April 12, 2024 • 41 mins
News Anchors Bri Wood and Morgyn Wood join Host Ramses Ja to discuss the biggest news stories of the week.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's been another busy news week and we like to
review the major stories of the week here on the
Black Information Network. Today, we are joined by Black Information
Network news anchors Morgan Wood and Brewood to discuss this
week's major stories. This is the Black Information Network Daily
Podcast and I'm your host, ramses Jah. All right, Morgan,
(00:20):
welcome back to the show. How have you been since
we last spoke?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
And things are great? Glad to be back. Ramseys all right,
all right.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
And bre always a wonderful time when you're on the
show as well. How have you been?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Thank you? Hello, I'm doing very well.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Thank you fantastic And I know we got a lot
to cover today too, so let's get right to it.
Burst up. Oh you know what, even when he's not
in a courtroom fighting the numerous cases against him, Donald
Trump still seems to find a way to make headlines.
This week was no different, as the former president decided
to compare himself to an iconic black leader for this
(00:57):
second time. Breathe, let's start with you, tell us more
on this story, and then Morgen Merega, come you next.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
I did cover this in our national news as well,
and it's just very interesting His perspective on why he
would bring up Mandela. So, of course former President Donald
Trump again drawing a comparison between himself and anti apartheid activist,
statesman and the first president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela,
who is iconic by the way, And the comments were
(01:24):
made on April sixth, and he suggested Trump I'm talking
about that he wouldn't mind going to jail for violating
a gag order in his upcoming New York hush money trial.
So this post was made on his personal platform Truth
Social and he stated, quote, I will gladly become a
modern day Nelson Mandela.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
It will be my great honor end quote.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
So if you know most of us know, Mandela spent
twenty seven years in prison, but his incarceration was a
result of his commitment to fighting against racial segregation and
in justice happening in South Africa. And so Mandela was
released in nineteen ninety, a big turning point in South
Africa's history, leading to the negotiations that ended apartheid. So
it's not quite the same thing as the circumstances Donald
(02:08):
Trump is dealing with. But as you mentioned, this is
not the first time he's made a parallel between him and.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Mandela.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
In October of twenty twenty three, he did link himself
to Mandela while discussing all of the lawsuits that he
has going on right now. So the context for this
latest remark, it's lying in the accusations against Trump for
his alleged faking documents to conceal some hush money that
he made allegedly payments to an adult film star named
(02:38):
Stormy Daniels who's been doing her own press run.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
I've even seen her on the View.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
I think she's released a book and it's just weeks
before the twenty sixteen election that she says this incident
happened with former President Trump. So he's currently facing thirty
four counts of falsifying business documents and his trial is
scheduled to begin really soon on April fifteenth. So basically,
he's just saying he's, you know, being persecuted in the
(03:05):
press or something that he claims never happened.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Sure, Morgan, let's get your thoughts.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yes, I absolutely agree with what Brie is saying. There's
a major difference between Amandalla. The charge is there, but
all jokes aside. Trump will be the very first US
president facing criminal charges. So we are definitely in an
unprecedented time and honestly think the whole world will be
watching how our legal system handles the situation. And to
(03:35):
your point, Brie, his trial is set to begin on Monday,
April fifteenth, ironically enough, Tax Day, and this happens or
this comes just as a New York Appellate court judge
has denied Trump and his legal team three times within
(03:55):
three days to their attempt to push the trial back.
The only way I see him getting out of this
right now is if he you know, fires his legal
team and you know again requests for you know, more
time to prepare. But other than that, it's it's really
you know, grab your popcorn and let's see what happens.
And then I doubt twenty seven years from now we'll
(04:18):
be saying that, you know, we'll be lining Mandela up
with Trump.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
So just to say that, you know, yeah, it doesn't
compare at all.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Yeah, not at all. Now, there is something to be
said in this. In no way is a defense of
Donald Trump. I would never do that, but I have
to be fair. I have to say that our idea
of criminal behavior and activity is really influenced by our culture, politics,
(04:51):
you know, our experiences and part of the world in
which we live, right, and that again shapes laws. And
you know, Donald Trump is on trial for it's a
criminal trial this time in addition to all of the
civil stuff and all the rest of that. But this
(05:12):
is a criminal trial. So again, our laws are dictated
and defined by you know, culture, since you know that
sort of thing. And Nelson Mandela was a criminal too,
technically speaking. Indeed, I think it's stated quite often that
(05:33):
he wasn't removed from the US terrorist list until twenty thirteen,
and I think that was just before his ninetieth birthday. Right,
So this, you know, fantastic, phenomenal world leader, this celebrated individual,
this champion of freedom, was still on the US terrorist
watch list as an eighty nine year old man, almost
(05:56):
ninety year old man. Right. So technically speaking, criminality is criminality, right.
But morality, morals, I think, is where you find the
biggest distinction between Nelson Mandela and Donald Trump, which is
why this is a headline in the first place, because
(06:16):
we can look at Nelson Mandela and say, okay, technically
that he qualified as a criminal. You know, Martin Luther
King famously has been arrested a bunch of times, you know,
for criminal activity. Speeding ticket is criminal activity, you know, technically.
But I think that those of us that look at
(06:37):
this headline and say and hold our head and say
not again, we are looking at the morality of both
of these men. And when you look at the morality
of both of these men and you realize that there's
no comparison. Donald Trump famously is an immoral human being.
Balt almost misspoke there, But he's famously in a more
(07:00):
person he's a very selfish person, and he has harmed
lots of people selling bibles. Yeah, and he just there's
there's no he just there's just there's there's no bottom
this man. And then Nelson mandelfing to compare himself to
Nelson Mandela, who is someone that we certainly put right
(07:21):
next to sainthood. You know what I mean. It feels
like he was.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Just trying to make it. I'm sorry, go.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Ahead ahead, yeah, yeah, no, no, go ahead.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Well, you're right if you were getting ready to say
it might feel like a slap in the face, and
most definitely it does if you know what Mandela was
in prison for. But I think he is drawing the
parallel based on the fact that he feels Mandela was
wrongly in prison. So if he is convicted, he will
be wrongly imprisoned. So I understand what he's trying to do,
but he's not wording it the right way for most
(07:51):
people to get that understanding of it unless they're following everything.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Oh, that's actually a tactic that his legal team is
actually looking for in the jury. You know, they want
African Americans on young African Americans on the jury because
they feel as though Trump relates to that essentially, that
struggle of being wrongfully accused about.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Things and even discriminated against as a rich white man.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
That's basically it. Like even me, Yes, they are coming
for me, so I relate.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
That's what he's doing.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
You know.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
The thing, you though, it's very simple for Donald Trump
if he followed the uh, the instructions of the court,
stopped tweeting about people's family members, and he took a
modicum of accountability for his actions, you know, then his
outcomes would be very different.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
For me.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
It doesn't matter how much accountability, how many apologies, how
much I obey the court that if that judge is
going to sentence me, and put me under the jail.
That's just kind of how it goes. And so with
a rich white man in America, is you know him trying,
He's really trying. He's really stretching to make those connections
(09:06):
again to Mandela and to Black America and so forth,
like we somehow have a connected experience. And the fact
of the matter is that he's a grifter. And you know,
this is probably another example of him doing just that.
But that's enough attention for him for today. Moving on,
in Baltimore, civil rights groups are calling for the collapse
(09:28):
Baltimore Bridge to be renamed, stating that the bridge was
named after a racist slave owner. Morgan, you covered the
Baltimore market for the Black Information Networks, So we're going
to start with you this time. Give us more on
the story, and then actually we're going to come to
you next.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
So yes, a few weeks back, the Francis Scott Key
Bridge collapsed after a shift container slammed into one of
the pillars of the bridge. Now, the Caucus of African
American Leaders voted to recommend changing the name of the
bridge because it honors a man, Francis Scott Key, who
owns slaves. The Baltimore Banner reports that the group is
calling on Maryland Governor Wes Moore to and the Maryland
(10:03):
General Assembly to rename the bridge in honor of late
Congressman Parn Mitchell, who is the first African American elected
to the US House from Maryland. Now, when they asked
Governor Moore about this, he said, right now, he's focused
on recovery and salvage efforts at the collapse site, reopening
the shipping channel, and rebuilding the structure. President Biden has
also pledged that the federal government will pick up the
(10:26):
cost of rebuilding the collapse Key Bridge, And there has
been partisan or excuse me, bipartisan, a bipartisan response to
this tragic incident. Now, as a longtime Marylander, we know
and recognize Franciscott Key for writing the poem that star
Spangled Banner, which eventually turned into our US national anthem.
(10:46):
So I will give him credit for that, but as
you mentioned, he was a slave owner, and frankly, while
we're in a time of fixing that which has been divisive,
I think renaming the bridge is spot on. It's one
of many structures in Maryland in with Franciscott Key's name
on it, including elementary, middle high schools. There's a Key highway,
there's monuments honoring him. There's still the Francis Scott Key
(11:09):
Memorial Bridge connecting d C to Northern Virginia. So renaming
this particular bridge should not be out of the question.
But I am also compelled to choose a name that
may actually speak. Now. I ain't gonna want to hear
this because we at the Black Information Network, but I'm
actually compelled to.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
To think that we should.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
We should choose a name that speaks to the Latino
brothers who lost their lives working on that bridge. I
may not want to hear that, but I'm gonna say,
if there's a name change to be made, it should
be to honor the six workers in that.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
We should do something there, We should do something good.
Point ye, Bree, why don't you jump in here. I'll
add something in there.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Well, you know, piggybacking off of Morgan. That is something
most definitely that I feel would be progressive. I think
it would be respectful because those were workers who are
working in the wee hours of the night. That could
have been a much more tragic situation. But even with
the death of those people. It's still tragic, and they
lost their lives.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Doing their jobs.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
They went to work not knowing that was going to
be their last day at work. So it's not out
of the question to consider that and consider their families
and the loved ones who are mourning their deaths. While
we're talking about the bridge, we cannot forget the victims,
which is I think is very important Morgan. So that's
a solid point. Also, the reaction from the public and
officials has been mixed. Some support the change of possibly
(12:37):
renaming the bridge, recognizing that it is important to address
historical figures with problematic past, but others are viewing the
renaming as an unnecessary erasure of history. And so we've
seen this across other states where monuments have been renamed,
buildings have been renamed, or monuments have been torn down
because they were idolizing figures in history that were either
(13:00):
racist or owned slaves. And I don't know, some people
think that history is history, good or bad, and it
shouldn't be touched. So again, Governor Wes Moore, he indicated
that while the immediate focus is on the bridges collapse,
in the aftermath, he said there will be a time
for discussions about renaming it. So I think they're going
(13:20):
to consider it, but it's very interesting to see what
they would choose and who they would choose to put
that to, whose name they would choose to put on
that bridge. So that debate is just highlighting these ongoing
conversations that are happening about how to reconcile historical legacies
with our contemporary values because so much has changed and
(13:43):
it could be complex, and you're weighing the significance of
these figures against their actions and their personal beliefs that
are considered unacceptable today. So the outcome of the discussion
will likely have a lasting implication for Baltimore residents and
the entire state. I mean, let the record show right
now where Baltimore has a black mayor and Maryland has
(14:04):
a black governor.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
So you know, renamed renaming the We're not We're not at.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
A loss for uh Keith, Francis Scott Key things named
around here.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
So it's okay, that's good to know. And you know what,
let me add to that, you know, Francis Scott Key.
When I say this, I know that a lot of
our listeners are going to be like, oh yeah, I
remember that. But you know, the actual star Spangled Banner
has like racist lyrics in it too. There's a part
(14:35):
of the song that says, no refuge could save the
hirling and slave from the terror of night. I'm sorry,
from the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave.
And the star Spangled banner in Triumph Death Wave or
the Land of the Free and the Home of the Braid,
And I'm gonna pull a little bit from the Washington
(14:56):
Post here. These lyrics are a clear reference to the
Colonel Marine. According to Jefferson Morley, they're clearly meant to
scorn and threaten the African Americans who took the British
up on their offer to if you fight for for
the British side of things, will get you your freedom right.
And so these lyrics were kind of like mocking those
(15:19):
people that were fighting for their for their freedom while
America was fighting for its freedom right. And so even
his most celebrated work and the thing that we all
know him for was kind of drenched in racist ideology
and energy. Right, so when I.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Sing that part, they stopped singing that part.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
And that's why a lot of Ale and.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
The truth is it took a long time for It
took about one hundred years for this to become our
national anthem, partly because of.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
That, Yes, and a lot of people boycotted even singing it.
And I'm talking about a lot of black people because
of that history and the fact that that part is
not sung, that part was cut from what we know
to be today. But wasn't that also a catalyst for
the Black national anthem being something that black people would say,
maybe not instead of, but in addition to the star
spangle banner exactly.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Yeah, So you know, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
So in any event, you know, this kind of reminds
me of like when people were making a big deal
out of Kaepernick kneeling and you know, the athletes protesting
the national anthem and really protesting during the national anthem,
protesting police brutality, because that's really what it was. They
were protesting during national and they weren't protesting the national anthem.
(16:35):
But you know, all these conversations started to come about,
and then of course we had to have a critical
examination of the national anthem itself because people were trying
to say that say all these things about how this
country is so good to black people and blah blah blah.
And you know, I think that the idea of kind
of renaming the bridge is I mean, we're always going
(16:58):
to know who Francis Scott he is. It's I know,
other countries change their national anthems all the time, especially
when they turn over a new lead or they acknowledge,
you know, some things in their history that are reflected
in their anthems or whatever. Germany comes to mind. The
United States is kind of stubborn, kind of a stubborn, bully,
(17:21):
new kid on the block, and so I don't see
us changing the national anthem. But as you mentioned, we
have a black marin black governor in Maryland, so we
might be able to change the name of a bridge.
You know, Franciscott Key's name will stay on the anthem
as long as it's the anthem here. But renaming that
bridge after a prominent Latin American figure, I think I
(17:43):
love that idea just and briefly, you know, recently on
Civic Sipher, I did a segment dedicated to the Latino
workers that all lost their lives on that bridge, and
during that segment I really spoke to how there's this
narrative certainly on the right that you know, these people
(18:04):
are destroying this country, and I think those individuals that
gave their lives helping build indeed this country flies in
the face of that. And you know, it certainly reflects
my reality growing up in California and in Phoenix, in Arizona.
You know, I'm this all used to be Mexico. So
these people lived here before there was America, right, And
(18:27):
you know, the people that do come here to work
and go back, and people that send money back. It's
just kind of a part of everybody gets along great,
you know. And so in other parts of the country
where they're not so closely related, and they look at
their pocketbooks and the price of food and they are like, well,
everything feels worse. So it must be Biden and the immigrants,
and they don't really know the role that these people
(18:49):
play in our society. I think renaming a bridge could
certainly start to round a corner and provide a bit
of a defense for our Latino brothers and sisters. And
I feel that we're going to get where we were
ultimately going to get together, We'll get there a lot
faster together. And so I really loved that idea. Black
(19:10):
Information Network news anchors Morgan Wood and Brewood are here
with us discussing the week's major stories. All right, get ready,
all conservative news hosts. Megan Kelly race myyebrows recently after
she offered her thoughts on Kamala Harris and Michelle Obama's
praise for Beyonce's Cowboy Carter album. Bri, let's start with
you again, share some insights with the story with our listeners,
(19:32):
and then Morgan, we're going to get your thoughts afterwards.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Good ol'd. Megan Kelly never a domo with her. Huh.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
She's a conservative news host, and she recently expressed our
views on Vice President Kamala Harris and the former First
Lady Michelle Obama and their praise for Beyonce's album It's
called Cowboy Carter if you hadn't heard, and I personally
really like it. So Kelly seemed to question the need
to redefine the country music genre, and she appeared skeptical
(19:58):
of the high level of acclaim that Beyond is receiving
whenever she releases new work, basically saying that it's a
bandwagon type thing. And she discussed these opinions on her show.
