BET's New Show - Hot Ghetto Mess
 

Hi all,

I am not sure if a thread on this has already been started. If it has, Mods, I do apologize, but I just received this from another Soror and I felt compelled to share. This is CRAZY. If you don't know, one of the shows in BET's new line up is entitled, "Hot Ghetto Mess." I saw the previews for it and bottom line, it is absolutely degrading and amounts to nothing more than a minstrel show (in kind to Flavour of Love, I love New York and the like). While I occasionally watch BET (Celebration of Gospel, and other uplifting shows), I am, in light of this new show, vowing not to continue my viewership until they remove this show from the line up. It saddens me that a station that was once the primary medium by which our people were uplifted and informed has fallen to perpetuating the very stereotypes we try everyday to dispel.

A petition to remove the show has been started. If you see fit, please sign and forward to others.

http://www.petitiononline.com/stpghtto/

is this a TV version of the website? kinda like how TMZ is turning into a tv show?

i'm thinking it is a tv version.

i am all for laughing at people. it doesnt matter what race or age or background they are. this, to me, can reflect negatively on us, unless they put other races in the show. from what i can see, its black only.

Shame on BET
 

I was listening to the radio yesterday and BET claims the whole reason of the show is not to make fun of black people but to hold a mirror up the face of the black community. PUULEEEZE!!!!

I too will not watch BET until this mess is off the line-up. I'm not sure what's going on over there at BET but can you please get it together. I used to love BET and watching Donnie Simpson, but this is too much.:mad::eek::(

I was listening to the radio station in Atlanta, and I heard the same thing. They also stated it has nothing at all to do with the website.

Wait so the show that holds a mirror up to the black community is entitled "Hot Ghetto Mess" and no one at the network thinks anything is wrong with that?

Uh-huh.

Someone in another thread posted a link to an article about companies pulling thier ads from HGM airtime.

SMH.....SMH:(

Well that is good!! I was quite frankly appauled that they would even think to create such a show. And if it is a way to make us look at ourselves, why entitle it Hot Ghetto Mess. . .call is something else . . . Like A Look Inside . . or Bad reflections or something that doesn't by the title perpetuate stereotypes. BOO HISS BET!!!!!

The is the only reason I kinda like Baldwin Hills. The show is not very interesting (kids go to party, kids dancing, girl thinks boy is cute, boy thinks girl is cute), but it is not like Flavor of Love so I approve!

at least on FOL there were other races to judge. that show just had a bunch of hoes and hookers. they werent BLACK hoes and hookers...as long as everything is spread out equally, i could care less.

Yeah I see what you are saying, I guess on FOL and Charm School certain ones stuck out the MOST and I was like :mad:

what? the black girls stuck out on Charm School? i dont believe it...lmao!

---------> to the corner:D

Sistagreek, get out of my head! :p My sentiments exactly. And if we want to 'hold a mirror up' I would think the show would focus on our economic development (or lack thereof at times), housing woes, the need for strong parenting and education.

Shows like this make it easier for 'others' to feel that they can constantly make generalizations for the black community and use language and keep alive stereotypes that degrade our people.

I move that the creative director and all BET exec supporters of this show be forced into psychotherapy analysis. Something HAS to be wrong with them if they thought this was OK.

well BET's subtitle is "We got to do better", I remember they were asking for folks to send in vids and pics of ghetto things for the show (back in Feb.), the site creator said the same thing BET said about looking in a mirror to learn how to better the community...I of course, ain't buying it...and don't think the show (though I thought it was a one time thing), will work to do that

why are they claiming it is not affiliated with the site when they were recruiting it had the site as the sponsor..I also heard about sponsors removing themselves, I think one of them was State Farm Insurance

Regardless of the intent, which IMO is highly suspect, the mess doesn't even need to be on. There is a preview clip http://www.jumpoff.tv/thejumpoff.php...ctid=490688445, that is from Crunk and Disorderly. I mean do we really more booty shaking on T.V., that's already what they are anyway.

Besides this show, they can get rid of 106& Park as well. That show and the hosts are beyond wack.

B.E.T. and Debra Lee definetly need to UPGRADE!!

