Last night I watched the BET Awards to see Janelle Monáe perform and was reminded why I usually do not watch that station. Every movie preview and tv show clip they broadcast reminded me I am not the kind of Black person that network is interested in reaching. That got me thinking about what kind of shows a BET that included Black people like me would mix in equally with the other fare.
- A science show starring Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Fun, female empowering music videos and concert footage by artists such as Janelle Monáe, India Arie, and Ledisi
- Black classical music, aka jazz
- Shows celebrating Black nonbelievers
- Reality tv featuring subjects like ThatViolaKid‘s journey to Juilliard and beyond
- Regular features highlighting established Black scientists, mathematicians, teachers, doctors, etc.
- Science fiction written by and starring Black people
I’m sure the more I think about it the more examples I can come up with.
BET sells itself as the station for anyone interested in Black culture, but their definition of Black culture needs to be broadened. I am unapologetic about my Blackness not fitting the monolith they have made Blackness out to be. I need to see more Black people like me before BET becomes a station I can stand for longer than a three-minute Janelle Monáe performance.
One response to “My Kind of Black Entertainment”
Excellent writing here. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.