Prayers For All

This summer is exceptionally hot in L.A.  Smog mixed in with southern humidity and traffic is a sad combination.  Somebody on another blog stated that they did not feel safe with all of the recent violence.  These days, I seldom feel safe anywhere outside of my home, and this includes "good" neighborhoods where my dark skin is either a novelty or disregarded because it is assumed that I am poor, lack sense, as well as the resources to move up in society.

Yet, I still work at being the best bad-ass I can be...and I encourage others to do the same.  It may seem naive but there is nothing wrong with enjoying life.  Anyone can have it without bringing harm or threat to others.  Feel good about helping others in need without pretentiousness, let go of excess and take care of home.

People want to pray or meditate when things go wrong but often a clear head can prevent mistakes made.  While IT still happens, communities can be stronger by lending a hand.

Wayback Wednesday..The Bill Cosby Remix...tells 70s kids NOT TO DO DRUGS!

Oh my freak....I was trying to take a break and ran into this Bill Cosby Yahoo story en route to checking my email.

Then I had a flashback to my childhood in Inglewood, CA.

You know that one friend with a wack record collection?  I was the opposite being an only child (though I was the big girl back then) and the fact that my mother was one of the youngest on the block who knew her way around VIP Records well.  And because of the latter I was always forced to hang with the homey girl (Mom's got things to do and people to see).

One day at her house, a bunch of us kids were bored.  Too young to go to mall without a parent.  To old to hang out at the park.  So we decide to dance to keep from thinking about boys.  So Tara pulls out Bill Cosby.  I'm thinking 'This fool's more square than she is...who plays him at the disco?'

This ish right here is about 5.5 minutes of a Parliament-inspired instrumental, then it goes into Bill giving his .02 to kids about the dangers of drugs. Then he repeats a chorus of "I don't take no bad drugs", until about the end.

The video above has a catchy beat and of course it's sad because me, like other kids from the 70s and 80s respected Bill...even if we liked Richard Pryor or Eddie Murphy better.

Fast forward to about 5:56 and the jokes will write themselves.

Wayback Wednesday: Eddie Kendricks

Date with the Rain is one of those rare grooves I discovered when Garth Trinidad's Chocolate City was the business.  I think of it every time it rains here so obviously, it's been on my mind often, especially as I recover from therapy.  

Sometimes I reminisce on how this and other underground jams would play on my little Aiwa stereo while enjoying a little green and a good drink.

I Miss Bounce TV

A few weeks ago, illness forced me to leave my hole in the wall and live in a house where every tv has Time Warner cable, which does not carry several stations that specialize in old movies.  Now, I get free rides to the hospital, a view of the mountains...in fact, just about everything is free since I don't write as often.  But this does not mean that my mind has stopped working...not counting the occasional brain fart.
) I didn't see '12 Years...' though I like Chewitel and Brad Pitt mostly because I didn't want to.  I'm glad a deep chocolate sis is getting love but why cant she be loved as a lawyer, damn good mother or something else?  This is not to say that hoes, slaves, crackheads and maids are not worthy but Clair Huxtable was along time ago!

Then the minute the powers finish raving about "the red Ralph Lauren dress", here comes Aisha Tyler.

People that trip me out the most are the ones with REALLY ethnic names (as in starts with De or La or ends in esha/isha/ishia, etta or other combination) but run real fast to the other side.

Anyway, besides being not funny, I don't know much about this chick except she has a White husband.  I tried when she did Talk Soup some yrs. ago.

So in getting to my point, there's been nothing on TV to watch while I recover.  Oh yeah...reruns of I Love Lucy, Dragnet, shows from the 70s and the occasional hour-long program dedicated to bacon and other delectable treats I can't eat.

Goodbye Great One

Nelson Mandela was born the same year as my last uncle who I lost a few years ago.  While I was glad the physical suffering was over with in the case of both men, I cried inside because I knew these type of men are a dying breed.

My uncle was never a political person but at peace being a Black man who provided for many making an honest living and never took BS from anybody.

In short, we now live in an age where Black males are more than happy to display their sexual prowess on camera for 15 mins.  And make babies without a ring.  And accept scraps from anyone with a smile.

We hear more about this type of being instead of proud family men who are upstanding citizens, pass down morals and good living to the next generation.

Should Blacks Stay Away From Reality Shows?

Since I've been without cable for going on two yrs. now, I've gotten deep into cooking shows when there's nothing else on.  Though I love to cook, I hate the predictability of reality shows.  Particularly those that star 
Gordon Ramsay.

Just found out that former MasterChef competitor Josh Marks allegedly committed suicide.  Not long ago, the 26-year old had an altercation with police and it has been said that he suffered from a mental disorder.

Coming from someone who deals with addiction and other destructive behaviors from various family members, a reality show is the last place he should have been.  Even if he was talented (though he lost to a blind competitor), needed the exposure or money.

