Tuesday, March 17, 2020

The Black News Channel

I'm very proud of being a part of the Black News Channel.

Now before you ask why there is even a Black News Channel I'll give you my thoughts on that but first a few stories.

Some of these stories you've heard me tell before.

When I was young it seemed every Black person I saw in movies was either a bad guy or a drug dealer. Or a wide eyed what do we do now? Or got killed off early.

When I was young after watching Good Times, you know, JJ Walker and Dyno-mite, I remember thinking that I didn't live in the projects. In fact I didn't know anyone who did. Don't get me wrong there were lots of people, good people, who did but I wasn't one of them. But America thought we all did.

When I was young white people could do anything, Black people could do about three things. They showed all spectrums of the rainbow for white people, they didn't do that for us.

When I was young if you were white and liked jazz you were cool. If you were Black and liked rock and roll? Well let's just say when listeners found out their favorite DJ on the radio was Black I heard more than once, "What kind of music do you really like?" I like rock and roll. Check my iPhone you'll see. You'll also find Al Green, Earth, Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, The Spinners, and more. But rock and roll? I'm there.

You see a theme developing here.

In movies it seemed it was always Black people waiting for a white person to tell them what to do. It wasn't until Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop where I saw white people say, "What do we do now?" And it was the Black guy who said, "Here's what we do."

I tell my daughter that what you see now on screen and on television I got used to not seeing.  I didn't see the things she takes for granted now. An example. Scandal. A Black woman having an affair with a married white guy who just happens to be the president of the United States. And he's underwater in love with her.

C'mon now.

Okay, now my thoughts.

We see gang members, thugs, drug dealers, who are Black, on television all the time. You see, in my house things like that weren't an option. In many Black homes things like weren't an option, as well.

I thank my lucky stars for having parents who didn't play that.

My parents.

My mom a Vice President of a bank, my dad a Colonel in the Air Force. Loving, kind, smart, and they helped prepare me for life after home.

My show on the Black News Channel is called All Things Men and is on every Tuesday at 2:30. I know, I know, self promotion lol but hang on, there is a method to my madness.
Jason Gregory and me

I have guests like Jason Gregory.

He is a writer, producer and director. He's done all that for a pilot called Waking Up White. It's a comedy about a Black family that one day, well you get the idea. They have 30 days to decide if they want to remain white or go back to being Black. Check out the trailer on Youtube, it's great.

He runs his own ad agency, Gregory Media Group, he lectures at the University of Central Florida on screenwriting. He's also a member of 13 Brains who've sold their first project to, wait for it, Netflix.

You need to hear his story.

I have guests like Paul Royal.

He has four, count them, four degrees. He went into the Marines before getting them and specialized in aviation electronics.
Paul Royal 

Christmas was special around his house when he was a boy and he would get toy cars and presents.  By noon, all the cars were taken apart not because he wanted to junk them but because he wanted to see how they worked. I'll never forget what he told me. When he was younger he never saw a Black face do what he liked to do.

We're going to change that.

I'm proud of being a part of that.

I'm proud of being a part of history.

I'm very proud of being a part of the Black News Channel.









#MarkMcEwen
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4 comments:

  1. Wow!! Thank you for your insights and information on an accomplished Black man.

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  2. Rooting for you, Mark! Happy you have this outlet, because nobody can tell a story like you can!
    When this self distancing is over, let's play "record night".

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  3. Like you, I never saw the black role as the lead. I’m thankful didn’t let it stop me. As a classically trained violinist in middle school, I got a lot of comments and looks questioning my blackness and manhood. So much so that I switched to upright bass after a year. I love my bass but I know y decision was impacted by my experience as a black kid doing something atypical in a city environment that wasn’t ready for me. Today things are much different.

    My kids listen to and play classics, 80’s rock, and all the music I was exposed to is fair game. I know it’s due to representation. Also, they find healing and stress relief from this music so it’s a blessing in disguise!

    I’m part of a men’s group at my church and I will inform them of your show on Tuesdays! Gd bless you my man!

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