Saying Good-Bye To An Old Head

There are few African-American role models out there. Outside of the realm of sports, music and entertainment few Black kids (especially males), look up to anyone. I can attest to this, because when I was a kid I wanted to be just like Jerry Rice. I know he was from Mississippi and played in San Francisco and I was from New Jersey. But it didn't matter because I thought he was cool. Over the years my view of Jerry Rice as someone I looked up to diminished. And then somehow, also over the years, Ed Bradley became someone I looked up to and respected. Maybe it was the way how cool he was whether he was interviewing Muhammad Ali or Timothy McVeigh. Or how he was the one brother rocking the chin scruff and an earring on TV. You think Stuart Scott thought that up on his own?? Ed Bradley did. He impacted Stuart and he impacts me. Seeing him on TV made me want to get in this business...real talk. It's rare seeing someone who looks like you doing something that people who DON'T look like you doing. Granted I'm a producer and not an on-air talent, but if I make that transition you be sure I'm gonna rock a beard and an earring every year on November 9th in memory of Ed.