“The Closer” is dividing critics and fans of epoch-defining comedian, Dave Chappelle.
An “equal opportunity offender” for most of his career, the widely recognized GOAT in Stand-Up has spent a considerable portion of his last four Netflix specials either commenting/joking about trans issues or defending himself against criticisms by members of the trans community.
For most of his career, Chappelle has focused his observational humor on racism and his experience as a Black man in a very White nation. His early jokes were rich with cutting truths that laid bare the hypocrisies and evils of a country whose initial prosperity sprang from slavery.
With wit and satire, The Chappelle Show helped an entire generation of all races think and even laugh about the poison of racism. Dave’s experience as a Black man made his art personal, authentic, and believable. He could say shocking things with impunity because he owned the experience he was presenting.
With “The Closer,” Chappelle seems to be pleading his case more than simply trying to entertain. He is wondering aloud how the trans movement has gained so much traction and influence while Black Civil Rights movements from MLK all the way to BLM still struggles. He posits that Civil Rights leaders in the 60s had to make real, sometimes mortal sacrifices for change while today’s social Justice warriors mostly form woke Twitter mobs to cancel their opposition and wear “pussy hats” to raise awareness for their cause (neither being very effective).
He has some valid points within these comedic jabs, and if he is to be taken in good faith, perhaps there is much to be learned. The idea of “roasting” someone or something is to ridicule, exaggerate, and criticize every single possible weakness so that when the subject survives the lambasting, they are much stronger, maybe even invulnerable. Roasting is an exercise in building thicker skin.
If Dave is truly an ally (this seems up for debate), then the LGBTQ+ community would do well to take his jokes deeper than face value and try to use them to become stronger, maybe even laughing them off like all of Chappelle’s other targets that must do the same to enjoy his humor.
But, in this latest Netflix special, I can’t help but notice a seeming personal stake that Chappelle has in not just making jokes, but condemning those who have condemned him. It seems personal.
Everyone wants to believe they are “the good guy.” But a champion for justice and truth would not pick unworthy targets, right? A powerful mechanism of Comedy is how it maintains the status quo by ridiculing the outliers of society. The majority doesn’t like something about a minority, so a joke could be used to point out that difference in a mocking way and make the majority feel comfortable in their bigotry or ignorance. It’s a very regressive use of comedy and one Chappelle would probably never wish (intentionally) to use…
But perhaps that is exactly what he has been doing to the trans community for four Netflix specials now. And when they tell him they are victims and not worthy of this ridicule for all they have endured, Dave doubles down. He now believes *he* is *their* victim (or at least people he admires like Kevin Hart and DaBaby).
Perhaps the blind spot in Dave Chappelle’s hubris is that his success comes from speaking on his personal experience against injustice and hypocrisy that affected him. Audiences gained universal truth from his subjective experience because he eloquently captured and criticized them with the highest degree of wit.
White people were commonly a target of Chappelle’s most stinging accusations, but they heralded the comedian. Perhaps, deep down, they agreed with him and recognized the work still needing to be done in regards to race relations.
The trans community is not taking their abuse as kindly (for the most part – I have seen some positive reviews while scouring google, Reddit, and Twitter).
This vitriol from members of the trans community means either they have some growth needed to embrace the ridicule we are all subjected to when we have a place at the table, or maybe Dave is really doing more damage than he wants to acknowledge or believe. He ended his special saying something to the effect of, “I’m done telling trans jokes until y’all can handle it.”
Imagine if a White comedian tried to represent Black issues like Chappelle has? It would seem a bit out of place. Chappelle ridicules White people because he has felt antagonized by many Whites. He ridicules Black people because he has lived the Black experience. It doesn’t seem like Dave has any credible connection to the trans community apart from his friend, Daphne, that gives him authenticity in his use of the subject for humor.
Maybe these trans jokes should be told by the “Dave Chappelle of trans comedians” instead.
While seemingly gaining a small step in the right direction for America with the verdict of the Derek Chauvin trial, another African American gets shot by the police. Her name was Ma’Khia Bryant.
Officers are sworn to protect and serve, but often they show up, shoot, and another person dies. The officer’s bodycam shows that there only seemed to be mere seconds to make a decision when he sees what appears to be a knife in one girl’s hand attempting to stab another person. It was in those seconds that the officer had to make a decision. I find myself asking a myriad of questions: was firing 4 shots at Ma’Khia necessary? Was the gun the only solution or would a taser have sufficed? Would the response have been different if it were two White girls fighting? And lastly, I find myself asking a rather disturbing question… Who is to blame?
Undoubtedly the police officer firing the 4 shots that claimed her life is the one who is at fault, yet I can’t seem to digest the fact that perhaps her death could have been prevented that day… before the police arrived.
