This is the episode of "Boondocks" that was banned from television by network execs (Viacom) who would have had a fit if this was shown. It is a brilliantly done satire about an evil Cruela Devil-like BET executive( at the beck and call of her white superiors) out to do what "hundreds of years of slavery, Jim Crow and malt liquor" could not; destroy the Black race. Now, we all know that BET is carcinogenic. We all know that watching that network ritually is about as good for you as inhaling second hand smoke on a daily basis. Nevertheless, what this episode does best is shed light on the nature of our contemporary Black leaders, some of whom (I won't name names, that's tacky) in their attempt to enlighten the "hip hop generation" about social change, fall into same decadence of those they criticize. In this epoisode, "Hunger Strike" food becomes a metaphor for this decadence of which I speak. The activist figure, Rollo Good Love, who oddly resembles a cross between Al-Sharpton and Ronald Isley, believes that he can effect change from within by joining the very entertainment world that he speaks against. But in doing so, he becomes blindsighted by his own celebrity. We should remember that a civic leader is a position of service. While notariety may come with it, the moment that a leader is motivated by achieving self glory he becomes ineffective. It's just a good episode. Watch it while you can. I'm sure that it will mysterioulsy vanish from the internet as it has done several times before.
"It's 2 PM, time for our morning staff meeting."
"When I sit and watch BET my dignity is sucked away."
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