#1 - February 28th - Will Smith - "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"
Was there ever any doubt? Come on, you have to admit, when you learned that I was making a list of my favorite black TV characters you had to know Will Smith was going to be #1. It's a no-brainer. He beat out the likes of Bill Cosby, Redd Foxx, Bernie Mac, and The Rock. Smith is very much deserving of this high honor.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air lasted just six seasons, the same number as The Cosby Show. But, in that short period of time, The Fresh Prince somehow made a lasting impact on myself and countless others. It's one of those shows that I will continue to watch and laugh with until it's all said and done.
It's crazy to think back to 1990 and remember that Will Smith was almost bankrupt before The Fresh Prince came out. It's crazy because nearly two decades later, Will now makes $20 million+ for each movie he is in. And that figure might be on the low side. So, when Will's career is over, you can look back to this series as to when it started to get really good for Will Smith.
I wanted so badly as a child to act just like Will Smith in the Fresh Prince. He was the utmost definition of cool. Maybe I didn't want to wear the ridiculous clothes Will wore, but I wanted to imitate his hip demeanor. Will always was quick to crack a joke, usually at Carlton or his Uncle Phil's expense. But, he was always the first to help out all of his cousins, which usually resulted in laugh-out-loud situations.
It's easy to say that Will Smith the person is just like The Fresh Prince, and that it required almost no acting. But, as the show progressed, it touched on a variety of themes that were not funny in any sense of the word. From racism to abandoning fathers, Will had to show an ability to broaden his acting skills, which he did flawlessly. You could simply tell from watching this show that Will was destined for greatness.
Can I see anyone topping Will Smith for the top spot on this list? To be quite honest, no I don't. First and foremost, there just aren't that many good black TV shows going right now. Secondly, it's hard to match - let alone top - everything that Will brought to the table. The combination of his strong acting skills, top-notch sense of humor, and his quick wit will be a daunting task to compete with.
Like I said at the top, this one is a no-brainer. Will Smith is my favorite black TV character of all-time.
And just like that, we're done. An entire month has past before us, black history month to boot. We started with Rev Run and ended with Will Smith. In between we saw stand-up comics, athletes turned broadcasters and even a smoke monster. It was my tribute to Barnes for Black History Month, and I thank him for incorporating me and my list the past 28 days. It was a very rewarding experience putting this list together, unveiling it one day at a time, and anxiously anticipating Barnes' daily response.
So, where do we go from here? Terrific question. The thought was that I would spend some time compiling my favorite movies of all-time. But, it didn't happen. I didn't even start. So for now, we are going to focus on producing more podcasts with columns sporadically appearing.
Again, thank you to Barnes, and thanks to all of you for following along. It is my hope that you experienced some laughs, relived some childhood memories, and maybe even were introduced to a show/person you were not aware of.
I will leave you with a quote from an African proverb, "God gives nothing to those who keep their arms crossed."
#2 - February 27th - Donald Faison as 'Christopher Turk' - "Scrubs"
Throughout this entire list, I have mentioned, when it was necessary, how much the black-white relationship between two characters played an impact on this list. For Donald Faison aka. Turk from Scrubs, it vaulted him past the legendary Bill Cosby, and landed him here, at the coveted #2 spot.
I was a late arrival to Scrubs, a show centered around a doctor named J.D. and the cast of characters surrounding him in Sacred Heart Hospital. Up until January of last year, I had never watched a single episode, and it was always one of those shows that when I saw a re-run, would immediately switch channels. In other words, it was on the same level as Frasier, or My Wife and Kids.
But, I got tired of hearing other people tell me how much they liked Scrubs, and I also got tired of switching the channel all the time, because Scrubs always seemed to be on. So, I gave in, watched a couple of episodes, and to put it simply, fell in love. Any fan of comedy TV series, will love Scrubs. No question about it.
With all that being said, you still may be asking yourself why Turk (a black surgeon) is so high on this list. The short answer probably says it best. He is best friends with JD (a white doctor), and their interactions completely make this show. Sure Dr. Cox is terrific, and who doesn't love the Janitor? But, the essence of this show is Turk and JD. Without it, there is no Scrubs.
