Accentuating the Positive at Image Awards

At Saturday night’s NAACP Image Awards, speakers and winners on the Pasadena Civic Auditorium stage carefully skirted dissension among the ranks sparked by a local chapter’s outcry against some sitcoms featuring primarily black casts.

The award presentations focused instead on lengthy nods to award winners such as the comedy series “Cosby” and feature films “A Time to Kill” and “The Preacher’s Wife.” Entertainer of the Year Denzel Washington’s eyes welled up with tears as his wife, Pauletta, joined a lineup of speakers praising the actor. In the press room after receiving his award, Washington, 42, said he was overwhelmed, adding, “I’m too young for this.”

Despite the festive atmosphere, there was a shadow cast by Friday’s action by the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People’s Beverly Hills/Hollywood chapter, which announced that it will seek meetings with executives at the Fox, WB and UPN networks to discuss programs the chapter says are offensive to African Americans. NAACP President and CEO Kweisi Mfume issued a written statement criticizing the local chapter, but did not mention the flap during his onstage appearance with actress Halle Berry to present former “Today” show host Bryant Gumbel with the NAACP President’s Award.

The statement, from Mfume and NAACP chair Myrlie Evers-Williams, said the the local chapter “acted in clear violation” of the organization’s policies by not consulting national, regional or state NAACP officials. Although “the positive portrayal of black images has been a long-standing issue of the utmost importance to the NAACP,” the statement said, “the internal policies and procedures of the NAACP will not be allowed to be ignored.”

Beverly Hills/Hollywood chapter President Billie J. Greene declined comment Sunday until she speaks with Mfume.

This is not the first time the Beverly Hills/Hollywood chapter has had a dispute with the national organization. In 1989, the national NAACP put the local branch into trusteeship, saying that disputes over the Image Awards had stalled chapter operations. At the 1991 awards, local chapter members staged a protest, claiming the national organization had taken over the event conducted by the local chapter for 23 years prior.

In the press room Saturday night, several winners and presenters addressed issues relating to the dispute. Tia and Tamera Mowry, the twins who star in the WB Network sitcom “Sister, Sister,” discussed the local chapter’s opposition to the alleged buffoonery of black characters in shows such as “The Wayans Brothers,” “Martin,” “The Jamie Foxx Show” and “Homeboys in Outer Space.” (The local NAACP chapter praised “Sister, Sister” and “Living Single,” among others, for their positive images of black characters.)

“With shows like ‘Martin,’ I could see the objections, especially when there’s kids watching,” Tamera Mowry said. The Fox sitcom starring Martin Lawrence has been criticized for its portrayals of women and the oversexed title character. “Tia and I work hard to keep our show family-oriented.”

Tia said that because children often take comedy seriously, writers and producers need to “be concerned about kids and put on shows that have morals. I don’t see that in ‘Martin.’ ”

Kim Coles, outstanding actress nominee for her role in the sitcom “Living Single,” said she is less concerned about black images in specific shows than she is about “achieving a balance.”

“White people have the blue-collar workers, the attorneys, the good and the evil people on television. That’s what we want,” she said. “It doesn’t all have to be good, but I would like to see America watching more of what we are, not just one image. Unfortunately, these [shows] are the things that get through the networks. The writers write what the networks buy.”

Controversies outside entertainment world were on the minds of Chairman’s Award winners U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) and Image Awards head Joseph Madison, who in their acceptance speeches railed against those who have tried to stifle debate about the CIA’s alleged role in distributing crack cocaine in Los Angeles’ black communities.

However, hosts Arsenio Hall and Patti LaBelle kept the mood upbeat, reminding the audience of the show’s theme, “Celebrating Family.”

The artist formerly known as Prince performed the opening number--wearing symbolic wrist chains in reference to his “Emancipation” album--and received a special achievement award from Stevie Wonder. Appearing in the press room after receiving his award, the typically media-shy entertainer reluctantly posed for photographs with his wife, Mayte. He offered a brief summation of his reflections on the evening: “All thanks go to God.”

Singer Tracy Chapman performed “Amazing Grace” to memorialize black entertainers who had died last year, including rapper Tupac Shakur. And the Fugees, Q Tip, Busta Rhymes and Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers played a musical tribute to NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame Inductee George Clinton.

Before the show, former O.J. Simpson criminal defense attorney Johnnie L. Cochran Jr.--his book “Journey to Justice” was nominated for outstanding nonfiction work--was stealing the spotlight from entertainers on the red-carpeted auditorium entryway. Cries of “Johnnie! Johnnie!” occasionally drowned out applause for the other entertainers as Cochran worked the crowd.

The Image Awards will broadcast Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. on the Fox network.