I'm Confused . . . .

I just finished watching the NAACP Image Awards. I do enjoy watching awards shows, I like to see who's put on weight, who's slimmed down, and how people look. It's usually no surprise, the same people look elegant year after year, the same people look like they were dressed by a blind person, the same people look like they were going out to wash the car, and the same people look like they're about a quarter-inch from having a titty malfunction.

Among those in the elegant camp (the only ones I will name): Tracee Ellis Ross, Mo'Nique, Raven-Symone (I refuse to spell her name with an accent mark when she doesn't pronounce it accordingly, to me that's just silly;) Queen Latifah, a young lady in a stunning black-and-white gown whose intro I missed but looked like she could have been Kerry Washington, and most of the men.

But here's the rub: They're called the Image Awards. I interpret that as meaning people of color playing roles of upstanding, respectable citizens or whose music can't be called objectionable (no lyrics about bitches or ho's.) So who wins? Not Will Smith for his role as a homeless single father trying to make a better life for himself and his son, but Forest Whitaker for his frighteningly realistic portrayal of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, who by no stretch could be called a nice guy. Vanessa Williams also picked up an award for her role as the boss from hell on Ugly Betty. She shrieks, she schemes, she lies . . . . is that a good image?

Okay, so sometimes the best roles aren't the ones that paint the most illustrious images of persons of color. (I'm sure Denzel Washington was recognized a few years back for that lowdown snake he played in Training Day.) It wouldn't be fair to eliminate good acting performances just because their characters aren't moral people. But has it occurred to the powers that be at the NAACP that the name of their award is sometimes an oxymoron to the characterizations for which people win?

I think it should. Because, as I said, I'm completely confused about what they're trying to do.