ACTION ALERT: Interracial couples on “The Larry Elder Show”

Members of the Mixed community,

“The Larry Elder Show” which aired on Monday, October 18, 2004 was
titled “When Race Becomes A Dividing Issue in A Relationship.” It was an
extremely negative and sensationalistic show that featured three
interracial couples: Forest and Glenda, William and Nicole, and David
and Jacki. Forest is a white man who directs racial slurs at his Latina
wife in front of their child. William is a black man with a drug and
alcohol addiction who accuses his white wife of being racist. David and
Jacki are the token “happy” couple, parents to 10 mixed children.

We know that some of you may be thinking to yourselves: daytime talk
shows always play up conflict and drama, can we really expect anything
more from them? To that, we respond with a resounding “yes!” We need to
start holding these shows accountable for their portrayals of mixed
families and individuals, or else they will continue to perpetuate
harmful stereotypes about our community.

As the directors of Mixed Media Watch, we have already written a joint
letter to Larry Elder, his show’s producers, and key executives at CBS
to express our concern over the show.

We are now asking you to join us in this letter-writing campaign. Click
here to personalize and send email:
http://www.citizenspeak.org/campaign/5699.php

If you would prefer to send your own message, here are their email
addresses:

Larry Elder, Host of “The Larry Elder Show” –
sage@larryelder.com or larry@larryelder.com
Leslie Moonves Chairman, President & CEO, CBS Television – leslie.moonves@tvc.cbs.com
Nancy Tellem, President, CBS Paramount Network Television Entertainment
Group – ntellem@cbs.com
Nina Tassler, President, CBS Entertainment – ntassler@cbs.com
Martin D. Franks, Executive VP, CBS Television – mdfranks@cbs.com
Dana McClintock, VP of CBS Communications – dlmcclintock@cbs.com
George Schweitzer, Executive VP of Marketing and Communications –
gschweitzer@cbs.com
Josie Thomas, Senior VP, Diversity – jthomas@cbs.com

You can communicate with the producers of “The Larry Elder Show” via
this online form:

http://larryelder.warnerbros.com/letters_to_larry_contact.html

Thank you for your support!

Jen and Carmen

Jen Chau and Carmen Van Kerckhove
Directors of Mixed Media Watch

_______________________________

MIXED MEDIA WATCH

tracking representations of mixed people in the media
www.mixedmediawatch.com

Mixed Media Watch is a collaborative weblog and grassroots coalition
that works to promote more realistic, three-dimensional portrayals of
mixed people, couples, families and transracial adoptees in film,
television, radio and print media.