But I really don't think so. It's true I haven't seen a frame of it. But I just think that any major media company that tries to capture some 30 million people in a news special will simply fail. I know Shales likes it, but I have no faith that these guys can deal with something this nuanced.I simply can't sit back and watch these fools act like most black people are poor--when they are not--and try to sum us all up under episodes like "The Black Woman & Family" or "The Black Man." I take it as a bad sign that these guys basically got on the 2-3 train and took a 30-minute ride Uptown to go and do their reporting. Yes I know don't knock it until you try it. But today I'm violating.
The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood 
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Okay. You're not watching it but I wonder what Billy Dee thinks about the show.
criticizing something you haven't seen? isn't that shockingly anti-intellectual? keeping it to yourself would have been better...
bbebop- sometimes you don't need to see something to know how it's gonna go. The media narrative on blacks in America is one of those constants.
a buddy had a gathering last night to watch the first part of 'black in america,' moreso to critique it than for insight.
i agree with ta-nehisi that the topic is too broad. i feel the program barely scratched the surface.
also, one likes to think that people who don't identify themselves as african-americans are going to tune in to such a program to learn something, but i'm skeptical.
does anyone else feel that it's almost sad we still have to do shows like this? black folk have been a part of this country since forever, yet we're still prodded, probed and misunderstood. does this program feed into the novelty fascination of black people in the US? i'm not sure.
It's just their way of doing things. Rather than cover black people in myriad ways all the time, they roll out "special programs" that reduce black experiences to THE BLACK EXPERIENCE and pat themselves on the back. This way, they can do what they normally do during the regular broadcasts: ignore us completely or run images of us being arrested.
Dear Mr. Coates,
I'm a great fan of your work.
About "Black in America", I caught an hour of it last night, and you're not missing much. It's rife with reductionism/oversimplification and the age old mantra in discussions of problems in the black community (and yes, CNN sees only monoliths in that community)- that all its problems can be solved by pulling up bootstraps, putting on ties, and jumping the broomstick. Reminded me of the Moynihan Report and -during the weak intros to the segments that show a goofy guy slanging goofy rhymes, Spike Lee's Bamboozled. The show is great, though, if you want a reason to get aggravated. (I'm annoyed just thinking about it). Actually, maybe you should watch it, because I hope someone will respond with a proper critique! Something that speaks to CNN trying to act transcendant but serving up the same old BS.
Ta-Nehisi:
CNN's program is undoubtedly superficial and at times frustratingly self-congratulatory. Before I point something out, though, I should say that I'm not trying to be a spelling snob or a prig. However, the "there" in "I take it as a bad sign that these guys basically got on the 2-3 train and took a 30-minute ride Uptown to go and do there reporting," should be "their".
at least they actually got on the 2-3 instead of being cal thomas and just watching boyz in the hood over and over again?
if you need eight hours to make a documentary about jazz, how the fuck are you going to talk about the people who invented jazz in just a few hours?
"they roll out "special programs" that reduce black experiences to THE BLACK EXPERIENCE and pat themselves on the back"
I think you nailed it Tyler. This isn't so much about examining what it may mean to be black in America as it is to present a single package for CNN viewers (more specifically, white viewers who rarely come in contact with black people).
I was just watching two pundits discuss the meaning of a poll where Senator Obama is leading Senator McCain in three of four age demographics. The only demo McCain carries is the 65 and older group. The host asked if it might be difficult for older voters to vote for a black man for President. The Republican pundit said he didn't think race had anything to do with it; he just thought older voters are more conservative and less likely to embrace somebody like Obama.
I wonder how many more networks will air their own "Getting to Know Black Folks" specials as we head to November?
These shows also assume a certain level of ignorance, as though basic things about race relations need to be explained to the audience. And maybe that is the audience that tunes in to CNN, I don’t know.
It’s like having an interesting, intelligent discussion about race or feminism or whatever, when some jackass comes along and says, “But that doesn’t happen to me, what are you talking about?” and just derails the entire discussion. So maybe CNN shows are catering to THAT guy that’s kind of an idiot. Which is fine, some people don’t know and need to be explained to…but when that is not just your starting point, but the entire content and basically the premise of your show, for a top-rated news channel that is supposed to be in the business of educated, intellectual concepts and ideas, it’s really kind of pathetic.
JT - what is interesting about the example you raise is that again, complexity is reduced on television. My first thought when I read your comment is that why can't it be both. Older voters won't vote for him because he's black AND because they are conservative. We are so conditioned to think that everything is an either/or situation. Esp. when talking about race.
Roland Fryer figured prominently in the first episode but there was no mention of "Acting White."
(Also, I didn't know dude (Fryer) was that young.)
u guys are way too sensitive. . Solidad is part black right? isnt she just trying to enlighten her white viewers? and isnt the guy that runs CNN's parent company black? Dick Parsons? or has he left yet?
Obviously its not gonna capture everything but wow at the reflexive hating.
I caught the second part of the special titled, "The Black Man". Before watching, a friend and I made a list of the issues that would be touch on; crime, drugs, absentee fathers, financial struggles, etc. No psychic ability was necessary. About the only thing they skipped was brothers on the DL, thank God. I was struck by one thing. Most, if not all of the successful(family, educated, career, financially secure, etc...) men presented were light complexioned; most, if not all of the unsuccessful(criminal, absentee fathers, poor, under-educated, etc..) brothers where dark complexioned. Beyond that, the profiles were fairly interesting. I'd be much more interesed in seeing an in-depth special based on this.
http://www.blackamericastudy.com/
The only programming titled "Black In America" I want to see is a screen that says, "Black In America - It's Just Like Being White, Native, Hispanic or Asian In America. Let us all stop being so insecure and accept this."
Have CNN broadcast that for at least 2 hours a day until it finally sinks in with bigoted people, causing them to stop bolstering their self-worth by denigrating people of color.