On The Record

I'm going to come out on the record and say that I hate Larry Elder. If you are not familiar with Elder, he is a Black republican who refuses to acknowledge the realities that exist in the inner cities of America even though he comes from such an upbringing.

My hatred for him was furthered by his on MSNBC today. MSNBC has decided to have a day for viewers to discuss issues of concern to them. Firstly, an immigrant wants to talk about American citizens' right. Disregarded. Another person writes about unemployment in the Black community, which is a huge problem. He does not look at the fact that there are no businesses who are willing to invest in the inner city nor the fact that the schools that have 50% dropout rates are antiquated and filled with poor teachers who are uninterested in actually watching over their students to help them out. Well, he does acknowledge the last fact, but he blames that on single parents. Right, that's totally not the problem here. But, Elder continues on to say that being born in a single parent house leads to unemployability. This might be true for me. Oh wait, that's right, I live in the 3rd poorest state in the country. Nevermind, that point doesn't hold. He says that we have to invest ourselves in a knowledge-based economy. I don't know how this is possible when people cannot afford to get the knowledge needed to be in a knowledge-based economy. So, we are left at square one, aren't we?

Elder constantly puts the onus upon Black America and saying that it is our responsibility to get out. This isn't false, but there is a larger responsibility to America to actually give opportunities to Black people by putting businesses in Black America that aren't chinese carryouts, convenience stores, and other mom-and-pop type organizations. This reality is one that isn't accepted by people like Elder who was lucky enough to advance himself out of the hood to a point of being a complete asshole who forgets about the struggle of being Black. He complains that Black people put too much importance on being Black. Unfortunately, everyone else puts too much importance on Black people being Black too. If he became aware of this, I might like him more. To his detriment, he does not. His constant disregard of the struggles of Black living are frustrating to listen to, especially when channels like MSNBC bring him in as the guy who speaks for Black America.

Elder could stand to take a cue from Bill Cosby. Although he constantly castigates Black people, Cosby always recognizes that it is an effort of Black people coming together and saying that its current situation as material, violent, and uneducated is unacceptable and that we as a people must make a change. Elder thinks that one man can get out on his own if he dedicates himself. This just isn't true. I only got out because I had a support system in a private school that many in my neighborhood couldn't pay for. Hell, my mom could barely pay for it. And, we all knew if I went to the local high school, I would never amount to anything because the high school was terrible. Maybe if Elder recognizes that the reality that he and I have experienced is the exception and not the rule, I might decrease my hatred to a loathing. I still won't like Elder.

Yes, I've Watched BET Before

For all my white readers, television hates Black people. With that said, there are two channels that hope to rectify this. One is TV One. Jealous of the fact that no one was paying attention to her, succubus Kathy Hughes decided to start her own self-aggrandizing television channel that involves of all things a bid whist tournament with old Black actors eating ribs, collard greens, and black-eyed peas and reruns of such television gems as Hangin' With Mr. Cooper and Fastlane! The only person that was Black on Fastlane was Bill Bellamy, former token Black guy on MTV. Clearly this channel is worthless. But, it's an upstart, so no one really cares anyway.

The grandaddy of Black television is Black Entertainment Television. Founded by Robert Johnson and run out of a, get this, Black building in Northeast Washington, DC, BET was renowned for playing tons of rap and r&b videos. I mean hey, it's what Black people did: sat at home, unemployed, drinking 40s while watching Black guys grab their nuts while throwing money in the air and Black women shake their asses while scantily clad. Oh, and this usually happened in a strip club too, as if all of that weren't enough. It needed just that piece de resistance. In addition, when it wasn't degrading Black people through music videos, BET was displaying us all as mindless followers of money-grubbing Black televangelists. I guess they thought it was OK to rob poor people of their money because they're Black.

As you can probably tell, BET has not been the most accurate representation of Black America. But, they are trying to change the tide. The New York Times is reporting on BET's new slate of original programming, which will attempt to make BET a legitimate channel instead of the fraud that it is now. But, it's not really helping its own cause by introducing the Black Laguna Beach. You think I'm joking:

The show, “Baldwin Hills,” follows the lives of a group of mostly hip, affluent black teenagers, most of whom live in the neighborhood here that gives the show its name.

Tell me that doesn't sound like Laguna Beach. I'm sure that it will be just as vapid as it will cover buppies instead of yuppies. But, more important, Buppies don't care about being Black, and usually hate on Black America because it hasn't helped them to be white enough.

