CNN, How Does A Show About 90's TV NOT Discuss 'A Different World'?

As a huge history buff, I have enjoyed watching the CNN documentary series that chronicles the events of the Sixties, the Seventies and the Eighties.

Last night the Nineties had its premiere and spent this initial two hour episode discussing nineties television.  It discussed not only the late night wars, the tabloidization of the news, Will and Grace, Ellen's coming out episode and the rise of cable TV.

It also talked about the golden era of Black TV shows and the use of the Black oriented shows by the fledgling FOX and WB networks to build their audience and networks, then kicking Black viewers to the curb for white ones once their survival was assured.

That's a two hour documentary by itself, but let me continue discussing the Nineties.  

There was however, one glaring omission in last night's CNN show discussing 90's television that bugged me as I watched the initial episode of the Nineties to its conclusion.

It didn't talk about A Different World.

CNN, how are you going to talk about 90's television and not talk about the groundbreaking television show that was credited with being   responsible for the increase in HBCU enrollment during the decade of the nineties?

A Different World may have started in 1987 as a Cosby show spinoff, but was on the air until 1993.   The show starting in its second season after Debbie Allen took over as producer of it realistically depicted HBCU life on the fictional Hillman College campus,   It also delved into subjects that HBCU college students of the late 80's- early 90's were dealing with.

It not only discussed colorism, but discussed racism, sexism, date rape, pledging, South African divestment, the LA Riots, interracial relationships, the 1992 presidential election, the Sharazad Ali controversy and Desert Storm just to name a few of the issues the show tackled during its six season run. .

It also was the first show to tackle HIV/AIDS with the 'If I Should Die Before I Wake' episode that starred Tisha Campbell and Whoopi Goldberg.

A Different World also had a long list of people who did guest starring roles on that show who became major stars in their own right like Marisa Tomei, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Damon Wayans, Kristoff St John, Tupac Shakur, Eriq LaSalle, Jada Pinkett  Smith, Jenifer Lewis, and Halle Berry

So CNN, how does a show that spends two hours discussing 90's television totally whiff on not discussing one of the groundbreaking shows of that early part of the 90's in A Different World?

It was a glaring omission, and one that spoiled the opening episode of the Nineties for me.

Hope the Nineties is better in the next six subsequent episodes due to air than it was in this initial one..

Loving 'Riverdale'

As you long time TransGriot readers know I'm a huge fan of the Archie comics, and have written several posts about some interesting gender related developments in that iconic cartoon universe.

I was intrigued when the CW broadcast its first season of Riverdale, based on the iconic characters back in January.   But because I was busy with a lot of community events and fighting the GOP flavored transphobic evil emanating out of Austin I didn't get to watch the initial thirteen episode run.

Riverdale hit Netflix on May 18, but I finally got a chance to binge watch it this weekend, and I can see now why it got rave reviews from television critics.

This is definitely not your parents and grandparents Archie cartoon.  It basically shook up and blew up the classic love triangle between Archie, Betty and Veronica and in many cases everything you know from Archie canon about the characters.

The show starts with Archie getting busy with Geraldine Grundy, the school's music teacher during the summer vacation break.  Yeah, they went there.  Archie is also seen dating Valerie Brown and escorting Cheryl Blossom to one of her family events before he eventually starts the relationship with Veronica.

Girl next door Betty is not only shown to have a dark side and dates Jughead, Veronica in this show is moving to Riverdale from New York and is trying to be less mean girl than she was.

In addition to focusing the Season One storyline on who killed Riverdale queen bee Cheryl Blossom's twin brother Jason, the show is set in a contemporary time period.

Many of the beloved Archie characters you know are part of this show like Kevin Keller, Chuck Clayton, Moose Mason, and Ethel Muggs  The characters also all have deep secrets and backstories that get revealed as the show moves through those thirteen episodes that lead to a shocking whodunit.

They also flipped the casting script on many of those beloved characters.   Veronica Lodge and her family are Latinx.   Josie and the Pussycats are not only all African American, but Josie's mother Sierra McCoy is the mayor of Riverdale played by Robin Givens.

Pops Tate, the owner of the town's 24 hour diner Pop's Chok'lit Shoppe and RHS principal Mr. Weatherbee are also African American.  Reggie Mantle and Dilton Doiley are Asian.

Geraldine Grundy also became a younger woman instead of a senior citizen

Since I mentioned Robin Givens is in it, other recognizable actors you'll see in it are Luke Perry playing Archie's father Fred Andrews, Madchen Amick playing Alice Cooper, and Molly Ringwald playing Mary Andrews.

