sit down. please.
Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Johnson has legally changed his name to Chad Javon Ocho Cinco in reference to the number 85 he wears on his jersey.Obama doesn't need these sort of antics in a battleground state.
Showing newest 53 of 72 posts from August 2008. Show older posts
Showing newest 53 of 72 posts from August 2008. Show older posts
Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Johnson has legally changed his name to Chad Javon Ocho Cinco in reference to the number 85 he wears on his jersey.Obama doesn't need these sort of antics in a battleground state.
happy b-day mike
michael jackson turned 50 this weekend. no jokes today about plastic surgery, or wearing pajamas in public. he's a genius. i hear there's a new cd coming. i don't even care about that. i just want him to do a vegas engagement. i will spend up to a week's pay for a good ticket.miseducation
reading ew.com, i realized that 'the miseducation of lauryn hill' was released 10 years ago this week. 10 years? damn.i would possibly feel better about lauryn not releasing another studio album if someone else had come close to matching 'miseducation...'.
it almost makes sense that she hasn't followed it up. it adds to her legend. could you imagine lauryn being part of this commercial machine now? she'd be fighting for radio play alongside jordin sparks and the jonas brothers.
to put it in context...lauryn hill has one studio release in the past decade and rihanna has had three. mariah's had five. t-pain's on his third. hell, solange has had two releases. that just doesn't seem right.
i remember listening to 'miseducation...' for the first time. i sat on the floor of my living room, pressed play and just sat there, transfixed. i was there for hours. it felt like one of those scenes from old movies, when teens gather around, as a new 45 spins on the record player. i must've played 'ex-factor' twenty times in a row. i wasn't in a situation like the one she sings about, but listening to her, i knew that she had gone through some things.
i have to say that i haven't heard a better pop album since.
obama is the OFFICIAL nominee.
I, Too
I, too, sing
America.
Tomorrow,
Besides,
Langston Hughes
I, too, sing
America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--
I, too, am America.
Langston Hughes
is he serious?
i caught about 23 seconds of t-pain's new video. am i the only one that thinks that t-pain is really dave chappelle in a prosthetic mask pulling a fast one on all of us?
sit down
there is a black woman on my tv crying about how she is devastated about hillary not being the democratic nominee. she is angry. someone is holding her up. she's so angry, her legs are weak. my legs are getting weak watching her. good thing i am sitting.
i'm cool with hillary being her first choice, but she just said, 'i saw what i could become in hillary.' she went on to say, ' i just haven't connected with obama and he has two months to convince me.'
umm...to borrow a line from one of my favorite sites, bossip, 'ho sit down'.
you can't see yourself in barack's brown skin? you can't see what you can become in him and michelle?
you can free people, but you can't free minds.
i'm cool with hillary being her first choice, but she just said, 'i saw what i could become in hillary.' she went on to say, ' i just haven't connected with obama and he has two months to convince me.'
umm...to borrow a line from one of my favorite sites, bossip, 'ho sit down'.
you can't see yourself in barack's brown skin? you can't see what you can become in him and michelle?
you can free people, but you can't free minds.
safe haven
i just discovered that nebraska's 'safe haven' law allows parents to abandon a child up to the age of 18 legally. damn.
can you imagine some poor 15 year-old being stuffed through the slot by his mom after missing curfew one too many times?
seriously, how old is too old to put a child in a basket and leave them at the fire station?
can you imagine some poor 15 year-old being stuffed through the slot by his mom after missing curfew one too many times?
seriously, how old is too old to put a child in a basket and leave them at the fire station?
i can't think of a title.
24 year-old Angel Pantoja Medina asked that when he died, for his family to make sure that his body would be standing at his wake. Unfortunately, his family had to honor his wishes. More disturbing than the images of Angel standing, is the fact that at such a young age, he even had that request.
shhh. someone is speaking.
can wolf blitzer shut up, so i can actually hear what's happening on the STAGE at the convention? oh...wait, i just turned to C-SPAN. they are actually showing the convention.
the future?
A few nights back on TV, I happened on to Edward Kennedy's 1980 Democratic Convention keynote speech. It is, quite possibly, one of the best speeches I've ever heard.Laying there, watching the room full of people whose clothing and hairstyles made them look like extras from an episode of "Welcome Back Kotter", Ted Kennedy's words felt as contemporary and important as anything said during this year's race. In some ways, that was both good and bad.
Ted spoke passionately about health care and the concerns of the common man. He spoke about employment. He applauded his party for its commitment to equal rights.
He touched on Republicans attempting to show empathy for those suffering economic distress, but not having the voting records to prove that they really care. He quoted Ronald Reagan who once said, "Unemployment insurance is a prepaid vacation plan for freeloaders." Does that sound eerily similar to Phil Gramm's "mental recession"?
While being struck by Ted's passion and believing in everything he was championing in that 1980 speech, I began to feel some reservations. Much of what Ted was talking about, health care, jobs etc. was to be realized for the future; so that kids would grow up and have these rights and resources. As far as 1980 is concerned, 2008 is the future. Why are we still seeking the same things?
