Black History Month celebrated on the small screen

Broadcasters have decided to mark Black History Month with force this year by filling their schedules with special programs that explore the reality of black communities. Among them, let us point out Once it’s a blackan unpublished documentary that recounts the sometimes perilous journey of black comedians in Quebec.

Marc-Andre Lemieux
The Press

Produced by Urbania, this one-hour retrospective will land on Crave on Friday, before premiering on Noovo and Canal D on February 20 at 9 p.m. It brings together Normand Brathwaite, Boucar Diouf, Garihanna Jean-Louis, Anthony Kavanagh, Eddy King, Michel Mpambara and Erich Preach.

We end our viewing with the impression of better understanding what black Quebec comedians have been through since 1979, the year Normand Brathwaite landed the role of a Haitian on the show. At Denise’s. In front of the lens of director Frédéric Pierre, Anthony Kavanagh admits that he gritted his teeth when he heard the caricatural accent of the character, because he knew that at school, the next day, his classmates would make fun of it. .

In open book mode, Kavanagh also reveals that at the start of his career, spectators often approached him saying, “You are the first black person I love. »

And every time he heard this thinly disguised racist comment, he replied like this: “It’s funny, because you’re the first cellar that I like. »

Later, we learn that we tried to convince Eddy King to change his style while he was trying to enter the National School of Humor (ENH). The reason given? Ethnic humor, Rachid Badouri already took care of it.

When Boucar Diouf started hosting Of kiwis and men with Francis Reddy in 2007, people sent emails to Radio-Canada to say: “We understand nothing when he speaks! »

And Erich Preach, who has 1.5 million subscribers with Aba Atlas on YouTube, preferred watching American television (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Family Matters) growing up, because he saw more people like him there.

Only one “stand-up comic” speaks in Once it’s a black. This is Garihanna Jean-Louis, the first black woman to graduate from the ENH. His journey has not been easy. She says she often felt misunderstood. “Too white” in the eyes of Haitians; “too Haitian” in the eyes of Quebecers…

Even today, this impression persists. “I feel like a quota,” she says on the show. When people call me for a recording, it’s because I fill in two boxes: woman and racialized person. »

Duty of memory

Reached by telephone, Frédéric Pierre believes thatOnce it’s a black will remind viewers how artists from visible minorities have contributed to the development of humor in Quebec.

“It brought me face to face with the contribution of people like Normand Brathwaite, who has distinguished himself in such striking and popular television shows as Hot pepper and laughing saturday, not to mention his radio show at CKOI. It’s huge, “comments the actorAlerts.

Documentary content producer Stéphanie Verreault Lamontagne believes thatOnce it’s a black testifies to the evolution of humor in Quebec. “There are things you could say in the early 1980s that you can’t say today. It shows the changes in mentality. It makes you think. »

Docs and fiction

Once it’s a black is far from the only show on the TV guide to highlight Black History Month.

On the Radio-Canada side, we will notably propose Echelon: a project for inclusion, docu-report in which we accompany five young artists from racialized and Aboriginal communities in Quebec City (February 20 at 11:25 p.m.). ICI Tou.tv will offer free The basis: Lex & Wasiua series of humorous capsules (February 23), and Don’t lie to you, a new socio-cultural magazine run by Schelby Jean-Baptiste, Keithy Antoine and Irdens Exantus (February 2). HERE ARTV will present Roots from February 6, and ICI Explora will broadcast the documentary series slaveshosted by Samuel L. Jackson, beginning Feb. 7 at 8 p.m.

At Tele-Quebec, crazy pig will address the theme in its program on February 17. Content will also be created for Squat, the broadcaster’s platform for 6-12 year olds.

“It is important for us to highlight Black History Month to the general public, but also to young audiences, by way of awareness,” said a network press officer by email.

On Tuesdays, Super Ecran will serve films like tenet, Twelfth night and Billie Holiday: An Affair of State.

On February 8 at 9 p.m., Canal D will present Secrets of the Underground Railroad about the network of roads in the United States that allowed African-American slaves to escape. The next day, the chain will serve Oscar Peterson: Black and Whitea documentary that retraces the journey of the famous Quebec pianist.

TV5’s special programming includes several documentaries, including Barnay-Bambuck, committed athletes (February 5 at 11 a.m.), The roads of slavery (in four parts starting February 7 at 9 p.m.) and Blacks in France (February 23 at 8 p.m.). More than a dozen titles will also be offered free online at tv5unis.ca.

At Historia and Moi et Cie, Saturday evenings in February will be dedicated to Black History Month. This is a first for each of the channels.

Moi et Cie will broadcast the feature films seven lives (French version of Seven Pounds) with Will Smith, Harassed (Lakeview Terrace) with Samuel L. Jackson, The call (The Call) with Halle Berry, and Mr. Roman J. Israel with Denzel Washington, while Historia will feature four documentaries, including Tulsa Burns: The 1921 Massacre.

“Revealing all facets of history is part of Historia’s mission,” explains the channel. This year, we want to present inspiring stories by highlighting events and “warriors of change” who have paved the way for several movements, including Black Lives Matter. »

On the English side, note the arrival (February 21) of an original drama series from the CBC network entitled The Porter. Cut into eight episodes, it focuses on black porters who worked on trains in the 1920s in Montreal. It notably stars Aml Ameen (I May Destroy You), Ronnie Rowe Jr. (Star Trek: Discovery) and Alfred Woodard.