White Men Can't Kiss

"White Men Can't Kiss"
Season 7: Episode 9(156 / 231 episodes)
Network	ABC-TV
Air date	November 16, 1994
Written by	Rob Ulin and Kevin Abbott
Directed by	Gail Mancuso
Episode Guide
Previous	Punch and Jimmy
Next	Thanksgiving '94

White Men Can't Kiss was the ninth episode of Season 7 of Roseanne, also the 155th overall series episode. It was written by Rob Ulin and Kevin Abbott, and was directed by Gail Mancuso. It originally aired on ABC-TV on November 16, 1994.

Synopsis

Dan and Roseanne find out that D.J. wants to skip participating in his school play because he has to kiss a black girl, and is uncomfortable about it. Roseanne wants to force him, and Dan is worried that D.J. might have gotten prejudiced ideas by something he has unwittingly said or done. Jackie is perplexed by the fact that Fred seems to enjoy spending time with her mother.

Plot summary

Jackie doesn't want Bev spending so much time at the house and is upset and baffled that Fred likes spending so much time with her. DJ doesn't want to kiss a girl named Gina Williams (Rae'Ven Larrymore Kelly) at school for a play. Roseanne, feeling that DJ is being forced to do something he doesn't want to, meets with his teacher, who tells Roseanne that DJ doesn't want to kiss Gina because she is black since he only wanted to be in the play for the kiss but changed his mind after knowing he'd have to kiss Geena. Roseanne confronts DJ and tells him he has to kiss her, but he refuses and Dan supports his decision.

After a fight with Chuck Mitchell, (James Pickens, Jr.) Dan questions his own bigotry, and he tells DJ he has to kiss Gina after DJ admits he didn't want to because "she just looks real different." Roseanne confronts her own bigotry when a man stops by late at night at the Lunchbox and she is afraid to let him in until he tells her he is Gina's father. He angrily confronts her and leaves her wondering if she was afraid to let him in because he was a man or because he was black.

Closing Tag: Bev is at Jackie and Fred's again annoying Jackie. When Jackie goes to bed, Bev reveals her true self, with a lower voice she smokes a cigar, drinks a beer and shares a few laughs with Fred.

Also Starring: Michael O'Keefe as Fred Oakland, Estelle Parsons as Bev