Reading is Fundamental, B**ch!
June 27th, 2007This video aired at 1:00 p.m. EST this afternoon on BET’s new show, “The 5ive,” which promises to deliver “the five HOTTEST items you need to know about RIGHT NOW, like larger-than-life videogames, to-die-for Web sites, up-and-coming artists, video uploads to BET.com and cultural events, just to name a few.”
Falling in line with Yahoo’s “The 9″ and Vh1’s “Web Junk 20,” BET follows the latest formula to save money on programming, letting users provide the content while they provide a pretty face or a funny comedian to help you separate the web gems from just another “Christmas Box” parody.
“Read a Book” was written by Bomani “D’mite” Armah from Washington, DC who asserts, “I’m not a rapper, I’m a poet with a hip-hop style” on his Myspace page.
The show’s host, Alesha Renee, neglected to make mention of the man behind the magic and instead commented, “Wow, that Lil’ Jon…” at the end of the clip, as if to imply that the goblet-grabbing superproducer was responsible.
Thumbs down to the show’s producers, writers, and research team (maybe?) for making Ms. Renee look like yet another black woman whose job is only to stand next to the shiny thing.
Still, the video is enough to make you go “hmmm” or perhaps, “ROFLMFAO.” (See Urban Dictionary for the definition, if needed.)
Is it satire?
Is it even good satire?
How much credit does BET deserve for airing it, despite their lack of context?
Would you get a pair of those “BOOK” sweatpants?
Discuss. (If you’re at work, pop the headphones in.)
BY THE ANTIQUARY (purveyor of all internet gems)
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June 27th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
If anyone can tell me why this isn’t the best thing BET has aired all year (especially including last night’s Awards *yawn*), please feel free. Otherwise get my man to the front of the line for an NAACP Image Award.
June 27th, 2007 at 10:07 pm
To answer the Antiquary’s queries:
1. Not only is it satire, but it’s good satire that should make all of us laugh in that cringing, uncomfortable sort of way. It’s hilarious because it’s true.
2. As far as BET’s credit, I’m not sure they’re even in on the joke. But let’s say they get a +10, that only leaves them at about a -428938429 before they can break even.
3. No sweats for me thanks, but maybe now Juicy can get a run for its money.
June 27th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
+10? Not so sure.
The only reason I came across it was in flipping the channels. And of course, I had to pause when I saw the rumpshaking. It didn’t take long for me to figure that it was satire, but at 1PM if you replace me with a youngster that’s just in his house hanging out because it’s summer, 1) maybe I’m not so sharp to catch the satire and 2) their lack of context doesn’t help at all.
I say +6 for BET and +100 for any company who will actually produce some BOOK sweatpants, and donate the proceeds to the United Negro College Fund.
June 28th, 2007 at 7:16 am
+6 - 5 = +1 to BET because I doubt anyone there has yet realized how powerful a message this could have been if only the host had a clue or even worse that the cartoon is a critique of them as well.
Most kids may not “get it” but + 250 to any youth I hear chant “R-E-A-D A BO-OK” this summer.
+500 to me if 50 cent co-opts this and begins to chant “Yo’ body needs water, so drink that Sh*t” as a Vitamin Water promo.
- 500 to any company/person who starts making “BOOK” sweatpants. “BOOK” sweatpants could still look like one were wearing sweatpants with the word “BOOTY” on them.
June 28th, 2007 at 7:46 am
From an entertainment point of view this clip gets two thumbs up. It is definitely satire but how many of us would see it as such right away? Instead most people would overlook the very intent of the production and see only the entertainment aspect. This therefore undermines the effectiveness of the satire…Seeing this video clip I can assure, will not lead someone to change their outlook on reading and taking care of their kids.
I say BET deserves + 10…at best
July 17th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Wow, I definitely see it as satire, and I hope I understand all of the intended implications, but I feel that the ones most influenced by hip hop and music videos (basically anyone under the age of 20, I feel) are the ones that will overlook the satire. Remember the fry that chicken/fried chicken song? Yeah. Most of the kids I knew couldn’t understand that it wasn’t supposed to be merely humorous.
No sweatpants for me… No male looking at the word “Book” on my sweatpants is going to have the idea of reading a book pop into his mind… well… maybe it depends on the type of “book”…
No points for BET. They need to take off those new shows, Baldwin Hills, Hot Ghetto Mess, etc. before they can earn points in my book. The satirical stuff isn’t working… Maybe the constant portrayal of positive images would be more efficient than ineffective satire… I mean… it took me a long while to fully understand satire when I was in high school…