It seems that increasingly (specifcally over the past year), there have been several times that our #1 source for all things entertainment has seemed quite...well....ill-informed, when it comes to the Latino viewers that are without a doubt, certainly watching their program.
While TMZ routinely offends most people--and they are pretty, pretty, pretty good at it---the one constant is that they turn to their resident Woman, Black, Gay or even Overweight "authority" on the matter with no hesitation.
Except when it comes to Latinos.
When it comes to Latinos, TMZ doesn't seem to have a clue. It's like in the producer's mind--a super famous, super rich, super interesting, Spanish language, Latin celebrity is the stuff of myth and legend..
As if Latino celebrities are like these rare and strange occurrences on which there is very limited information available....
but NEWSFLASH Harvey,
But it's because of things like THIS (and the over 50 million Hispanics in this country) that there has to be be someone in that room who can add this perspective to the general conversation. I get that it's Entertainment News and there isn't a whole lot of room for the heavy Race conversation, but what about the "light" one.
Again, TMZ seems to be an equal opportunity offender and as far as I am concerned, if it is funny--it's funny. (Sidenote: your segment on my beloved island of Puerto Rico---NOT funny....at all.)
But in a Pop culture-obsessed newsroom, whose on-air schtick is to be non-PC and moderately offensive to all, it seems necessary to get a fellow Hispano in there to stir the pot, offer the occasional correction/reprimand or simply give a different opinion.
At the very least, it needs to be done so that this special TMZ token Latino can add to the current crew's consistently vague "this guy is a pretty big deal" nonsense....maybe they can even (GASP!) drop some knowledge.
You know what they say....
Like the fact that Mexican Rock Group Mana (you know, the band to which they posed this winner of a question last year) just one month before this segment aired, broke a record with 11 consecutively sold out shows in...no, not Guadalajara but at The Staples Center in LOS ANGELES, CA!
(Los Angeles...also Latino by default, name and history...but we won't go there.)
Then someone (my boyfriend) had to go and burst my bubble by asking me..."Erica, how do you really know there are no Latinos in that newsroom?'
Well....I don't. But if there is and that is a big IF...then it is high time that they chime in with some Latino knowledge. In other words--you better speak up, bro! No tengas miedo, mano.
Now, I do not think there is a Media outlet out there that hasn't recognized the Marketing dream/nightmare that is the Latino audience.
"Wait...the Puerto Ricans are Liberals, the Cubans are Conservative--but not the ones in NJ..they are a little different. Chicanos, Colombianos, Dominicanos....oh my!"
We get it. We know it isn't easy: we're diverse and geographically different, Red States, Blue States, bla bla bla---you heard it all during election season--but we are a pretty understanding group and trust me--we can see and often appreciate it when you are at least trying to target some of us. And right now--you are failing miserable to include our community into your dialogue.
Not to belabor the point, but seriously...
If majority of your Latinos images are like this:
And your knowledge of our internationally acclaimed superstar A-listers is like this:
Then it might be time to add some (forgive me), Spice to your newsroom......
See, we have a sense of humor too......
xo
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