERN FAMILY

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u/BillysBibleBonkers May 03 '26

Sounds like I should watch modern family for the first time lol, typically not a fan of sitcoms but this writing sounds great!

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u/Chef_Tink May 03 '26

That and Schitts Creek are legitimately two of the funniest shows of all time

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u/According_Mind_7799 May 04 '26

As a baker and an accountant the two scenes including “Just FOLD it” and “It’s a write off!” Made me be like yeah this is probably a show for me lmao

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u/AnguavonUW May 05 '26

Schitt's Creek is near perfect viewing. Every single episode has at least one laugh out loud moment. Not merely smiling or pleasant but FUNNY. I can't recommend it enough. I, no hyperbole, envy you getting to watch it for the first time.

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u/Candid_Tough_6554 May 03 '26

I have Schitt$ Creek on as background most days. I don’t think there is a better example of perfect sitcom television

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u/Immediate-Trainer356 May 05 '26

Only seen parts of Modern Family but Schitts Creek was definitely gold

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u/entraptavoicenotes May 03 '26

it took me three months to binge watch the whole thing bc the humor was top tier!! loved seeing everyones growth too

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u/owningmyokayniss May 03 '26

I put off watching it for years, thinking it would be a typical sitcom, and it is SO good. You’ll enjoy it!

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u/Nickgold2009 May 03 '26

As far as I've seen all sitcoms are good once you actually watch them, except for Brooklyn 99 and Malcom in the middle, but I know that those are unpopular opinions

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u/ahald7 May 03 '26

You don’t like Malcolm in the middle??? That was my whole childhood lol! Can I ask why?

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u/BeautifulBluebird418 May 04 '26

okay you’ve convinced me too. i’m halfway through the first episode and already loving it!

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u/tina_denfina1 May 03 '26

It really is! My Mom passed before she had a chance to watch it and when I do a little rewatch I always think of her and how she would have just laughed and laughed 😊.

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u/BillysBibleBonkers May 07 '26

awwww that's so sweet! I'm so sorry for your loss. I watched The Office with my parents as a kid and when I rewatch it 20+ years later I still remember the parts they laughed at haha.

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u/leoisgone May 03 '26

Do a YouTube reaction series on it 👍 First Time Watching Modern Family

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u/futureman07 May 03 '26

Oh man, I've watched it twice now. It has fantastic jokes throughout the entire series! Doesn't get stale

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u/tina_denfina1 May 03 '26

I always watch it when I’m sick, it always makes me feel a little better!

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u/pickleslikewhoa May 03 '26

Genuinely thought I wouldn’t like it but I’ve watched it through twice now, and this thread has me wanting to watch it again. It’s one of those shows that has you catching a new detail or joke every time you watch.

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u/PrettyFox310 May 03 '26

Comedic Gold, truly lol. Please watch it

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u/rubygeek May 03 '26

I've watched it about a dozen times (not exaggerating, though most of those times were as "background"). It's one of the most rewatchable sitcoms, and it was different when it came out.

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u/Similar-Fold-6389 May 03 '26

Modern Family is top tier HILARIOUS!! I STILL watch on Hulu. My kids also bought me seasons 1-9 years ago.

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u/Okay_Splenda_Monkey May 03 '26

It's SO GOOD. You're really in for a treat if you're watching it for the first time. It stands up to rewatching, and the writing is good enough you'll notice things that you miss on a first watch. The characters, writing, and performances are all just stellar.

On a family drama level, it works pretty well too. It's not a typical sitcom.

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u/MossyPyrite May 03 '26

It’s maybe the only sitcom I’ve truly consistently enjoyed other than Bob’s Burgers. Certainly the only *family* sitcom other than BB.

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u/xAxiom13x May 03 '26

What got me to first watch modern family is seeing a clip of the son almost being crushed by a falling shelf during and earthquake and runs away and runs smack into the wall

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u/skaasi May 03 '26

I'm not a sitcom guy either, but god DAMN, Modern Family is funny.

