welcome to "our world with black enterprise." i'm mark lamont hill. on today's show, he's taking on the toughest job in the free world -- hollywood favorite,

blair underwood becomes president, at least on tv. plus, gay in america, how tolerant is the black community? and, is breast cancer awareness month, this disease is a hidden menace for men. but we'll meet a survivor who fought back. that's what's going on in "our world" starting now. ♪ playing the president. blair underwood shares the inside information he learned from the real commander-in-chief. and his secret for keeping his star bright in hollywood. you have made a career of challenging what it means to be black in hollywood. black in the world, i mean you have been jesus. >> exactly.

>> now you're the president. >> now i'm the president. >> tell us about the new season of "the event." >> mark, i'm so excited about this. it is called "the event." it's a high-octane, conspiracy thiler type shthriller, ala "24" >> we have an african-american president already. >> right. >> does it mean, what kind of significance do you see being an african-american on screen while we have one in d.c.? >> good question. well first of all, the significance is it's not so mind-blowing. i did a film 15 years ago with morgan freeman, called "deep impact" and he played the president. it was a big deal at that time. it was unrealistic. and the fact that it is our reality now in america, it makes it almost easier to portray that role. that said, we have an african-american in the white house. we have a president who is being attacked 24/7. from many different angles. and you know, there is power to

imagery. so you know, to the extent that this portrayal for better or worse can maybe you know, offset some of that, who knows. >> how much of what's going on in d.c. plays into what you all think about when you get in the creative, in the creative offerses and you're thinking about plots and characters and things like that in. >> it's a good question. i think that shows that work the best reflect real life. i think of "law & order" those episodes are ripped from the headlines. there are elements in our show that you will see that will resonate to us, because it is our reality. >> maybe you and i should sit down and talk, face to face, just you and me. >> no. there's been enough talk. >> what do you want? >> release the detainees or this time people will die. >> this show called "the event" is shrouded in secrecy. you know, that a lot i cannot say about the story points. >> just a little bit? >> a little bit, all right. no, i can't.

>> he becomes president, you see what happens? >> get all diplomatic on you. >> i appreciate that. and this isn't just a struggle because it's an issue about being the president, it's a struggle because there's not that much diversity in hollywood. over your 25-year career, how much has changed in terms of black people's access to leading roles? even being on television at all? >> oh, man, you know, i said earlier, it ebbs and flows. there was certain times, like in the '80s, i started in this business, in 1985, 1986, around the cosby time, that was my first show, walk-on. the number one show in america was an african-american family and it broke all kinds of records. here 25 years later, we have an african-american family in the white house and don't have it on television. so we had a lot of diversity in the '80s and it pulled back for a while and receded for a while

and now it's another onslaught. i think nbc is leading the way. >> one of the things you said earlier about the "cosby show." while they were african-american, all people could sort of relate to it. how important is it for you as an act to choose roles that aren't just typecast for african-american actors, but that are color-blind roles and color-blind casting calls? >> it's been critical in my career. there's some shows i've done, some films that i've done that are spelly targeted towards an african-american audience that i want to do and need to do. we talked about the bible experience. and the tyler perry film, "family reunion." what is the message. it's all about communication, it's entertainment. but you're communicating a message. some messages i want to communicate just to that audience. some messages i want to communicate, like this show, that's appealing to me, you can play this president that looks like you and me, with our hue and still speak to an international audience. >> that's an interesting thing. and i think another issue that's

really interesting to me in terms of the work you've done is that some of the roles you played haven't been good guys. on "madea's family reunion" you play a heck of a character. >> man, yeah. >> i was scared when i saw you in the green room. >> right, right. >> how much do you try to balance your sort of artistic freedom with the representation that people will see when they go into the theater? >> definitely try to balance it. my first ten years in the business, a lot of that was "l.a. law" i made a conscious effort to look for roles that were very dark, very different. the next role i played right after "l.a. law" literally the next day after the final day of shooting was rehearsal for a movie called "just cause" with sean connery. the character i played was a serial-killing pedophile. that set up the roles for the next ten years, like "posse" and other roles that were just

