Motorcycles of movies fame and dreams

Sometimes you just need to name drop. Most of the time someone does this it’s because they are trying to show off or impress someone. And just as often the person(s) listening to the name dropping are annoyed rather than impressed. But every once in a while the names are just a backdrop to the real excitement and meat of the conversation.

In this case the question is what do the following celebrities, entertainers, business owners and execs all have in common?

Neil Peart
Carlos Mencia
will.i.am
Will Smith
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
George Barris
Wally Dallenbach, Sr
Dan Gurney
Bob Lutz
Keith Urban
Von Dutch
Sara Liberte
"Big Daddy" Roth
Steve McQueen

Obviously motorcycles is the answer. But it’s not the point that they are all motorcycle owners, riders, and designers. It’s that their motorcycles are all being gathered for an exhibit that most have never seen before.



A collection of motorcycles whose owners span the entire entertainment field, along with classics both old ands new will be in one place – the Motorcycle Hall of Fame – for a blowout exhibit. Hardcore bikers and the merely curious are expected to see this presentation. Everyone is expected to find something to be awed by.

Now personally I want to see this show. I would love to see the bikes used by stuntmen in I Robot or T2 or by Steve McQueen (one of the original motorcycle stuntmen he did many of the riding scenes in The Great Escape). How they adapted them for the movies is an interesting thought to me.

Equally I want to see what some people with enough money to get a bike made or restored would buy. I can’t afford it but the above list surely can. When money isn’t a question what do you get.

And just seeing the different styles of bikes over time is worth the trip as well.

If you want to find out more about this exhibit or any future ones check the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

The honesty only the Boondocks provides - 10.16.2007.1

I just love the Boondocks cartoon on Adult Swim. The honesty that is contained in that is more than what is seen in a dozen programs throughout all television right now. Live action could never get away with the obvious facts one half hour of this program provides.

From the R. Kelly trial (which in real life has waited 5 years and still has yet to occur), to pimps, Oprah and Dr. Martin Luther King there is a direct honesty that would cause an uproar in another format. In the caricatures of the lead and recurring characters we get to see multiple aspects of Black Americans. That’s a diversity that is only approached by combining characters from the Shield, CSI, Eureka, Blade: the series and Mind of Mencia all into one program. It’s also interesting to note that that’s almost all the leading and major supporting African American characters on television (combining cable and broadcast) at this time.

I don’t know what is more alarming. That the Boondocks is not the most watched program by African Americans, that BET (Black Entertainment Television) was incapable of securing this program themselves, or that my allusion that the diversity in this program exceeds virtually all other programs with African Americans combined is almost accurate. And yet so few see the program while that most don’t get it.

Often social commentary is best stated in formats that are seen as the least confrontational. That’s why, when done by the best performers like Mr. Richard Pryor or Mr. Lenny Bruce, the greatest impact occurs without the direct confrontation a discussion often brings.

As Huey states in one episode, [I paraphrase]

“America has done a multitude of injustice to Blacks, but that does not mean everything is an injustice, or that this makes every African American a hero.”

R Kelly is not a hero, OJ is culpable, and Dr. Martin Luther King would be appalled with the state of the Black community today. It may seem funny when a cartoon character says it, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s the truth. And it’s a shame the greatest honesty and diversity can only occur in an animated program in the year 2007.

How do you feel about what Jerry Lewis said? - 9.5.2007.1

What a unique world we live in today. There are just some things I would never expect to see happen and just leave me with mixed emotions when they do. And the best part is the special moments that the news media and the general media provide every day. Or perhaps I should say, the items they forget to provide us everyday.

Obviously, there was a recent news that Mr. Jonathan Riches finally was brought to justice after 43 years without law enforcement harassment or attention for his murder of two teenage Black men in Mississippi. Aren't we lucky that those in charge of the major media news felt we needed to be protected from the news that our justice system, moving at a pace so slow as to make snails look like jet engines, only works in the most abysmal manner sometimes.