Riverdale has already been renewed for a second season slated to start on the CW in October, and in the upcoming Season 2 we'll not only see Sabrina Spellman enter this show, but also Hiram Lodge, played by Mark Consuelos.

The show also ended with a cliffhanger that if you haven't seen it, I'll let you head to Netflix to watch and won't spoil it for you

'Great Day Houston' Transgender Issues Show

While I was traveling to Dallas, the Great Day Houston show on KHOU-TV focused on transgender issues happened.  I knew it was going to talk place today and was asked to be there for it, but I'd already committed to traveling that day, and my bus was scheduled to leave an hour before I was supposed to be at the KHOU-TV studios.

Those studios are also just west of downtown.  

Oh well, can't be at everything.  But the cool thing about being an advocate during this time period i that we have more people stepping up to be voices for our community.  


Here's the video of the segment of Michael Hughes and Jessica Zyrie discussing the bathroom issue.  



A Test of Faith segment with Kimberly Shappley




Parenting Transgender Children with Dr. Joanna Smith



Transgender Rights with Dr. Colt Keo-Meier, Dr. Joanna Smith and Mitchell Katine



Transgender Q&A



Final Thoughts

'I Am Jazz' Gets Renewed For Season 3

This is wonderful news to talk about on the Transgender Day of Visibility

It's took a while for ti to happen, but the news finally dropped that TLC has renewed I Am Jazz for a third season.

The second season received strong rating, so people were wondering why it took so long for TLC to greenlight a third season of the show chronicling the live of our fave trans teen,

In Season 3 we'll see her taking on conservative commentator Tomi Lahren (or maybe not since lahren is suspended from The Blaze) , trying to deal with all the issues of being a teen in addition to the aspects of it brought on by transition.

So starting on June 28 we'll be getting new episodes of I Am Jazz, and looking forward to seeing it this summer

'Star' Renewed For A Second Season

While I was more than a little shocked and pissed off to hear that Doubt has been canceled by CBS after only two episodes, I was happy to hear that the other primetime TV drama series with a major trans character in FOX's Star has been renewed for a second season.

While the show is a spinoff of Empire and focuses on an Atlanta based girl group trying to make it in the music business along with all the drama that comes with it in their personal lives, the storyline I have been focused on is the one involving Amiyah Scott's character Cotton and her mother Carlotta, played by Queen Latifah

They have a rocky relationship because of her transition and mom's reluctance to accept that her only child has become her daughter, and each week more of the backstory of both characters is revealed.

There aren't many episodes left in this initial 13 episode run, but looking forward to not only seeing how this first season ends, but picking up on all the storylines in Season 2

Rain Valdez Cast In The TV Land 'Lopez' Show

After the weekend we've had, we needed some good news this week in terms of another trans actress has landed a role in a TV series. .

Rain Valdez has been cast for a recurring role in Season Two of the TV Land Series Lopez, that will start airing on the network March 29.

She will play Coco, a pretty and enigmatic actress contracted to a network whose executives don't know how to cast her or even talk to her.   George basically talks to her like any other actress, and eventually offers her a role in his series.

Congrats Rain!   Hope this recurring role turns into something more substantial for you !

Wednesday Is Becoming Must See Trans TV Day

With the highly anticipated and historic for trans kind debut of the CBS legal drama Doubt, and FOX's Star both having major trans characters on both shows,  Wednesday night is quickly becoming Must See Trans TV Day.

While Doubt is getting much deserved attention because of my lovely Emmy Award nominated sis Laverne Cox and her groundbreaking Cameron Wirth character,  I have to point out that with the debut of tonight's show at 9 PM CST Laverne is only the second trans person to play a trans major character on a network drama series.  

That television history of a major trans character in a drama being played by an out trans woman was already made by Amiyah Scott because of the earlier December 14, 2016 debut of the Empire spinoff show Star on FOX..  

Amiyah is playing the trans character Cotton, a receptionist in me mother's beauty shop in the ATL who is in a sometimes contentious relationship with her devoutly religious mother Carlotta (played by Queen Latifah).  Carlotta is a former singer who now does so in her church on Sundays, and who is struggling to accept her only child's transition.



Cotton is a driven person who while acting as a big sister figure to Star, Simone and Alexandra and helping them realize their dream of becoming a successful music group, is pursuing her dream of being accepted as her mother's daughter.

But it's going to be a bumpy contentious ride along the way for both of them to get to that point, and it has been interesting to watch that particular trans themed storyline develop on the show that comes on at 8 PM CST on FOX. .

She also representative of the segment of the trans community that is struggling with accomplishing a  gender transition while on a low income.