All of a sudden Hillary and Obama's pleas for affordable health care seemed dated and less visionary. Where are the equal rights? I suddenly began to wonder if there really is a future. We're not going to evaluate our current politicians twenty years from now to see if they really accomplished what they promised to do. Their time will be over and we'll be on to the next set of promises...for the future.
I have a friend who makes a joke whenever there's some sort of overblown social, or political issue, he simply says in a faux frenzied voice, "What about the children?!?" Sure, I want children to grow up to find a world that is still intact, but hey...what about the adults? What about right now?
Getting back to Ted, what I found most impressive was the humility and strength he displayed as he gave this keynote address after conceding to Jimmy Carter. He clearly still felt that he was the strongest candidate. He spoke about his issues important to him, but right upfront, he strongly put aside his individual goals and focused on the needs of the Party and the nation.
"My fellow Democrats and my fellow Americans, I have come here tonight not to argue as a candidate but to affirm a cause. I'm asking you--I am asking you to renew the
commitment of the Democratic Party to
economic justice.
I am asking you to renew our commitment to a fair and
lasting prosperity that can put America back to work.
This is the cause that brought me into the campaign and that sustained me for nine months across 100,000 miles in 40 different states. We had our losses, but the pain of our defeats is far, far less than the pain of the people that I have met.
We have learned that it is important to take issues seriously, but never to take ourselves too seriously."
Kennedy and Carter had a tough and nasty primary campaign that stayed contentious right through the Convention. Though he was losing, Kennedy refused to drop out. I don't believe that Hillary and Barack's fight has been as rough, but as we know, the wounds linger. I hope Hillary can rise to the challenge the way Ted did and I hope that the results are much better for the Democrats than they were in 1980.
the pulitzer goes to...
i just received the following message from my myspace friend neffe.
First & foremost I would just like to thank everyone that has continued to show me love & support. You have no idea how much I appreciate it. I just wanted to let you know to stay on the look out for my book; I just put up a pic of the cover on my page & in my album. So don't forget to check ya girl out.....& like always...Keep It 100.i've been having a touch of writer's block lately and this message has cured it. i love me some neffe, but she can NOT become an authoress before me. peace out. gotta go write.
Much Love
-Neffe
aaliyah
i watched the video for cassie's new single 'official girl' and all i could think was, 'i miss aaliyah.' cassie is trying very hard to get her aaliyah on in the video. i then realized that monday is the 7th anniversary of aaliyah's passing, along with hair stylists eric foreman, anthony dodd, her security guard scott gallin, douglas kratz (a director of video production for virgin records), stylist christopher maldonado, keith wallace and gina smith (blackground records). 
it seems like yesterday when i was standing on sunset blvd. signing the huge aaliyah billboard hanging on the wall outside tower records. there were dozens of people, just standing there, staring, like the girl above. time flies. whites only
i had a moment with a colleague recently that instantly took me back to my first year in l.a. when i was desperately trying to figure out what to do and how to do it in hollywood.
when i first landed in l.a., one of my first jobs was as a 'front office manager' (receptionist) at a major p.r. firm called levine/schneider. while answering the phone was thrilling, i did want to seek out other opportunities. somehow, i managed to get an interview with delores robinson, miss holly robinson's mama. she was a talent manager.
i was ecstatic. i'd read articles about delores and her management company and having just left a black college, the idea of working for a black-owned company appealed to me. i got gussied up and made my way, by bus, to ms. robinson's office over near century city.
when you're new in town, the whole l.a./hollywood thing is intimidating. as i sat there in the waiting area, i took in all of the activity, imagining myself being one of the busy bees helping ms. robinson manage some actor's career. after a few moments of fantasy, delores stepped gracefully into the lobby and showed me into her office.
this was the first interview i'd ever had where we sat casually on comfy couches. it felt very post-desk modern. we gabbed and gabbed about everything. she was lovely. she was especially interested in my time at hampton. i knew i had the job in the bag.
then out of nowhere, delores leans back and says, 'did you see the people out there?' i nodded. i assumed she meant her staff. 'you noticed there aren't too many of us out there.' i noticed, but it didn't really strike me until she said it. i didn't know where this was going.
'black folks get hired and then want to run the company the next day,' she said matter-of-factly. i was speechless. 'they don't want to work their way up, it has to be instant,' she continued.
i was young and inexperienced, so instead of walking out, i began to defend myself. i talked about being patient and being willing to work my way up. i may have well said, 'i'm not like those other blacks.'
the whole experience made me feel dirty. the interview ended abruptly when her client willie gault strolled in. i was so dismayed, i couldn't even enjoy willie. she stuffed an alaye calendar in my hand and sent me on my way. (did you know willie made those calendars?).
i went back to levine/schneider and happily answered phone for my jewish bosses who didn't seem to mind my being black. i fired off a letter to delores about how disappointed i was in her and that i'd never experienced that type of marginalization from anyone in my life.
i never heard back.
