Black History Month: take 1

I waited for two weeks to see "That's what I'm talking about" on TV land. First I was like: How they gon' get Wayne Brady to host it? That's just like white people-- don't nobody like or want to look at Wayne Brady! But they don't know the difference between Wayne Brady and Common. But to my surprise Wayne Brady did a good job. He touched on some good topics and he didn't sound as corny as he usually does. Diane Carol was on the show and made only a few points, but Harry Belafonte (is that spelled right) really raised some important questions. Together Belafonte and Carol, not necessarily attacked the hip hop community, but presented an understandable point of view. The writer cat, and I can't remember his name either, looked like a store bought fool, defending the hip-hop community, probably because: while he is black and of this generation and was asked to represent it, he can't. Doesn't have a clue where the pain lies. But, and I think he writes for a hip-hop Mag, he's interviewed enough hip-hoppers, to be considered an "expert" on the subject. But if you put him in a room without his pad and paper, with the very group he was sent to represent, he would probably slip into the sections of the nearest sofa. He tried though, and successfully brought relevant and strong points to other parts of the conversation. Over all the show held my attention and I will tune in next Wed.

There was something on PBS that was interesting also. It profiled Oprah, Chris Tucker, T.D Jakes and some others. It was very interesting but was irritating because the entire second hour was dedicated to, and I can't think of his name but he was the narrator or host, looking for his white blood-- DURRING BLACK HISTORY MONTH!
My attitude is: Who cares.
If we were 100% African, we would look like Africans. Our blood is as tainted as theirs, white Americans, who resemble but don't mirror their European counterparts either. So he went out looking for this particular family that it was rumored he was related to. Turned out that he wasn't related to them, but some other white man, he said, which was obvious. Then I thought if he did find the white family that he was "related to" would they then gather around the welcome table? I would imagine for the sake of the show and possibly common courtesy they would. But after the cameras were no longer rolling, after the day had come and gone, after they look in the mirror and he looks in the mirror, then what? Would they put him on the mailing list for their next family reunion? (which is a funny question because, no doubt, he would definitely... or any black person, would put their white counterparts on the mailing list. One because that's the way we are, and two because deep down it's exciting to be related to a white person.

These are my opinions for today. And for those of you who don't know or haven't realized... I'm very opinionated. I will write several entries this month and talk about what I've watched or read. I will also be telling stories about my childhood.
LF Goodwyn