Thirteen episodes deep into the convoluted plot of NBC’s “Heroes” and actor Jimmy Jean-Louis is still referred to as the Haitian. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if say he walked around speaking Creole or maybe if he had a big tattoo on his forehead that said THE HAITIAN. But no, every character who comes in contact with the Haitian calls him just that the Haitian.
Take Officer Matt Parkman, a man who can read minds. Well that’s everyone’s mind except the Haitian. Every time his powers don’t work, Parkman knows the Haitian must be around, somewhere lurking deep within the shadows. So how does he know he’s Haitian? Ok, maybe the Haitian’s not a big enough character to warrant having a name. Actually no, he’s been in nearly every episode to date if not all episodes. Also, who’s the one person can take down Sylar. You guessed it, the Haitian.
Ask yourself this: have you seen the words “the Haitian” one two many times in this article? Getting tired of seeing me write the Haitian? Maybe HEROES’ fans around the nation are all getting tired of it? Somebody get the shows creator, Tim Kring, the message: this isn’t the 1800s. Yes, black people have names now. Well, at least D.L. the phase shifting hero has a name. Oh wait, he’s a recovering thief. So, please Mr. Kring. We implore you. We beseech you. GIVE the HAITIAN a name.
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I find it sad that in the year 2007 race is still an issue. It’s a sad comintary on all sides! Thankfully, most children are smart enough to realize the stupidity of their parents. Most importantly, this is just a TV show. If you want to fight racism, maybe you should start with something that you can’t just simply turn off by hitting a button…
at least they finally gave bennett a name.
i’m pretty sure he still doesn’t have a name. But look what nbc is doing now, they cast a non asian as a japanese 16th century samurai.
yea, i think Hiro’s friend will probably get killed at some point and his kind hearted spirit will be gone
kring said he had arc’d the entire show for a five season rujn, so Hiro will probably wise up more into the second season.
don’t forget major league, where dennis haysbert was sacrificing chickens before the baseball game.
damn, well at least they didn’t make him have voodoo powers, that would have really been bad
I’ve been waiting for someone to bring up Hiro, he seems so out of touch with reality. It’s starting to make me not like his character. When I saw his future self, i was psyched, but they need to hurry up and let him get serious.
exactly
“Nausiating Drivel”? That’s harsh. Was it said that the Heroes storyline was in anyway racist or prejudice? No. A question was posed. That MAYBE Heroes fans are tired of hearing the Haitian just being called the Haitian and hey maybe the same goes for HRG. Some may think it’s the same thing. Well, that’s only if HRG is some sort of ethnic/racial anacronym.
Now I’m not Haitian and can’t claim to understand it from their side, but I can step back and take a moment to take an analytical look at tv/film as a whole - from the days of Mammy to the Cowboy Westerns. Jump forward to your feature films like Lethal Weapon, where Danny Glover, albeit the hero, somehow always ends up becoming the butt of jokes. While the brash Gibson gets the glory.
Leap forward in time to our friend Hiro, who has witnessed so much violence yet still comes off as the shows comic relief. Is he out of touch with the gravity of his situation? About time he started becoming more serious? Maybe, but wouldn’t that take away from his loveableness and the light hearted moments of the show? What does Hiro need of all things to focus his power? A sword. Can’t have an Asian Hero without him having a sword. It’s cool. No?
Hey maybe it’s nothing. Maybe this is just whiney drivel. But somebody has to speak the words that are unsaid, else they remain exactly that… unsaid.
from what i understand there’s a lot of filler information in the online graphic novel, so maybe that’s where they originally learned he was Haitian
I’m not sure if I’d say Bags is “whining” in this case. This was however a Gripe segment, or a ‘Pet Peave/What irritates me’ segment. I’d have to say, I think Bags is referring more to how minority characters have been treated on television and film mediums as a whole. More of a University/Scholastic debate on racial subtext.
i see where everyone’s coming from on this. but until the Haitian starts shuckin and jivin i’ll have to say there’s no real problem
exactly, moniker shmoniker he’s cool with me
whatever his name is- the Haitian kicks a$$
I agree with Charlie, you’re making this way more thank it is. Yes, he appears mute because he doesn’t talk to anyone but Claire.(it’s not clear from the tv show if Mr. Bennett has ever actually heard him talk). I just think since he doesn’t talk much he hasnt revealed his name so that’s pretty much the only reference we have to call him is the Haitian. Though how they figured out he was Haitian is beyond me.
Rahim,
FYI - I do know about discrimination first hand. I’ve been on the recipient end, so I know how it can hurt and anger.
However, there is no discrimination in calling the character the Haitian. Unless you consider being Haitian a derrogatory circumstance, it shouldn’t bother you either.
As for the character’s moniker’s origin, Matt and Ted first called him the Haitian to describe him to each other. They didn’t automatically come to that conclusion, in my mind. I do believe he spoke to them and has constantly talked to HRG. He just didn’t say anything that we heard until he spoke to Claire. He’s not a mute. He’s just very quiet, for the most part. He uses his power to clear certain times and events out of minds. That makes him very cool, IMO.
I guess what I’m saying it that his moniker is not meant to be any sort of slur, especially an ethnic slur. It’s just how he is known. Sorta like some people in the South are known by the monikers of “Peanut”, “Shorty”, “Bones”, “Slick”, etc.
You guys don’t need to try and make something out this that’s just not there. The Haitian is “the Haitian” — and there’s NOTHING wrong with his “name”.
ok, i see where this convos goin.
Let me guess, Mr. Charlie here isn’t haitian nor has he experienced prejudice to understand the point. Calling him Haitian isn’t the inherent problem, it’s more how Haitian characters are treated on TV and in movies. We can call the Invisible Man the invisible man, because yea he’s invisible and we don’t see him. But how can you automatically label someone you fear and/or don’t understand Haitian without knowing he’s Haitian?
That’s BULL. What he can’t have a name by now? I dont see the point, especially since the apparant mute doesnt speak how can parkman know he’s haitian? i guess calling him the haitian is scarier than calling him i dont know “the american” or “the englishman” or “the irishman”
I’m surprised they don’t call him the Haitian Sorceror.