Why I Boycott the COON Awards (otherwise known as the BET Awards)

Hey,

So I've been a little outlandish in my attempt to get people to boycott the COON Awards this year. (If you don't know what I mean, I'm talking about the BET Awards). I call them the COON Awards because that's what they are. I could get into how offensive I find them, how I feel that all the executives at BET should just be shot...(The Toya and Tiny Reality Show is just one of MANY examples) but all in all, the network does nothing to uphold the ideals it was founded under.

Long story short, Bob Johnson and a bunch of other people made BET an outlet for African-Americans who had positive uplifting programming for the black community that could not get airplay anywhere else. They also created the network to help fill the gap in the number of blacks not just in front of the camera, but also behind it. The plan was to create a venue for blacks to not only get work, but avoid the stereotypical roles that were open to them at the time. BET wanted to give blacks opportunities to work, not just as actors, but also as directors, writers, producers, etc.

So now, we fast forward past decades of "progress" where many said BET was no longer needed because racial issues were no longer something that was in our faces. People (and I mean not black people) felt that the mass media outlet did not need to have such open segregation. And as R&B music rose in popularity, the artists themselves became more diverse. Commercially successful groups like New Kids on the Block and Color Me Badd, as well as individual artists like Jon B., Robin Thicke and Justin Timberlake caused a sort of melting pot of a "typically black" avenue of music. That, along with a great deal of syndicated programming allowed BET to set itself up to be bought by bigger television companies. So, when Bob Johnson decided to sell the network, why was anyone surprised when Viacom (home of MTV- a similar type of network as BET but more or less designed to please the "white, mainstream" audience) stood up and purchased it. With the sale, Johnson allowed his network to become the COON Channel and was able to not take any responsibility for it.

When I say COON, I do not say it to be disrespectful of blacks. I do not say it to get under anyone's skin, but I say it because that is what it is. COONing, as I mean it, is simply chucking and jiving for an audience, no matter what the race. Putting on a face other than your true one and doing whatever some conglomerate tells you to do in order to get ratings, and make sure YOU get a paycheck. Can we say "Sellout"?

So, why am I NOT watching it? Well, as we all know, Michael Jackson died. There are no words about that, and I could go on and on about what Michael has done for me and people I love, and I'm not talking about just making a record. But, in short, his death hit me HARD. Hard, not just because it was sudden and unfair and I wanted to see him perform in London, but because it's the loss of a musical icon. It's also hard to watch people who two years ago were distancing themselves from Michael because of his personal issues all of a sudden come out of the woodwork talking about how much they loved him. HA! And guess who is at the top of that list? BET Network.

So all the major networks covered his death and the still (as of this blog post) undetermined cause. And because Michael has legions of fans, people who never watch the news are suddenly glued to their televisions, which results in higher ratings. CNN reported a 965% increase in ratings the day Michael died alone. ABC was around 600%, NBC was about 500% and CBS was around 450%, last I checked. So now, BET, with their failing ratings, sees not only an opportunity to tap into that large network of fans, but also an way to bring some major audience to a program that, quite frankly, sucks. Sounds like some phony BS and I ain't a part of it. I still hope all the BET execs are shot.

If you are watching or watched the show, in my mind you're part of the problem, not the solution. I wonder if Michael hadn't passed how much mentioned he'd have gotten. And that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

Later, (sure there will be plenty of thoughts)

Ashley

RIP to Michael Joe Jackson. A blog about him is upcoming.

In Honor of Father's Day

Hey,

I know I haven't written in a while, and have pretty much lost most of my following as a result...which sucks...but I'm working on it. I've got more time on my hands now, and so I can spend more time writing. The blogs about Europe are coming, I promise, but for now... I can give something more amusing.

Now, I'm on twitter as @ashleyrobin. Follow me, I promise I tweet often enough to make it interesting. But in honor of Father's Day, the holiday to honor all the real fathers out there, I tweeted a bunch of Trending Topics in regards to growing up with my father, who I love to death.

The topic I used was #irememberwhen... so just for you, I am posting all the tweets I wrote. My mom can attest to them being true and accurate. If you knew my dad, you'd know I wasn't bullshitting or exaggerating. Enjoy!

