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“A balm for the soul”
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racial injustice

The Oct. 11 episode of FX's new comedy, "Atlanta" delivered on all fronts.

The bold, daring comedy follows Earn Marks (played by Donald Glover) as he manages his cousin Alfred, an up-and-coming rapper who goes by "Paper Boi" (played by Brian Tyree Henry).

Brian Tyree Henry as Alfred Miles (L) and Donald Glover as Earnest Marks (R). Image by Guy D'Alema/FX.


On the show's recent episode titled "B.A.N.," Paper Boi appeared on a fictional talk show "Montague." The entire episode included parody commercials for Swisher Sweets, Arizona iced tea, and more.

But it was the commercial parody for kids cereal Coconut Crunchos that set the episode apart.

In the short spot, a few black children explored ancient tombs (just go with it, kids' cereal commercials are ridiculous). Then, they discovered their treasure: a spread of delicious bowls of Coconut Crunchos. But just as they arrive, a wolf dressed as a mummy jumps out and tries to nab their breakfast.

That's when the commercial takes an alarming turn.

As the wolf attempts to swipe their cereal, an all-business white police officer grabs the culprit and lays him out.

All GIFs via FX Networks/YouTube.

The wolf was handcuffed and roughed up while the children looked on.

The kids tried to reason with the officer — after all, it's just cereal. But he wasn't having any of it. So one of the kids took out their cellphone and started recording the entire exchange.

So much for the most important meal of the day.

While the parody was only 90 seconds of laughing through tears emoji emotions, it was rooted in an all too common truth.

Over-policing isn't just police zeroing in on specific populations or communities. It's about the hyper-militarization of local police forces, school administrators passing the buck on discipline to in-house police officers, and less serious offenses being treated as anything but.

Protesters hold up their hands and chant "hands up, don't shoot!" as they protest the decision not to indict a police officer who used a chokehold in the death of Eric Garner. Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images.

In cities across the country, people of color are more likely to be stopped or searched than their white peers are. And a study out of University of California-Davis found “the probability of being black, unarmed, and shot by police is about 3.49 times the probability of being white, unarmed, and shot by police on average.”

Black people are not making this up. We're not exaggerating. Just getting from Point A to Point B can be a matter of life and death.

So, it's no wonder the commercial resonated with so many viewers.

The reactions were swift and plentiful, with many surprised to see the issue of police brutality brilliantly juxtaposed with a kid's cereal commercial.

As such, the joke was nearly overwhelmingly met with praise.

Others cheered "Atlanta" for broaching the topic in such a unique way.

It's great to see shows like "Atlanta" and "Luke Cage" addressing the systemic issues faced by African-Americans in creative, surprising ways.

The lead characters may have superpowers or live in a slightly off-kilter reality (Black Justin Bieber anyone?) but the topics they're signal boosting are very real. And people of all backgrounds are taking notice. It remains to be seen if they'll take action.

Watch the full commercial for yourself. With or without a balanced breakfast.

Serena Williams is Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson of the Year.

If you're wondering why, I'd guess you're just now crawling out from under your rock. (Just kidding ... sort of.)


Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images.

Williams' Sports Illustrated cover is just what you'd expect: fine, fresh, fierce, and exactly what she had in mind.

The cover reflects her own expression of "femininity, strength & power," the outlet reported on Twitter. And it doesn't disappoint.

But the December issue isn't just fabulous — it's historic, too. The magazine's decision to honor her marked the first time an individual woman snagged the accolade since track star Mary Decker back in 1983.

It's about damn time.

On the tennis court, Williams has steamrolled the competition. Off of it, she demanded better of humanity.

As Sports Illustrated noted, Williams has (yet again) dominated women's tennis, winning 53 of 56 matches and maintaining a #1 ranking throughout the year, for the second year in a row.

Just as admirably, Williams lent her voice to several causes — from combating racial injustice to promoting women's equality and silencing body-shaming haters — and has made no apologies for her outspokenness along the way.

Williams has been an icon and a role model in her own right for years.

As a kid, when asked who she'd like to emulate if she were a famous tennis player, she had one helluva answer: "I'd like other people to be like me."

That confidence grew up along with her, too, and it shows — like when she's defending herself against ridiculous, sexist questions from reporters or brushing off body-shamers who try to bring her down.

"I embrace me," she told "Good Morning America" in response to her critics. "I love how I look. I love that I'm a full woman and I'm strong and I'm powerful and I'm beautiful at the same time. There's nothing wrong with that. "

Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images.

Of course, as with all major awards and honors, there's been some controversy over Williams landing the coveted Sportsperson of the Year slot. Some readers are upset she was chosen for the award over racehorse American Pharoah (which is odd, because the award does go to a sportsperson).

There was also some chatter about her cover being sexualized. But, again, Williams was in control of how she was portrayed — and it's not like past Sportsperson of the Year covers haven't been a bit steamy anyway (yeah that's right, Michael Phelps, I'm talking to you).

No matter what people say, the fact is: Serena Williams is more than deserving of this honor.

The recognition she gets from it may mean the best for her has yet to come.

“This year was spectacular,” Williams said, according to Reuters."For Sports Illustrated to recognize my hard work, dedication and sheer determination with this award gives me hope to continue on and do better."

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images.