Jackson Free Press

"You know, it's not the world that was my oppressor, because what the world does to you, if the world does it to you long enough and effectively enough, you begin to do to yourself," James Baldwin once said. He was an insightful man.

There are some things I watch on television and don't know why. There are some things I've committed to stop watching, and ended up watching anyway. "Flavor of Love" was one such show. By the time the show's sequel rolled around, I decided I would not watch it. I stayed true to my commitment for a few weeks, but hearing my friends talk about the show so often, I couldn't seem to escape. I found myself, once again, watching William Drayton aka Flavor Flav—the big-clock-clad former hype-man of one of hip-hop's premiere socially conscious acts Public Enemy—choose a potential mate among women who physically fought over him on a regular basis. To my embarrassment, I did find entertainment in it, even though every scene silently stole from me an opportunity to say loudly, "I'm black, and I'm proud." I watched anyway. The buffoonery continued, climaxed, came to an end, and I watched it all.

When I heard that two-time contender for Flav's heart Tiffany Pollard—affectionately referred to as Miss New York on the show—was getting her own show, "I Love New York," I vowed, as soon as I saw a preview, that I would stick to my proverbial guns and not watch another show like this one. I simply cannot, I thought, continue to watch something that I'm embarrassed to admit I watch. I cannot watch more people of color, with the token Caucasian, display the least of what humanity has to offer.

My decision was confirmed for me about a week ago. As a couple of my friends joked that they were going to kidnap me and make me watch "I Love New York" because of the characters' (yes, characters, not people) antics, I repeated firmly, much as a reminder for myself as for them, "I'm just not going to watch it." Another person at the gathering said, to no one in particular, "At least white people are paying attention to us now."

That did it for me. If a show like this is what it takes to get white people to pay attention to us, I don't want attention. Please. Ignore me. I do not want to be noted by the dominant culture for putting a contemporary twist on performances in black face. The more I think about it, the more I feel obligated to take a stand against watching the show. And when I think about it even more, I realize that it eerily parallels the fictional scenario Spike Lee paints in his 2000 release "Bamboozled." In this film, an executive producer develops a show idea that he hopes will get him fired. With auspicious irony, however, the show becomes a huge success. Sounds familiar.

Not only does a show like this one air dirty laundry, if you will, to the dominant culture, it also reinforces negative ideas about people of color to people of color. I know, I know, it's just a television show. But in the grand scheme of things, it's so much more.

It makes me think of a hand-written letter to the editor—a novelty in these days of e-mail—on my desk several months ago. My hands began to tremble like tambourines as I read the letter. "Jackson is looking bad because of the actions of a bunch of worthless, young black males. ... Why waste thousands of dollars worth of ink on a damn nigger who ain't worth 50 cents? I'd have their asses hanging from every tree limb on the lawn at City Hall." The insults didn't stop. The moment I read that the letter's author was George Lambus, a 59-year-old African American male, my heart nearly stopped.

I know the letter was extreme, and I'd like to think most folks—white or black—don't think quite so negatively of my generation, but after I got over the shock, my rage settled into contemplation. This man could have been my father, uncle, brother or one of my cousins, speaking these words of death to us. If people like Lambus are OK with casting away younger generations by lynching, then we've fallen so far from the community, connectedness and kinship we had during the Movement I hear my mother, grandmother and aunts describe.

I don't want to believe that "Flavor of Love," "I Love New York" and other such shows are all we have to bring us together as people of color, or that they are what connects us to the world outside ourselves. If so, I feel utterly hopeless, which fuels my usual frustrations.

I feel responsible, my deficiencies notwithstanding, to arm those around me with a sense of pride it seems we often lack. I haven't found the just-right thing to do or say to make this happen, but I do the little I can. For the past several months, I've been working with a wonderfully charming group of young people at a JPS high school. Some days I leave on a high, and other times I leave saddened. There are some definite stars in the classroom, but there are also some who study mindless television more than they will ever study a book. It seems that their dreams add up to little more than hoping they'll become rich by clowning around like Flavor Flav—they'll just skip the brilliant hip-hop part and go right to celebrity dumb. I want to scream at them: "Get a Grip! Don't you know you're making it worse for yourself?" But I don't.

I'm not trying to convince anyone not to watch these particular television shows, though I realize it may seem so. I am urging you—and all of us—to be more purposeful in what we ingest from popular culture. Sometimes, entertainment isn't good enough. And in the meantime, consider this: Our enemies, whether black or white, often look more like us than we care to believe.

