Sh*t or Shinola?, Soul Cynic
Perpetual Headscratcher: BET On Sunday
Since BET's Celebration of Gospel is airing this Sunday, I thought now was as good a time as any to ask-- What's really going on?It's the Perpetual Headscratcher, something we wondered about even before Black Entertainment Television began it's certain course of devolution. Monday through Saturday, the programming consists of content that doesn't offend as much as it makes me chuckle at how inconsequential and low-brow it is:
Keyshia Cole: The Way it Is: in which Keylolo asserts her street cred by putting her and her loved ones' business on blast.
106 & Park: TRL rip-off that cow-tows to 12-year-olds, who apparently possess all the purchasing power and relevance needed to sustain a healthy and thriving music industry.
Rap City: A show that wouldn't dare play Little Brother.
ComicView and Jamie Foxx Show reruns, which are less-funny versions of the old Def Comedy Jam and Martin, respectively.
Then on Sunday they get around to piling on Jesus.
Let's get one thing out of the way, this isn't about religion. God is Good. End of story. But what I'm wondering is, is BET trying to draw an unfair parallel between the viewing habits and lifestyles of black people? Are we expected to be sinners Monday through Saturday only to become an extreme God-fearing flock on Sunday? And is a stockpile of programming that consists of shouting, caterwauling and devotion enough to undo everything that aired the rest of the week?
And furthermore, why aren't the artists and evangelicals that air on Sunday TOTALLY PISSED at being associated with such a network?
Black people, we are so much more than Hip-Hop, Gospel and Basketball. I'm not joining the chorus crying for the return of Teen Summit, nor do I sit around griping about how BET is destroying the public image of Black people (I'd rather make fun of the network instead). All I'm saying is, there needs to be some balance brought into the equation, a happy medium if you will. You don't undo extremes with more extremes. The unintentional, careless irony is far too glaring and we aren't stupid.
Church meets charts in BET's 'Celebration of Gospel' [DETNEWS]
Comments
i only watch BET on Sundays but i wrote to BET regarding their Sunday morning programming 5 years ago. I complained about the gospel music programs, excluding Bobby Jone's Gospel Hour. They would show the same episodes of Lift Every Voice or Video Gospel from one week to the next! also, their commercials were a direct opposite to the content on Sunday morning. i was trying to get my children, particularly my daughter interested in another aspect of Black music & videos that weren't rump shaking. however,the content was so lame and the scheduling was inconsistent. they haven't improved much. they had a great news show last year with 2 young hosts but they cancelled it. i do like the news show they have on this year hosted by the fitness doctor. it has interesting topics with well-spoken guests but BET has shuffled them around too.
concerned mom | February 4, 2008 3:38 PM | PermalinkExcellent post, Nova. I don't get it either. Shit or Shinola, indeed.
I didn't think I could possibly be anymore over BET and its coonery. However, when they chose to usher in 2008 by letting Silly Boy "perform" Supaman Dat Hoe, my side-eye starting twitching and I had to keep it moving. Unless they bring back the re-runs of Soul Food, you won't ever catch that station on in my house.
Vivrant Thang | January 26, 2008 6:24 PM | PermalinkAgree! America is White, WASP minded which include racist and sexist ideals. BET is not TV for Black people its TV for America, their representation of Blacks is what America already thinks we are. . .overtly sexual and overtly passionate for jesus to save us from our sexual sins. Go ahead and add in all the other negative connotations of Black people and stereotypes and that what BET helps prove.
Adorable | January 26, 2008 2:51 AM | PermalinkThis is very true. However, I do feel that BET destroys the public image of black people. Let's face it, television is one of the only models that people look to draw a conclusion about any given group (unjustly of course). Television is about "Target audience" so the public almost always assumes that the program defines that group (whether it does or not). It's no different from how MTV shaped the image of white kids amongst their parents , or how VH1 is slowly shaping a negative image of black women to the rest of the world. When stereotypical programming is aired those stereotypes don't die when the average person changes their channel.
Love | January 25, 2008 8:10 PM | Permalink