“I don’t think a black man’s getting that gig,” said Frazier, laughing.
When asked about the landmark election of Barack Obama, Frazier added, “Exactly, and they might have drawn the line at one!”
Although Frazier’s remarks were delivered with humor, there seems to be a bitter truth to his comments.
Fellow national TV anchor Robin Roberts admitted just last week in an interview with Prevention magazine that it’s far more difficult for blacks to find the same success in the media industry as their white counterparts.
In the Popeater.com article, a TV executive laughingly dismissed the idea of a black person taking over for Philbin when he retires.
“ ‘Live with Regis and Kelly’ has always been a very white show. It’s fill-in anchors couldn’t get any whiter than Anderson Cooper and Neil Patrick Harris,” said the executive. “We still have a long way to go when it comes to seeing people of color on TV and magazine covers.”
Do you think America is ready for a black Regis Philbin or a black Kathy Lee Gifford? –nicholas robinson