It's called The Meg and Kelly Show and it's on
the Triumph Channel on SiriusXM. And she also read out
social media responses from the aforementioned Vice President Harrison Missus Obama,
who had commended Beyonce publicly for highlighting the black community's
(20:21):
early influence in country music throughout her album, specifically an
artist by the name of Linda Martel who's now eighty
two years old. She was a pioneering country music artist
that many people had never even heard of, and so
Beyonce gave her her flowers right on that album. And
as for commentary, Michelle Obama expressed her admiration on X
(20:43):
and Instagram for Cowboy Carter. She said that Beyonce is
a record breaker and history maker, and she highlighted the
album's cultural impact. She also used the opportunity to encourage
people to vote, and she referenced a song on the
album called Yah Yah and it's used to inspire action
or issues like equal pay, racial justice, and even reproductive
(21:04):
health care and climate change. And also on X formerly Twitter,
Vice President Kamala Harris praised Beyonce as well. She stated, quote,
thank you for reminding us to never feel confined to
other people's perspective of what.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Our lane is.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
You have redefined a genre and reclaimed country music's black roots.
Your music continues to inspire us. All end quote. So,
as usual, MC and Kelly's comments have sparked some discussion
and debate online and varying reactions from the public and
the media as well. It's important to note that even
with all this discussion, Beyonce has said from the very
beginning that cow Boy Carter is not a country album.
(21:41):
People keep trying to say, especially certain people in the
country music industry I've heard and country music fans who
know no better keep trying to say, oh, well, what
is she doing her? It's trash, that's not what country
sounds like. I've heard criticism of her Joe Lean cover,
which Dolly Pardon blessed Okay and wanted her to do,
and she of course tweaked it and made it her song,
(22:02):
but it's still true to the essence of the song.
But she said it's not a country album. She said,
it's a Beyonce album, and that means she's a genre
bender and she's earned the right to do whatever she
wants musically whenever she wants, so she basically said whatever
she's basically said to the country music industry, I see you,
I see the criticism, and I don't care. This is
(22:24):
a Beyonce album and I'll do what I want to.
Not to mention putting on other black country artists that
many people didn't even know we're out here doing the
music and they've been doing it. Black people didn't just
start coming out the woodwork with country.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
So I mean it's been a lot, but Beyonce was
very clear, and it's obvious nobody is really listening to
what she's saying because they keep trying to say she's
this isn't country. Well, she didn't do it for you,
and she didn't do it to be labeled country. But
she is getting that country music play because she's Beyonce.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
That way, we'regan, let's hear from you.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Yeah, speaking of country music play Billboard after she released
the album, since y'all so mad about it, more twenty
one songs have made it to the Billboard Hot one hundred,
which brought her tally of Hot one hundred singles from
eighty five to one oh six, making her amongst seventeen
artists who have managed to land one hundred songs on
the chart and she's in thirteenth. Other artists on the
(23:16):
chart include her husband Jayz Drake, Future Elvis, Justin Bieber.
Just to give you insight, not only that this album
is providing a little bit of generational wealth, because their
daughter Roomy Carter broke her sister Blue Ivy's chart record
for being the youngest, at six years old, youngest female
(23:37):
artist ever to appear on a Billboard Hot one hundred charts.
So and that's based off of her song, Beyonce's song Protector,
which is also featured on that Cowboy Carter album.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
I'm not really sure what's going on here.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
I'll just put it out there that I know that
I know there are some black farmers, some black rural
residents that have long time listened to country, whether it
be white black, Garth Brooks, Brooks and Done, Florida, Georgia
Line putting a K A K. Michelle Chapelhart, Kane Brown,
Darius Rucker, and of course we yeah, and of course
we know Mickey Guyton because she killed that uh that
(24:13):
uh stars spangled that star Spangled banner U for the
Super Bowl not too long ago. But yeah, like we
we're not new to this, so I'm not sure why
Megan Kelly feels the need to. You know, first of all,
nobody was talking to you. The conversation was definitely you know,
(24:35):
giving flowers in a in a in a in a
at a cookout that kind of you weren't invited to,
So your comrade is unnecessary. That's kind of how full
about that one. We're gonna continue to celebrate over here
with our cowboy.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
And I love to see it.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
I mean, even Marlon Wayans he's posted recently he's he
got a cowboy hat on, some cowboy boots and he said, no.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Broke broke backs over here.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
But just the emergence of us taking on all of
what country music kind of has.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
You know, the line dances.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Which we're no stranger to, Hello, the Cha Cha Slide,
the booty Call, the Electric Slide.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
These are all line dances. So what's the difference.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
We throw some cowboy hats on, some boots on, and
you know, we taken up space.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
That's what it boils down to, and y'all mad about it.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
Yeah. You know the reason why I grew my afro
when I was in college is because I was going
to take up space with as much blackness as I could.
I like that, I love it. I'm still doing yeah.
So first off, if you don't know country music like
(25:43):
basically every other genre of music from this country, and
trace its roots to a slave field, so I reckon
and scholars reckon country music to be black music. Not
any different with blues, rock and roll, jazz, basically any
(26:07):
type of music that this country creates and exports, that's
black music. So as far as Meghan Kelly is concerned,
you know, nobody's saying anything that is not factual. Additionally,
(26:29):
I think to your point, you can't really argue with
number one, so your opinion is just you just bump
in your gums at this point because it's number one.
The people have spoken, right. But the thing that I
find the most troubling, the most challenging to accept from
her most hypocritical, and I'm gonna read this exactly. I'll
(26:51):
try my best, because she's got some expletives in here,
but it goes quote, you have to be this bad
B word who's threatening finga. You mess with my man,
and it's to me, it's a turnoff. Now watch what
(27:13):
I'm about to say, because this is still her quote.
The true power move is not to worry and not
to have to worry, but Beyonce couldn't quite get there.
You don't have to tell your story, so I would
argue that Megan Kelly take her own advice. Indeed, while
(27:36):
she's criticizing the very woman we're discussing today. You don't
have to worry. The true power move is to not worry.
You don't have to tell your story, right. You can't
argue with number one anyway, So you just look like
a hater with no basis. There's no factual basis. This
is black music bucket, right exactly, So really, what else
(27:59):
is there to talk about? Again, you're just bumping your gums.
You're showing your true colors. You're showing how racist you
really are, which.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
Is why she lost her daytime talk show. Let's not
forget that, and it's been replaced by Tamar and Hall.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
There you go, There you go, or and let me.
I'm want to add this one more thing before we
move on. If you are this angry about Beyonce and
you feel like you need to get that off right
(28:34):
and it's going to be, you should know that we're
going to view it as being racist, because it is
plain and simple, right, this is a celebration. We're not
hurting anybody's feelings, and there's a factual basis for it all.
But what I call into question is your journalistic integrity
capacity capability quality if you don't know this stuff on
(28:56):
your own, because there is no argument to be had,
and the fact that you're making one up again reinforces
the fact that you're trying to create static where none exists.
And to me, the only basis for that, the only
logical conclusion is that this is rooted in racism, and
I'll leave that right there. All right, last up, I
know this is going to be a little funny, but
(29:19):
you know, Black Twitter and former cast members of Lacker
speaking out on the animated remake of the classic TV
series Good Times. Morgan, you and we both cover entertainment
news for the Black Information Network. But we're going to
start with you first. Let's get your take on the story,
and then Brie, we're going to get your thoughts afterward.
Speaker 3 (29:33):
Yeah. So Netflix is launching an animated remake of the
classic TV series Good Times, and.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
The former cast has some mixed emotions.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
I guess I will say yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
The show comes out on April twelve, with Stephen Curry
and Seth McFarlane as the executive producers, Rnanda Shepherd as
the showrunner. And I personally like the fact that Seth
McFarlane is on this show because he's done Family Guy.
He's familiar. He's done American Dad, so he's He's done
the Cleveland Show, so he's familiar with this type of
(30:07):
satire where you just go in on all types of people.
