Foxworthy can get laughs with his 'might be a redneck' jokes because a redneck is not the universal symbol for white folk. The media has cemented the symbol of white folks as upper middle class, articulate, saavy, well-educated. The dumb, trailer park trash alcoholic criminal seldom makes the news or the sitcoms. The media symbol for Black folk is 180 degrees from the reality of the majority of us who are Black in America. The American media has created the symbol of the loud, morally-bankrupt Ebonics-speaking minstrel, wallowing in poverty and mediocrity. They have been quite successful in selling that symbol around the world. BET is a disgrace to humanity and should be off the air. It is so bad that it is better to not have a BET than to have what it is. BET could also be Black Educational Television. The problem is the education the network provides is a danger to Black folk.

Sent by D.S. Payne | 6:07 PM ET | 07-27-2007

white folk acting stupid will never be presented as "we got to do better" anywhere. it is only presented as an aside on the Jay Leno show as as "jay walking". Normal people are asked obvious questions and they fail with aplomb to recognize major historical figures, or fumble over basic facts. BET? the irony is that wholesale racism, is now presented as the purview of the people who are subject to it. Racism is dead. Or that was I was taught in High School. If people are so dumb, I imagine a large number will be fooled by a channel that is supposed to represent black folk advertising how they're stupid and base. And the real irony is that because it is assumed that it is produced by black folk, no one will call it racist. We got to do better? A lot of people in the U.S. should be doing better, but be surprised if the ones who aren't holding the line aren't presented selectively as the portion of the U.S. we knew were stupid and insubstantial all along. the real title of the show should be, "they can't do any better and we knew it all along". But, racism is dead. So I've been told. It's not dead, it's just gone subversive. Question is, how long will we stand for it, and how long will black folk stand for it?

Sent by JP | 8:16 AM ET | 07-29-2007

I had seen a brief advertisement for this program, but did not really know what it was about until your blog clarified it a little bit and provided the link.

Honestly, I have mixed feelings for what the creator, Jam Donaldson is trying to do here. Yes, the African-american community's dirty laundry does need to be aired out, BUT there are better and more effective ways of doing so. Why not trace a family in the ghetto's struggle to improve their living condition and show others how to do so. I don't feel that the message needs to be so hard-handed and an ugly reflection of what exists.

Also, this isn't even an actual depiction of the ghetto. The ghetto is families struggling with 3 jobs, starving eating scraps, violence at every corner of your neighborhood. What's this? This is exploitive crap that once again, lowers the level of the African-american community another notch.

Great job BET, you are once again distancing America from reality. Other cultures throw around the word ghetto like it's a house word, esepcially in the suburbs. But the reality would shock them......

Sent by Rashid | 6:20 PM ET | 07-29-2007

Very good questions. Questions that I have been asking myself for years.

I grew up in the suburbs, thus I was free from an environment that cultivated slang, ebonics, and etc. When I spoke to certain people both white and black they would look shocked when I opened my mouth. As if to say, "He's really smart!!!?"

What's sad is the reaction from both sides. Whites should not automatically assume ignorance based on culture and blacks should be proud not ashamed of someone that is articulate. I was told numerous times I acted and sounded white.

Flash forward to the present. It disturbs me that BET would setup such a program to further humiliate Black America. I understand the creator Jam's idea, but there are better ways of doing this. Such as, follow a family in the ghetto and watch them grow out of poverty. Show others that it is possible and that they can do it. Uplift people instead of pointing the finger, and saying look what I found.

Sent by rashid | 11:40 AM ET | 07-30-2007

'white folk acting stupid will never be presented as "we got to do better" anywhere.' says JP. Oh yeah? Did anyone check out the White Hot section of the HGM website. Proof that nothing looks more idiotic than a white person trying to be "ghetto." Personally, this is one white guy who would happily buy Mr. Donaldson a beer (assuming he drinks beer) and congratulate him on keeping a sense of humor in these incredibly tasteless times. Also, though I cannot speak for any other white person, I'm well aware that the vast majority of black folks don't dress like those featured on the website. If they did, it wouldn't be so funny.

Sent by John R. Otten | 3:32 PM ET | 08-02-2007

John, I think you fail to understand the point that is trying to be made here. This is not about a fight for being politically correct. This is about the constant perpetration that this is what Black folks are all about. I am glad you realize most black folks aren't like that. However, there's a significant amount of people (including blacks) that believe this is the only prevailing reality. what's sadder is the fact that these images are being broadcast around the world. I think I remember Oprah speaking about being greeted what's up N****r??? by one of Nelson Mandela's guards during a visit to South Africa. These images are the vast majority of portrays in the media and I am really sick of it. I am not particularly fond of being praised for going to college and speaking properly as if it is a great feat for black folks. This is america and this is what we are suppose to do. However, the expectations for blacks isn't the same as the rest.. I must add that the show changing it's name does not change the fact that it is entirely without value. pointing out flaws and not offering solution is not constructive.

Sent by Louis Rood Joseph | 2:05 AM ET | 09-08-2007

I still think the IPhone is too expesive, and I also wont buy it because I can't use it with my own cell phone service provider, it's too much of an incovience to switch.

Sent by Christopher Grant | 8:00 PM ET | 09-09-2007

I never thought of Carlton Banks as a "buffoon". He was just the straight-man opposite Will Smith in a formula comedy.

There seems to be a "clean up our own house" movement going on in Black culture. Bill Cosby's recent comments brought this to my attention. I'm white, so it's hard for me to grasp whether this is right or wrong.

This sort of rhetoric obviously applies to a small segment of the Black population. It seems to me that if I were Black I would be offended by some of it.

White culture is long overdue for some of the same sort of self-admonishment. However, I'd be offended if Joe Lieberman (or someone) came on television and told me to take off my hood and stop burning crosses, because that's not something I would ever do. Again, there are such people, but it's a small segment of the white population.

Sent by Mark Wells | 10:24 AM ET | 10-20-2007