WOW–I hadn’t thought about it to that extent. I just knew that while I tried to watch the “show” I became bored and irritated and either muted or turned the channel altogether. The streaming commentary on the social networking sites were much more entertaining. BET should be ashamed.

One word…WOW!! This was an AMAZING reflection. Thank you.

Hey Fal, I was planning to watch to awards show, specifically to see the tribute to the late Michael Jackson(first and foremost) because I can only stomach so much of BET asinine programming in the first place, awards show included, so I was planning to DVR the awards show in case I was still out when it came on.

However, I ended up finishing a book by Eric Jerome Dickey (which left me with some mixed emotions as well, I’m still not sure if I loved it or hated it). So I read and turned in early instead of watching television last night, which was probably better for my mental stimulation in the first place. Also, I’d forgot to record the show any way but my teen age son filled me in on some of the tribute. He isn’t too impressed with BET, either, so I am surprised he watched as much of the show as he did. I guess will have to catch a rerun of the award show, which BET will probably run ad naseum, to actually see for myself what actually happened.

But from your reflections I can see I didn’t miss much including a proper tribute to a tremendous talent, trailblazer and trendsetter, who deserved more than it seems, he was given last night. Which is unfortunate because Michael Jackson and the Jackson’s Five’s music definitely had an impact on my life and is deeply imbedded in the soundtrack of my adolescence. When I learned of his death, I regretted that I’d given away my Billie Jean and Thriller Albums (yes, I said albums-the actual black, vinyl ones ) and stereo while I was moving out of my college dorm one summer. Like most people my age, I kept them in a crate and had held on to all of my albums for a really long time. So I am planning to go out repurchase my favorites epecially the old school stuff I saw him and/or his brothers perform on Soul Train and American Bandstand. If I can find any of those songs.

Fal, I think you did a great job on this piece, I haven’t fully processed my thoughts about Michael’s death and several other things that happened last week, as many have already said, last Thursday wasn’t a good day for me, it didn’t start or end on a great note, but with that said, I guess my final thoughts are I am wondering when are we (as a group of informed, educated and conscious African-American consumers, who would like to see better programming on televison, especially on television that is suposed to be “geared toward us” going to boycott BET and its sponsors, “for real though?”

Ms. Rose

“Someone special told me recently that the way you honor your parents or mentors is not by submitting to their authority or legacy, but by choosing to live your life seeking your purpose so that if your parents or mentors had to choose to live their life over they would choose to live your life because your purpose is enriching the world.” huh? from my understanding, you honor your parents by showing appreciation and gratitude for what they’ve sacrifice, while they’re alive, rather than waiting until they’ve passed. you know the cliché…you had me until the–if your parents had to choose they’d choose your life, etc, etc. i think your thoughts…were not thought out well…just vacant. i mean, yes, it would have been great if the show would have also mentioned his work with not only music but also with creating peace and believing in humanity. however, with the way times are (economic recession, death of the KING of POP, Neda, North Korea) BET wanted something lite. I’m not really sure about Jamie Foxx’s marketing of himself during the tribute but, I know that, if Michael Jackson was there…he would have been laughing his ass off as Foxx attempted to moonwalk across the stage, or his replicated costumes of the late great giant…not pissed that Jaime hadn’t considered singing Heal the World with the Mississippi Mass Choir in the background and a huge banner of a Michael Jackson profile hanging from the ceiling. I don’t believe the tribute showed a cannibalistic act of Michael Jackson’s fame. I believe it was an attempt to cheer up the billions of fans (including myself) who are feeling as if a part of their childhood was lost. Good try though.

BET . . . B-Black, E-Exploitation, T-Television. I expect the owners of BET to continue their rape of moral integrity and meaningful dialogue in the homes of black children, but to see what we’ll just do to ourselves. DEVASTATING!

Pastor Meeks of Salem Baptist Church of Chicago said on Sunday that we’ve got to step up our game, cause the devil has surely stepped up his.

Okay, less seriously though . . . WHAT did Beyonce have on?

I don’t watch BET. I did not see the tribute. I am sorry to hear that Michael was not properly honored.

I spoke with friends over the weekend. We discussed ways that we could honor Michael’s work via the work we do. I thought about the many gifts and talents that Michael possessed. I also thought about the fact that Michael did not experience a childhood since his career began at the age of 5. He paid the price of fame.

Fans never allowed Michael Jackson to live a normal, quality life. His every act - right or wrong was watched and critiqued. What a way to live. My hope is that he will not be stalked in death.

We each have an opportunity to honor Michael Jackson’s life in our own personal way. Keep me and my colleagues in your prayers as we consider ways to use some of Michael’s work to inspire those who serve families made fragile by substance abuse, incarceration (adult/youth), child welfare/foster care, interpersonal violence and homelessness.

Did not see the awards show, but it was BET hosting the event. What did you expect? BET has a long history of exploitation under the banner of showcasing people of color’s talent. As with all things my view is a simple one, I can complain or turn the television off to things that do not suit my current taste. The only way to get BET to recognize we do not agree is to hit them in the pocketbook. No money will require a change in format to produce programming to meet the audience demands. Since the current appetite for reality television is at an all time high, I do not foresee BET or other networks changing their programming to be more wholesome. Social consciousness will never come from government or television entities whose sole existence is to make money, at this point. Having said that, I need to say a few words about Michael Jackson thought provoking songs. Although I like him as an entertainer, and his songs have a meaning with tangible concepts we can all use to produce something positive. It must be said that Michael Jackson was not a humanitarian for I do not recall him ever building any hospitals, libraries, schools or a not for profit organization dedicated to serve the underprivileged. Words in his songs did inspire multicultural cooperation for change, but his actions did not meet the expectations of his songs. We must see Michael for what he is - an entertainer, a great entertainer, nothing more nothing less.

BET is a travesty and is largely responsible for the dismal state of black culture. As for Beyonce, couldn’t someone tell her how disrespectful it was to sing Ave Maria, ESPECIALLY as a memorial, while clad in a swimsuit that some dancing fools turned into a poor replica of Madonna’s Like a Virgin costume? I thought that she, at least would know better.

This is the first year I’ve ever watched the BET Awards and I sat with my mouth opened in shock the entire night. I watched because I expected a tribute to MJ - performers singing, dancing, etc to MJ’s music the entire night. (I saw a tribute to Stevie Wonder on BET some years ago where the show was all Stevie’s songs sang by other artists and it was great.) I honestly (naively)thought that a “revamped” show meant only MJ’s songs.
I continued to watch because The Husband asked me to because I’d left the room 45 minutes into the show. I kept waiting for the tribute.

Like Fal, I expected BET to pay tribute to the public persona that was MJ - his music, his charitable acts, his concern for people, his stance on social justice. I expected to follow his growth as a child singer to an adult artist and humanitarian; all of which can be documented in his music.

Instead I what I was given was a group of performers whose egos were so big that they couldn’t place their egos aside for one night when the world was watching to pay respect to an artist whom they said greatly influenced them. They payed lip service to the death of genius, but showed no respect. Instead they presented a circus and my heart sank when I saw Janet walk into the center ring of a 3-ringed circus to remind us all that her BROTHER had died and BET and those performers did not have the decency to honor an icon.

There’s a vacuum in the universe and the musical world should have paused. My heart is heavy.

Peace and blessings!
I don’t know about that, Dr. Weems. I mean, wasn’t that what his public life was about? Image, promotion, good music and profit — that’s not a put-down because at least with Michael, you got what you paid for and much more. Why would a public tribute to his death be different from public response to him in life? I don’t know that I glean anything about how “we honor our dead” from what’s happening w/Michael Jackson. Yes he was human, but there was nothing normal about him or even the public’s relationship to him. He was not a normal entertainer; he was way past extraordinary. I didn’t see the awards; my kids watched it with their friends in another room. I could hear their chatter. But I did see a news report of prisoners in Asia somewhere performing one of his dance routines from a video in mass; there were hundreds of them in orange jump suits doing Thriller or something. What?! As for the folk about to make money off of him, isn’t that what happened throughout his life?

Michael Jackson, the Jackson 5, are dear to me because they were a part of my childhood. I’m sad — even as I’m loving hearing all their old music.

