Anna Nicole Smith: The Opera

Of the many things in the world I could expect an opera to be made about, Anna Nicole Smith is not among them. In fact if I had made a bet with Las Vegas yesterday about the chances of such an event happening, the odds would have been astronomical I would guess. The difference one day makes.

Because in the face of crazy odds, good taste and profiting off the back of the dead there will be an opera based on Anna Nicole Smith.

Who would bring such an atrocity to the stage? Who would think that anyone of sound mind would part with their hard-earned cash in this economic blast furnace to watch such a travesty of the arts? Richard Thomas.

If you are wondering who in the world this is think back to another great occurrence in the world of opera. He is the man responsible from presenting Jerry Springer: The Opera to the masses. And that collective look of dumbfoundment and trepidation you likely have is answer enough about the quality I expect from this venture.

Of course to propose an opera is one thing, but you need to stage it somewhere. Considering the reputations of opera houses across the world you might think that this could be found in the Timbuktu Opera House (no offense to them if one exists). But in fact it will be at the Royal Opera in Britain. I had no idea they were that starved for cash.

Opera loves tragedy, and the life of Smith is one fraught with just that. But it is also a life that was self-inflicted. Without merit. And without cause of celebration, re-enactment, or glorification.

I suppose that those fans of the Jerry Springer Show, who likely saw the film and play, are likely to see this play as well. But as I consider most people that would view such tripe as just as likely to appear on the program, the rest of the human race will undoubtedly avoid this near inarguable refuse.

Still I could be wrong. It is probable that Anna Nicole Smith: The Opera could be an endearing testament of the pressure and pitfalls of success and fame. On the same order of probability that I can produce diamonds out of my rectum. It’s probable, but that does not mean it is a practical reality in this universe.

But by all means, if you are in the mood to smack your face with a ball-peen hammer, go see this performance for yourself. If after viewing this you have more brains left than drinking a Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster, and you are still imbued with the ability to flail your limbs enough to respond, please do let me know if I was wrong.

And for those wondering about the Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster, it is/was created by Zaphod Beeblebrox and the effect of one is like having your brain smashed out by a slice of lemon wrapped round a large gold brick.

Janet Jackson: Intelligence, success, and fame are not enough

Over the weekend I noticed something and I doubt many have spoken on it. Janet Jackson was in the news again about her Super Bowl costume issue. It seems that after years of comments and threats by the FCC, the whole thing is now passed over as if it never happened.

Isn’t that interesting. CBS will receive no fine

“This is an important win for the entire broadcasting industry because it recognizes that there are rare instances, particularly during live programming, when it may not be possible to block unfortunate fleeting material, despite best efforts," the CBS Network, which had the misfortune of unwittingly broadcasting the Super Bowl debacle, issued in a statement.”

Justin Timberlake, who committed the act of infamy, has walked away from this scandal without ever being touched by it. The fact that he may have caused the problem in the manner he removed the cloth was never his fault. His career, whatever you may think of it, has continued unabated.

But Janet Jackson has been mired with this scandal. She has effectively become blackballed by the media and entertainment industries. Did anyone notice that she had an album out recently? Now Janet Jackson has had so-so albums, and mega-hits, but in her entire career I have never known her to release an album and not hear any of the songs, nor see/read commentary about it. Her worst album (before the latest) sold more records than most entertainers on a good day.

The media just can’t let go of less than 15 seconds of footage. The mostly bare single breast of this Black woman is just that powerful I suppose. I have to imagine that were both breasts to have been bared, half the population of America would have died. I mean that’s the way the media and a few fringe fanatical groups seem to act.

But is that fair?

Hmmm, CBS promotes the UFC – which is a violent sport. Unlike boxing it has no elegance, it’s just about raw power. That has to be good for the kids. I'm sure the soap operas that were the staple of CBS and broadcast television, with more breasts and ass appearing than some soft-core porn, really has to be good for kids in the afternoon.

And the entertainment media loves women. I mean look at the attention poured all over Britney Spears as she has desperately tried to implode. She went to rehab for as long as it take me to piss, then cuts off her hair. Mega-news story. I’m sure it inspired many drug addicts, and more than a few young girls, to try a new fashion design. That’s positive.


There is the insanely untalented Paris Hilton. Bad porno tape, can’t act, can’t sing, can’t even open her glove box to see the letter telling her she can’t drive. But she is insanely rich. So rich that she almost pulled off a get out of jail card. If she has a positive to impart on the American public I am still unaware of it.


Anna Nicole Smith, drug addict (possibly while pregnant), promiscuous, arguably lecherous, with a sole talent being she had a great body. Months were devoted to her death at the near exclusion of all other news and facts at the time. Literally I do not recall another story that has been on the news that much – hours of news hours dedicated to a woman that was about as important as wet paper. Seriously, even Britney Spears has more talent. Message to kids – if you have the right curves you can get money and no one will care how many drugs you take. If you are a guy, either make a lot of money for this kind of girl to take, or be sleazy enough to leech money from her drug-addled ass.


Lindsey Lohan, the drunken party girl that was desperately trying to end her movie career. After years of building up a host of fans that were not old enough to appreciate talent, Lohan was more than happy to drink herself into oblivion. Her quick trips to rehab were only slightly longer than Spears, but thankfully she had her mom to lean on while she drank and did drugs.

Amy Winehouse, the reported crack addict with a voice. So deep into drugs and alcoholism that she couldn’t perform and has been arrested multiple times. And she doesn’t care what anyone thinks because she told us that. At least her man is just as deranged and besodden as her, so it’s a match set in love and not money.

I could go on, but what are the similarities of these women?

They are all White, they all are being promoted and covered by the media (thus making them all money), and they all have been filmed, photographed and discussed ad nausea since Janet Jackson was at the Super Bowl.

So was the outrage that Janet Jackson’s accidental exposure occurred, or was it something else. None of the women I mentioned have half her talent or longevity in entertainment. Janet is not on drugs, does not cover magazines drunk or in scandals (other than the one event). She has never been linked to anything negative that I can recall. And no one questions her ability to think and do business – she broke all records for an artist contract that even her brother did not match at one time.

In fact she should be a role model for young women, proving that women (especially Black women) beside Oprah and Maya Angelou can succeed on their own doing what they are best at. Yet she his blacklisted and blackout by the media in favor of women who are such messes I can’t imagine most of them surviving to be 35.

So what’s wrong with the major media? What’s going on in the entertainment industry? What the hell are Hollywood and music execs thinking?

I tell you what, if I had a daughter – or were it one of my nieces – and the worst moment in a career she made that garnered her tens of millions of dollars, fame, and comfort over decades was the momentary equivalent of her dress slipping I’d be happy for her. No drugs, no scandals, no court taking away her children because she is unfit as a mother, no drunken binges and car accidents that could kill innocents, no crimes, no whispers of anorexia, never selling her body for money.

Seriously ask yourself this question, which woman would you want your daughter, sister, niece, or mother to emulate? Then ask why being Black, successful, talented, and intelligent is worthy of a media excommunication?

Wesley Snipes unfairly sentanced to 3 years, Willie Nelson free

So I was wrong. Not by a lot, but wrong all the same. Wesley Snipes was sentenced today to 3 years of prison by a judge in Florida today. I had expected him to receive no jail time and probation.

“Mr. Snipes was found guilty of 3 counts of not filing a tax return. Those were misdemeanor counts. He was up for 16 years in prison, that pundits were sure he would be convicted for, and based on the misdemeanors he will almost assuredly spend no time in prison.”