Turk and JD roomed together at college. They went to medical school together, and now work at the same hospital together. They know each other better than their significant others. In fact, after coming back from his honeymoon, Turk gets wildly excited upon seeing JD again, and the two share a long embrace. Turk's new wife says, "I wish someday he would love ME like that." They truly are best friends.
But, that's not to take away from Turk's essence either, because he is a great television character ... period. He is highly competitive, always striving to be the best in everything, including his job as a surgeon. He loves sports, loves to dance, and is always there for his friends and family. Throw in a fun-loving spirit and a terrific sense of humor, and what's not to love?
A great aspect of Turk's character is how he constantly embraces his blackness, always in a light-hearted and comical manner. It's what makes Scrubs such a unique show. It is seemingly always bringing up common stereotypes, and instead of poking fun at each other, they poke fun at the actual stereotype instead. Throw in the black-white combo of Turk and JD, and well, you have a terrific show.
So, hopefully that answers why Turk is #2, just one spot shy the summit. He's on a ridiculously funny television show, I love his character, and the fact that he has a white best friend. But, there's even a bit more.
When I compiled this list, Turk was originally slated #4. Gervase was #3 and Bill Cosby was #2. However, at the beginning of the month, when searching for clips to be put on this list, I stumbled upon a video so great, so perfect, that I bumped Turk up two spots. I'm doing this list for Barnes, and this video about Turk reminded me so much of Barnes it's almost uncanny.
If I had to rank every video/clip I've posted the past 28 days, that one would be far and away the best. Tell me that doesn't remind you of Barnes. It's not shown in the above video, but there is even a billboard of Turk. All that's missing is "I am the Promise."
Okay, that will wrap it up for today. Just one more final day left in Black History Month. I've already written the final pick, and it will automatically post with just one minute remaining in February. It's my last ditch effort to keep you in suspense until the final seconds, although, the top pick should be nothing of a surprise. Far from it.
Make sure to check out Barnes' blog (on my sidebar), to find out how he views my selections. Check regularly, because due out soon will be his recap of my entire list. A podcast is also in the works.
Hint for #1: This guy can do it all. Sing ... check. Rap ... check. Act on television ... check. Star in blockbuster movies ... check. Like I said, he can do it all.
#3 - February 26th - Bill Cosby as Cliff Huxtable - "The Cosby Show"
This is going to be impossible. Any words that I write will only do an injustice to this living legend. In many ways, Bill Cosby IS this list. Without Bill, I seriously doubt Bernie Mac or Dave Chappelle gets their own show. I doubt my top two picks happen as well. And while Redd Foxx came before him, Sanford and Son did not even come close to the gigantic success The Cosby Show encountered.
He was everyone's favorite dad. With a large family of five roaming the Huxtable house, Cliff attempted to keep it all together. Don't ask me how he managed to do it, or managed to find the time. Cliff was a doctor on top of being in charge of such a diverse family. Not gonna lie, Cliff was the man.
Every once in a while, a show comes along and changes things. For my generation, it was The Cosby Show. A show about two successful black parents raising a family. It had never been done. But, The Cosby Show prevailed, almost immediately, and has had a lasting impact on our entire generation. After its' eight-year run ended, it cemented itself as one of the most successful sitcoms of all-time.
Bill Cosby has done enough Jello pudding commercials that one might think he is turning into Fat Albert himself. He also came into the entertainment business as a stand-up comedian, but make no mistake, his role as Cliff Huxtable is what he will be remembered as. It's funny, even though I could name all five Cosby kids in order, (Sondra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa, and Rudy), it took me a couple extra seconds to remember Bill's characters' name. By now, those two are almost synonymous.
Cosby's style of humor is timeless. Just as I can watch The Fresh Prince and still laugh, the same can be said of The Cosby Show. Bill is the one to thank for that. He can make an entire scene hilarious without even saying anything. But, usually, Bill makes his opinion known verbally. He loves his kids, but also wants him out of the house, as a running joke on the show is Bill keeping a tab of how much money his kids owe him.
My favorite aspect of Cliff Huxtable is how much he was a real dad. He was caring, cautious, protective, and taught his children the importance of hard work. He always had a lesson to teach, but always had a unique way of teaching it.
Even though there were always people coming in and out of the Huxtable household, Cliff seemed to develop a relationship with everyone. My favorite non-blood-related relationship was the one Cliff had with Elvin. Those two could not have been more different, and every encounter ended with me laughing.
Again, this entire list should just be called the Bill Cosby list. Because, again, he is the man. He is a pioneer, and like I mentioned at the beginning, a living legend. Thank you Bill.
And then there were two.
Enough from me tonight. Make sure to check out Barnes' blog (on my sidebar) to find out what he thinks as we get dangerously close to the end of February.
Hint for #2: We've touched on this many times throughout the list. But this guy and his best friend are the definition of the black-white relationship I love.
Devin Frank, my former co-host of Old College Roommates (OCR) on WHEI stopped by for my fourth podcast. We talk about the Oscars, LOST, Tampa Bay Bucs, Brady Quinn, the NFL Draft, and give some things that tick us off ... but probably shouldn't. Enjoy. Another two-part podcast.
#4 - February 25th - Gervase Peterson - "Survivor"
Outwit, outplay, and then outlast. Gervase Peterson was able to accomplish two of the three, but failed with the latter. Had he won the original Survivor, he might have topped this list as well.
Have you ever found yourself on your own rooting for a team? All of your friends are rooting for the popular pick, but you go out on a limb and go against them? If that team ends up winning, you feel a better sense of accomplishment than if you had won with everyone else. It's why I love the 1999 UCONN men's basketball team, and it's why I love Gervase Peterson.
When Survivor came out in March of 2000, you got a sense it was going to be a huge hit. Everyone was talking about it. It was the first of its' kind. A reality television show. The stars were actual people, no scripts involved. I had to watch, and I'm glad I did. Survivor turned out to be a great television show.
As I saw the cast of characters the first time through, I quickly picked Gervase to be my horse. Yes, he was the only black guy, which not going to lie, somehow appealed to me. But, he was also a YMCA basketball coach, and seemed to be the guy I would want to hang out with the most from the bunch. I figured he would be athletic, in shape, and be able to handle the load physically. Mentally, well, since I picked him from day one, I had no idea.
But, as the season wore on, I found myself rooting harder and harder for Gervase. I loved his relaxed demeanor, and also how he was shown never helping out with anything. Every time they showed Gervase he was laying out on the beach, playing cards, or doing anything else that wasn't cooking, building, etc. I thought this was a genius strategy. He stayed out of the way, but his personality was solid enough to make him likable among everyone else. In my mind, he was going to win the whole thing.
Turns out that Gervase wasn't able to break up the solid alliance of Rudy, Richard and Kelly, who ended up being the top three. But, Gervase did manage to make it to the merging of the two groups, thus putting him on the final jury. He finished in seventh, as he just couldn't pull off enough immunity victories to save him.
Also, not gonna lie, I know how much Barnes loves Survivor (it was his top rated television show of all-time, or in his top-five at least), and that played a small factor into why Gervase is up this high. But, don't get me wrong, I will never forget Gervase because he is the only character on Survivor I ever passionately followed. My interest in Survivor faded as the seasons wore on, to the point that I don't watch it at all anymore. If they were to bring back Gervase, I would be back in an instant, because then I would have my guy in there to root for.
Okay, enough from me. Make sure to check our Barnes' blog (located on my sidebar) to find his thoughts on my picks. I am more anxious to hear what he thinks of this pick more than any other thus far, because I know how big of a Survivor fan he is.
Hint for #3: This character has done several commercials, multiple television shows, and was even a stand-up comic. But one role stands out amongst the crowd, in a big way.
#5 - February 24th - LeVar Burton - "Reading Rainbow"
Take a look, it's in a book ... a reading rainbow.
