‘Lopez vs Lopez’ Recap: ‘Lopez vs Appropriation’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

LOPEZ VS LOPEZ -- "Lopez vs Appropriation" Episode 112 -- Pictured: (l-r) Mayan Lopez as Mayan, George Lopez as George, Momo Rodriguez as Momo -- (Photo by: Nicole Weingart/NBC)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Twelve of ‘Lopez vs Lopez’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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We live in quite the interesting era when it comes to awareness on social issues. Because for the first time in perhaps the entirety of American history, people are finally becoming aware of the fact that there are problems in America. The kind that extends well beyond the usual economic nonsense we tend to hear about. Because there are problems revolving around racial injustice, the legal system, how people treat and respect one another and how… cultures are seen and viewed and abused in American society. Since we are finally coming to understand that there are so many out there who don’t respect other cultures and see what they offer the world as nothing more than something to exploit. 
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Which has brought about conversations revolving around appropriation and how it is a problematic aspect of American society and unfortunately, those conversations aren’t always productive. Since some don’t see an issue with such matters and tend to believe that it is just part of the ‘melting pot’ experience that is part of the American zeitgeist. But it is a real problem, and it is something that runs rampant in modern America and well… to better help people understand that it is a problem and that it does hurt individuals, pop-culture is now getting involved on such matters and is putting this problem and its impact on display, as evidenced by this week’s episode of Lopez vs Lopez on NBC.

For ‘Lopez vs Appropriation’ is a story that explored appropriation in every detail. Such as, what it is and again, that impact and it accomplished that feat by way of a simple encounter at Mayan’s workplace. Because she decided that Churro needed a new bed, and that prompted her to make a comfy one for the little guy, out of a sarape no less and that… caught Jana’s eye. Because she ran her own business online and was eager to find an amazing new product for her lineup, and that bed was the winner. So, she and Mayan came to an agreement on selling them on the web and of course, Mayan was going to get a cut. But once she saw that Jana removed any hints related to the work that went into these pillows, and their cultural influence… alongside the price she jacked them up to… Mayan was out.

Of course… that gave George an opportunity to swoop in and get that cash and make Momo and his crew become the crafters of these pillows. But once Jana told lies about George’s life and embarrassed his family, since she basically sold him as homeless to sell the pillows, and appropriated and exploited him and his life… he too walked away, and we were left… with the perfect lesson on appropriation. For now, we know, it’s when someone just steals something and makes it their own. And it’s a problem because it wipes away cultural meaning and turns something wondrous and important to a culture, into nothing more than the next hot product, and its impact is profound. For it insults and marginalizes history, and lineage, and the importance and richness… of a culture. 

Which is why we need to be better about educating others about it, so we can combat it and this is a story that will clearly help with that. But that is what this series does, it teaches, it has plenty to say, and it always does so in a manner that is never overwhelming. Courtesy of the jokes and courtesy of the side stories that let us process what we are seeing and learning and those too… are entertaining and wondrous. Since this week’s side tale saw Quinten and Rosie bond over removing a particular brand of seasoning from their lives. Not to mention, everything Chance does in this series is gold, and he once again delivered some amazing one liners here and well, in the end, this was just another incredible episode from one of the finest comedies on the airwaves right now. And once again… we are left counting down the minutes to next week’s new episode and all the lessons it will undoubtedly send our way. Until then.  

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