I couldn’t sleep last night so I was up watching OWN network. First there was an interview with Arsenio Hall since his return to late night television and the next show was a sit down with Tyler Perry.
Let me start with, I supported and watched his show since his 19 year hiatus already but after watching this interview last night/early this morning I have a new appreciation for him as a person. I really like Arsenio Hall and I wish this time around brings him great joy and success. He explained that he made a conscious effort to be a present father and role model and decided to stay home and be there for his son. That is a commendable attribute when so many fathers make conscious efforts to be absent. He went on to explain besides his love for the job and what he felt he brought to his community and television viewers as a whole his return was also based enormously on his son. Although he stepped out of the spotlight to cater to the needs of his seed and dedicate his time to being a great dad when he realized he was doing his son a disservice by not working as an able body man. His son was developing a mindset that money was just available. He was not seeing that in order to obtain success, it was greatly based on HARD work. He returned to work so that his son was aware, became a witness, and was taught that WORK begets rewards. He wanted to provide a role model as a provider and how a man goes about providing, because that is how boys learn to be men. By example. I was a fan of Arsenio before and rooted for his success but after learning more about the man I LIKE him and that makes watching him mean so much more.
Speaking of another black man that I like to watch succeed. I have seen many Tyler Perry interviews. I subscribe to his newsletter and have seen many of his productions. I am a fan of this man. What I love is his story, his climb to success. I relish in the SUCCESS stories of many of my peers. Now, don’t get me wrong I know that Tyler Perry and I are not on the same team but we are of the same league. He has by far surpassed many by way of accomplishments however he and I as well as many others have a common bond as black people living in America. I think some people forget that, that common thread in fact will forever links us. At least to others looking in. I watched with a smile as he once again recounts the days when he was a have not, moving forward to now being a have. (Get it… ‘Haves and Have Not’s lol) I also intently listened as they spoke about critics and bloggers that have an issue with his method of storytelling. This topic has been stirring in my soul as of late.
Why are ‘we’ so inclined to step on the neck of someone that is elevating the league? I have read it countless times that his genera is catering to the ‘chitterling circuit’. My response to that is…. So! I understand that Tyler Perry’s movies, television shows, and plays are not going to be on everyone’s must see list. Not even everyone in the league (us black folks… lol) are going to be fans and that is understandable but must we be so quick to belittle. Let me be the first to say that not every production that has been released by TP has been on my must watch list. I want to know why is catering to a certain market….. WRONG?
When I first decided to take the plunge and purse publishing my first novel, when I reached out to others that had taken this road before me for advice one of the words of wisdom that resounded was KNOW your market. CATER to your market. KNOW your target audience and ensure that you have them in mind when writing. Does this not apply to TP. I mean, he started out doing plays and the nature was for a particular audience. It was for a certain crowd and they came out in droves in support of his transition to film. What he did was awaken a genera that went with no representation. He displayed characters that albeit over the top at times were familiar to many of ‘us’ and that sparked awareness for a culture that does not get a lot of air play otherwise. Again, why is this a bad thing? Why is, not only employing black actors and actresses that have very few roles in which to even audition for, a bad thing? Why is, displaying black images that are not killers and drug dealers a bad thing? Yes, I will admit there are some stereotypical roles in his body of work but the foundation of the message is far more deep than that of a loud talking momma or grand momma.
I think the issue comes into to play when people, who this type of entertainment was not geared towards, finds a need to insult it. Not just to critique it or even review it but to completely disparage the content, the message, the roles, and those people playing the roles. I was taught that when you reach a certain level of success, remember to reach back and be a blessing to someone else. Is that not what Tyler Perry is doing? Creating films that mirror images in which are familiar to him. Therefore, creating jobs for actors and actresses in the league that look like him and me furthermore, employing a wide array of people in order to make a huge production such as a movie and/ or play a success. Why is he not praised for those feats. The bigger question is why the most scrutiny is coming from those that look like Tyler Perry. Why are we so quick to give one another a negative appraisal instead of uplifting and words of encouragement? We are our own worst enemies. I see it so much lately and it is always cloaked in wanting to uplift a people and preserve our greatness but is THIS how we rise above! I wonder if all these people who are so pro the community realize since we are so busy attacking one another it makes it that much easier for others to make us the target as well. Why on earth would anyone show us due respect when we are so consumed with snubbing each other.
