January 14, 2026
Martin explained that his dynamic with Arnold was rooted in the accurate depiction of Black culture at the time.
Martin Lawrence added his take on the colorism discourse surrounding ’90s sitcom Martin after singer Ari Lennox attributed the show’s jokes to colorism.
Lennox’s remarks, made in July 2025, focused on how Lawrence’s character teased Tichina Arnold’s character, Pam. As Tichina is a brown-skinned woman, she described herself as “chocolate.” Lennox asserted the jokes “drew the line” for her.
On Jan. 12, in an interview with Fox 5, Lawrence addressed Lennox’s critique. The comedian said he did not view or intend for the show’s humor to be harmful.
“No, I never had that concern because I knew they were jokes,” Lawrence said.
He explained that his dynamic with Arnold was rooted in the accurate depiction of Black culture at the time. The Bad Boys star respects Lennox’s view, stating, “she has a right to her opinion.”
“That’s the way Black people joke. We go hard. And me and Tichina were just having a lot of fun, and we were keeping it real. And I was keeping it real.”
Lawrence’s remarks come as Martin continues to be a subject of renewed interest among audiences examining classic Black art, especially comedy, which is now seen as not being politically correct. The Big Momma’s House actor said Lennox is entitled to her perspective but maintained his view that the show’s spirit was “just keeping it real.”
Arnold also weighed in on the discussion during an appearance on comedian Deon Cole’s podcast. She agreed with Lawrence, saying that jokes about her character were never meant to be rooted in colorism.
“Those jokes were never written from [a place of] malice,” she said, adding that the dynamic was about “who’s got the best joke” and not about color. Arnold said she understood how some viewers might feel differently based on their own experiences.
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