Advertisers Flee Website Promoting Latest BET Show, " Hot Ghetto Mess"

Early indications are that advertisers want nothing to
do with Black Entertainment Television's latest venture into original
programming, a show called "Hot Ghetto Mess." State Farm and Home
Depot ordered BET to take their ads off of a page on BET.com promoting
the show .

The promotional page for the show features a blackface cartoon and
says that "Hot Ghetto Mess is like the traffic accident you can't look
away from."

The blog, What About Our Daughters?, and the National Congress of
Black Women asked advertisers to remove advertising form BET's " Hot
Ghetto Mess" promotional page,. Less than twenty-four hours later,
BET was forced to remove prominent banner ads which had flashed
advertising for State Farm, The Home Depot, Yum Brand's KFC, Target,
AT&T, and Daimler Chrysler. Both State Farm and The Home Depot said
that BET had erred by placing their company's ads on the " Hot Ghetto
Mess" site without their knowledge or permission.

"As a result of a technical issue with their ad-server, BET
inadvertently placed our ads within areas of their site that we did
not specify," said Christi Tricoli, Media Manager for the Home Depot.

State Farm was just as quick to demand that BET remove the company's
advertising from the page. According to Edward Gold, Advertising
Director for State Farm, "Hot Ghetto Mess" does not meet the
company's advertising guidelines and objectives and the company wants
no association with the program.

"We have reviewed the content of this program, which we just heard
about, and we will NOT be airing any State Farm advertising during
this program on BET. We have also directed our agency to have BET.com
remove any State Farm advertising to appear on the web page on
BET.com," Gold said in an email to the blog, What About Our Daughters?

Protests and petitions aimed at getting the show pulled before its
debut on July 25th have popped up all over the internet , but BET has
not relented to the outrage surrounding the show. BET continues to
solicit videos and photos from viewers. Viewers are encouraged to send
in photos and clips of people who look, sound and appear "bad " and
"ugly according to BET.com. The show will be hosted by Charlie
Murphy and according to the "Hot Ghetto Mess" promotions site, the
show will guide viewers through "shaking booties, thug life,
baby-mama drama and pimped-out high schoolers."

FYI. Please contact KFC (YUM BRANDS) to let them know that their ads are still appearing on the "Hot Ghetto Mess" website in the ads left in the left sidebar of the "Hot Ghetto Mess" site. Be nice about it though. The advertisers are at least being responsive to our requests.
Thanks for calling folks, YUM Brands must have gotten on BET for leaving their ads on the page. Now ALL ads are gone from the Bet.com page for " Hot Ghetto Mess." I have told y'all since the beginning of this blog that advertisers are running this show. I am waiting to see which companies are going to be so morally bankrupt that they would be willing to place ads on a show called "Hot Ghetto Mess".

Update No. 2. HA! It is spreading. After i pointed out that State Farm ads were still appearing on the BET.com page promoting DL Hugley's new show, SOB, BET.com has pulled all of the banner ads off of the SOB page as well. I am so sorry to the programmer over at BET.com who thought they were going to be able to leave early for the holiday.

For new readers, I want to remind you to take a look at some of our "Greatest Hits" posts. here are some of my personal favorites: Should Hip Hop be Eradicated?, New Loyalty Oath for the Black Blogosphere?, DL Hughley is Wrong: White Folks May Have a Point, Where in the World is Rev. Al- Sharpton Watch Day 01, Sharpton Watch is Over!, OH Snap: Video of protesters confronting Dieon Sanders and Dl Hughley in Ft. Worth. and my inaugural post: After Imus: Now What.

Comments

[Lifestyle Writer]

Are you serious? There's actually a show called "A Hot Ghetto Mess?" Now I know for sure it's all about the all mighty dollar. And BET has simply pimped out Black culture by honoring the worst of us. I'm glad I don't subscribe to cable television because it's just pure garbage and a complete waste of time watching people doing the unspeakable on television to remain relevant.

[g-e-m2001]

I WISH ia was kidding. that tells you the arrogance and contempt that BET execs have. No other television network would even dream of having a show entitled " Hot Ghetto Mess."

they do it because we let them get away with it. this incident has proven that you can alter their behavior by appealing to advertisers.

[Zabeth]

Do you know what publication this article appeared in?

[Anonymous]

There is nothing surprising about the new developments at BET nor is there anything surprising about this new television show. For years BET has been one of the primary front runners in the journey to erode any positive reminisce of the Black/African American image. When BET began, its mantra was one that would uplift/promote the Black voice but shortly after the genesis of the network, the creator began see a greater value in absurdity. Currently the CEO of BET is a Black woman; it appears as if she is perfectly happy with the status quo. This is evident in its current line of programming, College Hill, Baldwin Hills and Hot Ghetto Mess. Mostly likely once the out cry from “Hot Ghetto Mess” reaches the masses, the powers that be at BET will began to shout that they are “only giving the people what they want” or that BET’s “parent company” really has been pushing for this show and others like it. But to that I say, “Put Morality over Money” and “It’s okay to talk back to your parents, especially when it appears as if they have lost there way too”.

