Ease On Down The Road With 'The Wiz Live!' | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Ease On Down The Road With 'The Wiz Live!'

Inspiring. Energetic, and Modern. 'The Wiz Live!' did not dissapoint.

18
Ease On Down The Road With 'The Wiz Live!'
Google Images

Before I begin this article, I would like to set one thing straight. As you may have heard, some idiots on twitter have decided to complain about the all-black cast featured in NBC's "The Wiz Live!" For example, this ignorant person:

However, I feel that it is important to state that as shocking as it may be, there already is an all-white version of the Wiz: it's called "The Wizard of Oz."

So as you can see, this is an argument that can best be described by the following quote from The Wiz:

And, for those still not convinced, there was in fact one white actor within the ensemble, so there you go, "The Wiz Live!" even by the most ridiculous of claims, is not racist.

Regardless of all that nonsense, there was one thing that "The Wiz Live!" was, and that is amazing. Featuring talent like Queen Latifah, Neyo, Uzo Aduba, and Mary J Blige, the show, despite previous uninspired NBC live productions (*cough* "Peter Pan Live!" *cough*), has exceeded expectations and actually provided an entertaining and heartfelt show. A show that was able to draw a total of 11.5 million viewers, and it's not hard to see why.The costuming was amazing, the vocals were all strong and the set pieces really helped bring the story to life. If you don't believe me, then just watch this clip:


But this show is much more than just three hours of singing and dancing; it's a remarkable moment for television. Confused as to why? Consider this: when have you ever seen this many people of color in one show, and in such a positive context? Especially on a major broadcasting station like NBC? Struggling to find some example? Well, that is because, sadly, these moments are not as common as they should be. As Viola Davis eloquently put it within her Emmy speech, "The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there." And the beautiful thing is that for one night, those roles were there, and they allowed so many people to show off their talents in a way that might not have been possible. And this showcase of what many on Twitter have called Black Excellence is not only important because it allowed these voices to shine, but because it allowed every little black boy and girl to watch this and think, "Look, here's someone that looks like me and is being called beautiful and important. So I'm beautiful and important."

So do yourself a favor and watch "The Wiz Live!" on Hulu, NBC's website, or during the encore performance on December 19 at 8pm!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

5 Things To Do That Are Better Than Writing A Paper

Don't waste your time trying to write that paper when there are so many more interesting things you could be doing.

4018
computer keyboard
Unsplash

Writing a paper is never fun and is rarely rewarding. The writer's block, the page requirement, be specific, but don’t summarize, make sure you fixed any grammatical errors, did you even use spellcheck? and analyze, analyze, analyze.

Papers can be a major pain. They take up so much time and effort that by the end of the process you hate yourself and you hate the professor for making life so difficult. Questions of your existence start roaming in your mind. Am I even cut out for college if I can’t write a single paper? Am I even capable of taking care of myself if I lack the energy to open my laptop and start typing?

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

10 Reasons Why Sisters Are The Best

Who could be a better friend than your own sister?

2463
sisters
Taylor Hooper

I can barely remember back when I was the only child. Most would say it’s because it is extremely difficult to remember things as a toddler but I would say it's because I was bored until my sister came along. My mother always says how important the "sister bond" is and with every year that passes I realize how right she is. Instead of writing a novel about all of the wonderful things there are about having a sister I decided to list a few of them instead.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

How To Adult

You're gonna make it after all.

3752
how to adult
Twitter

It is the time of our lives that we are beginning to enter the adult world and most of us, if not all of us, have no idea what we are doing. It's like starting a video game, but skipping the tutorial. We're all just running around aimlessly hoping we accidentally do something right that moves us along the right path. Now that graduation has just happened, or is right around the corner for some of us, it's time to start thinking about how we are going to take care of ourselves once we are on our own.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

7 Signs You're A Starbucks Addict

I'll be the first one to admit I'm addicted to Starbucks.

2082
drinking coffee
Tumblr

If you’re anything like me, you love a good cup of coffee. My coffee always comes from Starbucks; I refuse to drink it from anywhere else. Over the years, it’s become one of my biggest addictions. So, if you are aware that you’re a Starbucks addict as well, or maybe you need to check to see if you’re an addict, here are seven ways to tell.

Keep Reading...Show less
people  in library
Photo by redcharlie on Unsplash

College involves a whirlwind of emotions, whether it’s from the stress of an assignment (or twenty), or from fighting with your roommate. It can be overwhelming at times and it’s important to take a step a back and calmly think things over. Maybe gain some perspective. The following aren’t foolproof tips and may not apply to you, but I was able to find success with them (hope you do too!)

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments