Thursday, April 29, 2004

I was over to a friend’s house enjoying a good meal and sharing some good times when the television before us flashed some interesting images.

ABC had promised America the two-hour premiere of the television show, The Bachelor. I had not followed the other shows in the series but my friend has been interested in this reality show since its inception. She tuned in every week to see which girl would win the handsome bachelor’s hand. She was enthralled with the fact that this man was able to widdle down his choices from 25 to a simple two, which would include the one he had to pick as his bride.

As the images continue to unfold, my mind started to wonder. Is this entertainment? Why would people care if a guy dates 25 or more women on the way to holy matrimony? After all men have been playing the field for years.

Then I thought deeper, why should WE care.

The “we” meaning black folk.

Should we care enough to find out if there would ever be a Black Bachelor? One virile African-American Male set to pick 25 beautiful women on his way down the isle.

In word: NO.

I told my friend of this fact and she was stunned and amazed that I would turn this into a white/black issue. My plan was to point out the absurdity of the situation.

It’s okay for a white man to be paraded around on national television while taking the pick of the litter in order to settle down with but a black man in good conscious could not.

The White Man’s THE BACHELOR, while a brother in the same situation would probably be called DA PLAYA.

Let’s face facts, no Nielsen family in Iowa, Idaho or even Los Angeles would feel comfortable with a black man having his pick of white women. There is still fear and loathing out there and that fear and loathing resides in many of the television boardrooms.

Of course we, as in black folk, don’t help matters in this situation. We make songs about women like they are interchangeable parts in our love machine.

“Let me stick my key in your ignition babe.”

Or we tell women where are minds are at from the first date.

“I don’t see nothing wrong . . . with a little bump and grind.”

Or when it comes down to walking down the isle we go there defeated.

“We ain’t getting no younger we might as well do this.”

Do you think that we will ever see black men in a positive light? Do you ever think we will see something that has the positive aspects of black love and relationships correctly indicated on stage and screen?

The probability is about as much as seeing a black quality black drama on network television and have it survive the first season.

The madness of this world is beyond words.

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