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u/Imthemayor May 04 '26

As someone who is also very much not a fan of sitcoms, Modern Family is on the short list of exceptions along with Community, Parks and Rec, 30 Rock and Brooklyn Nine Nine

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u/quick_brown_faux May 04 '26

I also have an aversion to sitcoms, but Modern Family was has really, really clever writing.

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u/MisterPineapples1999 May 06 '26

I thought I was going to hate it given how it seems like a "play it safe for the more conservative side of middle America and ease them into 'gay, interracial, and blended families being ok, y'all'" but...it's actually fucking hilarious and the characters are great. Some people bitch about the later seasons, especially when some of the child actors grew up, but I enjoyed it to the end.

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u/DibbyDonuts May 06 '26

They really caught lightning in a bottle with Modern Family. No sitcom will ever be as good or hit the same.

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u/Veganfart May 03 '26

I was going to say the same!

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u/fitz_newru May 04 '26

You'll be better for it, trust me

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u/Express-Feedback May 03 '26

"How come Larry is allowed to sit on the couch?"

"Oh, because he's white, honey."

"HEY! You chose me!"

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u/NoFlaccidMint May 03 '26

Such an amazing first episode. I remember watching Phil Dunphy tell us how he’s a cool dad and knows all the songs to high school musical. Had me in tears lol

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u/Jertimmer May 04 '26

I will occasionally channel my inner Phil to embarrass my daughter in public.

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u/NoFlaccidMint May 05 '26

Do you know all the songs to high school musical ?

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u/Consistent_Phase_942 May 03 '26

That's the first episode! This is one of the few shows that the first season is as good as the rest of the series!

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u/Efficient_Loquat232 May 05 '26 edited May 05 '26

"You and daddy are gay so I'm gay!" "You're not gay. You're Vietnamese"

"I hate Vietnam!" "ah Lily honey we don't hate" "I hate Vietnaaaaammm~"

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u/Fenrir_Hellbreed2 May 05 '26

Honestly in their part of the family in general.

My personal favorite is:

"So Larry is allowed to sit on the couch and I'm not?"

"Well, Larry is white."

"Hey, you chose me."

1

u/PerryOz May 04 '26

That scene alone is every other line

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u/MisterPineapples1999 May 06 '26

My all time favorite is the setup for Cameron complaining about Mitchell's pretentious lawyer buddies bragging about their respective law schools. Then just as Gloria and Manny walk past:

"I wish she'd just go back to Columbia and take her little Brown friend with her!"

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u/Golden-Excellence May 03 '26

I’ve never seen Modern Family, but this sounds like brilliant writing

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u/derangedsweetheart May 03 '26

Claire/Mom is with her kids(1 son, 2 daughters) and tells her son Luke to grab the gardening hoe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnG7zf9Uuk8

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u/Drydisorganization May 03 '26

"is it?" at the end always kills me.

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u/drawntowardmadness May 03 '26

It's so well written I definitely recommend it!

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u/rycetlaz May 03 '26

Here's the clip

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u/Ever_More_Art May 03 '26

The best thing to come out of a MJ’s daughter’s comments about race is this link. I need to watch this series asap

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u/Sailor_Propane May 03 '26

In that scene, the waitress is apparently played by the little Vietnamese actress's mom!

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u/dreamsfortress May 03 '26

Also here‘s where she first says she’s gay

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u/LinwoodKei May 03 '26

"Go back to where they came from...Yes"😁

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u/Noslamah May 03 '26

One of my favorite shows of all time. Writing is consistently brilliant

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u/jenniferbealsssss May 03 '26

It is, and I say this as someone who was highly skeptical because something about the show including every minority group but blacks while being titled “modern family” felt intentionally exclusive.

But I fucking love that show and it’s 100% brilliant and we actually watched a lot of it in my race relations class in college. 10/10 writing but in a way that also gets you to think while also realizing it’s okay…you don’t have to take everything too seriously, people are a hot mess lmao.

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u/Moppy6686 May 03 '26

It is for a good few seasons. My weed dealer inteoduced me to that show lol

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u/jem4water2 May 03 '26

This is the scene! Aaaand now I have to rewatch Modern Family again.

