The number of single-black men heading households increased in 2012, compared to 2011, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, but the number is still much smaller than homes headed by single-black women.
Theodore R. Johnson is an military officer who believes in the power of personal narrative and the lessons our lives have for society. Raised in North Carolina, he holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Hampton University and a master’s degree from Harvard University. He recently spent a year as a White House Fellow learning about the enormous challenges that our nation faces. He has written for the Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Salon, and numerous other publications. He is also a regular contributor at TheGrio and Huffington Post.
Mr. Johnson will be on our show live tonight at 7 p.m. Eastern/4 p.m. Pacific. He will talking about one of his recent articles, The reality of black male privilege.
During our live interview, you have the opportunity to call in and share with us and ask questions via Skype. If you would like to do this, please call us at: doctorvibe42. If you get through, please be patient and we will get to your call as soon as possible.
All you need to do listen to the show live is to go The Dr. Vibe Show Homepage at http://thedrvibeshow.com/ tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern/6 p.m. Pacific. You can also provide your comments and questions during the event via Twitter (@drvibeshow#DrVibe) and at our Facebook Fan Page at “The Dr. Vibe Show” Facebook Fan Page
CNN anchor Don Lemon has, of late, turned the focus of his frequent conversations on race to the idea of personal responsibility in the African American community. On Saturday night’s edition of CNN Newsroom, Lemon continued that controversial trend with comic legend Bill Cosby, who has also felt the heat of controversy on the subject. Cosby talked to Lemon about young black men raising their kids, over-medication of juvenile inmates, and may have even coined a new word: “No-groes.”
For the past few months, Don Lemon has courted controversy with several segments pegged to his general agreement with comments by Fox News personality Bill O’Reilly, aimed at solving problems within the black community. Legendary comic actor Bill Cosby has also stirred controversy by airing grievances against his community, but neither Lemon nor Cosby have backed away from their criticisms. In Saturday night’s interview, Lemon asked Cosby to reflect on the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, and what kind of African American leaders are needed now.
“I think it has to come from the universities,” Mr. Cosby began. ” I think, women, strongly because when you see 70%, in research, that says they are the leaders of the household, what we need is for people to realize I want to raise my kid. I want to go back and get my three kids. I want to take on that responsibility. I want to love my children.”
He added that one of the sights he’d like to see more of is what he saw at the recent Essence Festival, “walking around to see, yeah, to see a black male with his child on the shoulders and holding.”
He also encouraged young people who might not be able to go to a prestigious college to “go to community college. Okay, you backed up and didn’t do well. You quit school but now you find you need that high school credential. Go to the community college.”
Cosby related the idea of personal responsibility to his own experience, adding that “At age 19 and a half, I knew I didn’t want to do certain things. It is not what they weren’t doing to me, it’s what I wasn’t doing. It’s a very simple thing.”
Later in the interview, Mr. Cosby talked about what he sees as an overemphasis on medicating juvenile inmates, versus counseling. “If you drug these people, and then you release them, and there’s no prescription for them to get to take to do the same thing, and they go back to the same place,” he said, adding “Now, about this time, this is when you hear the no-groes jump up and say ‘Why don’t you talk about the good things?'”
“Because the good things happen to be taking care of themselves pretty well,” he answered. “We are trying to help those genius’, those not genius’, people who deserve, because they are human beings on this earth, in the United States of America, we are trying to get them in a position so they will understand and want to.”
Lemon asked “Why is it so hard for some people to get that message, to hear that message, to receive that message, and without lashing out?”
“Well, it’s because they feel, I think they feel embarrassed,” Cosby replied, and related a story about Sammy Davis, Jr. “We were in playing in a routine, and I told him I knew something. He said no you don’t. I said yes, I do. I said it. He said no, that’s not the way it goes. I said the same thing louder. He said, ‘Bill, saying it loud don’t make it right.'”
“And so, every loud voice you hear yelling about something,” he explained, “and saying ‘Well you just — you lost us. You became a millionaire,’ the reason why I’m giving you this information is because I was living in the projects. I was not taking care of myself in terms of managing my education, and once the door opened and I saw quote, unquote, the light, I started to become very successful.”
V. Sheree Williams of Cuisine Noir Magazine will on our show today live at 5 p.m. Eastern/2 p.m. Pacific. She will be talking about the magazine’s fourth anniversary.
During our live conversation, you have the opportunity to call in and share with us and ask questions via Skype. If you would like to do this, please call us at: doctorvibe42. If you get through, please be patient and we will get to your call as soon as possible.
All you need to do listen to the show live is to go The Dr. Vibe Show Homepage at http://thedrvibeshow.com/ tonight at 5 p.m. Eastern/2 p.m. Pacific. You can also provide your comments and questions during the event via Twitter (@drvibeshow#DrVibe) and at our Facebook Fan Page at “The Dr. Vibe Show” Facebook Fan Page
Don’t cry. Always be strong. Emotion is weak. Let’s Talk About Men is a tender and honest exploration of the mental health implications of men having to live within the “box” of masculinity. Pulling no punches, the film focuses on honest and frank discussion to uncover the pain that has been buried inside men’s consciousness for generations. With many men unaware of their own struggles, the documentary uses thoughtful discourse, hysterical dialogue and intimate moments to shine a fresh light on the experience of being a man. Mental health experts and “average Joes” combine to create a narrative that unearths the truth about men’s lives. Let’s Talk About Men does not simply skim the surface or offer criticism, rather, the film provides sincere insight into practical things we can do today, tomorrow, and for the rest of our lives to help men break out of the “box” of masculinity.
The director of Let’s Talk About Men, Dario Vrbanek, is an independent as an independent filmmaker gets. Dario has been working on Let Talk About Men for over two years and have spent thousands of dollars of my own money making it happen. The ENTIRE project has come out of his own pocket.
Dario will be on our show live tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern/5 p.m. Pacific. He will talking about Let’s Talk About Men
During our live interview, you have the opportunity to call in and share with us and ask questions via Skype. If you would like to do this, please call us at: doctorvibe42. If you get through, please be patient and we will get to your call as soon as possible.
All you need to do listen to the show live is to go The Dr. Vibe Show Homepage at http://thedrvibeshow.com/ tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern/5 p.m. Pacific. You can also provide your comments and questions during the event via Twitter (@drvibeshow#DrVibe) and at our Facebook Fan Page at “The Dr. Vibe Show” Facebook Fan Page
