Marvin Sparks

Dear TV programmers, At the beginning of this month many people questioned the relevance of Black History Month in 09; what with Barack Obama being Prezzy and all. Black people are supposedly integrated with English society, we no longer fear random racist attacks on the pavement, the glass ceiling has disappeared in careers etc. Do I subscribe to that? Not completely. That isn't to say it is on levels of the 50s-80s, but there is still a problem. Everything was going swimmingly... actually I say swimmingly, what I really mean was normal TV schedule. Nothing really Black History Month about it, no not even that corny stereotypical figurine chattin' in that taking the wee blackcent on MTV Base said anything (from what I remember; YouTube/WSHH/Blogs > MTV Base in 09). Did they have idents from artists saying what Black History Month means to them this year? Genuine question. Back on track, it was all going swimmingly until BNP leader, friend of nonviolent KKK member (nonviolen...

For Black History Month last year I wanted to forget about worshipping black icons of the past and chose to focus on current. No disrespect to them, but people always complain there aren't enough about black role models about nowadays, so I thought I'd appreciate current one. I went on a mission to find a black person who is doing something positive for themselves. Instead of an obscure politician or financial investment banker no one really knows, I thought I'd keep it contemporary, going with comedian and businessman Kojo. Everyone sees him as just a comedian but either don't realise or forget that he is more than that and has achieved a lot, namely his 5 years and (started) counting (again the other day) Comedy Club in West End's Corks Wine Bar. Hate or love him personally or his jokes, one thing is undeniable; the man is doing a lot for himself and the whole urban comedy circuit FULL STOP! He has given a platform to most of our favourite comedians directly or in...

For anyone new to FlashBack Friday , it is a time to draw for the archives in my brain in hope of bringing a smile to your face as we reminisce *cue "Awwwww"'s*. Out here for my 90s kids (term "80's baby" gets political). Black History Month, so what better way than dedicate today to a time when we had good black comdey shows written by black people. I don't know which wise-guy let black people write comedies back then because in the 00's that isn't the case. To all my non-black's I hope you can appreciate this post without thinking it's racist or not for you. 'Racist' seems to be any easy word to throw around when a race is stated (eg. MO B O, B ET...), but I never coined the term, black comedies was named by the broadcasters. It wasn't only for black people to watch, the same way something like Kumars At No. 42/Goodness Gracious Me or Men Behaving Badly/Absolutely Fabulous weren't created for the specific race it written...

But today is the beginning of Black History Month! Don't worry normal service will be here - at the end of the day it is just ANY month - but some things (not many mind you) will contain the theme. Today on Twitter (@MarvinSparks), I was suggesting we signify the first day of Black History month by burning a popular black character or charecteristic we all hate. It would serve as an occasion to help unite and burn the crosses, badmind and unscrupulous people (making this up now, but it sounds like a good pitch alie?)! I suggested Gus from EastEnders . Exhibit A : Is he (not the real guy Mo George) not the worst person in the world? He epitomised wasteman in every sense! Was a binman and some simp in his love life (please note I haven't watched EastEnders properly since Dirty Den returned). Ang about, wasn't he banging Ricky's sister? Didn't she cheat on him at one point? From the scriptwriters let that happen to you, this character is not the one. None of this: ...