welcome to this edition of "our world with black enterprise." coming up, he's one of hollywood's busiest actors. our all access profiles actor anthony anderson. plus, reality television. what does it mean for our culture? and finally, one woman's journey to see people hit hard by the economy. that's what's going on in "our economy. that's what's going on in "our world" starting now. captions made possible by the u.s. department of education and central city productions, inc. >> the world knows funny man anthony anderson by his many movies and television shows, but there's more to anthony than meets the eye. i caught up with him, of all places, on a golf course.

anthony, thank you for being here with me, brother. >> my pleasure. >> good to see you. >> my pleasure. >> you looking good. >> thank you. >> i bumped into him the other day and i wasn't sure. >> done say bumped into me. >> speak honestly about how we met in the airport at jfk. you ran up on me as a wide-eyed -- you ran -- i'm not going to say "fan," admirer, whatever you want to -- >> stalker. >> borderline stalker. he ran past me. he ran past me. >> i walked -- >> he got in the front of the line. >> those of us ordinary people who have to wait in line to go through security, he shot through as a celebrity, which i was okay with. >> i was giving them a lesson on what they need to do to advance in a line. >> i appreciate that lesson. >> it worked for me. >> i'm going to try it next time. tell me this, what are some of the projects you are working on right now that make you a celebrity. >> why are you screaming? we outside.

>> i have a mike on. >> i don't have one on. >> i talk into the mike. a family show. >> what was your question? >> my question is what are some of the projects you working on, brother? >> currently in michigan, filming a screening, wrapping that up, doing that since the end of june. unfortunately, you know, my regular day job, "law and order" was canceled after 20 unprecedented seasons. we were sad to see that go. but, you know, that opens up the door for all of us to do bigger an better things. you know, one door closes for another one to open. so i enjoyed my 2 1/2 seasons there. i love new york. we'll see what the future holds for me in television now. >> you seemed to make an interesting transition. early on, i've seen you on saturday morning morning shows, basketball, transitions, comedic adventures and now a serious drama. what was that like? >> it's always been my mission and my plan. you know, a lot of people had mistaken me for coming up in the

stand-up world because of the comedic films i've been a part of. >> and you hold your own. >> thank you. and working with some of the best, you know, eddie murphy, martin lawrence, jim carrey, jamie foxx, and so before i got typecast as the fat, funny guy, you know, i took a stand and was like, you know what, let me create my future in hollywood. if they're not going to create and write dramatic roles, characters and tons for me, i'm going to do that on my own. that's what my partner, adam glass, and i did. and then my management and agent team, you know, we sought out specific shows and movies, movies like "hustle and flow" and "departed," televisions shows like "the shield" and "law and order." we specifically targeted those and the stars were in line and i ended up getting the majority of everything we went after on a dramatic front, and that opened up the doors for me. and, you know, a lot of people ask me, is it hard for me to

stay focused and to keep a straight face, you know, when i'm working with a martin scorsese or doing dramatic works like i did on "the shield," and i was, like, no, you know, the difficult part was me getting the opportunity to do that because hollywood can be myopic in their thinking at times and they see you do one thing one way and that's all they see you as. and i didn't want that to happen. >> how important is it to you to have the wider fan base? one of the things you talked about is being able to do a film like "the departed" but still do a film with martin lawrence. how important is it for you to keep a foot in both communities, so to speak? >> if you want longevity in this industry, i believe it's things that you have to do. you don't want to hold yourself into a certain genre of film and be locked into certain things, specific things. you know, that's why i have a -- i host a show on the golf network called "golf in

america." that's why i do shows like "law and order" and do films like "scream 4" and movies like "the departed" and "big mama's house" and "two can play that game," things like that, just to create a broader fan base. you know, that's what it's about. >> now, when you think about the time you spent that hollywood and the transition, does it seem as if there's a wider range of opportunities? is the door open now that we've seen more people win oscars, we've seen more big box office successes? is there more opportunity for you? >> you know, there is opportunity. i'm not going to say "more opportunity." but there is opportunity for us. the door is open only if select few are welcomed in. the rest of us have to kick the door down and, you know, make our presence known. and that's what we do. but there is opportunity for us to shine and, you know, you look at what tyler perry has done with his films and his television shows and his studio.

