bet

The Black Church: A Haven and a Hardship for Its LGBT Members

Rich Juzwiak · 11/04/15 03:47PM

For too long, gay experience was defined by outsiders who tended to condemn rather than empathize. As reporting has become democratized and stigma has eroded, more and more people who actually live the experience—the real experts—have been able to share it. The new documentary directed by BET’s Clay Cane Holler If You Hear Me: Black and Gay in the Church facilitates that sort of modern sharing in interviews with several black LGBT people who have vast experience with having their identities shaped, tested, and sometimes flat-out rejected by their churches. It dismisses the notion that being gay and Christian is paradoxical and it helps explain why it’s hard for even those who feel maligned by the church have a hard time leaving it. You can watch it in its entirety here:

Antoine Dodson's BET Awards Show Performance

Jeff Neumann · 10/13/10 05:39AM

Antoine Dodson was on the 2010 BET Hip Hop Awards show last night, performing his song "Bed Intruder." Taped a few weeks ago, the show aired last night and marked Dodson's first actual performance. Here's how it went.

BET, Stop Rewarding Michael Vick's Behavior

Andrew Belonsky · 10/07/09 11:04PM

Michael Vick signed an eight episode deal with BET, which will air a biographical show about the the football player who enjoys making dogs fight. But it's not a reality show. It's an autobiographical attempt to revamp Vick's image. [MSNBC]

Gwyneth's Breasts Take Barcelona by Storm!

Andrew Belonsky · 09/09/09 05:00AM

Gwyneth needs a better bra. The gays need not beg to kiss George Clooney. And Megan Fox knows she doesn't need a sex tape. All that and more in your Wednesday morning Gossip Roundup!

The Recession is Over! How We Celebrating?

T.A.N. · 05/30/09 02:45PM

For who knows how long anymore "The Recession" has been our warm ratty security blanket. But "experts" are saying the joyride of sadness is over. Now what? Jozen (Vibe), Melissa (Opinionistas), and Abiola (BET) advise.

What They Need Are More Ja Rule Videos

Hamilton Nolan · 09/12/08 09:05AM

BET president Reginald Hudlin is leaving the embattled scarequote-urban-unscarequote network for hazy reasons. He introduced several successful reality shows during his three years, but also saw ratings drop. BET says Hudlin wants to get back into the movie business; we say he just fears Master P. [WP]

Can Master P Make Better Black Television?

Hamilton Nolan · 08/18/08 12:02PM

You may have exclaimed "Uhhhhhhh!" when you heard that New Orleans' favorite musically atrocious bounce rapper Master P is planning to launch a new cable network called Better Black Television (BBTV). P says it will be "a family-friendly network" with "positive subject matter," meaning it's designed to be a kick in the balls to BET, which has been knocked forever for having a trashy programming lineup. Master P jokes aside, could this thing actually work-and should it? We, the opposite of his target demographic, will tell you the answer: BBTV's announced show lineup so far includes hip hop video and interview shows with only "appropriate" music included; a comedy show; a kids' show called Gee Gee the Giraffe; a bilingual soap opera; a cooking show; a financial literacy show; a "behind-the-scenes" celebrity show; family-friendly black movies; and profiles of historical black figures. If you've spent much time watching BET, the lineup sounds awfully familiar. BBTV is essentially saying that it will be what everyone hoped BET would be before it degenerated into lots of infomercials, Juice reruns, and endless repetitions of, um, Master P videos. (Although BET has made a bit of a comeback with original programming recently, it hasn't been enough to resurrect its reputation for embracing stereotypical lowest-common-denominator black programming). So yes, the irony of Master P running a positive network is not lost on anyone. But give the man some credit. He went from selling tapes of his terrible music out of car trunks to running a business conglomerate that probably makes him worth more the Puff Daddy, his more glamorous NYC counterpart. BET has long had the "black cable network" idea to itself, which allowed it to get away with selling such crappy programming for so long. So P, we salute your business sense and your commitment to positivity, if not any of your 15 albums or your son's equally grating music. Master P could easily be the next black billionaire; he just needs to remember not to go so heavy on the music censorship that he blocks exposure for the next coming of himself. Uhhhhhhhh.

Jack Black Saw London, He Saw France

Douglas Reinhardt · 08/14/08 07:20PM

Tropic Thunder star Jack Black appeared to have a mysterious rip/tear in his pants as he was leaving the BET Studios last night. Black received many weird and confused looks from both BET staffers and onlookers, but no one dared confront the major movie star to let him know about the state of his trousers. That is, until a particularly smartmouthed fan got a few words in edgewise. While posing for a picture, the fan asked Jables if he enjoyed his recent trip to London and France. A confused Black said, "But we don't do our European publicity junkets until next week?", before realizing everyone could see his underpants.

Caribbean Politico Burned For BET Fling

Hamilton Nolan · 08/05/08 04:06PM

It's always refreshing to see the leaders of lesser nations gadding about and having affairs with celebrities. It's positively European. Michael Misick, the Premier of the tiny little Turks and Caicos, is finding his affair a bit less breezy, however; his wife (former All of Us actress LisaRaye McCoy) just had her PR firm issue a press release saying that Misick is creeping around with the host of BET's 106 & Park. You just don't get untainted politico-celebrity voyeurism like this in America: