TVSquad

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.

Ever since I first heard about Hot Ghetto Mess, I've been intrigued. The new BET series courted some controversy from folks who felt it exploited black stereotypes, and at least two sponsors, State Farm Insurance and Home Depot, have pulled their ads. Both BET entertainment chief Reginald Hudlin and Jam Donaldson (creator of the HotGhettoMess.com site on which the new series is based) say the purpose of the series is to encourage people, in a humorous manner, to take a look at themselves and their communities and try to affect positive change. The series mixes user-submitted video clips with man-on-the-street interviews.

Speaking of change, the series is now called We Got to Do Better. The actual content of the show won't change, but the new title more clearly explains the intent of the series. I discovered this last night while trying to find Hot Ghetto Mess on my Tivo with no luck. The series, hosted by Charlie Murphy (Chappelle's Show) debuts tomorrow (Wednesday) at 10:30 p.m.

I've said before on this blog that I'm not a big fan of reality programming in general, but finally someone has come up with a concept that I can relate to. The new reality pilot from producers Bernie Mac and Ben Silverman is called Welcome to the Family and focuses on couples of different races, religions and cultural backgrounds who get engaged and have to tell their respective families for the first time.

The reason this concept speaks to me is that I actually marry and divorce a person from a different background every week. But this isn't about me, so let's move on.

If ever a subject of this PBS documentary showcase series lived up to the title "Independent Lens," it's eighteen year old Shadya Zoabi. Shadya is a Muslim Arab living in Israel, a beautiful, athletic and headstrong girl who loves karate and who has very little interest in following the typical Muslim path of becoming a servant and housekeeper. Throughout the film, Shadya's feminist views clash with those of her older brothers, the eldest of which insists Shadya must give up karate and behave in a manner more fitting to Muslim customs and laws. Shadya, meanwhile, flaunts her independence at every turn. She even gives up praying because she says she hasn't got the time.

To quote Homer Simpson, it's funny because it's true.

Bill O'Reilly tells The New York Post that David Letterman calls the FOX talk show host a "bonehead" on tomorrow night's show (Letterman tapes his Friday night shows earlier in the week). And this isn't the first time that the two have butted heads. The same thing happened the last time O'Reilly was on the show, when Letterman said that he thought 60% of everything O'Reilly says is "crap."

And it's not really a joke or something they planned ahead of time. O'Reilly says that he believes that Letterman "sincerely doesn't like me."

[via TV Tattle]

I have a love/hate relationship with that freeSpeech (yeah, that's the spelling CBS seems to like to use so I'll use it too) segment on The CBS Evening News. I think it's an interesting idea, but it has several things wrong with it. First, the topics are usually things that everyone can agree with and aren't really counter to anything. Then we had the revelation from Bill Maher that he wanted to do something controversial on religion, and they kinda balked. And lately I've been seeing freeSpeech segments with Bob Schieffer, who is a CBS newsman and the former host of the show. Huh? Are they not getting enough people who want to talk on TV? I doubt that. And just last week a freeSpeech segment featured Katie Couric interviewing Senator John McCain. Again, huh?

Still, it's a good idea. Tonight might be interesting: TV Newser is reporting that FOX News' Sean Hannity will be giving his viewpoint.

Those of us who grew up in small towns know they don't always embrace alternative lifestyles. The idea has possibilities, and it will be interesting to see what the show does with its subject matter.