But also the Voice features a cast JB. Smooth, the
Vet Nicole Brown, Jay Marse Martin, and Gerald Slink Johnson
who also played Black Jesus. So these characters, these voices
(30:27):
are not strangers too hard topics is what I'm essentially
getting at. So I personally am looking forward to just
watching and seeing type of thing. Now, excuse me, ivet
Nicole Brown, you Vet Nicole Brown. She did say the
show is edgier, it's more irreverent than Good Times from
(30:47):
Our Childhood, which and but it all, but it's still
a show about family, fighting the system and working to
make things better despite where you start out in the world,
and that one hundred percent line ends up with her values.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
The sad part about that.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
This is that Good Times came out and went, oh,
I don't have.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
That seventeen seventy if I'm not mistaken.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
So the fact that we are still dealing with this
and we've had to revamp it in a way, sorry,
it was seventy four, seventy four.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
To be exactly.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
So, the fact that we've had to revamp this in
a way that speaks to to today's millennial, which you know,
I might have been watching this show as a child
now I'm watching it as an adult, shows how much
we may have not made as much progress as we
think we have. So again, on a personal note, I'm
just kind of on the sit back and watch the
(31:44):
former cast members. I believe Bernadette Stanis, who played oh,
it's all slipping me, Bernadette Stantis, who played Alma, Alma,
thank you, and of course, but yeah, there's a mix
of as from the former cast. They're saying that they
have small roles in this upcoming series. But the gist
(32:08):
of the Good Time series, this new animated series is
supposedly the same, while also using the family name of Evans.
Speaker 1 (32:16):
So yeah, all right, Brie, let's let's get your thoughts.
Speaker 3 (32:21):
And it's interesting the word progressive you use that and
was speaking about event Nicole Brown and Miss Bernadette Stanis,
who is fabulous and looks amazing and is very active
on social media.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
She said her issue was the lack of progressiveness.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
Now, a lot of people have made their commentary because
the show has not premiered as of today, but it'll
be out this weekend, and off the trailer they were saying,
this doesn't look like they were hoping that the Evans
family got out the hood in the new in the
New millennium, right. But Bernadette Stanis, of course, who started
(32:56):
in the original seventies that com mentioned that the fans
are disappointed as along with her and John Amos, who
played the father figure of course James Evans. With the
animated reboot, they're not that excited about it because it's
perceived as not progressive. We're still living in the hood
and you've got different types of characters on there that
are not really representative of what they would hope to
(33:19):
the message would relay now for people. So the reboot,
it's been criticized for not maintaining the essence of the
original series and they say it has little in common
with the original series, other than the family's name and
the setting of them being in the projects. The negative
stereotypes was another issue that I read about. There's a
concern that the new series promotes these negative stereotypes and
(33:42):
does not honor the image of the original show, which
if you know anything about Estra Role, the late great
est Role who played the mother of Florida, yes, she
was very adamant about not doing the show unless she
had a husband for her children. She was not interested
in playing a single mother living in the project. So
that was the whole reason why it started out as
(34:03):
a family show that was about family getting to the
next level together. Also controversial content now because I have
not seen any of the show, just the trailer. Apparently,
the animated series is said to include elements like violence
and alcohol abuse, which some viewers feel could damage the
legacy of the show, even though those topics were dealt
(34:25):
with during the show. If you've ever watched Good Times
and you know John Amos, he expressed some skepticism. He
didn't say too much about it because he hasn't seen it,
but he said the reboot basically is not reaching the
high stanzards set by the original cast. In terms of
entertainment and education. So I think the major criticism was
(34:48):
that they were hoping that the new series will be
a little bit more intellectually stimulating, a little bit more
of a story of progression and you know what happens
when you make it over. But they looked like they
haven't made it over. So that's contributing to the lack
of excitement for a lot of people and the critical reception.
So we'll see, though I do plan to watch at
(35:08):
least the first couple episodes to see what they're talking
about and what it's looking like. I definitely want to
support it because I do like the actors involved in it,
but I do understand the criticism as well.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
Yeah, you know, there's I'm gonna be very honest, I've
ever in my life, I've only ever seen one episode
of Good Times.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
What I yeah, well, you.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
Know, okay, So first off, I really wasn't I was.
I was, you know, playing guitar, I was, you know,
playing football, was you know, I was one of those
kids that was outside. Also, Good Times went off the
air before I was born, so a while us too,
but you know, but it was it was reruns.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
I get that.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Get but you know, it just wasn't a thing, you know.
And then you know, I just I was aware of it,
you know, JJ, and you know, like I was aware
of Good Times, but I just never sat and watched it.
It just wasn't on at the times when I was
growing up. So I ended up as an adult watching
an episode of Good Times and and just taking it in.
(36:18):
I didn't know I would ever have this conversation today,
of course, but when I took it in, I was like, oh,
I get it. And maybe fortunately or whatever, maybe it
was divine you know, alignment, or maybe this was how
the show went. But the episode I ended up watching,
I remember the youngest kid, the little boy. Yeah, so
(36:39):
he had like his afro or whatever. He like didn't
want to apologize to a teacher or something they were
teaching something that was factually wrong at school. And the
truth is that it you know, he was like super
on his black power and whatever, and I.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Was the militant that's what they like, okay, okay.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
And then you could see how these different characters in
the UH in the program served to represent different facets
of black life. And that's something that I liked. Later
in the cartoon show, The Boondocks, which shout out to
my sister Jamara Taylor, who was a writer of that show.
She turned me on too that really early. But uh,
(37:22):
you know, in terms of this show, you know, and
just like you, I've only seen the trailer, but it
just didn't really feel like that sort of maybe that
episode was particularly political in nature, but it didn't feel
like what I had gotten from my one episode. It
felt like, if you didn't tell me it was a
(37:43):
Good Times reboot, I would have thought it was a
Baba's Kids reboot, right, Yeah, And I don't know if
everybody's familiar with Baba's Kids, but please check out Baba's
Kids and then you'll see what I'm talking about. It
just looked like, you know, just people just doing their thing.
You know. There was no informative uh like this, this
(38:04):
strong quality backbone to the show. It felt like, what
are where? Where can we get the easiest laughs? Where
where can we get things that all black people are
able to laugh at and just kind of know that
this is some black stuff? Right? And so it wasn't
looking toward an optimistic outcome as much as it was Okay,
(38:25):
where are the laughs, Let's try to find them, you know,
right here at this level. And I don't know that
that's bad, and I don't know that that's going to
be a theme throughout the show. Indeed, John Amos who
Pray who portrayed the patriarch James Evans on the first
three seasons. Uh, and Bernadette Stanis again known for playing Thelma,
the middle child to James, and Florida Evans, who was
(38:46):
played by sa Rowly throughout the series. Uh. You know,
their reactions to the to the trailer made it clear
that they were reserving full judgment until they were able
to watch the show. And it sounds like we're all
kind of in agreement with them, So it it is
a little scary. It's like, oh, you stick the landing
because that looks a little complicated. But you know, we'll
(39:06):
wait and see and hopefully it's not insulting. And I
wouldn't blame the actors. I wouldn't blame the voice actors
or anything like that. You know, there are just some
writers that might feel like who knows, and maybe they're
black writers there, and maybe they're trying to get numbers,
and and I think that a lot of us really
have to play that game. Do we sell our people out?
(39:27):
Do we sell our souls out to get the numbers?
I know artists that feel that way. I know, you
know musicians that feel that way. I know people that
are in the creative space, they feel that way. It's like, look,
I got to go after the numbers. I got to
appeal to the lowest common denominator and that compromises what
I would really like to put out there. And there's
only been a handful of people in history who been
able to walk that line, I e. The folks from
(39:49):
Good Times, you know, because this was a successful show
in its day. You know Bill Cosby, I know, I know,
but the show that he created did not compromise the
view of the black family. And it was a successful show,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (40:03):
And it's timeless today you can watch episodes and it's relatable.
Speaker 1 (40:07):
So so you see the point I'm trying to make.
So again, I think that we're all in agreement. We're
going to reserve judgment until we see it. But that
doesn't stop black Twitter from letting off, as nothing stops
black Twitter. There you go, there you go, So we'll
leave it right there. I'd like to thank you, as
always very much for your time and your insight. Once again,
Today's guests or Black Information Network news anchors Morgan Wood
(40:28):
and Bree Would. This has been a production of the
Black Information Network. Today's show is produced by Chris Thompson.
Have some thoughts you'd like to share, use the red
microphone talkback feature on the iHeartRadio app. While you're there,
be sure to hit subscribe and download all of our episodes.
