Audra McDonald’s got it, baby! – Clacking in Color

Webster’s Dictionary defines the word talent as the natural endowments of a person — the special, often athletic, creative or artistic aptitude that an individual may possess. Personally, when I think of the word, only one individual comes to mind — Meryl Streep … but Audra McDonald‘s always a close second. A four-time Tony award winning actress, McDonald has certainly done more than make a name for herself in the industry, she’s practically invented a brand. Nike sneakers notwithstanding, McDonald was a multi-hyphenate before I even knew what the word meant, and her continuous contributions to music, stage and television haven’t gone unnoticed … certainly not by me.

What is it about this remarkable woman that manages to captivate me to this degree? Is it her beauty? Is it her aptitude for effortlessly conveying raw emotions? Or is it her uncanny knack at nailing (and sometimes stealing) every scene that she is in? Hell, I don’t know, but what I am able to discern is that McDonald gained my respect back in 2007 when a teeny tiny spin-off of some small hospital show made its premiere on ABC. You may have heard of it — Private Practice. Then again, maybe you haven’t with its recent ratings and all. More on that later.

It was on that particular program that McDonald entered my consciousness and orbit of all things cool. As someone that enjoys acting as much as I love writing, I found McDonald to be a breath of fresh air in the ensemble. Sure, the other folks were talented. I mean, they could deliver a line and all, but McDonald just commanded every scene that she was in which says a lot when you’re not the main character. I was intrigued, as was my mother who frequently joined me with a bowl of butter popcorn to watch the latest medical cases and happenings with McDonald and company. Being captivated by her substantial degree of performance, I did what any self-respecting television nerd does when they become impressed with one’s skills and prowess …

I googled her.

It was only then that I was able to ascertain just how wonderful this woman is. Excuse my slang for a minute. I’ve honestly been trying to keep it together — but this sistah’ is hella’ bad! Translation: She’s got talent and lots of it! And how cool is it that she’s a woman of color? As an African-American man, I find it rather refreshing to see minorities on television … hence the reason for this new column. Variety is the spice of life, folks! Never forget that! McDonald played Dr. Naomi Bennett, the owner of the practice, an incredibly smart obstetrician that called the shots until the writers had Addison take over in season two.

Bad move, writers. Bad, bad move.

As the series progressed, McDonald began to have less and less to do, which, in turn, ticked off a few fans … especially those of color. I can certainly see why. It’s not every day that television watchers are treated to an intelligent coffee-skinned woman who owns and manages her own business. I feel it gave us someone to root for and cheer on … not to say that the other characters didn’t merit the same compassion. Lord knows I love KaDee Strickland as Charlotte, and Tim Daly is my homie, but McDonald just had that special something. I don’t know what it is, but if it was sold in a bottle at Walgreens, I’d be all over that mess.

Perhaps that’s why it hurt so much to see her ultimately written out of the show last season. For me, it was like taking a bullet. Okay, so perhaps that’s a bit dramatic. Maybe it was more like being shot with a BB gun … in the head … from behind. At the very least, I’m glad she was replaced by Benjamin Bratt who represents another minority. However, the minority ratio with that show, in my opinion, is horribly skewed. You know, it’s common knowledge that creator Shonda Rhimes is a black woman … and yes, I do feel some kind of way about this.

I guess I expected Rhimes to come up with more for McDonald to do. I mean, surely Rhimes would be able to understand that having this woman in her cast was essential. Perhaps she didn’t. I’ll never know. Whatever the case, McDonald is gone and back on Broadway doing her thing, and the show …  well … I feel as though Private Practice has lost a bit of its groove, but that’s just me. We’re all entitled to our own opinions, and that’s mine.

Still, I do yearn to see McDonald make a guest appearance or two. One can only hope. After all, it wasn’t just the fact that the woman added diversity to the mix. On the contrary, she brought so much more to a show that seems to be losing its groove. McDonald was more than just a mere supporting character. She wasn’t there to just deliver a sassy one-liner. She wasn’t a stereotypical minority character like the ones found in BET’s The Game. She was sharp, defined and three-dimensional, a great character that served a clear, fundamental purpose like Dule Hill‘s hilarious Burton ‘Gus’ Guster on USA’s Psych, and blunt housewife with a heart Renee Perry played by Vanessa Williams on Desperate Housewives.

McDonald’s absence from the airwaves isn’t catastrophic. Regardless, it does make me realize that minorities in well-defined roles are indeed few and far between. There have been improvements, but let’s keep it real — there is still a lot more work to do. Nevertheless, that’s how the business is. Perhaps that’s how the cookie crumbles.

Although, if I had it my way, that cookie would definitely have a few more chocolate chips.

Clacked by Jaylen Christie
on Mar 06, 2012 @ 10:00 EST5EDT