BlogHer - Race & Ethnicity - Comments

It Matters...

geeleecee — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:11:09 -0500

Oh, I absolutely have a right to my selective memory!! And I do NOT need to justify it by bringing up how folks of other ethnicities do the same. Oh Girl Please, I could be running off examples of THAT the whole holiday weekend long!!!

We, as a nation, have been excusing the bad, crazy, "eccentric" behavior of our geniuses since the original Fourth of July. To separate out and react to the African-American community's propensity for this is purely racial because everybody does it, no exceptions, in every arena. Education, entertainment, politics...don't even get me started about sports or the Catholic church!!

So too with my beloved Michael Jackson. He is a genius in his own right regardless of his personal problems and choices. I, too, have been mad at him and suspicious of him and resentful of his actions. But I also will RUN to the TV when his new video is out and buy that new CD.

My memories of MJ run long and deep. And even though I enjoyed the adult's genius, I am forever attached to the young Michael Jackson. See my post, Mourning the Michael Jackson I was Supposed to Marry, http://tinyurl.com/pm3j6b.

Gina

www.proactiveblackparenting.blogspot.com

www.examiner.com/x-4700-Houston-Parenting-Teenagers-Examiner

www.chron.com/channel/momhouston/commons/TorturedbyTeenagers.hmtl

A Network That Could Be A Source Of Pride

Megan Smith — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:50:13 -0500

Hi Michelle,

BET is a network that could be a source of great pride instead of a source of embarrassment and anger.

And Adrienne, I find your experience interesting. It's kind of like twenty-somethings wearing flip flops at Fortune 500 companies. Like you said....sigh...

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/Online Video

Megan's Minute

I'm sad for his family.

CantHardlyWait — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:57:39 -0500

Biological or not, Michael was their father. As bizzare as he was, he was their father. Black, white, cosmetic surgery, no cosmetic surgery, the king of pop, not the king of pop, to those kids... no matter who or what michael jackson was, he was their father.

Respect

Adriennevh — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:44:04 -0500

I worked the show, I worked in the backstage (read parking lot area), where the seat fillers, mosh pit fillers and the 106 and Park pre party people were staged and shuttled over.

I was surprised to see how "undressed" most of them were. If this is an awards show, shouldn't the attire reflect that?

Girls in shorts shorter than any Daisy Dukes I have ever seen. Guys in jeans down around their knees (and these were the seat fillers!).

I understand that the "dress code" of some shows is not quite Oscar's, but it just shouted disrespectful to me.

As I was sitting backstage (I never actually saw the show), I was reading tweets on my phone from East Coast watchers and just sighed.

I have never been a watcher of BET, don't even know if my cable carries it or not, but I guess I am just disappointed that a formerly respectable tv station and awards show has "jumped the shark".

Barack and Michelle

Pointer — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:30:45 -0500

I don't agree that Barack and Michelle were mis-matched. I think they both brought a lot to the table. Both are highly educated and your family (whether they have money or not) is not as important anymore. Especially since he seemed to be doing well for himself. he didn't settle seeing potential, he seemed like a good catch on his own. casino online

My thoughts exactly

Southerngirl — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:02:56 -0500

Everything you guys said and esp this:

In fact the only way my cable box ever lands on the dreaded BET channel is if my finger slips on the remote. Then I make sure to get the heck out of there before my eyeballs fry and my blood boils.

I did try to watch a Boyz in the Hood one night and the commercials just got to me. I could not even finish the movie. I have blocked it on my kids' TV, I should just do the same on mine as well.

I hope no one was expecting anything less from Lil wayne. I have seen enough of his interveiws and listened to his songs enough to know that he beleives his press clippings.

I have written enough complaints to BET to wallpaper a room. I do not think they are listening. Because after all they are catering to their market. Whoever that is.

Michelle

I blog at http://www.mommycan.blogspot.com/

They are HIS KIDS

Southerngirl — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:40:19 -0500

How a family is created is not important. That they are family is. It does not matter whose biology these children have, the person they knew as daddy is GONE. Never to return again. I was 33 when my daddy died (just like Micheal of sudden cardiac arrest) and I can still dissolve in tears 7 years later. I cannot imagine being so young and losing my parent. This is one part of this story I hope just goes away. These kids are too young for this mess and in this day and age thay can follow this crap as it plays out and it will be recorded for eternity in case they would ever like to put this behind them.

