Greetings Ladies, I hope you don't mind me responding to your topic!

I saw Cita for the first time on Saturday morning and all I have to say, is that she makes all African-American women take 2 steps back on our climb up the ladder.

On Saturday, Cita responded to a letter that a young woman had sent in. The writer said that she loved Cita but her friends didn't. Cita responded by calling the girls friends 'bougei' and 'stuck up'. And also said that the girl needs to kick her friends to the curb. *sigh* I won't even get in to the way Cita is dressed. I'll just say she looks like a lady of the night, and I will leave it at that.

I too had stopped watching BET. Most of the time when I turn it on, there are either videos or infomercials on. Where are the quality programs?

To BET I say: You couldn't come up with anything better than this? Out of all the beautiful, articulate, African-American women in the United States, you chose this 'creation' to represent us? SAD!

ZetaAce



[This message has been edited by ZetaAce (edited May 15, 2000).]

I posted the one right above the young lady's before yours. I spoke on the Cita issue. And don't worry, my remarks were not out of anger. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

Maybe we can get back on the track that you led us with. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

I've glance through some of the comments that have been posted. I agree with some points of view and disagree with other. I watch Cita and may i frankly add that I enjoy her show also. A lot you you commented about the light skin/ dark skinned issue and where were the positive dark skinned hosts/hostesses. There are several good examples of dark skinned hostesses, i.e the host of OUT THE BOX, and the doctor/co-host of Heart and Soul.
While the majority of the panel keeps on bashng BET and CITA...keep in mind that along with her Ghetto-fabulous grammar that Cita does touch on some real and important issues. A lot of the comments that she makes are sensable and true, while some are mainly of jest and jones. I think that we have to take Cita with a grain of salt and stop looking at the negative side of things all the time. I, myself, am of a darker skin complexion and my looks favor Cita's in many aspects. I did not see her as a negative icon until I read this message board. Oh, there are also some more positive black faces on ALL and on Teen Summit. If you decide to single out the negative aspects of CITA...why not Hits form the Streets or L.A Live the hosts are dark skin and they at times tend to act "ghetto." I really have no complaints about BET, except for the infomercial, and I think that this is due to the fact that it is white owned. I enjoy the shows and you really have to take a lot of them with a grain of salt.

Actually, BET is a black-owned corporation, regularly listed on Black Enterprise's "BE's Top 100's" list in entertainment. In order to be listed on the Top 100's, a company must have at least 50 percent black ownership, if I am not mistaken. I think the fact that it IS black-owned is what makes some of BET's of programming choices so annoying to me. They should know better.

DG

The reason why Cita was "signaled out" and not the other BET personalities is because the article in Essence was about Cita. So, I wanted to know what others on the board thought about the overall image. My opinion has not changed. I dislike the image that she projects. Whether or not her commentaries are thought-provoking or true, I think there is a better way for it to be done. We keep talking about ways to rid our society of stereotypes, but Cita perpetuates some of the same stereotypes we want to exstinguish.

OH! My goodness!

PinkPassion08,

Please except my apology for the comments. I did not mean to cause confusion and division. My comments were, I must admit were provoked by past ghost. That was no reason to jump all over you. Please except my apology soror.

Thanks Deja e-mail me.

------------------
TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN....MUCH IS EXPECTED.

Greetings Sorors and Sisterfriends. I now have a very big smile on my face! Thank you Deja. I do accept your apology. The last thing I wanted was some straight drama in this much too positive message room. As another soror pointed out, the previous issue that arose would have been much more suitable for face-to-face discussion. That way, your tone, facial expressions and true feelings and meanings would be better to convey than my typed messages that can easily be misconstrued.

I love you all!

****gives everyone a great big group hug****

SkeeeeeeeWeeeeee my Sorors (ok --- I got caught up in the moment...)

------------------
>>>"Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."
Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised... Proverbs 31:29-30

Hello Sorors and SF's,
This is one HOT topic. I can remember being younger and wishing that I could be darker. I'm not a "light-skinned" sister, but I fall somewhere in between. Anyway, I always wanted to be darker and can remember using the sunless tanning lotion so that I could get that way. I guess it don't work for those of us who are naturally pigmented. I got the idea of wanting to be darker from seeing how beautiful sisters like Charnelle Brown (Kim from A Different World) and Patra (Reggae artist) were. Over the years I grew to be comfortable with who I am with the complexion that I have.

I went to school with girls who really thought that they were the hot stuff because they were light skinned. It was as if being light makes you more beautiful. Well I personally feel that if you can't look at a light skinned person and imagine them being beautiful with darker skin then they aren't really all that beautiful. And the same applies to those individuals with darker skin. When it comes down to it, living in "White" America we are all BLACK. It doesn't matter if we are as bright as the sun or as dark as night we will all still have to deal with the same issues of racism and discrimination. I just don't understand how in the world we can fight the battle of discrimination on the outside when we are fighting the same battle within our race. There are two books out by Binilde Little entitled Good Hair and The Itch that deals with the light skin/dark skin issue. If any of you haven't read them they make very interesting reading.

On another note. When it comes to AKA I must admit that while in high school I met a young lady through a family member who had just crossed into AKAland. She was a very dark skinned beautiful sister. She told me how everyone had told her that she was too dark to be an AKA and that very stereotype alone was what made her determined to become an AKA. She felt it was her duty to let other women know that being dark will not hender them from being an AKA. I just thought that was something interesting to throw out there.

