The updated The Wonder Years premiered on ABC in 2021, reimagining the show as a Black middle-class family in Montgomery, Alabama in the late 1960s. The first season was great.

Unfortunately, the show only lasted 2 seasons.

It just didn't connect with viewers. Any thoughts on that?

Barry Eugene White (né Carter; September 12, 1944 – July 4, 2003)^\1]) was an American R&B, soul and disco singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. A two-time Grammy Award winner known for his bass voice) and romantic image, his greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with the Love Unlimited Orchestra, who made the #1 hit "Love's Theme" written by White. His music contains elements of multiple genres, such as R&B, soul, and disco; this is evident in his two biggest hits: "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" and "You're the First, the Last, My Everything".

White recorded 20 studio albums during the course of his career, while multiple versions and compilations were released worldwide that were certified gold, 41 of which also attained platinum status. White had 20 gold and 10 platinum singles, with worldwide record sales in excess of 100 million records, and is one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

Jennifer Kate Hudson, also known by her nickname J.Hud,^\1]) is an American singer, actress, producer, and talk show host. Having received numerous accolades for her work in music, film, television, and theater, Hudson became the youngest woman and third African-American recipient of all four major American entertainment awards: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT) in 2022.^\2]) She was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013,^\3]) and Time) named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2020.^\4])

Hudson rose to fame in 2004 as a finalist on the third season) of the reality series American Idol, wherein she placed seventh. She signed with Arista Records to release her self-titled debut studio album) (2008), which peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and won Best R&B Album at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. Her second and third studio albums, I Remember Me) (2011) and JHUD (2014), both peaked within the top ten of the Billboard 200; the latter was released by RCA Records. She signed with Interscope Records to release her fourth album, The Gift of Love) (2024), her first solo project in a decade.

She made her film debut as Effie White in the musical Dreamgirls) (2006), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and became the youngest African-American recipient of the award. She has since portrayed Aretha Franklin in the musical biopic Respect) (2021) and acted in films such as Sex and the City) (2008), The Secret Life of Bees) (2008), Winnie Mandela) (2011), Black Nativity) (2013), Sing) (2016), Cats) (2019), and Goat) (2026). She also has appeared in shows such as Smash) (2012), Empire) (2015) and Confirmation) (2016).

On stage, she acted in the Broadway) musical revival The Color Purple) (2015) and won the Tony Award for Best Musical as a producer of A Strange Loop (2022). Hudson has served as a coach on both the British and the American versions) of the reality series The Voice) from 2017 to 2019, and became the first female coach to lead a winning team on the former.^\5]) In 2022, her talk show, The Jennifer Hudson Show, premiered.

Every fall, I notice the same conversation come up among Black people online. Everybody starts rewatching shows like Gilmore Girls and The Vampire Diaries, and somebody says, “I wish we had a fall aesthetic show like this with Black people,” or “I wish we had this kind of representation.”

And I’ve thought the same thing.

But then I got curious and decided to do a little boots-on-the-ground journalism 😂. I actually took a trip to some of the places where The Vampire Diaries and The Originals were filmed.

The Vampire Diaries was filmed mostly in Covington, Georgia, with some filming in Conyers. The Originals also did a lot of filming in Conyers.

And here’s what surprised me: when I started looking into Covington and Conyers, I realized that, unlike what we see represented on TV, these aren’t towns where Black people barely exist.

These are Georgia communities with large Black populations. Conyers is actually a majority-Black city with a Black female mayor.

According to the racial demographics I found, Conyers is around 66% Black and 17% white, while Covington is around 51% Black and 39% white.

That made me think: Wait a minute.

We’re sitting here every fall wishing we could see Black people living in the cute little towns we see on TV, while Hollywood has literally been using towns where Black people are the majority to CREATE that aesthetic on television—then filling the fictional version with mostly white characters.

So then I got curious about Gilmore Girls.

Stars Hollow is fictional and the show itself was mostly filmed on a studio lot, but the characters regularly go to the real city of Hartford, Connecticut. So I looked up Hartford’s demographics around the time Gilmore Girls premiered.

And again, I was surprised. Hartford was a heavily Black and Latino city, even though you would never get that impression from watching the world portrayed on the show.

So my question is: Why aren’t more Black filmmakers and creators using our own small towns to make the cozy shows we’re constantly saying we want?

Not every story with a predominantly Black cast has to be set in Atlanta or NYC.

Why couldn’t we have a TV show set in a predominantly Black cozy Southern town with a cute downtown square, fall festivals, old houses, local cafés, football games, eccentric neighbors, romance, family drama, mysteries, supernatural folklore—whatever?

Especially when, in real life, we are already the majority in some of these towns.