I'm your host Ramsey's Jaw on all social media, and
I'll be hosting another episode of Civic Cipher this weekend
(40:50):
on a station near you. For stations, show times, and
podcast info, check Civiccipher dot com and join us Monday
as we share our news with our voice from our
perspective right here on the Black Information Network Daily podcast
It's been another busy news week and we like to
review the major stories of the week here on the
Black Information Network. Today, we are joined by Black Information
Network news anchors Morgan Wood and Brewood to discuss this
week's major stories. This is the Black Information Network Daily
Podcast and I'm your host, ramses Jah. All right, Morgan,
(00:20):
welcome back to the show. How have you been since
we last spoke?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
And things are great? Glad to be back. Ramseys all right,
all right.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
And bre always a wonderful time when you're on the
show as well. How have you been?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Thank you? Hello, I'm doing very well.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Thank you fantastic And I know we got a lot
to cover today too, so let's get right to it.
Burst up. Oh you know what, even when he's not
in a courtroom fighting the numerous cases against him, Donald
Trump still seems to find a way to make headlines.
This week was no different, as the former president decided
to compare himself to an iconic black leader for this
(00:57):
second time. Breathe, let's start with you, tell us more
on this story, and then Morgen Merega, come you next.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
I did cover this in our national news as well,
and it's just very interesting His perspective on why he
would bring up Mandela. So, of course former President Donald
Trump again drawing a comparison between himself and anti apartheid activist,
statesman and the first president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela,
who is iconic by the way, And the comments were
(01:24):
made on April sixth, and he suggested Trump I'm talking
about that he wouldn't mind going to jail for violating
a gag order in his upcoming New York hush money trial.
So this post was made on his personal platform Truth
Social and he stated, quote, I will gladly become a
modern day Nelson Mandela.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
It will be my great honor end quote.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
So if you know most of us know, Mandela spent
twenty seven years in prison, but his incarceration was a
result of his commitment to fighting against racial segregation and
in justice happening in South Africa. And so Mandela was
released in nineteen ninety, a big turning point in South
Africa's history, leading to the negotiations that ended apartheid. So
it's not quite the same thing as the circumstances Donald
(02:08):
Trump is dealing with. But as you mentioned, this is
not the first time he's made a parallel between him and.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Mandela.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
In October of twenty twenty three, he did link himself
to Mandela while discussing all of the lawsuits that he
has going on right now. So the context for this
latest remark, it's lying in the accusations against Trump for
his alleged faking documents to conceal some hush money that
he made allegedly payments to an adult film star named
(02:38):
Stormy Daniels who's been doing her own press run.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
I've even seen her on the View.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
I think she's released a book and it's just weeks
before the twenty sixteen election that she says this incident
happened with former President Trump. So he's currently facing thirty
four counts of falsifying business documents and his trial is
scheduled to begin really soon on April fifteenth. So basically,
he's just saying he's, you know, being persecuted in the
(03:05):
press or something that he claims never happened.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Sure, Morgan, let's get your thoughts.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yes, I absolutely agree with what Brie is saying. There's
a major difference between Amandalla. The charge is there, but
all jokes aside. Trump will be the very first US
president facing criminal charges. So we are definitely in an
unprecedented time and honestly think the whole world will be
watching how our legal system handles the situation. And to
(03:35):
your point, Brie, his trial is set to begin on Monday,
April fifteenth, ironically enough, Tax Day, and this happens or
this comes just as a New York Appellate court judge
has denied Trump and his legal team three times within
(03:55):
three days to their attempt to push the trial back.
The only way I see him getting out of this
right now is if he you know, fires his legal
team and you know again requests for you know, more
time to prepare. But other than that, it's it's really
you know, grab your popcorn and let's see what happens.
And then I doubt twenty seven years from now we'll
(04:18):
be saying that, you know, we'll be lining Mandela up
with Trump.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
So just to say that, you know, yeah, it doesn't
compare at all.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Yeah, not at all. Now, there is something to be
said in this. In no way is a defense of
Donald Trump. I would never do that, but I have
to be fair. I have to say that our idea
of criminal behavior and activity is really influenced by our culture, politics,
(04:51):
you know, our experiences and part of the world in
which we live, right, and that again shapes laws. And
you know, Donald Trump is on trial for it's a
criminal trial this time in addition to all of the
civil stuff and all the rest of that. But this
(05:12):
is a criminal trial. So again, our laws are dictated
and defined by you know, culture, since you know that
sort of thing. And Nelson Mandela was a criminal too,
technically speaking. Indeed, I think it's stated quite often that
(05:33):
he wasn't removed from the US terrorist list until twenty thirteen,
and I think that was just before his ninetieth birthday. Right,
So this, you know, fantastic, phenomenal world leader, this celebrated individual,
this champion of freedom, was still on the US terrorist
watch list as an eighty nine year old man, almost
(05:56):
ninety year old man. Right. So technically speaking, criminality is criminality, right.
But morality, morals, I think, is where you find the
biggest distinction between Nelson Mandela and Donald Trump, which is
why this is a headline in the first place, because
(06:16):
we can look at Nelson Mandela and say, okay, technically
that he qualified as a criminal. You know, Martin Luther
King famously has been arrested a bunch of times, you know,
for criminal activity. Speeding ticket is criminal activity, you know, technically.
But I think that those of us that look at
(06:37):
this headline and say and hold our head and say
not again, we are looking at the morality of both
of these men. And when you look at the morality
of both of these men and you realize that there's
no comparison. Donald Trump famously is an immoral human being.
Balt almost misspoke there, But he's famously in a more
(07:00):
person he's a very selfish person, and he has harmed
lots of people selling bibles. Yeah, and he just there's
there's no he just there's just there's there's no bottom
this man. And then Nelson mandelfing to compare himself to
Nelson Mandela, who is someone that we certainly put right
(07:21):
next to sainthood. You know what I mean. It feels
like he was.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Just trying to make it. I'm sorry, go.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Ahead ahead, yeah, yeah, no, no, go ahead.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Well, you're right if you were getting ready to say
it might feel like a slap in the face, and
most definitely it does if you know what Mandela was
in prison for. But I think he is drawing the
parallel based on the fact that he feels Mandela was
wrongly in prison. So if he is convicted, he will
be wrongly imprisoned. So I understand what he's trying to do,
but he's not wording it the right way for most
(07:51):
people to get that understanding of it unless they're following everything.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Oh, that's actually a tactic that his legal team is
actually looking for in the jury. You know, they want
African Americans on young African Americans on the jury because
they feel as though Trump relates to that essentially, that
struggle of being wrongfully accused about.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Things and even discriminated against as a rich white man.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
That's basically it. Like even me, Yes, they are coming
for me, so I relate.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
That's what he's doing.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
You know.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
The thing, you though, it's very simple for Donald Trump
if he followed the uh, the instructions of the court,
stopped tweeting about people's family members, and he took a
modicum of accountability for his actions, you know, then his
outcomes would be very different.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
For me.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
It doesn't matter how much accountability, how many apologies, how
much I obey the court that if that judge is
going to sentence me, and put me under the jail.
That's just kind of how it goes. And so with
a rich white man in America, is you know him trying,
He's really trying. He's really stretching to make those connections
(09:06):
again to Mandela and to Black America and so forth,
like we somehow have a connected experience. And the fact
of the matter is that he's a grifter. And you know,
this is probably another example of him doing just that.
But that's enough attention for him for today. Moving on,
in Baltimore, civil rights groups are calling for the collapse
(09:28):
Baltimore Bridge to be renamed, stating that the bridge was
named after a racist slave owner. Morgan, you covered the
Baltimore market for the Black Information Networks, So we're going
to start with you this time. Give us more on
the story, and then actually we're going to come to
you next.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
So yes, a few weeks back, the Francis Scott Key
Bridge collapsed after a shift container slammed into one of
the pillars of the bridge. Now, the Caucus of African
American Leaders voted to recommend changing the name of the
bridge because it honors a man, Francis Scott Key, who
owns slaves. The Baltimore Banner reports that the group is
calling on Maryland Governor Wes Moore to and the Maryland
(10:03):
General Assembly to rename the bridge in honor of late
Congressman Parn Mitchell, who is the first African American elected
to the US House from Maryland. Now, when they asked
Governor Moore about this, he said, right now, he's focused
on recovery and salvage efforts at the collapse site, reopening
the shipping channel, and rebuilding the structure. President Biden has
also pledged that the federal government will pick up the
(10:26):
cost of rebuilding the collapse Key Bridge, And there has
been partisan or excuse me, bipartisan, a bipartisan response to
this tragic incident. Now, as a longtime Marylander, we know
and recognize Franciscott Key for writing the poem that star
Spangled Banner, which eventually turned into our US national anthem.
