Black People Doing Crazy Stuff in NYC

I had a wild ride this weekend in NYC, during which I shot my first TV pilot.  The show is called Yin and Yang, co-hosted with my good friend Dara Cook from BET/MTV.  I agreed to do the pilot because I know that Dara doesn't half step on projects, she's good.  Many people don't understand that to be serious about "your scratch", your words and your actions have to move in the same direction.  Most people are all talk, but Dara is not one of those people. 

Some other high action figures who participated in the show were Marc Lamont Hill (my brother who I respect tremendously), Lady Drama (AllHipHop.com and YourBlackWorld Celebrity Gossip Blogger), Cora Daniels (author of Ghettonation and Black Power, Inc.), Johnny Nunez (a well known celebrity photographer who broke down the paparazzi for us, and shocked us with how much freakin money they make!), Tia Brown from In-Touch Magazine, Jasmine from WBLS in NYC, and many others.  

The spot was packed, and I'll admit that I was pretty damn impressed with how professional everyone was.  All of the shooters were from major networks, so they knew what they were doing.  The office in which we shot everything was in Harlem, a place I love to visit.  The day was fun and productive.  I had a really good time. 

I spent Friday in the media a bit promoting the pilot, along with our new financial program Financial Lipo.  I find that alot of people are tired of having financial problems, so I enjoy helping them with what I know.  I spent the morning being interviewed by "Free", the woman who hosted BET's 106 & Park.  She is a very friendly and beautiful woman in person.  I was impressed with her straight forward and down-to-earth demeanor.  She repeatedly stated that she wants to write a financial book with me.  While I don't usually believe something until someone does it, she did seem pretty sincere.  Who knows?   I can only say that she was smart and cute, a great combination for a woman. 

I also spent time with Wendy Williams at WBLS, one of the best hosts I know.  There are others I work with regularly who are very good (George Kilpatrick, Mark Thompson, etc.), and Wendy is right there with the greatest.   I must confess that not every host on every network shows the kind of professionalism that Wendy, Mark and George show.  

I had a funny moment watching Lady Drama and Wendy interact.  Lady Drama loves Wendy, since she is her very reason for being as a Celeb Gossip guru.  I thought she was going to pass out and cry as she sat in Wendy's famous "Pink Room" and then met Wendy herself.  I was happy for her.  I respect Lady Drama for the fact that she sets goals, sticks to them and pushes hard even when there are no rewards for doing so.  That is what is going to make her great.  

All in all, the trip to NYC was productive.  What's crazy though is that I have to go back in 3 days.  Also, I just got a phone call from another TV exec who wants to "explore opportunities".  I guess we'll see what that's all about, huh? 

It's early in the morning, I'm going back to bed!

Wendy Williams vs. Nicole Spence: What in the Hell is Going On?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins - www.BoyceWatkins.com

Quick Note: Yes, Wendy Williams and Nicole Spence are in a beef involving the sexual harassment situation at WBLS. However, I have no interest in discussing this particular issue, since I would rather reflect on these two women I admire and have done a lot of work with over the past 2 years. It is my greatest hope that my perspective can add something positive to this terrible situation.

I had the chance to watch Wendy Williams and Nicole Spence in action a lot over the past couple of years. I was invited to Wendy’s show about 6 times, with each time being better than the last. I proposed to my fiancé on her show, and fitting with juicy celebrity gossip, my fiancé and I are no longer together. But like my fiancé, I maintain a tremendous amount of respect for Wendy, Nicole and the amazing women in the WBLS office.

Nicole Spence was the woman in charge. Nicole was soft and pretty on the outside, but torrentially loyal to Wendy and ferociously capable of maintaining their ground in the tough New York media market. If something needed to get done, we kept Nicole on speed dial. WBLS and Hot 97 were the two New York shows I loved appearing on the most, since they bring a lot more flavor than CNN, FOX, CBS and other networks. In other words, I could be myself, since black media doesn’t try to put you in a box.

I was a little nervous upon meeting Wendy Williams, since I’d seen her carefully remove the testicles of one celeb after another, with Nicole being one of her partners in crime. Wendy was brutal at times, and I thought she might be brutal with me. During my first appearance, Nicole Spence introduced me to the show, telling me “You’ll be on for at least 20 minutes. Maybe longer if Wendy likes you.”

Fortunately, Wendy and I had chemistry on the air, and the rest was history. I never cared about her beef with other guests, since she was never anything other than completely respectful toward me. She even referred to me as the “most eligible bachelor in America” during one show, a perception I can’t help but disagree with. I know how to treat a woman, but workaholics like me are nothing special when it comes to the ladies. I was also impressed with the number of intelligent black women Wendy and Nicole had in the office working with them. I love seeing black people achieving together, it was awesome.

One thing that was clear during my observations of Wendy Williams and Nicole Spence both on the air and in the “pink room” was that they needed each another. Nicole described to me, with great passion, how Wendy was booted out of New York and came back in a blaze of glory years later. I recall sitting with Wendy right before our CNN appearance together, hearing her on the phone with Nicole preparing for the next day’s show. I can only imagine how hurt each of them must be to have their powerful and fruitful relationship disrupted with the events that have just taken place.

I know greatness when I see it, and I have concluded that Wendy and Nicole were two pieces of the puzzle which created the powerhouse combo they became at WBLS. But like Kobe and Shaq, I am concerned that one piece of the puzzle without the other may derail both of their careers.

I am not in a position to take sides, since I’ve never met Wendy’s husband. I can only say that I hope each of them truly understands the price of their beef and that they are genuine with one another in how they resolve the situation. Nicole Spence is determined to be great and I know she will be. Wendy Williams is only second to Oprah when it comes to black women in media. My time with each of them has been precious, and I only hope they walk out of this situation in one piece. Or perhaps I should say one “peace”. Life is too short to be angry.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University and author of "What if George Bush were a Black Man?" He does regular work in the national media, including CNN, BET, ESPN, and CBS. For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com

Boyce Watkins and Wendy Williams on CNN