I was talking to my Biff yesterday and I swear I came up with the simplest reasoning as to why the REAL greatest generation … aka moi generation, aka the X generation – is, for the most part, the least racist generation.

See, I’ve been accused of being “woke” in the past, and it wasn’t meant as a compliment. It was said to me as though I have white guilt, or like I’m trying to act a certain way to be “down” with other races. It’s been hurled at me by my fellow caucasians, and I guess I should be offended, but when you truly know yourself like I do, it’s not a problem.

It’s because I’m not acting. I don’t “act” unless I’m portraying one of my favorite characters — to the absolute delight of my friends & family, I must add!

I just don’t tolerate when people act like they’re better than others strictly based on race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, profession, net worth, etc.

However, I do know there is a phenomenon of white people who act “woke” in order to get attention for themselves and don’t always have the truest of intentions.

And speaking of white people acting… I know one white person who sounds like Dee from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia when she’s talking to me, and turns into Dee from What’s Happenin’ when talking to people of color.

In fact, that’s exactly what I was telling my Biff yesterday and doing my best Dee from What’s Happenin’ impression as Exhibit A, when I stopped and said, “I loved that show. Are you too young for it?” (Biff is on the cusp of gen x & millenial), then I continued on as Dee Thomas saying, “Oooh Roger… I’m telling Mommmaaaa…” to explain what my white acquaintance sounds like when she’s trying to be down. Doug Heffernan does it better on King of Queens but I’m still pretty good.

This is when I came to my complete and absolutely educated guess as to why my generation is the best.

I grew up on What’s Happenin’, Good Times, Diff’rent Strokes, 227, The Cosby Show, Family Matters (I was a little older when this show came out but I’ve seen it enough to perfect my Steve Urkel – just ask my kids).

But the thing is, these weren’t “black” shows to me or anyone I knew, they were just good, funny shows. They were thrown right in there with The Golden Girls and The Facts of Life, and no one batted an eye.

When 227 came out, me and Teara would watch it after church on Saturday nights when we all went back to my Grandparent’s house so they could play cards.

We could not get enough of Jackée Harry and her spandex outfits and big belts. The best was when she’d enter the room with a, “Hi Marrrrryyyy” and piss off Marla Gibbs’ character by flirting with her husband.

And Pearl, the old lady hanging out the window always in everyone’s business – classic.

It’s where Regina King got her start and although she became cool as hell after Jerry Maguire, Teara and I thought she was so annoying on 227.

As I’m writing this, I have the NBC teaser jingle in my head, 🎶 227 is the place to be, with Marla Gibbs and her family… 🎶

Anyway, I say all this to say, I’m not woke. I’m just a generation x couch potato who loves good tv.

Being raised in my standard ”white” upbringing but with daily access to other cultures made me appreciate if something, anything, was good – just for the sake of being good — not because I was ever trying to please anyone else.

So my epiphany, a Tiffany Epiphany, if you will… is that if all generations had been raised on ‘80s and early ‘90s TV, the world would probably be a better place.