Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, July 17, 1993 TAG: 9307240232
SECTION: SPECTATOR PAGE: S-12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FRANK SWERTLOW LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES LENGTH: Medium
"I'm so tired of reading the negativity that black fathers run away," he said. "They always talk about the matriarchal society in the black society. I have a great father. Most of the guys I knew had great fathers. It's almost like now - the myth has become the reality - that black men do not take care of their children. And that's not true."
Sinbad, whose father is a minister, said it's important for Hollywood "to show there's a lot of fathers out there that are working hard to take care of their kids. And now you're having a lot more single-father families."
Most situation comedies deal with single mothers raising their children.
The stand-up comic, whose show premieres this fall, said it's not "hip" in the media to show the good side. But he said his show would "toot our horns to say, `Hey man, we raise kids, too."'
Sinbad also said that he hoped his show would encourage more men to become involved in Big Brother programs.
"Because it's important that there's a male - a positive male - there," he said.
Despite the glut of smutty and off-color jokes in many of today's sitcoms, Sinbad said his show would not use street language to obtain a laugh.
"My mother would kill me if I ever cursed. I would get shot, and you would find my body in an alley somewhere, murdered by my mother," he said.
Although Sinbad hopes his show will have a positive influence on black fathers, the series, ironically, is being produced by two white males.
"I have two producers who are very sensitive to the issues," he said. "I think what it comes down to is this: It's a shame in Hollywood there are not more black executive producers, not more black producers, not more black camaramen, not more blacks . . . in any aspect of the business."
He hoped that his show would become a vehicle for blacks to enter the entertainment business, he said.
In other Fox news, Fox Broadcasting chairwoman Lucie Salhany said that Fox\ plans to launch its new basic cable channel in late fall.
The channel will compete with cable services provided by its studio rivals, Warner Bros. and Universal, which owns the USA cable network with Paramount. She declined to discuss what type of programming Fox will offer.
The Fox official responded to reports that Paramount and Chris Craft were considering starting a fifth TV network. In all likelihood, she said, Chris Craft would link up with Time-Warner. Such an arrangement would reach viewers in 70 percent of the country receiving over-the-air TV transmissions. The other 30 percent could be reached by cable.
Sandy Grushow, the president of Fox Entertainment Group, said the entire cast of "Beverly Hills, 90210" would return for the fall. "Everybody is back," he said.
There has been speculation that Shannen Doherty might not return because of her tabloid lifestyle. Grushow said such reports about the controversial star's personal and financial problems have not had any impact on the ratings.
No Fox official has discussed the matters with her, he said, although he expected that Aaron Spelling, who produces the series for the network, may have.
by CNB