In addition to what I'm sure this tragedy will be, BET will also add a show that follows ministers called Exalted! as well as a bevy of animated programs because you know there aren't enough Black actors to develop a live action show. Paul Mooney, better known to White America as that angry Black guy who wasn't Dave Chappelle on Chapelle's Show or Blackstadamus, will now have his own judge show. As if there weren't already enough Black judges on the air now with Judge Mathis, Judge Joe Brown, Divorce Court, & Judge Hatchett.

While most of the new programming sounds absolutely terrible, this block of programming might be pretty interesting if not completely repetitive:

On July 25 is “S.O.B. (Socially Offensive Behavior),” with the comedian D. L. Hughley as host. It is a cocktail of sociology and comedy that uses hidden cameras to capture people’s reactions to strange, politically incorrect situations. For example patrons in a restaurant are told that seating is by race.

Following “S.O.B.” on July 25 is “Hot Ghetto Mess,” which uses commentary, video clips and man-on-the-street interviews to examine black popular culture. The show was inspired by the much-debated Web site of the same name, which showcases and comments on what it deems to be outrageous black behavior.

The first show is pretty much an exact copy of Candid Camera, Punk'd, Girls Behaving Badly, those episodes of 20/20 when they take video of what people will do in strange moral situations, the episodes of Dateline when parents are told that their kids have been poached by a child molester behind their back, etc. My point is this show's not new. Also, before I comment on the second show, I need to note that this website needs a facelift. If they are trying to uplift Black America, they need to uplift their site, making us look bad and shit.

Now to comment on this show, I'm not sure if I should say this, but this is a didactic, and most likely pedantic, version of The Soup or Best Week Ever. As well, I'm not sure that it is the most useful thing on the face of the planet to tell Black people that their culture and fashion is unacceptable. This show reeks of attempts to discredit the uniqueness of Black culture. I'm not saying there is anything acceptable about wearing a ton of bling and/or having their boobs and butt all hanging out in public. But, I'm sure that Black people aren't trying to be sanitized either.

In the end, this show, with all the others, are a declaration that BET is trying to change its way. Is this a good thing? No, not really.

These shows are a blatant attempt to integrate BET into the other Viacom cable channels: Spike, MTV, Video Hits One. These shows are all pretty much shows that come on other channels, but refocused on Black people. Just because they are focused on Black people doesn't really get at the actual problems of BET.

For one, I honestly feel like all of this programming is made for buppies. These shows address realities that Black people living on the bricks already know. As well, this programming is of no interest to the overwhelming mass of the community either. I know it doesn't interest me, and I'm all about seeing Black people on television. Additionally, Hot Ghetto Mess, along with having an offensive name, will be a trivialization and a new form of shaming Black people for their culture. Probably under Viacom's leadership, this show will lead to thousands of Black people developing a shame and abandoning their community because they don't want to be affiliated with these images. BET, of all people, should recognize this reality.

In addition to pimping out Black America for cash and creating shame within the community, BET still lacks Black news coverage. Back in the 90s, BET had a news department. It was actually good. It talked to Black leaders and addressed issues that were of concern to Black America. The News Department also covered issues in Black America that did not get much press in the mainstream press. It really was must watch television. Additionally, it came on every weeknight like The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. A few years ago, BET decided that it wasn't important anymore and cut it. They say that they still have a commitment to public affairs. They should show it instead of talking about it by bringing the news program back.

While time will tell if these shows will actually work out, but I'll be surprised if most of them do. But, more than anything, I think that this programming is only representative of how BET has abandoned Black America although it still claims to be a Black channel.

Correction: Paul Mooney's character on Chappelle's Show was Negrodamus, not Blackstadamus. I must have gotten confused by the presence of Nastradamus.

There was a Debate Last Night

In case you aren't psychic, there was a Democratic debate on PBS last night. The reason there was no coverage was because it involved intelligent Black political commentator Tavis Smiley and a highly qualified group of well-respected Black and Latino journalists talking about issues relating to inner city residents who are overwhelmingly Black and Latino. And who says the media cares about Black people?

My anger aside, it was a very good debate. If you need some information and answers, I deflect you to Susie Madrak, the Suburban Guerrilla. Madrak runs a fine blog and was given credentials to the debate, so she liveblogged it. Summaries of all the answers are there.

