Is BET (Black Entertainment Television) considered Buffoonery Entertainment Television Viacom's Plan

Oct. 20, 2012 - PRLog -- "Rather than wasting time criticizing me and my book, 'Why I Sued Eddie Murphy', BET and Viacom could much better serve the black community and viewers of BET with 'quality programs' that show black people in a positive light as opposed to the continued 'buffoonery' and 'exploitation' that sooooo many black people complains about," says Hudson.

BET, owned by Viacom, owns MTV, Spike TV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and is the sister company to CBS Corporation, posted a Blog, "Legal Drama: Movies That Were Subject to Lawsuits," targeting Hudson stated;

"This lawsuit brought on by a screenwriter who claims the Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence comedy Life was plagiarized from his material seems fairly typical at the outset, but went off in a strange direction when the writer, Greg Hudson, who lost the suit, decided to exact his revenge by writing a book called Why I Sued Eddie Murphy. Despite his claims that it would be "the novel of the century," the book failed to make a splash."  http://www.bet.com/celebrities/photos/2012/10/legal-drama-movies-that-were-subject-to-lawsuits.html#!102111-celebs-eddie-murphy-life-in-film-life

Hudson immediately fired back at BET and Viacom with a "blistering" press release entitled, Hudson Strikes Back At BET Blog About His New Book, "Why I Sued Eddie Murphy".  http://www.prlog.org/11999071-author-gregory-hudson-strikes-back-at-bet-over-blog-about-his-new-book-why-sued-eddie-murphy.html.

"Personally ... I don't watch BET and I don't believe that I have ever knowingly watched BET.  BET has never really appealled to me or my sense of 'black entertainment'", Hudson says. "That being said, I can't truly discuss BET's programming. However, I have on many occassions heard prominent members of the black community voice very strong opposition to BET's programing; calling it 'buffoonery', 'exploitation', and accusing BET of 'recycling the same old black exploitation and stereotipical shows'".

Sheila Johnson, co-founder of the black network, was woefully critical of BET in an article dated October 15, 2012.

Ms. Johnson went on to say, “I think we squandered a really important cable network, when it really could have been the voice of Black America. We’re losing our voice as a race as a result,” she ranted. “I’m really worried about what our young people are watching. There are so many young people who are using the television as a babysitter. We have parents who are not being parents and not monitoring what their children are watching.”

To many black television viewers ... BET is viewed as a "vehicle for buffoonery'.  Is this percieved buffoonery the master plan of Viacom?  

Viacom Inc., short for "Video & Audio Communications", is an American global mass media company with interests primarily in, but not limited to, cinema and cable television. Viacom could easily remedy the buffoonery perception of BET if it chose to do so.  As an Author, Writer, and Educator, I can certainly testify that there is "no shortage of quality black entertainment available", quipps Hudson.

"I attended the Atlanta Black Theatre Festival in Atlanta, Georgia from October 4 thru 7, 2012.  There were 40 black plays performed over 4 days. I witnessed some of the most high quality black entertainment anywhere; including the singing sensation, "Shirley Murdock in her production of Soul on Fire". There were plenty of other knock out performances such as: "Big Girls Gotta Eat Too", by Wanda Simmons and the festival's CEO Toni Simmons, "Sojourner" (brilliantly performed) by Zuhairah McGill, "Marry Me" (quite witty) written by KUBA, directed by L. Earl Ford and produced by Nia Productions from Brooklyn, New York, "Diary Of A MILF (a one woman "gut-busting" comedy) performed by Meshelle, "Evolution of a Love Addict" (another hilarious one woman show) performed by Natasha M. Dixon, and the one and only .... Melba Moore (who closed the festival) with her incredible one woman show, "Still Standing." Why was there no BET representation for such a historical black event?

"So BET and Viacom ... there is quality black entertainment out there ... and you don't have to look very far.  You just have to want to put on quality Black Entertainment Television.  I've attended enough book festivals around the country and can honestly say that,'there are thousands of books and novels out there by black authors just waiting to be made for film, theatre, or television. Notwithstanding ... I have more than a hundred plays, films, books ... written my my 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students just waiting for the right home'", says Hudson.

Is Viacom more interested in taking shots at Hudson or ensuring that BET broadcast quality programs? Maybe Viacom feels that this is a good opportunity to retaliate against Hudson for helping his colleagues and for suing Eddie Murphy who made millions for paramount for moives they were both sued for.

Troy Walker sued Steven Hillenburg, Nickelodeon, and Viacom for 1.6 Billion dollars for copyrght infringement over "SpongeBob SquarePants".  Walker's lawsuit stated that his sponge character called, "Bob Spongee" was used to create SpongeBob. Walker was helped in his lawsuit by Hudson all the way to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to the dismay of Viacom's attorneys, including Duffy Carolan. Walker v. Viacom et al (3:2006cv04931)

William Crawford sued Midway Games and Paramount Pictures for copyright infringement of his video game called, "Psi Ops" Mindgate Conspiracy. Hudson helped Crawford in his lawsuit against Midway and Paramount which infuriated Paramount's lawyers so much that attorney Nicole M Smith filed a motion to the court to "Bar" Hudson from helping Crawford. (Crawford v. Midway Games et al., 2:2007cv00967)

Eddie Murphy made "Coming to America" and "Harlem Nights" with Paramount and suits were filed against both movies.

"My only dealings with BET was one occasion when BET sent me a waiver requesting permission to see some of my plays, films, and tv pilots.  The waiver had a clause in it that said something to the effect of 'if we do not use any of your works and we produce something similar to yours ... you agree not to sue us.' Ha, ha, ha, haaaaa! I'm still laughing at that one. Had I signed that agreement, I probably would be suing BET and Paramount instead of Eddie Murphy and Universal", bursting with laughter.


"I am an aritist, but I don't work for free". "You want my work ... pay for! A simple ... honest approach is all that it takes".

"So Viacom ... BET .... Paramount or who ever is responsonble for the Blog attacking me and my book, your time would be better served finding quality programming (instead of the buffoonery) for BET's viewers." My book reveals the truth of how studios and networks steal movies and get away with it," Hudson says with a smile.


Gregory L Hudson has a MFA in Performing Arts Management, a BA in Theatre, and it the founder/artistic director of Poor Penny Productions, Inc. http://www.poorpennyproductions.com/index/mn20719/Gregory_Hudson__Eddie_Murphy_Universal_Studios_Hea