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Further confirming my belief that the tide has turned and white people no longer feel the obligation to be politically correct when it comes to the black race, the annoucement of the nominees for the highest honor the movie industry bestows on its finest, snubbed all of the worthy candidates of color.  Or as the social media captioned this blatant oversight: the Oscars have gone white.  Ava DuVernay, the black female director of "Selma" and  David Oyelowo, the actor portraying MLK in this film, were passed over by the Academy Awards committee, their worthy performances left unrecognized. The trickle down rejection of racial equality that has its origins in the disrespect shown a black president and the subsequent disregard for young black lives is now rearing its ugly head in other areas. Even liberal Hollywood is showing its true colors.

 

In the TV world, however, angry overbearing black women continue to fill the roles white producers like to cast them in, as Viola Davis, the belligerant ruthless defense attorney in the series "How To Get Away With Murder", was among the nominees for the less prestigious trophies being doled out as the awards season gets underway. Another recent addition to the strong black woman ranks is Jada Pinkett-Smith, who appears as a sassy, kick-ass, crime madam in "Gotham", a new TV show billed as a prequel to Bat Man.  And this brings us to the premier of  "Empire", starring Terrence Howard as a Rap star turned corporate mogul. It is an entertaining, well-produced show, centering around the recording industry, paying homage to style over substance, full of stereotypes and a contrived plot that includes a rather dated take on homophobia and the rationale for gangsta rap. And, you guessed it,  starring as Howard's nemesis is his feisty ex-wife, Cookie, the ghetto fabulous personification of a black super bitch, who pops up in every scene venting her wrath at anyone who gets on her last nerve. Welcome to the club, Cookie, who is played by Taraji P. Henson. And the beat goes on.

 

For those who've had their fill of Bill Cosby and the castigating of black men,  black women deserve equal time. Yes, a few celebrities like Whoopi and Jill Scott and his TV wife, Phylicia Rashard have stepped forward to extol the Bill Cosby they know and love, but this has not been the sentiment expressed in the posts I've seen on my FaceBook circuit. Very few sistas have come to Cosby's defense.  At the last meeting of my book club, whose 14 members  are a broad crosssection of black females, we took a poll to see who was on Cosby's side, and I was a little surprised that no one was. 

 

Oh, well.  Time for the pop culture vulture to return to her thorny nest.

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I think the question should be, "Are Black people really happy about anything?" A black woman gets on tv and gets a lead roll, everyone questions the show and her decision. No one recognizes that it took the pulling of teeth and possibly the stabbing of white men all over Hollywood for it to happen. No one states that Shonda Rimes is a writer who is actually winning the battle to get black actresses paid in a time where there aren't older black actresses like the Jessica Langdons, Susan Sarandons, and other older White women carrying both film and television shows. Nope, we complain whether we are on tv or whether we aren't, and then we hide behind the same old "stereotype comments of representation" when are on television. 

 

In regard to women and Cosby, I don't expect anybody to side with dude until the facts are really presented by both sides in a fair manner. It's obvious that everyone agrees that absolute power and money corrupts and makes men incorrigible and it is also apparent that Blacks enjoy the decimation of their "leaders" just as much as White folks do. I love the idea that White people stand with their rapists like Woody Allen and Polanski through hell and high water. They know it's shitty and wrong, but they stand with them because they have solidarity. Before someone says "Chris no one needs to stand with Bill Cosby because he's Black," that's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is we allow the media to shape and control our narrative before any body is convicted or taken to court.

 

While Cosby has had cases, nothing has ever come out of it and every doggone woman got money. At the end of the day people justify the media's version without any refutation or opposing discussion, or without ever questioning exactly why all of these cases have resurfaced now. I'm not saying Cosby is not guilty, I'm questioning the timing and as a pop culture vulture if you aren't doing the same how can you claim that status? (Well you can because it's your right, but just roll with my rant)

 

We're talking about the year for the celebration of the most important show in Black cinematic history. A 30th year anniversary at a time where the Black family unit is not as strong as it was. A time where police are showing a serious reversion to Jim Crow and Hip Hop has recognized its shortcomings and is making a 180. Movements are beginning again and while things aren't changing we all know how important art is to the galvanizing of a people. But this is not a Cosby thread.

 

Ava DuVernay has created beautiful and elegant stories that were not nominated for anything, but no one was up in arms about Middle of Nowhere or I Will Follow. Where were the memes and the uproar about Sally Whitfield's acting in I Will Follow? She was great in that film. Should Selma be nominated, I can't say. I don't get to see movies until they hit Netflix or go on sale. But this faux outrage is silly. The only Black Oscar that was of any quality in regard to Best Actor was Jamie Foxx and Hattie McDaniel and Hattie didn't even get to go to the Oscars right? (Check my statement on that). Hallie won for getting naked and sexing Billy Bob while saying, "Make me feel good." We've never been respected. Malcolm X should have easily won for costumes and cinematography, but Spike knew that wouldn't happen.

 

Being Black sucks. You can't win when you win, and you lose when you win. No one is ever happy, and we are crabs in a barrel. I'm dyeing myself green and moving to Mars, lol.