Of course, that is not to say that the legal system is always accurate. There is of course the 41 years that it took for Mr. William Barnes to be convicted of shooting a police officer. Mind you that the police officer in question did not die those many years ago. I know this because Fox News took the opportunity to tell me about this case five times today. Now I'm quite happy about that, especially in retrospect, that Fox News took the opportunity to spend 30 seconds in discussing the incarceration of Jonathan Riches.

I know some may say that "well, at least it covered the story." While that fact is true I find an inherent imbalance in their actions. In 24 hours to spend only 30 seconds on an injustice done to people on the basis of an example for an entire race, that's a slap in the face. Compounding that slap would be taking a similar story and spending 15 minutes in another 24-hour period. Essentially, it's just saying, one group of people aren't worth remembering and another group are. It's just that simple.

But that actually is not what I want to speak about. What I had not expected to happen and what did happen involves Mr. Jerry Lewis. For those who are not familiar with Mr. Jerry Lewis, he's a comedian. And he's 81 years old. He's made at huge number of movies and special programming. That does not include the advances in television programming and equipment he's developed over the years. Focusing on his comedic career he has made movies such as Cinderfella, the Nutty Professor (I'm talking about the original film. Not the one's Mr. Eddie Murphy made), the Geisha Boy, the King of Comedy, and many others. His comedic genius is regarded so highly that in France his last film premiere was made a national holiday so people could see it.

On a more personal level, from what I can tell about it as I don't know the man, there is one thing that stands out above everything else. He is absolutely committed to the muscular dystrophy telethon. He was one of the first celebrities to lend their name to cause and to seek out donations from the public for that cause. In 46 years, Mr. Lewis has never missed a telethon, and during each telethon he spends virtually the entire time awake. It honestly is an amazing display of absolute dedication. The reason why Mr. Lewis does this is completely unknown. It has been said that Mr. Lewis will only reveal the reason why he does this every year after he is dead in a document read during a telethon so that it can raise even more money for this cause.

Given this ability and looking at the dedication to such a worthy cause I was very upset to learn of comments made by Mr. Lewis. 18 hours into this year's marathon he told a joke, actually he started to tell a joke. To call it off-color would be marginalization on a grand scale. Essentially he started to insult gay people. He has since apologized for his comment. He hasn't gone to a rehab, or some other ultraliberal pro-PC excuse. He took the blame, and all he has asked for is for this to not affect the telethon.

So I'm stuck. On one hand, I find it deplorable for anyone to use any group as the butt of the joke. That is especially true when the joke is based on race, ethnicity, or some other factor solely used to distinguish one group from another. On the other hand, is the fact that on a regular basis we all have made those jokes and found them quite funny. Comedians such as Mr. Carlos Mencia say jokes based on exactly that same thought every day.

So which one is right? Should Jerry Lewis be condemned for making a gay joke, or forgiven? Does this one statement justify the end of the muscular dystrophy telethon, and all the positives it has provided? Does the fact that a significant good is happening out way and negative? If the earth were filled with utilitarians, the answer would be easy, but the reality is far from that. I don't know, what is the right answer and honestly that troubles me.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Mind of Mencia season 2, The Riches - 4.1.2007.1

Well if you missed it, tonight was the return of the Mind of Mencia. Mr. Carlos Mencia didn’t miss a beat in jumping back where he left off. Right at the start he ran through the major celebrity meltdowns that happened while he was away. And did them well. Then he really took on a few things.

There aren’t many shows that can jump from jokes about the death of Mr. Steve Irwin, to a white guy getting eaten by a cheetah in Africa, to expressing admiration for MILF’s in song and make it all funny. Along the way there was a bit on how the “DEE DEE DEE’s” understand news broadcasts, which was right on the mark, and a great take on sports movies starring dwarfs, or little people I’m not sure which is appropriate.

The fact is that if this is how his season will go he is going to be on fire. He holds back nothing, and it’s a great thing. I’m sure his fame will grow. Expect to hear a lot about this guy soon. And hopefully the execs at Comedy Central have learned a thing or 2 from their experience pushing Mr. Dave Chappelle. Given they have then Mr. Mencia will grow exponentially.