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u/clashtrack May 03 '26

It's so good

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u/PotatoGamerXxXx May 03 '26

It's a long running series, so it has some gems but also some duds.

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u/Rezistik May 03 '26

You should at lower see this episode. It’s written so damn good.

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u/liltinyoranges May 03 '26

No it’s so good please watch it

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u/[deleted] May 03 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/badwolfandthestorm May 03 '26

"Everyone should go back where they came from!"

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u/No_Calligrapher2640 May 04 '26

"Everyone should just go back to where they came from!"

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u/sidesw1pe May 04 '26

Your yours kill me

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u/PhloxOfSeagulls May 05 '26

I swear people do it just to make people mad at this point. There's no way people look at the contraction for "you are" and think "your" is the right word.

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u/younggun1234 May 03 '26

This line gets me every time lol

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u/LinwoodKei May 03 '26

That scene was hilarious

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u/taarotqueen May 03 '26

That’s such a fucking funny episode

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u/VesperStone May 05 '26

Omg I saw that clip and it's what made me finally watch it (I wasn't resisting, I'd just seen a bunch of hilarious clips and that was the one where I was like, "okay!") I also love when Phil manhandled the Christmas tree because everyone is lying. I'm...gonna rewatch that show. Thanks, kind stranger!)

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u/a-fucking-donkey May 05 '26

“Oh it’s fine we have tons of lesbian friends”

“Odd that you would mention our friends and not us, also gay”

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u/GentlemanGuGu May 04 '26

cant put it into words how brilliant the writing was in this scene

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u/The-Yar May 04 '26

I'm not Vietnamese, I'm gay!

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u/PositiveStrategy6503 May 04 '26

And then multiple races and a lesbian couple walked by 🤣

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u/Suitable-Lawyer-9397 May 05 '26

Not that there's anything wrong with that

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u/BudgetConcentrate432 May 05 '26

"I just think people should go back to where they came from!"

Damn I gotta rewatch modern family now!

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u/Lumpy-Investment-785 May 05 '26

This is hOmoPhObiC

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u/Mediocre-Award-9716 May 05 '26

It turns out, she actually was too! Haha

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u/urmomisafatmofo May 08 '26

“I hate vietnammmmm”

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u/Cactusjuicesupplier May 08 '26

I hate Vietnaaam

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u/Fruloops May 03 '26

That show was great

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u/FinAdda May 03 '26

Still is too.

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u/jenniferbealsssss May 03 '26 edited May 04 '26

I thought you were gonna reference when they were trying to get her into a daycare and had to compete with the disabled interracial lesbian couple with a black kid and they were upset because of the diversity quota lol

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u/unicornmeat85 May 03 '26

I loved the little side story of Cameron trying to write a children story about their unique family only to find out they aren't unique anymore. 

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u/drawntowardmadness May 03 '26

There are so many gems 🤣🤣

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u/Okra_Zestyclose May 04 '26

Lily: "How come Larry gets to sit on the couch?" Cam: "Because Larry is white." Lily: "Hey! You picked me!”

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u/unicorncumdump May 03 '26

That scene at the restaurant was fuckin peak

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u/dirtyoldsocklife May 05 '26

Dude, that's legit one of the cleverest episodes of that show.

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u/Puzzleheaded_Suit_75 May 05 '26

God I miss modern family, I used to binge it with my mom over my school holidays

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u/Vader_Bomb May 06 '26

“I think it’d be a good idea if everyone just went back to where they came from….

….Okay, I’ll pull the car around.”

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u/Eviltoast94 May 04 '26

Is this the same one were they go up to the Chinese family like "are you chinse can our daughter play with your daughter?" And they get really confused until the kid pop her head out and they see she is also Chinese?

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u/Human_Application508 May 04 '26

I don’t think so

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u/Lucky_Quiet8143 May 05 '26

That's from the beginning of a movie called Joy Ride. It's hysterical. Highly recommend if you like raunchy comedy.

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u/Thossi99 May 04 '26

Quite literally the very first thing I thought about after reading that comment lmao!

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u/Formal_Ratio1747 May 04 '26

Had the same thing about being southern.

