As we come to the conclusion of Black History Month, I was asked by a buddy to take a look at Target’s “Dare.Dream.Do.” Black History Month ad campaign.
It got me thinking.
As you know, if you watch TV, February commercials are particularly filled with images of happy, successful black folk enjoying all manner of vehicles, foodstuffs, cleaning products–always cleaning products–personal hygiene concoctions and financial instruments. I love it, I just wish February and the NAACP Image Awards weren’t such a “black commercial” ghetto. I would like to see more of …

By CHRIS SIMMONS
It’s eulogy time for two “urban-based” situation comedies. To be more precise, it’s more like the end of an era. Again.
The CW’s decision to cancel EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS after four seasons, and THE GAME after three, means that the netlet (an industry term which, loosely translated, means “a little network that WOULDN’T”) will no longer air comedy series starring (and created, written and directed by) African-Americans.
We’ve been here before, right? Remember back in the day when FOX ran entire nights’ worth of shows like …

Today we kick-off a new series of columns by Chris Simmons. Chris Simmons is a veteran writer in the entertainment industry who has been nominated for two Emmys and has won other awards, including the Humanitas Prize for developing the animated series STATIC SHOCK. But first and foremost, Chris is a lifetime student of television, having co-authored books, articles and even wrote TV trivia questions for game shows! He’s now setting his sights on how TV intersects with people of color, and he invites you to read pieces from …