devious, maniacal, i won't say it on television, but -- bad guys. >> good for the sunday show, bad guys. i think that the representation you offer has opened so many doors for so many other actors. if you had to give them a kind of -- a map to avoid the mistakes that you made, what would be the one mistake you would tell them to avoid? >> wow. i would say first and foremost, know that it is an industry. it is a business. and you have to know how to be an entrepreneur and market yourself as much as you have to learn and grow in the art itself. >> so when we think about the next 25 years, because these -- >> the next 25 years. >> brother, we're talking the next 25 years. >> we want to talk about the next 50, but i'm trying to be kind. because i want to give you, you have so much stuff going on. you're an author, producer, an actor. just the next 25, i don't want to stretch you too much. but the next 25 years, what is the next big project, can you see yourself 25 years from now, what would you like to say you've done? >> man. i really want to focus on i was

prior to "the event" our production company and build a multimedia company that can create product and projects that show our culture and our history. and in different ways. and i want to do marvin gaye's story. i always want to put that out there. >> that's a heck of a story to be told. you would be perfect to do it. >> from your lips to god. >> thank you so much for being here, it's always good to see you. up next, being gay and black, is that a combo the black community cannot accept? >> whyhy dyou think whole grain oats. plump raisins. sweet cranberries. and crisp, fresh apples. freshly made, just for you. ♪ ba-ba-ba ♪ ba-ba-ba-ba ♪ ba-ba-ba... introducing mcdonald's new fruit & maple oatmeal. ♪ ba-ba-ba-ba it tastes as good as it sounds.

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announcer: for a list of tests every man should have, go to ahrq.gov. welcome back to "our world with black enterprise." it's a pitched battle across the country. rights activist are fighting for same-sex marriage that so far is accepted by less than a quarter of all states. but there's another battle raging within the black community. about whether homosexuality is acceptable at all. joining us to discuss this controversial topic are deal foster, former gay pastor and publisher of gay christian movement watch. stacey chin, writer and activist. and dr. david malibranch, assistant professor at emory. >> you're referred to as a former gay paster. that means you were formerly gay.

>> take out the pastor part, i'm formerly gay. >> that speaks to an important issue in the black community, part of the debate is whether it's a choice or not. where do you stand on that? >> obviously for me, it's not about choice. it's about the option to change. in this country and in worldwide, this you know, changes happen all the time. so to me, this is just another thing on the spectrum that can change. >> i'm looking at your face right now. >> yeah, i think we need to move beyond this conversation. like is gay a choice or not. that's probably 2000 -- whatever. at this point in our community, we have to start talking about other deeper issues, as far as why people choose not to be who they are, or why they choose it. because you can't really predict what you're attracted to. the difference is between behavior, identity, those kind of things. so you know wirks don't we get into more nuanced conversation, about whether we talk about it's a choice. it's very pass say. >> nuance, is always a word, like backing off, we don't want

to talk about it because it might be hard. i stand very clearly on the idea that i'm a lesbian. i, whether or not i choose to be a lesbian is irrelevant. and whether you were a gay man or you're practicing gay or not -- that's irrelevant. as an activist, i fight for the people to speak. it's irrelevant to anything. i don't think formerly heterosexual people don't walk around saying i'm formerly heterosexual. >> as long as people want to change, it will be relevant. >> if you want to or don't want to, i don't care what you do. i as an activist, i will fight for the right for you to choose. what you were or what you are going to be tomorrow. or what i'm going to be, is irrelevant. >> so deal if the issue is that you can change from being gay to not being gay, where do you stand on the rights of protecting those who do identify as gay, in terms of marriage or police or hate crime, where do you stand on that? >> the constitution supports every american's rights and i

support those 100%. i don't define everything as rights are actually rights. >> the constitution is not real life. >> i want to hear -- >> david -- >> we could talk about rights and what's on a piece of paper until the break of dawn. but what's happening in the real world is the self-hatred that's going on from our churches and pulpits, from everywhere else that's telling people that if you are a man or a woman that's attracted to the same-sex, that that's inherently wrong. we have to stop that brainwashing and move beyond that and say, if you are who you are, be okay with that and shut people up who are saying otherwise. >> do you no who you are? >> who are you to tell them that you know who they are, because you don't want anybody telling you that you're not a formerly gay pastor any more, correct? why do you get to sit on your pedestal and -- >> let him respond. let him respond. >> i said i'm not ano carrier 0