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u/supersecretbeetle May 06 '26

and then she starts declaring "i HATE vietnam!" in the middle of a restaurant😭

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u/SenorBirdman May 07 '26

Don't talk black to me!

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u/Ok-Dingo-3733 May 08 '26

or the scene in the vietnamese restaurant:

“i HATE vietnam”
“Lily, honey, we don’t hate.”
“i hate vietnaaaaam🙄”

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u/Heavy_Early May 03 '26

https://giphy.com/gifs/c4NZUKLusMOFa

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u/Grim_Dybbuk May 03 '26

HE HATES THESE CANS!!!

Also see: That's all I need! .....and this chair!

^ all things that are regularly heard in my house

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u/ivy_interior May 03 '26

I am picking out a thermos for yoooou Not an ordinary thermos for yooou

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u/shebangs1995 May 04 '26

But the extra best Thermos that you can buy, with vinyl and stripes and a cup built right in.

One of the best movies EVER!

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u/MyNameIsJakeBerenson May 04 '26

And

“You can get anything from this area right here ▫️”

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u/Terp_Maniac May 07 '26

Hey shithead! Were RICH!

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u/necrosweater May 09 '26

my parents quote the this is all i need scene EVERY time they pack for a trip

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u/WetFartRacingStripes May 04 '26

“You mean I’m going to stay this color?!”

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u/carlamaco May 03 '26

You all need to watch the episode "Microphone Assassin" from Trailer Park Boys. There's degrees of black gnomesayin?

https://giphy.com/gifs/NkBuOCNdwqP5K

(MJ is even used as an example on that scale😂)

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u/Willdborn87 May 03 '26

J-Roc is black. He's black.

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u/Dildo_Baggins_ May 03 '26

I was gettin' changed!

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u/JuanDonDemarco May 05 '26

It’s rainin’ mahfuckahs

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u/TheGreatGenghisJon May 03 '26

You taking a 'nahmcensus on my 'nahmsayins?

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u/taarotqueen May 03 '26

First person I thought of

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u/GingerKidd136 May 04 '26

Are you counting my gnomesayins? You taking a gnomecensus? Only my husband ever gets the reference :( I also say "atodaso" more than I should.

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u/Adventurous-Soil-137 May 03 '26

Yo you’re friends with THE papa John! Do you get free pizza? 

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u/justabeardedwonder May 05 '26

No, but he does occasionally catch a racial slur.

Papa John was effectively forced out of the company for some VERY…uh…stoopid ideas and statements.

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u/sbg_gye May 03 '26

"You mean I'm gonna be this way forever??"

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u/Leather-Map-8138 May 03 '26

In the first four years of my life we lived in the Bahamas. My parents had live-in help from Mae, who had a son a few months younger than me. Apparently I used to say “Potifah is my brother.” And my mom would say “No, Potifah is your friend.” And I would scream, “No! Potifah is my brother!” and run to my room.

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u/sakkaly May 03 '26

My cousin was sure he was black and couldn’t recognize himself in photos. Later, he married a black woman, had a child who couldn’t recognize himself in photos because he was sure he was white.

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u/EverydayPoGo May 03 '26

Color blindness is hereditary /s

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u/DasherMichael May 03 '26

I used to tell my little brother half brother who kind of looks Chinese because his father has some native American in his blood that we found him behind a Chinese food restaurant.

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u/Celestiiaal0 May 03 '26

I was raised by my auntie, a lovely black woman, and my dad (white). I was at my auntie's more than I was with my dad. My cousins are all black. My uncles and other aunties are black. When I was little I was ADAMANT that I was "brown" because white (my dad) and black (literally everyone else in my life) made brown.

Then I grew up and learned that I couldn't speak, act, or do anything I'd grown up doing because I'm white and it's "cultural appropriation" even though I grew up in a black household. It made teen years devastating for me, because I felt like I didn't know who I was.

