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Hair News - March 2002 |
| Author: Karen Shelton |
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Date: March 2002 |
HOT FROM FOX...
IMPACTFUL 'BOSTON PUBLIC' EPISODE
DIRECTS CHATTERS TO FOX.COM IN RECORD NUMBERS
Episode to Encore March 25 on FOX Following this past Monday's eventful episode
of BOSTON PUBLIC (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX, a record number of
fans clicked on to FOX.COM for an online chat to further discuss the
episode and the issues it raised. Due to the overwhelming response, the episode "Chapter
Thirty-Seven" will air again Monday, March 25 on FOX. In
the episode, a controversy begins in the hallways and then spreads
inside Danny Hanson's (Michael Rapaport) classroom as casual use of
a racial epithet stirs powerful emotions between students and
teachers. In an effort to quell the tension, Hanson assigns his
class to read a new book which examines the connotations of the
powerful word, much to Principal Harper's (Chi McBride) chagrin.
The BOSTON PUBLIC chat is
currently the largest online chat of 2002, and among the top five
chats in the history of Internet company Lycos, which hosted the
chat. The BOSTON PUBLIC website, which has seen steady increases in
traffic on Monday evenings, saw an increase of more than 450 percent
over the previous week. The online chat followed several on-air special
messages about the issue. The chat featured Dr. Darnell M. Hunt,
Director of the Center for African American Studies and Professor of
Sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles; and Lecia J.
Brooks, Los Angeles Director of Special Projects for the National
Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ).
Commenting on the significance of
the episode, Dr. Hunt said, "Monday night's episode of BOSTON
PUBLIC plunged right in and took on one of the most contested issues
in contemporary American race relations: the 'n-word,' who can use
it, when, and at what cost. As is often the case when one deals with
such a controversial topic, the show raised many more questions than
it could possibly answer. So I'm hopeful that the dialogue will
continue, and that it will openly consider America's racial past
without minimizing the role race plays in the present. Our future as
a diverse yet integrated society depends on it."
Ms. Brooks added, "The BOSTON PUBLIC
episode was a good dramatic tool for spurring dialogue about the
impact of racial slurs. These words cut deep and are difficult to
fully understand by members of groups other than the one being
targeted by the hate speech.
The National Conference for
Community and Justice, Los Angeles region's Hate Crime Prevention
Programs were developed around the belief that through open and
honest dialogue, we can begin to understand and empathize with one
another. And in sessions with youth offenders, I've seen this truth
demonstrated time and again."
For a transcript of the record-breaking chat,
additional information from diverse focused organizations and open
message boards, please visit
http://www.fox.com/bostonpublic
through Tuesday, March 26.
HOT FROM FOX...
Friday, March 8, 2002
BACKSTREET
BOY HOWIE D AND HIS SINGING SISTER POLLYANNA TO PERFORM NATIONAL
ANTHEM AT 'CELEBRITY BOXING' MARCH 13 ON FOX
Howie D from one of today's most successful music
groups, the Backstreet Boys, and his singing sister Pollyanna will
perform the National Anthem for the all-star slugfest CELEBRITY
BOXING Wednesday, March 13 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Howie D and the Backstreet Boys are the multi-award
winning and record sales-breaking music group which exploded into
instant popularity in 1996. Pollyanna is a multi-talented
entertainer who writes, sings and dances to her own original songs
in Spanish and English -- from high-energy dance groove numbers to
sentimental personal ballads. She also has toured as an opening act
for the Backstreet Boys.
CELEBRITY BOXING pairs six of the nation's most infamous,
controversial and entertaining celebrities -- Danny Bonaduce, Barry
Williams, Tonya Harding, Paula Jones, Vanilla Ice and Todd Bridges -
as they slug it out inside the squared circle for pugilistic
supremacy. Michael ("Let's Get Ready To Rumble") Buffer
will serve as ring announcer.
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