We Got To Do Better

[Curtis Metcalf]

You know, I don't mind Charlie so much as the material. IMHO, you got to do better on the narration scripts. I see you're hammering the message home in the narration bits but it needs to be funny. And it needs to have a consistent viewpoint with some integrity. The tsk, tsk stance just doesn't quite do it for me. I think it needs more ridicule and less scorn. But mostly more humor.

[Mastrmynd]

thanks luv.

i'm creativity is runnin' kinda high lately.
i'm in the zone... man, i gotta do somethin' about my 9 to 5! 

[jam]

You know, I don't mind Charlie so much as the material. IMHO, you got to do better on the narration scripts. I see you're hammering the message home in the narration bits but it needs to be funny. And it needs to have a consistent viewpoint with some integrity. The tsk, tsk stance just doesn't quite do it for me. I think it needs more ridicule and less scorn. But mostly more humor.

I appreciate your comment and I'm curious as to why you think the scripts should be funnier or it needs more humor?  The thinking was that we didnt want the message to get lost in a laughfest.  Especially when so many clips can be considered humorous on some level (even if they're sad and awful).  We were trying to strike a balance between that and a message.  I was trying to recreate the feeling you get with the website, where you may laugh but its really not funny.  Which is really a challenge as a writer.  But your point is well taken.  There is always roomf or improvement but it was a conscious choice not to go with a solely comedic feel between segments.   

[brotherkomrade]

Jam,

You have no idea how refreshing it is to have this sort of dialogue with someone who is responsible for TV and web content such as yourself. You are correct that the clips need some sort of context, but maybe with less emphasis than what CM is doing or directed to do. Don't get me wong, I love Charlie Murphy and he is a talented comedian. I would also love it if he had his own show doing what he did on the Dave Chapelle show with the Hollywood stories.

But I'd say, maybe do voice overs instead and have someone who has a more wry or cynical view point. Wendell B. Harris of Chameleon Street comes to mind or a female voice like Somemore's (sp).

[jam]

I totally agree!! It is so nice to have a dialogue with someone who has watched and listened and evaluated and has formed thoughtful, insightful opinions on what they see.  If people only realized that exchanges like this is the only way we improve.  I will definitely take your comments into consideration.  The show was cast pretty late after the scripts were done so tailoring the scripts to the talent was a challenge.  But its one those growing pains of a show's first season.  Now that we see what works and what doesn't we can start to make adjustments.  I am also a big fan of the wry, cynical viewpoint.

Perhaps it would be cool if the producers and writers of other shows come on and talk to you guys.  You all have some great ideas.

[Curtis Metcalf]

You know, I don't mind Charlie so much as the material. IMHO, you got to do better on the narration scripts. I see you're hammering the message home in the narration bits but it needs to be funny. And it needs to have a consistent viewpoint with some integrity. The tsk, tsk stance just doesn't quite do it for me. I think it needs more ridicule and less scorn. But mostly more humor.

I appreciate your comment and I'm curious as to why you think the scripts should be funnier or it needs more humor?  The thinking was that we didnt want the message to get lost in a laughfest.  Especially when so many clips can be considered humorous on some level (even if they're sad and awful).  We were trying to strike a balance between that and a message.  I was trying to recreate the feeling you get with the website, where you may laugh but its really not funny.  Which is really a challenge as a writer.  But your point is well taken.  There is always room for improvement but it was a conscious choice not to go with a solely comedic feel between segments.   

I do appreciate the challenge of striking the right balance. When I say more humor, I mean mixing in good-natured humor that does not look down upon or heap scorn on the messes being portrayed (no matter how richly they may deserve it).  It's like jonin' on somebody. It needs to be funny and ridiculing, but not so mean that folks want to fight.  Done well, the message will be reinforced with good jokes.  The risk of the "serious message" approach is that it can come off as preaching down to the po' ignant fools (how many different ways can you say, "We got to do better").  Humor can do it more obliquely and more effectively, IMHO.  Gotta do it with love though. Try to channel the late, great Robin Harris. Even Farrakhan's got jokes sometimes.

BTW, just because something is tragic doesn't mean it can't be funny too, i.e. tragicomic. Black folks know something about that. The ultimate blues line according to BB King:
"Nobody loves me but my momma, and maybe she's jivin' too."

Thanks for listening and good luck with the show.

[jefferson L.O.B. sergeant]

Obviously, Charlie is having flashbacks from that beatdown him and Eddie gave to Rick James over that couch.

[jefferson L.O.B. sergeant]

Obviously, Charlie is having flashbacks from that beatdown him and Eddie gave to Rick James over that couch.

I take this back. After watching the press conference with Mel B and Gloria Allred, Charlie was thinking 17%, 17& !@##$$%^ percent, I told Eddie to be careful!

[Cheirel]

How embarrasing is Eddie of a dead beat babydaddy? He actually could have been on Maury that aint mine and hell nah I'm not paying child support. Good lookin' out.  Now that is some hot ghetto mess

[jefferson L.O.B. sergeant]

Let me get this out of the way; somebody, anybody, get Charlie Murphy some damn shades please!. I am going to see those eyes in my sleep if this continues. Tonight's show was better than the last as it seemed to incorporate the street walk segments as a great transition from the clips. I thought a moment was lost to have a theme about imagery in the Black community as the stripper, pimp and sports commentary seemed to tie into the superficial nature of much of our existence.

I know the episodes are locked but I am looking for an end of the season special to discuss everything that has transpired around the show.

[jefferson L.O.B. sergeant]

Tonights show maintained the quality of the program but it still fell short by not focusing on a hot button topic. The segment on Church/Religion was ripe with potential for an entire episode or 2 at least. Hopefully the show is picked up and we can see theme shows with an emphasis on street walking.

[Mastrmynd]

oh man... that white dude fell into the trap.
hahahhahah...

i didnt feel bad... i was just like...oh dayam...who is he gonna get his foot out of his mouth.

oops. wrong show.

Hot ghetto mess was good, too.

[Mastrmynd]

Season Finale at 10:30pm.

Hey Powers-that-be, I need to see more of this show.
Please do not let me wait until next summer to see a new season.

Do it like Survivor and show two seasons a year... and can we get more than 6 episodes?

About 10-13 would make me happy.

 

[Vic Vega]

Fairly evenhanded, (but behind the curve as usual for them) article on We Got To Do Better by the Village Voice appeared last week, IRRC.

In case anybody's intrested read it here:

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0734,hilliard,77584,6.html

[Battle]

From the Village Voice article:

Meanwhile, more new shows are on the way. If Gina McCauley and Rainbow/PUSH didn't like We Got to Do Better, they're going to loathe BUFU. An animated sketch-comedy series debuting this fall, the show is hosted by former MADtv actor Orlando Jones. In one clip, a sketch called "Who Needs They Ass Whopped?", a thirteen-year-old mother, with kids in tow, is a contestant on a game show. Her goal is to listen to three men and find out which one is telling the truth about being a good-for-nothing baby daddy. The contestants include an NBA player who can barely speak properly, a smooth playa dressed in a suit, and a European ballplayer who doesn't speak English. Social commentary on the decline of the black family structure? Yes. Slightly offensive? Indeed. Funny? Absolutely.


BUFU?!   Orlando Jones?   uh Oh! Already I'm smiling!