Oh, this show is a big issue over on our National message board. What amazes me is how out of touch the people at BET obviously are with the "ghetto" community, Black or otherwise. I grew up in such an environment and trust me (and I'm not talking about everyone), there are people who do things that are a hot ghetto mess because they really don't know no better and have no shame. They will simply watch the show and laugh at themselves, in fact they will think it's cute to act in such a way. So all of that talk about holding a mirror up to these people...huh, most could care less. I can't believe BET is trying to feed us that bullcrap.

I am happy that sponsors are pulling out of the show:D. The only two that I have heard so far are Home Depot and State Farm Ins. Hopefully others will follow.

ok, does this translate to us? How many of us hit the website on the regular and clown at the ridiculousity (<--made up word-of-the-day) of what we see?

I think it's laudable to take (or in this case, support) a moral stand. But how do "WE" take it to the next level?

to me it boils down to this.

what are the chances a racist person will take the time out to log on to BET.com and laugh at black people?

now what are the chances that while channel surfing, a person runs across a show that depicts us acting like complete fools?

i'm pretty sure we all like to laugh at ourselves, but why make it so easily accessible for those who want to laugh at us, and not with us?

i read about this yesterday: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070711/...ot_ghetto_mess

creating a HGM TV show when the website has been around for years is like buying sand at a store and then bringing it to the beach.

rather, i'm not buying milk when i've been getting it for free. especially when it don't even taste good.

from what i just read BET calls the show "a blend of tough love and social commentary."

uh, we all know what a hot ghetto mess looks like. even before the phrase was "official"...

and i also dont need a brand new show about black hairstyles and bad hip hop clothing. thats what a BARBERSHOP is for, all i have to do is drive downtown and sit at the BUS STOP for ten minutes. i can call my family members who live in the south. i can probably Google "bad black hairstyles" and get my fill...hell i live in a black city, it isnt that hard.

I would be really interested in finding out more about this. I have hated BET for YEARS, but I have yet to find a way to make my absolute loathing "official" other than by not watching it.

What do we do? Write to cable tv providers who host the channel? Any other ideas? Online petitions do.not.change.anything. so I would be really interested in brainstorming ideas to encourage change at this shameful excuse for a channel.

This show is the last straw for me, it really is.

chiming in
 

if any of you have seen the website hotghettomess then you will see where the "we gotta do better" mantra comes from. personally, its all a crock of s***. the author of the site has pictures of every ghetto-fied ignoramus with a computer and a camera phone. then she has a link to 'positive' images of black people to imply that "we have to do better". when i was prego with my son and on bedrest i came across her on judge judy. somebody sued the owner of HGM. the dude didnt win his case, but the owner's justification was that it wasn't offensive or derogatory but the shed light..blah blah blah.

the fact that blackexplotation network has a show on this does not surprise me. to show gospel music on sunday and contrast it with credit card sliding coons is indicative of the hot mess that BET has been and will always be. the fact that state farm and home depot have pulled their ads is a good thing. im not jumping for joy but it makes sense. state farm is supporting the 50 million pound challenge along with other groups. it would not be a good look to have them supporting HGM.

none of us should be surprised by anything BET does. they have been doing it for years. when hudlin came on board, i recall saying on i think the alpha's board that i will reserve my comments but i was hoping he would be a positive addition. i see that i am wrong. BET is being ruled by their parent company VIACOM so we should not expect anything but a more 'ethnic' version of the crap MTV puts out.

just my 2 cents.

THAT IS CLASSIC! :D That is what I am calling it from now on! Thanks!

I TOTALLY agree!!!

I don't see how BET can claim that this show is not based on the site when their ads explicitly states "You've seen the site, now watch the show", and they also use the site's tag line "We got to do better".

I stopped watching BET a long time ago. I am so disappointed with Debra Lee and the Hudlin Brothers or whoever is over programming over there.

Did anybody catch "Hell Date"? I was flipping channels and saw a midget dressed like the devil and I stopped to see WTF was going on and low and behold it was yet another crazy show the BET executives thought was quality Black Entertainment. The gist of the show is that a couple goes out on a blind date, but one person doesn't know that they are on a date from "hell" and will be subjected to several crazy scenarios throughout the course of the date. At the end of the "hell date" when things are just too crazy to believe, a midget devil comes out and announces that they are on a "hell date" and the joke is on them.

