Ari Lennox recently shared her thoughts on the jokes aimed at Pam (Tichina Arnold) on the sitcom “Martin”. The Grammy-winning singer said, “The thing that pissed me off about Martin was how much he was goin’ in on Pam.” She added that Pam was “so f**king beautiful and so fine,” but growing up as a dark-skinned girl, she felt those jokes made it hard to fully appreciate her.

On the show, Martin’s character often made fun of Pam’s hair, face, and style, calling her names like “beast” or “Scary J. Blige.” While it was played for laughs at the time, many now view those jokes as examples of colorism and bias against darker skin tones. Colorism is discrimination against people with darker complexions, especially within the Black community, where lighter skin is often unfairly favored.

Lennox’s comments have sparked mixed reactions online. One Twitter user said, “The reaction people are having to Ari Lennox saying that about Martin is absolutely how it is to be a darkskin woman,” pointing to the lasting impact such jokes have. Another user responded that Ari was bringing up a generation that doesn’t understand “real comedy before the sensors,” suggesting the jokes were just part of the show’s style.

It’s worth noting that Martin and Tichina worked together to develop the jokes, often roasting each other on and off screen. While the show remains a classic, this discussion shines a light on how Black women—especially those with darker skin—are portrayed in media and how those portrayals affect viewers.