Satire is a tricky sword to wield, and BET's current efforts to call attention to some of the less-favorable aspects of current black culture are proof of that. First, there was We Got to Do Better (formerly Hot Ghetto Mess), a series whose pilot episode was so schizophrenic I actually developed twelve different personalities while watching it. Never have I seen a TV series struggling so hard to figure out its own identity.
All of the press that came out before it read that the series would use amateur footage of people acting untoward as a means to show how we need to improve (the clips show people of all races), but the first episode kept jumping back and forth between straight satire and host Charlie Murphy sincerely pleading to the audience to improve themselves. Imagine Stephen Colbert dropping his facade every two minutes to say, "this is a joke" -- that's what watching We Got to Do Better was like.
I could forgive the uneven nature of the episode, but the only sin committed by most of the individuals was that they got caught on tape acting stupid. I can understand wanting to ridicule those who give your culture a bad name, but making fun of some poor sap because he made a crappy rap video seems both misguided and elitist.
The latest attempt at cultural improvement is a new video created by BET animation encouraging blacks to read. The profanity-laced short implores folks to "read a mother****ing book." The satirical intent is clear: don't fall for the worst aspects of hip hop culture and instead improve yourself by picking up a book.
But are people getting the message? According to this article in the LA Times, yes and no. Those who have come out against the video shouldn't be slammed for simply not getting the joke, however, as the video implies that not only are some blacks not reading, they're also not bathing, using deodorant, or raising their kids, either.
I understand the "tough love" aspect of both We Got to Do Better and this crude PSA -- and, satirically speaking, I think the PSA does it much better. It is absolutely vicious in its condemnation of laziness and misogyny, but it's poking fun at aspects of black culture that have themselves become parodic, which is why it's easy to understand why some might be unable to differentiate between the PSA and the cultural leanings it's trying to ridicule.
You can watch the unedited and not-safe-for-work PSA here.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-26-2007 @ 10:00PM
FinalDraft said...
I saw this about two months ago and was discussed at how BET must believe using such language and imagery is the only way to reach our youth. Personally, I felt this "PSA" insulted the intelligence of their viewers and did nothing but promote these stereotypes that BET says, "we can do better."
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8-26-2007 @ 11:10PM
khamel said...
best ... online ... video ... ever!
i also saw this a while ago. the fact that its BET doesn't make a difference to me, telling people to buy/read books isn't a bad idea. my favorite line - "buy some land, buy some land, (what) fuck spinnin' rims"
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8-27-2007 @ 12:54AM
Borat said...
"Read a book nigga!"
I thought it was funny, but I don't know if it really does send a message.
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8-27-2007 @ 8:10AM
Bash said...
It's so darn funny that "FinalDraft" was "discussed" by the video.
Hilarious man... *wipes tears away*
This is just as funny as the time when Rachel wrote about those "heaving beasts" on "Friends" :-D
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8-27-2007 @ 11:35AM
Ed said...
This is fairly old, I've had a copy of the song since sometime last year. DC rapper Bomani "D’mite" Armah is pretty cool and you guys should check out his other stuff.
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8-27-2007 @ 12:00PM
gtiskin said...
I personally find it funny that they would recommend reading, while demonstrating such poor grammar skills.
"We got to do better"
Is not only missing words, but is a fragment.
If you want people to do better at something you must first start with doing better yourself.
I also find it disturbing that the African-American community continues to appropriate the "N-word" for their own use, while calling it a racial slur.
You can't have it both ways folks.
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8-27-2007 @ 5:38PM
Mel said...
Absolutely no thoughts on the social, cultural, or racial implications of the video, but I have to say that it is hilarious and extemely catchy. I can't get it out of my head, and if it wasn't for the cursing, I would be singing it constantly.
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9-02-2007 @ 3:57PM
kimba said...
i would like to thank the black "community" for validating my horror at them as a whole. they talk like slaves, behave like animals and procreate at the speed of light. i now know that i am correct in crossing to the other side of the street when i see a black person. i lived on an island that was 84% black and couldn't get back to whitebread america fast enough.
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9-03-2007 @ 4:24PM
Robert Lovelle Rooks IZ said...
It's funny, no one gets offended when black folks make this type of music EVERYDAY about the exact same dumbshit the priginal creator of this song was satiring. Since people dont want to respond until theyre offended or hurt, i think this was a great idea.
On the other hand, for B.E.T. to call this a "P.S.A." I'd have to agree... that's stupid. A wake-up call is more like it, to not only the REAL black community, but to BET aswell. HELLO? If you want black folkd to start reading books, stop playing into the dumbshit ALL DAY! I'm 90% sure whenever you turn to B.E.T. you will see spinning rims, women dressed like ho's, money being wasted, or thrown around as if "it aint a thang" and t-shirts that look like dresses! Why is it all of a sudden offensive because someone takes that same platform and reminds us.. "hello, we're more than this!!!"
You guys got to be shittin me, when the hell was the last time B.E.T. was a TALENT showcase for anyone? You call the soulja boi talent? T-Pain? Jibbs? Mimms? This is what you call talent?
Gotta be shittin me.
scream at me
rob "TexIz"
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9-07-2007 @ 12:30AM
Johnny Chicago said...
Sheeeet...
Where can a nigga downloads this sheet?
I wanna show my baby mamas (all FO' o' dem!) dat a book isn't fo' jus' holdin' up da TV, yo!
Sheeeet......
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