Pastor starts petition to BET

[MissAshley]

Pastor starts petition to BET

Minister says promo was poor depiction of black family life

By Paul Garber

JOURNAL REPORTER

A minister in Winston-Salem criticized Black Entertainment Television yesterday for airing a promotion that depicted parents and their children in a mock expletive-laced conversation.

The Rev. Sir Walter Mack Jr., the pastor of the predominantly black Union Baptist Church, said that a promotion for the BET Awards that featured actors Will Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and their children offended him.

The spot opens with the Smiths depicted as a perfect family, but ends with them bickering at each other using bleeped-out words implying profanity.

"While you may think it was comical, to me it was insulting and degrading to use children to boost ratings," Mack said. "It just blew me away that this is the image that BET has of the African-American family."

Mack has started a petition drive, and said he hopes to collect 10,000 signatures to send to BET executives, showing that many people agree with him.

The petition drive is designed to be a challenge to BET and other media outlets to make sure that they consider how their programming shapes culture. That is particularly important for BET, which has "Black" as part of its name, Mack said.

"BET may be a voice, but it's not the voice," he said. "At this point, it's the wrong voice."

About 3,000 people have signed the petition, Mack said.

Mack said he wants BET to apologize for the promo, review its programming, and make changes to shows that glamorize crime and sexual behavior.

Michael Lewellen, a BET spokesman in Washington, defended the promo.

"It was meant to be a tongue-in-cheek play on what is often thought of as the attitudes and egos of Hollywood," Lewellen said in a telephone interview. "People took it for what it was, a joke on the Smith family."

Lewellen said that the promo was also successful. About 6.6 million people watched the premier of the BET Awards on June 28, making it the most watched program in the network's 25-year history. The show honors black achievements in the arts and sports.

As for other programming on BET, Lewellen said that the network has a balanced mix that appeals to a wide audience.

Cynthia Mosley, a member of Union Baptist, said she agrees with Mack and has signed the petition.

"I really think it's good the church is pulling together to address the concerns of the community," she said.

Mosley said she used to watch BET more often but has turned away from it because she feels that it shows too much violence in its programming. She also said she worries about videos that are shown during hours when children can watch.

"The videos are horrible," she said. "When it affects the minds of our youths, that is of great concern to me."

http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellit...s=1037645509099

wow these people really need to get a life, you have aboslutely nothing else better to do? Talk about no sense of humor :shakehead:

how were they using their kids? that's what I wanna know, cuz if i'm not mistaken Will and Jada hosted the show and the kids weren't even there, except Trey who was in the audience

he's making it seem as if black people never argue with their kids, even though they were just acting....this is the dumbest thing I've heard in a while, I almost laughed

Edited July 18, 2005 by willjadafan

[JumpinJack AJ]

Oh lawd! That might have a point he wants 2 stress...but his sources are rediculous. Everybody knows that commerical waz strictly 2 make people laugh. FP and Jada have that perfect family image...the kinda stuff that pastor supports. The whole commercial waz funny cuz they commercial waz mocking that.

If he dosen't like BET saying it's not "THE VOICE"...then he can start his own network and shut his mouth. BET is one of the most tasteful networks on TV.

[bigted]

If people feel offended by that they shouldn't watch BET and shouldn't let their kids watch BET if they have strong beliefs against swearing, nobody forces them to watch it if they don't want to, it was just a skit though, but even Chuck D said something in his latest terrordome about how the BET awards shouldn't have had Destiny's Child giving lapdances 'cause it's supposed to be a family show, but there's worse things in music videos than anything at that show and Destiny's Child makes positive music so it's hard to see Mistachuck's logic there 'cause even some people get offended by Public Enemy's music, I mean it wasn't like a gangsta rap video, maybe it's 'cause some black people get mad though that they're being potrayed in a negative aspect, there should be a petition against them gangsta rappers more than the BET network. btw, here's what Chuck D said about the BET Awards:

"Now, Magic Johnson getting a lap dance? What does this mean? Must've been a cruel ass joke or something, eh? Again I've said the second B.E.T got white corporate ownership, out the window went any accountability and responsibility to the black community. B.E.T was cross body blocked at the head and knees by VIACOM in 2000 by taking off Tavis Smiley and Teen Summit almost simultaneously. Uncle Bob Johnson who sold it in lieu of an NBA Basketball franchise in Charlotte gets a Beyonce styled booty lap dance on national TV with her father in the front row, excuse me while I cough up blood here. Damn, does ratings and money mean we lower standards below the tacky line. Makes me sound cantankerous, but I'm telling you this is making that capitol scene in Birth Of A Nation fit in perfect to what I saw. A bunch of hypocritical triple talkers I'd say. A teen idol named Omarion is on the show, why? To make you understood that there's a younger demographic. Then where does the strip club act fit in and to who? And is it appropriate for the CEO to show he's down too...? ...sheeeee

White folks who now have this mutated existence window itself through the tube probably consider this a march of money making monkeys. We can no longer say we don't care about what people think. These whippings of ass distraction have a place, but again in very dark adult circles. Man, as I say it doesn't do me good baseball bat bashing B.E.T. But you have little choice but to hate on something that just don't love you."

Edited July 18, 2005 by bigted

[mfuqua23]

The BET Awards commercials were nearly a month ago. Why say something now? People have a problem wit lapdances by might I add some FINE black women know as Destiny's Child, on the BET awards; but there's nothing wrong wit pop divas Madonna, Britney, and Christina exchanging lesbian kisses on MTV Music Awards? They're just jealous becuz the lap dances lasted longer.

There is always gonna be at least somebody that disagrees with some part of human society's culture. It's been like that nearly ever decade I can think back to. (at least in America anyway)

[JumpinJack AJ]

This guy seems 2 wanna use a big, popular event 2 make his point big and gain attention. I just don't know if this guy is right in his own mind, or one of those crazy guys just trying 2 get fame.

[bigted]

You make some good points there fuq, people are always gonna be offended by what people do or say no matter what else you do, people constantly criticize R. Kelly and Michael Jackson too for their few faults and ignore their many accomplishments in the music industry, there were many good moments about the BET awards too but people shine their light on the negativity, Chuck D's one of the smartest people in hip-hop and is a good role model for the youth but he ain't perfect either and not everybody likes him, people could be offended from him cursing in his raps sometimes just like they would be offended for Will and Jada cursing on BET but I'd rather have a 10-year old listen to Public Enemy than I would have them listen to Ja Rule, nobody's perfect though BET did screw up though if you think about it, how would you feel about having your younger cousin or brother or sister watching women giving lapdances and Will and Jada cursing in the commercial but they also screw up by playing mostly videos with no subject matter to them about pimps and hoes and they don't play Public Enemy or KRS-ONE videos and maybe once a month you'll see them play Will's videos, BET needs better content if it's aimed for kids but so does a lot of other channels, even Will addressed that on "I Wish I Made That" that people don't consider him black 'cause he ain't rapping about shooting and robbing banks, I mean I'm old enough to know that it's all fun and entertainment but sometimes kids could take things literally.

[Jazzy Julie]

This is the stupidist thing ive heard since some1 was offended by sharktale.

[scyhigh99]

All this serves as proof: America is a decidedly silly and over-sensitive place when it comes to issues of race. But this over-sensitivity stems from a massively screwed up past. And presently, our nation as a whole is still milesssssss away from being "colorblind." Can we somehow just wipe the slate clean and start over? It doesn't work that way, does it... Did that make any sense? Oh well... Anyways I never saw the promos or the awards so I can't make too many specific comments lol