i had a similar moment recently. someone pretty much demanded more responsibility without having done any measurable work. delores popped right into my head. was this what she was talking about? then i thought a bit more deeply about all of the people i've worked with recently and the truth is, some people just don't want to work. race, gender, nationality etc. does not matter, but...
when i first landed in l.a., one of my first jobs was as a 'front office manager' (receptionist) at a major p.r. firm called levine/schneider. while answering the phone was thrilling, i did want to seek out other opportunities. somehow, i managed to get an interview with delores robinson, miss holly robinson's mama. she was a talent manager.
i was ecstatic. i'd read articles about delores and her management company and having just left a black college, the idea of working for a black-owned company appealed to me. i got gussied up and made my way, by bus, to ms. robinson's office over near century city.
when you're new in town, the whole l.a./hollywood thing is intimidating. as i sat there in the waiting area, i took in all of the activity, imagining myself being one of the busy bees helping ms. robinson manage some actor's career. after a few moments of fantasy, delores stepped gracefully into the lobby and showed me into her office.
this was the first interview i'd ever had where we sat casually on comfy couches. it felt very post-desk modern. we gabbed and gabbed about everything. she was lovely. she was especially interested in my time at hampton. i knew i had the job in the bag.
then out of nowhere, delores leans back and says, 'did you see the people out there?' i nodded. i assumed she meant her staff. 'you noticed there aren't too many of us out there.' i noticed, but it didn't really strike me until she said it. i didn't know where this was going.
'black folks get hired and then want to run the company the next day,' she said matter-of-factly. i was speechless. 'they don't want to work their way up, it has to be instant,' she continued.
i was young and inexperienced, so instead of walking out, i began to defend myself. i talked about being patient and being willing to work my way up. i may have well said, 'i'm not like those other blacks.'
the whole experience made me feel dirty. the interview ended abruptly when her client willie gault strolled in. i was so dismayed, i couldn't even enjoy willie. she stuffed an alaye calendar in my hand and sent me on my way. (did you know willie made those calendars?).
i went back to levine/schneider and happily answered phone for my jewish bosses who didn't seem to mind my being black. i fired off a letter to delores about how disappointed i was in her and that i'd never experienced that type of marginalization from anyone in my life.
i never heard back.
i had a similar moment recently. someone pretty much demanded more responsibility without having done any measurable work. delores popped right into my head. was this what she was talking about? then i thought a bit more deeply about all of the people i've worked with recently and the truth is, some people just don't want to work. race, gender, nationality etc. does not matter, but...
we can be special. i mean, delores was being special in her 'i don't hire many blacks' sort of way. many of us measure time differently. 8pm, means 8:30pm. some of us don't like to restock items on our store shelves in a timely fashion. ever been to a wedding that started on time? that said, i'd still never look at some 21 year old and basically tell him, 'you'd be perfect, if you weren't black.'
mariah wept.
da brat was sentenced to three years for bussin' somebody upside the head with a bottle in a nightclub fight. in my estimation, she's lucky the woman didn't die. you can kill somebody doing that type of ish. three years is better than life.
the one upside...rocsi can relax for a while. brat won't be able to stomp her for messin' with her sister's man.
R.I.P. Sho'Nuff
Man, I still remember seeing "The Last Dragon" about seven times at the Hollywood Theater on Central Ave in E.O. and at the dirty little theater on Main Street in Orange. I can't remember the name of the theater in Orange, but they had oscillating fans in the aisles, as opposed to air conditioning. I saw "Beat Street" and "Breakin'" there too. Ahhhh...the memories.Julius Carry, best known to us as Sho'Nuff from "The Last Dragon" has died of pancreatic cancer. This has been a rough month.
R.I.P Julius jazz abs?
i seriously need to do some sort of workout. my right knee has been killing me, so i haven't been running in the last couple weeks; but i think i'm ready for a new routine.a few sundays ago, while looking for a church service to watch, i stumbled onto shaun t.'s 'hip-hop abs'. i initially left the infomercial on for comic relief, but all of a sudden, i found myself wanting to purchase it. i decided against it. my next 'as seen on tv' purchase is a set of 'aqua globes'.
i'm wondering though, if shaun t. has hip-hop abs, does my expanding gut qualify as jazz abs.
(UPDATE: I will probably never have hip-hop abs, I'd be happy to get back into 'new jack swing' shape.)
God Bless the U.S.A.
I am doing this post as a patriot. Some dude got the gold and some American dude got the silver in the men's 110 hurdles. David Oliver, got the bronze. Strictly because bronze medalists often don't get enough attention, I had to show David a little love.
Go U.S.A.! And congrats to David Payne (the silver dude) who trains at Hampton University.
Boris & Nicole Need Your Help
As many of you already know, Boris and Nicole Kodjoe's daughter Sophie suffers from Spina Bifida. After doing research on the various medical options for their daughter, they were made aware of a doctor from China who is doing amazing work in treating the defect. They now wish to help bring the doctor to Atlanta in conjunction with Emory University and the Spina Bifida Association of Georgia to supervise a surgical study. $1.88m is needed to pay for the first phase of the study. If it successful, phase two would be federally funded. Boris & Nicole's letter:
Dear Friends,
We hope you are well. We are writing this letter to share with you a most personal issue and ask for your help. As some of you already heard, our little Sophie was diagnosed at birth with Spina Bifida, the most common birth defect in the US, affecting the brain and/or spine in an average of eight babies a day. Degrees of severity vary from quadriplegic children with major brain damage and spinal injuries to cases of neurogenic bladders or even lesser issues.
