Television
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Don't Talk About It, Be About It: The 2018 Emmys Prove Diversity Is Still a Work in Progress
The 70th Primetime Emmys opened with several racially charged jokes, talk of diversity and a celebrity-laden musical number called “We Solved It,” touting the most diverse group of nominees in Emmy history. But the joke was still on us, because most of the awards would still go to white nominees. The first winner of color…
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White-on-White Crime: Tom Arnold's Posse and Mark Burnett Gang Throw Hands at Emmy Party
As further proof that white culture continues to promote senseless violence, reality show producer Mark Burnett and Tom Arnold, the guy who always talks like he just inhaled an unknown but refreshing powder given to him by an anonymous man with a Columbian accent in the bathroom, were reportedly involved in a tussle that probably…
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The VSB Group Chat: Insecure Season 3, Episode 5, 'High-Like' Recap
It’s Beyonce or bust for Issa and her girlfriends as they head to Coachella. After what’s been an interesting buildup and letdown with Issa and Daniel and now Issa and Nathan and Molly’s persistent work issues, the ladies needed a break. And with Beyonce on the line?!? #letsgo But ain’t no way this crew wasn’t…
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19 Different Spoiler-Free Thoughts and Emotions (With GIFs) I Had While Watching the Season 5 Finale of Power
The season five finale of Power aired on Sunday night. Look, for all of the criticisms of Power—and some of it is very, very warranted—when this season got good it got goodt. Delivert goodt. Slap yo’ mama with the same hand that you don’ licked off the barbecue sauce off your fingers goodt. Episodes 8-10?…
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Insecure Has Secured the Bag for Season 4
Fans of Insecure, rejoice! The beloved show has been renewed for a fourth season just as the third season has started on HBO. Issa Rae, who co-created the show with Larry Wilmore, announced the good news on Twitter Thursday morning. Rae wrote “#InsecureHBO has been renewed for Season 4! Thank you to everyone who has…
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Los Angeles District Attorney Will Not Pursue Sexual Assault Case Against Anthony Anderson
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office has declined a sexual assault case against actor Anthony Anderson after the alleged victim in the case declined to be interviewed by investigators. The Black-ish star was accused of sexual assault by a woman who catered an event for him. The woman said she met with Anderson after…
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Issa Rae Says Insecure Would Not Work With a Predominantly White Staff
Insecure is now in its third season, and the show’s success lies in its unapologetic blackness—something that the black people who watch it can relate to. In a recent interview, Issa Rae said the show’s magic is rooted in its predominantly minority crew and the fact that it doesn’t try to explain blackness to nonblack…
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The VSB Group Chat: Insecure Season 3, Episode 4, 'Fresh-Like' Recap
Ain’t no need for an intro, we in this and we are finally, finally (FINALLY!!!) getting somewhere! So let’s jump into this weekly discussion with Jouelzy and Panama on season 3 of Insecure. Jouelzy: Molly is so indifferent to Daniel, it’s like, damn, is she that unable to cut the poor boy some slack? I…
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Wendell Pierce Is a Black Man
Everybody knows Wendell Pierce. Even if you never saw him play the hard-drinking, cigar-smoking, laissez-faire “Bunk” Moreland on The Wire, the greatest television show that ever aired on television, you have met him before. While nothing or no one (not even Pierce himself) could ever tell me that he doesn’t really play the trombone like…
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The First Mystery in Season 3 of True Detective Is WTF Is Up With Mahershala Ali’s Wig?
I did not watch the previous iterations of True Detective. Not for any particular reason, really. I generally like dark and deliberate murder mysteries—I had to resuscitate myself to write this after Sharp Objects killed me last night—but there just wasn’t any room for True Detective on the plate of shows I actively watch. This…