W. Kamau Bell's new show on CNN: ‘United Shades of America’
Kamau Bell is an African-American comedian and has a new show on CNN. I just watched the first episode in which he meets with various members of the KKK. Yes, that KKK. The report is intermingled with a stand-up routine of his talking about the experience. It was a very entertaining show, with some awesome one-liners, but some real insight too.In this NY Times review, it discusses some of his upcoming episodes (which I haven't seen).
The end of the show ends with a cross burning (the Klukers call it a cross "lighting"
, so I wanted to make sure people knew that image would be present. The show doesn't go into great depth, but one can easily see the comingling of the neo-Nazis with the Klan.
It may not be a overly thought-provoking, in-depth piece on race relations in the US, but it sure does touch on some interesting things and is well worth taking a peek.
= new reply since forum marked as read
But it definitely sounds great.
I love all of the tv talk you bring to this forum! 
And is that Morris FREAKING Chestnut I see up in there??! 
Where's that fanning myself furiously smiley??
You see more of him on the show. 
He delivers his lines with impeccable timing and just the right amount of sarcasm, so it comes across as a very dry wit. If you get the opportunity, I really do suggest giving it a chance. Lorraine Toussaint plays his mother. I have liked her since the show "Any Day Now" with Annie Potts.
I'll definitely keep watching.
The line that jumped out at me, said by one of the racist leaders, was this:
"Diversity is code for white genocide."
Found myself crying a lot, too, because the magnitude of the hate. Not surprised, but still...
Oh, and I had never heard the "mud" term before. 
You had never heard the term "mud people"? I guess I am bit surprised. Well, maybe I shouldn't be, given I actually have studied the Klan and the Nazis, and the term really is only used by hardcore racists, so I guess I can see not hearing it before. That term refers mainly to three groups, Africans (including African-Americans, primarily the target group in the US), Arabs, and Jews. Many Kluckers use it to mean any "non-white" person, and more recently, it is used against Latinos, primarily Mexicans. (ETA: I think there is a profound irony given they are "so Christian" and the Christians believe G-d created "the white man, Adam" from the dirt of the earth...literally, mud.)
I was tearing up watching them "dress the cross". Of course, you notice when they ended their "prayer", they shout "White Power! White Power!" while giving the Nazi salute. At least this "cross lighting" ( 
), didn't include children dressed up in Klown Kostumes.
All I can say is that man is braver than me! When he pulled up to meet the first Klucker on the dark road, I turned to my husband and said, "I would throw it into reverse and wouldn't stop until I hit a highway!"
It will be interesting to see his interactions with other groups.