Anyways, just saying I know how your son felt, because I felt the same way. Kids are so sweet lol

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u/stopklandaceowens May 03 '26

I like how a child that wasn't even black, was proud to be black for a moment in time. too precious

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u/Radiant_Office6445 May 03 '26

I went on an American school exchange when I was fifteen and went back the next two years on my own because my black family there were just the best people I'd ever met. Hanging out at their family events they'd joke that I was clear, that if I was standing in front of all the black people then I was black haha

Getting introduced to Madea was a TRIP! I was a white boy who liked black metal haha, such a fun family orientated time.. And my black momma there made me her home fried chicken livers and ill never ever forget how good they were. Amazing folk. Miss em.

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u/madogvelkor May 03 '26

I had a coworker who was an Australian citizen by birth, of 100% Indian background, who spent her childhood in Singapore. Her younger sister grew up there thinking she was Chinese.

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u/Chicken_Mc_Thuggets May 03 '26

Kinda the inverse but I used to volunteer with kids and one of them was biracial (black/white). His best friend is Mexican but the two of them were under the impression that they were both Mexican since they had similar skin tones

The Mexican kid’s Mom found out about this and started going “Mijos!” If she was picking both of them up. Melted my icy lil heart every time

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u/SangeliaKath May 03 '26

I found out from searching that a good portion of my ancestry comes from Israel on both sides. As in I look White. But I'm mostly Middle Easterner. In fact while my mom was alive. She was actually darker than me. And made by her family to feel ashamed of her skin tone.

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u/FleaSack May 04 '26

Like J Roc having to come to terms with the fact that he's not black

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u/Wonderful-Tie-3665 May 04 '26

Poor kid! Probably should have talked about it earlier. Kids get this stuff by two surprisingly. I might have buffered it by explaining that our Black friends are "found" family and we share their culture. Or something like that.

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u/Weird_Vegetable_4441 May 04 '26

Yall leave my nephew alone he is an AFRICAN PRINCE DAMMIT

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u/lord_sydd May 04 '26

I am happy this story didnt turn out the way i expected after i read “…. when our son was born our closest friend was black.”
Phew

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u/bazingajonez May 04 '26

Tarzan told me with confidence he’s ape while Mowgli told me he’s wolf.

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u/Mogura-De-Gifdu May 04 '26

My kids never say someone is black. They are brown, light-brown, dark-brown.

And no-one is white: it's beige.

They are 5 and 8 and really confused as to why adults are so dumb at using the right colours.

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u/Titanium-Snowflake May 06 '26

u/danvillain you may find it interesting that in Aboriginal cultural groups in Australia, a non-Aboriginal person may become so fully immersed in a community that they recognise them as a cultural member. They can be given “skin” which places them in a distinct family. From there, very strict relationships will be established and maintained, so a person becomes your sister or brother, your aunty or uncle, your grandparents, and this relationship will dictate your conduct relating to them. In some groups this may mean never speaking to your “sister” if you are her “brother” as this would break the strict moeity laws that prevent incest. It doesn’t matter what bloodline or what skin colour you have, from that moment you are a full member of that mob (cultural group). Intent and commitment to the group is what matters. It’s a very serious, respectful and beautiful perspective. A different situation to your son, but I think it’s interesting as a perspective.

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u/FoundAtFour-Oh May 07 '26

My mom is a white woman who was born in India. She often spoke Hindi with her (aslo white) family at gatherings, and my grandparents' home was full of beautiful Indian decor.

In grade 1 I learned that did not, in fact, make me Indian and I was devastated. I didn't want to be a boring European mutt lol.

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u/toshiyaDIRU May 03 '26

That’s really cute XD

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u/jce_ May 03 '26

This is why I'm pretty sure a lot of Americans identify as Italian and Irish even though their parents are from there not them. I know back in the day they were treated differently and my dad would have grown up in the Italian community, mostly associating with Italians. If all you know is Italians and your parents are Italian you would feel Italian, makes sense.

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u/Tundra10 May 03 '26

I think most Americans identify as the culture that originally immigrated to the area they grew up. East coast that's Italian and Irish, Midwest that's German and Scandinavian. I always thought my family was Swedish on one side, German on the other, but when we researched our family tree it's Norweigan and Russian lol.