The bodycam not only shows her final moments, but also other adults who were present and filming the fight as it was taking place. The video shows others filming the altercation and others cheering. Not one of them decided to intervene and it puzzles me as to why? When the arguing started, not one person stepped in. When it continued, no one stepped in. When the knife appears, no one stepped in. Instead, they reached for their cell phones. I cannot shake this disturbing fact that our society has become accustomed to doing nothing. We’d rather record these altercations and upload them for pure entertainment… all for just another “World Star” moment.
Capturing these abominable acts for entertainment is not too far removed from the lynching photography in the 1800s where photos of those lynched would be turned into souvenirs for those in attendance. All of this, in mockery of a life.
A girl lost her life yesterday and albeit harsh, I blame everyone in her community, not just the officer. I blame those adults who were filming for enjoyment. I blame the adults who seemingly cheered on the fight. I blame the adults for purposefully not intervening. The community failed her.
It isn’t until they are willing to acknowledge the inherent racism that is deep within their system that change can happen. Racism and the lack of trust between Black Americans and the police has to change. Accountability and reform need to happen. While the conviction of Derek Chauvin seemingly proved we were embarking on a path, the correct path, the death of Ma’Khia Bryant alongside others killed by police proves we have barely begun to scratch the surface of change in America.
America has to heal. We have to do better… we must do better.
Guilty. The one word that signified the end of a three-week trial. The trial of Derek Chauvin on the murder of George Floyd is one that encompasses the remnants of 401 years of inhumane treatment of Black lives in America. George Floyd’s death is reminiscent of that of Emmett Till; galvanizing a new generation of Civil Rights activists to open the eyes of the world to say yes, Black Lives Matter. That we are people too, but more than anything else, we are human.
This verdict did not come without some angst or doubt that a sliver of justice would be served. In the cases, of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Breonna Taylor, Philando Castile, Sandra Bland, and Eric Garner, where was the justice? It has been the Black experience that our lives remain insignificant to that of our counterparts in the eye of the police.
As we collectively breathe a sigh of relief now that we have a verdict, I cannot help but recognize that this euphoric feeling is only temporary. The verdict leaves me to beg the question, what happens next? What happens to the other officers involved? How will they be held accountable? Would there be new policies to include accountability among fellow officers? How will this change the way policing is done? For a system where ideologies of White Supremacy and racism are inherent, these changes needed to happen yesterday.
Police Training…
This verdict sets the tone for America to reevaluate policing.It would be wise to consider looking at the training of police forces in other countries, which results in fewer police shootings and murders. We say we need more training, yet it seems the issue is not the frequency, but the length of time, quality, and substance of the information given during training. Too many people of color have been victimized due to those inherent values, mediocre quality in training, and the lack of interest and investment in continual support of the mental health (other than passing a psychological exam) of police officers. It is apparent that the policies and training are far beyond inadequate and lacking.
There is so much work to be done, and it requires all of us to work together to bring about effective change. The only way to move is forward, all of us, together.
George Floyd’s death and the trial of Derek Chauvin will serve as a milestone in how far we have come as African-Americans. The verdict has a special place in our history’s timeline. Just as Emmet Till’s death sparked the Civil Rights Movement, George Floyd’s death is launching a new wave of activists; leading a new era when it comes to justice: accountability. We are nowhere near true justice, but the will and desire to seek and achieve it has become the goal.
This case will forever signify one simple truth that we all know; that we are people; that we are human, but most of all: BLACK LIVES MATTER
The Derek Chauvin verdict reveals the deep divide that remains in our country between races.
In a “post-racial” America (aka complete fiction for the foreseeable future), all citizens would look at the evidence and come to cold, rational, objective conclusions.
“These experts testified that the actions were not acceptable based on all current approved training and procedures. Thus, the latitude that being an officer of the law grants to the brave men and women who choose this dangerous profession is taken out of consideration. Consequently, this was a murder.”
There would be no talk of drugs in the victim’s system, insinuating a lesser person deserving of an unjust consequence.
There would be no talk of the angry or fearful White men with too much power having immunity from the consequences of his actions.
There would only be the facts (evidence), the presentation (the lawyers), and the conclusion (the jury). A decision would be made and it would ideally be very satisfactory for a large majority of the viewing audience *regardless of race.”
This person did something that constitutes murder from the definition that we have agreed upon in our collective society.
No larger context needed to pollute this very specific outcome:
“But if they convict this officer, then it means no police will ever be given the benefit of the doubt again.”
“But if he is not guilty, then police can act with impunity and continue to kill without due process.”
No. He is guilty or not guilty. Justice has prevailed to the best of its ability.
In the case of Derek Chauvin. He is guilty. Justice is served….
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Last night over dinner my eldest son, almost 8, asked me if Donald Trump had become rich by winning the lottery. Amused, I told him that Trump’s father was already a rich man when his son Donald started making his own money in business. He replied, “I think Trump’s father got rich by making TikTok videos or something similar.” I don’t know where my son got familiar with TikTok as no one in our family owns an account, and the anachronism was of course a good reason for my partner and I to have a good laugh, but then I started reflecting on my son’s vision of the world.
