I was doing some research for that project I have been waiting on related to boycotting BET’s advertisers so I HAD to go to their website. While I was there I saw that they have a new show called ” Hot Ghetto Mess.” I knew it couldn’t be good, but when I clicked on the BET.com page for the show, I was shocked to see them utilizing a sambo-like character to promote the show. Above the graphic is an ad for AT&T. Beside the graphic is an ad for the Dodge Avenger.
The graphic for the show is a a cartoon in “blackface” with a circle aorund it and a line drawn through it. I guess the message is that African American who are “ghetto” are ” Golliwoggs” or “pickaninnies” ?
What will it take for African American people to realize that Viacom and its employees either HATE or are CONTEMPTUOUS of African American people? There is clearly such a culture of disrespect within the Viacom organization that NO ONE saw anything wrong with displaying an advertisement for DaimlerChrysler and AT&T along side this graphic. There is clearly no corporate conscience within that organization. This proves it folks! It is late, but I wanted to get the word out about this now.
I called the NBC news desk and of course the person who answered was not African American and didn’t quite grasp what my objection was. As usual we’ll have to do the hard work ourselves folks. Don’t count on MSM to get this one for about TWO months!
1 comment so far ↓
I am an African-American female, living in our times of “black exploitation.” What bothers me most about you disdain for HGM is -WHY?” If you can’t look at yourself and laugh, you are a pitiful soul. To me “Roots” was just as stereotypical as anything else. If your reasoning for objections to HGM is truly the fact we are put in a bad light—then what did “Roots” do? I still don’t believe that anyone could have researched their heritage as far back as that told by the storyline. For one, remember supposedly Black could not write (according to history) nor could we read, so how could one know who was whom? And two, with slave trade being what it was and everyone being renamed, there would be no way to trace a true lineage. Few could be done via DNA—and that is very rare if not impossible for most of us.
I can’t seem to phatom why it is that everytime something comes out relating to Blacks there is some one or group ready to knock it. We as a people have yet to arrive. We are our own worst enemy. I am willing to wager that if I needed a meal,job or home (for a little while–not even permenantly) none of you would dare offer to help. I have experienced this too often.
And last, what happened to freedom of speech? The last time I checked, it applied to all races–not just Blacks.