We were blessed with a miracle child and spared of the more severe symptoms, but Sophie’s spastic bladder still forces us to catheterize her every three hours, day and night, to avoid pressure build up in her bladder and urine backflow into her kidneys. But frequent catheterization causes urinary tract infections, which are then battled with strong antibiotics, which in turn attack stomach flora and cellular balance, cause bowel issues, and that leads to more infections.
It’s a never ending cycle and the prognosis from specialists all over the world is a life long dependency on catheterization and diapers, unless we’d agree to a bladder augmentation, which is quite risky and not a way we want her to live. While being a simple body function for able-bodied individuals, these activities may take hours for children with Spina Bifida.So after educating ourselves, studying hundreds of domestic and international cases, and researching alternative and traditional methods, our friend Jim Okula at the Spina Bifida Association of GA called us because he came across Dr Xiao from China. Xiao is the first and only person in the world who has developed a procedure of surgically rerouting nerves from the legs to the bladder, providing a new pathway for autonomic stimulation of the bladder, therefore teaching the bladder to empty itself over time.
Dr Xiao has performed this procedure for the past 3 years in China and recently at Beaumont Hospital in Michigan with astonishing results, and now Physicians from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University School of Medicine and Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, along with the Spina Bifida Association of GA want to bring him to Atlanta to supervise a surgical study including ten children.
This has been Nicole’s and my priority, and now this procedure can change a lot of families’ lives. But the first phase of this surgical study is not funded, and therefore we are in this alone. Based on a successful outcome of phase one, phase two and the surgical study of 100 more children would receive federal funding.
So right now we have to raise $1.88 million to pay for the surgical study involving 10 children.We have included some more information on Spina Bifida and the Xiao Procedure. Please don’t hesitate to write with any questions you guys
might have.
As you probably noticed, there’s a big blue ‘DONATE NOW’ button on the welcome page of this site. Please, please, please give as much as you possibly can to help make this a reality for thousands of families and their children affected by Spina Bifida.
We thank you and we love you.
Boris and Nicole
nobody's 'posed to be here....
miss deborah cox, kimberly locke and thea austin (the lead singer from snap)will be performing at southern decadence on august 30th in new orleans. y'all thought essence music fest brought the heat.
janet's drawz
janet is starting a new line of lingerie. i'm a die hard fan, so i'll just leave it at that. maybe this will do better than the recent music. there's no way to illegally download a bra yet.oh...and keyshia cole is doing an ad for some pink oil type ish. i understand keyshia's need to do this. she has a huge family to take care of. well, wait...so does janet. anyway, i still think that keyshia should be the spokesperson for stove top dressing. i don't know why, i just think it's a perfect fit.
phelps as spitz
I'm not gonna lie, Mark Spitz's Olympic feats were pretty much unknown to me until this week. Sure, I've heard his name and knew he was great swimmer, but he wasn't exactly FloJo, Carl Lewis, or even Bruce Jenner in my household growing up. So, the whole record breaking storyline being driven home by NBC's coverage was lost on me. I was just fascinated by Phelps ability.Now that I am aware of Spitz, WOW! He was the "Magnum P.I." of swimming. Looking at the Sports Illustrated Olympic photo redux with Phelps, I have to say; I wish I was old enough to have done Fire Island in the 70's. When did men stop looking like this?
There's a great documentary that I caught on LOGO about the history of Fire Island. Watching the film I had the same thought. It was great to see all of the pre-twink, pre-gym, hirsute beach revelers.
Dem was the days.
Spitz is still a daddy, but this photo of him getting Botox is a reminder that all good things come to an end. My waist size has increased over the last couple of years and I haven't been shirtless at a beach in quite some time. I think I'm gonna go this weekend and let it all hang out. In twenty years from now, I'll be looking at pictures of myself at this age, thinking, "Damn, I wish I still had that body." Might as well enjoy it now.
LeRoi Moore
We've lost another talented man...
Dave Matthews Band saxophone player LeRoi Moore, one of the group's founding members and a key part of its eclectic jazz-infused sound, died Tuesday from sudden complications stemming from injuries he sustained in an all-terrain vehicle accident in June. He was 46.
Moore died at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, according to a statement released on the band's Web site. The statement did not specify what led to his death.
Moore was initially hospitalized in late June after the accident on his farm outside Charlottesville, Va. He was later discharged and had recently returned to his Los Angeles home to begin a physical rehabilitation program when complications forced him back to the hospital on July 17, the band said.
Dave Matthews Band saxophone player LeRoi Moore, one of the group's founding members and a key part of its eclectic jazz-infused sound, died Tuesday from sudden complications stemming from injuries he sustained in an all-terrain vehicle accident in June. He was 46.
