Justin Timberlake hosting Motown 45

[ant_7000 0]

Black Leaders Express Outrage Over ABC-TV Selection of Justin Timberlake as Co-Host of "Motown 45" Special

 

A coalition of prominent African American organizations and leaders are

demanding that the American Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) remove entertainer Justin Timberlake as co-host of "Motown 45," the upcoming ABC-TV special. Outraged over the selection of Timberlake to co-host this musical celebration, the coalition is launching a national e-mail, fax and phone campaign against ABC to protest Timberlake's inclusion in the Motown tribute.

 

Motown has a proud and historic legacy of being one of America's greatest

musical institutions. It has launched the careers of some of the most prominent African American artists in recording history including Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, The Four Tops, The Commodores, Lionel Ritchie, The Tempations and the Jackson Five. "The selection of Timberlake as co-host of this Motown special is a cultural insult to the black community," says Najee Ali, Executive Director, Project Islamic HOPE. "This special, celebrating the success of the legendary music label, should not be compromised in the pursuit of a crossover audience."

 

In addition, Timberlake's recent handling of the Super Bowl incident has been

met with harsh criticism in the black community. He immediately distanced

himself following his performance with Janet Jackson and failed to accept his

responsibility in the "wardrobe malfunction." "I mean I was completely shocked and appalled, and all I could say was, 'Oh, my God, Oh, my God,'" Timberlake told reporters at a recent Grammy rehearsal.

 

"We cannot support Justin Timberlake co-hosting Motown 45," says Ali. "We

are asking concerned citizens to call, fax and email ABC-TV in protest."

 

Call (818) 460-7777, e-mail and send your letters to:

 

Alex Wallau

President

ABC Television Network

500 South Buena Vista Street

Burbank, CA 91521

[email protected]

 

Lloyd Braun

Chairman

ABC Entertainment Television Group

500 South Buena Vista Street

Burbank, CA 91521

[email protected]

 

Andrea Wong

Senior Vice President

Alternative Series and Specials

ABC Entertainment

500 South Buena Vista Street

Burbank, CA 91521

[email protected]

[razazteca 0]

I demand that they get rid of Justin and replace him with Steve Harvey.

[NoCalMike 0]

Thank you "black leaders" What can I do to help throw his ass off the MOTOWN show?

[Guest Choken One]

Steve Harvey is a HORRIBLE EMCEE.

 

Not Jamie Foxx Bad...but he's up there.

 

I'm tired of people rolling out Steve Harvey or DL Hughely for these "BLACK" award shows...I'm sick of the 105435 different BLACK award shows...It's nothing special people! YOU HAVE BLACK SKIN! WHEE FUCKING WHEE! You don't deserve an award for it.

[Use Your Illusion 0]

So...is Michael going to be there?

 

MJ wouldn't want to do it, but I'd love for him to host it.

 

Timerlake is arguably the worst choice they could of gone with outside of say, FRED DURST, or something. Whomever cleared this decision is an idiot.

 

UYI

[Guest Choken One]

Actually, JT is CLOSEST thing to Motown today as it is...

 

So it's NOT bad...The fact he's a whitey offends black people.

[ant_7000 0]

Steve Harvey is a HORRIBLE EMCEE.

 

Not Jamie Foxx Bad...but he's up there.

 

I'm tired of people rolling out Steve Harvey or DL Hughely for these "BLACK" award shows...I'm sick of the 105435 different BLACK award shows...It's nothing special people! YOU HAVE BLACK SKIN! WHEE FUCKING WHEE! You don't deserve an award for it.

So your saying that Motown is just another black award show is just stupid. Maybe there wouldn't be alot Black award shows popping up if our achievements wouldn't be excluded or recognized by non black award shows. But, Timberflake shouldn't be hosting because he doesn't embody anything that is Motown. I rather have Jon B host the show if the need a white guy atleast he's real R&B. I think Usher would be good choice to host it.

[Guest Ghettoman]

Talk about promoting equality, good to see the color of ones skin no longer has bearing in this country....

[Guest Anglesault]

Now, I'm no fan of Justin Timberlake, but can you imagine the backlash if a bunch of white rednecks tried to throw "P-Diddy" off a country music show?

 

A clear example of reverse racism.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

Maybe there wouldn't be alot Black award shows popping up if our achievements wouldn't be excluded or recognized by non black award shows.

Our achievements?

 

What exactly did YOU achieve?

