I don’t know about you but I am not the least bit excited by NBC’s announcement that Nick Adams’ book “Making Friends With Black People” will be made into a sitcom. Race has been the one and only topic of discussion throughout the election cycle and now it will continue in a Hollywood-ized manner with shows like this. (Oh, and I expect that they’ll be plenty of others following suit with similar ideas.)

The show, which is Variety describes as being about “two guys – one African-American and one white – who become close friends, but who don’t necessarily see things the same way,” sounds like it is a white show that will “feature” this black man. But don’t worry, they’ve gotten a black woman to develop this questionable idea in to a viable show. Karu Daniels over at AOL/ Black Voices reports that Mara Brock Akil, the force behind Girlfriends and The Game has been brought on to write the script and executive produce the show. Her husband, Salim Akil, will also work on the show. I am glad that they actually went to some black folks to work on a series behind the scenes (there are far too few of us), but I am still not excited about the prospect of this show.

Anyway, it makes me think that  GQ’s Devin Friedman’s article “Will You Be My Black Friend?” will be the next idea to go into development. At least it would be a bit more compelling and realistic. Friedman advertised for a black friend on Craigslist and wrote a truthful story about how hard creating these friendships can be.

But really, if we actually have to go there as a premise I would rather see the show developed from the black woman’s perspective.A sister straddling the racial and socioeconomic realities of her dual life. At least, the show could explore the labels we are so often saddled with and offer better insight into how we really are. But that might be too good of an idea (and perhaps too serious) and it would move beyond stereotypes. And because of that, no one will tune it.