E. King

[g-e-m2001]

Zabeth, I wrote it. It is the text from my press release.

[Fred]

Gem 2001

WHOA! Your blog has come a long way in a short time. Thanks to you and other conscious bloggers for reminding advertisers who ultimately pays their salaries.

Shifting gears, blogger dburt posted a commentary by writer Christopher Priest on how BET contributes to Black self-genocide:

http://afronerd.blogspot.com/2007/07/wowfolks-really-are-afraid-of.html

That's deep.

[g-e-m2001]

Honestly Fred,

I didn't think I would be still blogging three months later. So nobody is surprised by all of this more than I am.

Every week I seem to get one more sign that I am headed in the right direction. Either that or someone does one more thing that ticks me off. HAHAHA!

Yeah I share some of Preist's thoughts. I can't understand why we remain silent while we're being poisoned. NO OTHER COMMUNITY would allow this foolishness. What is sad is that if you look at Viacom's MTV Tr#s which is BET's Latino cousin, their original programming is all about opportunity and the "community."

I can't understand why Black folks aren't HOWLING about the show's title alone.

[Anonymous]

just fyi, there is an HGM website hotghettomess.com that I am guessing gave BET the impetus for this show. found it by accident when I was telling a friend about the tv show, ultimate in crass but I am sure lots of people are have a good laugh at the expense of others........

[g-e-m2001]

For those wanting to look at the original hot ghetto mess site. I warn you that it is NOT safe for work. That is why I did not link to it, plus I don't want to publicize this foolishness anymore.

[Anonymous]

Congratulations!!!

I just don't understand how Viacom and BET can create a show such as this and include the use of black face as the logo.

[marisa]

Thanks for staying on top of this! I feel strongly about anti-censorship, but that doesn't mean that people should be exploited and insulted in support of other people's rights to make money.

You know, BET's CEO has been known to say (for instance in a speech at Spelman), that she's in the business of making money. This is what her money-making looks likes, in its most pure and prurient appearance yet. At least she's honest. (squirm)

[The Angry Independent]

Perhaps it is time for Debra Lee to go.... as well as the chief of Viacom... if it means protesting in front of their offices and their homes. (peacefully of course...but peacefully and with relentless determination).

I have had all I can take.

Debra Lee represents everything that I despise about modern Black culture.(and I basically despise all of it).

[Nubian]

Thank you for doing what you do! It is going to take everyone to stop fearing society and get up and take a stand for the preservation of the culture of black people. That is the only way that our people will survive..literally. The whole black population isn't summed up with this show, but that is what is going to happen if this show hits the airwaves...only an ignorant fool or a sneaky devil would say otherwise. Personally, I think we need to stop segregating ourselves from the world. We are black, we should be proud of that. Respect it. Other races have seem to do it without being "pimped", and I'm sure that we can. Thanks again, I'll keep looking for ways to help this movement progress.

[LorraineH]

What role does the Black female president of the network play in the programming of BET? Is she just a token for Viacom? How can she is all good concious(excuse my spelling- jet lag! LOL)give the OK for the awful shows on BET? as President I am sure she has some say so as to what airs on there. Viacom is her boss BUT she also shares in the responsibilty of the shows on that network

[Anonymous]

Reginald Hudlin is President of Entertainment for BET. On his message board, he responds to the protests.

http://hudlinentertainment.com/smf/index.php?topic=2220.msg38866#new

"Funny thing is, I just saw the rough cut today."

"It's SO DOGGONE GOOD."

"The really funny thing is, the folks who protest the show without actually seeing it first? The show actually AGREES with them!!!"

[Cathy1959]

Please, for once in this decade, can we do a REAL boycott? ANY advertiser who purchases ad dollars for Hot Ghetto Mess should be boycotted and we should spread the word all over the net. Remember the Farm Workers and "don't buy grapes and lettuce"? Well, we can do that too! Come on - I'm not saying that the images seen on HGM aren't real - they are. Nor are they unfortunate. It is simply a different approach to life that I choose not to embrace. I grew up in the projects. I've been colored, negro, Negro, Afro-American, Black, African-American - okay, so I am an Old G. I am proud of my heritage - flaws and all. But I don't wish to have my people - yes my brothers and sisters - held up for ridicule while someone ELSE makes money off of them! It might be defensible if BET were providing funds to the folks they are "showcasing" that offered classes, job training, parenting, after school programs, literacy workshops, mentorships, etc. I don't recall seeing any of this. It's shameful. But it would be more shameful if we don't do or say anything in protest.