(10:46):
So I will give him credit for that, but as
you mentioned, he was a slave owner, and frankly, while
we're in a time of fixing that which has been divisive,
I think renaming the bridge is spot on. It's one
of many structures in Maryland in with Franciscott Key's name
on it, including elementary, middle high schools. There's a Key highway,
there's monuments honoring him. There's still the Francis Scott Key
(11:09):
Memorial Bridge connecting d C to Northern Virginia. So renaming
this particular bridge should not be out of the question.
But I am also compelled to choose a name that
may actually speak. Now. I ain't gonna want to hear
this because we at the Black Information Network, but I'm
actually compelled to.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
To think that we should.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
We should choose a name that speaks to the Latino
brothers who lost their lives working on that bridge. I
may not want to hear that, but I'm gonna say,
if there's a name change to be made, it should
be to honor the six workers in that.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
We should do something there, We should do something good.
Point ye, Bree, why don't you jump in here. I'll
add something in there.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Well, you know, piggybacking off of Morgan. That is something
most definitely that I feel would be progressive. I think
it would be respectful because those were workers who are
working in the wee hours of the night. That could
have been a much more tragic situation. But even with
the death of those people. It's still tragic, and they
lost their lives.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Doing their jobs.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
They went to work not knowing that was going to
be their last day at work. So it's not out
of the question to consider that and consider their families
and the loved ones who are mourning their deaths. While
we're talking about the bridge, we cannot forget the victims,
which is I think is very important Morgan. So that's
a solid point. Also, the reaction from the public and
officials has been mixed. Some support the change of possibly
(12:37):
renaming the bridge, recognizing that it is important to address
historical figures with problematic past, but others are viewing the
renaming as an unnecessary erasure of history. And so we've
seen this across other states where monuments have been renamed,
buildings have been renamed, or monuments have been torn down
because they were idolizing figures in history that were either
(13:00):
racist or owned slaves. And I don't know, some people
think that history is history, good or bad, and it
shouldn't be touched. So again, Governor Wes Moore, he indicated
that while the immediate focus is on the bridges collapse,
in the aftermath, he said there will be a time
for discussions about renaming it. So I think they're going
(13:20):
to consider it, but it's very interesting to see what
they would choose and who they would choose to put
that to, whose name they would choose to put on
that bridge. So that debate is just highlighting these ongoing
conversations that are happening about how to reconcile historical legacies
with our contemporary values because so much has changed and
(13:43):
it could be complex, and you're weighing the significance of
these figures against their actions and their personal beliefs that
are considered unacceptable today. So the outcome of the discussion
will likely have a lasting implication for Baltimore residents and
the entire state. I mean, let the record show right
now where Baltimore has a black mayor and Maryland has
(14:04):
a black governor.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
So you know, renamed renaming the We're not We're not at.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
A loss for uh Keith, Francis Scott Key things named
around here.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
So it's okay, that's good to know. And you know what,
let me add to that, you know, Francis Scott Key.
When I say this, I know that a lot of
our listeners are going to be like, oh yeah, I
remember that. But you know, the actual star Spangled Banner
has like racist lyrics in it too. There's a part
(14:35):
of the song that says, no refuge could save the
hirling and slave from the terror of night. I'm sorry,
from the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave.
And the star Spangled banner in Triumph Death Wave or
the Land of the Free and the Home of the Braid,
And I'm gonna pull a little bit from the Washington
(14:56):
Post here. These lyrics are a clear reference to the
Colonel Marine. According to Jefferson Morley, they're clearly meant to
scorn and threaten the African Americans who took the British
up on their offer to if you fight for for
the British side of things, will get you your freedom right.
And so these lyrics were kind of like mocking those
(15:19):
people that were fighting for their for their freedom while
America was fighting for its freedom right. And so even
his most celebrated work and the thing that we all
know him for was kind of drenched in racist ideology
and energy. Right, so when I.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Sing that part, they stopped singing that part.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
And that's why a lot of Ale and.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
The truth is it took a long time for It
took about one hundred years for this to become our
national anthem, partly because of.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
That, Yes, and a lot of people boycotted even singing it.
And I'm talking about a lot of black people because
of that history and the fact that that part is
not sung, that part was cut from what we know
to be today. But wasn't that also a catalyst for
the Black national anthem being something that black people would say,
maybe not instead of, but in addition to the star
spangle banner exactly.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Yeah, So you know, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
So in any event, you know, this kind of reminds
me of like when people were making a big deal
out of Kaepernick kneeling and you know, the athletes protesting
the national anthem and really protesting during the national anthem,
protesting police brutality, because that's really what it was. They
were protesting during national and they weren't protesting the national anthem.
(16:35):
But you know, all these conversations started to come about,
and then of course we had to have a critical
examination of the national anthem itself because people were trying
to say that say all these things about how this
country is so good to black people and blah blah blah.
And you know, I think that the idea of kind
of renaming the bridge is I mean, we're always going
(16:58):
to know who Francis Scott he is. It's I know,
other countries change their national anthems all the time, especially
when they turn over a new lead or they acknowledge,
you know, some things in their history that are reflected
in their anthems or whatever. Germany comes to mind. The
United States is kind of stubborn, kind of a stubborn, bully,
(17:21):
new kid on the block, and so I don't see
us changing the national anthem. But as you mentioned, we
have a black marin black governor in Maryland, so we
might be able to change the name of a bridge.
You know, Franciscott Key's name will stay on the anthem
as long as it's the anthem here. But renaming that
bridge after a prominent Latin American figure, I think I
(17:43):
love that idea just and briefly, you know, recently on
Civic Sipher, I did a segment dedicated to the Latino
workers that all lost their lives on that bridge, and
during that segment I really spoke to how there's this
narrative certainly on the right that you know, these people
(18:04):
are destroying this country, and I think those individuals that
gave their lives helping build indeed this country flies in
the face of that. And you know, it certainly reflects
my reality growing up in California and in Phoenix, in Arizona.
You know, I'm this all used to be Mexico. So
these people lived here before there was America, right, And
(18:27):
you know, the people that do come here to work
and go back, and people that send money back. It's
just kind of a part of everybody gets along great,
you know. And so in other parts of the country
where they're not so closely related, and they look at
their pocketbooks and the price of food and they are like, well,
everything feels worse. So it must be Biden and the immigrants,
and they don't really know the role that these people
(18:49):
play in our society. I think renaming a bridge could
certainly start to round a corner and provide a bit
of a defense for our Latino brothers and sisters. And
I feel that we're going to get where we were
ultimately going to get together, We'll get there a lot
faster together. And so I really loved that idea. Black
(19:10):
Information Network news anchors Morgan Wood and Brewood are here
with us discussing the week's major stories. All right, get ready,
all conservative news hosts. Megan Kelly race myyebrows recently after
she offered her thoughts on Kamala Harris and Michelle Obama's
praise for Beyonce's Cowboy Carter album. Bri, let's start with
you again, share some insights with the story with our listeners,
(19:32):
and then Morgan, we're going to get your thoughts afterwards.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Good ol'd. Megan Kelly never a domo with her. Huh.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
She's a conservative news host, and she recently expressed our
views on Vice President Kamala Harris and the former First
Lady Michelle Obama and their praise for Beyonce's album It's
called Cowboy Carter if you hadn't heard, and I personally
really like it. So Kelly seemed to question the need
to redefine the country music genre, and she appeared skeptical
(19:58):
of the high level of acclaim that Beyond is receiving
whenever she releases new work, basically saying that it's a
bandwagon type thing. And she discussed these opinions on her show.