Two years ago, they didn’t know who Donald Trump was, and Covid-19 didn’t even exist. Since January 2020, these have been our main focuses, as we watched the news of the world and commented on both situations, in both cases appalled by what we heard and saw. We have since learnt how to keep a safe distance with other people, how to wear a mask correctly, how to wash our hands thoroughly. We have learnt that being a racist, a misogynist, a con man and a liar could make you, then destroy you. Or not exactly…
To be honest, the overrepresentation of Trump and his acolytes in the media was almost as much a sore as the literal toll Covid-19 was taking on humanity. Waiting shakily for the weekly update on the toll, the safety measures and closures, wondering whether schools would close again was, and still is, our daily lot. Comic relief came in the form of a character Shakespeare would not have disowned in this larger-than-life tragedy. How many times did I think I had heard it all, only to be contradicted the next day? I didn’t attempt to count, and I am glad I didn’t. Rather, I used Trump as a lesson to teach my sons about truth, respect, tolerance and fair-play. I told them they were growing up in a very special time, and they needed to remember that our planet defends itself against us sometimes, just as we defend ourselves against people like Donald Trump.
I watched, flabbergasted, as the Capitol rioters claimed to rescue their nation from the Big Bad Democrats. I watched as they invaded, threatened, broke, stole, and laughed. I watched as they made excuses for themselves claiming they were just doing what the President had enticed them to do, powerless as he was to fight against this newly born evil called defeat. I watched as the President himself failed to bear the consequences of his words, his acts and his lies. I was lucky enough to watch, instead of lying in a hospital bed attached to a ventilator. This, I told my sons, is how a dictator falls. This is how a nation realizes it must stand together stronger and reclaim what is their founding principle: justice and freedom for all. It didn’t take long for me to be disappointed. The decision to reject the impeachment of the now-former President of the United States is a political move, by no means justice. You may loathe or love the man, but you must recognize him for what he is, and has always been: a selfish, arrogant, and spoilt megalomaniac. Losing the election was only fair revenge considering the harm he did to the American people. The ultimate step was to acknowledge that he had behaved the same way as those leaders he admires so much. Impeaching him was the only way to tell the Americans they had been swindled, mistreated, and lied to. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” That we had to wait for it to happen –again— in the Land of the Free, couldn’t be more ironic.
If Biden, or anyone, wants to help fix this broken country, he must start with the people who claim they are dedicating their life to making it great. The fracture between Democrats and Republicans can heal, just like a broken bone, with reason and admission of guilt, not excuses. Fresh faces representing the USA’s multiculturalism will be needed to cement and reinforce the unity. Donald Trump shattered an already fragile skeleton, watched it crumble and danced onto its pieces. His failure to address the issues revolving around the pandemic contributed to his downfall, but the level of protection he benefits from is properly shameful. Aristotle’s assertion that all communities aim at some good only serves to highlight the decision-makers as prioritizing their own good at the cost of their country’s. We are witnessing a very special moment in history as the whole world is fighting a deadly virus. Since we have to rely on our governments to drive us through this crisis, now their time has come to shine, although making amends is sometimes the only way.
By refusing to impeach Donald Trump, the Republicans have lost the trust many Americans, but also world citizens, had in justice. Sadly, I presume they have also gained unconditional support from those who think that getting away with crime is proof of leadership and strength. I do believe there’s dignity to be found in acknowledging one’s mistakes before starting anew. Hopefully, my sons will grow up to see the USA stand again, proud to be free as a true democracy, and Donald Trump will never be on TikTok.
I’ve heard it all. Which, as a U.S. born Citizen… feels surreal. Out of my entire family, I am the first to be born in the United States, though my heritage and ancestry span continents.
Originally, my ancestors are from India’s northernmost region, Punjab, to be exact, but the story does not start from there, though.
No, the story begins with my ancestors integrating with the Greeks, the Romans, the Persians, the Afghanis, the Mongols, and essentially the multitudes of other ethnicities that dreamt of India’s wonders and sought to conquer, trade in it, or subjugate it.
With each new group, with each new conquest, and with each new age, my ancestors survived, thrived, and grew. In a time where there were no universal laws or rules, my bloodline prevailed. And through all this time, they paved the course of my path, the purpose of my being, to one day be here, sitting in this very chair, typing these words out for anyone to read and digest.
Through famine, war, disease, political intrigue, migration, poverty, wealth, my ancestors ensured I would be here one day.
In a land that would be alien to them, but to me, it is all I have ever known to be home.
Here in this nation –
I scraped my knees for the first time, rollerblading.
I played handball in the public parks against the bigger boys.
I saw scobby-doo and sang along to its theme song E.V.E.R.Y. T.I.M.E.
I enjoyed my first pop-song – NSYNC
I had my first school detention
My first beat up after school.