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Being Black sucks; sure, it does, but not has much as it did 150 years ago.

 

We have come a long way in this country, but we still have a lot farther to go.  

 

We will not get to where we need to be overnight.  In fact if humanity is to survive we HAVE to to get where we need to be.

 

My biggest complaint today is the we, Black folks, look toward our oppressor to validate our self worth.  We cry if Hollywood does not give us the roles that truly speak to our humanity.  As Chris pointed out we complain when the award us for Monsters Ball, or fail to recognize us for Selma.

 

We jump on the worship Bill Cosby bandwagon on the word of white folks, until they tell us to start hating him.

 

We have not choice because we no voice in the media.  The sharing of oppressor propaganda on social media does not count as having a voice--that has been the best game yet.  

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In the first place, Chris, my comments weren't a rant. A lot of them were said with tongue-in-cheek. I was not necessasrily expressing angry opinions so much as I was making cynical observations that were a reflection of what "the word" is on the internet circuit. And I find it odd that while racism is implicit in all you have been accusing the media and the entertainment business of being gulity of, you suddenly flip the script and defend the Oscar "snow job". And to add insult to injury, you chide people who are not satisfied with crumbs from the table even as you accuse them of being crabs in a barrel. Being Black not only sucks, it vacillates.

 

As for the tired ol subject of Bill Cosby, why don't you just admit that you are "on his side" instead of tap dancing around the issue? You don't owe anybody an apology or rationale as to why you think he is being railroaded. I have, after all, admitted that I think he's guilty simply because he looks like a frog and gets on my nerves.

 

And, yes, you are incorrect about Hattie McDaniel. She was allowed at the Oscar ceremonies, occupying a seat in the back of the ballroom. (slavery had ended by 1939.) When she came forward to claim her best suppporting actress award for "Gone With The Wind", in her tearful acceptance speech, she humbly thanked The Academy for the honor, adding that she would always try to be a "credit to my race".

 

Finally, you might consider that the intent of anybody who refers to herself as a "pop culture vulture" is to pick the bones of frivolity. ;)

 

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LOL! I was actually commenting out of a similar form of sarcasm with an edge, so it was not anger. However, I really love that I became more active on this board. It is not only stimulating my need to do more with writing, but to present more of my art and push it as opposed to being just a sneaker pimp. You two and the rest of everybody else have generated a renewed fire in me to share things of importance and bits of comedy. As a professor my biggest tactic was to always take the side of the loser when getting my students angry enough to respond to a lot of the ignorance I would spout/spew in my classes. That is what I am doing here. 

 

I honestly am neither for or against Cosby. I was not cheering when OJ got off or angered by it. Those things simply took place and became another point of debate. I tend to really stay in my lane on most issues outside of Hip-Hop and giving small business advice (or basketball advice) since those are things I have a serious amount of info on. I also have a lot of info and knowledge about education so those are the issues I really stand my ground on. Everything else gives me a chance to write again which I haven't been doing enough since I started the shoe company, but I have been doing more since getting more active on the board.

 

I am somewhat serious about the idea of happiness and the black community. In general, we have a nihilistic nature that seems to never be satisfied with any outcome. Troy, I don't know if greater control of the media will fix this, but I do think it will help.

 

In regard to me giving the Oscar a pass, I did not at all. I stated when has the Oscar ever really given Black film any depth of interest? I also gave Jamie Foxx and Hattie McDaniel as the obvious and the really poor selection of Halle for soft porn. I do have a question though when has Black film really gained serious consideration?

Color Purple was really a white backed film.

Glory did garner Denzil an award, but A Solider's Story didn't win anything.

When I begin to look back at great Black movies, the results are frustrating, but not surprising so I'm serious, why are people looking at this as a White out when it has always been a white male award show? When you consider there is a completely separate gathering of Black actors prior to the main award show, the industry obviously knows this is the case.

 

I don't really consider what is currently happening on television crumbs. On every major network there are a number of Black actors featured in prominent sitcoms and dramas. So let's be honest, it's not crumbs. Is it what we want? Like I said, we are never really satisfied, but we don't demand very much out of our artists so we are simply reaping what we are putting out there. I can write on Facebook and ask my friends how many of Ava's films they had seen prior to Selma and the majority of them will say none. So this goes back to Troy's comments about media and responsibility more than it does us bantering.

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Chris you mentioned Ava a number of times.  Ever since I learned of Ava Duvernay I've promoted her work: from the very first film  I Will follow. I do this not because it will make me any money, I do it because I think it is important.  But I also recognize these films are not blockbusters.

 

If you search for Ava DuVernay on Huria Search, you will get over 300K results from Black owned websites.  So we are talking about her, the question is who is listening, or even until the Selma film, who cared?  

 

Ava will get just as  much attention because she was "snubbed" by the Academy, than she would have received winning the award.

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Del that is like asking if you are tired of being yourself.  Of course not.  But that does not mean that I have not fantasized or contemplated what it might be like to be someone else.   That also does not mean that I've never lamented the hardships that accrue to someone in my situation--but anyone can do that. 