Moore died at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, according to a statement released on the band's Web site. The statement did not specify what led to his death.
Moore was initially hospitalized in late June after the accident on his farm outside Charlottesville, Va. He was later discharged and had recently returned to his Los Angeles home to begin a physical rehabilitation program when complications forced him back to the hospital on July 17, the band said.
R.I.P.
DEADLINE: four days
DEADLINE: four daysCommit to one weekend and you can change your creative life forever.
I have taken two workshops by the brilliant Paula Killen and have had the honor of working with her. If you are looking to work out some material and can hang with an intense, but supportive workshop deadline, I highly recommend. Paula is the shiznit. She works with some of the best writers, actors, comedians, escorts, cater-waiters etc. in the business.
More info below:
This crash course will give you the opportunity to write and perform a monologue or performance piece over the course of a single weekend. Even if you have no idea what you might write about when we begin on Friday, you will be performing a completed piece on Monday, Guaranteed.
This intensive process will give you the tools to cut to the chase of any story and turn it into great written material.
This intensive process will give you the tools to cut to the chase of any story and turn it into great written material.
Learn to use and improve your improv skills to create viable material in class and in the future apply those skills to:
solo pieces
plays
sketch
short/feature films
TV pitch/shows
There is no question that you'll work hard, but the results will give the confidence to continue creating...
This weekend will be a kick ass good time and at the end of it all, you can invite your friends to see you perform.
And I promise once we're done, you'll audition better too.
Beginning on Friday, September 5th 2pm to 5pm
Saturday (Sept. 6th) 1-5
SUNDAY (Sept. 7th) 10-2 (ending with a show)
solo pieces
plays
sketch
short/feature films
TV pitch/shows
There is no question that you'll work hard, but the results will give the confidence to continue creating...
This weekend will be a kick ass good time and at the end of it all, you can invite your friends to see you perform.
And I promise once we're done, you'll audition better too.
Beginning on Friday, September 5th 2pm to 5pm
Saturday (Sept. 6th) 1-5
SUNDAY (Sept. 7th) 10-2 (ending with a show)
The workshop and the show will be held at:
The Fake Gallery 4319 Melrose Ave. LA CA
The Fake Gallery 4319 Melrose Ave. LA CA
Course taught by Paula Killen:
one time Chicago (now LA) writer/performer/instructor with a list of credits too long to bore you with, but her two person play, "Fully Loaded" at the Upright Citizen's Brigade/LA (directed by Shira Piven) was a long running hit and is currently being produced as a feature film by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell.
Paula has facilitated workshops at the Actor's Gang, The Comedy Union, Wordspace and works privately with tons of people on tons of things. She currently directs and develops the work of The Write Club at the I.O.West
one time Chicago (now LA) writer/performer/instructor with a list of credits too long to bore you with, but her two person play, "Fully Loaded" at the Upright Citizen's Brigade/LA (directed by Shira Piven) was a long running hit and is currently being produced as a feature film by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell.
Paula has facilitated workshops at the Actor's Gang, The Comedy Union, Wordspace and works privately with tons of people on tons of things. She currently directs and develops the work of The Write Club at the I.O.West
Contact:
Paula Killen
paulakillen@att.net
paulakillen@att.net
bright idea of the week: Just Bunches
Post is now selling Just Bunches. No flakes, just 'bunches'. Who was the 'out of the box' thinker that came up with this gem? Were the corn flakes really an issue?
I don't have any proof, but this all goes back the recession. Corn prices are through the roof! They must've had to cut back on the flakes to save jobs. I'm not mad at them. As long as Geraldina (that's what I call the woman in the hair net in all of their commercials) still has her gig, I'm cool.
TV Blackout
As we head towards another TV season, we have to address the dwindling numbers of shows with black leads on TV. It isn't just about the actors. Shows with black casts, tend to employ a more diverse team of people.The question that I suspect we'll face moving forward, is whether, or not a 'black show' makes sense any more. Is a show like "Grey's Anatomy" more forward thinking in the way that it represents the diversity many of us see in our day to day lives?
To be honest, I'm not sure when shows with black casts became 'black shows'. Everyone watched "The Jeffersons," "The Cosby Show" and believe it, or not "227". In a strange way, I think the boom in shows with black casts on new networks like Fox, WB and UPN, also led to their demise. For every "Girlfriends", there were six other shows that felt more like school plays, than actual professional productions. Even with that being the case, at least black writers, directors, camera operators, actors etc. were being employed.
I think shows like "Grey's Anatomy", "30 Rock" and "CSI" are great in the way that the casts are diverse, but when I watch the EMMY'S I'm almost stunned at how unabashedly void of color the writing and producing teams are.
All of the networks have Diversity Departments and I think those programs are great. I know a couple people who are now working (sometimes) because of a program. What I don't understand is how a program is needed to find diversity, especially in a city like Los Angeles. It just doesn't make sense.
Enjoy "The Game" and "Everybody Hates Chris" this year. It might be the last time you see that many black people on network TV at the same time for a while, excluding police line-up scenes on "Law & Order".
