Raven-Symoné has That’s So Raven fans up in arms this week after a clip from her Tea Time podcast resurfaced, capturing the actress questioning the Blackness of her legendary character, Raven Baxter. Diehard fans of the show were NOT about to let that slide. They immediately hit the archives, dusted off the DVDs, and started pulling out the RECEIPTS to prove Raven Baxter was, in fact, a bona fide Black girl.
Here’s what happened on the viral episode of Tea Time with Raven-Symoné, Kalen Allen and Miranda.
The former Disney Channel star was hit with a wave of pushback this week after an April 10 episode of her Tea Time podcast with her wife, Miranda, resurfaced online. During the conversation with comedian and actor Kalen Allen about Blackness, identity, and the fact that Black people can look and express themselves in countless different ways, Allen brought up the cultural impact of That’s So Raven. He specifically talked about how meaningful it was for Black audiences to see a Black family front and center on Disney.
Allen then declared that Raven Baxter was so “f—ing Black.”
That’s when Raven-Symoné hit him with a question that had social media raising an eyebrow: “Was she Black? Why did she feel Black to you?,” the Hollywood star asked.
Allen continued explaining why the character and the Baxter family felt so significant to Black viewers, noting that it was the first time he saw a Black family on TV. But Symoné challenged the idea that race was necessarily what made the character relatable.
“So you saw color. Take away the color. Make them green, and hear the words. What color are they?”
And just like that, the That’s So Raven comment section had entered the chat.
Symoné went on to argue that Raven’s character could have been any race, seemingly making the point that the show wasn’t created solely for Black families. She argued that Raven’s life and family could connect with a “universal” audience. Backing up her wife, Miranda, who is white, also inserted herself into the argument, noting that the show’s producers were white.
Symoné also pointed to the diversity of the cast as part of the show’s appeal.
“Thank God that it was Black facing so you can see people of color, we had the representation,” the actress said, explaining that the show’s diversity made it truly “beautiful.” Symoné noted that Chelsea, Raven’s best friend, was white, while her other bestie, Eddie Thomas, played by the infamous Orlando Brown, was “culturally” Black.
But fans weren’t exactly nodding along. Hit the flip to see the reactions.
Raven WAS Black: That’s So Raven fans pull out the receipts of Raven’s blackness.
Once the clip resurfaced, social media users began doing what social media users do best: bringing receipts.
Fans started pointing to different episodes and storylines that they believe clearly established the show’s connection to Black culture and experiences, from Raven’s style and mannerisms, Eddie being a rapping basketball player, to some of the themes presented throughout the show’s run from 2003 to 2007. A few fans weren’t too thrilled to see Miranda getting involved in Black folks’ business.
One example that quickly made the rounds was Season 3, Episode 10, titled “True Colors,” which deals directly with “racial discrimination.” In the episode, Raven experiences discrimination while shopping, making race a major part of the storyline.
The debate has now turned into a bigger conversation about representation. Can a character be universally relatable while still being distinctly Black?
For many viewers who grew up watching Raven Baxter predict the future, rock unforgettable outfits, and somehow turn every situation into complete chaos, the answer is yes. And judging by the internet’s reaction, fans definitely remember the show a little differently than Raven-Symoné does.
What do you think? Was That’s So Raven a Black show?
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