Given that the various pundits were nearly demanding his incarceration I found it interesting that he was found innocent by a jury, and that it was not publicized. There was massive media in convicting Snipes before the trial ever started as I have written. Now that he has been unfairly penalized, the media is all over this in a manner they have avoided on the positive news of this case.

Mind you that before the sentancing many entertainers offered letters defending his character. Some of those included Denzel Washington, Woody Harrelson, and Judge Greg Mathis. At least in the case of Judge Mathis, the hope was not in obtaining leniency but in ensuring a fair sentancing. That obviously did not happen.

Unlike Willie Nelson who lost a case with the IRS, owing $32 million, and received no jail time or probation Snipes was placed in jail. This reminds me of the various cases where crack dealers receive severely harsher penalties while those convicted for cocaine receive lesser punishment. In these examples of what is known to occur commonly, we see that being Black virtually ensures the longest jail sentances.

Remember that in this case we have Snipes with no prior criminal record, this is a non-violent crime, it’s a misdemeanor, and he’s a celebrity (which usually helps). Add to that that the IRS paid Wesleyt Snipes a full $7 million dollar refund, and waited 5 years for the red flags to go up.

At what point is this not the Government picking on a Black man? They used tax loss even for years in which Snipes was acquitted of failing to file a return. And the fact is criminal tax prosecutions are relatively rare. The judge in this case wanted to make a point and hurt Mr. Snipes, not unlike the courts and juries that went after OJ Simpson after he too was found innocent. They just couldn’t let the African American man walk away when they knew (in their minds), and wanted him to be found guilty and suffer in jail. Again, if you think I am wrong just refer to Willie Nelson and his freedom though he was found guilty for $32 million.

And I have to ask, why must the media play up the negatives of this case. From day one they framed this, in 30 second soundbites, to enhance the presumed and pre-convicted guilt of Mr. Snipes. Similar in the way that 35 years of sermons of Rev. Wright were summarized into five 10 second polispeak soundbites to be used against him and Senator Obama.

The media seems to take great joy in promoting any image or story that presumes guilt of African Americans. Yet they are remiss in dealing with obvious events of Whites commiting atrocities and repugnant racial attacks. Just look at all the news coverage given to Megan Williams as compared to Bobbie Cutts or the manner in which the death of Sean Taylor was covered, or the brief coverage of Michael Richards, or the unabashed and unrelenting proclamation of innocence of the Duke Lacrosse team, or the 3 month long coverage of Anna Nicole Smith as opposed to the virtual fleeting coverage of James Brown’s death. And I can go on.

With this kind of media coverage, is there any question why Senator Obama gets such strong polling, and yet reflectively few White votes? Or that Wesley Snipes is now going to serve 3 years in jail for something a comparable White entertainer didn’t spend 5 minutes in jail for?

Hell, Paris Hilton had petitions and multiple pundits proclaiming she was unfairly sentenced – though she flaunted the law and was a menance to the lives of the public on roads. Yet I’ve heard only Judge Mathis on the news media saying the same thing (the sentancing) for Wesley Snipes.

What a world we live in. And what major media we have telling us about it. Keep your eyes open because the America they are selling us isn’t the Friends they want us to believe in, but a more colorful and diverse reality. Until they get a chance to spin the polispeak against us.

Reflecting on V for Vendetta and American politics

So I was sitting home responding to comments on the VASS blog site, when I ran into a comment to my post thanking the Marines, the Armed Forces, and veterans for all they have done for this nation. The comment was an attempt to mock my heartfelt thanks. My reply was direct and obviously in direct opposition. Then I watched V for Vendetta.

It seems a bit ironic that I would watch a movie about how wrong a Government can go immediately after defending a Government that some feel has gone wrong. But there is the issue. Of late there have been a horde of movies demanding that America realize that utter chaos is ruling the nation. According to some there are no freedoms left. Such was the comment made at the abovementioned post. Such is the fare of movies.

Yet the reality is far from this. In V for Vendetta we see a government that has used its own people for biological experimentation. A scary thought for a movie. Except when you consider that America has already done this. They were called the Tuskegee Experiments. And America did not fall.

In the movie similarities are drawn to the Nazi’s, and fanatical Islamist governments that persecute the unwanted parts of their societies. Not unlike the way America had legal lynchings until 1922 (after 7 years of trying to pass the law) and Jim Crow to replace slavery. And America has not fallen.

In the movie the media is used to manipulate how people think. Unlike the direct commentary in the silver screen; reality only has pictures in newspapers (like the photo in post-Katrina New Orleans showing a Black man with a bag in flood waters called a looter, but a White man with a similar bag in waters equally as high is called a survivor looking for food), or news programs that attack the death of an athlete (Sean Taylor – his murder was a discussion of his actions as a teen) versus the months-long sorrow for drug addicts (Heath Ledger, Anna Nicole Smith, Britney Spears – oops she’s still alive right? Well you get the point). And yet America lives on.

For all the fears and horrors that movies imply, state, or hint at America remains the greatest nation in the world. Year after year, for centuries we have seen people across the globe come to this nation by any means they can. The fact America has issues with people of color is not only known, it’s advertised in every medium we have – and still they come. And all the detractors stay.

Why?

Because we aren’t losing all our freedoms. That even if we had half the freedoms that exist now we still would be the freest nation in the world. That we have the greatest ability to allow virtually anyone, or their kids, to have a better life. Because we are more than rich in wealth, we are rich in freedom which has no price tag.

Now this is not to say there aren’t problems in bundles. I do not hide from the issues that need to be dealt with, nor do I accept the word of the Government as Gospel. There are reasons why some think that the Government killed its own people on 9/11 (and this is not about V for Vendetta), or that drugs and AIDS were shoved into the poorer, more racially diverse parts of cities across the country. But at the same time, the people still have power to change how the Government acts.

Fear, some say, it the motivation of the day. But I also see the other side. The fear being feed like a crack dealer via the major media stating not that a terrorist is under your bed, but that the Government is out of control.

We cannot allow ourselves to be blinded by fear – of fanatical religious groups that believe sex with children is ok (Texas), that killing abortionist is ok (Christian), that women have no rights or that suicide bombs make sense (Islam). All those fears are real, existing in this country and outside of it, but they cannot destroy us unless we allow them. In the same manner we cannot be drugged with the opiate of the masses (television, movies, the internet) when some choose to use it to tell us to fear the very thing we control.

If a movie like V for Vendetta tells us anything it is not that we have lost everything. We haven’t even though we have done everything that they fear we might. But if we get lulled by this fear we will be no better off, in fact worse off, than the reality that surrounds us.

I love my country. That why I vote, and promote others to do so. It’s why I cover the Presidential race. It’s why I point out the schism in the media. It’s why I defend what I think is right, and address what is wrong. And it’s why we cannot blindly fight against one fear to just accept another.

I want to leave you with a quote from that movie, apply it as you will

“What we need right now is a clear message to the people of this country. This message must be read in every newspaper, heard on every radio, seen on every television. This message must resound throughout the entire Interlink! I want this country to realize we stand on the edge of oblivion. I want every man woman and child to understand how close we are to chaos. I WANT EVERYONE, TO REMEMBER WHY THEY NEED US!”

A point of differnce after Sean Levert dies

In sad news I noticed that Sean Levert died on March 30th. He was 39 years old. While I saw nothing about this in the major media, I think it’s worth noting.

One thing that really gives me pause is the fact that Sean Levert was in jail just prior to his death. One hour before he died he was serving time for failing to pay child support. An autopsy has already been done and the claim is that there was no foul play. And I have to wonder.

