Black and white

The network FX is launching a show, starting March 8, called "Black. White." In it, two families switch races. Understanding and harmony, followed by world peace, follow. Right?\nMaybe, maybe not. I'm guessing that no, it isn't going to solve any problems, but I'm dying to see what kind of mayhem ensues. \nLet me explain the premise: The Wurgel family is from California and is white. The Sparks family is from Georgia and is black. All four parents are college-educated, and the two kids are older teenagers. Both families move into a house in Los Angeles and are transformed, via makeup and hair styling, into the other family's race. \nI have really mixed feelings about this show already, and it hasn't even aired yet.\nOn one hand, I think it could be really, really interesting to see how these families handle this change. It's going to be great TV -- as well as serve as a season-long video for Ice Cube's "Race Card." I'm expecting tears, wide-eyed revelations and emotional testimonials about what an amazing experience it was.\nOn the other hand, I think it's a really, really dumb idea. Unless there's something missing from the slick promotional commercials, the premise seems, to me, to reduce race to something as simple as skin color.\nI'm not incredibly well-versed in matters of race, but that seems a little oversimplified, doesn't it?\nIf, tomorrow, I slapped on some makeup and spent a week, a month or a year as a 22-year-old black girl, would I really be able to understand what it's like to be black? Of course not. I'd be a tourist. If I made out with a couple of my female friends, would I understand what it's like to be gay? Nope. I'd have nothing invested in these matters, and after I blabbed for a bit about how much more I understand the world, I'd go back to being a straight, white girl. \nUltimately, people are going to talk about the show. There will be a doctoral thesis written on this. (The Communications and Culture Department, I'm sure, is already formulating a class on the show.) Anything that makes people talk is lucrative, of course, and this one is going to be a water-cooler hit. But I hope that it goes deeper than talk and inspires some legitimate discussion. And the fact that a show with a good pedigree (there are a lot of awards listed on the "Staff" page of the show's Web site) is addressing race in prime time makes me very hopeful. \nIt makes me happy that we've gotten over the hypersensitive phase of social development to the point of not getting too miffed that somewhere, TV producers are spray painting people. And that millions of people will likely tune in to watch makes me hopeful. But is it sending the right message? I'm not sure if I can answer that -- yet. \nAnd if it does become a huge hit, and it does make everyone, everywhere, more open to discussing issues of race, then I'll be the first to say I'm wrong.