BET cleans up ‘Mess’

After weeks of protest and controversy, BET is jettisoning the title of its new series, “Hot Ghetto Mess,” in favor of “We Got to Do Better.”

The change came after bloggers and advertisers expressed concerns about the content of the show, an adaptation of the website “Hot Ghetto Mess,” which spotlights mostly African Americans in outrageous situations and outfits. The protesters said the series, which is scheduled to premiere Wednesday, perpetuated negative black images.

BET executives had defended the program. But on Monday they issued a statement saying, “We’ve decided to change the name of the show because we believe that the apprehension about the original title was taking attention away from the show’s real intent, which is to offer social commentary in a context that sparks dialogue, debate and, most importantly, change.”

- Greg Braxton