Over the weekend I saw news about Anna Nicole Smith’s son. His death was ruled an accidental overdose. Back at the time of his death there was constant coverage, and it took about a week to get a full autopsy done. The only thing that Anna Nicole’s son is known for is being her son, and dying under odd circumstances.

Yet, Sean Levert actually contributed to society (he was a singer like his father, and working with his more famous brother Gerald for a time). While his contribution was nothing to win a Nobel Peace Prize over, in comparison to the Smith son he was King Kong. He was relatively famous in his own right, and the son of a very successful famous father. He was in jail (which the media normally loves to cover and laud when it comes to entertainers in trouble and African Americans in general as I observe). And he died very suddenly with what seems to be in comparison a rushed autopsy.

Now I’m not saying that this was foul play on the part of Cuyahoga County jail, but I am noting that there is a schism yet again. Anna Nicole Smith has been in the news, on and off, for a year. Her son generated significant news coverage a year after his death – while he was an ordinary person beyond his lineage. Sean Levert got nothing, Sean Bell was dropped in a day, Sean Taylor was vilified over his youth, Megan Williams was ignored, and they tried to railroad Wesley Snipes.

Months after his death I’m hearing even more about Heath Ledger. Why? I’m not trying to belittle their deaths, and I do give my condolences to their families and friends, but that does not change the obvious actions of the media. And then some people wonder why Preachers like Rev. Wright are upset.

If we can’t give equal, or even similar, acknowledgement of the deaths of those famous and near-famous in our nation then how the hell can we except to see equality in life?

Update on Sean Taylor of the Redskins Football team - 1.24.2008.1

I decided to do a search on Sean Taylor, the Redskin’s football player that was killed in his home at the end of November 2007. The reason for the search is because of the media attention to Heath Ledger's death. I am sorry that he is dead, but I am noticing the amount of time that is being dedicated to his death.

Similar to the months of coverage of Anna Nicole Smith’s death (or Stacy Peterson), there is no end to the rumors, minor insignificant facts, and minutiae that is being uncovered about the man. This is fine for TMZ and other institutions that waste your time. I can even see how Greta Van Susteren, of Fox News, would cover it [I find her program to be the equivalent of ambulance chasing news coverage]. But without outside factors (like a hint that this was a murder and not a suicide or accidental overdose – which often is the same thing), the time spent on this sad event is troubling to me.

Thus I wanted to go back and compare the on-going coverage to a recent death. Sean Taylor’s death was covered by all the major news media. It did get a few hours of news coverage over roughly 3 days. By news coverage standards that is huge. Of course the follow-up of the case has been sporadic and less well done. Like the fact, reported on Canadian Press that,

“Sean Taylor, the first player voted posthumously to the Pro Bowl, will have his jersey number worn at the game by two of his former Washington Redskins teammates.

The NFL announced Wednesday tight end Chris Cooley and tackle Chris Samuels will both wear No. 21 at the game Feb. 10 in Honolulu.”

Another fact that has been less covered is the Fund that has been created to take care of Taylor’s daughter.

“Cooley and Samuels will each wear his own name on the back of the jersey, above the No. 21. The jerseys will be auctioned after the game, with the proceeds benefiting the Sean Taylor Memorial Trust Fund that was established for Taylor's daughter, Jackie.”

The difference is this:

• Taylor was murdered, Ledger has been reported as not.
  
• Taylor’s murder seems to have been done by 4 individuals that have been arrested. Coverage has not fully confirmed this fact, thus his killers may be at large (though this is unlikely).
  
• Ledger has received sympathetic commentary by pundits. Many have explained his past drug use on various reasons, and drawn correlations to this being involved with his sudden death. None of the coverage has been accusatory or negative.
  
• Taylor was maligned constantly. Pundits gave as much time to rumors and past facts that indicated a negative view of Taylor, as actual facts in the case.
  
• Ledgers is portrayed as had having a positive growing future prior to his death.
  
• Taylor was portrayed as having a negative past, a complicated future, and minimalization of his achievements.
  

Why am I mentioning this, and why now?

I realize that Heath Ledger has just died. I can imagine how his family and friends are taking this sudden and shocking news. I do not intend to be insensitive.

But the fact remains that the media is unjust and biased in its coverage. And that pisses me off. I’m tired of reading about the death of an African American celebrity/entertainer a week after the event. Or that their life is minimized, and coverage short and sporadic. Then a White celebrity/entertainer dies and up to a week, or even months of coverage ensue.

I’m tired of hearing all the wonderful things about drunken drug addicted ignorant White entertainers (a la Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, ect) that need our sympathy. Then I get to hear all the negative mean items about African American entertainers that survived and overcame gangs, poverty, inadequate education systems, social bias, racism, and sometimes more.

But to say this in retrospect does not have the same impact as watching the news today and seeing the impact. Pay attention to the news, and note what is being said. See how much is said about the tribute to Sean Taylor. See how they describe Sean Taylor’s life. Then wait a few months and watch how Heath Ledger will be discussed in what I expect will be a grand scale when the next Batman movie comes out. Watch how much time will be given to remember the positive aspects of Heath, several months from now.

Is this the perfect time? No. But there never is in such matters. But if we cannot celebrate the past of our heroes and entertainers equally, then how can we expect anything else to be equal? If we are not the same in death, how can we be the same in life?

If the major news media can’t be colorblind in death, then I don’t need to know about that death. James Brown was not buried for a month and the major media never noticed. But Anna Nicole Smith, who’s body was a matter of legal debate – exactly the same as James Brown’s was and at the same tme, received multiple days of live coverage.

I don’t want to insult the dead. But I do want to criticize the living. Because the little things matter, a lot. And I’m tired of the lopsided commentary that only exists to subtly and directly stereotype and minimize the existence of any person of color.

Heath Ledger dead in NYC - 1.22.2008.1

Heath Ledger is dead. He was 28.

Unexpected? Yes. The big item of news as is being reported by the major news media right now? NO.

Yet again we are seeing that the news is overly focused on relatively unimportant information. I don’t mean to speak ill of the dead, and I do not wish to make light of the loss his friends and family are experiencing. But there is the fact that the stock market dropped 450 points this morning, the FED cut interest rates ¾ of a point, the economy is in trouble, and the Presidential race is quickly coming to a point where only 2 candidates will remain.

For nearly an entire hour, the only thing that can be mentioned in the major news media is the fact that Heath Ledger seems to have taken prescription drugs, and had a heart attack. Apparently an accidental death, though pills were supposedly strewn about the body. Already rumors of the apartment being owned by Mary Kate Olsen have appeared and been debunked. Like that makes any difference on where the sun sets.

Consider this. Over the rest of the day, and in the next several days I would bet that roughly 3 days of news will be dedicated to this admittedly tragic event. Something like 8 hours of news will be spent on this. How much time was spent discussing the Tiger Woods lynching comments, and Golfweek magazine cover?

How much time has been spent on the racial tensions that occurred YESTERDAY in Jena? How about the time devoted to the Megan Williams case? Or why all the leading Presidential candidates proffered themselves as advocates of the actions of Dr. Martin Luther King yesterday yet not one has been willing to discuss an official apology to African Americans for slavery, nor Reparations.

I understand that Heath Ledger’s death is news on a celebrity. I understand that this will be talked about prior to the release of the next Batman Dark Knight movie. There is no question that reviewer will be kind in their evaluation of his role as the Joker [which from the trailers I have seen so far are not compelling and thus I expect the film to be lackluster regardless of the box office take]. But honestly there is more to focus on.