 

Being human sucks.  But being human and being Black can be quite enjoyable too.  It is not an either/or proposition.

 

Striving to make things better is actually one of those things that motives me. Often trying to make things better is discouraging, because it is difficult and failures are frequent.

 

Hey Chris, I watched one of your lecture videos (are you actually lecturing a college class in shorts  :o ).  Man when you find the time to do so much (do you have kids?).

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The lecture was an invite from the University of Memphis business school. Lol! I have two kids and a beautiful wife and I honestly stopped listening to people who say they don't have time. At the time of this lecture I was running a basketball website, running my Sneaker shop, running my two other websites: CBP & ARCH. Designing a new shoe with my Chinese manufacturer and teaching 4 college courses. To answer your question I lectured in whatever I had on. Sometimes the dean would stop by and couldn't tell me from the students.

I was good enough to get away with it though. People knew I was testing the new running shoe so I was jogging randomly.

Del if you were asking me that question look in the mirror and give yourself an Ed Lover, "Cmon Son!" Lol

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Guys I wasn't the one saying the sky is falling. You both start out saying being black.sucks. CDB there isn't one stand alone comment. I dunno y'all sound like two chicken headed biznitches. Like I know you are like totally not totally negative. I'm not sayin nutin I'm just saying.

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LOL! Del, the sky is falling and there is nothing wrong with knowing that. Being Black is harder than being anybody else, not that I would know that since I'm Black... but we get killed, racially profiled, have a higher unemployment rate and a lower education level. We have fewer whole families and we die sooner than everyone else, not to mention we are incarcerated at a higher rate, have lower reading levels, are the most unbanked race in the US, and die of violent crime at a higher rate than other cultures here. 

 

Although I was saying being Black sucks as a sarcastic tone, obviously you took it seriously and missed that, but after writing the above, it is kind of true, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Now as far as being biznitches, the old criminal me would really react negatively to being called that, I've knocked people out for that, but I've grown up and I've grown to understand that men use that word as much as women use it and as much as they use the N word, so people no longer think calling a man a biznitch/bitch is an act of war. For the record though, respectfully, don't call me that even in jest. I would never call you anything other than Del, or dude, or bro or cat, maybe. Now if you went the route of saying we had some puff daddy bitchassness in our tone, I'm cool with that.

 

We aren't being negative simply stimulating dialogue and spending time on the web.

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Interesting,

 

I was going to email Del separately and ask him what was wrong.  That is because the statement, "I dunno y'all sound like two chicken headed biznitches" is so out of character for him that I literally have trouble believing Del wrote that statement.  Honestly I'm still not convinced Del wrote it.

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I'm still pondering whether or not "being black sucks" is a statement that coincides with my sentiments.  I can say that I've never fantacized about being white.  I have, however,  marvelled at how much easier things are for white people. Yet, I've always been turned off by Blacks who morph into a corny persona, sucking up to and "acting white" .  And when I say "acting white", I don't mean speaking Standard English or getting good grades in school.  There's nothing more impressive to me than smart, articulate, black people who don't sacrifice their idenity and who when they speak, you detect from the subtle inflections and hip cadence of their voices that they are black.  

 

I'll admit that niggas do disgust and embarassment me.  But I can't escape the fact that no matter what our rank in life is, there is a common bond wherein when in the company of clueless, racist Whites, a simple, sometimes amused exchange of looks between 2 black people, speaks volumes, and is all it takes to remind us of the history we share. 

 

I don't really think I want to be white. When it comes to swag and style, black folks set the pace. We are both hot and cool. I am, who I am. What I want to be is the best embodiment of what makes my people so extraordinarily unique. 

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I have never really wanted to be White. I have always had a lot of success being just who I am. My "Being Black Sucks" statement is more of an analysis of how getting a television show should be seen as a success when we are hardly accounted for on television. Unfortunately in any form of art or media, the Black artist/actor has a responsibility that no other racial group carries. When I Black actor/artist gets a show, they get attacked by Blacks who don't like the representation being created and then they are maligned by Whites for being just an add on character. 

 

Whites think you got the job for diversity or representation and Blacks call you an Uncle Tom for taking a role, but no one looks at the fact that these people have to eat and no one offers any solutions. So my comment is not about actually wanting to be White at all, it's about the horrible position Blacks are in just by breathing.

 

As cool as we are, as trendsetting as we are, we ultimately have to masters to answer to at all times, while Whites simply live and act. Al Pacino can play a gangster and then play a Lawyer and no one blinks. Denzil plays a thug cop and Blacks hate that he won an award for that role as opposed to winning an award for Malcolm X. A young actor takes a role and is playing a character, but Black demonize him for it as if he isn't supposed to make a living. But there isn't any alternative.

 

The good thing is that many actors can now develop shows for Network, Hulu and opportunities are becoming broader as entertainers are becoming more independent and less reliant on the mainstream to live. Unfortunately we are a long way away before Blacks can literally exist on the independent scene. I don't think we will get there sometimes and that is what sucks about being Black, but I wouldn't be anything else. Although it would be nice to just be able to create without any restraints/constraints. Which you can do as long as you don't get famous.

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