It's called The Meg and Kelly Show and it's on
the Triumph Channel on SiriusXM. And she also read out
social media responses from the aforementioned Vice President Harrison Missus Obama,
who had commended Beyonce publicly for highlighting the black community's
(20:21):
early influence in country music throughout her album, specifically an
artist by the name of Linda Martel who's now eighty
two years old. She was a pioneering country music artist
that many people had never even heard of, and so
Beyonce gave her her flowers right on that album. And
as for commentary, Michelle Obama expressed her admiration on X
(20:43):
and Instagram for Cowboy Carter. She said that Beyonce is
a record breaker and history maker, and she highlighted the
album's cultural impact. She also used the opportunity to encourage
people to vote, and she referenced a song on the
album called Yah Yah and it's used to inspire action
or issues like equal pay, racial justice, and even reproductive
(21:04):
health care and climate change. And also on X formerly Twitter,
Vice President Kamala Harris praised Beyonce as well. She stated, quote,
thank you for reminding us to never feel confined to
other people's perspective of what.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Our lane is.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
You have redefined a genre and reclaimed country music's black roots.
Your music continues to inspire us. All end quote. So,
as usual, MC and Kelly's comments have sparked some discussion
and debate online and varying reactions from the public and
the media as well. It's important to note that even
with all this discussion, Beyonce has said from the very
beginning that cow Boy Carter is not a country album.
(21:41):
People keep trying to say, especially certain people in the
country music industry I've heard and country music fans who
know no better keep trying to say, oh, well, what
is she doing her? It's trash, that's not what country
sounds like. I've heard criticism of her Joe Lean cover,
which Dolly Pardon blessed Okay and wanted her to do,
and she of course tweaked it and made it her song,
(22:02):
but it's still true to the essence of the song.
But she said it's not a country album. She said,
it's a Beyonce album, and that means she's a genre
bender and she's earned the right to do whatever she
wants musically whenever she wants, so she basically said whatever
she's basically said to the country music industry, I see you,
I see the criticism, and I don't care. This is
(22:24):
a Beyonce album and I'll do what I want to.
Not to mention putting on other black country artists that
many people didn't even know we're out here doing the
music and they've been doing it. Black people didn't just
start coming out the woodwork with country.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
So I mean it's been a lot, but Beyonce was
very clear, and it's obvious nobody is really listening to
what she's saying because they keep trying to say she's
this isn't country. Well, she didn't do it for you,
and she didn't do it to be labeled country. But
she is getting that country music play because she's Beyonce.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
That way, we'regan, let's hear from you.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Yeah, speaking of country music play Billboard after she released
the album, since y'all so mad about it, more twenty
one songs have made it to the Billboard Hot one hundred,
which brought her tally of Hot one hundred singles from
eighty five to one oh six, making her amongst seventeen
artists who have managed to land one hundred songs on
the chart and she's in thirteenth. Other artists on the
(23:16):
chart include her husband Jayz Drake, Future Elvis, Justin Bieber.
Just to give you insight, not only that this album
is providing a little bit of generational wealth, because their
daughter Roomy Carter broke her sister Blue Ivy's chart record
for being the youngest, at six years old, youngest female
(23:37):
artist ever to appear on a Billboard Hot one hundred charts.
So and that's based off of her song, Beyonce's song Protector,
which is also featured on that Cowboy Carter album.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
I'm not really sure what's going on here.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
I'll just put it out there that I know that
I know there are some black farmers, some black rural
residents that have long time listened to country, whether it
be white black, Garth Brooks, Brooks and Done, Florida, Georgia
Line putting a K A K. Michelle Chapelhart, Kane Brown,
Darius Rucker, and of course we yeah, and of course
we know Mickey Guyton because she killed that uh that
(24:13):
uh stars spangled that star Spangled banner U for the
Super Bowl not too long ago. But yeah, like we
we're not new to this, so I'm not sure why
Megan Kelly feels the need to. You know, first of all,
nobody was talking to you. The conversation was definitely you know,
(24:35):
giving flowers in a in a in a in a
at a cookout that kind of you weren't invited to,
So your comrade is unnecessary. That's kind of how full
about that one. We're gonna continue to celebrate over here
with our cowboy.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
And I love to see it.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
I mean, even Marlon Wayans he's posted recently he's he
got a cowboy hat on, some cowboy boots and he said, no.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Broke broke backs over here.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
But just the emergence of us taking on all of
what country music kind of has.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
You know, the line dances.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Which we're no stranger to, Hello, the Cha Cha Slide,
the booty Call, the Electric Slide.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
These are all line dances. So what's the difference.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
We throw some cowboy hats on, some boots on, and
you know, we taken up space.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
That's what it boils down to, and y'all mad about it.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
Yeah. You know the reason why I grew my afro
when I was in college is because I was going
to take up space with as much blackness as I could.
I like that, I love it. I'm still doing yeah.
So first off, if you don't know country music like
(25:43):
basically every other genre of music from this country, and
trace its roots to a slave field, so I reckon
and scholars reckon country music to be black music. Not
any different with blues, rock and roll, jazz, basically any
(26:07):
type of music that this country creates and exports, that's
black music. So as far as Meghan Kelly is concerned,
you know, nobody's saying anything that is not factual. Additionally,
(26:29):
I think to your point, you can't really argue with
number one, so your opinion is just you just bump
in your gums at this point because it's number one.
The people have spoken, right. But the thing that I
find the most troubling, the most challenging to accept from
her most hypocritical, and I'm gonna read this exactly. I'll
(26:51):
try my best, because she's got some expletives in here,
but it goes quote, you have to be this bad
B word who's threatening finga. You mess with my man,
and it's to me, it's a turnoff. Now watch what
(27:13):
I'm about to say, because this is still her quote.
The true power move is not to worry and not
to have to worry, but Beyonce couldn't quite get there.
You don't have to tell your story, so I would
argue that Megan Kelly take her own advice. Indeed, while
(27:36):
she's criticizing the very woman we're discussing today. You don't
have to worry. The true power move is to not worry.
You don't have to tell your story, right. You can't
argue with number one anyway, So you just look like
a hater with no basis. There's no factual basis. This
is black music bucket, right exactly, So really, what else
(27:59):
is there to talk about? Again, you're just bumping your gums.
You're showing your true colors. You're showing how racist you
really are, which.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
Is why she lost her daytime talk show. Let's not
forget that, and it's been replaced by Tamar and Hall.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
There you go, There you go, or and let me.
I'm want to add this one more thing before we
move on. If you are this angry about Beyonce and
you feel like you need to get that off right
(28:34):
and it's going to be, you should know that we're
going to view it as being racist, because it is
plain and simple, right, this is a celebration. We're not
hurting anybody's feelings, and there's a factual basis for it all.
But what I call into question is your journalistic integrity
capacity capability quality if you don't know this stuff on
(28:56):
your own, because there is no argument to be had,
and the fact that you're making one up again reinforces
the fact that you're trying to create static where none exists.
And to me, the only basis for that, the only
logical conclusion is that this is rooted in racism, and
I'll leave that right there. All right, last up, I
know this is going to be a little funny, but
(29:19):
you know, Black Twitter and former cast members of Lacker
speaking out on the animated remake of the classic TV
series Good Times. Morgan, you and we both cover entertainment
news for the Black Information Network. But we're going to
start with you first. Let's get your take on the story,
and then Brie, we're going to get your thoughts afterward.
Speaker 3 (29:33):
Yeah. So Netflix is launching an animated remake of the
classic TV series Good Times, and.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
The former cast has some mixed emotions.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
I guess I will say yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
The show comes out on April twelve, with Stephen Curry
and Seth McFarlane as the executive producers, Rnanda Shepherd as
the showrunner. And I personally like the fact that Seth
McFarlane is on this show because he's done Family Guy.
He's familiar. He's done American Dad, so he's He's done
the Cleveland Show, so he's familiar with this type of
(30:07):
satire where you just go in on all types of people.
