Aaron McGruder Isn't The Problem

I've never met Aaron McGruder, but I suspect he's a kindred spirit: a guy who doesn't really seek to offend, but questions whether he's doing his job well when he hasn't offended anyone. Of course, this is most evident by his crowning achievement, The Boondocks, the satirical saga of two inner city kids sent to live with their grandfather in the suburbs. The show was simply hilarious in its good moments and, in its greatest moments, turned on a floodlight aimed directly at Black America's laundry hamper, usually held steady by Huey Freeman, part Charlie Brown/part Eldridge Cleaver. The resulting feedback was mostly outstanding (except for the final season) but received choice words from the likes of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Tyler Perry.

Sharpton was offended by McGruder's "Return of the King" episode in which Martin Luther King Jr. returned to tell contemporary Black America to get its shit together in an epic dress down that rivals Alec Baldwin's speech in Glengary Glen Ross. Prior to his rant, Toon King had been labeled a traitor, accused of sympathizing with terrorism and even had his cause co-opted by top 20 mainstream radio. Dr. King was in marches that were met with hoses, dogs and violence....so this was a walk in the park when you think about it. Allegedly, he was put off by Fictional King's use of an "N" word my editor won't let me use over at Black Nerd Problems (because advertisers and shit). CartoonThatIsn'tActuallyMartin Luther King used the "N" word 16 times in an episode about the civil rights movement. Django Unchained, a movie about slavery, used the same word exactly 115 times. Oddly enough, there's been no comment from Sharpton.

Then, there was the time Tyler Perry and his disciples fans had a bone to pick with the show about some social commentary made in the show's third season. "Pause" was an episode in which Granddad auditioned for a stage play directed by Winston Jerome, a cross-dressing Perry analog who used Christianity as his own personal cult. Madea was less than pleased.

Since then, The Boondock's final season, sans McGruder, has been met with somewhat dismal reception from an audience who either left with the show's creator or stayed and decided the magic has gone.

And now, there's Black Jesus, a live action Adult Swim series about a slightly ratchet incarnation of Jesus Christ himself, living in Compton. I won't bother giving some detailed review because there's a perfectly good one at BNP already. As far as production quality goes, it's exactly what you would expect from the creators network that brought you Loiter Squad. The primetime satire isn't looking to be high brow humor by any stretch of the imagination. It's moderately funny and blatantly geared towards snatching up the laughter of post grad stoners. It's already garned some criticism of its premise and execution being somehow sacreligious and offensive although reviewers seem to get the joke. But let's be honest here. What's the problem? The obviously religious theme? When examined closely, the show is really more Pineapple Express than Dogma, so that can't be it. The language? The show isn't anymore vulgar than McGruder's previous work.

The Son of God spreading peace and love amongst the masses while his detractors and disbelievers wait in the wings to expedite his failure? Well, that happened in the "source material" so they can't possibly be mad about that. Jesus is also accompanied by friends who help him when they can, some of which don't have his best interest in mind and might occasionally co-opt him for their own purposes? Again, pretty close to the original so that probably isn't the issue. So, really, what's the whining about?

If you ask me (not that anyone did), the problem might be a little closer to home for McGruder's naysayers. Much like Boondocks' version of MLK, Black Jesus is the window, the fresh eyes we're asked to view our world and, specifically, ourselves. McGruder's satire, even in its lightest, punch pulling format, is the stranger on the street that hears your conversation and asks, "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" MLK was characterized as a man who never asked to be revered, but challenged those around him, black or white, to ascend to their better selves. The only thing truly offensive was the reception. Even then, is it THAT farfetched to think that, a crusader for social justice in the era of internet comment sections might be chastised, ridiculed, ignored and co-opted by mainstream America? In its thin moments of true social commentary (an athiest cop, an ornery landlord, agnostic gangbangers), Black Jesus isn't making fun of the Judeo-Christian faith or its lord and savior. More than anything, it's McGruder's chin check to those he perceives as paying lip service to their beliefs. McGruder uses prominent figures to make a point, but the point made in the end is rarely the result of the figure as much as it is through the figures' followers. Dr. King finally getting fed up, wondering if it was all worth it? Maybe, maybe not. Some of the people who claim to revere him turning everything he stood for into shameless self promotion and buffonery. That sounds about right (I'm looking at you, Jesse Jackson).

In the digital age, when the internet allows humans to view themselves through self-made avatars in place of taking a real look at themselves and calling "shenanigans," if you're mad at a television show for it's depiction of your "resolve"....if you're angrier about the person doing the pointing than you are at what he's pointing at, guess what? Black Jesus isn't the problem. Cartoon Martin Luther King isn't the problem. Aaron McGruder isn't the problem. You are.

Leading From Nowhere

Preface: This is a slight detour from my usual content that I don't usually take because I don't want to alienate readers, but after some things I've seen, heard and read the past few weeks, this needs to be said. I'll be back to just pissing off nerds next week.

So, I was having a discussion a while back in one of the comic forums I'm in. In the midst of the rumor mill behind the production and casting in Man of Steel 2: Steel Harder, the internet has casted everyone from Denzel Washington to the Rock as Green Lantern (whom we're not even completely sure is going to make an appearance in this movie, by the way). Most of these rumors are the made-up, wishful thinking of nerd blogs, but the ongoing trend is that people seemed to be really into the idea of John Stewart, a Green Lantern of color. At first, I dismissed this trend as fans wanting DC's cinematic universe to distance itself as far from Ryan Reynolds and Movie Hal Jordan as possible. Not completely unreasonable. I could not care which Green Lantern they use if they use one at all. I've learned that casting news and press releases don't drive me nearly as crazy as it drives my nerd brethren. I also thought about the long-standing, underlying call for more black superheroes to take their place in the forefront in comic book culture (even though Wesley Snipes pretty much BECAME Blade in the collective consciousness and Samuel L. Jackson IS Nick Fury to such a degree that Marvel killed White Nick Fury, who'd been around in the comics for 50 years).

