BLACK FILM WATCH: THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG

Disney has finally released the much anticipated trailer to The Princess and the Frog, the first Disney animation to star black characters. When I first found out about the project I was iffy on it. This is the same organization that made a movie putting the motherland on display, but instead decided to focus on animals and not its people. I know many loved The Lion King, but I was upset for ages.

Disney Animation may be able to appease me with this new film, but only if they do it right. I applaud them for using the backdrop of New Orleans and displaying jazz music and creole speak, but why does our first black princess need to turn into frog? Back in the day, blacks were often portrayed in the media as having animalistic qualities. Will this be any different? 

FOX UPS BLACK SHOWS

Along with the death of UPN, these last couple of years network television shows aimed toward African-American audiences has been on the downswing. Other than CW's The Game and Everyone Hates Chris, there's hasn't been much else.

Just announced at Fox's upfront, three new shows have been added to the line-up that feature African-American talent, or at least portray African-American characters. 

THE CLEVELAND SHOW

A family guy spin-off where Cleveland Brown, Peter Griffin's neighbor, moves to Virginia with his new family. Cleveland's new wife, Donna, will be voiced by Sanaa Latham. Despite not even premiering yet, Fox has picked up 2 seasons for a total of 35 episodes. 

THE BROTHERS

A sitcom starring former NFL Giants Star Michael Straham. Straham plays an ex-NFL star who is forced to move back in with his parents. The show will also feature Daryl "Chilli" Mitchell as his estranged brother, and  Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed from Rocky) as his father. 

THE WANDA SYKES SHOW

Lastly Fox replaced Mad TV with a Wanda Sykes late-night talk show. Sykes has been getting a lot of attention lately, mostly for coming out and her controversial jokes at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. All in all, she has three Emmys for her work on "Inside The NFL."

  

FOX SHOW PREVIEWS:

PRECIOUS TRAILER

The Precious trailer and poster have finally been posted. Precious is the new "It" movie for me this year (previously it was "The Soloist"). There's been plenty of Oscar buzz talk for Mo'Nique in the Best Supporting Actress category and after seeing this trailer, I am a full believer. 

ERYKAH BADU REFERENCES "NETWORK"

Erykah Badu went real political on her last album, "New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)". At the end of a track titled "Twinkle", she references the epic "mad as hell" speech from the 1976 classic Network where Peter Finch's character, Howard Beale, launches an on-screen tirade against the omnipotent Corporate powers-that-be.

Listen to it. For being written before 1976, it sounds eerily relevant. oth Badu and Network are both heraled for being out-there and ahead of their times.

BLACK FILM HISTORY SPOTLIGHT

"I just saw a black woman on television and she ain't no maid." - Whoppi Goldberg

In celebration of the new Star Trek movie (look out for the review) I decided to highlight one of the first black  TV roles, Uhura from Star Trek: The Original Series. 

Uhura is one of the first major black characters to appear on an American television series. Originally played by Nichelle Nichols, she serves as the communications officer to the U.S.S. Enterprise.  

Nichols was casted as Uhura because of the Star Trek creator's desire to have a racially diverse cast. The original series ended up running from September 1966 to September 1969. After the first season, Nichols attempted to quit but was persuaded to stay by Martin Luther King Jr. who shed light on her position as a role model for the black community. 

Due to Nichols intelligent and competent portrayal of Uhura, many look at the original character as a role model. Whoppi Goldberg used Uhura as a guideline for how to portray Guinan on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Nasa later employed Nichols to help enlist African-Americans and the first black woman to fly aboard the Space Shuttle, Dr. Mae Jemison, cited Uhura as influencing her decision to become an astronaut. 

EXTRAS:

• The character was originally named Sulu but was changed due to the belief that it's similarity with Zulu would play against the plan for racial diversity. 
• Uhura is swahili for freedom. Creators chose the name after Nichols brought a copy of the book "Black Uhura" to her audition and explained  what the term meant. 
• Uhura's taboo kiss with Captain Kirk is cited as being the first interracial kiss portrayed on American television. Many refute this claim stating that Sammy Davis Jr. kissed Nancy Sinatra on the variety program Movin With Nancy in December of 1967. 
• Uhura is portrayed by Zoe Saldana in 2009's Star Trek. This is the first time Uhuru's first name is revealed to be Nyota. Throughout the franchise multiples first names have been teased such as Nyota, Upenda, and Samara.