In recent years a new show premiered and the reviews are vast, from glowing accolades to a downright bitter dialog that demeans the character and the woman playing the role. I am speaking on ‘Scandal’ this show that is written so beautifully with tales interwoven and tangled into each story line and character….. It really is awesome. The fact that this story is loosely based on a real woman in Washington is also a plus. An educated woman, who has worked alongside heads of state and is stellar in her field, gets to be the inspiration for another black woman. So much so she created an entire television series in celebration of her and her achievements as a woman of color in a town with a career that is generally driven by her white male counterparts. Shouldn’t SHE be celebrated for her climb up such a difficult ladder? How about the woman that made the story possible? Who wrote a smart, intercut, political, sultry story that presented the opportunity to highlight a black woman and use a black woman to tell the tale. We as a people should relish in the accomplishments of these three women who are representing in a powerful and successful way among the television powers that be. Instead I see so much hate. Hate for the way this character is portrayed? She is successful and balancing life & love? Yes, this may be a difficult pill to swallow for the married community. As a wife and writer, I look at it for what it is, A STORY. But, the discontent is coming from their sisters. Such contempt for a woman that has conquered a great feat, on a major television network show as the STAR, a face that look like our own as a strong woman, instead of celebrate, there are those that must find a reason in which to throw shade. I for one want to be like Shondra Rhimes the creator of Scandal and many other television dramas, when I grow up, she is my hero! This show made me research the woman for whom this show is based on, crisis manager, Judy Smith. Her record in Washington is immaculate and she has been on the team to handle some pretty major crises that I am sure the public all remember…. Just may not have known she was at the helm of creating a resolution. And Kerry Washington…. first I have to give home girl a round of APPLAUSE!!!! For acting the hell outta that role, and say kudus to her on a job well done. I wish we would stop tearing one another apart. Many speak on this black woman who is tangled in an affair with a white man. These SAME people would scoff if it was a black president and a black first lady. Then the complaint would be why would they portray women of color degrading one another…. My question why are women of color degrading the accomplishments of the three women that make this show possible. Or if Olivia’s role was played by a white actress and the President and the First lady were black. Again, the need to create a hypothetical situation in order to down play the success of the show that IS on air is beyond me.
The worst case is the new blogger sensation of discussing baby Blue Ivy Cater. Just thinking of some of the comments regarding this harmless little baby, I have to shake my head in disbelief. Beyonce’ and her husband get a lot of attention for one reason or another. The widely popular singer and the rap mogul husband have established themselves in the entertainment world and therefore it should be expected…. But is there nothing that is off limits, like to negatively bash the appearance of a child. I have read comments that CPS should be called and a complaint filed. Claiming that her hair is not being combed, smh really people? I am baffled that people honestly believe that this child is getting less than adequate care. All because her hair style is not what they consider well put together. It goes on to say that she needs barettes, bows, or a headband, I guess the consensus is that bows in a small child’s hair equals care. You know truth be told I am not mad at her hair. When I see her I see a little black girl. A beautiful little black girl. Not with matted hair, in tattered clothes, or filthy skin and/or nails. Trust me when I say this little girl is not worried about nothing and I would bet money she is very well taken care of. Her hair being combed into an afro never constituted subpar care. Her hair not being weighed down with grease and not being snatched up in barettes and bows EVERYDAY does not mean she is not taken care of. Doesn’t even mean that it never gets done in those types of styles. It means that it is not part of the priority. Teach our daughters that care of their bodies is important but NOT conforming to what the popular demand says is the standard for beauty.
The common thread in all the situations that I mentioned above is that the biggest critics are coming from a community of people that should be uplifting them. Coming from a people that have the same skin as them and know what it means to be blessed with skin rich in pigment. Why are WE not OUR biggest supporters? I see it so often, under the guise of black empowerment yet, so quick to stab your sister or brother in that back. Does brotherhood/sisterhood only exist if they are conforming to YOUR view of how to climb the ladder of success? Success, in life, love, career, family, community, or whatever it may be. Instead of empowering, I see more downgrading behind the ‘I’m Black and I’m Proud’ agenda. Is this how ‘we’ show support? I certainly hope & pray not. I am sincerely happy to hear when someone that reflects who I am has taken a step toward success. Not evaluating how they could have done it differently, or why they don’t deserve it, or even why I could use their platform better than them. I want for those that reflect me to do well. I want people in general to do well. I use that as motivation to keep pursuing my goals and dreams, not as a way to down play theirs.
“We have to do better at this thing we call being human” ~LeVar Burden.
By Elizabeth Funderbirk
Lots of Love Literary Liz
www.LiteraryLiz.Com