The first spot in the top five goes to LeVar Burton, who was the executive producer and the host of one of the best children television shows of all-time, Reading Rainbow. It was a show that stressed the importance of reading, being curious, and gaining a thirst for knowledge. I didn't know it at the time, but watching that show has had a resounding positive impact on my life.
Yes, we all know Burton from his time on Star Trek, but that's not why he is on this list. It is solely for his performance on Reading Rainbow. As the host, he took us along on adventures, always visiting interesting places along the way. What I loved best about Burton was his child-like wonder. He reflected my thoughts and feelings as if I was actually right there beside him. In a sense, he kind of became part of our family, at least in my head.
But he also had that distinct voice, and unique way of speaking. If he made an audio book of the Dictionary, I would listen to it. You can tell Burton is smart - but not smug, - thoughtful, intelligent, and any other adjective that depicts one being knowledgeable.
Reading Rainbow in it's bare essence, is a show designed to get children reading. For me, as a young kid, this was no problem. I loved reading. It came easy to me. During class, I prided myself on being the first one done reading a story. But, the biggest thing I took away from Reading Rainbow, was my imagination.
If you read my random thoughts, you can tell that I truly had a sense of imagination as a child. I owe this to Reading Rainbow. "I can go anywhere ... I can be anything." That tune completely resonated with me. So, in a weird - but true - way, I owe my creativeness to LeVar Burton, which is why he is so far up on this list.
Showing that the world is without a doubt circular. Look who made an appearance on an episode of Reading Rainbow. It just so happens to be my #28 selection. I could write a book about the six degrees of separation surrounding this list.
Well, we are down to the final four. Any guesses?? I'd love to hear them.
Take a second now and check out Barnes' blog (located on my sidebar) to see his reaction to my #5 pick. Still can't believe we only have four left.
Hint for #4: Think of a song by Destiny's Child. That should give you the title of the show this character was on. From there you are on your own. Good luck.
The King of Arguments was graced with the presence of Matt Barnes for a two-part podcast this evening. We talked about Tiger Woods return, made our picks for the WGC Accenture Match-Play Championships, and even got into some Tribe talk towards the end. Enjoy.
#6 - February 23rd - Alex Adeyanju/Matt Barnes - "Gridiron Glory"
What up and welcome.
Maybe I am a little biased. Okay, I am probably a lot biased, but these two guys are my all-time favorite sporting television hosts. For three consecutive years, Matt Barnes and Alex Adeyanju entertained Southeast Ohio, in particular Southeast Ohio football fans. For three years, these two hosted the Emmy-award winning Gridiron Glory.
Even though Barnes and Adeyanju have left WOUB and are now onto bigger and better things, their performance for those three years will never be forgotten. They both are pioneers in the sense, as they were the first two black hosts of Gridiron Glory. So, in a weird way, you could say they were the Jackie Robinson/Larry Doby of Southeast Ohio.
Adeyanju took over my sophomore year of college, while Barnes replaced him for my junior and senior years. Following in the footsteps of Mark Bruce is never easy, but Adeyanju pulled off the transition seamlessly. He brought his own unique personality to the position, one which made working beside Adeyjanu a pleasure.
To date, Adeyanju is now out in Las Vegas, reporting for the Las Vegas Sun, and hosting his own online show. That same flavor that Adeyanju brought to Gridiron is ever so present for his current show, All-In. On a side note, I would love to hear Adeyanju talk about the process of filming that cold-open. He always had great stories.
Along those lines, my all-time favorite Alex Adeyanju story came my sophomore year when, during an after-show get together, we played Kings. One of the rules was before you took a drink, you had to state your social security number out-loud. Everyone's S.S. number started with two, except Adeyanju's. Hearing Barrett and others rip on Adeyanju's number was instant humor.
Which brings us to Matt Barnes. The Doby to Adeyanju's Robinson. And while Barnes had to follow Adeyanju, he as well, created a smooth and seamless transition. It would have been easy for Barnes to simply try and copy how Adeyanju ran the show, but that's not how Barnes rolls. In a weird way, if you were to combine Adeyanju with Mark Bruce, the end result would be Matt Barnes.