If you want a critique from me, I would say that Hillary won clearly with Edwards and Dodd coming in second (Chris Dodd needs to get way more press; he's a good candidate). Barack Obama was one of the worst tonight with obtuse Mike Gravel and Bill Richardson, who got an unfortunate case of foot-in-mouth disease. That leaves Biden and Kucinich in the middle. Biden said some suspect things as well, but it wasn't as bad as Obama's disconnection with the Black community and his hollow rhetoric. He literally sounds like someone who went to Harvard but didn't learn to substantiate their points. He used lots of words and debate team tricks, but did not present any actual substance. All sizzle, no steak. Hillary brought the sizzle and the steak. And she knows how to work a room.

Stop, You're Embarrassing Us

Today, the trial began for a lawsuit filed in Washington, D.C. This shouldn't be surprising as there are law suits being filed all of the time. But, this one is special for a couple of reasons. The case revolves around one Roy Pearson, a judge in Washington. He took five suits to his local dry cleaners to be altered. Four came back perfectly. One was missing its pants. They probably had been misplaced. This is something that does happen from time to time and usually doesn't upset most people, especially if the rest of their work came back correctly which it did.

Unfortunately, Pearson is not some people. So, he took offense the only way he thought reasonable: by filing a 65 MILLION dollar lawsuit against the dry cleaner, claiming damages on behalf of ALL 550K+ CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON DC. The place only has three stores, and his outlet was in NE. I won't state the obvious here.

He sued because the store said Satisfaction Guaranteed. I'll jump in here, and say that normally when places say Satisfaction Guaranteed, they will give you the item for free or give you a credit if something is done to your displeasure. There is normally not a need to sue the store in any way. And the story continues...

As he took the stand in his own defense, Pearson began to CRY about the fact that he had been given the wrong pair of pants by the dry cleaner. To bolster his case, he brings out a 89-year-old woman who claimed that Custom Cleaners, the store being sued, is like the Nazis. She spoke of being chased out of the store. She said:

At 89, I'm not ready to be chased. But I was in World War II as a WAC, so I think I can take care of myself. Having lived in Germany and knowing the people who were victims of the Nazis, I thought he was going to beat me up. I thought of what Hitler had done to thousands of Jews."

I only really have one comment about this: is getting chased out of a dry cleaning facility really like fearing for your life because you aren't the right race and/or religion? I'm not one to say that getting chased out of a store with a trick hip is fun, but I think that it's better than not knowing whether or not you will live through the night.

Pearson paraded other witnesses before the court as well. Their commentary is summarized by Metro columnist for The Washington Post Marc Fisher:

Pearson presented a series of witnesses who told of unhappy experiences at Custom. Their satisfaction, they said, was hardly guaranteed. But every one of Pearson's witnesses told the defense that in fact, they would have been entirely satisfied if they had been given credit for free cleaning or compensation in the amount of the value of their damaged or lost garment. Most of the witnesses said they'd generally had good experiences at Custom, and not one of Pearson's witnesses said anything about deserving millions of dollars.

So, after all of these witnesses, Pearson cried on the stand while talking about the dialogue between himself and Soo Chung, the female proprietor.

Honestly, I don't need to tell you why this is ridiculous. The reason that it is embarrassing for me is because this guy is Black. Black people and Asians have tense relationships in the hood. If you've never read Black Power, I implore you to read it to further understand why this relationship is so tense. But, this is just me dropping radical politics. The only reason this is embarrassing me is because he's Black. If he was White, I'd be embarrassed as a born-and-bred Washingtonian because he's making us look bad. But, because he's Black, he's not only shaming the city, he's shaming Black people, making us look petty and money-grubbing. We already have rap doing that. I don't need a judge who got a bad alteration and probably could afford to replace the pants after a couple of weeks to add on.

Slight Disappointment

While I didn't like a lot of things about D.C., most of which related to government, I did like the fact that it was one of the cities where Black people were in power. This was to the city's benefit and detriment, but that is a discussion that we can have over coffee when we have like three hours to spare. But, with the ongoing bout of gentrification started by that ass Anthony Williams, the city is going to lose its Black majority. I'm sure this will make the Capitol Hill aides who are scared of Black people ecstatic*, but it disappoints me a bit. As long as the city doesn't become majority white, I'm alright. If it becomes majority white, they'll try to zone out Spicy Delight, the quality Jamaican/Caribbean restaurant in Takoma Park b/w Cedar & Maple on Carroll that has sketchy business hours. Best curries and rotis in the city, bar none. It's better than some of the food that I had in the Caribbean, and this one is next to a train station. Whatever you get, get it with the side of coco bread.

*white people: chill. I know all of you aren't racist. But, let's be real, some of you clutch your purses a little bit harder when you pass a black guy or divert your eyes when a Black woman walks past.