Just when you thought it was safe to go back to watching regular TV, the fine folks at UPN/WB/WhateverTheHeckIt'sCalledNowadays got the wise idea of giving America's Favorite CrackHead a sitcom.
Watch it and weep, folks. Here's noted Debit To His Race Flavor Flav's upcoming show Under One Roof, as described by the network. Their words, not mine.
Flav plays Calvester Hill, an ex-convict that moves in with his wealthy, conservative brother, Winston. Calvester subsequently turns the Hill family’s life upside down, parading his old prison cronies through the house; teaching his nephew Winston Jr. to be a gangsta rapper; and butting heads with Winston’s snooty wife, Ashley, seventeen year-old princess Heather, and housekeeper Su Ho.Calvester? Su Ho? Well, alrighty then.
Here's the Fresh Prince Of Bel Air-ish Trailer...
Let's see: Ex-con? Check. Uppity conservative husband? Check. Predictably white wife for comedic "fish out of water" effect? You betcha.
Considering the fact that the Geico Cavemen had a show, I guess this one isn't too much of a stretch, but still. I'm sure Cosby is just giddy about this one.
Sadly, I've been told the creator of Hip Hop Harry[1], an excellent kid's show that just happens to be one of AverageToddler's favorites (I actually rented the suit and performed as HHH at my son's 1st birthday party last Summer), is responsible for this cluster. You might remember Claude Brooks as one of Theo's weedcarriers on The Cosby Show, or from the short-lived sitcom True Colors.
I had the pleasure of meeting the brother last year when I took the family to Philly to see Hip Hop Harry Live! Brooks struck me as a pretty cool brother who'd come up with an innovative way of using hip hop music as a teaching aid. AverageSis and I walked away extremely impressed with the guy's hustle, and thankful that there were sensible black men with the power to greenlight a show that portrays positive images of black culture.
So much for that pipedream.
It's entirely possible that Under One Roof might be a substantive show that examines the dynamic social constructs that define today's black families with a liberal use of iambic pentameter.
Naw, who the hell are we kiddin'? This ain't nothing but Extreme Coonery at it's worst.
Diahann Carroll is crying inside.
Question: Could this show possibly eclipse HomeBoys In OuterSpace as the Worst Show Evar? Just how many years does this set the black race back? How many weeks do you give the show before it's mercifully canned and syndicated on BET?
Under One Roof Official Website
Homeboys in Outer Space Wiki [Just In Case You Need Refreshing]
Flavor Flav: Hoping to be the Next Eddie Murphy [BuddyTV]
[1] A darned good show for kids. It's second only to Little Bill on AverageToddler's Tivo Season Pass priority list.