My first fish, turtle, bird, dog, and now cat pet
My first best friend
My first kiss
My first love
My first heartbreak
My first Slurpee (My first brain freeze)
My first pizza
My first BaconEgg&Cheese
My first educational degree (Then my second first master’s degree)
My first credit card
My first job
My first paycheck
My first exposure to death
My first breakdown
My first sense of accomplishment…
You see, this country was my first for everything, as I was the first of my family to be born here. So when you tell me to go back to where I came from, where do you think that place is?
How could you know what it took, the sacrifices, the pain, the defeats, the victories, and the resilience and determination it took to ensure that I would be here one day?
They couldn’t know, but you, dear reader, you now know.
The next time someone decides to tell you to go back to where you came from, take a moment and realize you are everything your ancestors hoped, prayed, traveled, worked, fought, and died for to be here.
You are your bloodline’s greatest achievement.
And just like you, I am here to stay, to grow, to achieve, and to inspire.
Last year, the United States descended into pure chaos. Systemic racism was thriving and it resulted in several untimely deaths. All the while, we were ill-equipped to handle the pandemic that seized the world due to inadequate leadership. So many civil uprisings, rallies, and rioting for change that was long overdue. Now, after the election in November 2021 is looking to be the start of that change.
When Biden and Harris won the election, I sighed with relief. While they might not be my number one pick for president and vice president, I think that they can get the ball rolling for the United States to improve for all of its people.
For some states it was time to elect new Senators, Georgia being one. What is so significant about Georgia is that it is a traditionally red state. It has been for a long time. And yet, for this election, Georgia flipped to blue, directly resulting in the White House, the Senate, and the House being blue.
The two new Senators, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, are not originally politicians. Ossoff was an investigative journalist and documentary film producer and Warnock a senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church. I believe that the more non-political people we elect into positions of power, the more likely legislature will be passed for all people due to the diversification of personal, academic, and professional experiences of the people in power.
Warnock is the first Black Senator of Georgia, and this can only mean great things moving forward for communities of color. He might be the catalyst for even more people of color obtaining positions in state and federal governments. While I’m not from Georgia nor do I live in Georgia, I am excited to see what Warnock will help make happen to address the racism that has been running rampant.
However, I think the short term implications are worth considering. With the diversification of the government, it has exacerbated the tyranny of President Trump and the radical actions of ‘the proud boys’.
On January 6th, an armed mob stormed the U.S. Capitol in retaliation to the federal government turning blue. This was an act of domestic terrorism and yet President Trump did nothing to get the mob to leave. He did nothing to ensure the sanctity of the White House. All he did was condone their actions and allow them the privilege of destroying government property. The only thing on my mind as I watched this on the news is how if this mob was predominantly people of color, they would be shot before they even made it to the lawn.
I saw on the news a few days later that the mob planned to attack not only the U.S. Capitol again, but also all fifty capitols in the United States. CNN also said that if President Trump was impeached before the inauguration on January 20th, they will attack. Of course, there were death threats towards Biden, Harris, and House representative Pelosi.
I don’t know if these threats are still a concern, especially now that the House has impeached President Trump for the second time. Yes, beautiful progress is being made, but I worry about whether there will be a safe transition of power, and about whether President Trump and his ‘proud boys’ will be held accountable for their transgressions.
While sitting at home attempting to enjoy a relaxing, quarantined birthday, my peaceful mood was shifted to disbelief by reports of White Supremacists storming the Capitol in an effort to overturn the election results. The danger of White Supremacist violence obviously shouldn’t be taken lightly, so I was nervous about how things would unfold and especially worried if Black people in D.C. would be safe. The Capitol being stormed was wild to me, but certain things that took place that day were predictable (yet still disappointing). Police handling the rioters with kid gloves wasn’t surprising since I’ve spent years being painfully aware of the double standard that exists when it comes to the way that law enforcement treats Black people vs. White people.It’s not lost on me that if the rioters were Black, we would’ve witnessed a massacre. It’s also predictable that politicians are calling for unity and healing without any accountability, which is a type of forgiveness and understanding that would’ve never been extended if that mob was full of Black people. A lack of accountability in this situation is a green light for increased White Supremacist violence, and more coup attempts, which worries me.
There’s another thing that I’m concerned about. A Wall Street Journal article I read on the 7th explained Joe Biden’s plans to pass a domestic terrorism law, which is concerning to me & other leftists, who know that this won’t stop White Supremacists like those who planned and executed the insurrection, but will be used against Black activists, socialists, etc. Plus, there are already existing laws that are meant to prevent these kinds of things from happening. Marginalized people will be disproportionately harmed by the creation of more laws, which is why more laws are not the answer.
