The View can just suck it

Well, I can't think of another jab that will really explain how I feel more than that. I wrote a letter. Perhaps I'll print it here and you'll see my concern. Hmmm...

To: ABC, Disney, Robert Iger



Dear Mr. Iger



Last week, a friend emailed me a link to a video clip of the opening segment of The View the featured comedienne, Mo’Nique. My friend’s email, simply said, “How much are we as Black women going to tolerate?” I opened the link and my jaw sat open as I watched the co-hosts, led by Barbara Walters humiliate Mo’Nique by calling her children creatures and then clasp hands with each other as Barbara said “You all come and go but we stay here.”



Now there are many ways to interpret that. Ms. Walters could have been referring to Mo’Nique merely as a guest host. She also could have been referring to Black women as co-hosts and guest co-hosts. It really doesn’t matter how she intended it, but more how it came across and that was evident by the droves of audience members that sat quietly while only a few applauded. That spoke volumes considering the demographic of the audience and if it offended them, and caught them off guard, how do you think it came across to Black women? It was appalling. But it got much worse.



On a public message board, I found thread after thread examining the show's treatment of African American women. There, I found additional clips of Brandy and Tanika Ray during their appearances on the program. During their visits, Barbara has felt it necessary to degrade them by asking them if there hair was real and worse still, put her hands all through their hair to examine it herself. I would urge you to go through the entire video library of this show and demonstrate Barbara Walters touching the hair of any White guest. I would urge you to find one of her asking if their hair was real. I thought ignorance at that level was something that disappeared with Diversity training classes that companies like ABC and Disney invest millions of dollars in. If you don’t invest that, perhaps this is as good a reason as any to start.



Over the past 2 days alone, I have had my email box flooded with links to all of these video clips and comments full of disgust directed at Barbara Walters, Bill Geddes, Joy Behar, The View and ABC. Larger organizations are currently planning boycotts of all of your products from all of your subsidiaries. It goes without saying that I’m sure your ratings reflect that Black women have turned the channel during the hour when The View is on in our neighborhoods and many are sending letters to rumored guests to appear on the show urging them to show their solidarity and disgust by not appearing on any stage with anyone that would touch their hair for their own test of authenticity.



Offenses such as these wouldn’t be tolerated in your corporate offices and shouldn’t be tolerated on any level for anyone. In fact, had any corporate employee done any of the things that Ms. Walters has done, they may well be job hunting by now to avoid potential law suits on the basis of discrimination. The kind of ignorance it takes to put your hands on another woman and run your fingers through her hair and the audacity to ask if it is real speaks only to the most disgusting members of our society. What should we expect next? Will Ms. Walters be asking Black guest hosts to shine her shoes or tap dance for her? Barbara Walters has offended and hurt many viewers with her actions and that should be apologized for and atoned for. Tolerating insensitive actions such as these have halted our society’s progress on ethnicity, religious, and gender tolerance. In 2006, it is NOT ok to continue to let those incidents slide and think no one will notice.



Until very recently, I have been a loyal viewer of ABC’s The View. The program was just the right mix of humor, current political discussion, entertainment and provided me a great break from full time stay at home motherhood while my children napped, played and readied for their day. Before their births, when I was on bed rest, the show became a regular part of my day and I welcomed the co-hosts and their personalities into my home. For 9 years, I’ve enjoyed this program but over the past few weeks, that loyalty has quickly turned into disgust.



I think ABC drastically under estimated the viewers intellect during Star Jones’ departure. For her commitment to the show, she was rewarded with disloyalty from ABC and it goes without saying from Barbara Walters and Bill Geddes. That she chose to announce her exit on her own terms was met with something I’ve never seen before even on the worst of reality shows in the character, rather lack of character displayed by Barbara Walters the next day when she and her co-hosts made light of Star’s departure and then further attempted to humiliate her by not allowing her to finish out the week. All because she didn’t make her announcement on the day ABC told her to do so. That was shameful.



I respected the fact that Star Jones didn’t get into a mud slinging contest but in watching bits and pieces of the programs since, I have seen mud come from the other co-hosts and that includes Barbara Walters and most certainly Joy Behar. This says nothing of the fact that Meredith Viera was being replaced with a woman that was more than vocal about her disdain for Star Jones and dared to criticize her for her “honesty” and timing in being forthcoming about her weight loss surgery. A woman, Rosie O’Donnell that saved her own shocking announcements for the days after her own television show ended. You should know by now that even segments of the public, myself included, that enjoyed Rosie O’Donnell’s show were shocked to here of her hiring and even more shocked that ABC must not be aware of Rosie’s blog where she, on a daily basis, chronicles her rants against the President, the media, other celebrities and anyone she can think of, yet she cast the first stone at Star Jones. That hiring spoke to the character of ABC and Disney and made clear their bottom line was essential to pit two lesbians (Rosie and Ellen) against each other in a run for an Emmy and that more care and focus was on that than on honoring loyalty of viewers and Star Jones. For that reason, even on Rosie’s blog, people have been very vocal in saying they will not be watching The View in the future.



But this is not about Star Jones at this point for me. It’s about offending and wounding an entire segment of the population.



If I am to be honest, I would say that I do not have any negative wishes for the show, but having been an Executive and having worked in the Entertainment industry for a number of years, ABC is making some serious errors in judgment that foretell of a 10th season, mid-season, cancellation due to lackluster ratings.



I do hope this email reaches someone that actually cares about daytime programming as well as decency and has some authority with Disney and ABC. I am forwarding these concerns to as many Civil Rights organizations that will hear them and an email list and message board distribution list that puts most TV show ratings to shame. At least then, no one can say they never knew about these complaints as an excuse for not acting on them.



Sincerely,

The Source

But ok, I didn't really say The Source. I'm thinking that scares people. They think I'm a leak to gossip columns. I used to do that sort of thing in my teens, but I haven't since my fake ID finally caught up to my real age and that was decades ago. So I'm putting my disdain on blast. Barbara Walters--all respect gone. Joy Behar--turns out, you were just a receptionist after all. Elizabeth Who?--and sadly, that's how they'll remember you. A weird trivia question and another sting on the Style network and still, no one will recall your name. You'll be doomed to be 'The other one' forever. Star Jones--Now, girl, you knew better. Some folks, not saying which folks, but some folks do not like to see successful African Americans, much less African American women. It reminds them of the unspoken, unthought of, the hush that is privilege of flesh tones. It reminds them that they had all the opportunities in the world and they still couldn't pull off a million dollar wedding. For shame! Meredith--You got out just in time. I'm going to gush over Matt now. Oh hell, I alreaday went through that phase. I must be getting old.