Couldn’t have put it better myself! I’ve been writing and reflecting quite a bit about purpose and legacy over the last two years or so. Somehow we seem to just completely skip over purpose and legacy when a person leaves this earthly realm. I always look at the life, however, for purpose and legacy. Did they do what God created them to do, and what, of value, have they truly left behind? My mother, who passed some 13 years ago, left money to all of her children. And, that was beneficial to us. But, of much greater value to us was the legacy of strength, amongst other things, that she left behind for her daughters. So…..barring physical things…..what did Michael truly leave behind, of value, for his children……for his family members…..? What are they truly going to take away from his life….learn from his life….? Those are the questions I put on the floor regarding him, and others who have passed away. Those are the questions I hope to have placed on the floor after I am gone…. What, of value, did I leave behind? What did others learn from my life? Don’t rant and rave about the “things” I left you. Those things are going to burn up. Rant and rave about the “things” I did that pointed you to accepting Jesus Christ…..to knowing God more intimately…..to operating in the power of the Holy Ghost…

I agree however I would like to point out that while your suggestions for how the show should have ended are very right, it would have taken months to coordinate that type of production. Michael passed on Thursday. It would have been impossible and a nightmare to those involved to do something that grand in such a short period. And the results would have more then likely been a really horrible rendition of the scene you depicted because of lack of prep time. However I do completely agree with everything else you said.

Awww, the BET Awards - I am a pop culture junkie and enjoy watching various award shows, videos, etc. and since the award show was to honor MJ on on Sunday, I decided to tune in…As the show unfolded, I was surprised by how talentless many of the young artists seemed…their lack of vocal range was hard to ignore in this type of forum…but those who have talent like Jamie Foxx…he just didn’t seem circumspect enough…(sound like i’m old) Joe Jackson, plugging his business wasn’t any better though…and Eddie Levert, the recipient of the lifetime achievement award, cursed during his words about MJ…I was stunned…and though Beyonce is talented and I love her glam style, she was wearing a Blanche Devereaux style negligee as she sang “Ave Maria.” As the younger people say, it was not a good look…I just hope people of other racial backgrounds were not watching as it was clearly not the best representation of our culture to put it nicely…

@Fal
Thank you for your thoughtful and concise commentary on the 2009 BET awards show. I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of the participants’ “buffoonery.” Much of Jamie Foxx’s behavior, for reasons you mentioned as well as other things, was insulting. And Tarajii, Tyrese & Ving Rhames–that was GHETTO and Ving was disgusting. That last song just before Janet Jackson came on stage was EXTREMELY VULGAR! Yuck.

Its a shame that many hip hop stars are clueless when it comes to HONORING others. But, I guess that doesn’t come as a surprise since few of them even know how to honor themselves. Out of this embarrassing awards fiasco, I hope BET execs will learn what the word TRIBUTE truly means: A gift or testimonial expressing gratitude, respect, or admiration (Webster’s II Dictionary). What they conveyed was not a tribute, it was a HOT GHETTO MESS! I do not applaud BET’s “efforts” to revamp part of the show “at the last minute” which does not excuse them from failing to offer quality performances. When dealing with amateurs, waiting for a more opportune time to properly give homage is the safest bet.

On point as usual, Fal. Thanks for giving us some perspective and pointing out the serious implications of a display that so many of us could only curse and scream at the television about.

I’m so happy you brought in the commercials and promotional stuff between the award show segments. After all, they were just as much a part of this grand fiasco as T-Pain’s “Big A$$ Chain.” But there was one promotion in particular that left me sneering at the television every time it appeared: the commercials for the upcoming “Rising Icon” show that premiers on BET in July. Apparently, some of the same talentless artists we saw botching up the MJ “tribute” show are our next icons. Thus, when we aren’t mindlessly consuming our legends and our elders, we are eagerly seeking to replace them. Now, I’m all for picking up the baton. But when that baton is picked up by a generation that is historically and communally disconnected—to the point that it will put on a show like the one the other night—we’ve got problems. And while I and so many others in my generation are critical enough not to allow BET to determine our icons, I have to be concerned when the artists that will be the face of black popular culture are hand-picked by a network that, in the words of a friend of mine, “hates black people.”

Lastly, I’ve heard a lot said about the BET Awards, the most common being that tired refrain that even some people here on this blog are repeating: “But it’s BET. What do you expect?” I expect them to do right by the people who faithfully watch their shows. I expect them not to parade little girls around a stage where grown men are rapping about the women they want to “fuck.” I expect them to not make a mockery of legends– without whom, BET would not exist. I expect them to showcase the real and true worth of Black music. I expect them to show some respect. If you aren’t expecting that and trying to figure out a way to hold them accountable to it, you’re just as much apart of the problem as they are.