Increased government surveillance is not the answer either. My concern is that our government may implement a Patriot Act 2.0. This idea is disturbing since The Patriot Act already had devastating effects, giving the government more unchecked power and expanding its’ ability to spy on its citizens, which is why we don’t need a repeat, especially when you consider that rioters planned the insurrection openly on social media forums and law enforcement did nothing.
In fact, the role that law enforcement played in the events is probably one of the best examples of why increased police funding will never be the answer. Not only did police basically open the doors for those storming the Capitol, waving them through barricades, taking selfies with them and escorting one of them down the steps, but many of those who participated were off duty police officers from across the country. The connection between White Supremacy and the institution of policing can no longer be ignored, and we can’t depend on police to protect us from the hate groups they’ve aligned with. Any increase in government surveillance or police funding is going to impact Black activists negatively. We’re already surveilled and over-policed by the state as it is. White Supremacy and fascism are the problems, not those fighting against it, and it has gone unchecked in the U.S. for far too long. The events at the Capitol were unfortunate, but there is an opportunity here for accountability. Unfortunately, there have already been attempts to conflate BLM protesters with those attacking the Capitol, and we need to ensure that the wrong people don’t end up facing the consequences.
Brooklyn Hospital was under siege during the first wave of the coronavirus outbreak in April. I live one block away from the Civil War era hospital. As ambulances raced through the empty streets, I could hear the echo of the sirens reverberate off of the buildings nearby.
The sirens wailed for weeks. To keep my mind occupied I had thrown myself into my work to preserve my sanity. From my brown upholstered chair in the corner of my apartment, I could hear every ambulance that passed by. At the sound of every siren, I could envision the darkness that was about to overtake the nation.
A tsunami of past traumas crashed into my mind as I recalled the lasting impacts of 9/11 on New York City, the country’s abysmal public healthcare system, and America’s world-renown legacy as one of the most viscously racist nations in the history of mankind.
I was defiant in my refusal to be mentally waterboarded by the sensationalism of the American media. Having already experienced NYC during 9/11, I already knew that the city was in dire straits in the years ahead. With the hourly increase in ambulance sirens and the death tally rising on my television screen, I clicked off the news media and turned up the volume of my soulful music collection.
In the weeks ahead, I dove into the business deals that I was working on and leaned heavily on my depression coping mechanisms. I was successfully navigating my way through murky mental waters until May when the recorded murders of two separate unarmed black men were released for the world to consume.
I sat there staring into the nothingness that I was feeling inside. Wondering yet again how America first contracted this disease of ruthless systemic racism. For a moment of relief, I imagined the scene from the television series Game of Thrones where the fictional character, Jorah Mormont, was inflicted with the disfiguring Grayscale skin disease by the exiled Stone Men. The disease of American systematic racism would reveal its hardened gray, scaly, scarred skin to us all in the midst of this devastating public health crisis.
(Silverbacks Note: Greetings from Amsterdam North! Frankly, it’s been difficult for me to write over the last several months. I began to find my stride in beginning to share my personal narrative with you in Music Is Life and Power of Love. I still have more to share on that basketball journey but it’s been tough to write from a negative headspace. As I attempt to find my roar again, I have been busy growing other aspects of the Soulful Silverback brand.
Since I last published a piece, we released the Silverback’s first reading mixtape on American racism titled “Chaining Day” (check out the fire album cover art here), we launched our first paid advertising marketing campaign (Oy! the comment section was divisive), we replenished the t-shirt inventory on the Silverbacks Shop (go cop some merch!) and registered the business as a company in the Netherlands (pretty dope, right?). More on this in the coming months.
It’s often been said that the pen is mightier than the sword. And y’all know I’m damn nice with my pen. This vignette is one of those occasions where I felt that I had to pick up my sword. Warning: parental advisory, colorful language in the words ahead.
Cheers,
P.S. – Click on the section hyperlinks to listen to the tunes.)
I sank deeper into the padding on the chair, deeper into thought, and was stunned by the intersectionality of this mounting crisis. I could taste the bitterness of America’s racist bitches brew hit the bumps on my palate.
It’s all of these nauseating miasmic ills mixing together: this nation’s continued bloodthirsty investment in the military-industrial complex; the amoral marriage of corporate profits to citizens’ healthcare; and the nation’s savage legacy of importing humans and legally classifying them and their offspring as non-persons.
These ingredients are America’s handcrafted recipe, her lasting legacy on the world stage, and her most lethal weapon; her bitches brew if you will. This concoction is so potent that Adolf Hitler was inspired by America’s centuries-long systemic performance that he commissioned the formula to be the foundation for his own deadly race laws.
During the last week in May, my phone began to vibrate as text messages from family, friends, and acquaintances from all over the world.
Big Nev! Just checking in on you. I wanted to make sure you’re good.
Hi my love, I wanted you to know that Mom is praying for you always.
Mate, how are you going? Crazy what’s happening in the States.