Meanwhile Cameron Wirth is different from Cotton.  The obvious difference is that she's an Ivy League educated attorney working at this New York boutique law firm.

Cameron is also in my lifetime the second Black trans character who not only is a major character on a show, but has a professional background (Maya Avant Forrester on CBS soap opera the Bold and the Beautiful being the first).   It is in stark contrast in a landscape of Black trans characters that have either been played for comic relief, shock value, and have been sex workers, entertainers, a prisoner, or the murder victim.

We'll learn more about Cameron's backstory as the show evolves.  I'm looking forward to seeing the show every Wednesday at 9 PM CST on CBS.

And I'm so happy they are fortuitously scheduled on Must See Trans TV Wednesday so that I don't have to choose one show over the other

Laverne Talks Trans Rights On The Stephen Colbert Show

You know I have much love for Laverne Cox and I'm eagerly anticipating the debut of the CBS legal drama Doubt tomorrow at 9 PM CST,

Last night she was on Stephen Colbert's show to not only discuss Doubt, but also talk about her meeting Beyonce at the Grammy and other subjects.

On of the subjects that Laverne talked about is the upcoming Gavin Grimm case, and you may wish to take notes about how she talked about it and the unjust trans bathroom oppression laws in less than two minutes.



This is also an excellent  example of how you use your visibility to advance our human rights.

Why Laverne's Cameron Wirth Character Is Important

One of the things I had a chance to talk about with young trans advocates during this just completed Transgender Leadership Institute in Dallas was the upcoming February 15 debut of the CBS legal drama Doubt and why Laverne's Cameron Wirth character to me has the same social and societal importance as Nichelle Nichols Uhura character was to Star Trek.

We are now in a moment in which the visibility of trans characters is increasing, and even better, they are increasingly being played by trans people,   As much as I love Karla Mosley, love her as a cis woman and standup trans ally playing Maya Avant on The Bold and the Beautiful and talked about how groundbreaking and important her character was in Soap World, one problem I see with Maya Avant is that the longtime major character on the soap didn't originally start out as a Black transgender woman.

In Doubt, Cameron Wirth is not only a major character that happens to be trans from the outset of the show, but is also played by a girl like us who can bring those subtle nuances of being a trans woman in real life to this character.  .

"Yes, she's trans. But now what?" Cox told a small group of reporters during the Television Critics Association's winter meetings. "It's sort of like a who cares, really. And I think having something like that on television, it helps the public to become familiar with that, to become comfortable with that. ... Years before we saw a Black president in real life, we saw Black presidents on television."

In a Hollywood in which far too often trans characters of color have either been killed off in the first fifteen seconds, are riddled with stereotypes, or played for comic relief, it is nice to see a girl like us dramatic character that is reflective of the segment of the trans community that is blessed to have advanced degrees and professional careers.

That character being Black and Ivy League educated is also a bonus. It's also nice to hear this close to Valentine's Day that Cameron will have a love life on the show.

It's also coming at this critical time not only for this country, but for my own people in all the group I intersectionally interact with.. We all need to see Cameron Wirth for various reasons on our respective television screens.
 
Black folks have been far too reluctant to have this necessary ongoing honest discussions about transgender issues and the undeniable fact that African descended trans peeps are an interwoven part of the kente cloth fabric of the Black community.

As much as the right wing haters would love to force us back in the closet aided and abetted by preening kneegrow ministers spouting cherry picked scriptures designed to drive a wedge in our community between Black trans and cis folks, I'm happy to tell them that we exist, and we aren't going away.

Cameron is reflective of a segment of the Black trans community my people and others need to see.far more often instead of the Jerry Springer stereotype or 'tragic transsexual' narrative playing in an endless loop in their brains.  

The other reason why Cameron's characters is so important is like Nichols' Uhura character, it will expand in our trans kids and others minds the parameters of what is possible for trans people,

As a matter of fact, I know an amazing Black trans woman who is currently studying to become an attorney, and she is eager to see the show.

Just as seeing Uhura on television inspired a young girl growing up in Chicago named Mae Jemison to become an astronaut and another girl growing up in New York we know as Whoopi Goldberg to become an award winning actress, what impact will Laverne's portrayal of Cameron Wirth have on the next generations of trans kids?

That's a question I won't be able to definitely answer for a while, but in the interim, I'll enjoy watching Doubt starting Wednesday night at 9 PM EST while I do more hard solid thinking about the question I just posed to you. .

'Doubt' Premieres February 15

Finally, something that's happening in 2017 that you'll actually look forward to.

The CBS legal drama Doubt that will feature our sis Laverne Cox in a historic role as attorney Cameron Wirth, finally has a broadcast date.