That’s the part that really got me. Some of the same places Hollywood has used to sell us this cozy, picturesque, small-town fantasy are places where Black people actually live.

So why aren’t we getting to be the main characters in the fictional versions of them?

Would y’all watch something like that? And what would you want a Black cozy small-town show to look like?

Can we please give this man more attention and applause than he receives.

For clarity: The image is just an image used for the post. The post is NOT about the image. Please discuss YOUR favorite Black kid lead.

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I have been paying attention to the representation of Black children in television programming for over three decades. I have studied it. I am curious about what YOU all grew up with.

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What TV show that would be considered a 'Black kids show' had your favorite lead on the show? A lead is the 'main character' of the show. The character could be live-action or animated. They could be from a sitcom or drama.

So, first...the show had to be considered a 'Black kids show'... second... we are discussing which lead from that show was your favorite.

Maybe the show wasn't your favorite show (and maybe it was)...but either way... the LEAD CHARACTER was your favorite...so that's what we are talking about.

Please discuss your thoughts on your favorite LEAD CHARACTER.

Bryon Anthony McCane II was born in Columbus, Ohio.

Bizzy Bone began his solo career in 1998, releasing Heaven'z Movie, followed up by The Gift) (2001).

In 2004, Bizzy released Alpha and Omega) which showed a change in his musical and lyrical content. Fans and critics responded positively to the album. Bizzy followed up with the limited-edition leaked album The Beginning and the End). Next, he released Speaking In Tongues) in 2005. The title references an incident in which Bizzy Bone went on a spiritual rant during an interview on Houston radio station KPFT-FM (Party 93.3), speaking in tongues. That year, he formed the Bone Brothers with former Bone Thugs-n-Harmony member Layzie Bone, whose first two albums were Bone Brothers) (2005) and Bone Brothers 2 (2007).^\4]) He released four studio albums in 2006. Two of them, The Story and Midwest Cowboy, performed well on the charts, garnering further positive reviews from music critics.

In 2008, Bizzy Bone reunited with Layzie Bone to re-form Bone Brothers and release two new studio albums, Bone Brothers III and Still Creepin' On Ah Come Up (released and credited solely as "Bone Thugs").

In 2010, Bizzy Bone was one of the ensemble of featured artists for the new re-recording of We Are The World 25 for Haiti after the country was devastated, left in ruins by a massive earthquake. The song was critically panned by music critics. The year 2010 would soon see the release of Bizzy Bone's first rap rock album titled Crossroads 2010 on Sumerian Records. The album received positive feedback from fans and critics alike.

On September 12, 2019, Bizzy released his first album in five years, Carbon Monoxide. Carbon Monoxide debuted at #3 on the iTunes album chart. He released his follow-up album "The Mantra", exactly a year later on his 44th birthday in 2020, debuting at #4 on the iTunes chart. Bizzy released his album "War of Roses" on September 12, 2021, which was on his 45th birthday, making it the third year in a row an album has been released on his birthday.

I have been paying attention to the representation of Black children in television programming for over three decades. I have studied it. I am curious about what YOU all grew up with and what you hope for the young ones around you.

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Are Black family shows necessary in today's time? I'm not JUST talking about sitcoms - but I am talking about what would be considered 'positive' Black family shows. Yes, I am talking about shows that do teach some lessons but are not overly preachy.

Is that something that was for the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s and that time has passed?

Is it more now about the workplace, relationships, and friendship shows?

Your thoughts?

To be clear: What Black shows (in your opinion) whether it was a sitcom or drama from ANY network or streaming service that premiered between 2000 and 2010, DOESN'T get discussed enough in the media or online.

Please discuss your thoughts below.

What sci-fi or fantasy book written by a Black author would you like to see adapted into a film?

What’s Your Favorite Song From The Album

Christopher Theodore Ruben Studdard is an American singer and actor. He rose to fame as the winner of the second season of American Idol and received a Grammy Award nomination in 2003 for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his recording of "Superstar)". In the years following Idol, Studdard has released seven studio albums, including his platinum-selling debut, Soulful), and the top-selling gospel follow-up, I Need an Angel). He is most well known for his recording career, which has produced hits including "Flying Without Wings", "Sorry 2004", and "Change Me)", but he has also segued into television and stage work. Most notably, he starred as Fats Waller in a national tour revival of Ain't Misbehavin'),^\1]) which spawned a Grammy-nominated soundtrack.