>>. straight or in between. >> let me change a little bit of direction. recently the issue of sexuality in the black community if there's anyone on the planet who doesn't know, bishop eddie, was accused of having sex with how does this add to the conversation? >> stirring up the pot. >> i got to stir it up a little bit. you got to stir it up. >> i think what's disappointing most about the coverage in the media is the focus on his homosexuality. i think the issue here is abuse of power. and the duplicity that seems to, you know, if it is true, that there's some kind of duplicity going on in terms of what he says. and what he does. and that's the crime. not -- >> so the public response shouldn't be any different than if they were girls or were boys. >> which is very interesting that you bring this up. there are countless girls across

the globe who are every day abused by men in power and no one has the outrage and scandal about it. it does say something about one, the value of girls and two, the great sin of homosexuality. his sin, if it is true, the sin of homosexuality, seems to be much, much worse than if he had just, so to speak, abused young girls. >> this issue is bishop long has brought out ceo so many various layers of things that have been, they have been seething under the surface in the black community and in the black church. for the first part, the black church is part of the community. taken out of the community. and these issues are going on across the board, not only just in the church, but there's, these types of bad relationships if we can call it like that in the community. i think again as stacey anne said, this is one an abuse of power. this is a result of this prosperity type of privilege thing going on in the church. but then again, it is about

homosexuality, because it wasn't girls, it was boys. it also brings out this point about men who really can't get out in public or tell somebody that another man has done this to you. you know, and so we have so many things -- and i'm kind of glad it came out, because we need to have these conversations. >> clearly this is a controversial topic. we're not going to resolve this but we're going to continue to move the ball forward through this type of conversation. theo foster, stacey anne chin, thank you all for being here. up next, a father's breast cancer diagnosis helped save his daughter. wait until you hear this journey of survival. >> you got breast cancer. i looked at him and said, there's no way, you're reading the wrong chart. there's no way, you're reading the wrong chart. there's no

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this 61-year-old is a survivor. >> i told my wife about it. she told me to go see a doctor. when i went to him, he diagnosed me with fatty tissue, not to worry about anything. >> still, months had passed, but the so-called fatty tissue was growing with each passing day. at the suggestion of had is daughter, arnoldo decided to get a second opinion. the biopsy revealed that his little lump had become a much bigger problem. >> the worst day of my life is when the results came back. the way they tell you is so

cold. listen, you've got cancer, you've got breast cancer. i looked at him and said, there's no way, you're reading the wrong chart. there's no way that men get breast cancer. and he said, yes, you do. >> 1% of all breast cancers happen in men. men should always be aware that they are at risk. so men should just be doing a physical exam, just like women are. >> according to the national cancer institute, this year, nearly 2,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in men. yet, they still feel stigmatized. >> i put it as being like taboo. because it spread like wildfire. the word got out and it was like, what? breast cancer, you? isn't that a woman's disease. >> he encouraged his only daughter, vanessa get tested. the results confirmed the family's hereditary curse, she,

too, had breast cancer. >> while i was trying to gather the concept of oh, my goodness, you have cancer? it kind of felt like the doctor was -- charlie brown. the teacher. she was talking, but i wasn't listening to her. and just thinking how am i going to explain this to the family. >> just knowing that i passed this on to my children and possibly my grandchildren, it's hard. it's hard. and -- excuse me. i still have a rough time with it. i still have a rough time with that. knowing that i passed this on to my kids. and it's hard to deal with. very hard. >> through their unique journey of battling breast cancer together, the silvas have found strength in each other and are committed to helping others fight the disease as well. >> i think our bond is unique, because usually you'll hear you know, a bond of a father and

daughters through sports or fishing or bowling. but for us, it's because we both ended up with cancer. >> forget about that myth you heard years ago, men don't get breast cancer, we do get it. i'm a good example of it, i'm here and like i said, i will be here for a while, because i'm going to fight it. we'll beigightac whole grain oats. plump raisins. sweet cranberries. and crisp, fresh apples. freshly made, just for you. ♪ ba-ba-ba ♪ ba-ba-ba-ba ♪ ba-ba-ba... introducing mcdonald's new fruit & maple oatmeal. ♪ ba-ba-ba-ba it tastes as good as it sounds. the simple joy of "wholesome meets delicious." ♪