We Got To Do Better

[jam]

I figured all the other shows had posts, so in an attempt to move beyond the tumultuous and controversial beginning of HGM,  I started this post so we can get into more conversation about the shows as they air.  peace people.

[bluezulu]

Sup jam (now that damn Teddy Riley and Guy song wont get out of my head) . I saw the first episode and it was ok. I will be checking out the next installment. 400s kill me when they finally latch on to something that black folks have known about for years and jump on it like it's the newest thing. Black folks been checking out Hot Ghetto Mess for years now. When I used to work with troubled youth and they would get out of controll one of the best methods I had to reel them back in was to hold up a mirror so that they could see how they looked in others eyes. I feel that is the point of you site and the show. Sometimes you have to go outside of yourself to see how you look to others. At least we have our own giving us the message. We get bent out of shape when others do it. Check on yall later after the show airs.

[bluezulu]

Hate to reply right after my last thread.

Tonight's episode was definitely a move in the right direction. I think the clips presented did a good job of conveying the wanted message. Charlie Murphy is improving but I still think that he still is worried about how the show comes off. I think he needs to jump into it hook line in sinker. Let the viewer get the message loud in clear based off of the material shown. Charlie needs to do what he does best. Look like he is going to kick your ass at any minute.  

Its a shame that the initial negative of this show probably hurt the initial buzz, but if we see steady improvements like tonight maybe it will be a sure fire hit.

[jefferson L.O.B. sergeant]

Well Jam, you kept your word about the second episode being better but I must admit it wasn't by much. The intro was perfect as the comedic clips served their purpose in pulling everyone in; the transition into the walk on the street was great as well.

I felt that after hooking the audience with the images that were indicative of what we see in so many music videos; that the walk on the street segment should've then been the basis for the rest of the show. The comments made by several of the interview subjects were more provocative than any of the clips you showed tonight. In fact, the father proudly stating that his young daughter "does that now" in reference to the dancing we see in videos was the most shocking moment of the program. Seeing a larger group of interview subjects, particularly younger Black men and women responding to the clips would've been very insightful.

I'll head over to your blog to see the potential fireworks.

[jam]

I appreciate your feedback and will keep in mind more focused man-on-the-street interviewees in the future.   I think that could work well.  Thanks.

[jefferson L.O.B. sergeant]

I thought it was provocative as well but the brevity lessened the impact. I think the remaining shows would be better with a general theme attached to them. In reference to violence, there are 2 youtube videos that would be perfect to base a whole episode or the majority thereof around.

They both involve violence with the subtext of Rap music. The first is with a rapper whose name is Joey Jihad( the last name is Jihad for sure), it is a very popular video of the rapper being set-up by the cameraman who is then knocked out and carjacked. It is so popular in fact that there are several parodies of it. The aftermath, as with so many acts of violence is less well known or focused upon. The man who KO's Jihad in the clip was murdered a week after the incident after being shot in the head at point blank range. Also. I believe the cameraman was murdered as well.

The second clip involves a freestyle battle where one party sucker punches the other, it is also very popular. The part that most people don't see during their laughter is that the victim reaches for a gun in his waist while he is falling. Again, the consequence of violence wasn't thought of because if the victim had his faculties he would've murdered the cheap shot artist.

[jam]

I thought it was provocative as well but the brevity lessened the impact. I think the remaining shows would be better with a general theme attached to them. In reference to violence, there are 2 youtube videos that would be perfect to base a whole episode or the majority thereof around.

They both involve violence with the subtext of Rap music. The first is with a rapper whose name is Joey Jihad( the last name is Jihad for sure), it is a very popular video of the rapper being set-up by the cameraman who is then knocked out and carjacked. It is so popular in fact that there are several parodies of it. The aftermath, as with so many acts of violence is less well known or focused upon. The man who KO's Jihad in the clip was murdered a week after the incident after being shot in the head at point blank range. Also. I believe the cameraman was murdered as well.

The second clip involves a freestyle battle where one party sucker punches the other, it is also very popular. The part that most people don't see during their laughter is that the victim reaches for a gun in his waist while he is falling. Again, the consequence of violence wasn't thought of because if the victim had his faculties he would've murdered the cheap shot artist.

