There sat the two black men, Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key, in Mama Sugarback’s Soul Food Shack reminiscing about how much the neighborhood reminds them of their own. The waitress finally comes to take their order. Jordan goes first, “Can I have a chicken fried steak with gravy and a cola?” he asks with an expression of dignity and pride on his face. Keegan immediately voices his order of baked beef short ribs, collard greens and cornbread. Jordan momentarily looks at Keegan and decides to add to his order some collard greens and cornbread as well and also some hot links. Keegan chuckles and completely changes his order to okra, fried red snapper and some chitlins. Soul food refers to cuisine that is traditional to African-Americans. The battle of who can order the soul food with the most soul began. This was just another situation where the two men have to prove just how ‘black’ they are. The waitress records Keegan’s new order and is ready to go submit the order when Jordan shouts, “Y’all got ham hocks?” to which the waitress says “Yes.” Jordan then changes his order to deep- fried ham hocks served on a bed of mustard greens. Intimidating stares are exchanged between both men. “Pig feet! I want some pig feet and four pounds grits,” Keegan shouts. Their orders become increasingly absurd as the competition continues. By the time they are through, they order a plethora of unorthodox ‘soul food’ such as mosquitos, a rusty bucket of fish heads wrapped in razor wire, donkey teeth, an old cellar door, a cow hip, a dog face, a possum spine and a human foot. After being bombarded with the outlandish requests, the waitress responds by saying “I have just one question for y’all.” She pauses and they both hang their heads low, expecting criticism for their orders. “Do you want gravy on that cellar door?” she asks.
Jordan and Keegan make up the comedic duo known as Key and Peele. They catch their audience by surprise when what seems to be just two men ordering a normal meal immediately turns into an intense contest with far from ordinary food choices. The waitress adds to the surprise factor at the end where she induced the expectation of criticism by stating that she only has one question and then pausing. The question she asked was totally the opposite of what was expected. This method of using surprise to induce humor is known as the ‘Incongruity Theory of Humor’. But while this particular skit is a pleasure to watch because of its comedic qualities, the subject matter presented is much more serious and is quite prevalent in today’s society.
Keegan Michael Key (Left) and Jordan Peele (Right)
The skit embodies the essence of what people of biracial descent go through within the United States of America. Being such a racially diverse and racially charged country, most find security in identifying with their race. But what happens when someone does not completely fit into a particular race? This is the conflict faced by biracial persons, especially those who are of both black and white descent. The black and white races are the races between which most tension still exists within the States, primarily because of the history of slavery; the whites have not been able to make up for it and the blacks have not been able to forgive. Multiethnic people try to prove themselves worthy of being identified as one or the other, not out of desire, but out of necessity. In the case of trying to fit in with the African- American identity, they would have to prove their blackness in many ways similar to that which Key and Peele highlighted. The ‘one drop rule’ also causes people to not be able to fit in with the white race. The ‘one drop rule’ is a historical colloquial term that dictates that anyone with even a single drop of black blood is considered black.
The need to be a part of a group is entwined deep within the makeup of mankind. Humans are a very tribal species capable of both kindness to friends and enmity towards strangers. Therefore, people value group membership even more than group purpose. So it seems that for those of both black and white descent, there is no middle ground, you are either a part of the white group or a part of the black group as enforced by the ‘one drop rule’. But another problem is encountered when they are not accepted within either group. They are alienated because they are not black enough to identify with the black race; that drop of black blood is not enough. At the same time, they are not white enough to identify with the white race; that drop of black blood is a drop too much. Those who view people based on color generally fall into two groups. Some suffer from what is known as the superiority complex where they believe they are better than others. Others suffer from inferiority complex where they believe they are being polluted or victimized. The problem then arises when biracial individuals are expected to just join into one or another. They then become a third type of color conscious group, the identity crisis. Frank A. Jones, a doctor of Philosophy, speaks about parenting biracial children in an article for Gibbs Magazine. He recalls an event where he had to move a biracial youth from a predominantly white treatment facility to a predominantly black treatment facility. Frank remembers the young man as being terrified and saying that he cannot go because he will not fit in.(3) The fear of not fitting in is a problem faced by biracial people, especially the children, everyday. Even in school, there may be a black table and a white table during lunchtime but never a biracial table.
