A prime time plug Thursday night for the joy of voting for Barack Obama. “I’m really into this. You know, elections and voting, it really means a lot to me. I mean, casting my ballot for Obama in ‘08 was one of the most meaningful things I’ve ever done,” enthused “Jasmine Trussell,” played by Joy Bryant [1], on Parenthood [2], the NBC drama about the multi-generational “Braverman” family in suburban San Francisco.
Audio, from the November 21 episode: MP3 clip [3]
At the time of her pronouncement, “Trussell” was handing out literature on behalf of sister-in-law “Kristina Braverman,” a candidate for Mayor of Berkeley.
“Trussell,” who is black, continued: “You know, like thinking about how far we’ve come, and that I helped to elect the first black President. I mean, I never thought that would happen in my lifetime. I mean, I know you can’t really relate to that.”
Her white husband, “Crosby Braverman,” played by Dax Shepard [4], insisted: “I don't think that was a black-white thing. I mean, it was really a profound moment,” claiming that “when I voted, I got emotional. I cried.”
(Later in the show, viewers learn “Crosby” has never voted and “Kristina” loses.)
From an early October episode [5]: “Wow, so you actually worked for Obama on his campaign in 2008!?” So gushed “Kristina Braverman,” played by Monica Potter, on NBC’s Parenthood.
— Brent Baker is the Steven P.J. Wood Senior Fellow and Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center. Follow Brent Baker on Twitter. [6]