Fal’s words are dead on, however the embedded video of Earth Song is not (at least on my player) playing Earth Song. The video is right but the music is wrong

Here is a good link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqeADZgjtpY

Thanks Margaret. I made the correction.

I did not watch and I cannot tolerate BET. At church on Sunday, the music ministry sung We are the World for the benevolence offering and after the benediction. I enjoyed that.

Sis. Fal, thanks for your analysis; I’m glad you are one of a very few people with the wit and courage to offer such.

I didn’t watch BET; I seldom watch it anyway, other than Sunday mornings, getting ready to go to church, watching a few gospel videos. I did catch Jamie Foxx’s “act”. I was not impressed.

However, let me say this; I’m sad at Bro. Michael’s passing, the Jackson 5 was one of several things that contributed to my personal and political growth. But I find myself becoming increasingly angry; clearly MJ was a very sensitive, talented man, but for all his challenges and problems, he has been enabled by many people inside and outside his family. I also for the first time saw pictures of his three children . . . 10, 15, 20 years from now we may learn some disturbing truths about him. When that happens, we will then have to face the fact if prescription drugs did contribute to his untimely death, it wasn’t just prescription drugs that killed him . . . .

You all have articulated the reasons I don’t watch BET. I do want to say something about Michael Jackson’s humanitarianism and philanthropy because many seem not to know that he is listed in the Guiness Book of World Records for contributing to the most charities ever. Many of his projects were located in Africa. “We Are the World” was not just a chart-topping pop tune, it is a continuing source of revenue.
Here are some of MJ’s gifts from: “Thank You Michael Jackson for your life long charity work” by Katie McKoy in the Atlanta Special Needs Kids Examiner
The following is a list of charities he pubilicly helped in his life that was taken from AllMichaelJackson.com:
AIDS Project L.A.
American Cancer Society
Angel Food
Big Brothers of Greater Los Angeles
BMI Foundation, Inc.
Brotherhood Crusade
Brothman Burn Center
Camp Ronald McDonald
Childhelp U.S.A.
Children’s Institute International
Cities and Schools Scholarship Fund
Community Youth Sports & Arts Foundation
Congressional Black Caucus (CBC)
Dakar Foundation
Dreamstreet Kids
Dreams Come True Charity
Elizabeth Taylor Aids Foundation
Juvenile Diabetes Foundation
Love Match
Make-A-Wish Foundation
Minority Aids Project
Motown Museum
NAACP
National Rainbow Coalition
Rotary Club of Australia
Society of Singers
Starlight Foundation
The Carter Center’s Atlanta Project
The Sickle Cell Research Foundation
Transafrica
United Negro College Fund (UNCF)
United Negro College Fund Ladder’s of Hope
Volunteers of America
Watts Summer Festival
Wish Granting
YMCA - 28th Street/Crenshaw

http://www.examiner.com/x-7230-Atlanta-Special-Needs-Kids-Examiner~y2009m6d25-Thank-You-Michael-Jackson-for-your-life-long-charity-work.
Sorry this is so long Renita

Very Good points you make fal.
i did not watch it–i have not watched bet in i don’t know how long. too much of nothing going on. i can sit and watch the birds feed and grass grow and be more entertained.
a good friend called to tell me about some ‘highlights’. one being that the bouncy girl tried to sing ava maria, wearing a piece of material and i just could not even imagine how it sounded. wrong person, wrong voice- wrong clothes- wrong song for this event. i love that song and i really can’t believe no one stopped her from trying to sing it–she of course would never have realized it was wrong on every point to present.
gladys tears that song up!

BUT, i expected nothing less then what they did..good cannot come from anything evil and negative. a stage full of nothingness!
i miss michael-oh, and Janet was FLAWLESS! caught some pics online!
BET should have died and Michael should have given the tribute!
enjoyed the writing fal-and thanks sister weems for posting it!

Thank you for sharing your reflection. I had spoken no public words to mark the transition of MJ for mine were out of context with what I was hearing until now. I had only rededicated my personal commitment to live my life in service of humility because like you, I get it.

I had not watched the BET awards before this year, but in the past I recall hearing about some outrageous behavior occuring that usually ended up on YouTube following the broadcast. I expected so much more- when it was marketed as a “tribute”. And to think that BET reportedly recieved twice the number of media requests than normal to be a partof the show-that means twice as many persons had the potential to view this fiasco. How sad.

