In a 2022 London Times interview James Patterson said that older white male writers aren’t getting work. No more familiar with subtlety in conversation than he is in print, the 75-year-old centimillionaire attributes the decreasing number of older white male writers to racism. There’s simply no other answer…in Patterson’s world.
Never mind that old white men continue to dominate writing rooms for just about every television show on air. Older white men also write almost every production on
Broadway and the overwhelming majority of feature films. So, yeah, old white dudes are kinda big in show-biz.
Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Leslie Jones and old white men
Richard Pryor was an irreverent pioneer who dealt with racism and social injustice through cutting humor. But his biggest grossing film, The Toy, was written by Francis Veber (old, white, and French). Almost all of Prior’s movies were written by white men. Eddie Murphy (purportedly) wrote Harlem Nights and Norbit. Meanwhile, Beverly Hills Cop was written by Daniel Petrie (not old at the time but quite white). Coming to America? Art Buchwald wrote that one. I’m 100-percent positive that Buchwald was born old and white. Leslie Jones’ biggest film to date is 2016’s Ghostbusters was written by Paul Feig, (you already know). It also begs noting that Hotel Rwanda was written by two white dudes.
If it works, what the problem?
On television, 95% of what you see is written by white men, no matter the subject matter or cast. CBS/Paramount TV’s All Rise, staring Simone Missick, (a woman of color) was created by an old white dude who also created such a hostile environment in which all the writers of color quit. Of course CBS took a measured, considerate approach. Just kidding. Network execs considered canceling the modest hit rather than FIRE THE WHITE DUDE CAUSING THE PROBLEMS.
Meanwhile stars Simu Lie and Jean Yoon have both expressed their exasperation and embarrassment for some of the things written for Kim’s Convenience. A show about a Korean Canadian family business, Kim's Convenience was based on a play by Ins Choi but his involvement was diminished with each season—by white dudes hired to do the writing. The proposed spinoff, Strays, from Kim’s Convenience focuses on Shannon...the white girlfriend.
That's why I like comic books, they're so inclusive and innovative
I read a comic book written in the 90's where Power Girl minimizes the sexual exploitation in her impractically-revealing costume. She further infers that those with problems with her costume are insecure (women) or closet-perverts (dudes). Another story depicts fanboy-favorite Starfire glossing-over sexual assault—with a "hakuna matata" attitude. Of course both bits of drek were written by dudes (the white-part is inferred).
But, but, but, gay characters...
Just like in other media, LGBTQ depictions in comic books, (TVs, movies, I can go on...) are flamboyant-finger-snapping-fabulous sidekicks. The characterizations are interchangeable with people of color who have a cutting wit or speak only in slang. Otherwise, the characters, (hardly actualized people) curiously cite distinctly white-cis-male views, often quite contrary to their self-interests. LGBTQ characters written in most movies/TV shows for the last 65-ish years have been written by CIS-men.
Funny how Patterson missed all that
Patterson's most famous character is Alex Cross, psychologist and former FBI Agent. But Cross is African American so his achievements must be born of adversity. Not any adversity, mind you, it must be trope-specific. Cross' mother was a junkie and his father, her dealer. Cross pulled stickups as a juvenile. In spite of it all, he bootstrapped to college and grad school and then onto the FBI. A bureau that is only 11% black with only 4% black agents and notoriously rigorous screening processes. Sure. Don’t even get me started on Cross trading racist sobriquets with bestie John Sampson.
Patterson alarm is so-so founded
Movies, books, television—children’s stories, women’s stories, black/latinx/Asian stories, even LGBTQ—stories are all largely penned by old white dudes. Maybe Patterson has seen the fringe breakouts like Atlanta (written by Donald Glover) and Insecure (created/penned by Issa Rae) or maybe saw (of?) Ryan Coogler’s success with Black Panther and Creed and decided that they are taking over. He states this in complete oblivion to current events.
Why Patterson's (further) misrepresentation matters
It is really easy to look for something/one to blame when you've put in a lot work only have circumstances break against you. But that's neither honest, nor helpful. How do I know?
I have written about the challenges I face based on shifting readership/taste. Caveat: I’m an old white dude. But that is not why I remain unpublished. It’s a question of tastes and readership and interest. And maybemaybemaybe my hard-head.
Mostly it's about numbers
Women make up the overwhelming majority of readers. Estimates vary between 60% and 75% of all fiction readers. Still, that’s just quibbling over where the ball landed in a blowout game.
The breakdown reflects popularity. Mysteries/thrillers remain hot, (55-60% female readership). Romance always sells, (85-95% female). Fantasy (45-50% female) and science fiction (22% female, seems really low) are specialty niches. But crime, hardboiled, gritty-street-level crime is primarily male-focused and a tough sell. Heist novels? Forget about it.
Guess which genre I write...
The old writer-axiom is "go where the money is you’re loved." Donald Westlake wrote romance novels, erotica, and even suspense/thriller. But he was loved for his crime books so that’s the majority of his published work.
Elmore Leonard began writing westerns and in 10 years, he sold half-a-dozen novels, two-dozen short stories, and two script/screenplays. Then tastes, readership, and interests changed. After attempts at literature and humor, Elmore segued to crime fiction which resulted in dozens of books, short stories, and film work on his stories. In short, he adapted and overcame.
The idea of someone else getting a seat a the table takes someone else's seat is dangerous
Pose, Persepolis, Get Out—people of color, women, and LGBTQ folks are finally getting the chance to tell their stories across all media in popular culture. People writing stories about people—not characters—where the people don’t have to be “snappy”or “fabulous” or accessories. The idea that this represents a threat to white male writers is not only absurd, in the age of "white-replacement theory," it’s deadly.
Always a job for people with skills
Bosch, The Sopranos, The Old Man—all reflect “dad” shows written about men of a certain age, by men of a certain age, for men of a certain age. Twelve Angry Men was revived on Broadway. Sylvester Stallone and Tom Cruise continue to crank out dad movies. Much of what I cite is based on dad books.
So, no neither racism nor ageism represent an impediment to old white men in the writing game.
Writing white-male stories for non-white-non-male audiences—as clearly demonstrated—is NOT an impediment to old white men in the writing game. Patterson is voicing a fear of sharks from his mansion on the mountain. The rest of us are building a bigger reading table with more stories to offer everyone.
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