OPINION: An Open Letter To BET
June 29, 2009
Dear Debra Lee,
Sunday night’s BET Awards show was a disgrace. It’s sad and unfortunate that your network, owned by Viacom, continues to crank out mediocrity and perpetuate negative stereotypes of black men, women, and children. Although you likely received high ratings for the awards show, there is no honor in reinforcing the status quo’s opinion of black people. Your tribute to Michael Jackson and the overall show had its great moments, however, BET failed to deliver a solid, quality show. Rather than “raising the bar” and presenting African-Americans as a creative, proud, dignified people, BET lowered the bar for the entire world to see. The BET Awards drew a huge audience to watch a tribute to Michael Jackson, but left millions of viewers feeling disappointed, embarrassed, and reduced to classic stereotypes.
During the most blatantly sexist performances of the night, the executives at BET failed to act and display intelligence, courage, and leadership. Show executives watched, approved, and applauded as artists Lil’ Wayne, Drake, and Cash Money brought young, under-aged girls onto the stage to dance and serve as window dressing while they performed “Every Girl,” a song that reduces girls and women to sex objects. In a culture where one out of four girls and women are either raped or sexually assaulted – and where manipulative men routinely traffic vulnerable women into the sex industry – it is not okay that BET allowed this to happen. BET owes its entire audience – particularly girls and women around the world – an apology for its failure to intervene. BET should also take immediate steps to ensure that this kind of sexist performance does not happen again. Sunday night’s show epitomizes why so many black people worldwide are fed up with BET and feel strongly that your network inaccurately represents black men and women.
Please take my letter and criticism as one that represents millions.
Sincerely,
Byron Hurt
www.bhurt.com
Famous Gay African-Americans
Comments
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faze_one7-9-2009 5:22 pm
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slice_87067-3-2009 11:19 pm
« Previous 1 2 3The Bet Award Show was Crap!!. The World Watched as lil Wayne Jumped around like a fool. I don’t care How Hott He supposed to be right now. He could have Pulled up his freakin Pants up. I don’t even allow my Children to watch BET anymore. We only watched Because of the so called tribute to Mr Michael J. Jackson.
TVONE is so much better..It showcase our people in a better way…
To ease the guilt of the crap they (BET) gives “our community” (even though they are owned by “the man -lol”)The awards show attempted to showcase the people in our community that are being positive and doing something to better their lives and our community. Though they only had less than a minute to be honored and were not allowed to speak, BET execs must have fel they did soemthing positive.
I despise BET, can’t stand the shows, and darn sure don’t watch the videos. I watch the awrad show because it’s one of the few out there showcasing our community. But again they have left me with a bad taste in my mouth and having to question “WTF is wrong with my people?”
Ms. Debra Lee when you watch the anticis of the celebrities you all place on the show are you proud? Or do you shake your head in horror of what your network and bosses are portraying our people to represent?
BET did an ok job honoring MJ. They had very little time to put it together. Most disappointed in production manager or who ever made the decision to allow 10 and 12 year old girls on the stage while Weezy, Cash Money and Drake were on the stage sing about doing it to women all over the world. I said to my daughter… “Where are those girls momma’s” then to find out that two of the young ladies was Lil Waynes daughters and Tiny’s Daughter. Shame Shame Shame. Lil Wayne is smart he is not stupid. Why don’t people think about what they are doing;. Weezy is this the only way you can find time to spend with your daughter? Sick Sick
I totally agree we need to hold BET accountable for the mess they put on TV.
How long will it take for the majority of us to realize that BET is not in the best interest of African Americans. Since this was sold, it has continued to go downhill and not fulfill the wishes of what it means to be African American in the United States.
First and Foremost, We in this Community of African Americans ( I have to embrace two side because o my heritage), must come to grips with the fact that it is our Dollar that controls what is place on this channel. It is our Neilsen which allows for it to move forward.
If enough of us get together we can make this Entertainment genre understand that we support it, but only under the watchful eye that it portray African Americans truly in a positive light. Only then, can we make a difference to those young people coming in behind us.
The BET awards were flat out terrible…But they didn’t let me down…I mean seriously why are ppl so surprised by the lack of moral structure and celebrities…So, Lil’ Wayne performed a explicit crappie song and every word had to bleeped out…BIG DEAL…he is the hottest rapper out right now…BET would be fools not to showcase him…Nothing is going to change when it seems like its getting worse…The name of the game is ratings and BET scored…Not even a well written letter can change that…But hey what do I know I’m just a small city nobody from Nebraska
The only part of the show that was a bit out of control was when Jamie made references to his p***s by calling it a “BOA” a “BOA CONSTRICTOR”. They had to “bleep” so many lyrics to Lil Wayne’s song, that perhaps he should have just performed something else.
OKAY WOW PPL LISTEN….. BET AWARDS WAS BORING BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING TO MUCH 4 MJ….. ALL THEY HAD TO GO WAS DO THE SHOW THAT WAS PLANNED AND MAD A BIG TRIBURE @ THA END …….. AS FAS AWA LIL WAYNE HE DIDNT DO ANYTHIING WRONG BUT BRING HIS LIL GIRL ON STAGE AND HER FRIENDS THATS ALL….. WHY ARE PPL MAKING SUCH A BIG DEAL OUT OF STUFF…….
MANY MANY PEOPLE AT B. E. T, .NEEDS TO FIND ANOTHER JOB.ESPCIALLY (DEB) SHE EMBARRASS THE WHOLE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.. REMOVE HER NOW.( MJ )DESERVE BETTER THEN WHAT THEY GAVE..PLEASE REMOVE ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT AWARD SHOW PLEASE PLEASE.. BET NEEDS A REAL MAKEOVER..TAKE ALL THOSE SHOWS OFF THE AIR TODAY
i lost respect 4 BET way back.. n now using lil gurls as bait 4 grown men. wut a shame! lil wayne is a super’hoe not a superstar. having 2 pregnant women? wtf… how can u admire such distruction?
Da last good BET Awards was in 2001 when Whitney Houston was da winner of da lifetime achievement award, it has gotten worse year-by-year! Obviously Deb needs da money by showcasing this hip-hop music for da kids! Its gotten really bad and out-of-hand. Thank GOD for TV One, i let BET go many years ago.
boondocks tried to warn you but nooooooooooo lol
naw im playing, but for real was it that bad i missed it due to work
The show was a bunch of crap. BET needed to be ashamed of themselves.
I don’t watch BET but I did this week because of Michael Jackson. The show was disappointing and somewhat sad. I expected so much more. What is wrong with expecting the very best! My mother never told me to be on my best behavior because white people are around she said be on your best behavior because she raised me that way! We as people need to have standards and values; it has nothing to do with another race. I conduct myself like gentleman because that is how I was raised and I don’t know any other way to act. Hopefully for the people that watch BET the station will get sold to someone else who will improve the quality of the programming. The channel has really hit rock bottom.
ohh who gives a fcuk . The show was good. I mean it could have been better like some of the performances but they changed the whole show within a couple days… oh well
PPl are just upset because they know white ppl were watching the show due to MJ’s death.. You know what they say, be on your best behavior when master is watching. Ive seen Young money preform this song on MTV and it wasnt any difference from the way they preformed on BET..F**k every girl is not a number one song because men listen to it, WOMEN IN THE CLUBS AND PARTIES LOVE THIS SONG! Women are Drake fans more so than men