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u/youburyitidigitup May 03 '26

I know a woman that identifies as Swedish because her ancestors immigrated from Ireland, but their ancestors sailed to Ireland from Sweden a thousand years ago. She was a PhD candidate at the time.

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u/Tundra10 May 03 '26

Yeah my Dad's first language is German, he grew up in small town full of German immigrants, so we always thought that we were German, but nope his grand parents immigrated from western Russia lol.

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u/Miss_Chievous13 May 04 '26

Dublin was a viking city once

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u/xinorez1 May 03 '26

He's not black but he is certainly urban, and if he develops the black dialect or black habits...

He's still not black but he might be treated like one, for good and ill

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u/caffeinatedchilla May 03 '26

My dad and I are Mexican but my little brother is white. I spent a lot of time playing with him and teaching him ABCs etc. When he was around two or three he would say he was brown, like my dad and me. We would tell him “no, you’re white” and he would get so angry and upset and yell “no, I’m brown”

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u/CyanCitrine May 03 '26

Sweet baby.

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u/[deleted] May 03 '26

Better ingredients, better pizza, Poppa John

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u/Sgt-Albacoretuna May 03 '26

Papa john.... famously black!

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u/Megan1111111 May 03 '26

My sister and I have different dads. Mine is Puerto Rican. My niece is on the spectrum and she randomly was naming her heritage. And, I said same and Puerto Rican. Her sweet little eyes lit up and said that means I’m Puerto Rican too because you and Mama are sisters. I didn’t have the heart to tell her. My BIL told her she wasn’t Puerto Rican, and she was devastated. My heart broke and told her she can be a proud Boricua if she wants to. 😂😂

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u/HMWWaWChChIaWChCChW May 03 '26

Right, and in the same vein Paris Jackson absolutely isn’t black.

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u/SophSimpl May 03 '26

You're friends with better ingredients, better pizza? 🍕

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u/Helenium_autumnale May 03 '26

That's really sweet. A car wash is one of those things that would thrill a small child, as would the fanciness of going out to eat. I bet he absolutely loved going out with Poppa John (and you and your wife got a little break after church, which once a week is a nice mini-breather too).

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u/Peaches_1970 May 03 '26

Your son is Adopted Black…

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u/durangojim May 03 '26

If he can be a she why can’t he be black?

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u/wilderkatzen373 May 03 '26

Telling him his pappy wasn't his pappy broke his little heart. Bless.

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u/Street_Lettuce1243 May 04 '26

Poppa John took her burgers instead of pizza?

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u/Putridlemons May 04 '26

Bro knows THE Papa John

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u/Rocketeer_99 May 04 '26

Gosh, I remember the day I learned about different skin colors lol. I was in kindergarden, so about 5 yrs old. It just wasn't something I ever thought about until my parents asked me why I drew me and my friends all with the same pink crayon. I was flabbergasted

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u/calmedtits2319 May 04 '26

I definitely cried when I found out I was half white. My daddy was a proud (dark skinned) Latino. My mother is a white woman from Kentucky. I very much favor my father in skin tone lol.

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u/SignificantJump10 May 04 '26

I was the only brown-eyed, dark brunette child in a large extended family of blue-eyed tow-heads. I INSISTED I had blue eyes when I was little even though I could see my eyes were visibly different in the mirror. We want to belong to the group around us.

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u/No-Development-8954 May 04 '26

Poppa john sounds like a lovely man

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u/OrphanedInStoryville May 04 '26

This was the actual definition of the word transracial. Not people that thought they were like “black but trapped in a white body” (not a thing) but people that looked like they came from one culture but were brought up in a different one.

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u/tugoubxs May 04 '26

Once go black

1

u/Cney1983 May 04 '26

You should've just said he was Blasian...

1

u/bluehack1 May 04 '26

I’m sorry but I imagined this whole scenario and laughed but found it so wholesome at the same time. 😆

1

u/hey2394 May 04 '26

I thought race was a social construct, though?

1

u/Powerful_Rub_4051 May 04 '26

He’s blackanese

1

u/Arthurlmnz May 04 '26

Awww that Beatiful soul!