Is this harsh? Perhaps. But I tend to be focused on the important facts going on, than the distractions that some would like to fill my head with. The economy, who will be President and how will they govern America, race relations, and the impact of racially insensitive and potentially violent images and words being bandied about with the casual flippancy of a morning greeting are all far more important to me.

Celebrities, minor and major, die from stupid things all the time. Their passing should be noted. But I’m just tired of watching endless hours of useless information about their passing (as was done with Anna Nicole Smith) that benefits no one.

Do you agree?

6 abuse and torture Black woman in West Virginia - 9.12.2007.2

Where the hell is the outrage! I mean it. I am constantly upset with the major news media for what they do and do not refer to in reference to African-Americans. I have mentioned how the major news media glosses over events such as the Sean Bell shooting, or the Michael Richards explosion of bile. On the other side is how the media seeks out any and every bit of information to condemn an African American long before the question of guilt or innocence can be determined, such as in reference to the Bobby Cutts case. And of course, there is always the immediate assumption of innocence that tends to go along to any White American accused of crime, especially when it involves African Americans or in comparison to coverage given to African-Americans with a similar accusation. Just look back at the coverage from day one on the Duke Rape case. It's infuriating.

But right now I'm just pissed off! It was just announced that something happened on Saturday and is just hitting the airwaves. This crime is heinous, deplorable, and maddening to say the least. It seems that Saturday in West Virginia six people have been arrested for sexually abusing, beating, and terrorizing a Black woman for no reason (as if there could be some justification) other than the color of her skin. Read that sentence again, I don't want to have to say it again.

This horrible and vile act has taken five days to be reported by the media. So far I've seen roughly 5 minutes of coverage in total, over the last hour. Let me be clear, I watch the news for roughly 10 hours every day. Its part of my search for news and items to speak about on this blog and the others I write for. When I say five minutes, that means since 9:30 a.m., and the first announcement on this news story occurred at roughly 3:30 p.m. today. This is not the lead story on Fox News, or CNN. The coverage is still being developed, five days after the arrest occurred.

So where has the major news media been. I understand that the earthquake in Indonesia is important, but I think that having a little bit less news on that and a bit more attention on this matter is justified. I really want to hear from the major news media, in particular, the cable news networks, why this was not discussed sooner or why there is no more information. In this same five-day period in the past these news networks were able to determine the entire work history and family for Bobby Cutts. In this same amount of time they were able to criticize the work and life of the woman who alleged rape at Duke. In the same amount of time, five days, I was told more about the life of Anna Nicole Smith than I could've cared about, if I actually cared. Major news media spent more than five days in discussing the crime and punishment of a seemingly drunken, disorderly, talent less, and possibly brainless rich brat - Paris Hilton.

At 4:00 p.m. CNN is leading off with the Democratic response to the report about Iraq. On Fox News we’re being told about tropical storm Abbas and then onto the lawsuit against Countrywide by its employees. CNN went on to discuss the departure of Tony Snow, and how the President will present the news that the surge in Iraq is reportedly working.

Displeased is not the word. Anger touches on it just a bit.

If this were, six Black men and women who had committed the same crimes against a White woman, I guarantee it would be the leading news story shortly after the arrest in West Virginia on Saturday. I don't think anyone in this nation would argue that fact. Where the hell are the facts about Frankie Brewster, her son and all the rest of the people involved in this case? Where is the history about where they work, whether they were arrested, whether they take drugs, and everything else about these people? Where are the cries from the announcers denouncing this act, and the moral outrage that it could occur! Where's the news coverage!

Why can't the news media present this story in the same manner and with the same attention to detail that they provide to other cases, where African-Americans are assumed to be the aggressor, and/or criminal.

I would love to hear the argument from the media or any other organization or individual that can justify why this case does not have more national attention than it has received to date. But I honestly do not expect to hear a response from the media or anyone else with that justification, because it does not exist. It was an injustice that was done to this woman. It's an injustice that the federal government will not pursue this as a hate crime when any sane person hearing the facts of this case, as has been presented understands that it is a hate crime, by definition. It is an injustice that the news media has, can, and will persecute African-Americans, Latinos, Hispanics, Asians, and every other minority solely because they have been accused of a crime. And when an atrocity occurs, committed by a White American they are excused, apologize for, and glossed over.

Some may not think racism still exists in America; among other things the six people in West Virginia, arrested on Saturday, including Frankie Brewster and her son, prove it does exist. The coverage by the major news media, prove that such racism is not only pervasive but a blind eye is turned toward it. I don't want to speak more about this right now, it angers me. But I will be back to this.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Have you heard about Wesley Snipes? Why not? Part 2 - 6.18.2007.3

Continued from Have you heard about Wesley Snipes? Why not? Part 1 ...

MSNBC had similar thoughts as Smoking Gun with a headline that reads Wesley Snipes blames racism for tax charges.

In piecing together the facts as they appear to be I gather that Mr. Rosile and Mr. Khan have not been charged, though they have 2000 clients that have allegedly made false claims with the IRS, exactly the same as Mr. Snipes though for less money. Yet only Mr. Snipes has been singled out as a ‘co-conspirator’.


Does any of this ring as odd to anyone else besides me? From the first day Mr. Snipes has been made out to be a thuggish rogue [in the worst meaning of the words] hiding from the government that he has wronged. Yet even a casual reading of several of the news releases shows that this is not the case.

The government apparently indicted Mr. Snipes while he was away working, without bothering to ask his publicist or manager if he was working. He was picked out of 2000 clients to be the poster child of government acting tough on taxes. When Mr. Snipes arranged to meet the cops to be taken on the charges made when he had no voice in the country (nor knowledge that he needed one) the media jumped on the story as if he were a fugitive, like he was a crackhead running from the police with 2 strikes over their head.

Rather than applying justice for this crime equally on all those suspected of committing it, only Mr. Snipes has been charged. Others that acted in exactly the same manner seemingly have walked away clean. And it should be noted that if the charges are correct, the IRS received a tax return that requested a $7 million return, which they paid and not a single red flag popped up for 5 years. Yet they are on me if my quarterly taxes are late.

This appears to be a set-up of classic proportions. Media and hoopla on charges made when there can be no response, near sensationalism on negotiated actions that occur without resistance. An atmosphere of implied guilt, and a brush off when potentially credible reasons for racial bias are voiced.

Where is the preferential treatment that ALL entertainers are supposed to get? Where is the media covering his side of the story? Actually where is the media since the moment they got photos of Mr. Snipes in handcuffs? Where are the petitions asking that the charges be dropped? Where are the cable news networks spending a week discussing every angle and public view of the case. What about the pundits speculating how this affects the Dow Jones. Anna Nicole Smith, Paris Hilton and several other entertainers and celebrities got this kind of treatment. Even during the Imus debacle, Snoop Dogg got more attention.

No matter what the outcome of this case, and I am still following it, this feels wrong. But I’m sure that the media isn’t doing anything different just because of the race of this one entertainer?

This is what I think, what do you think?

Fox News turns a blind eye - 3.21.2007.1

I am pissed at Fox News. I watch this channel daily, while I am at work. I find their views close to my own on various issues, especially politics. I have often referred to them when I am commenting on a current event or breaking news. Generally it’s a decent 24 hour cable news network. Then there are the exceptions.

Let me first commend the channel on their attention to missing children. I feel the channel takes a lot of time to announce and follow Amber Alerts, broadcasts of missing children. I feel the news organization has a real desire to protect and make the public aware of issues with children. That is a positive that shouldn’t be taken away from the cable news channel.