Then, I found myself thinking about it a little more. I came home from the day job as the Golden Globes was taking place. Now, I don't actually watch award shows simply because, 90% of the time I'm not terribly invested in any of the shows or films nominated. However, I DO glance at my news feed on Facebook periodically. It's not just the fact that the sheer outrage at black nominees not winning a particular award borderlined on the kind of zealotry that could even throw a Texan like myself for a loop (given the fact that church and football are like cash crops here). But it's the fact that people are so disappointed at their prize fighter not winning, it brings them to hate the people that did win like Jennifer Lawrence, who, to my mind, hasn't done anything harmful to anyone aside from maybe being in X-Men: First Class. I didn't quite understand the fanaticism. After all, it's not just rhetoric when they say you should be happy just to be nominated. Granted, wanting to win is an unavoidable part of the human condition and, yeah, prestigious accolades do seem to allow actors to bag big roles. However, in this case, being "Golden Globe Award nominated Kerry Washington or Lupita Nyong'o" will probably work just as well as being "Golden Globe Award winning Kerry Washington or Lupita Nyong'o." So, why all the outrage?

Then, I turned on the television a while later to see that the news cycle was practically making an internet meme out of Seattle Seahawks cornerback, Richard Sherman, who, in the process of beating his chest during post game coverage, scared the living shit out of Erin Andrews . As a result of his (sort of understandable) outburst, a few media outlets took to using the word "thug" to describe his on-camera behavior. And the internet, the community, the universe....fucking LOST IT. On one hand, an athlete taunting another athlete after winning a very important game does NOT constitute as "thug" behavior. Does it make him a bit of a dick? Sure, but that can be excused considering he just won a very important game and no self-respecting news outlet should have characterized him the way they did. I mean, let's be honest...I freak the fuck out when I get home from the store and find out that I saved money because the cashier forgot to charge me for my beer. This guy clinched his team's spot in the Super Goddamned Bowl with an epic play that will be talked about for years to come. Also, this isn't really anything new. The Seahawks' secondary has talked so much utterly reckless shit to EVERYONE all season, they may as well be the Floyd Mayweather of professional football.

On the other hand, the countless articles and op-eds lionizing this kid? Bill Maher comparing him to Muhammad Ali? The community (by the way, I am absolutely talking about the African American community...my community) putting this kid on their backs like a dead Russell Crowe at the end of Gladiator? Why? Don't get me wrong. I'm excited for the kid getting endorsements and his team getting their chance to go on to the big show and (personal prediction) get crushed by Peyton Manning, but let's put this in the proper context. Ali stood up against the Vietnam War. Richard Sherman stood up for the greater good of Richard Sherman.

So, why the big deal? Why all the sociopolitical theater? Movie stars, jocks and comic book characters....when did these things become THIS important in black culture? I've always been a little lenient on Hollywood and comic culture giving us black heroes because, as far as I'm concerned, black people already have heroes. Why do I give a shit if Santa Claus is black when Amiri Fucking Baraka was?

Then, it hit me. We superimpose ourselves onto these people, celebrities and larger than life fictional archetypes to build Black Nation up because, now that I think about it, Black Nation is running short on leaders, aren't we? Let's take a good, honest look at the state of things.

We just lost Nelson Mandela and Amiri Baraka. With all due affection for Barack Obama, he has said several times that being President of an entire country doesn't allow him the time nor privilege nor leeway from conservatives to single out civil rights as a cause and he's not entirely wrong. As long as we're ALL in bad shape socially and financially, that has to be the leader of the country's primary focus. And those from the early days of the Civil Rights movement....well, I'm not going to say they're a bit off base, but I WILL say that Al Sharpton is a talk show host.

It's safe to say that I myself have gotten old enough to consider myself a member of a generation that is immensely hard on the generation behind me as far as their resolve in combating racism, but I'm also here to admit that the absence of leadership and isn't entirely their fault. (Because I must clearly hate myself) I was flipping channels, came across The Real Housewives of SomethingOrAnother and decided to keep it there a few minutes. In the duration, a woman, who I was later informed is the granddaughter of Hosea Williams, sincerely thought the Underground Railroad was--I shit you not--an ACTUAL TRAIN. I'm not particularly looking down on Porsha Williams. I am, however, sorely disappointed in those around her in the course of her upbringing. It really does take a village to raise any one child. And her village failed her.

I want it to be clear that I'm not shooting slugs at pop culture or current trends. I enjoy Scandal and football just as much as the next person. I say that to tell you....in fact, this whole post has been to tell you that any movement, any democracy and any group that feels unrepresented ONLY benefits from being well informed. If the youth behind you don't know (what we so affectionately refer to as) "our story"....it's because YOU didn't tell it properly and enforce that it be remembered. Improving any people's way of life doesn't come from going on CNN, telling the to pull their pants up and throw their trash away (I'm looking at you, Don Lemon). It doesn't come from condescending from telling women that what they do with their vaginas knocks their race two steps back (I am absolutely looking at you, "Dr" Boyce Watkins). It comes from knowing who came before them and what they sacrificed for the freedoms you have now. It comes from knowledge. With that knowledge comes pride in their lineage and with that pride comes a lust to preserve it unencumbered by journalist drama queens and bloggers and (becoming) old men like myself telling them what's what. Maybe then, we won't have to wonder why Storm from the X-Men doesn't have her own show or why Mister Terrific's book didn't last a year (probably because it was shitty) or why Kerry Washington didn't win a Golden Globe. Then again, I could be wrong.