1988
The Cosby Show
A Different World
Amen
227
1993:
Martin
Living Single
Sonny Spoon
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Roc
Getting By
In the Heat of the Night
The Sinbad Show
In Living Color
Family Matters
Hanging w/Mr. Cooper
Where I Live
1998:
Touched by an Angel
Sister Sister
The Hughley's
Moesha
The Wayans' Bros.
Steve Harvey Show
For Your Love
The Jamie Foxx Show
Getting Personal
2003:
10-8: Officers on Duty
Bernie Mac
The Parkers
Eve
Girlfriends
Half & Half
Whoopi
Tracy Morgan Show
One on One
All of Us
My Wife & Kids
Steve Harvey's Big Time
All About the Andersons
Like Family
The Secret Life of Desmond Pfeiffer
Smart Guy
Cosby
Guys Like Us
Wanda at Large
2008:
The Cleveland Show
Under One Roof
The Tony Rock Project
Everybody Hates Chris
The Game
much thanks.
"you like me, you really like me?!?" - sally field, oscars '85
thanx for taking the time to help get my little blog nominated for 'best personal blog'. the award would be cool, but knowing that you're enjoying my random thoughts is the best part of this whole experience.
much luv,
Hampton06
Vintage Don Cheadle
Okay, so last week I saw Don Cheadle on "Fresh Prince." Now here he is getting his groove on in an Angela Winbush video. I live for this kind of stuff. Thanx Monique!!!
By the way, I am almost certain Helen Mirren was in an old Teena Marie video.
Banquets
banquets rub me the wrong way. they always have. i enjoy a good gathering of people to celebrate some common goal, accomplishment, or bond; but any event with the word banquet in it makes my skin crawl. luncheons bother me too, but not as much. luncheons are usually work related, so like everything else related to work, you just do it. you sit there, eat the rubber chicken, (or salmon if the hosts are progressive) and suck it up. banquets, however, have usually taken place on my free time, which have added to the annoyance.
i flip through public access channels fairly often and in between 'community event calendars' and ads for local pizzerias, there's usually some poorly videotaped banquet on tv. black people REALLY like banquets. the thing is that when you look at the people at the festivities, they look bored as hell. they're just sitting awkwardly at some twelve-top table with strangers, uncomfortable about asking someone to pass the iced tea.
the best (and by best, i mean worst) banquets are those when some junior executive, introduces a middle-management executive, who then introduces a senior VP, who then introduces the keynote speaker. that's always fun. wait, i forgot. the junior executive, must also ask the attendees to applaud for the company that sponsored the centerpieces.
there has to be a new model for celebrating pee-wee league championships and pastor appreciation day. i mean, we can put 100,000 songs on a device the size of an eraser. we have to be able to build a better banquet by now.
Girl Interrupted: Heidi Krieger
Some things just aren't that serious. Watching ESPN (yeah, I watch ESPN) sometimes, I forget that the anchors aren't talking about the crisis in Darfur. The intensity level is, sometimes, a bit absurd to me. The truth is though, for some people it is that serious.I've been watching the Olympics and it's obvious that winning gold is almost a do, or die situation for athletes from certain nations. Even the American commentators are on my nerves a bit with the Phelps thing. He's incredible, but someone took it too far calling his mother, "America's Mom."
However nothing can compare to the story of East German athlete Heidi Krieger. Heidi was the 1986 European women's shot-put champion and possibly the most extreme case of state-sponsored athletic doping. The steroids created manly features and a confused gender identity, influencing Krieger to have a sex-change operation.
Heidi is now Andreas.
Approximately 10,000 East German athletes were affected by the state's attempt to become a sports super-power. To put it in perspective, Heidi received 2,590 milligrams of Oral-Turinabol, the year she won the European championship. That's about 1,000 milligrams more than Olympic sprinter Ben Johnson got in 1988.
Read more on Heidi/Andreas HERE
the no.2 special
i love a good chinese restaurant that serves fried chicken and has a handwritten menu on kinko's astrobrite solar yellow construction paper. the egg foo young was poppin'. add a blackbuster premiere of 'three can play that game' and men's track and you have a GOOD friday night. maybe great.
wayne brady.ordinary
wayne brady, who became totally smashable after his dave chappelle guest appearance, is dropping a cd. the first single is called 'ordinary'. wayne's debut album, 'a long time coming', drops sept. 16, 2008 via peak records/concord music. the single's cool, but i'm beginning to think that there's enough recorded music on the planet.
"The Women"
hollywood needs some execs willing to greenlight an original idea. i saw the commercial for the remake of 1939's 'the women'. sigh. i mean, it'll probably be okay. i love the cast, but 'the women' is one of my favorites.
if you've ever been around a tipsy queen of a certain age, you may have heard him say, "i've had two years to grow claws mother. jungle red."
if you've ever been around a tipsy queen of a certain age, you may have heard him say, "i've had two years to grow claws mother. jungle red."
here's the trailer. rent the original.
the original trailer
Madge is Fifty
Madonna turns 50 tomorrow! I still remember hearing "Lucky Star" and thinking she was a black girl. There's a great article in Time Magazine from '85 about what impact and Madonna and Cyndi Lauper would have on pop culture. It's funny reading it now, knowing how things turned out. Happy Birthday Madge! You are officially Deborah Harry now.
