TV just got a lot 'whiter,' says a canceled George Lopez

George Lopez, the first Latino to lead a television series successfully, isn't laughing. "TV just became really, really white again," he said.

ABC, he said, has "unceremoniously" canceled his self-titled comedy, which over the years chronicled his personal life from his sad childhood growing up with an abusive grandmother, to his alcoholism and kidney transplant.

"The George Lopez Show" will live on in syndication, but that's not making Lopez feel better about not getting the chance to tell one final season of stories. Lopez said Steve McPherson, ABC president of prime-time entertainment, called him over the weekend to explain that "financially" it wasn't working out, that the network would lose money if it picked up the show again.

That explanation was painful to hear, Lopez said, considering the way the network has shuffled his show over the years -- four different time slots in five years -- and putting it up against "American Idol" time and time again.

It all contributed to the show's low ratings, a point not lost on Lopez who noted that this season his show out-performed two freshman comedies that were renewed: "Notes from the Underbelly" and "Knights of Prosperity."

"I’ll take the good and the bad," Lopez said. "I took the five years of good and I did a lot with the good. My popularity, I was involved in charities, I overcame my illness, all on TV. I shared all of that with America—every secret I had. Every personal feeling. Every emotion. Everything was open to the show. And what happens?"

Lopez said he attributed the cancellation in part to the fact that the show is produced by Warner Bros. Television, and not ABC Television Studios. Using some colorful language that cannot be printed in a family newspaper, Lopez scoffed in particular at another ABC pickup: "Cavemen," about two brothers and one best friend, described as sophisticated cave dudes living in modern-day Atlanta, who will continually find themselves at odds with contemporary society.

"I get kicked out for a...caveman and shows that I out-performed because I’m not owned by [ABC Television Studios]...So a...Chicano can't be on TV but a...caveman can?" Lopez said. "And a Chicano with an audience already? You know when you get in this that shows do not last forever, but this was an important show and to go unceremoniously like this hurts. One hundred seventy people lost their jobs."

For his part, Lopez will be fine. He has an HBO special and a movie coming in the summer, and a deal with Warner Bros. to produce television movies.

"They dealt with us from the bottom of the deck," Lopez said. "Which is hard to take after what was a good run."

** Editor's update: Whoa! Hold your fire, "ATJ" fans!

No sooner did we report the cancellation of the Jim Belushi comedy "According to Jim" that we heard from seemingly everyone who watches the show that we were wrong, wrong, wrong. Well, they may be right, the show might very well be renewed after all. But ABC won't confirm that. We'll keep checking back.

--Maria Elena Fernandez

Comments

[John]

ABC left G. Lopez on a lot longer than he deserved. He's not funny. But always nice to blame it on his race, rather than his performance.

[Average Joe]

So, in this climate of culture where any derogatory comment by a member of one racial/ethnic/religious group about another is condemned to high heaven (oops), how is it that Mr. Lopez' comment that "TV just became really, really white again." goes over.? And, what does he mean anyway . . . like there aren't "white" Latinos? How many Afro-Caribbean, or dark skinned "Indeo" Chicano's did George (not Jorge) have on his show?

Go work on you tan brother.

[Alex]

George Lopez's show ( as well as Jim Belushi's show) were horrible to the point of being unwatchable. It was the kind of show where you wondered if the star was embarrased about what he was willing to do for the paycheck. While TV may have become "whiter" it definitely became more funny simply by the removal of Lopez' tired schtick. He was bad.

[Jim]

What a horrible person George Lopez must be!
This dude has made millions of dollars over the past 5 years with ABC and now he's going out like a cry baby and playing the race card.
An embarrassment to all people and not indicative of honorable Latinos.

[ARMANDO LOZA JR]

IT IS SAD TO SEE THE G-LO SHOW CANCELLED, DUE TO THE FACT THAT IS WAS A SHOW ABOUT A MEXICAN-AMERICAN ON HOW HE STRUGGLED IN LIFE TO BE WHERE HE'S AT, I MYSELF AM A MEXICAN-AMERICAN, ALSO A U.S. ARMY DISABLED VETERAN, WHY IS IT THAT MANY WHITE SHOWS AS BORING AS THEY ARE STILL STAY ON, THE G-LO SHOW HITS MANY HOMES AND I'M SURE MANY VIEWERS NO MATTER WHAT RACE THEY ARE CAN RELATE TO HIM. ITS A SHAME THE SENIORS IN THE TELEVISION INDUSTRY ON SEE WHITE, MAYBE THEY SHOULD WHAT THE MAJORITY COLOR AND RACE ( LATINOS ) DEFENDING THIS GREAT COUNRTY OF OURS IS.

[XF]

George: You've been here before. When your radio show was canceled, you awoke to the bright horizon of your TV show. Put this experience in the rear view mirror, and seek out bigger and better projects. You'll feel better when you can turn around later this year and tell McPherson: Tooma!!

[scott]

If the show is as important as Mr. Lopez suggests, perhaps he should lower his salary, thus reducing the cost of the show and going to another network.
Over the years I have enjoyed many of the episodes, but like all shows they lose their popularity, over time. If his race was such a factor then ABC would not have aired the show in the first place.