FAL is right on!!!!! While I am glad they wanted to pay tribute to MJ, I am appalled at this minstrel show; children onstage during a song that had more profanity than poetry and Byonce singing Ave Maria and having not a clue of the inappropriateness of her dress. Oh, why go on, as I said, Fal is right on! It was shameful at best!!!!!!!! –I do look at some BET and this was pathetic.

Michael Jackson stopped being a person the day Joe put him on stage. Since then he has always been a commodity. We’ve always been the consumers of his flesh and soul. We where always interested in the music or what he was going to look like next or the latest bit of gossip about what hes done to who. We even tuned into a channel we hate to watch something we knew would be a train wreck from the beginning just to get a bit more taste of the man. We now show our concern for his tortured soul at the end of his life when there is nothing more he can give us.
BET is what its always been. It has always been misdirection and the legitimization of modern stereo types in black culture. Its job is to sell this to our young who consume its programming as gospel on anything African American both good but with more of an emphasis on bad. It knows its consumers.We all watched the show knowing that it wouldn’t be good. In the end we were all hungry for our last taste of Michael Jackson.

Fal,

Very well stated. BET is simply a complete failure and never ceases to remain blocked in my household. We fight so hard to get mainstream media to present realistic and diverse portrayals of us but BET has never been held accountable.

i’m pretty much all talked out concerning this BET mess, but i wanted to make a few comments to echo those that have already been stated:
1) i can confidently say that i am no longer in the target market for BET (despite me and my peers being part of the network’s initial fan base)
2) i now totally understand why aaron mcgruder and rev. coates gave BET such a hard time (and i applaud them for it)
3) debra lee, stephen hill, and viacom need to be ashamed of themselves
4) lastly (and slightly more specific than the rest) — lil wayne and drake need a clue (desperately). i don’t care if that was your daughter and her friends (which also included tiny’s daughter)…given the content of the song, they shouldn’t have been up there with you. that is all…

This is a prime example of how the media shapes our opinions… We, the critical, are keenly aware of the visual and linguistic manipulations of the media, This is the breeding ground of ignorance… BET is no better than any other media outlet who hold profits above truth.

Outstanding post Fal. To say the BET Awards broadcast was a disappointment would be a gross understatement. It’s not good enough for those of us who do not watch BET to allow it to shape the minds and hearts of youth here and abroad. BET is a destructive force that must be strategically challenged

Ironically, one of nation’s most extreme example of racial self-hatred, MJ, was horrifically honored by a medium that profits from selling images of racial self-hatred.

@All,
I want to begin by thanking everyone for your valuable and very timely comments about the 2009 BET Award Show. I agree that BET should be held responsible for their public indiscretions. However, the issue of consumption is bigger than BET. It gets at how “WE” including myself have consumed Michael Jackson legacy, music, and scandals. How we desire to remember him by buying his music instead of using his music like “Heal the World” and “We are the World” as a catalyst to make the world a better place that if I died today I can say left a legacy of hope in a world that is driven by consumption. Once again this is not to say that we should not remember his music because we should, however, we should push ourselves to think how our need to consume influences how we honor the living and the dead.

Once again, someone special told me recently that the way you honor your parents or mentors or icons like Michael Jackson is not by submitting to their authority or their legacy, but by choosing to live your life seeking your purpose so that if your parents or mentors had to choose to live their life over they would choose to live your life because your purpose is enriching the world. That is what my post is ultimately about. It is about honoring Michael Jackson by enriching the world, creating peace, helping little black girls find voice, ending air pollution, stopping wars . . . and so forth.

And let me also address all those who say, “Well it’s BET what do you expect.” Simply accepting (sponsored) mediocrity shows us where “WE” not just BET are as a society that we have come to a point in history where we don’t expect excellence positive soul-enriching things to happen. Every time we watch BET our souls should grieve and it should surprise us motivating us to do something about the network and other Viacom networks. It is when you don’t feel and begin to accept (sponsored) mediocrity that nothing changes because “that’s the way it is.” And if the Freedom Fighters of the 60s had that conception Jim Crow would still be the norm. Of course, the previous example is a tad bit dramatic, but it makes my point that the reason why we consume the living and the dead is because we have no hope and we accept what we see as “what do you expect of BET” so we say to ourselves “Let us eat and drink [consume]; for tomorrow we die” (1 Corinthian. 15:32).