Previous Comments

ID

74312

Comment

I have to come to Flav's defense a bit...Fact is..his demeanor, his style, who he is has NEVER changed. To a younger demo thats just getting introduced to him from the "Surreal Life" he may seem like a far fetched character but Flav is Flav. He hasnt changed since his days alongside Chuck D in Public Enemy. Need I remind you that P.E. is probably one of THE most important hiphop groups of ALL time. They sold millions going against the norm and bringing black consciousness to the rap world. Flav was a part of that and made wome very political statements during those years despite his off the wall antics. (He's actually toned down some). Remeber 911 is a Joke? a funny video but a political statement nonetheless. So lay off him a little bit. Hes no character by far. Thats BEEN him. the style of dress. He was wearing top hats and gaudy shades and clocks 12 years ago. Only then no one said anything cuz he was in P.E. remember

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2007-01-24T16:47:19-06:00

ID

74313

Comment

"Hes no character by far. Thats BEEN him." Flavor flav is a character, even Chuck D has said as much. That is not the real William Drayton. Flav was a hype man their to add energy to the group, not add to their importance or their message. Flav was what P.E. needed because he and Chuck D balanced eachother out. But flav is definately not what is needed on television when it is hard to find any other black faces on that medium.

Author

jd

Date

2007-01-24T17:42:54-06:00

ID

74314

Comment

Well, women "competing" to be someone's girlfriend is just bleh to me to begin with. Has nothing to do with Flav. Kaze is right...he is who he is. But the *premise* of the show, giving the girls nicknames like "Pumpkin" and others because he admits he had done to many drugs to actually remember a woman's name. ICK. Natalie, I have to admit I watched "I Love New York." I was looking for the table to be turned. And those are some ding dong men there...except for a few. But when she yelled, "I'm not from Latin" I knew it was the same ole perpetuation of what white folks like to say about "ghetto" folks. And for the love of God, don't watch what's next. VH1 is going to send the original Flav girls to ETIQUETTE AND CHARM SCHOOL. Geez. Flav was Flav. Those women where "characters." Just as the men are to New York's "character."

Author

emilyb

Date

2007-01-24T17:45:49-06:00

ID

74315

Comment

Natalie I got to compliment you on a great topic. I though Flavor Flav should be shot the first time I saw him. Then I saw others grooving and loving him. He's no dummy and he's very talented and funny although weird, unusual or em-bear-assing as hell in a good way. Emily, not everybody thinks women competing for men is an ugly sight. Smile. I tried to watch a little of I Love New York but I couldn't stand to see a woman em-bear-assing herself like that with so many people watching. Flavor Flav's show wasn't em-bear-assing at all. I was glad to see a brother as ill-favored or handsomely-challenged as Flav have women, some beautiful, fighting for him in that way. When I saw that "I knowed there is a God." Hoops was beautiful and so was the second girl that won Flavor Flav although different. "You can't trust it"!

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-01-24T18:37:23-06:00

ID

74316

Comment

Clearly Jerry Springer, Maury, Flavor of Love, I love New York, and the WWF or fake wrestling play into stereotypes and falsehoods about various races, cultures and sexes. I view all of it the same, something funny that only a small segment of society would do. Those people represent only themselves and a small group of like minded and kind of people. Natalie don't let this bother you too much. Very few blacks, whites or other races are inundated with these kind of people, I hope. People do crazy things. I love America Idol. Can you believe some of those people really believe they can sing and be a singing star? Like preachers, social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists need leave their buildings and go out into the communities where their work is sorely needed. Mental health deficits, disorders and diseases are running rampart in our communities. That Ali Greggs girl (Hi Lori) can affirm me on this. She's a social worker and all around superstar.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-01-25T10:39:57-06:00

ID

74317

Comment

On final thing Natalie, et al. Since I joked about Flav's appearance, on my way back from Parchman, I heard again the Temptations' hit song called "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep". Here are some of the lyrics: So in love, sad as can be, cause a pretty face got the best of me. Suddenly, you came into my life and gave it meaning and pure delight. Now good looks I've learned to do without, cause now I know it's love that really counts. Cause I know that beauty is only skin deep, ya ya ya. My friends ask me what do I see in you? But it goes deeper than the eyes can view. You have a pleasing personality and that's an ever loving rare quality. Now show me a girl (or boy), a girl (or boy) that's fine, and I'll choose the one with true love every time. Because I know beauty is only skin deep. So if you're looking for a lover, don't judge a book by it's cover. She (or he) may be fine on the outside but so untrue on the inside.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-01-26T16:30:17-06:00