[ant_7000 0]

Now, I'm no fan of Justin Timberlake, but can you imagine the backlash if a bunch of white rednecks tried to throw "P-Diddy" off a country music show?

 

A clear example of reverse racism.

There's no such thing as reverse racism. Reverse Racism=Reaction

Its like 50 Cent hosting some Heavy Metal awards or being casted as James Bond. Oh, To Spicy when I was referring our I meant black people and since I happen to be black I figured to include myself.

[Guest Anglesault]

Now, I'm no fan of Justin Timberlake, but can you imagine the backlash if a bunch of white rednecks tried to throw "P-Diddy" off a country music show?

 

A clear example of reverse racism.

There's no such thing as reverse racism. Reverse Racism=Reaction

Its like 50 Cent hosting some Heavy Metal awards or being casted as James Bond.

And we both know what would happen as soon as someone questioned the black Bond.

 

Spicy when I was referring our I meant black people and since I happen to be black I figured to include myself.

 

Does that mean I can take credit for Elvis? We're both white, after all.

 

I'M RICH~!

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Man, you guys are dicks. Anglesault, the only threads in the music folder you ever seem to post in are the ones where you get to marginalize blacks. Chill.

 

I actually think that, given his musical style and obvious influences, Justin Timberlake isn't too bad a choice. I definitely get the argument, though. Motown was a black thing and immensely important for blacks in music, art, and America in general. Let Mos Def and Alicia Keys host and you'll have a very classy evening.

[ant_7000 0]

Scenarios you made up with P. Diddy hosting Country music awards would never happen, because CMA's wouldn't allow it in the first place. I doubt P.Diddy would wanna host the CMA's anyway. Im not saying its race thing with Justin, but I think his music doesn't embody/resemble the Motown sound thats why I feel he's doesn't deserve to host the show. If Jon B host the show I wouldn't have problem with it. I would have a problem if say Ginuwine hosted because dude sucks.

[Guest Anglesault]

Man, you guys are dicks. Anglesault, the only threads in the music folder you ever seem to post in are the ones where you get to marginalize blacks. Chill.

It's actually ones where I make fun of (the white Eminem)

 

Im not saying its race thing with Justin,

 

No, you aren't. They are.

 

It's horsehit that a white person can't say the word "monkey" when they are within 50 yards of an African American in any context whatsoever or they're racist scum, but "black leaders" can say "No Whitey on my show!" and it's a "cultural experience."

[ant_7000 0]

^ See that shows you and most of you on this board don't get it, all they're basically saying that Justin's type of music isn't really what you would think of Motown exactly, which I can agree on, this has nothing to do with him being white.

[ant_7000 0]

Actually, JT is CLOSEST thing to Motown today as it is...

 

So it's NOT bad...The fact he's a whitey offends black people.

Joke of the night right here. Justin is aight nothing special IMO. To me he's just a white Usher. Jon B> Justin

[justsoyouknow 0]

Actually, JT is CLOSEST thing to Motown today as it is...

 

So it's NOT bad...The fact he's a whitey offends black people.

Joke of the night right here. Justin is aight nothing special IMO. To me he's just a white Usher. Jon B> Justin

But you said earlier that you had no problem with Usher hosting, so why would the WHITE Usher be a problem?

[ant_7000 0]

Actually, JT is CLOSEST thing to Motown today as it is...

 

So it's NOT bad...The fact he's a whitey offends black people.

Joke of the night right here. Justin is aight nothing special IMO. To me he's just a white Usher. Jon B> Justin

But you said earlier that you had no problem with Usher hosting, so why would the WHITE Usher be a problem?

Because White Usher is just a wanna be. But the difference to me is that Usher eventhough he makes pop music could and can make contempary traditional R&B songs that I haven't heard from white Usher yet. I think Timberflake has a fake R&B image and I can't believe how some people bought into that bullshit, listening to Timberflake's songs doesn't make me think Motown Sound. Like I said Jon B (white contempary R&B singer) would be a better host then White Usher. Matter fact I think Motown artists (that are still alive) should host the show. The only reason why the network execs got white Usher to host is because they want to draw white viewers, because most especially white 16-30 demographic wouldn't care or don't know about Motown music history.

[Guest Ghettoman]

So pretty much because you don't feel his music is Motown he shouldn't host?

 

Well thats a shame, his music is obviously influenced by the sound and if they were about pushing Motown to a new generation it would be smart to have someone with Justin's appeal there.

 

It's because he's white, which is just ridiculous.