My initial feelings of being cared for were quickly switched to dread as I scrolled past a notification that Minneapolis law enforcement had killed an unarmed black man while in police custody. Given the flood of text messages, I instantaneously knew the visuals of the murder were likely to be devastating.
Just weeks before in early May, a cell phone recording was released of armed white men hunting and shooting a Black runner, Ahmuad Arbery, in the southern State of Georgia. In the chilling video, you can see Ahmad fleeing his attackers only to be cornered and shot dead in the street. His lifeless Black body lying facedown on the pavement in the southern breeze was an all too familiar image of the antebellum south.
Weeks later in late May, as more concerned text messages poured in, it only fortified my resolve to avoid the video of George Floyd’s execution until I was mentally prepared for the visuals. I continued reading the text messages.
How are you holding up Neville?
I can’t believe that this is happening. I am so sorry bro.
Hey Nev, be safe out there big fella! We’re worried about you.
As more and more concerned text messages from mostly white friends and acquaintances arrived, the more bewildered and enraged I became. The cushion beneath me was morphing a launchpad and I was beginning to rumble in anger. I wanted to lift off and explode in response to the text messages.
WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN AM I OK?! I LIVE MY LIFE WITH THIS EXISTENTIAL FEAR!! I EXPECT THIS BEHAVIOR FROM WHITE FOLKS. THE REAL QUESTION IS: ARE YOU FUCKING OK WITH WHAT YOU SAW?
Delete, delete, delete, you can’t respond with that I thought. These folks are concerned about you.
But it was too late, I had already been poisoned by the news of the day.
I needed to calm down and quiet the war going on inside. I put my phone down and went back to working on a large technology partnership with Jay-Z’s entertainment company, Roc Nation.
Eight months prior, I had delivered one of the most riveting and personal business pitches to the leadership team at Roc Nation. Jay-Z had once compared the technology industry and its lack of diversity, inclusion, and retention to Major League Baseball prior to integration on his song Legacy.
“We gon’ start a society within a society
That’s major, just like the Negro League
There was a time America wouldn’t let us ball
Those times are now back, just now called Afro-tech”
With rhymes like that, it wasn’t lost on me that I was a Black man selling technology to the company he founded. It was a proud moment in my career to stand at the plate in the sleek Roc Nation conference room and deliver a homerun presentation to win their technology business. Just like Jackie Robinson stealing home plate decades prior, I was able to exemplify that diversity, inclusion, and retention can benefit corporate profits when our talents are unshackled and enabled to flourish.
When I brought the deal to my company I was again confronted with the taste of America’s racist bitches brew. I scheduled a conference call to discuss the details of the pricing negotiation. Two of my white bosses were on the conference call and when I joined the call I overheard their conversation.
“This is why I don’t do business deals with any Roc Nation type of companies,” one White boss scoffed to the other.
“Oh no, the guy we are working with is a White guy,” the other white boss replied to his off-color comment. “He’s not Black.”
It’s tough to describe the complexity of my feelings on that conference call but you know that bathroom scene from the movie Trading Places?
There’s an important scene near the end of the movie.
During the scene, Billy Ray Valentine, the main character, is hiding in a nearby stall and overhears the details of brothers Randolph and Mortimer Duke’s nefarious experiment as they settle their infamous $1 wager in the bathroom.
I guess you could say that I felt like Billy Ray overhearing the Duke brothers’ conversation except these two knew I was present on the call. But it was too late, they had already exposed their diseased mindset about Black people.
I remained silent on the call as that all too familiar taste of casual cultural racism filled my throat like vomit. I wrestled internally as to whether I should have made a witty remark or let the exchange slide entirely.
I didn’t address the offensive exchange and focused on the task at hand. This was not the time for activism, so I brushed off the comments and forged ahead with the internal conversation.
Months later when the deal closed in June, one of those white bosses had the audacity to attempt to tie my success with Roc Nation to the timing of George Floyd’s murder.
“Seems like George Floyd’s death really helped us close this deal,” he said in a pleasurable tone.
“Don’t tie that man’s tragic execution to my success in this deal,” I bristled. “The two events are not correlated.”
I was confronted with the casual nature of cultural racism at every turn. The reality of Jay-Z’s sharp lyrics from The Story of O.J. came to mind and my mood was dampened.
“Light nigga, dark nigga, faux nigga, real nigga
Rich nigga, poor nigga, house nigga, field nigga
Still nigga, still nigga”
The Grayscale skin disease was spreading and taking its toll on my mental health.
It took me weeks but I finally mustered up the courage to watch the full 8:46 minutes of George Floyd’s execution.
Late one night around the midnight hour in early June, I turned off all of the lights and closed the shades to be in total darkness. I slipped into my bed and curled up under the covers for what I was about to see and experience. I took a deep inhale and pressed play on the YouTube video.
There had been so much talk of the recording that I was not surprised by the images on my screen. It was just as devastating as I had feared.