Set your VCR's and mark your calendars for February 15 at 9 PM CST.   That is when Doubt will finally grace our television screens after teasing us for months about the show that starts Katherine Heigl and also features Dule Hill, Dreama Walker, Elliot Gould and Kobi Lilii

So looking forward to seeing Doubt on that date and watching trans television hisotry being made at the same time.

HBO's The Trans List Airs Tomorrow

For those of you who have HBO as part of your cable TV package, this is another instance of Must See Trans TV you may wish to ensure you don't miss.

It's the debut of the HBO documentary The Trans List, and it features a nice balanced mix of trans folks in terms of age, ethnicity and transition time in a series of five minute vignettes that capture the essence of the hours of interviews they conducted with each participant for this documentary.

And I'm pleased and proud to note I know some of those folks personally.  Hey that's one of the perks of being in the community for 22 years and counting.

 .

The people tapped for this documentary are Kylar Broadus, Caroline Cossey, Laverne Cox, Shane Ortega, Nicole Maines, MIss Major, Buck Angel, Amos Mac, Bamby Salcedo, Caitlyn Jenner and Alok Vaid-Menon that is produced by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and features interviews by Janet Mock, who is also one of the producers of this documentary.

Janet was also interviewed by Time magazine to discuss The Trans List..

I'm looking forward to seeing it, and it starts tomorrow night on HBO

India Willoughby To Join UK's 'Loose Women'

Just in time for Trans Awareness Week comes the news that the UK's popular Loose Women program will have a new member of the panel in India Willoughby.

Loose Women has been on the air in the UK since 1999, and currently features presenters Carol McGiffin, Denise Welch and Andrea McLean.  

She recently appeared on the show to talk about her gender transition and life, and now she will be back as a regular on the show



She's poised to become the first out trans person to be a regular part of a television show with cis women anywhere in the world and as you probably guessed, she's thrilled to have the opportunity to do so.

"I just can't believe it," she said in a recent interview about her new presenting gig. "I absolutely love the show, so it's beyond my wildest dreams to be a guest panelist."

"My history will add something different to the mix and it's the perfect fit for me."    

"All the Loose Women have overcome some sort of adversity, they all carry battle scars and that's what makes them interesting people.  Mine just happens to be my body."

"I didn't want to be considered a novelty.  I've turned down several TV offers.  I want to be working on merit and that's why it was so perfect for me, because I'm just a girl next door."

"If I can help others in my situation by becoming a panelist, well that's terrific," said Willoughby."

Congratulations India!   I know based on your recent appearance you'll be a wonderful fit for that show.  This is also welcome news for transpeople in the UK and your trans siblings around the world.

It's also welcome news for your trans siblings here in the US after the WTF week we've had on our side of The Pond.

I'm An ABC13 2016 Election Night Pundit!

Took a while, but the Netroots Nation 2016 Pundit Cup Champion finally gets an opportunity to flex her political punditry chops.  Best of all for my political junkie self, it's on Election Night!

It happens on my local ABC station, KTRK-TV, starting at 7 PM CST and running until 10 PM CST.

I'll be along with the anchors, guests and other bloggers commenting on local, state and national races.   I'll additionally be commenting on TBLGQ issues, and watching Jenifer Rene Pool's potentially historic Harris County Commissioners Court Precinct 3 race.

I'll also be part of the in studio bloggers panel helping ABC13 monitor the Election Night chatter with my 10.2K (and counting) Twitter followers.  This will be broadcast from the ABC13 studios.    i'll also be checking my Facebook page as well during the night.

My Twitter handle is of course TransGriot.  This is also the link to the ABC13 website for those of you who don't live in the Houston area but may wish to catch me doing my punditry    

If you want to chat with me online and and ask questions tonight about Election 2016, check out the.#abc13eyewitness hashtag to submit questions to our guests and bloggers.

#HouVote hashtag we'll be monitoring as well.

Must See Trans TV- Rocky Horror Starring Laverne Cox On Tonight

Just your friendly TransGriot reminder that while we wait for her debut on the upcoming CBS legal drama Doubt as attorney Cameron Wirth, the reimagined version of the Rocky Horror Picture Show starring Laverne Cox



She talked about her personal connection to the original movie in this Hollywood Reporter article,

The reimagined Rocky Horror Picture Show will be on your FOX television screens starting  later tonight at 7 PM CDT

Rest In Power Trans Pioneer Alina Maria 'Cachita' Hernandez

Another one of our trans trailblazers has joined the ancestors in television actress Alina Maria Hernandez at age 46.   She was found by a friend on October 8 at her home in North Carolina.
The cause of death for Hernandez has not been determined because according to reports her relatives are traveling enroute there from Cuba.