Seriously, she's still fab (and so is Deborah).
B Angie B
It's not logical, but the LisaRaye situation w/her hubby made me think of B Angie B. Enjoy.
"I Don't Want to Lose Your Love"
Musiq - "Radio"
Check out Musiq getting his Lil' Wayne on. It's called "Radio." It sounds like he said, "Adult Contemporary my ass, I still have a house to pay for."
LisaRaye Ain't Scared
I don't mess with Mediatakeout, but I had to post this madness:"August 14, 2008. MediaTakeOut.com just received the following SHOCKING statement from the premiere of the Turks & Caicos:
“Last night LisaRaye, her cousin Phillip Travis, and her publicist Lynn Jetter assaulted the guard at the Premier's home, proceeded to ransack the house, and then assaulted the Premier and his sister. As the result of her assault on them, both the Premier and his sister were taken to the hospital with injuries and later released.
The Premier at no time had any physical contact with LisaRaye. It is public knowledge that the couple has been separated for months, and LisaRaye has no lawful right to be in the residence. Her conduct yesterday clearly contradicts her stated commitment to dissolve the marriage amicably."
UPDATE - Now LisaRaye's people have issued their own statement. Here it is:
It is with great sadness that I have to announce that my husband and I have separated. Last night, Wednesday August 13, 2008, an attempt was made by and on behalf of my husband to first prevent my entry into our home and then, later, to make me leave our home by force. It was necessary for me to receive medical treatment for injuries suffered and in relation to those injuries I shall continue to assist the police force with its enquiries.
Whilst it is my sincere wish to avoid unnecessary conflict, I shall not be intimidated, nor shall those individuals whose job it is to protect and represent me. I ask that my privacy be respected in these difficult times and I believe that the people of the TCI will understand and support my wish to receive the necessary independent representation from the legal counsel of my choosing.
I hope that, in time, the TCI government will come to share that view. Although I have always been a supportive wife even in light of the very serious allegations currently pending against the Premier, there are limits even for me. I continue to have the utmost respect for the people of the TCI who have always shown me kindness and support. I vow to continue my work amongst the people of Turks and Caicos Islands. Until recently I had hoped that I would be able to continue to assist my husband during what will undoubtedly be difficult times ahead for him. I do not wish to have to add to his difficulties.”
LisaRaye McCoy-MisickFirst Lady of the Turks & Caicos Islands."
Premier Misick better watch it before LisaRaye unleashes her Chi-Town clique on him. He don't (I didn't conjugate on purpose) want that. You KNOW it's on when you bring your cousin up into the mix.
I'm having flashbacks to an ex-girlfriend (yes, I said girlfriend) from back in the day. She had stolen some money from me. I tried to go the civil, "Give me back my damn money" route, but she ignored me. It wasn't until I, along with my sister and cousin, rolled up to her crib unexpectedly, did I get results.
I sat in my cousin's '88 Escort while she and my sister handled business. They didn't have to wreck shop, but in the hood, you knew what it meant when somebody's family rolled up. No blows were exchanged and I have since gone to finishing school, so I totally disapprove of the 'rollin' up on somebody' technique. I'm just saying.
Tropic Thunder
I have to admit, seeing Robert Downey Jr. in blackface drew me in to "Tropic Thunder". I wasn't sure if I'd be offended, or laugh my ass off. It was the latter. The movie itself wears thin for me about two-thirds in, but that's normal when I see big commercial movies. I loved the "Dark Knight", but was like, 'enough already' at the four hour mark.Robert Downey Jr. is the comeback kid, first "Iron Man" and now this. If it's possible to elevate blackface, he did it. Actually, Robert's character is more Wayan's Brothers "White Chicks," than Al Jolson. The big difference is that Robert actually still manages to act in the midst of all the silliness going on. The film was a statement on Hollywood, culture, commercialism, race and political correctness. Who knew? And the "Booty Sweat" energy drink used in the film, that I blogged about previously, totally makes sense now that I've seen the movie.
The best part of the film happens in the first five minutes. I won't spoil it, but they summed up the bullsh*t of Hollywood perfectly. I'm rooting for Tom Cruise, I think he gets a bad wrap, but his turn in this film drained me. I don't even know what his character was saying, all I heard was, "Please like me a again. Look, I can be normal and funny."
Go see it.
Oh, wait...they showed a trailer for a new movie called "Role Models" with Paul Rudd. It's about two guys forced to mentor at a Big Brothers program called "Sturdy Wings". Looks kinda lame, but I'm totally going to see it. Paul Rudd is secretly the everyday guy's Brad Pitt. Besides I like a good 'save the children', "Bad News Bears" type of heartwarming comedy every once in a while. But mostly, I'm seeing it for Paul Rudd (and the black kid who reminds me of Gary Coleman).
Go see it.