QUE PASAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! HELLO (proper hello), Konichiwa (hello in Japanese), SUP (ghetto hello), HOLA (spanish hello), Bonjour (french hello), What a gwannn (Jamaican hello)so now that ive said HI in every language I know i hope we are cool http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/cool.gif now. I came across this site and thought your topic was one of the most interesting due to the fact that my friends and i were having the exact same convo about it this past weekend and on BET ......strange things do happen....my theory was hey im just looking at the men any way any size shape color or form (well they have to have a good form) http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif :P ...there is one veejay who is a brownskinned natural haired woman but my friend said she is funny looking...lol...and that she does not represent the rest of us brownskinned population...i have noticed a sort of pattern on BET especially on videos...the light skinned curly haired look on women is the thing now...but my friends step father enlightened us he said that BET is probably trying to cater to a broader scale of audience meaning caucasions too so they may think that they are making both parties happy...anywayz enough of my mouth
one love...zeeen (jamaican goodbye), sayonara (japanese goodbye), bonjour (french), one (DMX goodbye), chat later (internet goodbye), adios (spanish goodbye)
aight ill stop http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif
peace

CITA's got to go! Nuff said

I don't know about the rest of you but I like Cita. She is a funny character just like Sha Nae Nae was on Martin. No disrespect sorors but, when you receive a direct message as direct it will become a direct reflection of you. I only view Cita as a fictional character the grabs ratings because that's what she is. If I were to take offense it would probably be because what people say about my race is true; just not so sorors. That is just not so.

Sisterly,

pinkice9

Yes, I did notice this topic is a year old but I am a neo so do forgive me. I saw some horrible comments on this board. A year from these posts, Cita is still representing us dead wrong. I believe they did this because 1. This whole virtual reality thing is kinda cute these days and 2. Cita is cheaper than a real person. Doing a voice over doesn't pay as much as being on camera. BET saves a lot of money using Cita. Also it got pretty nasty going to the dark skin/light skin thing. Everyone has had their own experiences, now as for judging someone for who they want to be with is also DEAD WRONG. I can't believe I read on this board that someone believes that some black men date "unattractive" white women to "lighten" their family tree. Who is anyone to judge how that man sees that woman. You may see an ugly, pale piece of flab but that may be the love of his life. The only person that keeps him going, the only thing he has to look forward to. And to just attribute it to her skin tone, what a sad and disrespectful world we live in. I am disappointed.

Everyone has already said everything that I think about Cita. She is not a positive representation of African-Americans and BET would never hire a person to act like that, so why use animation. BET stopped being a positive force in the black community a long time ago. And since it was recently sold to Viacom, I don't expect anything to change.
Back to Cita. She is definitely not for young audiences. I agree she can be funny. But, it's adult humor for those who know better. If the show was on at 11:00 at night, I wouldn't have such a problem with it. Adults who like it can watch it, those who don't can change the channel. But, it comes on in the early afternoon, right after school gets out. I hate to think that young girls are watching this and thinking that is the way that you should act.
I had to respond because I feel very strongly about the issue of Cita and BET in general. I wish I had known about Greek Chat a year ago when this topic was started.

Let me just begin by saying that although I don't whole-heartedly agree with each of you I do understand your point of view.

One point that I'd like to stress in the whole light-skin/dark-skin issue is that, WE (as in African -Americans) bring entirely too much attention to this issue. WE make more difference btwn OUR people than others. Just as the sister pointed out that Rachael isn't even fully black. Since when did you have to have 100% black blood to be considered black! I distinctly recall the 1/16 rule. Besides it is my belief that life originated in Africa therefore we are all of African decent, even if our Caucasian brothers and sisters don't admit it. As they say "the truth shall set you free".
Anyway I never noticed that light/dark thing on Martin and really dont see the connection.
Yes, I have encountered racism in my lifetime and I find it ironic that I was mostly called out by my so called brothers and sisters! WE are the first ones to point out that someone is soooo dark or soooo light. It's like WE are color struck our dayum selves. I am all too familiar with blacks who think someone is cute to be so dark or so light. It's just like the "N" word. You can't expect others to step up and become "politically correct" if WE aren't.
BET has had dark-skinned vj's, anchors, etc. in the past. Donnie Simpson from Video Soul, the sister who hosted Tavis' show after his dismissal (she's been with the station for quite a while, although her name escapes me now), Joe Clair( orginial host of RAP CITY, Tiffany from INY, Free on 106&Park, Vanessa Bell Calloway from OH Drama!(the only intelligent host on the show, I might add)
Yes I acknowledge that there is racism within the media, television & Hollywood, however WE must acknowledge the part WE contribute to it .
Now back to the issue of CITA. I think she is an absolute disgrace and does a dis-service to the African-American Woman. She is insulting. From her loud a$$, foul mouth, her hoochie outfits to her off the wall advice to viewers letters. I fear that a young woman would look towards her as a role model for lack of guidance in the home. BET should pull her from the air. Unfortunately there are too many people that find her funny enough to support the show and keep her on the air. I have written BET in the past and I am strongly considering doing it again. There are some who feel that all of us are over reacting and that its just sheer comedy. All I can say is, they have the right to their opinions as I do mine.

By the way, I think Cita is the animated version of Kim Whitley from Oh Drama.(I can't stand her ignorant a$$)just my .10 cents (ten cents because I am a dime! of course , he he he)


------------------
"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful"

When da EAST is in da house....Oh my GOD!!!! DANGER!

[This message has been edited by OhSoPrettyNikki (edited June 06, 2001).]