Reality TV and Black Imagery

It's been said already that reality television has a special place in it's heart for Black people.  With all that positive imagery for our kids to feed on like Flavor of Love, Housewives of Atlanta, Hip Hop Love and Basketball Wives we should see a new generation of strong, intelligent and self-confident Black youth poised to take on this big competitive world. 

But really, has anyone noticed that the stakes have gotten even higher lately.  I mean VH1 has almost solely turned into the reality show network for black people to humiliate themselves for money.  No matter how much they already have.  I've heard that they're producing shows for the brother from Georgia, Antoine Dodson, who stopped intruders from raping his sister and the sassy ex-husband of actress Jackee, Elgin Charles, who's a famous Hollywood hairdresser.  Say what you may, but VH1 keeps it colorful. 

But then I see the Celebrity Apprentice comes out with a record cast of 5 black people that include:  Dionne Warwick, Latoya Jackson, NeNe Leakes, Star Jones and Lil' John.  This is a record cast because Trump's show really never casts more than one or two black celebrities, and they usually cast one or two crazies or jerks to add the spice and keep you watching.  But this looks like a recipe for Black women to show out. Which is of course what they want.  And then there's Lil John, the sole black man on the show.  This negro has never been known to even articulate a coherent sentence.  I know he'll just scream out "YEAHHHH!!!" at any inappropriate business moment.

Now to the Animal Planet of all networks.  They're coming out with a show called "Taking on Tyson".  I'm like, are they serious?  How in the F**k does Mike Tyson end up on the Animal Planet. He is not an animal. Then he's making silly-ass music video parodies with Bobby Brown and Wayne Brady.  Seems they waited long enough to re-invent their worst nightmare into a laughable figure with his appearance in "The Hangover" to this fiasco.  Remember when they were seriously scared of Mike Tyson.  Now he's Mr. Comedy. How sad.

I'm convinced reality tv is the popular tool to convince society, and black people themselves, that no matter how far Black people go or what you achieve, this society will never respect them.  Of all the "Housewives" franchises, the Atlanta women aren't really rich.  Most of them do OK by the other franchise standards, but most aren't well-off or even actual housewives.  Then, on all the other black reality shows where the women are bonafide wealthy, they still act a damn fool.  Perpetuating the idea that no matter how much they have, they're still undignified, unfocused and ignorant. 

So what's a conscious, progressive black man or woman to do?  Stop watching that dumb shit.