:eek: WHAT is this world coming to? I have heard it all!!

ive seen Hell Date as well...it was kinda funny until the midget popped out...just cant seem to figure why the devil had to be a midget.

I agree...I didn't get the midget connection. Maybe they thought having the devil as a midget would add to the amusement of it all...who knows.

The acting could be better also. The guy in the first scenario wasn't believable to me. When old girl kept showing up where they were, he didn't play it off well to me. The "prankee" (I know that is not a word) had me cracking up with her responses though, and when old girl pulled on her while they were doing Tai Chi, I thought she was going to lay her out!

The second scenario was a little more believable to me. The mom and the daughter were decent actresses, however, when the little girl hauled off and said, "Will you be my daddy?" and kept harassing the poor gentleman, I thought for sure that he would know that it was some sort of joke.

i saw the hell date with the pretty freak and her "twin sister"...umm, hello. twin doesnt mean identical...

i enjoy some trashy tv every once in a while like most people, but it just seems to me that everything BET puts on these days isnt worth much at all...dont even get me started on that soft core porn at midnight...the after hours videos or something? i had to forbid my man to watch that mess!

Exactly!

to be more specific
 

BLACK EXPLOITATION TELEVISION :D

Yup Yup, since Viacom bought out BET circa 02 you could see the change in programming they started to put on. The documentary "Hip Hop: beyond Beats and rhymes" exlplained it further...no surprise "BET Uncut" came about that time, and "Teen Summit" went out the window. It is also not a surprise that they are airing reruns of Girlfriends, The Parkers, etc. all shows who belonged to a VIACOM owned channel.

YUPPERS
 

with the bad is the good. i think its OK for black shows to be shown on BET/TV-ONE. i just wish that the bleckexploitation television would just get it together.

http://luc.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2217965088

here's a group on folks against BET's current programming, i would post the links they have of a former BET producer...but eh it's all in the group :cool:

July 13th, 2007 | Author: Aliya EwingHipHopDX has heard exclusively from an insider very close to Charlie Murphy, that due to the uproar over the negative depiction of Black people, his new show "Hot Ghetto Mess" lost the majority of its sponsors and will be pulled from BET's lineup. "He's really messed up over it," our source tells us, "this backlash (after the Don Imus incident) is outta control."

"Hot Ghetto Mess" combines viewer-submitted home videos and "man-on-the-street" style interviews that BET claims are intended to challenge and inspire viewers "to improve themselves and their communities."
"Is my goal to discuss these issues in a format and context that makes people who don't watch the channel comfortable or do it in a way that engages the 18- to 34-year-old viewer and makes them really think about these things?" Reginald Hudlin, BET entertainment president, told the Hollywood Reporter.

Critics of the show have slammed the idea of HGM saying that it exploits the Black community, and that there are much more constructive ways to attempt to "improve their communities" than to showcase ignorance and stupidity. Numerous online petitions have sprouted up in an attempt to halt the show's release.

Earlier this week BET confirmed that some sponsors asked to be removed from the show but declined to specify the companies involved.
Our source recognizes that while some of the content on BET (and "Hot Ghetto Mess" for that matter) is not a "positive" influence for society; he whole-heartedly believes in everyone's right to free speech. "It's not about taking shows like this off of the air," he says, "It's about finding a balance." Our source then went on to say, "BET had a great balance in the beginning; so no one complained…they just need to get back to that... (but) if you don't like it, then don't watch it....but it shouldn't be taken off of the air just because some people don't want to see

This just in...
 

Here's what Reginald Hudlin has to say (:rolleyes:):

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070716/...ot_ghetto_mess

Blah Blah Blah, Reg. I think BET needs to be included on the Hot Ghetto Mess website. It's best to examine yourself before you begin looking at others and telling them how to get their sh*t together...;)

WOMP WOMP Reginald or whatever his name is. He is full of crap. I like a little trashy tv myself but this is just too much and I won't be watching.

that's the truth!