Commentary:
By Steve Rodriguez

What price diversity? That’s the question I now ask myself when watching the popular TV show The Big Bang Theory.
Frequent viewing of this highly rated CBS show—now in its sixth season—has previously begged a more fundamental question: How can a show set in Southern California (Pasadena to be more precise) refuse to feature any Latino characters?

Each week I have tuned into the show expecting to see a Latino character, and each week I have been disappointed. But upon careful consideration, I have more recently concluded this may actually be a situation where the familiar saying “Be careful what you ask for, because you just might get it” comes into play, for the truth is we might not really want Latino characters featured on this particular show. In the interest of promoting a positive image of Latinos, I say it is far better we ignore this instance of Hollywood inequity and pursue a modification of the age old dictum “let sleeping nerds lie.”

The Big Bang Theory’s premise revolves around four socially awkward computer nerds who work at the California Institute of Technology. Their social awkwardness is astoundingly humorous, not to mention cringe-inducing. Though possessing impressive advanced degrees, they nevertheless struggle with such matters as obsessive compulsive behavior, athletic ineptness, emotional insecurities, and freakish personal attire habits. And with the exception of the character Penny (the stereotypical dumb blonde), all the other characters in the show are similarly portrayed as stereotypical nerds. One of the four male character leads is indeed brown-skinned; Raj is an immigrant from India, but that’s all the diversity Hollywood allows on this show.

In the past I have railed against Holly-wood’s habit of casting so few Latino actors/characters in prime time TV shows. But now I am coming to the unusual conclusion that The Big Bang Theory is not the proper venue for pursuing the elimination of this historic inequity. The truth is, the more I watch this show the more I am convinced Latinos will do themselves no favors by being cast as stereotypical pathetic geeky nerds. Yes, Hollywood needs to abandon such stereotypical Latino roles as macho gang bangers, but going to the other extreme end of the character spectrum might be too high a price to pay for Hollywood diversity.

Some people might say true diversity will not be achieved until Latinos, too, are portrayed as socially awkward computer nerd losers. They will propose such roles signal the proper acceptance of Latinos in U.S. pop culture. In this vein, perhaps true diversity eventually means watching Latino T.V characters on a show like The Big Bang Theory exhibit unhealthy obsessions with Star Trek/Star Wars memorabilia, or maybe taking pride in Latino characters that spend their lonesome Friday nights lingering at comic book stores.

But as for me, I’d be more willing to settle for some sort of compromise on a Latino TV character, such as a confident, sharply dressed, but morally ambiguous Harvard MBA-type Wall Street bond trader named Alejandro or Alejandra. In other words, better cool, well-attired, high finance greedy, than neurotic, freakishly attired high tech nerdy!

Rodriguez is an English teacher in the Sweetwater Union High School District. Email: srodriguez2@san.rr.com