[ant_7000 0]

TIMBERLAKE OFF MOTOWN 45 TV SHOW: ABC bows to pressure from activists and public.

 

 

Justin Timberlake

(Feb. 23, 2004) *When it was announced that Justin Timberlake had been chosen to co-host the upcoming Motown 45th anniversary, you could smell the funk that "decision" created a thousand miles away. To say folks were pissed, would be putting it mildly.

Not only were activists like Ali upset, so were the pundits.

 

“The selection of Timberlake as co-host of this Motown special is a cultural insult to the black community,” said Najee Ali, executive director of Project Islamic Hope.

 

“Before the Super Bowl scandal Timberlake had gotten a ‘Black folks pass,’” Tanya Kersey, wrote for EURweb. “But then he sold out Janet [Jackson] to save his own skin, showing his true colors in the process. It’s a classic case of profiting from black culture, but jumping ship when things get hot. ... And now Timberlake plans to co-host the ‘Motown 45’ television special? I think not!”

 

Well, guess what? Justin's about to make a lotta black folk happy; he's got a convenient, er, perfect excuse for bailing out of "Motown 45" says the show's Executive Producer Jeff Margolis.

 

“When Justin was asked to host the Motown 45th Anniversary special, he gladly accepted, but alerted us to the fact that he was in talks to star in his first motion picture with Kevin Spacey and Morgan Freeman and that at the last minute there could possibly be a scheduling conflict. The movie in fact is scheduled to be shot in Canada at a time which no longer allows Justin to host the “Motown 45” special. He has canceled all television appearances through the end of April to allow him to concentrate on making the movie.”

 

Yo, I heard this on the radio on the Doug Banks Show this morning that Motown had already scrap the idea of having Justin hosting the show a long time ago. But get this the execs of Motown records didn't have any involvement with show until recently. Mark Goloblatt (sp?) was producing the show. How can you have a show on about Motown without Motown getting involved?

[justsoyouknow 0]

Soooooo by your logic, Billy Crystal shouldn't be allowed to host the Oscars, considering that he hasn't been in a major movie in quite some time?

 

Admit it, this is a race issue.

[NoCalMike 0]

Soooooo by your logic, Billy Crystal shouldn't be allowed to host the Oscars, considering that he hasn't been in a major movie in quite some time?

 

Admit it, this is a race issue.

not so much a race issue as a cultural issue and what motown represents. I'd say you want a good representative of MoTown culture to host and Timberlake is anything but that. I mean imagine Snoop Dogg hosting a metal awards show, ye of course him being black would be what is TALKED ABOUT, but in reality he has no frame of reference to be hosting a metal show when he doesn't epitomze anything that is metal in any sort. Culture thing, not race thing.

[Guest Anglesault]

How could we take THIS as an "anti-Whitey" rant? HOW?

 

Motown has a proud and historic legacy of being one of America's greatest

musical institutions. It has launched the careers of some of the most prominent African American artists in recording history including Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, The Four Tops, The Commodores, Lionel Ritchie, The Tempations and the Jackson Five. "The selection of Timberlake as co-host of this Motown special is a cultural insult to the black community," says Najee Ali, Executive Director, Project Islamic HOPE. "This special, celebrating the success of the legendary music label, should not be compromised in the pursuit of a crossover audience."

 

Why would it be an insult to the black community?

 

Because he's white.

 

If this was strictly about Motown music and Justin's appearence on the show, the word "black" wouldn't have to be mentioned anywhere in there.

[Guest Coffey]

This is obviously a fucking race issue. Obviously.

[Ripper 0]

I am embarassed that ABC folded like some little bitches on the issue. I would have just said fuck all of you and moved on.

 

It was obviously a race issue that SOME GROUPS started bitching about...but is it really a suprise that someone from "Project Islamic Hope" would be racist? But here we go again with BLACK PEOPLE ARE RACIST~!...refusing to separate this asshole groups from the individuals.

 

And Timberlake has obviously been influenced by alot of the older Mo town sounds. He would have been a good person to host. I hope they get Jamie Fox now so the show will suck.

 

And Ant, whats up with blowing up that talentless tone def ass Jon B. You know the difference between Jon B and Timberlake, Justin has never gotten on televison professing how much finer black women are than any other women while dating a white girl just to get a pop from the audience. Justin has actual vocal skill and doesn't sound like an American Idol low-light with out the studio magick that Jon B used. The guy makes Tyra Banks sound like Whitney Houston in comparison.

