Starring Mandela and Cosby : Media and the End(s) of Apartheid

During the worst years of apartheid, the most popular show on television in South Africa—among both Black and White South Africans—was __The Cosby Show__. Why did people living under a system built on the idea that Black people were inferior and threatening flock to a show that portrayed African Americans as comfortably mainstream? __Starring Mandela and Cosby__ takes up this paradox, revealing the surprising impact of television on racial politics. The South African government maintained a ban on television until 1976, and according to Ron Krabill, they were right to be wary of its potential power. The medium, he contends, created a shared space for communication in a deeply divided nation that seemed destined for civil war along racial lines. At a time when it was illegal to publish images of Nelson Mandela, Bill Cosby became the most recognizable Black man in the country, and, Krabill argues, his presence in the living rooms of white South Africans helped lay the groundwork for Mandela’s release and ascension to power. Weaving together South Africa’s political history and a social history of television, Krabill challenges conventional understandings of globalization, offering up new insights into the relationship between politics and the media.

During the worst years of apartheid, the most popular show on television in South Africa-among both Black and White South Africans-was The Cosby Show. Why did people living under a system built on the idea that Black people were inferior and threatening flock to a show that portrayed African Americans as comfortably mainstream? Starring Mandela and Cosby takes up this paradox, revealing the surprising impact of television on racial politics.

The South African government maintained a ban on television until 1976, and according to Ron Krabill, they were right to be wary of its potential power. The medium, he contends, created a shared space for communication in a deeply divided nation that seemed destined for civil war along racial lines. At a time when it was illegal to publish images of Nelson Mandela, Bill Cosby became the most recognizable Black man in the country, and, Krabill argues, his presence in the living rooms of White South Africans helped lay the groundwork for Mandela's release and ascension to power.

Weaving together South Africa's political history and a social history of television, Krabill challenges conventional understandings of globalization, offering up new insights into the relationship between politics and the media.

Annotation During the worst years of apartheid, the most popular show on television in South Africa--among both Black and White South Africans--was The Cosby Show . Why did people living under a system built on the idea that Black people were inferior and threatening flock to a show that portrayed African Americans as comfortably mainstream? Starring Mandela and Cosby takes up this paradox, revealing the surprising impact of television on racial politics. The South African government maintained a ban on television until 1976, and according to Ron Krabill, they were right to be wary of its potential power. The medium, he contends, created a shared space for communication in a deeply divided nation that seemed destined for civil war along racial lines. At a time when it was illegal to publish images of Nelson Mandela, Bill Cosby became the most recognizable Black man in the country, and, Krabill argues, his presence in the living rooms of white South Africans helped lay the groundwork for Mandela's release and ascension to power. Weaving together South Africa's political history and a social history of television, Krabill challenges conventional understandings of globalization, offering up new insights into the relationship between politics and the media During The Worst Years Of Apartheid, The Most Popular Show On Television In South Africa Was The Cosby Show. Why Did People Living Under A System Built On The Idea That Black People Were Inferior And Threatening Flock To A Show That Portrayed African Americans As Comfortably Mainstream? The South African Government Maintained A Ban On Television Until 1976. Weaving Together South Africa's Political History And A Social History Of Television, Ron Krabill Challenges Conventional Understandings Of Globalization, Offering Up New Insights Into The Relationship Between Politics And The Media.--[book Cover]. Media, Democratization, And The End(s) Of Apartheid -- Structured Absences And Communicative Spaces -- In The Absence Of Television -- They Stayed 'til The Flag Streamed -- Surfing Into Zulu -- Living With The Huxtables In A State Of Emergency -- I May Not Be A Freedom Fighter, But I Play One On Tv -- Television And The Afterlife Of Apartheid. Ron Krabill. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 List of Abbreviations......Page 14 Introduction: Media, Democratization, and the End(s) of Apartheid......Page 16 1. Structured Absences and Communicative Spaces......Page 32 2. In the Absence of Television......Page 50 3. “They Stayed ’til the Flag Streamed”......Page 68 4. Surfing into Zulu......Page 80 5. Living with the Huxtables in a State of Emergency......Page 102 6. I May Not Be a Freedom Fighter, but I Play One on TV......Page 134 Conclusion: Television and the Afterlife of Apartheid......Page 162 Postscript......Page 180 Notes......Page 182 Index......Page 204 During the worst years of apartheid, the most popular show on television in South Africa - among both blacks and whites - was "The Cosby Show". Combining South Africa's political history and a social history of television, this title challenges conventional understandings of globalization.