Fear Master Shake, and who is most desirable - 1.31.2007.1

Well there were a few things that caught my eye today. One item, was the sad reminder that large amounts of wealth and a strong dash of fame rarely mixes well with friends and family. In this case it’s the signal of perhaps the end of a long friendship for Mr. Bruce Willis. While the lawsuit was settled, the fact that it had been made may be the breaking point between Mr. Willis and his friend. I’m always sorry to hear of stories like this. There are never any winners in this kind of situation.

Speaking of a no-win situation, imagine that you are just coming home after a particularly stressful day. Your only thought is to get home and relax watching television in that massage chair you got over Christmas. You sit down, turn it on, and after a few minutes you pop up wondering what you left on the stove that was burning. Sadly you realize that it’s actually your chair on fire. Not a good day at all. Luckily for most of my readers it’s not an issue, the massage chairs made by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd, are sold in Japan and Asia (and are being recalled). So perhaps your day here is not as bad as you might have first thought.

In terms of relaxing, it seems that there are quite a few men that daydream about a few stars. A list was made by AskMen.com on the 99 most desirable women of 2007 [why 99? And isn’t it a bit early to be doing this kind of list in January?] had Ms. Beyonce Knowles at number 1. A good choice I think.

Who didn’t make the list? Well I think Ms. Alicia Keys should have made it. Talented and good looking, but the low profile she had in 2006 kept her out. That’s a shame. On the other end of the spectrum Mrs. Britney Spears (is she still married?) didn’t make it either. Thank goodness. I’m so tired of seeing her face. Limited talent, not really that pretty, no class – why do people still talk about her? And where was Mrs. Jada Pinkett-Smith? She is classy and sexy and deserves to be on the list, married or not. I have to add a long time favorite of Ms. Claudia Black. [Ayrn Sun rules! I don’t give a frell if you don’t agree. My fellow ‘Scapers know what I mean.]

Now as for the other women on the most desirable list, Ms. Gabrielle Union is far too low at 94. Ms. Rosario Dawson made it to 77, Ms. Jennifer Esposito got 69 (higher than Ms. Dawson?), Fergie is 60, Mrs. Gwen Stefani hit 56, Ms. Mandy Moore ranked 53, Ms. Tyra Banks was what to high at 26. Ms. Charlize Theron could have been higher at 24, Ms. Angalina Jolie caught 9, and Ms. Jessica Alba was far too high at 3. There are a huge number of women I have never seen before (but I’m not big on basic television or low quality programming so that could be a factor). And why are most of the women so thin that they have little or no curves? Face it, they may say that Ms. Knowles is number 1 because of abilities, but her sex appeal didn’t hurt either. That sex appeal is in no small part the fact that she has curves. Why most forms of entertainment are afraid of women with curves I have no idea. If models were shaped more like Ms. Knowles or Ms. Mayra Veronica I’m sure Top Model or runway shows would be far more interesting, for men and women. But that’s my take on the list you can check it out and make your on decision. [Ms. Hilary Duff, Ms. Jennifer Aniston, Ms. Lindsay Lohan, Ms. Penelope Cruz, Ms. Jessica Simpson, Ms. Eva Longoria all made the list and I have no idea why.]

Lastly, I hope that the actions or guerilla marketers in Boston will not adversely affect the programming at Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. You may have heard how the various images of Err, and Master Shake shoke-up the city with fears of a terrorist scare or bombing hoax. It actually was just advertising that went wrong. It seems similar marketing ploys are in 9 other cities, and have been for weeks. I have to wonder though, that since these items were around for a couple of weeks (as was reported), did someone from the parent network decide to get some extra attention and called in the first couple of bomb reportings? Maybe an exec with a desire to get more traction since some poll showed the marketing wasn’t getting enough attention? I have to admit that I thought something was up when Err was pictured on screen and reporters fumbled to figure out who he was and the name of the show. They couldn’t even get the Moonites name right at first. Watching them describe the Aqua Teen Hunger Force show broke up the tension a lot! The apology at 7:59pm on Fox News, for screwing up the details, was classic!

This is what I think, what do you think?

My inspiration, and dream, for 2007 - 12.27.2006.1

I hope there were a few people watching the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programming tonight. Rather than the normal line-up of various programs, each night this week the entire time slots are dedicated to just one program. Yesterday it was the Venture Bros. marathon, tonight it was the Boondocks.

Many should be aware of the Boondocks cartoon, based on a comic strip of the same name that has national syndication. This show is political and Afrocentric and filled with biting sarcasm that hits the mark each time. This one program is probably the best item on television to highlight some of the absurdities that is the Black culture in America today. Had I children I’d tape every episode and make them watch each one at least monthly. Yes, I feel that it makes that much of an impact. No, this isn’t the first time I’ve discussed the program in this blog.

But perhaps the one thing I wish young African Americans (and almost as importantly older Blacks) could see is the episode about Dr. Martin Luther King. It was an episode based on a dream that Dr. King lived (though in a coma for 30 years). Through out the episode Dr. King is just trying to adjust to the world and yet still carry the beliefs he had in the 60’s. But this is not a world based on the efforts of the Civil Rights Movement, or the sacrifices of Dr. King, Mr. Malcolm X and thousands if not millions of others.

The most telling part of this episode is when Dr. King finally loses his patience. He rightly addresses a large crowd of Black African Americans, and television media, and says what is really happening. He admonishes the Black culture for the failures that are glorified today, and the common usage of a term that “is the ugliest word in the English language.” He addresses the lunacy of black-oriented television (as it exists on a particular cable network) and so much more.

And amazingly the African Americans of this dream episode reacted, positively. Finally there was unified action. Education became important, athletes lived up to the role-model status they have, laws changed and the revolution that was demanded in the 1960’s finally happened (without bloodshed).

The potential that so many sacrificed for, that so many more waste today, became a reality. It was a dream of course. Even in the cartoon it was acknowledged that this isn’t close to reality in any form. But it’s quite a dream, one worth having or at the least seeing. Just as the Black men and women of the cartoon’s world opened their eyes, so must we all. I think one line from this television program summed it all up in a neatness that is eloquent – The people are waiting for Dr. Martin Luther King to come back, but it’s not going to happen.

Maybe 2007 will be the year this sinks in. Maybe the culture will understand that there is no such thing as “ghettofabulous” and that denigrating friends and family with a hateful and derogatory term is vicious and not loving. Perhaps the youth will understand that without an education there is no foundation to build a better life on. In 2007 we may finally get to see the Black community band together and use the most valuable asset we have that no one can take, but that we can destroy ourselves, our minds.
Maybe I’m dreaming of a 2007 that won’t happen, but it can. And that’s what dreams are for, right?

This is what I think, what do you think?