In other cable network television shows, I finally got to see The Riches. It’s a very well done program. The story is involving and has a lot of potential. Like many of the cable shows these days it’s head and shoulders above broadcast network programs. I suppose if you like ‘reality’ programs or stuff like American Idol [I personally find that to be mindless drivel] you may not enjoy it, but if you like shows like Rescue Me, The Shield, Thief, Dexter and their ilk then you will love this.

I find Mr. Eddie Izzard to be a strong presence as the father of this uniquely unconventional family. Most probably are unaware of the comedy routine of Mr. Izzard. If you watch BBC America you may have seen it. Yes he is a Briton. And a funny one at that. He is also a very well dressed transvestite. Surprise, he wears women’s clothing. It has nothing to do with his ability as an actor, or a comedian. Watching him portray the con-man pretending to be a lawyer, and a frisky loving father, you believe him. His charisma is immediate.

No less believable and just as enjoyable is the performance of Ms. Minnie Driver. The mother and strong believer in her clan, she hits the right note between loving devious and determined. She is definitely not the woman to cross. She also has fantastic chemistry with Mr. Izzard. Of course her personal demons (the character) are no minor problem, though so far they have not really cropped up yet. But the potential for confusion and drama is clear.

The fact that the entire family is adept at long and short cons, pick pocketing, picking locks, stealing cars, and an assortment of other criminal activities makes them all formidable and interesting. An interesting twist, which existed before the hiring of Mr. Izzard, is the fact that one of the children is a cross dresser. The youngest son in fact, which is a unique thing for any program.

I keep mentioning that this is a unique program, and it is. Groundbreaking in a few of the issues that it addresses. And there is quality in every aspect of it. If you haven’t seen it, you really should.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Superbowl and super ads - 2.6.2007.1

Well Superbowl Sunday has come and passed and now there will be a dirth of interesting activity for some sports plans until August. Perhaps some will check out Mr. David Beckham when he plays for Los Angeles, perhaps the household chores that have built up over the season will finally start getting done. Either way the debate has ended. Snickers went mad, Mr. Carlos Mencia is funny and getting more popular, and Dorito’s has been paying too much to the wrong people to make their television ads.

I can’t leave out the fact that the Bears lost. I had no expectation of that. Given the weather and the Chigaco Bears historical ability to play in cold and bad weather, plus the defense, I was sure they would win. So much for that $20 bet. I was really surprised, as many I was watching the game with were, especially after the first quarter. I don’t think there has ever been such a high scoring first quarter. By the 8th minute of the game we thought it was just going to be a blow out. I have to give it to Mr. Peyton Manning and Mr. Tony Dungy, they really rallied and took back the momentum of the game.

Of course one of the other major events that happens simultaneously to the game are the commercials. There were some stand-outs, and more than a few that just shocked. There were also several disappointments. Schick, T-Mobile, Prudential and Snapple couldn’t even bother to give us a new television ad. I assume that T-Mobile wanted to recycle their Mr. Charles Barkley ad to highlight Black History Month, just as Coca Cola and Frito-Lay did. Of course all 3 ads were boring, forgettable and uninspired to me.

The shocks were more limited. If you haven’t seen the Snickers commercial by now you haven’t had the television on. I have to say that everyone who was watching the game stopped and gasped when that commercial aired. It just caught us all, and not in the comfortable fun kind of way. It’s the kind of humor that occurs when you see a guy kicked in the groin, when its setup and done right you can laugh and still get the discomfort it provides. When it doesn’t you are just unsettled. Everyone, including the women watching the game, were unsettled.

On the upside, one of my favored comedians, Mr. Carlos Mencia gained a lot of recognition and provided laughs for his 2 ads. The best of the 2 has probably happened to every guy at least once and we all wish we could have done what he did. It was classic. If you haven’t seen his comedy before, this is just a small tame taste of it.

