‘Luke Cage’ Creator Responds to Criticism Over Lack of White Villains: ‘Trying to Keep Black People Gainfully Employed’

Showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker addresses the controversy of minimal white representation surrounding the TV series, Marvel’s Luke Cage.

via: Complex

A fan was upset that Luke Cage was fighting more Black people than white people in the Netflix series of the same name.

“Obviously, Luke Cage was created in the 1970s, but did y’all [peep] how the Marvel series depicted him having to fight more Black people to save Harlem than white villains?” an X user wrote, adding, “I did.”

Show creator Cheo Hodari Coker responded to the tweet with a joke: “I was trying to keep Black people gainfully employed. LOL. Just saying.”

I was trying to keep Black people gainfully employed. LOL. Just saying… https://t.co/sJG2TTzXbq

— Cheo Hodari Coker (@cheo_coker) January 31, 2024

To his surprise, his response was a hit. At the time of this writing, his tweet now has 100,000 likes and 11 million views, which prompted him to follow up. “Can’t believe how viral this went,” he wrote.

Can't believe how viral this went.

— Cheo Hodari Coker (@cheo_coker) January 31, 2024

Coker responded to another fan who was on his side. “If [Cage] was only fighting white people, they would complain that there are too many white folks in Harlem,” the X user wrote.

“A white person didn’t have a speaking part for 13 minutes and major dialogue until minute 29,” Coker replied. “People actually complained. Scarfe’s scene in the club got cut, so it wasn’t even intentional.”

A white person didn't have a speaking part for 13 minutes and major dialogue until minute 29. People actually complained. Scarfe's scene in the club got cut, so it wasn't even intentional.

— Cheo Hodari Coker (@cheo_coker) January 31, 2024

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