Edd’s MANtra: ‘Dey Rapin’ Everybody’
It sure doesn’t take much to become a celebrity in today’s social media-driven world.
Take, for instance, Antoine Dodson. Late last week, I stumbled across a video of a Huntsville, Ala., news report in which a woman awoke to a stranger laying in her bed, who assaulted her. The woman’s brother, Dodson, was interviewed and became famous for, well, embarrassing himself.
Lord have mercy. I asked the wifey if she was related to these folks – they’re from Alabama, after all.
Take, for instance, Antoine Dodson. Late last week, I stumbled across a video of a Huntsville, Ala., news report in which a woman awoke to a stranger laying in her bed, who assaulted her. The woman’s brother, Dodson, was interviewed and became famous for, well, embarrassing himself.
Lord have mercy. I asked the wifey if she was related to these folks – they’re from Alabama, after all.
A couple of days later, when I awoke from my coma, I checked out this follow-up video. Watch as Dodson just eats up the attention.
“I feel like I belong on somebody’s tee-vee!” I bet President Obama said the same thing when he accepted the Democratic nomination for chief executive.
So here’s the question – was the station wrong for airing Dodson’s interview when it reflects so poorly on the black community?
Let me play devil’s advocate for a sec. Yes, the dude looks like he stepped out of Erykah Badu’s “Bag Lady” video. True, he spent the entire time waving his hands in the air, almost like he just don’t care. And yeah, he threatened the perpetrator’s life ON CAMERA. But, from a reporting standpoint, Dodson is the best source – he was related to the victim and he was at the scene of the crime when it occurred. Who else could they have talked to? The girl with blue hair in the second video!? She looks like she hangs out with Sailor Moon.
But let’s be real – the ONLY reason that video aired was because of Dodson’s coonish antics. If not for him, it’s very likely that this attempted rape wouldn’t have made it on air at all. The station knew what they were doing – in this era of viral video, Dodson equals hits. Although I’d feel better if I hit Dodson.
When we turn serious crimes into online jokes we do a great disservice to the victims. Playa, the man who assaulted the woman is still on the loose! The hood has enough problems without people pointing and laughing at it. Unfortunately I don’t expect ratings-hungry media outlets to improve the situation. Dodson’s popularity will only encourage them. So that means we have to police ourselves. The next time there’s a tragedy and the cameras show up, don’t “hide your kids, hide your wife” – hide ghetto Cousin Junebug so he won’t make a fool of himself, and us by association.
Black folks, we gotta do better.
Was the media right or wrong for airing Antoine Dodson’s interview?
Leave a comment