 

Not liking Timberlake is one thing, but to say that he wasn't influenced by alot of the Performers from Mo Towns past(hell everyone and their mother calls him a MJ rip off) is just plain ridiculous.

[NoCalMike 0]

I disagree, if Stevie Ray Vaughn happened to be the white guy asked to host rather then a fucking white bread former mickey mouse club member like Timberlake, I don't see the color of his skin being so much of an issue. Or say like Eric Clapton. These two guys were inolved in blues and rock n roll music. What has Justin Timberlake contributed to the music world that could in any way be considered MoTown, and what in the hell exactly are his credentials to be hosting a MoTown awards show? Throwing this upside down, I will use the analogy that I did before with metal music. If the Living Colour was picked to host a METAL show, I'd say the Metal community would be might pissed, because Living Colour was not heavy metal music, oh and they happen to be black, which the media would harp on, but it just isn't true, now you take another black guy, like the lead singer of God Forbid, or the original members of the band SUFFOCATION, and I would bet my life that the metal fans/community would be perfectly FINE, with that selection. It's the music and culture and credentials, not race.

[Perfxion 0]

If this guy is a leader of blacks in America, then the Grand Wizard KKK is a leader of whites. Whites don't have a race leader, why do you thinnk blacks have one or need one?

 

As for Timberlake hosting Motown, the black radio around here basicly said "If Janet gets the boot from the grammys, Timberlake will get the boot here. He ripped it off, he should get the blame"

[ant_7000 0]

And Ant, whats up with blowing up that talentless tone def ass Jon B. You know the difference between Jon B and Timberlake, Justin has never gotten on televison professing how much finer black women are than any other women while dating a white girl just to get a pop from the audience. Justin has actual vocal skill and doesn't sound like an American Idol low-light with out the studio magick that Jon B used. The guy makes Tyra Banks sound like Whitney Houston in comparison.

 

Not liking Timberlake is one thing, but to say that he wasn't influenced by alot of the Performers from Mo Towns past(hell everyone and their mother calls him a MJ rip off) is just plain ridiculous.

Actually, Jon B. is married to a black woman. I guess that Jon doesn't dance so he doesn't get as much attention as Timberfake. Ripper, you talk about Jon B's comment getting pops from black audience, I find that funny because look at Timberfake, he went from curly hair, clean shaving, and squeaky soft voice to bald fade, goatee, and talking with a deep drawl in his voice. Its obvious the label covinced him to change his image so he can appeal to black listeners. Im glad Justin got removed to host the show, so I don't have hear him being in forced ebonic/slang mode. I mean they could have Teena Marie hosting or that McDonald guy from the Dobbie Brothers hosting, instead of Timberfake.

[Ripper 0]

And Ant, whats up with blowing up that talentless tone def ass Jon B.  You know the difference between Jon B and Timberlake, Justin has never gotten on televison professing how much finer black women are than any other women while dating a white girl just to get a pop from the audience.  Justin has actual vocal skill and doesn't sound like an American Idol low-light with out the studio magick that Jon B used.  The guy makes Tyra Banks sound like Whitney Houston in comparison. 

 

Not liking Timberlake is one thing, but to say that he wasn't influenced by alot of the Performers from Mo Towns past(hell everyone and their mother calls him a MJ rip off) is just plain ridiculous.

Actually, Jon B. is married to a black woman. I guess that Jon doesn't dance so he doesn't get as much attention as Timberfake. Ripper, you talk about Jon B's comment getting pops from black audience, I find that funny because look at Timberfake, he went from curly hair, clean shaving, and squeaky soft voice to bald fade, goatee, and talking with a deep drawl in his voice. Its obvious the label covinced him to change his image so he can appeal to black listeners. Im glad Justin got removed to host the show, so I don't have hear him being in forced ebonic/slang mode. I mean they could have Teena Marie hosting or that McDonald guy from the Dobbie Brothers hosting, instead of Timberfake.

But can you name one boy band member that still acts like the pretty boy studio made thing they were before they got away from the group. Look at the members of N-Sync and compare their look, and how they act as opposed to what they were like when they came out. They were caricitures of human beings when they first stepped out on the scene. THAT is a studio made persona.

 

And how in the flipping hell does Timberlake act "black". I just don't see all this "he's fake" thing that people want to toss on him now. I honestly don't care for his music, but jeez, the guy acts like a normal human being now and not that THING that he was in N-sync. At least that is what I see.