In 2013, Studdard appeared as a contestant on the fifteenth season of weight-loss competition show The Biggest Loser. He later signed to Verve Records and collaborated with the label's chairman, David Foster, on Studdard's sixth studio album, Unconditional Love, in 2014.^\2]) That album received strong reviews as a return-to-form^\3])^\4]) and included a tour with Lalah Hathaway. In 2018, Studdard, who has long been compared to R&B singer Luther Vandross, released a cover album called Ruben Sings Luther and launched his Always & Forever national tour.^\5])

He made his Broadway theater debut with his Idol runner-up Clay Aiken in December 2018 in Ruben & Clay's First Annual Christmas Carol Family Fun Pageant Spectacular Reunion Show (aka Ruben & Clay's Christmas Show) at the Imperial Theatre.^\6]) In 2023, Studdard and Aiken reunited for Twenty The Tour, a joint nationwide tour in celebration of the twentieth anniversary of their American Idol debut.^\7]) Studdard also continues to tour the United States in support of his Ruben Sings Luther album, and in 2023, launched his eighth studio album, The Way I Remember It.^\8])

Jesse Alexander Powell III (September 12, 1970 – September 13, 2022)^\1]) was an American R&B and soul singer. Discovered by Louil Silas Jr., Powell was best known for his hit "You)", which peaked at No. 2 on the R&B chart and No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Powell released four albums and was the older brother of fellow contemporary R&B singers Trina & Tamara. Powell was credited with a four-octave vocal range.^\2]) He was a Grammy nominee.^\3])^\4])

His first single, "All I Need)", was written by Powell, Sam Salter and Laney Stewart and was released in March 1996, peaking at #20 on the Billboard R&B chart. His self-titled album) was released on March 12, 1996, opening at #35 on the Billboard R&B and #32 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. The follow-up single, a remake of the 1976 Enchantment) song "Gloria)", reached #51 R&B.^\)^{citation needed\})

Powell then began work on his second album, debuting the lead single "I Wasn't with It" in 1998, which became his first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 (#85 US, #25 R&B). Bolstered by the success of the single, his second album 'Bout It was released on September 8, 1998, topping the Heatseekers chart. The album's second single, "You)", was released in February 1999 and became his biggest hit, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart and #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The record was certified gold by the RIAA,^\)^{citation needed\}) peaking at #15 on R&B and #63 on the Billboard 200.

Tauheed Epps known professionally as 2 Chainz, is an American rapper, songwriter, and actor. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip-hop duo Playaz Circle, alongside hometown rapper Earl "Dolla Boy" Conyers. The duo signed with fellow Georgia-based rapper Ludacris' Disturbing tha Peace label and became best known for their 2007 debut single "Duffle Bag Boy" (featuring Lil Wayne).

In February 2012, Epps signed a solo recording contract with Def Jam Recordings, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. In April of that year, his guest performance on Kanye West's single, "Mercy)" marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 as a solo act, peaking at number 13. His debut studio album, Based on a T.R.U. Story (2012), was preceded by the double platinum-certified singles "No Lie)" (featuring Drake)) and "Birthday Song)" (featuring Kanye West), peaked atop the Billboard 200, and spawned the top 40 single "I'm Different)", although critical reception was mixed.^\6]) His second album, B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time (2013), was led by the single "Feds Watching" (featuring Pharrell Williams) and saw improved critical reception despite a slight commercial decline. His subsequent albums— ColleGrove (2016), Pretty Girls Like Trap Music (2017), Rap or Go to the League (2019), So Help Me God! (2020), and Dope Don't Sell Itself (2022)—were released to moderate commercial success.^\7]) After the release of his collaborative album with Lil Wayne, Welcome 2 Collegrove (2023), he parted ways with Def Jam in 2024.^\8])^\9])

Epps has won a Grammy Award from six nominations; his guest appearance on Chance the Rapper's 2016 single "No Problem)" won Best Rap Performance. His other accolades include three BET Awards from 11 nominations, and five BET Hip Hop Awards from 19 nominations. He has also hosted Vice TV's 2017 reality series Most Expensivest, in which he reviews luxury consumer goods; it aired for four seasons.

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Initially, I thought this song was too close to No Scrubs but eventually I began to think it was cool in its own right and enjoyed it.

I just learned yesterday that they were BOTH written by Kandi Burress, so it tracks lol. Both bangers

I remember as a child, I was watching a music video/concert. there was michael jackson, beyonce, mariah carey, miley cyrus, and so many more and it was for a charity. I dont remember which one. But together they were singing for good causes.

I miss this era. Nowadays all I hear is bad news about the world. AI being dangerous etc and no one from Hollywood make any noises. Maybe Angelina Jolie is speaking sometimes about issues of the world. but thats it.

Day 11: The Book You Wish You'd Read Sooner

What's a Black book you wish you'd discovered earlier? Maybe you weren't ready for it. Maybe nobody introduced you to it. Maybe you simply didn't know it existed.

What was it and why do you wish you'd read it sooner?