I had a lot of fun watching the new VH1 show, 'Going for Broke,' starring comedian Eddie Griffin. Griffin is one of the funniest comics in America, the comedian that Chris Tucker could have been (if he would simply stop disappearing between Jackie Chan movies).

On the show, Griffin gives insight into his personal life, which is both intriguing and disturbing. The show is called 'Going for Broke' for a reason, because Eddie just might actually get there.

Here are some reasons that Eddie Griffin might actually become the broke celebrity that he is trying to become:



1) He spends like a damn fool. One of the easiest traps for an entertainer to fall into is the "infinite money trap." That's when the person thinks that they've got an endless supply of cash, giving them ability to spend whatever they want on whatever they want. Apparently Eddie may have fallen into this trap, since his Bentley was being repossessed in an early episode of the show. Eddie's conversation with his accountant was also revealing, as the words "all the accounts are empty" seemed to strike him hard. With all the success that Eddie Griffin has had, it is difficult to imagine that he would be completely broke. But the truth is that this kind of thing happens all the time.

2) Can you say "8 kids and four baby's mamas"? Eddie's mother was right when she mentioned that any new potential "baby mamas" were looking to "get on the Eddie Griffin financial plan." What Eddie also seems to forget is that even if you are well-to-do, child support is a horrible financial burden. There are ways to be involved in the lives of children without giving up all your money in order to do so.



3) He seems to put himself into bad situations. The first episode I saw showed scenes of Eddie going to a plastic surgeon after having a champagne glass smashed against his face by a "fan." I've honestly got a few fans, but I don't think any of them would want to slam a glass against my face. Maybe he should change the word "fan" to "hater," "enemy," or "potential threat." Either way, Eddie seemed to feel that his life was somehow cursed with bad energy. Instead, he might take a second to realize that his personal choices might be the reasons he is being put into such peculiar situations.

When it comes to Eddie Griffin and his new show, the bottom line is this: If you think that Eddie is now doing fine because he has a new VH1 show, think again. The networks don't pay the entertainers much to do these shows, and the shows don't usually last for a very long time. Also, unless you're Bill Gates, you can't presume that you've got a seemingly endless supply of disposable income. The fact that Eddie didn't know he was out of money implies that he probably doesn't keep a budget, which is one of the first paths toward financial ruin. Given that one of Eddie's predecessors, Red Foxx, died deeply in debt to the IRS, one would hope that Eddie doesn't endure that same fate. Eddie's my man, and funny as hell, but he's really got to get it together.


Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University, a leading black speaker and author of the forthcoming book, "Black American Money." To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.