I’ve winced throughout this show, which I have been wading through bit by bit this week on DVR. It’s been so long since I’d watched BET that I had to look up what channel it comes on. Sunday’s show reminds me why. Like many of you, I looked forward to the supposed tribute to the late King of Pop. Our sister Fal has beautifully captured the moving disaster that unfolded instead.

In trying to get a sense of how Debra Lee can be at peace with herself in the work she does as President and CEO of BET, I came across a highly insightful episode of The Boondocks that offers (in a really funny way) some refreshing critical reflection on the sad state of this network and some of our so-called “leaders.” Apparently, this episode, “Hunger Strike,” and a similarly critical Boondocks episode called “The Uncle Ruckus Reality Show” were banned from airing in the United States, due to “corporate pressure” and threatened litigation. This means precious few have seen it. Appalling. Why do we give this network so much power and credibility?

“Hunger Strike,” is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhDST5bj_e0 [Part 1] and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hl7Eqtmtqa4&NR=1 [Part 2]. A 2008 article from the LA Times describes how the two episodes got banned. http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jun/04/entertainment/et-boondocks4.

Well, two more things. Has anyone read Michael Jackson’s speech, “Heal The Kids”, March 2001, Oxford University? Yep, the same Oxford University where Malcolm X held court back in the day. Basically, MJ spoke of how he didn’t have a childhood and that’s why he gives to charities that help children. I hope you all will do a search and read it, it’s quite powerful and moving.

Lastly, I remembered that the Jackson family is Jehovah Witness(Jermaine converted to Islam in the late 1980s); to say that they are very conservative, especially when it comes to human sexuality, would be an understatement. Knowing that though, would we all still be mourning and giving tributes to Michael if he were gay? WOULD WE REALLY?

Much Ado About Nothing! BET does what it does. Just like William Shakespeare’s play, full of deception and rumors of infidelity, we have again looked to the media to do what we have not done ourselves.

Many of you sound as if BET deceived you, and many of you have expressed your infidelity to the “BLACK” network. What do these declarations really mean?

Grieving is an individual journey…so is death. However, living (life) is OUR opportunity to channel our gifts and talents into “community” — to make “individual” journeys better.

“We Are The World”…BET is not the world. No need to blame BET for being BET. No need to blame you for expecting BET to HONOR that which you have not honored yourself.

When we learn better, we should do better. How ’bout let’s work on that.

“They don’t really care about us.” So, let’s not bash each other —- We are grieving — If you choose to tear your clothing and cover yourself in ashes –do it! If you choose to dance in the street—do it! If you choose to sing off key—do it! It you choose to cry—do it! If you choose to laugh—do it!

Don’t be deceived! For those of us who “care” — remember that there are just as many who don’t. These comments sound much like crabs in a barrel –pulling down every attempt to “get up and out.”
PLEASE (my sista’s and my brotha’), don’t be deceived! Don’t let “them” READ US like this!

I have pretty much mixed emotions about the BET show. I thought they “tried” to honor the man and his music (Michael J. Jackson), and I liked Beyonce’s presentation (very angelic) and I like “B”. I don’t think I am guilty of anything wrong. However, I have written two poems to honor Michael J. Jackson and I have laminated them and am asking for donations, but my poems are complimentary to Michael and they also chastise the media for how they continued to “beat up” on a dead man by replaying the court allegations. The real “Killer” of Michael was society. They pulled him in a million directions; they confused him; and they tried to eat him alive after those filthy allegations. The real truth is that he was nothing but a genius, plain and simple and has exited out of “life” far too soon. He will be sorely missed by all and while there may be cheap imitations of him in the future, there will never be another “Michael J. Jackson”. He was indeed a gift sent from the heavens and we (as a society of people) forgot how to love and appreciate the man and his music, so God took his gift back.

@ fal… thank you for sharing this post with us.
i am among the people who have not watched the award show, mainly because i have not have a tv in years now.
i am not surprise about what you say though particularly since the show was on bet. i think that it all begins with who is behind the media few major tv networks. it is true that we have a zillion channels on tv, but they are controlled by just a few networks. it is just not in the interest of those major corporations to uplift globablism, equity, and things of that nature as it goes against those corporations’ prosperity.