'Real Husbands of Hollywood': What We've Been Waiting For?

By: Michael Arceneaux | Posted: January 17, 2013 at 12:30 AM

The Cast of Real Husbands of Hollywood (BET.com)

Writing at Ebony, Michael Arceneaux says it was about time for a new black comedy to be a hit with audiences, and it was also time for Kevin Hart to have his own vehicle.

I didn't have to wait until the end of the series premiere of Real Husbands of Hollywood to channel the late Whitney Houston and declare, "Oh, my Lord, how have I waited for this day." Based on the segments at the 2011 BET Awards that generated enough acclaim to warrant a full series order, all comedian Kevin Hart had to do was offer something even half as funny as those and it'd still manage to be the best Black comedy to hit television in much too long.

In a November 2012 interview, the stand-up comedian and actor declared to BET.com: "I can honestly go on record saying this show will be what Chappelle's Show was for Comedy Central. Comedy Central was a great network but Chappelle's Show took it to a completely different level. Other shows got bigger because so many viewers were watching the Chappelle reruns. For BET, the Real Husbands of Hollywood has that same potential."

Some took that comparison out of context, but Hart had it right. Real Husbands of Hollywood more than delivers on the promise of those segments and he can now take claim for providing BET with its first original comedy that's laugh out loud funny with the potential to be a breakout success.

That's not a slight to BET's current biggest ratings-earner, The Game. Yet, The Game isn't a homegrown show and frankly it's not the same comedy it was on the WB. The show now is essentially The Young and the Restless Athlete with comedy sprinkles and laugh track boosts. Fine, but the network needed a comedy that's in fact funny as much as audiences deserved one.

Read Michael Arceneaux's entire piece at Ebony.

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