Once again, very thoughtful comments and very useful feedback.  Unfortunately, the shows are locked so we cant add any clips at this point BUT i will jot them down and hopefully they can be utilized if we do another "season".  With this show, we are in the unique position of having a show without a known formula.  Sure  it has formulaic elements of clip shows and man-on-the-street interviews,  but to combine that with a clear message, try to be entertaining, try to give history and facts and statistics-- it has been a huge, amazing challenge and i am thankful for the opportunity to be involved in that.  Thats why your comments are so important.  This show has so much potential and, like every show, will take fine tuning elements and adding and subtracting and changing.  Thats how you evolve.

I hope BET sticks with the show and allows to reach its full potential.  And moreso, I hope it opens the door a crack for other out-of-the-mold programming .

[Mastrmynd]

i, too, hope 2 see more and more of this show.
there is no reason why this show couldn't last at least 5 seasons.
it can only get better and better with a lil' fine tuning.
i like it.
i get it.

i, too, want charlie murphy to stop lookin' like a deer in headlights.
blink brother, blink!

BE CHARLIE MURPHY!


I came for charlie murphy, i stayed for the man on the street commentaries.

and those gay guys are dumb as dirt.

[brotherkomrade]

The second was way better and I agree with J Sergeant  that the Street Walkin' stuff can be very powerful. The sections on gender issues was the sh*t!!
Here's an idea (and what may be a great strategy for getting a green light for a second season):
See if you guys can have a 'town meeting show' kind of like the reunion shows after certain reality series have run, and have members from the petition invited on as audience members and maybe panel members then do the same for those  who supported the show or those who have appeared and was impacted by it when they saw themselves.
This will create a dialogue and hopefully drive the message home even more.

Last thing: I loved Charlie Murphy when he was on Dave Chapelle and he was great doing the Hollywood Tales, but I think a live narrator for this show is unnecessary.

[jam]

The second was way better and I agree with J Sergeant  that the Street Walkin' stuff can be very powerful. The sections on gender issues was the sh*t!!
Here's an idea (and what may be a great strategy for getting a green light for a second season):
See if you guys can have a 'town meeting show' kind of like the reunion shows after certain reality series have run, and have members from the petition invited on as audience members and maybe panel members then do the same for those  who supported the show or those who have appeared and was impacted by it when they saw themselves.
This will create a dialogue and hopefully drive the message home even more.

Last thing: I loved Charlie Murphy when he was on Dave Chapelle and he was great doing the Hollywood Tales, but I think a live narrator for this show is unnecessary.

Without a host, do you have any suggestions as to how to give context to the clips?  One reason the host is useful is to give commentary on themes found in clips.  What we're about to see, what we just saw and why it is a disaster.  For example, this week he did a bit about violence ("we cant fight the power if we're too busy fighting each other"), and he does the commentaries at the end.  I thought the host was helpful in hitting you upside the head with the message for those that may want to tune in and simply laugh.  How do you think this could be accomplished without a host/narrator?  Would love to hear suggestions from those who vote for no-host.

Love the reunion idea.

[Cheirel]

I thought it was only me that Charlie was driving crazy. Bad Botox maybe?

[Mastrmynd]

i think he is just having a hard time reading the teleprompter.

[bluezulu]

Actually I think Charlie should do S.O.B. (a great show to btw) and D.L. should do We got to do better. D.L. made his mark in comedy talking about audience members. He like Don Rickles could do a whole show right off the dome jankin on audience members. At the same time D.L. is very political and can hold his own on shows like Political Incorrect. Next season switch them up or have D.L. do both. DL. can bring the humor and then bring it back around in the proper context.

[Mastrmynd]

ooooooooohhhhhhhhhh....

Good One, blue.

(i still think that someone is missin' out...especially comedy central.  "Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories" should have been greenlighted as soon as Dave Chappelle said he wasn't coming back.  That skit was a spinoff episode to me... it would have worked.)

But I digress... he continues to host We Got to Do better, i would love it if He'd tell personal "we got to do better" stories that he was a part of...and that story gets re-enacted.

hahahahha...comedy.

[jam]

LOL!  Thats actually a really funny idea....