I think in all of the gossip that comes out we tend to forget that these are real live PEOPLE with families and people who love them. No one exists in a vaccum. We have to ask ourselves if children are acceptable collateral damage from the need of trashy details.

Michelle

I blog at http://www.mommycan.blogspot.com/

I'm Surprised I Haven't Been Kicked Off!

Megan Smith — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:13:46 -0500

I have gotten notices on TweetDeck that I've reached my what-cha-ma-call-it limit, but then I just switch over to regular Twitter in my web browser.

Thanks for the info.

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/Online Video

Megan's Minute

Petition site

cutiebootycakes — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:54:33 -0500

Lisa, I am not aware of a petition site but if I come across one I will be sure to post it here.

Megan, twitter will kick you out if you send too many tweets in one hour. I had no idea that I was tweeting that much but I couldn't log on for received the too many tweets message. This has happened to me before but I was leading a twitter party and knew it was a possibility. I suppose it is a safeguard against spam. I turned to facebook to continue my commentary and interaction with my network.

I think everyone should send a letter to BET - the awards show received the highest rating of all awards shows on cable this year. More info on that can be found here:
http://www.blacktalentnews.com/artman/publish/article_2367.shtml

Cutie Booty Cakes

Thank You, Maria

Megan Smith — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:47:14 -0500

Gina is doing some great work, and it was such a pleasure to be with a group of bright and enthusiastic internet professionals.

And I look forward to seeing you there next year!

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/Online Video

Megan's Minute

Incredible coverage

Maria Niles — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:59:56 -0500

OK - finally caught up on your coverage of BWB, Megan! While I am totally jealous that you got to cover this conference, I deeply appreciate the fabulous work you've done to help us all experience the event vicariously.

Gina and her work are impressive. I love how it sounds like she's created a space for learning, community, friendship and respect to all come together. It makes perfect sense that BlogHer would support such an event.

I really hope to be there next year. Third year, three's a charm... right?

BlogHer Contributing Editor
PopConsumer
Beyond Help

Lisa, Thank You!

Megan Smith — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:40:58 -0500

Lisa, thank you. You'll get an extra hug at BlogHer for that!

I don't know if Renee has a petition site, but I provided the BET addresses in my response to her comment.

Let's see if we can light a fire under 'em.

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/Online Video

Megan's Minute

Booted From Twitter? I Thought You Were Joking

Megan Smith — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:33:59 -0500

I thought you were joking when you said in your email that you were booted from Twitter. Please, tell us what happened in more detail.

As far as Lil' Wayne, I was appalled when I read the description of his performance, but unfortunately, I wasn't surprised.

You can send an email to BET here: contactus@bet.com.

Or here are BET's addresses and phone numbers:

BET Networks
1235 W Street, NE
Washington, D.C. 20018-1211
202-608-2000

BET Interactive
General Inquiries
1235 W Street, NE
Washington, D.C. 20018-1211
202-608-2000 or 212-258-1000

BTW thanks for the links to Tazz on Facebook and to Womanist Musings. ;-)

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/Online Video

Megan's Minute

Yeah, That Whole Supporting "Our People" Thing

Megan Smith — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:23:52 -0500

I've got nothing against "supporting our people," but I'll be damned if I sit silently by while some of the clowns of the music industry pretend to represent me. They don't.

If they just went about their business making bad, non-mysogynistic music, I'd say go right ahead. But when they start talking about how they're "the real black people" I've got a problem.

Dude, I'm almost ready to bring back the days when Jesse Jackson "spoke for all black people." Or even better, when Spike Lee was the media-anointed king of "what black people are thinking."

Almost.

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/Online Video

Megan's Minute

Megan Smith, take a bow

Lisa Stone — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:50:13 -0500

This is one fantastic piece of journalism-meets-commentary. Thanks for your wrap-up.

Renee, I hear you re: letters to BET. Is there a petition site out there that you're using to get the word out? Or do you recommend snail mail?

Best,
Lisa

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

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