My Take: Chris Brown

Who, besides the Hulk
takes off their clothes
when in a rage?

So Chris Brown appeared on Good Morning America to promote his new album F.A.M.E. (which stands for Forgiving All My Enemies or Fans Are My Everything). And although the album is doing very well (spawning three number one hits), co-host Robin Roberts wanted to talk about The Incident. You know The Incident, where Brown attacked Rihanna and got hit with two felony assault charges. Well two years after charges, plea deals, probation, community service and restraining orders, Brown is back and although some have forgiven many more have neither forgiven nor forgotten.

In the interview, Brown did a good job of holding it together. She tried to steer him to The Incident. He tried to steer her back to The Album. It made for a nice little dance. It was what happened after that made headlines.

Backstage Brown lost it. He stormed back to his dressing room, shouting and throwing a chair that shattered a window. He eventually tore his shirt off and stormed out of the studio. He tweeted, "I'm so over people bringing this past shit up!!! Yet we praise Charlie Sheen and other celebs for there bullshit." Later, that post was deleted. He wasn’t done though, about an hour later, he followed that with this tweet, "All my fans!!! This album is for you and only you!!! I'm so tired of everyone else!! Honestly!! I love team breezy!!"

Number One – Dude needs help. Serious help. Violent outbursts are never called for or acceptable. Period. Anger management is definitely in order but I have to wonder if he doesn’t have some deeper issues going on. If the people around him don’t make sure he gets help then they shouldn’t be around him. It’s okay to have an entourage of Yes Men, as long as you have a few real friends who can always be straight with you. Those friends need to step to Chris Brown now and get him the help he needs.

Number Two –Chris Brown is straddling a precarious fence between two different worlds. On one hand, you have the black community, who are extremely forgiving (too forgiving if you ask me). We will forgive a multitude of sins: OJ (murder), MJ (inappropriate relations with young boys), Chris Brown (domestic violence), Marion Berry (smoking crack), Jesse Jackson (adultery), R Kelly (having sex with young girls – and peeing on at least one), Al Sharpton (the hair).

So of course, Chris Brown would be welcomed back with open arms to the black community. Fans love him on 106 and Park. Black radio and the hip-hop community will show him lots of love.

But GMA isn’t black America…

Earlier this year, Brown was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. I read a few message boards in relation to the show, and two years later many commenters didn’t want to see him. At all. Ever. Period. They were completely done with him. Two years didn’t make a difference. This is the GMA crowd.

Basically, Brown gave all of the people who have painted him as a violent Neanderthal have another reason to rally against him.

Maybe F.A.M.E. should stand for Finding Anger Management Exercises.

Just sayin’…