ID

74318

Comment

maybe i dont get it. i just love new york. that flavor of love is tasty. seriously. do you guys just sit around and wait for something to upset you. flav is not in blackface. he's just entertaining people. get a grip. oh yeah, maybe we didnt critcize him in PE because Chuck D was saying something and his adlibs did not get in the way of the message. p.s. what do you guys think about signing up some women to fight for my affection in my show I Love Skipp

Author

skipp

Date

2007-01-26T17:24:36-06:00

ID

74319

Comment

I bet the ladies are all for it. They won't say anything for fear of being found out. Trust me, you build the show and they will come.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-01-26T18:00:22-06:00

ID

74320

Comment

Skipp, perhaps you can become a breakout character for your own show by joining the "Emily Makes Me Laugh" show. Skipper, you got laugh for Emily? You got MAD laugh for your girl Emily? I'll let you keep your name, but I'm calling you Skipper. I'm thinking what I'll put around y'all's necks. Because dog collars would be both offensive and tasteless.

Author

emilyb

Date

2007-01-27T16:03:20-06:00

ID

74321

Comment

I've tried posting like four times, but every time something comes up and I never get finished. I *will* get finished this time. I don't have to reminded about Public Enemy's contribution to socially and politically aware hip-hop. That's why I mentioned it. That's what makes it worse to me. There's a difference between being a hype-man and doing what Flav and the women on his show do. My qualms with him have nothing to do with him being clad in a Pepto Pink tux, or wearing horns on his head. (A pink tux is a definite faux pas, however.) As a matter of fact, I wore a big clock for a while in the fourth grade because my older cousins and brother were into the music and the message in it. And I won't act like I don't watch mindless television--I watch my share--it's just that I wonder at what point do we turn off the for entertainment purposes only shows, and demand/expect more of ourselves. It saddened me ... oh, how it saddened me ... that someone actually said, "at least white folks are paying attention to us now." That's when it struck me: All publicity is *not* good publicity. Being famous for the sake of being famous is not OK. It's just not. People don't want to be known for doing something, they just want to be famous. That worked for Paris Hilton, but not likely to happen for too many more folks. Besides, who wants to be like Paris Hilton? Yuck. And I know that the characters on those shows represent a small part of the population, but that doesn't make me feel any better. They're a small segment, but their on a national platform. Everybody sees them. And for those who don't know any better, if that's what they see, that's how they assume the general populace is. I don't need more negative, erroneous assumptions about me being propagated by television; I have a fair share to handle without it. Hmph. Nah. As tempting as it sounds, I wouldn't sign up for the "I Love Skipp" show, either.

Author

nacollier

Date

2007-01-27T20:40:06-06:00

ID

74322

Comment

By the way, I would *never* want someone to dedicate "Beauty's Only Skin Deep" to me on the quiet storm.

Author

nacollier

Date

2007-01-27T20:40:54-06:00

ID

74323

Comment

I totally agree with Natalie's 7:40 pm post. Natalie, you have done your part to counter by writing the column. Actually "real beauty" is beyond skin deep, but beauty confined to skin deep isn't good. I put the song there to counter my own bad impression or indiscretion about Flav - not for any other reason. The song has to be heard and appreciated within the proper context.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-01-29T11:50:09-06:00

ID

74324

Comment

Ray Carter, I started singing Beauty's Only Skin Deep ----ya, ya, ya as you posted the words to the song in your blog, Jan 26, @ 2:30p. It brought back so many memories. I guess one can tell that I'm definitely a 60s left over and one who continues to support the ideas of the columnist, Ms. Natlie Collier. par excellence!!!!!!!!! Black folks and White folks must remain cognizant of the negative effect these "just characters being funny" have on our young. Black kids aren't the only ones who are displaying rude, crude and socialy unacceptable behavior. I'm not saying that kids can't watch any of this because we grew up watching shows that have now been pulled from the tube, i.e., Amos N' Andy and The Little Rascles. The Beverly Hillbillies was of equal or greater ignorance yet, it continues to run in syndication. The best I can do in an assessment of this issue is to make sure that Flav's Flavior isn't the only KOOLAIDE in your mix. We must create another cocktail, laced with many ingrediants that will yield a well rounded intellectual, capable of making good decisions and are good fits for society.

Author

justjess

Date

2007-01-29T12:17:07-06:00