Probably the best 2 ads were the Dorito’s ad made for $13 dollars [someone needs to hire the guy that created that] and the Bud Light ad with the axe-wielding, Bud Lite case carrying, hitchhiker. Hitchhikers can’t be that bad if they have Bud Light right? The next best I think is the take on Grand Theft Auto, ala Coca Cola. Very well done, and visually appealing.

Not much else to say about that really. If you missed the game, it was a good one. Pretty close til the end. If you missed the television commercials, I’ve found a site that not only has them all it also has commercials for the Superbowl going back to 2002.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Hollywood movie bias, the reality - 1.25.2007.1

Sometimes you have to wonder what people are thinking. I mean that I can see a point being made, yet I think the extreme view being posed is just gratuitous. If you wonder what I am referring to, it’s a new report by the Islamic Human Rights Commission in Britain on how movies portray Muslims.

I will give this report the fact that since 9/11 Muslims are the ‘bad guy’ choice du jour. More than any other group they are the favored group to be seen losing to the good guys and that of course is due to the current political and social environment in the world. I can see how that can annoy the tens of millions of Muslims that live quiet lives, being productive citizens of their respective countries.

While the emphasis is on Muslims, today, there continues to be the re-enforcement of the African American as a negative image in every medium in America. Long before Arabs and Muslims were picked on, Black Americans (particularly males) were the only pimps, dealers, petty criminals and poor in movies. While Black Americans were the first minorities to be included in American films, the roles were even worse with portrayals as slaves or complete caricatures. This negative image is no less consistent now, with 60% of all images in news of poverty or lack of education or violence being matched with images of Black Americans.

While I admit this is not a fact I have seen quoted, it is something that is often commented on. Some may recall the Mr. Carlos Mencia Comedy Central episode that provided 2 news reports focusing on images of people in waist deep water right after Hurricane Katrina. One image had a Black American in holding a bad, the caption accusing him of being a looter. The other image had 2 White Americans in similar water each holding a bag, the caption reading that they were trying to scrounge for food. Neither image included any background buildings or any indication that either of the people had food or goods in their bags. Some may recall my post where Yahoo News placed an image of Mr. Chris Rock along side a completely unrelated article dealing with investigation by the government on the mob. [Chris Rock, Andy Garcia, M:I3 and Snoop Dogg] The people in the article were all white. Watch the evening news and any time there is a mention of unemployment, welfare, government aide, and similar stories you will see a predominance of images of Black Americans – regardless of where in the nation you live or the fact that since African Americans only make up ~14% of the nation it’s impossible for us to be the only, or even major, cause or recipients of these items.

So I can appreciate the feeling by Muslims that it is now their turn on the negative public image machine that is Hollywood, movies and other media. Still to carry the extreme to say that movies such as Disney’s Aladdin were negative is silly in my opinion. They are shooting themselves in their own foot with such an accusation. All the characters in that movie were Arabic, and yes the architecture, timeframe, and clothing indicate they are all Muslim. But I cannot agree that this movie was done in bad faith. Equally off-base to me is the claim that Raiders of the Lost Ark made a similar negative portrayal. As I recall one of the leading supports is an Egyptian Arab character, and a good guy. Virtually all the bad guys are White and Nazi’s. Perhaps I am naïve, but I do not recall any stereotypes that were not balanced by other characters that were neutral if not positive. And any negative images were minor compared to the positive main characters in both movies.

American media and Hollywood in particular, love to portray all minorities in a horrible light. That is a fact. Minorities are excluded from having major impact in front of and behind the camera to this day, though it is incredibly slowly changing. Addressing the fact of this imbalance, and its consequences, is a positive for change. To go to an extreme, claiming insult where none was seen for literally decades does not help but hurt such a cause.

Muslims should not be unfairly judged. Neither should Black Americans, Latino/Hispanic Americans and other minorities. But at the same time it should be noted that some leeway must be given when a nation is at war. Much as the Germans, Italians, Japanese and others have been made objects of anger for a time during conflict against America so will be any other group. That’s just human nature. Rather than place a blanket on all things ever done, seek the positives and note the negatives. Your cause will be better helped I think.

This is what I think, what do you think?