you know, his -- his business model, his business acumen, that gives other playwrights and screenwriters and actors hope. you know, it's like, if he did it, i can do it. so, yeah, more doors were opened and we have more tons. but, you know, the doors can be opened wider and there can be much more topportunities than what there are right now. >> you seem to be taking advantage of those opportunities not just as an actor but beginning to executive produce some television shows. tell us about those projects. >> i had a short lived show on the wb called "all about the andersons" that i created, wrote and produced with my partner, adam glass. i just recently produced a documentary on black south african comics called "township to the stage," that, knock on wood, hopefully will be at sun dance and all these other film festivals this year. so it's about creating those opportunities. you know, i always tell, you

know, talent and actors it's about intellectual property, it's about ownership, and it's about creating your own opportunities and vehicles because, you know, it may not be done for you. >> if you had one piece of advice to give the next generation of african-american actors and comedians and other people who are interested in the entertainment industry, what would it be? >> goes back to what i said earlier about creating their own opportunities, about ownership, about intellectual property, because that's where the real power is. you know, let's forget about fame. let's forget about money. let's talk about power. the power to be able to hire someone of color, the power to be able to put your show and bring your vision to life and have that air on the network or on television or on the screen. that's what it's about. it's about having that power. the money and all that other stuff is secondary. up next, what effect is

reality television having on the black community? >> we were never prommed to do things. what you see on our show is what happened. >> when people are competing for [ female announcer ] here comes oatmeal at mcdonald's. made with 100% natural whole-grain oats and loaded with real fruit. crisp, fresh red and green apples, sweet cranberries and golden raisins. be honest now -- when has good for you made you feel this good and been this delicious? introducing mcdonald's new fruit & maple oatmeal. freshly made for you. the simple joy of loving what's good for you. that's what we're made of. ♪

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charles! nice, dad. announcer: you don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent. there are thousands of siblings in foster care who will take you just as you are. it's the biggest craze in pop culture. reality tv. but is it doing blacks more harm than good? here with their two cents are alicia quarrels, entertainment editor at the associated press,

john murray, entertainment reporter for the john murray show, and kelly. there's no better group than you three to talk about this stuff. i'm serious. i am wondering about black popular culture. we see reality tv becoming a big part of it. some of the biggest stars we know we know from reality tv. what's the reason for that? >> i think first of all there's more reality to consume. reality is cheap to produce, so it's not episodic where people are suddenly flooding the market. but i don't think it puts black people worse off. i think it's an equal-opportunity offender. look at "jersey shore." looks just as bad. >> that's true. what do you make of black people's space? >> i think reality in television is one of the only genres on where there is variety. you've had serious shows and shows like "harlem heights" that didn't necessarily do well for b.e.t. and other networks. they've run their course. there is a variety of shows out there. we just have to watch the good

stuff so they can stay on the air. >> it seems the stuff that sticks the most is the bad stuff. "flavor of love" had three seasons? >> i think five. >> i saw that. >> i saw "i love new york." i say -- >> you. >> i am the problem. i am that part that makes it up. why are we so attracted to these kind of image sms. >> i think it's who we are as people. you know, it's the same question, why is, you know, when there's a wreck, does everybody slow down and watch it on the highway? we enjoy for whatever reason watching other people's tragedies. i think it's escapism in some respect. but exactly what you said. i'm very guilty. i'm a reality television addict probably much more than i care to admit, but it's exactly that. when you look at the ratings and look at the numbers, you know, it's usually the stories that make us want to close our eyes. >> i keep thinking about these recurring kind of characters in reality television. every year "your world" does an angry black guy, whether it's