Beyond this compliment I have noticed an issue with them. I’ve mentioned it before and I believe I will need to again in the future. Fox News seems to have difficulty providing equal coverage to African American and minority children. There are many examples of this, but today it just hit the top.

I’m referring to news about the Boy Scout that was lost, and 2 girls that were abducted in Texas, I may have gotten the location wrong, on Saturday. The Boy Scout has been a featured item for the last 3 days. It’s known now that the boy was attempting to hitchhike home and got lost in the woods. There was roughly 10 minutes of coverage per hour for at least 2 days, with about 2-3 minutes of coverage per hour today after the boy has been found and has been with his family for 24 hours. That is a good thing to know. I’m glad the boy was found alive and relatively well. I’m sure his family is rejoicing.

But on Saturday there were to teen girls that were abducted. We know that this happened because there was a call from a cell at 4 (I am unsure if that is am or pm) were they were screaming which was the last time they were heard from. This information never hit the air, that I am aware of. The first I heard about this was today, for 45 seconds. Thankfully this was because the 2 girls were found 200 miles from where they lived, injured but alive. The police stated that they felt this was a serious abduction and not a prank.

So what makes the boy lost in the woods so much more newsworthy? Why was the fact that an apparent kidnapping of teens in an urban environment, with a cryptic message less important than all other news? Why is the news of their being found alive and a police investigation into their situation only worth 1 scant announcement lasting barely a minute? Why is the news of the Boy Scout already with his family, lost due to his own bad decisions, worthy of at least 5 announcements of roughly 2 minutes a piece in the last 4 hours?

I don’t expect Fox News, or any cable news network, to follow every single abduction of children and Amber Alert in the nation. Perhaps there should be a cable channel just for that; but that is a separate issue. Since the New Year started I recall 2 missing children features that had children of color. I recall about 7 or more for non-minority children. I have seen coverage of white teens committing crimes that are brushed aside, and others getting an hour or more coverage for things like demonstrations at schools. Yet African American children seem to only be referred to when a violent or drug laden action has happened.

There was plenty of time to cover the Long Island girls that had the Youtube broadcast fight, maybe 2 hours of coverage. The white girls that had a similar taped fight got maybe 15 minutes of coverage. The toddlers given marijuana by teens got roughly 3 hours of attention, yet I’ve seen nothing that was mentioned about this being something that happens across the nation to families of all colors. I know it’s not just a minority thing as I’ve heard locally of such acts, by white parents – who were then disciplined by the police.

There is plenty of time to talk about the various issues of Anna Nicole Smith, who contributed nothing to the sum total of the planet (I’m not being cruel, it’s just honest), or women’s basketball, or Britney Spears coming out of rehab. There is no lack of air-time to discuss why the Boy Scout wanted to hitchhike home, or that the family does not want to release any information about which hospital he may now be in, if any. Yet there is no space to get into any depth on 2 Black American girls that were taken against their will, injured, found 200 miles from home, and are now thankfully being reunited with their families.

So the thought is why has Fox News taken what seems to be this active prioritization on news events? What is fair and balanced on this current reporting? Which event seems more news worthy to you, finding out what the Boy Scout looks like now that he is home after trying to hitchhike home or finding out who essentially kidnapped and possibly assaulted two girls for several days and is still loose to attack your daughter, sister or mother? Does the race of these 2 girls matter to you if your family member is the next victim, loose because color of skin seemed to matter to an executive at Fox News.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Do you see a media bias? - 3.20.2007.1

Did anyone hear the news about the Sean Bell case? I doubt if most did. 51 shots fired at 3 men in a car leading to a death, all those men unarmed and fired upon by 5 police officers, and I only noticed 7 minutes of coverage all day yesterday between CNN and Fox News. 3 of the officers were indicted; charges included reckless endangerment of the public as shots hit buildings and other structures where other innocent people were. Anyone surprised?

I have friends all over the country, none of them heard a word about the latest events in the Sean Bell Case. I’m in New York State, barely any comment in the last 24 hours. I do watch a lot of cable news, but I’m not glued to it so there may have been somewhat more coverage. But I can say that in 4 hours I saw 2 mentions of the case for 45 seconds each. In the same time I saw 5 minutes of Anna Nicole Smith, and 6 mentions and 12 minutes on the woman shot by unknown individuals in her bed. There was no less than a half hour of information about the Boy Scout that was in the woods. Seem fair?

I recall that back when the Duke rape case started, there was hours of information. Most of that information was instantly in defense of the lacrosse team, there were questions on the defendant immediately. The fact that some of those questions came to be found as true is immaterial to the way the media reacted. Anna Nicole Smith and news relating to her death and paternity of her child has had more coverage than the death of President Ford, the death (and 2 month non-burial) of James Brown, The Sean Bell Shooting, and the Michael Richards Laugh Factory incident; even if you doubled all of them and combined the times you would still have more coverage on Anna Nicole Smith. Honestly the case is worth almost no time.

And now I see that Mr. Bill O’Reilly is going to do a segment on despicable villains and their body language. One of the featured individuals appears to be Mr. O.J. Simpson along with Kim il Jong and Saddam Hussein. The O.J. trial remains the most commented and reported item in the last decade. At every turn the media takes a moment to reflect on how similar, or impacting, or some other vague connection a current event has to that case. Mr. Simpson has not helped himself, but the nation and the media cannot get over the fact that the Justice system found him innocent of the charges placed against him just as dozens (perhaps hundreds) of other rich, famous, non-minorities have done for decades before and after him.

So in each case there seems to be a disparity. Lead by the media there is an emphasis. Black American men shot to death, in a style of overkill usually only found in action movies, minor news. Black man with contribution to the arts for decades, unburied for 2+ months, not important. African American wins a trial by using high priced lawyers and reasonable doubt, bad charges, and evidence planted by the police is unforgettable. Cute blonde gets daily coverage. An argument between celebrities, daily coverage. Offensive, demeaning comments by a celebrity against a religious or ethnic group, minor coverage. Defensive coverage of accused rapists, prior to a trial or Grand Jury, prior to any actual facts being found – daily coverage. As facts are found, huge recaps of the case, furthering the defense especially if anything leads to defending the accused. Coverage of a bank robbery by ‘cute teens’ huge coverage, the fact that the charges were lessened from federal offenses? 2 minutes.

Do you see a trend? I do. If I or my friends were to commit any of the above acts I’d be in jail and barely get noticed. I’d get no defense by the media. I’d never be referred to as ‘cute’ or innocent. My attackers would have the presumption of innocence or cause. Were I to win, I’d be hounded for life.

Is it racist? Well you tell me. When was the last time you saw a non-minority shot more than 10 times? Did you know that James Brown wasn’t buried for 2 months, and when did you learn about it? A week later, a month, just now? If I were to rant racial or ethnic slurs in a public forum or on tape, would it be forgotten in a week? If there was video of the event would it be discarded in a few hours of the event, or even make it to the news? Would there be newscasters and news consultants defending me on accusations of rape, robbery, assault, defamation or other events? If you think I would get a treatment different than some of the above cases, what makes the difference? Is that racist?

I leave you with this thought. Right now there is as much news on a hockey player that high-sticked another player as all the news on the Sean Bell shooting combined.

This is what I think, what do you think?

From silly to serious - 3.15.2007.1

Well where might I start? I suppose some silly news will be of most interest. Perhaps the most ridiculous would be the news of a pizza that costs $1000. Yes the price is correct, if you can believe it. Of course it was created in New York City, where else if not Los Angeles. So what do you get for a cool grand, no slices for those less spendthrift and curious? Six types of caviar and lobster of course (those allergic to shellfish will have just bear with the thought that they cannot try this dish).

