Best Man Holiday Beats Expectations As A Win for 'Race Themed' Films

I found it funny how there were so many people who were "surprised" and "shocked" that the film "The Best Man Holiday" had done so well at the box office last weekend. It's as if the national media was shocked that so many black people came out to support a film where the main characters looked like them for a change. Then there was the USA Today article on "race-themed movies."

The article seemed innocuous enough, but the headline "'Holiday' nearly beats 'Thor' as race themed films soar," left me shaking my head. "Best Man Holiday" made over $30 million in its opening weekend, just behind "Thor" at $34 million, but where USA Today is wrong is labeling "Best Man Holiday" a race-themed film. Just because it's a film that features a predominately black cast doesn't make it anymore about race than the gluttony of films made up of all white casts that are never viewed as being about race.

Diversifying The American TV Family

A few weeks ago on the African-American themed cable station Centric, I came across a show by the name of "227" that piqued my interest.

"227" revolved around the daily lives and experiences of a middle class black family residing in 1980s Washington D.C. The show starred actress Marla Gibbs, who had achieved fame as the maid in "The Jeffersons." Also featured was a young Regina King in what would be her first substantive role in a long career. Then there was Jackee Harry, who is probably better known to my generation as the television mother to this famous set of twins.