Read a Book Video Causes Stir on CNN
CNN’s Tony Harris recently delved into the hubbub surrounding BET’s Flash-animated music video Read a Book. If you want to see what the fuss is about, watch the video and then check out the comments on an earlier post here on CHF.
Bomani “D’mite” Armah, who created the song, and Tyree Dillihay, the director of the video, joined Harris on the broadcast, which did as much to stoke the flames as the song itself.
Here’s the crux of the issue – we Americans see animation and immediately associate it with kids. The song does echo themes pushed by the children’s literacy organization Reading is Fundamental, but if you listen to the lyrics, they’re mainly aimed at adults. What episode of Electric Company urged kids to “buy some land?” So once you accept that this message is aimed at adults, allow yourself to focus on the real messages, which all races should find some value in.
Read a Book was animated by Six Point Harness Studios in Hollywood.
September 10th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
it’s really frustrating to watch an interviewer like this who instead of moderating a conversation manipulates what the participants are saying in order to create controversy.
and it’s true they showed segments from the electric company and sesame street but none of the material that was being parodied in the video.
ahh the power of television.
we should do a segment on how people like that interviewer want to pigeonhole the art of animation to PBS children’s shows.
September 11th, 2007 at 12:15 am
Man, oh man. If this was a live actions video, nothin’ but yucks. Make it a cartoon, and who watches cartoons. Kids.
(And teens, and adults, and geeks, and club kids, and Japanese schoolgirls, and Korean office workers, and New York cabbies, and…well, you get my freakin’ point…the suits, apparently, don’t.)
Take away the imagery and the cursin’ and you realize the video is a tongue-in-cheek screed about not acting like (fillintheblank) trash. If this was a country song done up by Jeff Foxworthy tellin’ people in trailer parks to get their act together, nothin’ but yucks. If this was some preachy afterschool shite people automatically dial out of the second it comes on, these dudes would be getting awards. But point out some warts, and watch the knives come out, ’specially in this context.
The funniest thing isn’t the cartoon, although it’s damn funny. It’s seein’ the comedy and seein’ the satire directly evident in front of you and watchin’ people with out a lick of imagination ‘tween ‘em squirm and twitch as they JUST DON’T GET IT. You can practically hear the brain meat sizzling.
Enjoy the video, ’cause in this cultural climate, I guarantee you ain’t gonna see the likes again for some time, which is a damn shame.
September 11th, 2007 at 4:22 am
Temple Dog- very well said.
September 13th, 2007 at 7:25 am
This video was absolutely awesome. Only a black individual with a brain would understand it. However, I believe it sends a strong message to the community. If the video stated all of the things that it did in a much less offensive way it would be ignored and BET would have never played. It has a bit of attraction to it with all the slang and urban ghetto jargon attached. More money wasting non reading young black men and boys have probably seen this video than bought the last positive message delivering rap album. It’s an avenue to reach the young black. This video sends a message to stop wasting time, money and your life and to do something positive with it. It even gives suggestions. Read a Book, brush your teeth, take care of your children, stop wasting money, buy something to show with your money. There aren’t too many things out there that give this message that actually receive air play.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:45 am
jak – I’m not so sure if -only- a black individual with a brain would understand it…
http://haru-tigli.livejournal.com/15874.html
^I’ve already said my opinion on this whole thing…
September 15th, 2007 at 9:45 am
Dammit the video was brilliant and it I really think it applies to human beings in general. I applaud Bomani and Tyree for keeping there cool and not falling into that reporters trap. It is really frustrating how foolish and misguided that CNN reporter is…
September 18th, 2007 at 10:48 pm
As a librarian I am all over this video– I wish I could post it on the library website. I’m getting “Read a m*therf*cking book” put on a t-shirt.
But are people really this threatened by the idea of literacy and social responsibility? Apparently so, because it’s a lot of kerfuffle over not much.
September 28th, 2007 at 12:08 am
This cartoon is not what I would want my 13 year old daughter to watch. Of course it is up to the parents, to promote thoughts of success and the proper guidance, to know the difference between The rap videos and real life. We have to be a watch dog, when it comes to viewing television in this day and age, so I don’t fault the makers of the video, I fault the parents to which they have not shown their children what is right and what is wrong. Education is the key! We have the power to turn the BETs and the MTVs off, but we use that for baby sitting purposes, so we can’t really blame anyone but ourselves.