Personally I dislike red caviar, and Beluga caviar is too expensive for a decent amount. Plus I can’t imagine having caviar that’s been baked. I like the way the Russians have it, on fresh bread with a healthy portion of homemade butter and a drink of vodka to cut the salt. That is fantastic. But as a pizza, I think not. To me there are better ways to waste money. It’s merely a way to try to impress a materialist person, like the $1000 ice cream you can get close to the pizza shop. Of course with the ice cream you get to actually eat the gold topping (most of the cost no doubt) which is perhaps a worse way to flush money down the drain.

Since I’m on the topic I’ll quickly mention that Prince Frederic von Anhalt (reportedly a prince by purchase as he bought his nobility) is now suing Fox News and Mr. Bill O’Reilly. While the extreme left may be rejoicing, the fact is the suit is without merit. I watched the program in which the prince stated live on air that he would take a lie detector test on his claim to the child of Ms. Anna Nicole Smith. A week later Mr. O’Reilly commented on the non-appearance of the prince for the test. To my knowledge there was no comment for a retraction or explanation, which was why Mr. O’Reilly claimed he was just after the publicity. The suit seems to be a furtherance of this claim.

The true shame is that all these seemingly publicity seekers are providing a horrible legacy for Ms. Smith’s daughter to learn about and grow up with. It’s also sad that some seek out attention in such desperate and shameful methods. Life can be far more than this. Fame for the sake of fame is just pitiful I think.

On the flip side of this are the people to which fame attaches itself. Like Mr. Chris Gardner. You may recall the name from the recent Mr. Will Smith leading film The Pursuit of Happyness, which is based on his real life struggle to go from homelessness to a millionaire while raising his young son alone. When fame came to Mr. Gardner, you might ask ‘what did he do?’ He continued his efforts to help the homeless in the nation; he continued to speak with those that are homeless. Fame was not a goal of his, national and international attention were only by-products of the actions he had made for decades. That is impressive. That is worth-while. That deserves the attention of the media.

Yet how much time has been wasted on individuals like the above mentioned prince, the trail for ownership of Ms. Smith’s body, the chaos of supposed suitors and the question of the cause of death. Its one thing to comment on the ludicrous in passing, but media today focuses on it like fly to, well you know. I have observed how little time has been spent discussing individuals like Mr. Gardner, or donations made on behalf of organizations helping people in need, both in this nation and the world, like Mr. John Travolta and Mr. George Clooney.

I started off with the silly, but in reflection there is too much of that these days. Television has reached new heights of mind-numbing programming, the media far to biased in its presentation of fact, and entertainment remains rooted in a time in the world long since past. I like a silly distraction from time to time too, but when a former President of the United States receives less air-time than a cute blonde I think things have gone too far. When most people cannot remember the program they are watching when a commercial comes on, when 2% of the characters reflect the world outside my window, I have to believe I’ve been distracted too much.

Well at least I have the blogs and my readers for more intellectual pursuits.

This is what I think, what do you think?

More thoughts about Black History Month - 2.21.2007.3

Continued to from part 1...

I say this to say that America has not truly changed as much as many would like to believe. Yes there are fewer lynchings, but they have not completely stopped. Yet the number of African Americans that get shot down – unarmed – or beaten by police has risen dramatically. Public transportation and schools and other places are not segregated anymore. That is de facto segregation. Public schools and inner city schools are routinely under-funded and ill-equipped. Not one of my siblings, nor I, went to a school with books nor other materials that were even remotely current. Oddly enough those same schools were predominantly non-white in their student over-population. Yet schools a mere 3 miles away with a different demographic did.

I can be in a car with a mix of people in it, but as I have recounted on my sites and posts if I am in the ‘wrong’ neighborhood I have had police pull me over for no reason to get a ticket. Or I have had guns pulled on me by police officers as the white occupants of the car are asked if they are ok, and if the vehicle is theirs. I’m not talking about these actions happening in a ‘ghetto’ or poor or high drug area. I mean West Hollywood, the Jersey Turnpike, Downtown Manhattan, the Westside of Binghamton and other areas.

Unemployment, Teen pregnancy, dropouts, jail sentences and drug abuse are all over-weighted and disproportionately affecting Black Americans, Hispanics, Latinos, and other minorities.

This is not to say there is no forward progress. Interracial dating exists and is not wholly despised. I do not get routinely assaulted with racial slurs. I have held, and hold, prominent positions in business. I own my own business and am unimpeded in my operations. Other members of my family have had equal, and are becoming even better, successes.

But the impression that there is no racism is abound like mana from heaven. Many of the youth feel that nothing holds them back. Many think that all the ‘talk’ about racism is old news. The reason is because the trappings are different. One Black man being harassed at gunpoint by the police is just an incident. One African American being shot to death while unarmed is tragic. But both of these items being repeated through out the nation many times are endemic of a problem. One Latino being charged more for a car purchase, one minority being given a higher interest rate on a mortgage is a bad negotiation. Millions being given these disproportionate rates is systemic.

The fact is that unlike the 60’s and 70’s the media do not connect the dots that so many live under. For all the technology at the hands of the youth today, there is no connection to facts in action. With so much information, applied like buckshot, many events don’t get coverage and are thus assumed to not exist. The Sean Bell case received less than 1/10th the airtime that the death of Anna Nicole Smith has gotten so far. Drop out rates have barely been mentioned in reports of how education is performing in the nation. The justice system is so convoluted that no one notices or reports the inequality there.

Continued in part 3 ...

James Brown getting buried, Anna not yet - 2.21.2007.1

Well there are 2 things I can say today. The first is the good news that Mr. James Brown is finally being laid to rest. You may not have noticed the news on Mr. Brown, or the fact that he has not been buried for 2 months, as the main media seems to have found it unimportant. It definitely did not deserve as much coverage as the multiple hours of news dedicated to the death of and trials about Ms. Anna Nicole Smith, if the time dedicated to the story is the criteria determining worth. I feel it needed more attention.

The fact that Mr. Brown, the Hardest Working Man in Show Business, has been prevented from finally getting rest should have been mentioned. But not unlike my comments on the last stupid waste of time dedicated to a worthless cause (the battle between Rosie and Trump) I see that the current waste of time (about Ms. Smith) is far more important than any other news. Even news about Iraq, Iran and its nuclear ambitions, and the presidential hopefuls are all supplanted. It’s a shame that the news media is chasing the money no less than Mr. Howard K. Stern, in my opinion.

I must note that there is a major bias here. Like the Smith case, there was a dispute over where the deceased may be buried. There was, and is, a contest over the estate and the wealth that goes with that estate. There is also a child who may or may not benefit from the estate. And lastly there is a test of paternity that will be done with DNA being collected from the deceased.

Yet I notice that there are differences that count. Ms. Smith was a beautiful woman, but contributed little to the whole of entertainment or society. Mr. James Brown recorded records for decades with many being considered classics that continue to be heard even by the hip-hop generation of today. Anna Nicole made some money as a model and a bit more for a television ‘reality’ show, but the bulk of her wealth is tied to her marriage to an elderly billionaire. Mr. Brown, the Godfather of Soul, made his wealth from being an entertainer and was performing until the time of his death (he was scheduled to perform on New Year’s Eve in New York City). The estate of Mr. Brown has a value and is a known quantity, Ms. Smith’s estate may or may not be worth roughly $400 million dollars depending on court cases. Mr. Brown is known by millions world-wide, of all ages and races, and had thousands attend his viewing. Ms. Smith has become popular to millions and is well known to younger generations, mostly for the aforementioned lawsuit and reality television show.