Keegan and Jordan understand this first-hand as they both are of biracial descent. Not surprisingly, their comedy puts forward a nonstop conversation about race, racism and biracial identity. By dealing with such sensitive topics in their comedy, they are able to produce humor. This humor is not only because of incongruity, but also because of the release experienced by the audience. The ‘Release Theory of Humor’ indicates that laughter results from joking about topics that make the audience uncomfortable or unsure. Race has always been one such topic.
Even though he was biracial, Jordan remembers growing up in a cosmopolitan, multicultural environment. Keegan, however, grew up in an environment filled with segregation. He remembers how his black classmates sometimes shunned him when they learned his mother was white. In an interview, Jordan also mentioned how from a young age, he was required to categorize himself on standardized tests as black or white when he really did not belong solely in one category.(1) They take their skits on race from the perspective that they are men who society perceives as black and are also in the position of proving their blackness. In one stand up routine, Key and Peele talk about how the black kids used to say they aren’t black enough and white kids said they were not white enough. In another stand-up routine, they speak about having to adjust their blackness, depending on whether they were going to be in the company of black or white people. They also call into question the idea that speech patterns correlate in some way to skin color. “You never want to be the whitest-sounding black guy in the room,” Peele tells the audience.(1) Jordan mentions in an interview with the A.V. Club that he and Keegan likens being of mixed decent to walking on a tightrope at different points in their life. “At certain points, it seems like we’re between two worlds, or we’re a part of two worlds, or we question where our world is. So I think that in itself had something to do with the fact that Keegan and I sought out sketch comedy,” Jordan explains.(5)
It is intriguing how this shared experience of growing up being of mixed background in a racially charged society has led these two men into the same direction, having very similar comedic styles. It is believed that all comedians have their grievance. Keegan and Jordan have received some negative criticism, including one delivered by John. S. Wilson in a recent Loop21 article which positions Key and Peele as outsiders trying to make a profit from making fun of black people. Both Jordan and Keegan resent the idea that being biracial somehow means they are not black enough to do ‘black’ comedy.(1) This is exactly the kind of attitude that makes it such a challenge for those of biracial background to fit in and identify with a group. Key and Peele aim at producing comedy from the perspective of biracial individuals that deconstruct the same stereotypical qualities they are led to believe they must possess in order to identify with one group or the other.
The conversation of the struggles of being biracial is one that is under-discussed but even so, there are few who, like Key and Peele, aim to bring it to the attention of society. ‘Biracial Not Black’ is a documentary that highlights these struggles and obstacles faced by those of mixed background. Key and Peele however, use comedy to present this issue to a global audience. They are inspired by how Obama has been accepted by African-Americans, even though he is also biracial. The comedic duo has even done a bit showing the dignified president addressing the nation in a calm tone followed by his ‘anger translator’, who becomes increasingly furious while ‘interpreting’ the president’s message.(7) Key and Peele share that mixed background with President Obama and they understand that he is seen as someone who cannot show frustration without being placed into the angry black man stereotype by his white critics.
Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key aim to use their show, Key and Peele, in order to break boundaries and present the under-discussed topic of being biracial. Jordan believes that every time he thinks “Oh snap, oh my God, I don’t know how this is gonna be received,” he also feels validation, like, “All the greats, all my favorites have felt this.”
Works Cited:
- Siek, Stephanie. “‘Key & Peele’: The color of funny.” 02/24/2012: n. page. Web. 25 Mar. 2012.
- Blair, Elizabeth. “For ‘Black Nerds Everywhere,’ Two Comedy Heroes.” 01/27/2012: n. page. Web. 24 Mar. 2012.
- Jones, Frank. “Parenting Biracial Children: Issues for Black/White Biracial Child- Rearing.” 03/27/2006: n. page. Web. 25 Mar. 2012.
- Biracial Not Black Documentary
- Thorn, Jesse. “Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele of Key & Peele.” 20 03 2012: n. page. Web. 27 Mar. 2012. http://www.avclub.com/articles/keeganmichael-key-and-jordan-peele-of-key- peele,71128/2/
Hybridity 