Wayback Wednesday - Unlimited Touch

This was one of my skating rink jams back in the day.  Doesn't seem like 30+ years but that's just one of those facts of life.  Anyway, there isn't a whole lot to be found on this group but I'm grateful to Soul Walking for their 411.

I didn't make the video as there seems to be no official video for this classic jam.  Enjoy!

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.

RIP Don Mitchell

Last week, we lost the great Don Mitchell at the age of 70.  I have not gotten around to watching the original Ironside but he was the only person I liked in Scream Blacula Scream.

As the link shows, he made many TV guest appearances but never became a household name or had the name recognition that ex-wife Judy Pace would have.

However, one thing that impressed me was that he became a businessman after acting gigs slowed down and he would be considered part of Hollywood's First Black Power Couple back in the 1970s.

Mr. Mitchell is in the brown suit below.  Enjoy!

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.

New Shows From Bounce TV

 I still love Bounce network even though their last attempt at original programming left me a little dry (seems others felt the same because its been about a year and no mention of either show returning).

Anyway, I love a good roommate sitcom and you can't tell me Laverne and Shirley wasn't funny back in the day.  I once even read that before they became really famous, Wendy Williams and MO nique were supposed to do a buddy-buddy show before they fell out for good.  Hopefully, Bounce will get the rights to The New Odd Couple with "Lamont Sanford" and Ron Glass (Black dude from Barney Miller).

Yes, roommate shows are nice but why do I get the feeling that My Crazy Roommate is a copycat of Half and Half?

The show about half-sisters who live and try to get along in the same apt. bldg. was one of my favorites and I hate that Rachel True was maligned because she only spoke the truth about these up-and-coming networks.

So politics and racism aside and back on topic, I see the multi-colored eclectic-style apartment (I liked Mona Thorne's place better) with the lighter female as bourgie, a little too uptight and other characteristics that remind me of DeeDee Thorne.  Then there is the darker one with curly hair but a lot more attitude but still an outcast of sorts.

Hmmm....I'm going to stick around to see where this goes.

BRKDWN is news geared towards a younger demo.  It also has a lot of scripted dialogue that goes on behind the scenes.  I don't love or hate it but I do think it needs a little work.

Hosts - Ol girl is cute and has personality but IMO, multicolored hair went out with Kelis.  The guy is kind of just sorta there...maybe.  This could be why the female sometimes talks superfast.

Supporting characters - As a former member of Team Chunk, I have to say this.  If you're going to have a big girl on there, show her some love.  Get clothes that fit and weave that's not matted or weird looking.  A big sweet dark Chunky Bar in bad wrapping though funny like Shirley the waitress from Whats Happening.

Though I hate they debuted with RayJ but I appreciate them spreading the message on politics, cancer, and college ball.

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.

Marvin Gaye Biopic Sneak Peak

According to Crunk and Disorderly, there is more going wrong with this flick. I'm sure Marvin is somewhere spinning.

First, it was casting but there is no Usher or Lenny Kravitz (whew!) but the original pick for the past decade or so, Jesse L. Martin.

Then it was music clearance issues as the Gay(e) family does not own the rights.

So why proceed?  Beats the hell outta me!

Now I gotta warn you, in the clip above, there are a lot of White women, no Berry Gordy or any familiar Motown figure, and ...yeah, that was my feeling exactly.