Reality TV is one thing I do not miss with cable services.  Recently, while in recovery, I skipped through many marathons of Hollywood Exes, R&B Divas, and too many too count.  I got my NeNe fix back when she had a medium-length weave and bell pepper nose.  I'm not even going to discuss Basketcase Wives.

However, it did start off innocently enough with Real World back in the early 90s.  I even made plans to join the San Fran (1993-94) cast but found getting that audition tape was at the bottom of my priorities.  Now I think had hat come to fruition, I would probably be another stereotype that would not have the resource to turn things around for the better.

Though it's been argued for more than a decade now but the question remains, Why even support these shows? The ones that try to not be violent are dull, other were bust at the starting gate (e.g. Who Wants to Marry a Midget) and truthfully, nine times out of ten, when you've seen one person sing, you've seen them all sing.  Little Asian men that sound like Barry White or blue-eyed blondes that can wail like they grew up in a Baptist church are nothing new in L.A. or other major cities.

So while Bounce TV may not exactly read my mind or show the old blaxploitation movies I want to see, every day of the week...I will always respect their choices.  I discovered the Aspire network while I was recovering and I have to say I'm pretty impressed at the strides Black Hollywood is making when it comes to showing positive images.

WAYBACK weds ... Hot Buttered Boogie/Tasha Thomas

 
After two posts about people we lost, I thought I'd share a song that gets stuck in my head from time to time.  Actually, its just the chorus and the memory of me disco skating to this and thinking about those Dittos at JC Penney I could NEVER wear because my booty was too big.

Body and Soul/Classic Scene from 90's

I saw this last weekend on one of the digital channels and could only shake my head while waiting for Cheaters to come on (and I liked it better with Joey Greco as a host instead of Clark Gable's son/grandson).  Anyway, I had a bad case of the giggles (in the library, of all places) and decided to post this little treat.

Something nice: Jayne Kennedy is STILL a beautiful woman.
 

Now this clip here is funny for the YouTube commentary. 










As for yours truly, I was working in the library and gave thought as to why things did not work out for me and my ex.  For one, neither of us had great examples to look up to growing up. Things were never even paced is another factor and below is a classic scene from Five Heartbeats that pretty much sums it up.





Now I realize that drinking is a serious matter but this is some of what I had to deal with for more than a decade.  

How clouded is his thinking, you ask?  
He will argue with anyone that Chris Brown makes more money than Rihanna.  Really.

The N Word/Bounce TV

I wasn't born until late 1968 in Los Angeles county.  Like some who grew up on the Westside/LAX area during this time, my few friends were a range of colors and many were the product of a mixed relationship.

When the ING became mostly Black in the 70s, I was pretty shocked to hear kids using that word like they'd been hosed down by law enforcement, chased by dogs or told they couldn't eat somewhere.

I'm not judging though my opinion is that if you're a baby boomer (or born earlier), you have the first-hand knowledge of what it is really like to be discriminated.  Not saying that it doesn't happen today but you will find there are many who initially bring it on themselves (example: Jena 6 case from 2007).

Anyway, I mention this because Bounce TV has been a helluva education.  I can't stress this enough.  For one, I didn't know Blacks did so many western-style movies back then.

Fred Williamson is not one of my favorites when it comes to his actual films though I respect how him and Pam Grier handled their business (they get paid residuals).  The Legend of Nigger Black Charlie did not hold me the way Thomasine & Bushrod did but I found this account rather interesting.


Now speaking of Bounce TV, there are a few programs they should really take out of their lineup as of 5/28/12.

1. Blues Brothers 2000 - or show the original, which was way better, before showing this for the umpteenth time.
2. The List - Wayne Brady is only entertaining ...in that one Dave Chappelle bit
3. Ali - just because it's bunk
4. Leonard Part 6 - even as Mr. Cosby was at the top of his game during this time, this will always be his off-moment
5. Love For Sale - Mya, that video model....mmm,just get the rights to Video Girl with Megan Good

Now, if you can find old episodes of Baby I'm Back, that show where Bernie Casey played a single father  (can't find it online) or Pipe Dreams with Gladys Knight and then-hubby Barry Hankerson, I'll cancel my Redbox account

Intro

Hey,

Recently, I went to see the latest Tyler Perry movie and though I wasn't impressed, I realized that everyone has a place in the world of entertainment.  Then I thought about how the generation before me felt movies like Scream Blacula Scream were an atrocity (their words, not mine) compared to classics like Stormy Weather.

Now let me ask you this.  Is a person less than because they miss Homeboys in Outer Space?  Does reading August Wilson or James Baldwin automatically make you superior? 

My take is that there are many things that bring down the Black race and TV or movies ain't one of them.  Even the news doesn't give an accurate portrayal of those things positive in the Black community.

I don't have a studio (hell, I barely have a home office) and I can clown with the best of them but this is my small contribution to celebrating what is positive about being Black in America.  Reviews, little-known facts and updates will be posted every week and your comments -- good and indifferent -- will be posted!