"Who's Your Caddy" - Brought to Us by Bob Johnson

Billionaire Bob Johnson still hasn't purchased a soul or any common sense. Go over to Eurweb to read his full comments. Apparently "Who's Your Caddy" is his first jaunt into movie making under his new studio.

"We'll let Jerry Springer get away with that or we'll let Morton Downey get away with that or we'll let the people at VH1's 'Flavor of Love' get away with that. But when it's black folks making the decision to do that, all of a sudden people start saying you can't do that because you have a greater obligation. And then they go to advertisers and many white advertisers will head for the hills the moment they see themselves in the middle of a black controversial issue. They will stop, [partly] because they don't really want to be on it; don't value it; or they don't know how to handle it."

Is that so? Thanks for the heads up that advertisers are easy to scare off of a show. That is very useful information. He's good for something folks!

Comments

[MD]

The old "why can't we be ignorant too" argument is very old. Tracey Edmonds doesn't add credibility....didn't she bring us College Hill?

[BeeJiggity]

I just heard you on 'VON in Chicago with Rolland S. Martin. Thanks for picking up this theme.

People like you are standing up where we should. I didn't agree with the Don Imus firing, but I am quite pleased that we seem to be developing a patern of complaining about things which are offensive.

So often people will say that things like "Jewish people would never let anyone disparage them without protest."

Now we are stepping up to the level we must in order to ourselves say "Never Again!"

Thank you for keeping the ball rolling.

[Uhuru]

What is Bob Johnson talking about..."a chilling effect on creativity. There was no creativity.

[rikyrah]

Mr. Johnson was given a free ride for nearly two decades as he dumped poison into our community. If we had stood up years ago in this kind of force, we wouldn't have to do this now.

And, he thought he could continue to produce Coon and Minstrel Shows in the motion picture arena without being called on it.

[Eddie G. Griffin]

At least, we have Bob Johnson coming out of the woodworks, responding to the hot criticism on BET. Gina, the result shows the tremendous impact of a major assault against corporate America. Don't let them see you blink.

[AttorneyMom]

I am flabbergasted by Mr. Robert L. Johnson’s response to the protest against “Hot Ghetto Mess.” I believe he has missed the point that you and so many of us are making.
I guess I should not be surprise by a man that allowed such shows as “Teen Summit” and “BET Tonight with Ed Gordon” to be cancelled on his watch.

I support the protest generated by this Blog because I am against the disproportionate showing of Black people in a negative light. That is, acting and behaving in an irresponsible and degrading manner. We (Blacks, Negros, African Americans, Mulattos) are not all irresponsible, illiterate, uneducated and economically disadvantaged. We are doctors, lawyers, judges, nurses, professors, realtors, community activists, social workers, hairdressers, bankers, financial planners, barbers, scholars, teachers, professors, politicians, educators, entrepreneurs, etc.

Thank God for TVOne. However, I do not believe that TVOne has the expanded exposure that BET has at this present time.

We are demanding that our own black media executives provide positive images while expressing their “creativity” by giving respect to a race of people that have overcome great and many odds and obstacles starting from the Middle Passage through Slavery and Jim Crow Segregation.

We cannot continue to allow the Black media elite to exploit and degrade the less fortunate members of our community all in the name of the old mighty dollar. It is not all about the benjamins, baby.

It is time to celebrate the best that Black America has to offer.

We have won many external battles. Now it is time to win the war within.

Thanks,

Shwana Ruth-Bridges, Esq.
www.myspace.com/bridgesesq
Email: Bridgesesq@aol.com

[christopherlee]

You are missing the point that "outrage" is often a spur to reform. Think of how many films,books, comedians,paintings, were reacted to as scandalous and are now accepted as great art. It's always a thin line but hopefully some of you will acknowledge that argument. You may have successfully killed the show but the REAL outrages that it highlights remain in everyday life, and thanks to you NO artist or satirist will be able to publicly frame it.

[David Mullings]

As a Jamaican living in the United States, I am amazed that more Black Americans are not outraged at comments like these.

It is good to know that there are those who wish to give just as much of a voice to the people who believe that those in positions of power or who hold the ability to influence should act responsibly.

All Black people should not just make themselves heard, they should also follow with dialog in their communities - churches, organizations, schools and more. MD was very correct that the "why can't we be ignorant too argument is to old to hold water....BUT...just getting a show name changed or on cancelled is only a STARTING POINT, we MUST have discussion to influence the next set of decisions.

Most importantly, never overlook the power of the wallet - boycott the advertisers that support such garbage.

[BeeJiggity]

Sorry, I forgot to comment on Bob Johnson's tomfoolery.

If Clarence and Condi are toms (not my opinion, but a widely held one) Why do we give ol' bob-o a pass?

The worse part is that along with the fact that he (bob) won't give us anything of substance, we can also be pretty certain that "Caddy" won't be much better than "Meth and Red"; possibly the worse tv show of all time. (And yes I have seen Andy Milinokis [sp])

[Native Son]

SIGHHHHHH……….

Okay let me get this straight. Since there are coonish television shows such as Flavor of Love, I love NY and The Jerry Springer Show; there is nothing wrong with BET modeling their programming after these shows? Uhhhh the reason why we wanted BET was to offset the lack of positive images and television programs on main stream telelvision.

For Johnson to insinuate that black activist and bloggers who complained about Hot Ghetto mess will scare black artist from being creative proves that Johnson either lost touch or never had any sense of being socially responsible for anything on BET.

If his definition of innovation and creativity is Hot Ghetto Mess, then no wonder BET had and still has crappy programming. What in the hell was creative about Hot Ghetto Mess?

What was BET’s excuse for “coonish” programming before Hot Ghetto Mess?

Johnson needs to keep it real; his main goal was to turn profits at the expense of marginalizing his own people.

http://nativeson.wordpress.com

[WithaY]

I'm beyond ecstatic that this movie flopped. Thank u Jesus. Maybe old Bob will take the hint and start making quality entertainment....yea right.

[Tank]

It's amazing to me to see how some Black women are constantly on the look-out for ways to have something negative to say about anything a Black man does! No body is making Black women do any of the things this site complains about. As a matter of fact, many Black women view being seen as sex symbols and portraying themselves as harlots, ghetto hoochies, and gold diggers as a means to an end.

Nobody had to make the girls dance in the Tip Drill video. Nohad to make Halle Berry do the movie BAPS. Nobody made Carrine Steffans write a book about her sexyal exploits. These women, along with countless others, are doing just what they want--using their bodies and bad behavior to get money. Although I do feel bad that Black women are portrayed in such negative ways, I wish the world would stop blaming Black men for it. Every day that I leave my home, I see scores of Black women scantily, walking around shaking their butts, trying to attract the sexual attention of any man within visual range. I hear Black women on their cell phones in public places talking about who she's sleeping with and how bad she want to "beat some b!tch3s a$$" and take her man. I constantly see negative attitudes and ill behavior on a daily basis. I also see educated Black women exhibit some of the same backward, ignorant thinking as the stereotypes on rap videos and in movies. The latter just tend to express it a little more eloquently.

For all the negative contradictory behavior I see Black women exhibit, the mantra, the war cry--if you will--is the same amongst many Black women is it is for society at large. "It's all their fault!" The "they" in question is, of course, Black men.

I think it's time for sistas to be more accountable for their actions and to stop laying the blame for a tendency to demand repect rather than being worthy of said respect at the feet of Black men.