I had been conditioned to expect white Americans to treat Black bodies with excessive force. However, what struck me the most about this video was the defiant entitlement, comfort, and smugness on the face of the white officer as he pressed his knees deeper into the skin on George Floyd’s neck. You could see from the expression on the officer’s face that he was relishing every moment of the execution.
I COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS STILL HAPPENING WHILE THE PLANET IS BATTING A FUCKING DEADLY PANDEMIC AT A SCALE THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN IN OVER 100-YEARS! HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN WITH PEOPLE STANDING RIGHT THERE?
American racism was crafted so that the enslavement was intellectual, moral, and legal. American racism is the real Grayscale skin disease from fictitious television series – except its white folks that are the asymptomatic carriers and they have infected us all with this highly contagious disease that has been slowly destroying the nation.
This strain of racism may be as infectious as “Grayscale” but its impact is excruciatingly more real. Black folks in this nation have been suffering from our daily engagement with this disease-riddled system for centuries.
American racism and white supremacy rob white people of the experience of being fully human. This particularly evil brand of racism is a disease that white people need to be cured of. Throughout history, the experience of attaining an elevated or supreme position within one’s community is earned through the content of one’s character and not by the birthright of their skin color.
I could go on and on about this topic but I refuse. I’m so tired of this shit. I fucking hate writing about racism.
The reality is plain and simple for the world to now see: America is not a healthy environment for the overall wellbeing of Black Americans across all socioeconomic backgrounds.
Sadly, unlike the television series, there is no healing ointment or witches brew to cure us of this disease either. Not Samwell Tarley, not Joe Biden, or even Jesus Christ can apply a balm to our skin to heal us from this affliction. We are irrevocably disfigured as People because racism is codified into the nation’s governing documents, cultural norms, and workplaces.
Sipping on America’s piping hot brew is slowly killing me and I have to protect my future generations from grappling with these feelings of worthlessness and despair.
America’s demons will never release this nation from its clutches and I refuse to fight against the federal and cultural racism that will likely result in my dead body being tossed onto the already mountain-high pile of young, gifted, and Black bodies that have spoken out against injustice before me.
I had to finally give up on America and flee her borders for my physical safety, my mental sanity, and my future legacy.
It was time to put down the sword and apply a healing balm to my hardened gray skin before it was too late.
Writer Norman Lear created some awesome classics: “Good Times”, “Maude”, “One Day at A Time”, and more. But today, let’s focus on a particular show, “The Jeffersons.” The Jeffersons, a middle-class family based in New York, included George Jeffersons (Sherman Hemsley), Louise (Weezy) Jefferson (Isabell Sanford), and Lionel Jefferson (Michael Evans). The Jeffersons were neighbors to the Bunkers.
Norman Lear also created the controversial show “All in the Family” that ran for nine seasons (1971-1979), which was followed with a spin-off months later called “Archies Place” that last until 1983. “All in the Family”, starred Carroll O’Connor, Jean Stapleton, Sally Struthers, and Rob Reiner; Archie Bunker, his wife, daughter, and son-in-law.
Archie Bunker was a man that we can recognize even more in today’s political climate. Bunker was a racist, prejudice White man that believed the world was his oyster. He constantly argued with his wife and daughter and especially with his son-in-law Michael often called Meathead. But the larger conflict was with his neighbors, the Jeffersons, especially George Jefferson. Norman Lear made sure he addressed issues and forced conversations to take place in the 1970s-1980s that people never would talk about on the air.
As the show progressed, the Jeffersons move to the 12th floor of a Manhattan, New York 3bd room apartment known as Apt 12D. George Jefferson’s successful cleaners, Jefferson Cleaners, had multiple locations and was doing well… so well that his wife Louise no longer had to be a maid. The Jeffersons met their new neighbors The Willis’: Tom a successful book publisher, and his wife, Helen who came from an influential African-American family. Norman Lear kicked the episode off by addressing the Willis’ interracial marriage, the n-word, and the word honky. They concluded that episode by showing the Willis’ kissing each other which again inevitably forced America to have tough conversations.
Appearances were made by George’s mother, Mrs. Jefferson whose character had a major conflict with daughter-in-law Louise. Mrs. Jeffersons saw no wrong in her son. Even when Louise would rarely agree with her mother-in-law, Mrs. Jefferson would then disagree with her initial stance just to not agree with her. They brought on Florence Johnston (Marla Gibbs) as a part-time maid. The ratings were doing pretty well in the 70s. Zara Cully (Mother Jefferson) was diagnosed with a terminal illness and the cast knew their time with Zara would be short.
After the first season, Michael Evans (Lionel) went back to working on his show that he co-created “Good Times.” At the time, Marla Gibbs was working as a flight attendant at United Airlines while playing a part-time maid as Florence. To replace the void of Mother Jefferson; the producers decided to ask Marla Gibbs if she still worked for the airlines, which she said of course. Producers said I thought you quit and Marla Gibbs responded, “Why would I, you have not given me a reason to… unless there’s something you want to tell me.” The producer asked her how much was she getting paid to work at United Airlines? Once Gibbs told them her wages from the Airline; they agreed to pay her part-time wage with the show and pay her salary at the airlines. And Gibbs decided to leave the airlines and never regretted it. The show decided to write Florence in as a live-in maid.