Put the cameras and microphones on, and Barnes transforms into a true professional. If I had to pick a person to handle a crisis on air, no question it would be Barnes. He is cool under pressure, knows how to ad-lib like he was reading straight off the teleprompter, and is constantly in his comfort zone when the cameras are rolling.
Now, Barnes is down in Augusta Georgia, acting as the #2 sports reporter for the CBS station, WRDW. There is very little doubt in my mind, that if Barnes wants to get on SportsCenter one day, he will get there. I mean Coach from WWE made it to SportsCenter, so Barnes should be a shoe-in.
Okay, enough from me. Later tonight, after our podcast with Barnes, we will unveil my #5 selection, so sorry, no hints. But, it involves books. Probably a dead giveaway.
Okay guys, buckle in for this podcast. Kevin and I conducted our list of 128 Mainstays. 32 of which will qualify for the prestigious 2009 F'd Up Tourney. It's six parts, so sit back, relax, and prepare yourself to be entertained (hopefully). Let us know what you think. And more importantly, please VOTE IN OUR POLL. It's on my sidebar, and your vote matters. Thanks. Enjoy guys.
#7 - February 22nd - Dave Chappelle/Wayne Brady - "The Chappelle Show"
If you have been following this list from the very beginning, you understand that I don't have any rules when it comes to list-making. I mean come on, I had the black smoke monster from LOST on this list. So, it should come as no surprise that I'm adding another shake-up, by putting one skit from The Chappelle Show in the lucky number seven spot. The title on the picture says it all.
Okay, this spot is more for the genius of Dave Chappelle, but I wanted a way to include Wayne Brady as well. The skit (couldn't find the entire bit online) has Dave and Wayne driving around the city is my favorite from The Chappelle Show, by far. Wayne Brady was made fun of by Dave on an earlier episode during a Q&A session. The question was asked, "why do white people love Wayne Brady so much?" The reply was, "white people love Wayne Brady, because Wayne Brady makes Bryant Gumbel look like Malcolm X." Doesn't get too much better than that. Well, I thought so too, until this skit aired. Enjoy.
Too many comics have tried to take their stand-up routine and turn it into a sketch comedy series. We've seen successful comics like the Blue Collar guys and Frank Caliendo to name a few, try, and for the most part fail. But Dave Chappelle managed to pass that test with straight A's.
The Chappelle Show demonstrated how great of a writer Chappelle was, and also showcased his fearlessness of pushing the edge. Where else could you see a skit where Wayne Brady kills cops? Or where there is a blind black guy who happens to be a white supremacist? Ever wonder what kind of basketball player Prince was? Or how Lil' Jon handles daily conversations? Week in and week out, Dave Chappelle was producing the highest level of television sketch comedy I've ever seen, and quite possibly, ever will see again.
And kudos here to Wayne Brady. It is true, white people love him. It stems from his warming smile, and his singing renditions on Whose Line Is It. But for him to come on the show, after they had ripped him, shows me that not only does Brady have a terrific sense of humor, but there is more to his personality than just the smiling/singing we've seen so often.
The Chappelle Show was big my junior and senior years of high school, and just as we quoted South Park every day during junior high, we did the same with Chappelle's Show in 11th and 12th grade. Arguably, the most popular was Lil' Jon, only because it became quite commonplace for some of us to yell out, "WHAAAT?" during a basketball game, in response to the oppposing crowd's cheer. Yes, this is what we did.
Okay, enough from me today. Hope you enjoyed the double-feature tonight. Not gonna lie, they may be the best two posts to date. But, the best are still yet to come ... hopefully. Take some time and check out Barnes' blog (over on my sidebar) to find out how he reacts to my picks.
Was there ever any doubt? Come on, you have to admit, when you learned that I was making a list of my favorite black TV characters you had to know Will Smith was going to be #1. It's a no-brainer. He beat out the likes of Bill Cosby, Redd Foxx, Bernie Mac, and The Rock. Smith is very much deserving of this high honor.