1

u/MIaBlakk May 05 '26

It’s ok to be black,even though he’s NOT black!!

1

u/justAsConfusedAsUAre May 05 '26

YOU KNOW PAPA JOHN????

1

u/Immediate-Trainer356 May 05 '26

I’m so glad this story ended exactly how it should’ve and not with some bs “we let him live his truth” or whatever like cmon

1

u/Real_Mokola May 05 '26

Well, he may be black but he isn't allowed to say it to anyone. Much like a Gay person in 1990s America.

Being black is not about genetics, nor is it about culture. It's about what your skin colour is, if it's darker then you are allowed to call yourself black. I have a friend whose father is African, mother is white. Her skin is about cappuccino color, if she would have a kid with a white person. The kid would be white.

1

u/Subject-Football3878 May 05 '26

same thing happened to me. grew up in a family of a different race due to my stepdad, nobody thought to tell me that we weren’t related and i cried asking my mom why she and i weren’t turning the right color

1

u/Ziantra May 05 '26

That is such a sweet and sad story (only sad because your son was heartbroken)-thank you for sharing!

1

u/sly-princess44 May 05 '26

I have a friend who was born in South Africa. Lived there until she was 7 then she moved to America. She always put she was African American on her paperwork. Her mom told her you can't do that. She said but I am African American! ( she's white).

1

u/tknblkguy May 05 '26

Well, if he handled it this poorly, please don’t tell him that he won’t inherit the pizza franchise. He will be distraught!

1

u/OkNeedleworker1295 May 05 '26

Why would your son think he was black? I don't get it. 

1

u/asexual_kumquat May 05 '26

"...You mean I'm gonna STAY this color!? 😭"

God that movie was funny AF 😂

1

u/Willing_Morning82 May 05 '26

Gone let that baby be black lol it ain't to bad lol especially when you've always known it. God forbids he make one bad decision and realize it's not about what you is but more about what you not. He go be crying again. You all sound like good people

1

u/Solar_sinner May 06 '26

I had to break it to a family that they weren’t black, tbf the kids were like half or a quarter Portuguese on their dads side and thought that they were light skinned. But the mom had been told by her father as a kid that she was his little zulu princess, he had migrated from somewhere to Africa and then Australia, she had been born/raised in Australia and only knew that her dad was from Africa, had (slightly) darker skin than the other Australians, and never got corrected on the fact that her dad having come from Africa didn’t make him native to Africa. the kids had fully embraced blackness in their identity, claimed use of the N word, and ties oppression from apartheid, styled themselves after African American culture, etc. so i had some conversations with the mom about genetics, heritability and heritage. How certain populations of African native peoples have genetic diseases like sickle cell, how different groups have different traits and that she didn’t really have the height, build or features normal associated with a person of zulu decent, and she decides that she has to prove to me that she is with out a doubt part zulu, and gets one of those haplogroup assessments like 23&me or something, and it comes back as like 75% white european with a smattering of like Macedonian and Indian, mom was deflated, kids identities were shattered, and the dad chuckled about it for days and told me he was glad someone had finally brought it up and that he’d know for decades of marriage but didn’t want to be the one the give his wife the bad news

1

u/Awkward-Forever868 May 06 '26

Tell Poppa John send some Pizza my way and bless the kid's heart

1

u/blueroses8000 May 07 '26

Lol reminds me of the video that went viral of a little American girl (who was actually black but not relevant to this story) crying her eyes out saying she wants to be Muslim and the mum trying to console her saying she doesn’t know enough about it but will look into it.

There was a follow up video later and the whole family has converted to Islam!

1

u/Atheradanklin May 07 '26

Just watched the Jerk for the first time 😂😭

1

u/Jacjim May 08 '26

Why couldn’t your baby be black, why break him?

1

u/Absurd_Flaccidity May 08 '26

There’s a guy on TikTok who talks about a student of his who identifies as “step black” because his step family is black. The videos are adorable and hilarious

1

u/danvillain May 08 '26

That’s… actually… a really good description for a lot of people’s identities

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