'Bob Hearts Abishola': Chuck Lorre's comedy off to a wobbly start as fans doubt his ability to represent immigrants properly
One of the new shows coming to CBS this fall is 'Bob Loves Abishola' from television veteran Chuck Lorre. The show will feature Bob, a middle-aged sock businessman who tries to woo Abishola, the Nigerian-immigrant nurse who treated him after his heart attack. The comedy is in response to CBS's aim to bring diverse stories to its lineup. 'Bob Hearts Abishola' already looks to be popular with many viewers talking about the show before it has been released, although the pre-show reaction is quite mixed.
With American television's first Nigerian family, 'Bob Hearts Abishola' is already paving the way and many users online are applauding the show for taking a big step with the representation of immigrants from Nigeria. While some commented they found the accents fake, most refuted this saying that the accents on the show's trailer are as authentic as they have heard on American television. One user commented that the show looks to be respectful to Nigerian culture. This can certainly be credited to Gina Yashere, one of the executive producers on the show, as well as part of the regular cast. Yashere is a British comedian of Nigerian origin, as is lead actress Folake Olowofoyeku. In one scene from the trailer, Abishola is seen singing a song to Bob to help him pee -- the song is an actual Nigerian folk song.
What most people seem irked about is that the comedy is from Chuck Lorre whose shows 'Two and a Half Men' and 'The Big Bang Theory' have often been subjected to criticism for stereotyping and racist, as well as sexist jokes. One Reddit user wrote that "it’ll be unfunny garbage with a laugh track" while another pointed out that the show is "just Mike and Molly with Molly replaced by an immigrant". On Lorre saying that the show won't focus on how the immigrants came to America but only on how hard they work, one user thinks that "folks unwilling to make, or intentionally greying, the distinction are partially responsible for the divisiveness" in the country.
This is not the only criticism the show faces. Many are appalled by the stalker-ish nature of Bob -- him bribing the nurse for Abishola's address and getting it (which is illegal), showing up at her house and following her around until she warms up to him. Another pointed out the "white-savior" nature of the show similar to CBS's 'The Neighborhood' and said that Abishola does not need saving.