Tuesday, April 22, 2008

TV EYE:A Minstrel Show


The logic lurking behind the motives of those responsible for TV programming can range from confusing to inexplicable (Kathy Lee Gifford as a ratings booster for the Today show?), but sometimes it borders just this side of insanity. Case in point--Dopey ex-Public Enemy trickster and reality TV figure Flavor Flav has now parlayed his so-called talents into a starring role in a new syndicated sitcom entitled Under One Roof (Various channels, various times). It’s a steaming pile of low-grade showbiz horseshit that a coupla of fifth grade television aficionados could have come up with, a blatant rip-off of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (which in comparison, looks downright like a farce from the pen of Feydeau) purporting to show the wild and wooly antics of ex-con Flav, now living under the rich roof of his uptight brother (whom he took the rap for), his more uptight (and lily white) sister-in-law, a dumb sexpot daughter, a neo-nerd son, and a disparaging Korean maid. You just couldn’t make that up, nor could you manufacture the shucking, jiving, and eye popping that accompany the delivery of each predictable line reading. It’s so godawful that one can't help but wonder that maybe it’s an insidious and subversive entry in the pop culture wars by some cool daddy potheads smirking their way to the bank, or at least an outtake from Spike Lee’s unjustly underrated Bamboozled.

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