[Egon]

I can't wait for the new white sitcom from ABC: Khakis and Mayo! The title alone is funnier than anything Geroge Lopez has done.

[Rick in East L.A.]

I am Mexican-American, and I suspect race had nothing to do with The George Lopez show being canceled - it just wasn't funny anymore and the ratings probably sucked. In the beginning, my family and I would watch the show every week. We were proud that a Chicano had his own show, and we thought the show was funny too. However, after only a few years we found the subject matter had begun to show Mexican-Americans in a negative light (as if we need help doing this) with George's underage daughter shacking up with her boyfriend and all those other demeaning story lines. I mean, I am proud of my culture and the idioms we sometimes use, but I can only take so many "Orales", and "Watchas", and bug-eyed stares from George. We were offended and embarrassed, so we simply stopped watching. George Lopez is still funny and I think he should simply move on.

[Californian Realist]

It's such a crutch to be able to blame your race rather than admit that you are not funny and that people are losing money because of you. EVERYONE IS SO SICK OF THAT!! He is spineless and has no one to blame but himself. By the way, isn't he American?? What a whiney sissy!

[Marlene Christian]

I am glad this silly show was cancelled. The reason I am glad is due to George's stand up routine called "American Mexican" where his vulgarity against the President of the United States hits an all time low. Also in his routine he stands with and justifies all the illegal aliens breaking the law in this great county. The country that provides the opportunities for him to make millions of dollars. He showed his utter disdain for America and all of us who call ourselves Americans - by the way I am part latina and could definitely relate to his stories about growing up but I certainly consider myself only an American and would never have disdain for this country - like most of the people who "love" him.

[Gregg]

Maybe George is miffed that his show has never won an Emmy despite having five years to try.

ABC's "Ugly Betty" which has a latina lead has shown that it can be funny without playing the race card and still win awards in its freshman year.

George: you are No Desi Arnaz. No Freddie Prinze, No Ricardo Montalban or many other latinos who have proven that what you say is not only shallow but racist.

Ugly Bato

[Valerie]

How often do you see white people crying that they're not represented on Spanish Television, Gala or Univision or the many other similar stations...Come on now George, if your show was good it wouldn't have been canceled! George, you already seem like a very small man, don't make yourself smaller.

[Alex]

Whites are not permitted to even speak about race - that is how all the anti-White double-standards are allowed to exist unchallenged.

Let's speak about how Black the NBA is.....

[Cal]

Disgusting racist. If Lopez can only see himself as a mexican or latino he needs to leave the US ASAP. The ONLY reason non-whites have the freedoms and success that they have in the USA is due to the blood, kindness (i say suckerness), compassion, and curiousity of white america.

[LT]

Interesting...was it his race that got him on TV? Face it George, you got 5 years...with a sitcom. Your show was never funny...they gave you 5 yrs of exposure. Geez dude...face it, your show stunk.

[Victor Perez]

Once again the establishment shows its true colors. It is high time for the media to give back to the very people who helped make them successful, Latinos. We want George Lopez back!

[eric]

I thought Latinos were taking over the economy with their growth in population, illegal entry, and bought everything with Spanish written on it? It sounds like George was pedalling his wares to the wrong segment. Should have been in Spanish with English subtitles. Maybe it was just a bad product no matter how you try to spin it?

[Chas]

Maybe folks just don't like what they see on TV? Has nothing to do with color, everything to do with content...

[Lorenzo]

Hey, ARMANDO! This is for you. I am 55 years old and white. My boyhood sports hero was Willie Mays. My favorite tv show was Sanford and Son. My favorite musician was, and is, Louis Armstrong. If you have to see someone on TV represent you, then you have a very limited self-identity. TV is a huge waste of time, and finding comfort in seeing a man with your own skin color isn't all that big a triumph, my man. If you want to observe Hispanic success, do it yourself.

[Craig]

These decisions are based on $$$$. It's all $$$$ - that's why music and television have suffered from a lack of creativity (unproven commodities don't get made, because at the executive level of these studio's it's so cut-throat no one is willing to take a risk). George your show got cancelled because what it costs ABC to produce or buy, doesn't match-up favorably to what it will earn the studio. You are retarded to think otherwise (and the race card, paalleeaaassseee!!!!!!). The Latino population is growing, and as their purchasing power continues to increase, there will be plenty of Latino programming.

[whitey]

Never watched his show, never will. Never thought he was funny. Don't care what color his skin is. Get over yourself and your "race". By far the most racist people I know are not caucasian..........

[rachel soto]

George, you pathetic fooool! I'm a Hispanic, and I DON"T THINK YOUR FUNNY!

[Benoit]

Jorge Lopez is a loser.

[Tim]

George, get over it. The show was bland and the story lines were contrived. Playing race card politics is such a cop out way to show your malcontent for something that didn't go your way. I remember hearing you talking about your years of dreams, struggles and triumphs. And after going through all that, when something gets taken away you pout and blame others for it. Wow seems like that crybaby attitude of yours is beginning to look "really, really white" too.