Let me start with a half hearted disclaimer stating that I am not knocking the way any of the following choose to live their lives. We all have different circumstances, choices, and decisions that have blah, blah, blah…. (Kidding). Everyone has been through one obstacle or another and it has molded and shaped us to be the individuals we are today.
With that being said, my concern is not how Tiny and Toya speak. It’s not the way Frankie makes up senseless slogans to shout out periodically, or the way New York wears at least 3 packs of yaki and 2 inch eyelashes (again, their choice). My problem is however, that some people in the world still regret the day that we were set free.
And to broadcast to our entire nation television shows that help embellish the negative traits of our people saddens me. I know that we as black people have so much to offer, yet we are not getting the chance to showcase our talents, intelligence, and humor. Have you ever considered that in Japan- they are laughing, at our expense, about the numerous ridiculous moments from Flava of Love or Real Chance of Love have provided.
Now if they don’t know any black people, then this is the only representation of us they have. Does anyone believe that these shows are scripted? I don’t. They don’t get to see a black man working hard from 9 to 5, then picking up his children from after school care. They have no idea that there are women who can speak proper English, until someone pushes her buttons for testing her integrity for the 10th time in a day.
They never get to see a complete family structure, with a father and mother working together to build a future for their children. I’m not implying that I haven’t watched and laughed at Neffe’s expense, or repeated “man down” just for heck’s sake. I am saying that enough is enough because there is no other programming scheduled to balance the perception of black people to the world.
None of the reality stars on the 46 minute programs are working 2 jobs trying to get through school, or simply trying to maintain a middle class lifestyle. It’s time to get our laughs at another race for a change….
***These shows are not cancelled I was just being dramatic…
These shows show Black people in an awful light. This is the type of thing that the NAACP should be focusing on preventing.
u dont love the coonetry?
I feel you! I can’t even watch television shows that disparage or over-simplify people in general. Satire has its purpose …. but it also has its boundaries. It seems that the camera, reality TV, and national syndication put some type of voodoo on all races to make them act particulary CRAZY. And the camera always seems to find the most extreme of every group. Damnit, Flavor Flav! I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I do miss Dave Chapelle. Now he kept it all on a level playing field. He was equal opportunity.