chris with tammy's blanket ten years ago. remember that? >> oh, yeah. >> a recurring thing, will on "big brother," recurring characters. >> a fun-loving guy on "the real world." >> he broke the stereotype, a fun-loving black guy. there seem to be roles for black people on surviving, the angry black woman we see on a lot of these shows. isn't that dangerous? >> i think reality is not really reality, so what you're saying is these people are getting cast in a sense, and it is dangerous. but it's also dangerous when you have bret michaels on bus rock a world tour with all these women. these are roles that are cast, going back to john's point, when there are popular representations like, what's the show -- >> tiny and toya was a good one. >> people consume the positive as well as the bad stuff. >> wait a minute. i was with you for a minute. >> i lost it. >> i might have lost it.

>> such a good mom i wanted to spend a weekend at her house and have her make cereal for me and walk me to the school bus. i'm serious. it was a great show. >> a different kind of fan. >> she was an entrepreneur, taking care of family. she was showing life after an rv group. >> i think it makes is sense to ask the question what we consider to be bad images. when you look at society as a whole, a lot of what we consider to be standard may or may not be the case. i think as society we see represented in television, too. >> that speaks to the issue of complexity, right? i mean, you chose to take on a show where you weren't going to be like an "i love new york" host or a "flavor of love" -- >> right. >> you took a more positive role, an entrepreneurial role. what was that like? >> for me it was amazing. i mean, you know, "the apprentice" is a great brand, and i was lucky to be there. i was also part of the apprenticeship, very different, reflective of what's happening in society right now. to come out and say, hey,

america, i lost my job, that was a big deal, but what i appreciated about this show was that it gave america the opportunity to say, what does the unemployed look like? what do people without insurance look like? this is what they look like. you take the platform that has these kinds of conversations. just being able to be here and have this conversation. >> how much stuff behind the scenes shapes what we show the camera? can we tell a contestant, act a little more ghetto, why don't you kiss that guy? >> a lot of times reality tv shows have producers and directors. if it's reality television, what are you directing? why don't you react? let's reshoot that scene. i think you saw that the end of "the hills" where they lifted the veil off, was it staged or real? a lot is completely staged and scripted. there's no reality in reality television. >> do you think so, kelly?

>> no. there's variety even within the reality television genre. yes, there are some kind of reality tv soap operas and that's what you see in "the hills" and "real housewives." when you look at the show i did, you were never prompted to do things. what you saw was what happened. >> when people are competing for money and for jobs, all the crazy comes out. >> that's right. we are in pressure-cooker situations. we are placed in environments we would never be in real life. you want me to build a hotel? sure. okay. but to your point, you know, you get the best of people when you tell them you're going to do it for two day, you're hungry and you don't like each other that much. >> talking about amarosa an "the apprentice," some saw her in a negative light. >> right. >> was there pressure to respond to her or -- >> i don't think there was pressure to respond to her. i think the pressure was to be kelly. going back to your earlier point, when you're put in these

environments, you know, parts of you come out that you've maybe never seen before. what you struggle with is am i being true to who i am? >> i know amarosa is your girl, but she's made a career of being a villain. >> "flavor of love." get my show right. >> after some of the ratings of the first season, vh1 wanted to bring him back, he played into that stereotype. >> even more. >> even more. once people tee cie the money and think they can cash in, that's their thing. >> amarosa is aware of the role she plays. i've been out to dinner with her and people come up and say you're really sweet. she's like don't put that on twitter or facebook. it's what you want out of the genre. >> this speaks to our obsession with other people's business and lives. good job is. >> we're in business of access and people want to live vicariously through people. we love people's rise and fall and love a comeback story.

we want to relate to these people. with reality tv to some extent, we don't need y'all anymore. we can go right to the source. y'all might be out of a job. >> oh, please. >> we'll do a reality show about y'all. thank you all so much for being here. alicia quarrels, john, kelly beatty, thanks so much. up next, fighting hunger one plate at a time. >> this takes the loss of a job or a serious disability to take someone from middle income, spiral right down to low income, someone from middle income, spiral right down to low income, spiral down agn n into poverty.

