Boyce Watkins on The Wendy Williams Experience

Dr Boyce Watkins
www.BoyceWatkins.com

I had a relatively awkward experience this weekend during a trip to New York. I was invited to appear with my friend Wendy Williams, host of The Wendy Williams Experience. You never know where the conversation is going when it comes to Wendy, so you have to be prepared for anything. She is, however, one of the most professional hosts I work with, and her 11 million listeners give her the right to call herself the Queen of Urban Radio. She asked me why I parted ways with my ex-fiance (an amazing woman for whom I have tremendous respect), the election of Barack Obama, my feud with the socio-political terrorist known as Bill O'Reilly, the financial crisis and everything else.

Most interesting was that she asked me about DL Hughley's new CNN show, which I've been quite vocal about lately. I don't hate DL, but I feel strongly that the nature and structure of his new CNN show are quite problematic. My disappointment with DL began 2 years ago during the Don Imus scandal, during which he agreed (on Jay Leno) that the educated women on the Rutgers University Basketball team really WERE a "pack of nappy headed hoes."

Sorry DL, but that's not cool.

What made the situation on Wendy's show funniest, however, was the fact that DL was scheduled to be the next guest on the show after me! Wendy joked, "Dr Boyce, we have to get you out of here because if DL sees you, he might want to punch you in the face." But apparently DL doesn't realize that I am actually the second cousin of Muhammad Ali! I was hoping we would not have to take it to the street!

I thought I would see DL in the lobby, but he was not there yet. It was probably best that way, since I stand by every word. Cooning is cooning, and we don't need an Obama presidency reduced to a minstrel show. I encourage DL to be more responsible.

Respect to everyone reading. If you wish to listen to the show, the link is above and also at my personal blog: www.drboycespeaks.blogspot.com. Also, thousands of you are choosing to "get your money in line for 2009" by joining the Dr. Boyce Finance group for money advice. Please feel free to share this with your friends.

Boyce
www.BoyceWatkins.com

DL Hughley Breaks the News: Black People Respond

Dr. Boyce Watkins
http://www.boycewatkins.com/

Hey peeps!

The response I received from you guys on the new CNN show, “DL Hughley Breaks the News” was overwhelming. Within 20 minutes of sending out the email statement, we had an entire inbox full of messages expressing extreme disappointment in CNN and this offensive new show. This helped me realize that we need to do something about it.

Our goal is to present an intelligent, dignified and firm response to CNN, letting them know that programming based on racial stereotypes is not acceptable. Political satire can be quite funny, but it must be intelligent, balanced and conscientious. This is not the brand of humor presented in “DL Hughley Breaks the News”, which went back to the same degrading media stereotypes and disturbing images that scholars and consumers have been upset about for decades. Senator Obama opened the door for us to see ourselves as educated, enlightened and empowered, so the last thing we need is to be readmitted to the asylum of pimps, thugs, criminals and buffoons.
A sample letter you can use to contact CNN is presented below. You can get the contact information at this link. You can also forward this link and email to anyone you believe to share your sentiments regarding how our community should respond to this painful and disappointing new show.

Finally, don’t forget that we are going to “Get our paper straight in 2008”, so if you wish to join our group for Dr. Boyce Financial Advice, please click here.

The sample letter is below. You can get contact information for key decision-makers at CNN by clicking here. Remember: Change won’t start with Obama or McCain. Meaningful change is going to start with US.

To CNN and its key decision-makers,

As a member of the Your Black World coalition, I am writing to inform you that I found your recently released show, “DL Hughley Breaks the News” to be a tremendous disappointment. While I certainly respect CNN’s effort to develop itself as “The most trusted name in news”, I did not find the new DL Hughley show to be consistent with the degree of trust that CNN has worked to obtain with the American public.

The 2008 Presidential campaign represents an amazing landmark for change within our country by allowing an African American male to present himself to the world as a dignified and educated member of our society, an image which lies in stark contrast to media representations confining Black men to being criminals, rappers, athletes and entertainers. I found it disheartening that this progress was reversed by CNN’s decision to create a show which relied on the very same stereotypes to build a consistent stream of laughs at the expense of African Americans everywhere. The show was also degrading to those in the broader community who support the candidacy of Senator Barack Obama, and who wish to see our great country move past the deep and painful wounds created by our nation’s legacy of racial inequality.

We ask that you discontinue the show, “DL Hughley Breaks the News”, and consider a brand of political humor that is respectful to all ethnicities and shows greater appreciation for the tremendous gains made in the 2008 Presidential election. Perhaps then, CNN can regain its status as “The most trusted name in news”.
Sincerely,

The Your Black World Coalition

DL Hughley: Time to Ride on CNN

OK, I am not a hater on CNN or DL Hughley, but I have to call it for what it is. As I mentioned before, I could not comment immediately on the new CNN special "DL Hughley Breaks the News" because I honestly didn't know what I would say. However, it's sunk in a bit, and I am ready to move on this.

It's time to ride on CNN and on this terrible show.

For those of you who know what I mean, you understand that when I say "it's time to ride", that means it's time to stand up and be heard. This is not about hate, it's about expressing to CNN that this kind of programming simply doesn't work. So, expect to hear from me within 2 or 3 days on this, because I've got some action planned on how we can share our point of view.

