CNN and Black Twitter aren’t the best of buds, considering that the major news network has often treated the popular segment of the social media platform like a science experiment. The network is back to its hijinks after they assigned a Black writer to write a piece essentially telling white folks to tune into Black Twitter Thursday night (Dec. 3) for the airing of The Wiz Live! on NBC.
The struggle began when writer Lisa Respers France’s piece for CNN, titled “The Wiz Live!’: Why you need to watch with Black Twitter,” was published earlier today. Take a look at some of Ms. Respers France’s, ahem, writing below.
From CNN:
It remains to be seen whether the new production airing Thursday night pulls it off, but rest assured, Black Twitter will be all over it.
That group has been most vocal because “The Wiz,” the black adaption of L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” is part of the African-American canon of films.
“Black Twitter” refers to the complex and powerful society on Twitter that focuses on issues of interest to the black community, be they political, social or entertainment.
They will be the ones to watch for the memes, the hashtags and the like that will determine whether “The Wiz Live” will be “da bomb” or a bust. They have been the ones who have roasted the likes of Lifetime’s Aaliyah and Whitney Houston biopics and delighted social media with #ThanksgivingWithBlackFamilies.
The Read co-host Crissles expertly pointed out CNN’s folly in a tweet that has kicked some passionate responses from Black Twitter and beyond. It really did appear as if CNN was trying to say,”look at those little blackies go tonight while watching their TVs,” but failing miserably as they often do when it comes to all things Black.
Of course, you can watch NBC’s The Wiz Live! tonight without Black Twitter and be just fine. Bad job, CNN. It’s not like it’s a slow news day or anything.
Check out the following pages for some of the best responses to CNN’s Black Twitter struggle piece.
https://twitter.com/crissles/status/672398375472508928#sthash.Bt9y7jBo.dpuf
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Photo: Kwaku Alston/NBC
