“Black-ish” goes after some very specific stereotypes. One of they key jokes on the show’s pilot is about a white child’s assumption that an African-American family will have grape soda in the fridge — and the offense the father, played by Anthony Anderson, takes at that assumption.
The show is built around specific jokes because of creator Kenya Barris’ belief that the best comedy comes from real moments and real life. It’s also one of the mantras from ABC entertainment chief Paul Lee this season as he unveils a 2014-15 slate with several shows — including “Black-ish” and “American Crime” — that are explicitly about specific families’ experience with race and racial stereotyping.