woman: so here are the keys. congratulations! it's officially yours. i'm sure you'll have many happy years here. except for you. because you'll be gone three years from now. struck down by the same disease that got your father. so you won't be around for them. and sadly, it could have been detected early with a simple test. but you didn't have it. ok! who wan to check out the back yard? announcer: for a list of tests every man should have, go to ahrq.gov. ♪ [drum] join us and send your message of support to our wounded warriors and their families at uso.org. the uso. until every one comes home.

basic.? preferred. at meineke i have options on oil changes. and now i get free roadside assistance with preferred or supreme. my money. my choice. my meineke. welcome back. nearly 50 u.s. struggle to put food on their table. one new jersey woman is making sure people in her community don't go hungry. she's our "slice of life." >> this food bank sees a steady line of people hit by hard times. but valerie is always fighting to improve their situation. >> when people get laid off and when unemployment rises, we feel

that in the food banking industry because this is where they're coming to put food on their tables. >> valerie runs the food bank of south jersey, which feeds more than 100,000 people in camden, new jersey. >> and of that number, 36,000 of them are children, and then about 10,000 of them are seniors that are making the difficult decision between whether to pay for food or pay for medicine. you are really working with a limited budget, so having a food resource like this -- >> we don't have any budget at all. there's no budget. >> no budget. >> 54% of the people that are living in camden today are below -- at the poverty level living below. >> but this 25-year-old food bank is making life for those residents a little easier. >> the food bank of southern jersey has been a blessing to our family church, for the members of church and for the community. >> it just takes the loss of a

job or a serious disability to take someone from middle income to spiral right down to low income, spiral down again into poverty. >> to help keep people from starving, valerie is depending on volunteers and financial support. >> with this economy being the way that it is, we have seen our donations drop significantly. we've reached out to the corporate community to help us, and campbell soup, god bless them, because they've been a partner of food bank for many years. >> unbelievable champion. she's a great spokesperson for the food bank. she's a great spokesperson for hunger relief. she's one of the key partners that we have in this community. we couldn't be more pleased with the work we do for val and the food bank. >> want to thank you on behalf of all of those people that will eat this thanksgiving because of the work that you're doing today. god bless you for what you've done, for what you're doing, and i hope you will continue to do.

we love you all so much. thank you. >> despite the challenges of a tough economy, valerie says her drive to help people will never change. >> when we open our doors every day, we're thinking about three primary things. one is that we want to have enough food to feed people that are coming to us for food. number two is that we want to teach them how to go to these places and the third thing is what can we do to help people find sustainable ways to improve their lives? >> we'll be right back. [ female announcer ] here comes oatmeal at mcdonald's. made with 100% natural whole-grain oats and loaded with real fruit. crisp, fresh red and green apples, sweet cranberries and golden raisins. be honest now -- when has good for you made you feel this good and been this delicious? introducing mcdonald's new fruit & maple oatmeal.

freshly made for you. the simple joy of loving what's good for you. that's what we're made of. ♪

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it was more surreal than anything. you're under fire. you're getting blown up. there's definitely adrenaline. there was the explosion, and i remember just opening my eyes, and it got both of my legs. i had surgery after surgery, you know, i was on a lot of pain medicine. "what's going to happen next? and how long am i going to be here?" the wounded warrior project dropped off a backpack for me. and it had everything in there that i could possibly have needed at that time. peer visitors, people who have been where i had been before, said, "look, brother, "everything's going to be okay. "three months from now, or four months "from now, a year from now, you'll be fine." that type of thing was an invaluable service. to be honest, i don't know if i would be as well adjusted as i am now if it wasn't for them.

to learn more, call... or visit woundedwarriorproject.org. that wraps it up for us here on "our world with black enterprise." don't forget to visit us at blackenterprise.com. check me out on facebook or follow me on twitter. thanks for watching "our world with black enterprise."