Considering the commonalities and differences, and noting that former President Ford died at nearly the same time yet almost as much time was spent on the death of Mr. Brown, I am befuddled at the attention given to Anna Nicole Smith. What special happenstance is there where the delays in burying Mr. Brown warranted no attention?

The only differences that I am aware of are those I mentioned above (which would lead one to think that more attention was due to Mr. Brown’s estate) and the facts that one was a Black American, one was definitely on drugs, one had a child die recently, and one was old. What does this lopsided (actually I’d say one-sided) media attention say about the media and us as a society? How can any of us feel good that in both cases, the desire for wealth precludes the ability of celebrities (or anyone for that matter) to be laid to rest. Are a couple, or even millions, of dollars worth the indignity of allowing people to decay while the living bicker over the pennies that are left behind. Isn’t it obvious that the children demand the satisfaction of security and they should be left with a legacy that does not involve money-grubbing. Imagine the life you might have if one of the most vivid memories you have of your deceased parent, and public photos of them, pertain to the battle for the money they had.

I cannot imagine that either child will have a ‘normal’ life. Even considering how far from the norm celebrity’s children’s lives generally are. If for no other reason (beyond the fact that this news is not important) the charade should end for the benefit of those children. I have a simple solution to it all.

If there is no will giving the estate to a parent it goes to the children. The money and estate are placed in a trust that cannot be touched until the child is 21. The executor of the trust is picked by the court and cannot be a parent, also the executor must file the status of the estate with the court every year to ensure it is not being wasted. No money goes to the parent or anyone else. If you want the child, get a job and raise them.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Too much on Anna Nicole Smith - 2.20.2007.3

It’s amazing what is going on with the Anna Nicole Smith burial case. This is just too much. The trail has been THE story on Fox News for about 3 hours. If you thought that Mr. Donald Trump vs. Ms. Rosie O’donnell was a waste of time, I have no idea how to classify this. Seriously other things are happening in the world.


But this must be spoken on in a brief manner. It is obvious that for many of the participants this is all about money. That is quite sad. From what I can gather, Mr. Stern was never the husband of Anna Nicole. He is able to gain financially from the will. He was aware of what would be in the will when it was made. He is trying to establish that he will is sound, and that the will and the birth certificate give him the rights to the name and image of Anna Nicole as well as managing the inheritance of the baby.

Perhaps it is me, but it seems like Mr. Stern was all about the money almost from day one. His only client since 2002 was Anna, he benefited from her will, he was around her as she used drugs, and he was ‘involved’ with her while she had sexual relationships with other men. This does not sound like a caring individual. And he ‘generously’ offered to give up the commission fees that he is entitled to via the will, though he will not give up the right to manage any money from the will. To me he has clearly stated he is after the money.

It seems quite clear that he has no idea who the biological father is. I believe he is quite sure it isn’t him. Of all the people that have claimed the child, Mr. Birkhart seems to be the only one with a valid claim and an interest that goes beyond the money. He has been trying to claim his rights as the father before the issue of inheritance was ever an issue. Mr. Stern needs to take a paternity test and this will all get resolved incredibly quickly.

This case just shows how much waste is in the justice system. I have no doubt that new laws will be created based on this case so future cases can be even more confused. This is a sign that the baby girl of Anna Nicole will be quite messed up.

And some think that black families are odd. I’ve never seen such a confused case, talk about Baby Mama/ Baby Daddy drama.

But what about the news on Mr. James Brown’s body? What about the difficulty in that case? Where is the news on that? Why hasn’t the Godfather of Soul been allowed to be laid to rest?

With news 24/7 I can’t imagine there is nothing of more importance happening in the world. What has happened on the Sean Bell case? What of the Hispanic child that an Amber Alert has been released on? What about the news of the premature black baby that was the size of a pen when she was born? For 3 hours there has been no mention of anything else. That is perhaps more sad than anything else.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Prince, Anna Nicole Smith, Hannibal Lecter - 2.10.2007.1

This has been quite a week. I’ve been quite busy, and a touch ill, so I have a bit to catch up with. I will get to my thoughts on Anna Nicole Smith shortly. What was catching a lot of earlier in the week are the various television commercials for the Super Bowl. I’ve heard the Snickers ad has been removed from circulation. While many were creeped out by the ad, it seems the outcry from various groups about its anti-gay theme is what wound up being the final nail. I really don’t get where the humor was in the ad. I get where it’s supposed to be, but they really lost something in the translation from idea to commercial ad. Still they can’t be judged too harshly, at least they tried to do something new unlike Schick.

Of course television commercials were not the only thing criticized from this Super Bowl. It seems that now Prince’s half-time show is drawing fire. Truly I’m surprised and have to wonder who are these people seeking out these complaints. I really feel they are trying to find something to object to. The now infamous still image of Prince playing the guitar in silhouette seems to be driving some mad. Come on people, it wasn’t all that. At full speed it’s barely a standout image. I suppose though that if someone has sex or body parts on the mind they will pick up on these things quickly. In the same place where the Snickers ad caught and shocked every viewer no one noticed anything during Prince’s performance. Yet some, probably the same ones that are terrified of a bare bosom’s exposure for a few seconds, seem or disturbed by the half-time show than the commercial.

I have to wonder if those same people offended by Prince are offended when they park their car. It is a key-to-keyhole action. Male-fits-female, or did they not think of that in their constant search for sexuality in public. Perhaps they should start attacking bottle manufacturers, or zipper makers. I mean the vast number of actions and items that confer a phallic message in ordinary life are mind-boggling. That says nothing of the overt sexuality in most music videos, television shows and commercials, cartoons, and movies. Which isn’t too surprising considering Humans are not asexual, and procreation is one of the top 3 genetic imperatives (food, procreation, self-preservation). While I can understand to an extent the need to protect kids (blatant sexuality is unnecessary, incidental stuff is life) some people need to relax. And by the way, anyone playing a guitar is a sexual image (if you want to think of it that way) just by the nature of the shape and position of a guitar. Get off of Prince.

The new Hannibal movie is now out. I’m sure it will pull in a decent amount of cash. I doubt it will live up to the work of Sir Anthony Hopkins. Hannibal Lecter is more than a slasher killer with a large vocabulary. This character is motivated in much the same way a true killer is, which is something a ‘normal’ person will never fully get. To try to humanize this character lessens the impact he has. Epic characters can never be described in brief. Darth Vader’s backstory took 3 movies and that changed the whole meaning of the previous 3 films. A single movie motivated on capturing the violence and gore that teens enjoy en masse, especially when logic or thought are watered down to almost nil, can never capture the intensity this character needs to express his past. I can capture all this just from the televised scenes and a couple of reviews. The focus is not the mind of the killer, which is where the real shock is, but the gore of the actions (and a bad European accent). I’m skipping this movie, but tell me if you see it and I am wrong.

Now about Anna Nicole Smith. I am sorry that she has passed. It’s a shame when anyone dies so young. I feel very bad for her daughter, who will have to live with the various unresolved legal battles throughout her life. I have deep suspicion of Mr. Stern who I feel is not the father of the baby (nor the prince now claiming fatherhood), and impresses me as a male golddigger. Though I could be wrong on several points. But this is all in the public eye and thus I will comment.