The ratings were on a good path, but CBS decided to move the show multiple times to different time slots. Marla Gibbs said, “If you leave the show in one spot the people can find us.” Well, of course, CBS moving the popular show to different time slots impacted ratings and they dropped significantly. Sherman Hemsley pushed to get Black writers on the show. Norman Lear had done an amazing job creating the show but the writers were becoming out of touch. CBS was in the era of Knots Landing and Hotel & Dallas, and they wanted to silent the Black voice. When “The Jeffersons” hired more Black writers they hit topics like KKK and other important topics again and the show became funnier and the ratings went up to #1. Michael Evans returned to “The Jeffersons” as Lionel. I failed to mention that the second Lionel was played by Damon Evans (no relation to Michael). But Damon had never seen “The Jefferson” before when he got the job. Damon asked if he could watch some episodes so he can learn and get familiar with Lionel’s character, but he was told by producers to just create your own Lionel. That explains why their characters were completely different. They set Damon up for failure and he never really connected with the cast like Michael did.
A few things people may not know about The Jeffersons
1. Sherman Hemsley was an introvert and very shy and only opened up for the camera. He also was known as one of the kindest and giving persons. He would even buy lunch to feed other staff that he thought were not fed properly.
2. Isabel Sanford was the main character, not George. The show was about her life transcending from “All in the Family” to “The Jeffersons.” It is also why her name is first on the credits and she had the most lines
3. Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford did not get along with each other for a long time at the fault of Isabel.
4. Isabel Sanford & Zara Cully (Mother Jefferson) were really close in real life.
5. Ja’net Dubois (aka Willona Woods from Good Times) was not just the singer of The Jeffersons Theme song “Moving on Up”, but she was also the co-composer of the song with Jeff Barry.
6. The Jeffersons was on for 11 Seasons from 1975-1985. It is the 2nd longest-running African-American after Tyler Perry’s House of Payne. The Jeffersons was canceled with no big send-off like MASH. One of the most popular and groundbreaking shows during that era was literally just canceled. They were never notified properly. They found out the show was canceled by reading it in the newspaper.
The Power of Our Voice
For years CBS tried to control the voice of the Black Voice of “The Jeffersons”. The cast, along with Norman Lear and Sherman Hemsley, fought to have a voice and ratings only peaked when they had their own voice.
The power of Oprah Winfrey was proven when she bought Harpo Studio in Chicago. It’s one thing to have your own show, but it’s another to own the studio where you do your own show. The latter translates into major control over what you have and the power of your own voice.
If we own the studio we own you is the ideology and reality for many of our Black creatives and producers. The real fear was that if Oprah owned her own studio then one day she may own her own Network. Many years later, Tyler Perry was able to use his voice on a larger platform in a similar fashion. Although he doesn’t have his own Network, he owns his own studio; therefore, he controls the narrative of his work and has power over his voice.
Four years before The Jeffersons ended, Isabel Sanford became the second Black actress to win a Primetime Emmy Award and the first to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. After The Jeffersons ended, she played many roles on African-American shows such as “Living Single” & “The Fresh Prince”. Marla Gibbs starred in 227 and went on to play in many others roles on TV shows and movies. Sherman Hemsley starred in the TV show Amen and also played in many other roles, such as Martin & The Fresh Prince.
Most of the main cast has passed away with exception of Marla Gibbs and Berlinda Tolbert (Jenny Willis Jefferson). Sherman Hemsley, who helped so many people that took advantage of him, died alone in his modest home in El Palso, Texas in 2012 worth only $50,000. Nonetheless, TV history shows us that despite being disgracefully canceled, “The Jeffersons” voice and perspective created a bridge that made “The Cosby Show” possible in 1984. And the success of “The Cosby Show paved the way for “A Different World”, “Martin”, “Living Single”, “The Fresh Prince”, and so on. Wealthy African-American families dealing with and addressing real issues that impact them daily was much needed on the big screen during that time.
I am sure you are curious… what in the world is the point or the connection? The network gave “The Jeffersons” a chance because of Norman Lear, but as it succeeded CBS tried to muzzle and control their voice. However, because the cast fought for their voice there were many successful TV African-American family shows to follow. In 2020, the White House, Justice Department, US Congress, Supreme Court, state and local politicians alike, are doing everything in their power to muzzle and control our voices. Your VOTE is your voice. Just like “The Jeffersons”, if you have a voice it will speak for generations and open a bridge for others to follow in your footsteps. Do not let anyone steal, stop, or muzzle your voice. Control your narrative.
