by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University, Scholarship in Action
I spend quite a bit of time running in and out of "30 Rock," the headquarters for NBC. The last time I went through the studio, I couldn't help but notice that there were quite a few black people staring at me. They were not real human beings actually, just photographs of them. One was a larger-than-life picture of Blair Underwood, the actor who stars in the new NBC show, 'The Event.' There was also Boris Kodjoe, the man who will always be about 8,000 times better looking than I am. In case you're wondering if I am jealous, the answer is a resounding "yes." I am a officially a serious 'hater.'
I was impressed that NBC made such a massive investment in two shows featuring prominent African American men. I was hopeful that this would continue the trend toward something big. The buzz around the shows in the black community was deafening, and I especially noticed a great deal of discussion surrounding Kodjoe's new show.
