Mos Def: You Make the Call

Okay, so HBO's Real Time With Bill Maher is one of my favorite shows on television, and I believe last Friday's episode (9/7/07), with Mos Def and Cornel West as panelists, was a classic. I've seen it at least seven times since it aired. So, imagine my surprise when I found several people online criticizing Mos Def for some of his comments on the show. I kinda thought he was brilliant.

For those unfamiliar with Real Time, it's the old Politically Incorrect (the show that got Bill Maher kicked off ABC) kicked up a notch. It's a panel, usually with three members, discussing relevant political issues with Bill. In case you don't have HBO, I've posted the entire episode (in sections) in sections, beginning with Bill's opening monologue:


In the interest of continuity, I'm also posting Bill's interview with retired Colonel Larry Wilkerson. It's not a bad interview, but it's definitely not as great as the rest of the show:


And now the good part. This is where the panel comes in and, in this case, pretty much takes over the show.



A brief but interesting interview with Ralph Nader:


Then back to the good stuff:




At the end of every show, Bill introduces his "New Rules". These are usually funny little life rules that Bill comes up with through astute observation and interesting reason.


After the show, hbo.com hosts Overtime, where the panelists briefly respond to a viewer question or two.


Okay, now that you're up to speed...LOL

I've read several posts from people who believe MD came off as a paranoid idiot and that he lost all credibility when he said he didn't believe Bin Laden and al-Qaeda are a threat and were behind the attacks on the WTC. I disagree. Although it isn't an opinion most people share (and I, for the record, am included in this pool), I had to admit that the man had a point. Why do most of us believe al-Qaeda is our greatest threat? Because our country's current administration told us they are. And why do we take this at face value when they have a record of lies and miscalculations? I think he showed a great amount of independent thought in his assessment, something that has been seriously lacking in this country for several years now.

People are criticizing him for saying he believes in Bigfoot. Oh, come on, people! Please go buy a sense of humor.

Anyway, I'm interested to know what you think. Is MD an uninformed lunatic? Or is he a brilliant free-thinker?