Melissa Harris-Perry Talks MSNBC Show, Stereotypes Of Black Women On 'Colbert Report' (VIDEO)

Melissa Harris-Perry talked about her upcoming MSNBC show and her new book about stereotypes of black women on Monday's "Colbert Report."

When Colbert raised the subject of her new show, Harris-Perry specified that it would not be debuting until Black History month. "Do you get to go beyond Black History Month?" Colbert asked.

"Yea, maybe into March which is Women's History Month," Harris-Perry joked.

The two wasted no time getting into race and Harris-Perry's book "Sister Citizen," which examines stereotypes of black women. When Colbert asked which stereotype Harris-Perry was, she said that she was the "strong black woman."

Harris-Perry said that although that image was "self-created" by black women, it can be "just as painful and problematic, this idea that we are born inherently strong, born with the capacity to kick adversity's butt just because we are black and women."

Colbert raised some oft-repeated assumptions about race, including that black women seem to "take the great burden for the absence of the black male," and that the Obamas shatter all the stereotypes. Harris-Perry cautioned against those notions, saying that Michelle Obama challenges stereotypes at the same time that "The Help" upholds them.

The conversation erred on the serious side, and gave Colbert pause at the end. He concluded, "And then I feel guilty, and... that's called the white man's burden."

Also on HuffPost:

MSNBC's lineup, including Harris-Perry's new show.

• 6-9 AM: Morning Joe

• 9-10 AM: The Daily Rundown

• 10 AM-11 AM: Jansing And Co.

• 11 AM-12 AM: Thomas Roberts

• 12 PM-1 PM: Alex Wagner

• 1-2 PM: Andrea Mitchell

• 2-3 PM: NewsNation

• 3-4 PM: Martin Bashir

• 4-5 PM: Dylan Ratigan

• 5-6 PM: Hardball with Chris Matthews

• 6-7 PM: PoliticsNation with Al Sharpton

• 7-8 PM: Hardball

• 8-9 PM: The Ed Show

• 9-10 PM: Rachel Maddow

• 10-11 PM: The Last Word

• Weekends with Alex Witt

  7-8 AM (Sat.)/12-2 PM (Sun.): Weekends With Alex Witt

• Up with Chris Hayes

  8-10 AM (Sat./Sun.): Up with Chris Hayes

• Melissa Harris-Perry

  10 AM -12 PM (Sat./Sun.): Melissa Harris-Perry

Comments

[imayes]

12:38 AM on 02/01/2012

I find intelligent women sexy. Is that wrong of me?

[Robert L Watson]

02:39 PM on 01/17/2012

Melissa Harris Perry is a great person.

[jerry40]

01:22 PM on 01/12/2012

love her

[Queen Cassandra]

04:02 AM on 01/12/2012

Great Job Melissa !!!

[Shogun of Harlem]

11:36 PM on 01/11/2012

Absolutely beautiful. Black women are so underrated and overlooked. Melissa Harris-Perry, Gabriela Union, Laila Ali, Stacey Dash, and many more are far better looking than the majority.

[Darlene Jones]

09:20 PM on 01/11/2012

Melissa H. Perry is an inspiration ,not that stupid Hollywood movie rehash The Help. Damn! Black women have to play the "mammy/slave, prostitute ,junkie and,the long time favorite the oh,so long suffering maid to get recognition.. Think about it? What were the roles Black women won awards for..? Black male actors don't fare much better. Denzel my favorite actor ..wins his Best Actor Award for playing a bad cop. .. ! WTH? Malcolm X,"The Bone Collector,........etc.

[momofvegasgirls]

08:33 PM on 01/11/2012

Love to listen to Melissa Harris-Perry!

[sseldorado]

07:43 PM on 01/11/2012

I thought she should have had a show on MSNBC years ago!

[suec03]

08:27 PM on 01/11/2012

MSNBC had to clear away Lockup on weekend mornings to make room for her since she teaches at Tulane during the week.

[jerry40]

01:25 PM on 01/12/2012

about time

[Darlene Jones]

09:03 PM on 01/11/2012

So agree!

[sseldorado]

09:33 PM on 01/11/2012

I am still captivated everytime I see her on video. Shes strong and smart.

[Crystal Rose Love]

06:41 PM on 01/11/2012

Such an intelligent, inspiring woman. Love her. :o)

[roch20]

05:16 PM on 01/11/2012

She's awesome!

[jonboy3000]

03:14 PM on 01/11/2012

I like Melissa a lot and wish her all the luck on her new show. She is very smart and an extremely attractive woman. I'm glad that MSNBC is finally airing some shows on the weekend besides the prison/crime stuff.

[Darnell Roberts]

02:50 PM on 01/11/2012

I absolutely LOVE MHP. She's the symbol of strength, courage, beauty, intellect and afrocentricity that I admire in all strong, virtuous Black women. Just appreciate how undaunted and audacious she was by never succumbing to Colberts' comedic antics, she kept her focus on stating her stereotypes and the meanings of such. A brilliance display of how to handle the media and get your point across regardless of the interviewers intentions. I got goosebumbs from viewing this clip, insomuch of how it reinforces the the notion that all black women are what she calls Jezebels and Mammies. I'm going to Barnes and Noble to buy her book and read it cover to cover by the end of the week. I need to soak up all that positive aura and reverberate it back to my community. There are undoubtedly other women who possess the power to evoke these thoughts and perform in this manner, and its my mission to find as many as I can, give them a platform for theirs voices and share their stories for all mankind to hear, see and experience.

[Ezra Black]

05:03 PM on 01/11/2012

She had that look on her face that said,"Okay I know I have to take every opportunity to promote my book, but I am firing my agent for putting me on a show with a clown."


SMDH

[Artanis71]

08:06 PM on 01/11/2012

No she isn't, the viewers of Colbert are smart enough to know he is portraying a character of the right wing rush, bill o, etc. We actually do and can understand satire, try it someday.

[prudencehall]

02:02 PM on 01/11/2012

I'm thrilled that Dr. Harris-Perry has been given a show on MSNBC. And I'm more than thrilled that MSNBC has come to the conclusion that news does happen on weekends!

[meinAz]

12:07 PM on 01/11/2012

Good interview. Don't know what her problem is with "The Help" though. I thought it was good, and seems like most people who saw it agree.

[madatnewsmedia]

02:24 PM on 01/11/2012

Her problem are about folks like you who don't think it's a "problem"! Like a lot of black folks, she feels that "The Help", while a good movie, it is another stereotypical portrayal of black women. And they seem to be the only movies that are garnered any kind of praise.

[ladyvee1969]

04:20 PM on 01/11/2012

But in the day that was the only job African American women could get. It was better than being, say....a prostitute. It's an honest job and that was an honest movie stereotypes aside.

[bailey78]

08:24 PM on 01/11/2012

Americans love movies or books where where White people save the helpless Black people. I know Black men and women who have read and loved The Help, but I would rather read Invisible Man (James Baldwin), Their Eyes Were Watching God (Zora N. Hurston), or anything by Bell Hooks.

[Babygeorge123]

11:05 AM on 01/11/2012

Another Reason to be Black and Proud, Mrs Perry, she was always there, Thank to Rachel Maddow,,and to Keith Olberman,, I only Hope too that she will remember "Joseph" those that are still in Jail. Great stories,