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 …

Blond, white and beaming, Tareq And Michaele Salahi breezed into the first White House State Dinner of the Obama presidency. The Salahis hadn’t made it onto on any guest lists, hadn’t gone through any of the usual background checks beforehand and apparently didn’t even pretend to have done these things. Instead, they were just smiley, dressed “appropriately” for the festive occasion and walked right in.
When I heard “White House party crashers” story for the first time, I wondered two things:
1. What if the Salahis are terrorists and have …

A Black conservative town hall filled the studio audience of Glenn Beck’s Friday the 13th show. I wouldn’t characterize it as a horror story, far from it. Solid points about the need to instill more black urban kids with a love for education and learning were made. But I will say right off that it was frightening to observe the monstrous delusions of many who spoke during the show. And what had me gasping in cynical laughter, was that every time a ‘black conservative’ stood up and said anything that …

There is nothing more anti-American than to lie about our nation’s multi-colored history. To see our nation in all of her glory is to see our remarkable democracy as an awesome human undertaking. But Pat Buchanan, and so many others like him, will never be able to embrace the promise and the purpose that the Founding Fathers laid out because it now includes all people who seek freedom not just white men.

Since the presidential campaign of 2008 and the election of our nation’s first black president, Patrick J. Buchanan has …

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 …

President Barack Obama made history last night as the first sitting President to appear on a television talk show. I was concerned that the venue would be too casual to support the gravitas of Commander-in-Chief. But as a guest on ‘The Late Show with Jay Leno,’ the President emerged mostly unscathed, except for one major gaffe relating his low bowling score to one more appropriate for the Special Olympics- UGH. President Obama appeared smart and well versed on the pressing issues facing our nation. The exchange with Leno was much …

My overarching takeaway from attending and participating in Tavis Smiley’s State of the Black Union 2009 on Saturday was that it was reflective of the broad spectrum and diverse character of the conversations happening in black America everyday. It’s all good that millions of people are now participants in these conversations and there were mind opening and soul touching moments throughout the symposium.
I would have gotten more out of a bit less discussion of historical context and more time spent presenting specific strategies and tactics that each and every …

Fellow State of the Black Union 2009 panelist, blogger and new friend Lenny McAllister is hosting a Live Web Chat on AOL Black Voices/Blackspin today and tomorrow.
I encourage – everyone – to hop on over, jump in and get your conversation on.
Live Web Chat on AOL Black Voices/Blackspin
Tavis Smiley’s State of the Black Union 2009 “Accountable – Making America as good as its promise” will be broadcast live on C-Span tomorrow. Our blogger’s panel, I will be one of the moderators, will be streamed Viewable ONLY online …

In getting ready for my role as blogger panelist at “Tavis Smiley’s State of the Black Union” this Saturday, I’ve just participated in one of the most frank, wide ranging and invigorating conversations on the state of ‘Black America’ that I can remember having. As a guest on my friend Kevin Ross‘ Blogtalkradio show, I hashed it out, no holds barred, with Kevin and fellow blogger Lenny McAllister – both black Republicans.
Listen to the Kevin Ross show on Blogtalkradio.
Kevin, Lenny and I will be blogger panelists on ‘Tavis …

It’s bad enough that the stereotype of overbearing, over controlling mothers is being pimped for ‘reality’ show ratings. But NBC’s ‘Momma’s Boys’, in which young men (with their mothers along for the ride) is heavily promoting one mother who is unapologetic in her racist and anti-Semitic views when it comes to defining ‘the right girl’ for her son. Ryan Seacrest is one of the show’s producers. Scott D. Pierce of Deseret News has watched some of episodes:
But the fireworks are really ignited when we meet Khalood Bojanowski, the mother of …

Do did you see Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live? What did you think?
Maybe it’s just in my head but I felt a small tug of discomfort watching as Palin played with the others. Try as everyone might, the interactions between the cast and Palin fell a little short of breezy. Why? Who knows? The cause could be as simple as poor cue card placement.
To Palin’s credit, I thought she looked appealingly silly bopping along to Amy Poehler’s ‘Palin Rap.’ And certainly did herself no harm by showing up …

If you think all you should know about the pending conversion to digital television is the need for a converter box coupon, you may have been hoodwinked and bamboozled by the jumbo media companies. In fact the most important aspect of this transition may be that hundreds of new television channels to be made available by the conversion to digital have already been doled out to existing media companies with little public discussion and no public service obligations.

I believe Elizabeth Hasselbeck’s tears yesterday on “The View” were sincere. I believe she seeks racial harmony in our country and so do I. Further, it’s my hunch that hundreds of thousands of people, many of them white, were nodding along as she expressed her passionate belief that the constant use of the ‘n-word’ in pop culture makes it more difficult to get to a better, more racially understanding society.
I think she’s right. I hate the ‘n-word’ when anybody uses it. But let me be very clear about my opinion …