Hernandez was one of the first trans icons on Spanish language television, and was on the popular show El Gordo y El Flaca as 'Cachita' for 10 years.

She got her start as the winner of a singing contest on Don Francisco's longtime hit Univision show Sabado Gigante.  

Despite winning that $500 first prize on that show, Hernandez was a still struggling actress when she got her big break in 1999 replacing host Lili Estefan, who had gone on maternity leave to have her first child.



Hernandez's appearance was so popular that she ended up being part of the El Gordo y El Flaca show cast for another decade.  In addition to dishing gossip on that show, she also worked various Latinx awards shows and wrote a column for TVnotas

After being on the show, she decided to step away from the camera until last year, when she gave an exclusive Univision interview explaining that she was transgender.




Rest in power and peace Cachita.  You will be missed by all who loved you.

Angela Rye Blasts GOP Pundit For Defending Rape Culture

One of the people I love seeing when she does appear on TV to set people straight is Angela Rye.

You've got to check out this video of Angela calling out the ridiculousness of Kayleigh McEnany for the GOP wide talking point of trying to blame Hillary Clinton for her hubby's affairs.

I guess by that same standard, Melania Trump is to blame for he's husband's nekulturny behavior.

Check out Angela Rye snatching Kayleigh's wig on air.

Laverne Cox Starring In The Rocky Horror Picture Show' On FOX October 20

I've attended a few showings of the cult film classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, including a memorable Halloween one not long after I moved to Louisville in September 2001.

Usually when I hear about people talking about remaking classic films, I'm of dual minds about it leaning more toward the 'leave it alone' camp.   I have seen remakes in which they have done a great job in remixing the original story like the Samuel L Jackson Shaft, and  sometimes they do a /WTF were you thinking?' job and completely screw up a classic.

So while I'm waiting for Laverne Cox to show up on my TV screen in the CBS legal drama Doubt, just in time for Halloween I and America will get the chance to see Laverne in the role of Dr Frank-n-Furter in the Rocky Horror remake being broadcast on FOX October 20.



In addition to Laverne, Tim Curry will also be in this Kenny Ortega production as the narrator.  This Rocky Horror remake also stars Victoria Justice, Ryan McCartan, Adam Lambert, Christina Milian, and Ben Vereen.

The reviews of the trailer so far have been good, and I'm looking forward to checking it out, since I'm not only supporting my homegirl, I'll definitely need something to watch on TV besides the Trump-Pence ticket lying all the way to Election Day.

 The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Lets Do The Time Warp Again will be broadcast on FOX .

Must See Trans TV Alert-STRUT Premieres Tonight

Here's a Must See Trans TV alert for you.

Premiering tonight is the Oxygen debut of the Whoopi Goldberg produced show STRUT, which follows a group of trans models that features Isis King and Arisce Wanzer

The show will premier later tonight at 8 PM CDT, and I''ll be checking it out later this evening.

'Doubt' Trailer

I've mentioned that Doubt was greenlighted by CBS back in May and is going to premiere during the 2016-17 television season,

One of the reasons you should be as excited about the show as I am is because it will be historic television in terms of having Laverne Cox play Cameron Wirth, the first scripted trans main character in a dramatic series played by a trans actor on broadcast television.

Doubt also stars Katherine Heigl, Dule Hill, Dreama Walker, Elliott Gould, Steven Pasquale, and Kobi Libii

Here's the trailer for the dramatic legal series that starts next month.

'Strut' To Premiere September 20

Laverne Cox won't be the only trans person I know that will have a television series debuting next month.

Isis King will be one of the trans models who will appear in the unscripted series Strut, which follows Isis and  her fellow models Arisce Wanzer, Laith De La Cruz, Dominique Jackson and Ren Spriggs.   Cecilio Asuncion and Cassandra Cass of Slay Model Management will also be on the show that debuts September 20 on Oxygen.

Strut is executive produced by Whoopi Goldberg, and in a Variety interview pointed out why she believes the show is needed, necessary and debuting at the right moment in time.

"The show is important right now because for all the positive advances the community has made and continues to make, transgender is still a hot button word that gets people hysterical," said Goldberg.

"People tend to focus on the stereotype instead of the person, and this series will give viewers a unique opportunity to spend time with real people who are struggling with the same challenges we all face as we make our way through the world."

"You may be surprised to discover that you have been seeing and interacting with transgender men and women in ways you didn't even realize!" she commented.



Have another trans themed show to look forward to watching this fall, and hope you will join me in doing so as well. .