# BET: This is not supposed to be a racist topic **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 7, 2000, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bet-this-is-not-supposed-to-be-a-racist-topic/4146 "2000-02-07T23:55:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lexicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ac8455/32.png) [@Lexicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lexicon)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2000, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bet-this-is-not-supposed-to-be-a-racist-topic/4146/21 "2000-02-10T06:56:00Z")
I can be rude and callow if you want! Shit, I could spill the body at a wake! But I don’t see as how it makes any difference. BET and other “cultural” channels aren’t racist. They target a specific group of people who will be interested in their dreck. They (blacks, hics, old people, young people, etc.) have been targeted as consumer groups and thusly have their own channels. No big deal. It’s not about race, it’s about commerce and capitalism. As far as why channels would be banned or whatever if they were specified as the White Entertainment Channel, it’s because we don’t need _another_ one. If a channel isn’t specified or otherwise obviously aimed at a specific group, it can be safely assumed that it is a White Entertainment Channel. Heh heh Now I want to start a channel called WET. I’ll advertise it at [www.bignakedblackman.com](http://www.bignakedblackman.com) That would rule. Noonch. * * * how did it start? well i don’t know i just feel the craving. i see the flesh and it smells fresh and it’s just there for the taking… VvvV ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2000, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bet-this-is-not-supposed-to-be-a-racist-topic/4146/22 "2000-02-10T07:04:00Z")
Just wanted to say that Mr. Rilch is “white”, but he worked for BET for a few months as an electrician. He left because he got another offer, but he got along great with the mostly-black crew. No real point here, just wanted to say that my peripheral experience with BET has been positive. * * * Remember, I’m pulling for you; we’re all in this together. —Red Green ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2000, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bet-this-is-not-supposed-to-be-a-racist-topic/4146/23 "2000-02-10T16:43:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Thanks Otto, I thought I might make it through a whole thread without someone telling me “if you don’t like it, then don’t do it”…Oh well. > And I guess I should have put this in the mpsims or gq or something, but I figured someone would get angry at me, so I went ahead and started it here. Angry at you? If I were angry with you I’d have called you a slack-jawed monkeyfucker (my new trademarked and copyrighted phrase, all rights reserved). And I didn’t tell you not to do something, unless you consider telling you and everyone else not to not feel free to watch BET even if you’re white telling you not to do something. Whatever. If you or anyone else wants to feel like an interloper for wacthing a cable channel you pay for, go ahead. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Zambezi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Mr.Zambezi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Zambezi)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2000, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bet-this-is-not-supposed-to-be-a-racist-topic/4146/24 "2000-02-10T17:11:00Z")
So if beer companies target black markets for their 40 ouncers, is that target marketing just like BET does, or is that racist, unlike what BET does? ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2000, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bet-this-is-not-supposed-to-be-a-racist-topic/4146/25 "2000-02-10T19:31:00Z")
Hmm. You reckon there might be a wee difference between an addictive, dangerous, and controlled substance and a television network? ---
**Author:** ![cleosia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@cleosia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cleosia)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2000, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bet-this-is-not-supposed-to-be-a-racist-topic/4146/26 "2000-02-10T19:56:00Z")
I don’t think aiming beer ads (or cigarette ads, for that matter)to a black market is quite the same thing as aiming a TV station to a black market. Beer and Cigarettes have addictive and harmful side affects. Brain rot has yet to be scientifically linked to TV watching. Apocryphal evidence does not count. 🆒 * * * Bitch by Birth ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Zambezi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Mr.Zambezi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Zambezi)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2000, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bet-this-is-not-supposed-to-be-a-racist-topic/4146/27 "2000-02-10T20:19:00Z")
So the safety of the product determines whether it is target marketing or racism? Hmmmmm, sound like you guys are insinuating a conspitracy to harm blacks by selling them dangerous products. Does that mean that it is racist for companies to target whites for Marlboro cigarettes? (I know, I know, the cigarette companies are run by whites. But if they are selling products that are equally dangerous to their own people too, why is taargeting one group OK and the other group racist?) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bet-this-is-not-supposed-to-be-a-racist-topic/4146.md?page=1)