"Seinfeld," "Love Is Blind," and why representation matters

The MoJo Daily newsletter, Monday through Friday. [View in browser]( [Mother Jones Daily Newsletter](     October 17, 2022 Having grown up watching Seinfeld, I was surprised when a friend of mine said that she didn't like the show because she felt that Elaine Benes, the lone woman of the crew, came off as ditzy. I thought that my friend was projecting her own assumptions about women's TV portrayals onto Elaine. Couldn't she grasp Elaine's acerbic wit? Didn't she know that Elaine had an [IQ of 145](? Wasn't she aware that Elaine's [loss of intellect]( for [one episode](—after abstaining from sex—was funny precisely because her ditziness was so far removed from everything that Elaine normally stood for? On my latest rewatch, though, I've started to understand how someone who didn't cut her teeth on the [Show About Nothing]( might view Elaine in a less positive light. An [entire plot line]( revolves around Elaine taking offense at another woman's comment about her shoes. For someone who isn't aware that Elaine dates only [pro-choice men](, her willingness in other episodes to date just about any attractive man, regardless of intellect, might seem like points against her own smarts. Elaine walks a fine line between stubbornness and obtuseness, often to her own personal and professional detriment. If, at this point, you're wondering why I'm putting so much stock in the personality of a character from a '90s sitcom, it's because the media we consume can inform our views of what's possible in society. I would argue that Seinfeld not only was a groundbreaking piece of Jewish television, but also showed that a woman can be just as clumsy, raunchy, witty, and downright hilarious as her male counterparts. Mother Jones published two pieces today that highlight the importance of representation, even when a show's attempts at incorporating diverse characters fall short. One, by fellows Angelica Cabral and Maggie Duffy, lists [five reality TV shows]( that tried and failed to diversify their casts—an important proposition for programs that reach millions of viewers across the United States. In another [essay by Ko Bragg](, the writer explains how the reality show Love Is Blind sidelines fat and Black people, despite its stated purpose to ignore looks. "It can be easy to dismiss a reality show like Love Is Blind. But with millions of people watching, it wields power whether we admit it or not," she writes. "When we only ever see able-bodied, thin, cis-hetero people falling in love, or at least getting to play the game, viewers don’t ever learn from folks who are forging romantic connections in the face of adversity." Something to think about next time you turn on the tube. —Abigail Weinberg Advertisement [PRH DoubleDay]( [Top Story] [Top Story]( [“Love Is Blind” Promised to Ignore Looks—But Then Platformed Thin White People Anyway]( "There are no fat people here." BY KO BRAGG [Fall Fundraising Drive] We need to raise $325,000 over the next month to help fund the hard-hitting journalism you get from us. [It's a pivotal moment]( for our democracy, accountability, and so much more—but you already know that, you're reading Mother Jones. If you can right now, please support our work with a donation so we're ready for the hard work ahead. [Donate]( [Trending] [Prosecutors seek 6-month sentence for Bannon]( BY DAN FRIEDMAN   [The brands trying to win Gen Z Twitter have gone too far]( BY ARIANNA COGHILL   [Donal Trump would like Jewish people to be more "appreciative" of him—before it's "too late"]( BY JACKIE FLYNN MOGENSEN   [The Mediterranean sea is so hot, it’s fizzing carbon dioxide]( BY MATT SIMON Advertisement [PRH DoubleDay]( [Special Feature] [Special Feature]( [5 Reality Shows That Botched Their Attempts to Diversify]( The efforts didn’t always pan out as planned. BY ANGELICA CABRAL AND MAGGIE DUFFY Did you enjoy this newsletter? Help us out by [forwarding]( it to a friend or sharing it on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. [Mother Jones]( [Donate]( [Donate Monthly]( [Subscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To change the messages you receive from us, you can [edit your email preferences]( or [unsubscribe from all mailings.]( For advertising opportunities see our online [media kit.]( Were you forwarded this email? [Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today.]( [www.MotherJones.com]( PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755