IMAGINE a chic L.A. res taurant where patrons are seated according to race.
How about a nail salon where the Asian nail lady tells black customers, “Your feet look like baboon feet!”
Or what about a gun club where clients pick paper targets based on race. Or a magazine where you have to act gay to get hired?
Would you be offended, outraged, disgusted? Would you get up and leave? Switch the channel?
Having just watched four episodes of the brilliant DL Hughley’s new punk’d “reality” show “Socially Offensive Behavior,” (or “S.O.B.”) where all of the above happens, your reaction will be none of the above. You will, in fact, laugh so hard you’ll spit soda out of your nose. I promise.
And that’s just one show out of five that Black Entertainment Television is premiering this month.
Another, which premiered earlier in the month, is “Hell Date” based on the, er, etiquette of dating. What would your reaction be if you signed up for a dating show and your gorgeous blind date got screaming drunk, belched, talked with her mouth full and then threw up all over the back of your shirt?
Would you run for the hills, climb out the window or just wait for the dwarf in the devil suit to show up? I say wait for the dwarf in the devil suit – especially if you’re a viewer and not the disgusted date.
If you’ve already seen “Hell Date,” you know the deal with both the show and the devil and are probably a fan already. But if you haven’t seen it, may I suggest an all-you-can-eat helping? I did, and I laughed myself sick.
Before you go getting all upset about bad taste, understand that this cringingly-bad-taste fare comes with a message: Even the biggest oaf can learn from the bad taste of others.
Of course, both shows are based on set-ups – like a “Candid Camera” for today’s hipster audience.
On both shows, actors (and they are great actors) play the parts of the offending bigots and offensive dates. But the genius here is that we then get the reactions of those who’ve been punk’d afterwards, and on “S.O.B.” we also get Hughley’s hilarious commentary.
Another BET show also premieres tonight, with the former title of “Hot Ghetto Mess” (from the Web site of the same name) but has since been changed to “We Got To Do Better.” BET suits say they did it “to offer social commentary in a context that sparks dialogue.” Right. That and the fact that advertisers pulled out. If it’s as funny as the rest, don’t worry, advertisers will be lining up and taking numbers.
What I’d like to see next on these punk’d reality shows? A segment where people apply for jobs at “White Entertainment Television.” Or is that too edgy even for Black Entertainment Television?
“Socially Offensive Behavior”
Tonight at 10 on BET
“Hell Date”
Nightly at 11 on BET