Oh, wait...they showed a trailer for a new movie called "Role Models" with Paul Rudd. It's about two guys forced to mentor at a Big Brothers program called "Sturdy Wings". Looks kinda lame, but I'm totally going to see it. Paul Rudd is secretly the everyday guy's Brad Pitt. Besides I like a good 'save the children', "Bad News Bears" type of heartwarming comedy every once in a while. But mostly, I'm seeing it for Paul Rudd (and the black kid who reminds me of Gary Coleman).
Black Weblog Awards
Hey guys! The 2008 Black Weblog Awards are accepting nominations. Hampton06 is eligible for:Blog to Watch
Best Writing in a BlogBest Personal Blog
Nominations close on the 16th (Saturday). Should you have a lil' free time CLICK HERE to vote for a brotha :)
Thanx for reading!
Flashback - Joyce Sims
Loved this song. I had a conversation with my cousin the other day and we were talking about two old songs. We could picture the videos, but couldn't recall the songs. It's been killing me. Finally, I remember one of them, "Come Into My Life".
The other video I can remember a woman walking in the sand. Late eighties, early nineties, kinda UK R&B-ish. I know that's not much info, but maybe someone can end my misery and tell me what the song was.
RuPaul on the Runway
Wednesday, August 20th, RuPaul will be a guest judge on "Project Runway". This should be very interesting. The season's been lame so far, but I'll watch it to see Ru. I almost forget that I don't see RuPaul as much with Tyra Banks being all over the place like she is.Oh...and if you haven't heard, get ready for "RuPaul's Drag Race".
salad days
i think it's time that i came to terms with my relationship with lettuce. i love a good waldorf, or hearty southwestern salad. i buy lettuce every time i go to the market, because well, that's what you're supposed to do, right? as my latest purchase of romaine hearts and spring mix wilt away in the cripser, i'm wondering if the whole buying lettuce thing is a front. is it aspirational? is it like buying the treadmill and never using it, or buying jeans a size smaller than you are?i do much better with cucumbers. i chop them, mix in a little onion and vinaigrette and i'm done. i NEVER have all of the ingredients for a waldorf. i don't keep grapes in the house, or walnuts and forget about a southwestern salad. there's like twelve ingredients in that.
as i found myself piling lettuce on a turkey burger yesterday, even though i really don't like lettuce on home made burgers, i realized that i need to reevaluate the whole lettuce situation. i buy other vegetables; vegetables that don't require other ingredients to be eaten. broccoli - simple. kale - simple. asparagus - simple. lettuce - not so much.
i wonder how many other people with me in the produce department are throwing lettuce in the cart that they know has a greater than 50% chance of not being eaten. i'm not sure if i'm ready to not buy lettuce just yet though. it doesn't seem civilized to not have it in your refrigerator. maybe i need to start buying grapes...and walnuts.
Do Me Baby
Mel'isa Morgan is set to star in a new reality show about women over 40 who date younger men. It's called "Cougars:NYC". A casting call for two more women will be held at a singles mixer at Libations on Ludlow Street Aug. 20 (NYC). Someone PLEASE get Alexis K. Tyler to audition!
Audition Info
Audition Info
Georgia on My Mind
The conflict in Georgia concerns me. The U.S. now finds itself in another tricky international situation. We've now sent people over to help Russia and Georgia negotiate a cease fire. What I don't understand is how we are able to do that, but not pull out of Iraq? Who are we to tell Russia what to do, especially at this moment in time. Just when I thought we might be seeing the end of military conflict soon, something else erupts. There's a part of me that feels like all hell is going to break loose in the not too distant future.
No Thanks
Can someone bring back Sweet Sensation, or Expose? I was in my car the other day and ended up listening to this new song called "Cinematic". I have no idea why I didn't change the channel. I think I was just mesmerized by the emptiness. The song is about making sex movies with someone, hence the title 'cinematic'. Yawn. I guess if it were actually a clever, adult, sexy song, I wouldn't mind; but it sounds like a Disney-esque dance track.
The girl who sings was interviewed after the song played. The DJ rightfully asked her about her experience with sex tapes and she seemed VERY uncomfortable. She says, "You had to go there." Well, yeah beeyotch. You're singing about making a sex tape.
The girl who sings was interviewed after the song played. The DJ rightfully asked her about her experience with sex tapes and she seemed VERY uncomfortable. She says, "You had to go there." Well, yeah beeyotch. You're singing about making a sex tape.
Phelps Phan
I've been blabbering on about how I love the Olympics, but didn't feel they had the same magic with all of the commercialism attached to the games. That all went out of the window last night when I jumped off of the couch screaming as swimmer John Lezack chased down the French team to win gold by a fingernail in the 4X100m freestyle relay.
The French team had stated in the press that they only came to the games to smash the Americans. They were favored to win, but couldn't quite pull it off. Smash that!
Oh...and while I'm on the Olympics, am I the only one who doesn't understand why female gymnasts have to dance during a floor routine? It's odd. They always look like child pageant contestants breaking out into back flips. Well, all of them except for Dominique Dawes. She had rhythm.
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