Rod and Karen are joined by comedian Brandon Collins of Drunk Black History to discuss his upcoming Juneteenth show, people warming up to Black history, leaning into having a Black audience, how the pandemic has changed interviews, returning to in person events, Disney’s diversity on display, official fired for disrespecting Black woman’s title, Wisconsin teacher resign over slavery assignment, Justin Bieber’s dreadlocks are back, cat lady stealing, Make-A-Wish embezzler, man pays child support in pennies and sword ratchetness.
Guest Website: DrunkBlackHistory.com
Twitter: @rodimusprime @SayDatAgain @TBGWT
Instagram: @TheBlackGuyWhoTips
Email: theblackguywhotips@gmail.com
Blog: www.theblackguywhotips.com
Voice Mail: 704-557-0186
RE: that City Council story, I’ve always felt like you’ve got to get somebody like Tom Cruise got buddy to admit that he ordered the Code Red, in order to get most white people to stipulate that something is racist.
I just turned 50 this year so my television viewing consisted of old
movies from the 20s 30s 40s and 50s and it was either black erasure,
that racism was the exception and not the norm, (like when they do
period pieces and the main female character is always a feminist)
which I feel is more traumatic because it’s gaslighting…. Then we
jump to the 60s 70s and ’80s where it’s more black erasure or they
have that token black friend that’s just the stereotype. There has
been black art, it may not have been as popular but it’s been there
and that’s how we got black exploitation, where we were heroes even in
the ghetto, but our story wasn’t fully told …. Whether the stories
were about us being pimps, hoes, drug dealers or that one kid in the
whole getto that actually graduated high school and / or college these
stories have been told and they’re filled with black trauma….
Eventually we got to the ’90s and the 2000s where we were
professionals and now that we were ashamed of where we came from or
the fight that we had to go through to get where we are…. I
understand these shows aren’t for everyone but no show is, instead of
trying to destroy something we can respectfully disagree and let all
the flowers grow instead of just the ones we like.
BrowniePoints
Hi Rod and Karen,
Thanks for a great episode as usual. I greatly appreciated the discussion around white envy and insecurity. White folks do not see us as human or fully-formed humans, so they are always “shocked” when we are smart and successful and wounded when we are smarter and more successful than they are. Success and brains are equated with whiteness. The older I get, the more I think there really is no hope for them as many are entrenched in the idea that racism doesn’t exist while they simultaneously do the Nestea plunge into racism and white primacy while also acting oblivious to how soaking wet they are after dunking themselves repeatedly.
I also felt that story about the slavery curriculum. I remember sitting in my Catholic school classroom and one of my classmates actually turned to me and asked if I “would’ve liked being a slave”? He was serious, I told him no and asked if he would’ve like to be a slave. He didn’t answer, but turned around, and looked like he was really pondering what I had just told him-like his world was falling apart. I can only imagine what he was being told at home. Not that I care about his feeling, but it was interesting to see how he was struggling with the reality he saw at school (smart Black kids on the Maximum Honor roll) and what he was being taught.
White people (and Shameik Moore) are walking around today thinking slavery wasn’t that bad and that racism happened a long time ago with no lasting effects on or benefits for anyone. My mother told me about her white psychologist colleague who confronted one of his colleagues. My mom’s colleague was hosting a dinner party and this white guest just went on a vicious rant about how Black people would be better off had they remained slaves. Everyone was shocked and speechless. A few days after the party, my mom’s colleague (who was upset with himself for not kicking the guy out right then and there during the party-that white self-preservation kicked in) told the dude to come over to his house. He then told him he couldn’t come back ever after saying that vile crap and also questioned him about how he could come to the conclusion that slavery was a good thing. This happened maybe about 3 years ago.
I am so grateful that we have more of a voice and that Black art and Black programming are more accessible. You can tell it’s working a bit because these folks are running scared and crying about they are being erased and seen as the enemy. The reaction and pushback to the racist divisions they purposefully and carefully constructed are not what causes the division. I wonder if these people are so stupid to believe that or if they are just trying to escape what they know is the truth. The fact that that kid asked me the question has me thinking that at least some of them are stupid enough to believe it. I mean they eagerly gobble up the lies about George Washington and cherry trees. He didn’t even really know his dad. We definitely need these programs because as much as I know there is so much I don’t know. I too bought into the lie that Washington had wooden teeth. It didn’t sound right when I heard it as a kid, but I believed it. I should have known he was using the teeth of enslaved people over and over again. Well, I have rambled on too much. Thanks for bringing us insightful and entertaining discussions. Y’all are doing God’s work.