Ms. Smith was a sexy woman, reminding us all that a woman with curves is more attractive than a size 0 model. I think that is part of what captured the publics attention. She was pretty, and shapely, and a touch naïve (or so she seemed) which made us all wish we could help her out. It’s a subtle desire to help those around us in need. And to an extent we all saw that, yet those closest to her seemed unable to get her the help she needed. From Playboy to Guess jeans, to movies (like Naked Gun 2) and television we all followed her. Some had envy, others admiration, but we all paid attention. Perhaps it’s not the best legacy, but it is her legacy. Hopefully her daughter will fare better.

I hope her daughter can be with her father, whoever that is. I hope her father is motivated by the love of his daughter and not her potential inheritance. I hope the daughter has something to inherit. I most deeply hope that her daughter will be able to grow into a strong woman that has overcome all these challenges.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Blacks behind the camera, porn on stage, Rush Limbaugh and Anna Nicole Smith

Just a couple of thoughts I was thinking about over the weekend. First off is that the abysmal show, Battlestar Galactica (the revisioned version on SciFi channel) is not only looking like it will continue, but that it is spawning a prequel. Now I have mentioned before how little I like this cable television show, due to the loss of its significant African American actors, the introduction of a female Starbuck character and weak storyline. I just don’t find it involving with the exception of the Baltar character in his interactions with the female cylon lead. If you don’t know what this means, you haven’t missed much. This is just another budget rate program from SciFi that copies a good idea and make a horrendous program out of it. Examples such as the movie on the world killing hurricane, or the generous remake of the failed movie Deep Core, or programs such as Black Scorpion, Lexx or Witch Hunters and Scare Tactics. But as I mentioned they are taking a step in a worse direction, with a prequel to Galactica. I can’t wait to see if they might find one or 2 more cast members that might be African American or Hispanic. It won’t help the writing or acting (with the exception of Mr. Edward Olmos, or the above mentioned actors of interest) but it might at least give the impression that the alien worlds they are speaking of have more than a handful of people other than white. This series is more isolated than virtually all of network television programs, so much for diversity and freedom from the confines of the regular programming that science fiction promises.

On a somewhat related note, it seems the government is looking into another issue that Hollywood pursues with vigor. That issue is one of equal opportunity initially behind the camera. It is common knowledge in the industry that while Black African Americans. Hispanics, Asians and other minorities are occasionally used in various programs and movies (I would bet that if a survey were done the percentage of actors of color would be so far out of proportion to the population as to be insulting) there are even fewer (I’ve heard estimates placing it around the low single digit percentage) behind the cameras doing the work that makes these movies and programs possible. While I am no fan of Affirmative Action and I feel employment should be based on capability, the fact that the disproportion of any minority group being represented needs to be addressed. I doubt that anyone can make a case that there aren’t enough directors, cameramen, grips and others out there. Mr. John Singleton, Mr. Spike Lee, Ms. Kim Fields and the few other names I can mention now are hardly the only ones capable in this nation.

Since I mentioned acting and unique ideas in entertainment, here is one I would probably watch at least once. This is, believe it or not, a reality show. It will take place in Britain though on the BBC. The concept is that a group of porn stars will be selected and they will have to perform a regular play for a normal London crowd. The show is to be named “My Bare Lady.” This could be quite entertaining, and it would be wonderful if there is true raw talent that becomes exposed. Like Ms. Traci Lords, who has moved into mainstream work and has had decent results. I believe that there may be others who are capable of more than just a few words of bad scripting and flexible moves. Not that I’ve ever seen porn, and I’m sure no reader of mine has either. That’s why the industry made more money than all the movies in Hollywood combined last year. LOL

Much like porn stars making a move up to the stage, Ms. Anna Nicole Smith continues her fight to move forward on help claim for part of the inheritance of her late husband. Helping her in that effort was the Supreme Court. It was a nice reminder that anyone has the right to appeal to the highest courts in a legal matter they feel has merit. While I am sure this particular battle is silly and should have been settled long ago (tens of millions are plenty to receive as a benefit derived from nothing more than marriage to someone who had attained roughly over a billion beforehand) the lawyers must be happy for the fees they will garner that will be highly profitable. Still this case has more merit that placing hot coffee between your exposed legs in a moving vehicle, and blaming someone else when it spills in your lap. Or blaming someone for your childs’ extreme obesity when you take them to eat fast foods for every meal, and ensure they get no exercise, not that that could be your own fault. But I digress.

Lastly, since I am discussing the law, Mr. Rush Limbaugh has reached a deal on his legal battle. This man, who was found to have gained 2000 painkillers from 4 doctors in six-months, has had his single charge for 40 pills worked out such that he gets random drug-tests (which he already is undergoing), continue undergoing treatment, and cannot own a gun. This is stated as the normal deal for a nonviolent offender on the first drug offense. Though how or why the counts were dropped from 2000 to 40 has not been explained. Mr. Limbaugh has stated that the case was not strong, thus his punishment, though he fails to mention that the limited charges were enough to gain him a conviction. And I find it interesting that this (former) drug using talk radio host, who had no problem making accusations and insults about a mother and alleged rape victim he does not know on her choice of legal profession, cannot make a more honest or sweeping statement on his own problems. If I were him I’d shut up before accusing an alleged rape victims of being a ‘ho’, as he shouldn’t throw rocks inside his own glass house.

This is what I think, what do you think.

50 cent and Anna Nicole Smith

[this post was moved from An award, ice, a role-model and strippers for search engine reasons. No other alteration to the post has occured.]

Continuing this theme of ‘Why do I need to know this’ I fall upon a recent statement by 50 Cent [Ok here is a pet peeve of mine. What happened to the s? The word is cents, not a difficult word. I presume that the rapper has had enough education to know the proper spelling of this word. I could be wrong. Even if the word is supposed to be 50% where is the per? It just annoys me the way the American English language is abused for profit, encouraging misuse by those who do not profit but believe that it must be ok since rich entertainers do it. See my thoughts on NBA about role models.] on Eminem. First, what change does this make in ANYONE’S life? Why is this considered news? Secondly, Eminem is hardly a gold standard to follow. Eminem failed 9th grade three times and dropped out of high school. He has made millions attacking his mother and then ex-wife on various recordings. He received 2 years probation on a concealed weapons charge [shall we say slap on the wrist], was sued for defamation, and is often noted for his apparent homophobia (performing on stage with a gay man is a marketing gimmick not a statement about personal thoughts) and misogyny as expressed by his music. The last 2 items, and possibly the legal charges, are of course positives when rappers are concerned. But to be considered a role model seems hardly credible. While I cannot deny that some of the work by Eminem shows talent few in this sector of the entertainment industry have, that is not very hard in my opinion. To have marginal competence does not make you Einstein because you are compared against large numbers of incompetents, as an example. If Eminem is the highlight of what rappers should be like, then in most every aspect I’d have to be very sad for the outlook of an already felon-glutted, low-talent entertainment. Obviously 50 cent and I have severely different outlooks.

Lastly, since we are considering a way to look at things, I’m reminded that Ms. Anna Nicole Smith will soon be able to present her case before the U.S. Supreme Court. While not the typical “rags-to-riches” scenario, I am sure some (referred to colloquially in the Black African American culture at least as golddiddgers) may find this inspiring. I am amazed at the greed that is on display. Without regard for the feelings that Ms. Smith and her late husband shared, the various legal battles for his estate are less than virtuous at least in appearance. The press coverage of this case will no doubt be a standout. The big question of course is what precedent will be set by this case. And how much wealth can be shared by those in an inheritance. Keep dad away from those strippers or else.