The #irememberwhen Tweets

In honor of my dad, I'm doing a trending topic based on stuff that happened with him when I was growing up called #irememberwhen. here we go

#irememberwhen my dad was yelling for me (i was in the park), walking up & down the street in a silk robe (open) with boxers & pink slippers

#irememberwhen my dad asked me what i'd been eating because my butt had gotten so big. *FACEPALM*

#irememberwhen after I was crying about being flatchested my dad told me I should be happy b/c I'd never have to worry about them sagging

#irememberwhen my dad took me to the circus & was catcalling at the acrobats. "Can I take u home & show you how to bend those legs?" *FAIL*

#irememberwhen after I told my dad I wasn't a virgin anymore, he sarcastically said, "Oh, that's such a shocker" *FACEPALM*

#irememberwhen i told my dad I had a serious boyfriend, & he didn't ask anything, he said, "Dont get pregnant. I aint supportin no bastards"

#irememberwhen I asked my dad if he had a girlfriend & he said, "I'm 78 years old, who the hell am i gonna be fukkin?"

#irememberwhen dad asked me if I could rub his back b/c he was constipated. I told him no. I asked him for $$. guess what he said.

#irememberwhen a local boy asked my dad if he could walk with me as I walked my dog. My dad pulled a loaded gun on him. we were both 12.

#irememberwhen my dad took me to coney island & we saw a prostitute on the boardwalk givin head. I asked "what's she doin" he said "her job"

#irememberwhen my dad & i went to the res. people didn't have shoes. he said they sold their soles for alcohol. so i started crying for them

#irememberwhen he told me to stop crying for them, rubber was cheap. I thought he meant SOULS. He said they were all going to hell anyway

#irememberwhen my dad retired from his job & i asked him what he was going to do w/his time. His response: "watch oprah & porn"

#irememberwhen my dad yelled @ me for listening to hiphop music & not appreciating jazz. i went into his room & he's watching THE BOX!

#irememberwhen I asked him what he was watching on tv, and he told me "shut up, you don't know shit...go get me an ice cream"

#irememberwhen I asked my dad who he would wanna fight, Batman or Superman, he said, "Your mother"

#irememberwhen i used to ask my mother if she was sure this psycho really was my dad. She said, w/her head hanging low, "yes"

#irememberwhen i told my dad i was dropping out of college & wanted his support. He said, "Sure, if u want me to support u being a failure"

#irememberwhen when i got my wisdom teeth pulled after surgery & half drugged i had to go find my dad 2 sign me out he was asleep in the car

#irememberwhen we got home from surgery, & i asked him to make me some soup, he said, "get it urself, i aint ur maid" i cried & called mom

#irememberwhen she asked to speak to him, & then he was making me soup, tea, coffee...even offered to help me change into my pajamas

#irememberwhen my dad would talk all this mess about my mom, & then when she'd come around, he'd be EXTRA quiet.

#irememberwhen I asked my dad y he didnt say all that stuff 2 my mom,& he told me to shut up. I laughed. He locked me out the house

#irememberwhen i realized laughing at my dad for being a punk around my mom wasn't funny when it started to get cold. he let me in tho

#irememberwhen someone asked my dad why he drank evaporated milk in his coffee b/c it ws for babies. he said, "i ain't no baby, bitch!"

#irememberwhen i asked my dad if he ever believd in santa claus. he said "no, i believed in the pull out method" he's got 6 kids. *FAIL*

#irememberwhen i was so proud b/c i'd made the Dean's List & wanted my dad to know. He said, "ash, i know ur smart. it's ugly to brag"

#irememberwhen my dad told me i could do whatever i wanted as long as I ended up in NY. in Queens. In St. Albans. In his basement. With him.

#irememberwhen my dad got a mysterious 'free' cell phone in the mail. I asked him who sent it, he said, "The white man." *FACEPALM*

#irememberwhen my dad said he was getting his name on the Native American Wall in DC. That's nice but my dad is Jamaican. Accent & everythin

#irememberwhen i asked my dad to get me some feminine napkins at the drugstore. he came home with a roll of pink paper towels.

#irememberwhen my mom told me she once dated Billy Dee Williams. So I renounced my crazy father & was calling myself Ashley Dee Williams

#irememberwhen I asked my dad why we never went out anywhere to eat. So he took me to iHop & asked, "Now is the princess happy?" I wasn't.

#irememberwhen my dad asked me to take my makeup off @ the movie b/c he wanted to see if he could pay the child rate... #extracheap

#irememberwhen my dad last ordered my food for me at the restaurant. he proceeded to cut my chicken up for me. wait, he still does that.

#irememberwhen i asked dad about having guys over. he said, "when ur kids have more sex than u, u feel like shit. U'll see when ur married "

#irememberwhen i told dad i was going to tell his ppl at the res he was jamaican. he said, "treachery is rewarded with death" & looked at me

#irememberwhen my dad asked me where his dad's day gift was. I told him w/my bday present (none). He said, "I guess u must not want this $$"

#irememberwhen i hung up the phone & found a card and sent it to him asap. He called me & said, "Nice card, but i aint sending u shit"

***Just some of my memories with my dad, who I love to death. ****

Kisses,

A.