But also the Voice features a cast JB. Smooth, the
Vet Nicole Brown, Jay Marse Martin, and Gerald Slink Johnson
who also played Black Jesus. So these characters, these voices
(30:27):
are not strangers too hard topics is what I'm essentially
getting at. So I personally am looking forward to just
watching and seeing type of thing. Now, excuse me, ivet
Nicole Brown, you Vet Nicole Brown. She did say the
show is edgier, it's more irreverent than Good Times from
(30:47):
Our Childhood, which and but it all, but it's still
a show about family, fighting the system and working to
make things better despite where you start out in the world,
and that one hundred percent line ends up with her values.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
The sad part about that.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
This is that Good Times came out and went, oh,
I don't have.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
That seventeen seventy if I'm not mistaken.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
So the fact that we are still dealing with this
and we've had to revamp it in a way, sorry,
it was seventy four, seventy four.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
To be exactly.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
So, the fact that we've had to revamp this in
a way that speaks to to today's millennial, which you know,
I might have been watching this show as a child
now I'm watching it as an adult, shows how much
we may have not made as much progress as we
think we have. So again, on a personal note, I'm
just kind of on the sit back and watch the
(31:44):
former cast members. I believe Bernadette Stanis, who played oh,
it's all slipping me, Bernadette Stantis, who played Alma, Alma,
thank you, and of course, but yeah, there's a mix
of as from the former cast. They're saying that they
have small roles in this upcoming series. But the gist
(32:08):
of the Good Time series, this new animated series is
supposedly the same, while also using the family name of Evans.
Speaker 1 (32:16):
So yeah, all right, Brie, let's let's get your thoughts.
Speaker 3 (32:21):
And it's interesting the word progressive you use that and
was speaking about event Nicole Brown and Miss Bernadette Stanis,
who is fabulous and looks amazing and is very active
on social media.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
She said her issue was the lack of progressiveness.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
Now, a lot of people have made their commentary because
the show has not premiered as of today, but it'll
be out this weekend, and off the trailer they were saying,
this doesn't look like they were hoping that the Evans
family got out the hood in the new in the
New millennium, right. But Bernadette Stanis, of course, who started
(32:56):
in the original seventies that com mentioned that the fans
are disappointed as along with her and John Amos, who
played the father figure of course James Evans. With the
animated reboot, they're not that excited about it because it's
perceived as not progressive. We're still living in the hood
and you've got different types of characters on there that
are not really representative of what they would hope to
(33:19):
the message would relay now for people. So the reboot,
it's been criticized for not maintaining the essence of the
original series and they say it has little in common
with the original series, other than the family's name and
the setting of them being in the projects. The negative
stereotypes was another issue that I read about. There's a
concern that the new series promotes these negative stereotypes and
(33:42):
does not honor the image of the original show, which
if you know anything about Estra Role, the late great
est Role who played the mother of Florida, yes, she
was very adamant about not doing the show unless she
had a husband for her children. She was not interested
in playing a single mother living in the project. So
that was the whole reason why it started out as
(34:03):
a family show that was about family getting to the
next level together. Also controversial content now because I have
not seen any of the show, just the trailer. Apparently,
the animated series is said to include elements like violence
and alcohol abuse, which some viewers feel could damage the
legacy of the show, even though those topics were dealt
(34:25):
with during the show. If you've ever watched Good Times
and you know John Amos, he expressed some skepticism. He
didn't say too much about it because he hasn't seen it,
but he said the reboot basically is not reaching the
high stanzards set by the original cast. In terms of
entertainment and education. So I think the major criticism was
(34:48):
that they were hoping that the new series will be
a little bit more intellectually stimulating, a little bit more
of a story of progression and you know what happens
when you make it over. But they looked like they
haven't made it over. So that's contributing to the lack
of excitement for a lot of people and the critical reception.
So we'll see, though I do plan to watch at
(35:08):
least the first couple episodes to see what they're talking
about and what it's looking like. I definitely want to
support it because I do like the actors involved in it,
but I do understand the criticism as well.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
Yeah, you know, there's I'm gonna be very honest, I've
ever in my life, I've only ever seen one episode
of Good Times.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
What I yeah, well, you.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
Know, okay, So first off, I really wasn't I was.
I was, you know, playing guitar, I was, you know,
playing football, was you know, I was one of those
kids that was outside. Also, Good Times went off the
air before I was born, so a while us too,
but you know, but it was it was reruns.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
I get that.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Get but you know, it just wasn't a thing, you know.
And then you know, I just I was aware of it,
you know, JJ, and you know, like I was aware
of Good Times, but I just never sat and watched it.
It just wasn't on at the times when I was
growing up. So I ended up as an adult watching
an episode of Good Times and and just taking it in.
(36:18):
I didn't know I would ever have this conversation today,
of course, but when I took it in, I was like, oh,
I get it. And maybe fortunately or whatever, maybe it
was divine you know, alignment, or maybe this was how
the show went. But the episode I ended up watching,
I remember the youngest kid, the little boy. Yeah, so
(36:39):
he had like his afro or whatever. He like didn't
want to apologize to a teacher or something they were
teaching something that was factually wrong at school. And the
truth is that it you know, he was like super
on his black power and whatever, and I.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Was the militant that's what they like, okay, okay.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
And then you could see how these different characters in
the UH in the program served to represent different facets
of black life. And that's something that I liked. Later
in the cartoon show, The Boondocks, which shout out to
my sister Jamara Taylor, who was a writer of that show.
She turned me on too that really early. But uh,
(37:22):
you know, in terms of this show, you know, and
just like you, I've only seen the trailer, but it
just didn't really feel like that sort of maybe that
episode was particularly political in nature, but it didn't feel
like what I had gotten from my one episode. It
felt like, if you didn't tell me it was a
(37:43):
Good Times reboot, I would have thought it was a
Baba's Kids reboot, right, Yeah, And I don't know if
everybody's familiar with Baba's Kids, but please check out Baba's
Kids and then you'll see what I'm talking about. It
just looked like, you know, just people just doing their thing.
You know. There was no informative uh like this, this
(38:04):
strong quality backbone to the show. It felt like, what
are where? Where can we get the easiest laughs? Where
where can we get things that all black people are
able to laugh at and just kind of know that
this is some black stuff? Right? And so it wasn't
looking toward an optimistic outcome as much as it was Okay,
(38:25):
where are the laughs, Let's try to find them, you know,
right here at this level. And I don't know that
that's bad, and I don't know that that's going to
be a theme throughout the show. Indeed, John Amos who
Pray who portrayed the patriarch James Evans on the first
three seasons. Uh, and Bernadette Stanis again known for playing Thelma,
the middle child to James, and Florida Evans, who was
(38:46):
played by sa Rowly throughout the series. Uh. You know,
their reactions to the to the trailer made it clear
that they were reserving full judgment until they were able
to watch the show. And it sounds like we're all
kind of in agreement with them, So it it is
a little scary. It's like, oh, you stick the landing
because that looks a little complicated. But you know, we'll
(39:06):
wait and see and hopefully it's not insulting. And I
wouldn't blame the actors. I wouldn't blame the voice actors
or anything like that. You know, there are just some
writers that might feel like who knows, and maybe they're
black writers there, and maybe they're trying to get numbers,
and and I think that a lot of us really
have to play that game. Do we sell our people out?
(39:27):
Do we sell our souls out to get the numbers?
I know artists that feel that way. I know, you
know musicians that feel that way. I know people that
are in the creative space, they feel that way. It's like, look,
I got to go after the numbers. I got to
appeal to the lowest common denominator and that compromises what
I would really like to put out there. And there's
only been a handful of people in history who been
able to walk that line, I e. The folks from
(39:49):
Good Times, you know, because this was a successful show
in its day. You know Bill Cosby, I know, I know,
but the show that he created did not compromise the
view of the black family. And it was a successful show,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (40:03):
And it's timeless today you can watch episodes and it's relatable.
Speaker 1 (40:07):
So so you see the point I'm trying to make.
So again, I think that we're all in agreement. We're
going to reserve judgment until we see it. But that
doesn't stop black Twitter from letting off, as nothing stops
black Twitter. There you go, there you go, So we'll
leave it right there. I'd like to thank you, as
always very much for your time and your insight. Once again,
Today's guests or Black Information Network news anchors Morgan Wood
(40:28):
and Bree Would. This has been a production of the
Black Information Network. Today's show is produced by Chris Thompson.
Have some thoughts you'd like to share, use the red
microphone talkback feature on the iHeartRadio app. While you're there,
be sure to hit subscribe and download all of our episodes.
I'm your host Ramsey's Jaw on all social media, and
I'll be hosting another episode of Civic Cipher this weekend
(40:50):
on a station near you. For stations, show times, and
podcast info, check Civiccipher dot com and join us Monday
as we share our news with our voice from our
perspective right here on the Black Information Network Daily podcast
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