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January 24, 2006
Jamie Foxx
Posted at January 24, 2006 01:05 PM in Media/New Media .
I have received a number of emails lately referring to NBC
and Jamie Foxx. The emails state – in one
way or another – that NBC is not advertising "Jamie
Foxx: Unpredictable," which airs tomorrow
night at 8:00 p.m., because he "stood his ground and wouldn't have any
white guest as they requested. To make
it even worse he had two controversial guest stars, that do not fit the 'NBC
profile' on his show." Further, the
emails state "they are purposely putting his show up against the second
week of American Idol in hopes that it will fail."
From what I've found, Jamie Foxx has been doing a great job of promoting his own show by making the rounds to various media outlets to talk, not only about the show Wednesday night, but to discuss future shows he has in the pocket and his his hit CD "Unpredictable."
Wednesday's show will be a one-hour special featuring musical
numbers, including songs from his new CD, plus filmed vignettes highlighting
points in his life. Special guests are Stevie
Wonder, Common, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg and the Game. "We have people who can stand on stage
and literally command an audience to listen to what they're saying," Foxx
said of the collection of artists.
On NBC's site, Jamie Foxx is prominently displayed
on their
page, you can't miss him, so they are promoting his show. I can't say
how they're promoting the show on
television because, quite honestly, I don't watch network television
unless I'm
given a heads up to watch for a particular show. Two, if I did watch
network television, I would not be hanging out on NBC. I also
typically lose the volume during
commercials as well so that's a lost cause with me.
I don't know what is fact or fiction about much of what I've
seen in the emails lately. What I do
know is whatever works to get viewership, by all means do it. Did his PR folks put this out? Someone else? Whatever and whomever, it did the trick, people are talking.
My one drawback to the email,
however, is the secrecy. Personally, I have no time to sit in front of
a television set to wait for some "mystery guest." I'm not like
sitting around waiting for something to do. You either let me know who
is on and I will watch. You play mystery "reality TV" with me and I'm
gone. Only because I know who will be on the show with Jamie
Foxx, I will watch the show. The email circlating, as far as I'm
concerned, does Foxx a serious diservice with the "secret guest" mess.
Please folks, do not assume Black
folk have nothing better to do with their time than sit around and wait
for surprises. Gee Whiz. Help the brother out, promote his show, give us info, not everybody is playing the Lotto over here. Thankfully, Jamie Foxx is doing the right thing by getting out and promoting himself. I don't know if NBC is or is not promoting his show, Jamie certainly is and for that, I give the brotha credit. Don't wait for somebody to promote you -- do it yourself.