My commentary is below. Respect to everyone who reads my blog.

By Dr. Boyce Watkins

www.BoyceWatkins.com

I continue to be irritated by Fox News, which is why I don’t watch it. We know clear racism when we see it, and it should not be legitimized by our viewership. However, I’ve always given CNN a pass. I’ve overlooked the fact that nearly every financial analyst on the network is a White male, since that tends to be the norm in almost every academic department in America. I could almost overlook the atrocious spectacle called “Black in America”, which presented African Americans to the world as pathetic lab rats to be studied and pitied. When it came to CNN, I presumed that they are simply victims of the same institutionalized racism which plagues nearly every other corporation, university and media outlet in our country. I don’t get mad at every racist I see, since I truly, and perhaps naively, believe that most Americans strive to be good people.

But the new CNN show, “DL Hughley Breaks the News” was something I simply cannot forgive.

In Hughley’s new show, he attempts to add a comedic spin to the presidential election with “commentary” by characters such as “Freddie Mac”, a pimp who apparently caused the financial crisis. In the interview with Freddie Mac, the pimp makes typical pimp-like comments such as “bitch betta have my money”, and “pimps up, hoes down” in reference to the 2008 Presidential election. There are also segments which explain that President Obama’s healthcare plan would include “gold grills for everyone”, along with other equally tasteless jokes that have no place on an allegedly “mainstream” news network just a few days before one of the most significant elections in American history. Nearly every joke on Hughley’s show came back to some generalized stereotype, reminding us that African Americans are seen as relatively trifling “social critters” and not much of anything else. My good friend Roland Martin at CNN has never received the same respect as political caricatures like Nancy Grace and Glenn Beck. So, the most degrading thing CNN can do is to finally give an African American a show after he agrees to turn the stellar Obama presidential campaign into a minstrel show. I am not sure if Flavor Flav or Juan Williams (the educated version of Flavor Flav) could have done a better job.

I have to say that DL Hughley lost my respect 2 years ago during the Don Imus debacle. After working hard on the phone with Rev. Jackson and Rev. Sharpton to construct a plan to challenge Imus’ corporate sponsors, I was saddened to watch DL use this situation as an opportunity to say things that no self-respecting Black public figure would say. On the Jay Leno show, I dropped my face to the floor when I heard Hughley say, “Yes, those women really WERE a pack of nappy headed hoes!” I could not understand why Hughley could not simply make the appearance as a comedian citing the quality of his work, rather than a Black man agreeing to engage in the degradation of Black women for the enjoyment of a predominantly white audience.

At that point, I decided that when DL Hughley is on a show, I will not watch him. I can understand the grit and grind of getting ahead, but getting ahead at all costs makes you a professional garden tool. Perhaps the show’s resident pimp, Freddie Mac could use DL as one of his employees. The idea that this seasoned comedian would leverage his Blackness in such a degrading way simply makes me wonder why he never developed greater range as a performer. His laughs always go back to the same old unintelligent place, like the little kid on the school bus who memorizes 800 “ya mama” jokes and recites them one by one to keep the other kids laughing. Just when Obama taught us all to step outside the box, CNN and DL Hughley have reminded us to stay inside the socio-political ghetto. The audience members are not laughing WITH you DL, they are laugh AT YOU.

I make these comments as a Black man, which I’ve been for quite a while now. I am a loyal fan of Katt Williams, Chris Rock, Dave Chapelle, Richard Pryor, Wanda Sykes, Eddie Murphy and other cutting edge and incredibly talented comedians. I don’t wear my “Black Panther Hat” everywhere I go, and I have as many guilty pleasures as anyone when it comes to laughing about things that might be considered offensive. I also say this as a moderate fan of Def Comedy Jam, most forms of hip hop and nearly everything else that reflects the beauty and diversity of being Black in our great nation. But the truth of the matter is that there must be a point where the line is drawn, like realizing that you don’t put a porn shop inside a church or bring a gun to a baby shower. It is amazing that CNN would sign off on this show right before such an historic and politically sacred event, sending a clear message to African Americans that the only way to get their attention is to “be really black and make us laugh”. This once again underscores the necessity for more black-owned media outlets. Perhaps if there were a greater diversity of Black-owned media in America, we would not have to sell each other out for our moment in the sun. Until that time, I’ll be getting most of my news from the Internet.

Congratulations DL, it appears that your show will be a smash hit. You’ve become America’s favorite nappy headed hoe. I really hope it was worth it.

Please sign up for YourBlackWorld by clicking here.

My Convo with the Jesse Jackson Camp

For the sake of full disclosure, I spoke with a former Press Secretary for Rev. Jesse Jackson last night about the interesting comments that Rev. Jackson made about Senator Obama. While the conversation is private, I can say that it is my hope that Rev. Jackson's comments, while unfortunate, can lead to a productive national dialogue about ways to strengthen the black community.

I do not agree with the notion that black men are any less moral than others, that we love our children less or that we choose to be less responsible than other ethnic groups. All human beings are created equally and any indication otherwise is ultimately flawed and biased.

A video with my thoughts is below, enjoy!