Solid ‘It Just Takes One’ Explores Hate, Intolerance

Television as passive entertainment is often contrasted with the involving immediacy of live performance, but there are occasions when what’s on the small screen makes an impact that transcends emotional remove.

That’s the case in tonight’s USA Network special, “It Just Takes One,” an unexpectedly strong mix of the arts and commentary exploring hate, featuring appearances by Savion Glover, Edward James Olmos, Malik Yoba, Dennis Franz and many others. It airs in conjunction with the National Cable Television Assn.’s “Tune In to Kids and Families Week.”

Sure, you can shrug it off as earnest do-gooding, but the passion and artistic vision in these varied performances dig deeper, infused with a variety of emotion, from defiance and anger to hope and joy.

A few highlights: Glover and other “Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk” cast members use tap and musical percussion in a dynamic, improvised expression of personal experiences with racism. Olmos movingly performs playwright Bernardo Solano’s poignant “I Hate” monologue. Siedah Garrett shines in a joyous musical celebration of multiethnic beauty, “Nappy Head,” a song she co-wrote with producer Glen Ballard.

Also memorable are two hard-hitting songs, “Everyone’s a Bigot” and “Universality,” from “The Hating Pot” by playwright-director Elizabeth Swados, exploring themes of tolerance and prejudice; and a stunning excerpt from “Storm Readings,” a theater work by Neil Marcus, which challenges viewers’ concept of differences: “The world says, ‘You are a spastic quadriplegic’; I say, ‘I am a dancer.’ ”

* “It Just Takes One, USA Network, tonight at 7.