Do the White Thing!

[Troy]

 

 

Speaking of doing the white thing.  This trailer for the next Star Wars Film was viewed 46,523,058 times in less than a week--that is roughly 5% of the planet's population!

The film which appears in theaters in December is already sold out opening weekend in many places.  Princess Leia was the only non-white-male character (of the human characters) in the original Star War flick. During the time comedians use to joke that white folks did not plan for us to be here is the future.  The new film addresses the lack of diversity and some white folks are complaining about the film being anti-white.  Can you image?

Some guy on Twitter called the film's director J.J. Abrams a director "an anti-white nut" that got 141 favorite and 171 retweets. I did not bother to look at how many of his followers were fake, but CNN covered his tweets....(I wish they would get rid of the 24-hour-per-day reporting of news, a lot of it is just crap).

 

Edited October 25, 2015 by Troy

[CDBurns]

I happen to think the outrage is phony and meant to build up interest from a market that doesn't actually go to see Star Wars. In other words, you can have a ridiculously successful movie if Black people decide to get behind it to "offset" racial bias. It's all in the machine Troy. It's all in the machine.

That "Do The White Thing" skit is bananas. With gentrification rampant throughout every city this scene is actually playing out every where. It's disheartening, but necessary for a city to survive. The black areas of cities are so untogether they can't attract the type of businesses that will allow the area to develop. Blacks don't even have the foresight to develop their own restaurants outside of wing shops. So here in Memphis you actually have suburb areas with middle class Blacks doing very well, but only chain restaurants. To get a taste of locally owned restaurants you have to travel to the hipster areas in Memphis. There aren't any art galleries, book stores, nothing in these black suburbs. Who can blame White people for moving back into areas that have historical significance that the people who created that area fail to support?

[Troy]

Agreed about the film.

I was walking down 125th in Harlem and noticed there are three new wing spots that opened in the last year--they are all chains!  

There are many new local, non-chain, restaurants but the all cater to people with money.  Sylvia's used to be the stop every tourist wanted to eat at, but people living in the neighbor could also eat there because it was affordable.  

Today all the media attention goes to Red Rooster, which is across the street from Sylvia's, and right off 125th street, but it is outrageously priced.  Drinks start at $15, portions are small, and they are not going to even put down a piece of bread on your table without you paying for it.  While the restaurant is fantastically successful, many locals simply can not afford to dine there.  

You'll never read anything like what I just wrote about Red Rooster, not because my opinion is fringe, but the people who feel this way have no voice in the media.

They are building a "Whole Paycheck" (Whole Foods), supermarket on 125th and Lenox and it is massive! There used to be a concept of a neighborhood, homes, parks, libraries, small businesses.  Now everything is super-mega stores and chains.  It is almost like you can't escape.  In my old neighbor they built a basketball arena where the NY Net's play.  It is literally blocks from where I lived.  The arena, and all the accompanying business have come with it, have destroy the vibe of the neighborhood (part of Park Slope, Brooklyn).  

There were a couple of bookstores on 125th a few years ago today there are no Black book stores in Harlem! 

Fortunately there are museums and libraries in Harlem, but this IS New York City for Christ's sake.

Speaking of Black suburbs, The Bowie/Mitchellville MD, which was one of the best Black middle class neighborhoods I could think of still has not recovered from the crisis, with many, if not most homeowners underwater in the mortgages.

[Cynique]

I'm surprised you believe the rumors and figures about Star Wars, Troy, since this involves MEDIA hype and manipulation. LOL

Black  folks are not that into sci-fi movies, are they?  This genre is more the bailiwick of comic book geeks and Trekies. Horror movies, of course, do appeal to Blacks who like to yell at the screen when silly white characters decide to go see what the noise is in the basement of a haunted mansion. Time and time again I hear Blacks say in regard to any movie that they'll wait for it to be available on Net-Flix or Cable.  Black women love all the prime time soap operas starring strong black women on network TV or BET or Oprah's OWN  channel  and  Fox's EMPIRE, naturally.  Working class black men, however, are into JORDANS.  Many of them have been camped out for a couple of days waiting to be among the first to purchase the new EXPENSIVE Jordan shoe coming out in conjunction with a Michael Jordan memorabilia store opening in Chicago.This, for a greedy billionaire who, to my knowledge, gives back very little to the black community that is so loyal to him, and this along with how vindictive and class less he has turned out to be is why I am no longer a fan of MJ.

Maybe  the anti-white vibe to the latest Star Wars" movie can be attributed to producer George Lucas being "whipped".  Do you know that this billionaire is married to Chicago entrepreneur Melody Hobson who is black?? Lucas is currently trying to finalize plans for a Star Wars museum to be erected on Chicago's lake front, a venture rumored to have been  influenced by his love affair with the city where he met his future wife.  He seems totally besotted with this sista who is very together and whose impressive resume includes being a contributing financial consultant on CBS This Morning.

Chicagoland and this includes my home town, abounds with privately-owned Barbeque joints and Soul food places, not to mention all the fast food franchises some of which are owned by Blacks and all of which provide employment exclusively for Blacks and Hispanics.

 

Edited October 26, 2015 by Cynique

[CDBurns]

Cynique said what I was thinking about you Troy and the hype around the anti-White Star Wars, lol. Cynique Stephon Marbury (Coney Island's finest) recently called Michael Jordan on the lack of interest Jordan has always shown in supporting Black movements and his complete lack of empathy in the deaths caused from his shoes. http://thegrio.com/2015/10/07/stephon-marbury-starburys-jordan-greedy-affordable/

Everyone in hoops knows Jordan is an asshole. I make my living from the guy though so I don't have a lot of room to condemn him.

I did know that Mrs. Lucas was a sister, but I had no idea she was that accomplished and never thought to research or look her up. Thanks for that information.

I just told my wife that our part of town has wing shops and a rib shop, but nothing as nice as a Sylvia's like Troy discussed. It's like we don't even study culinary arts and open restaurants. We just throw something together and wait for people to support us because we are black. In this part of town there isn't one book store or art gallery. While in the hipster parts of town there are an abundance of small bookstores, coffee shops and art galleries. I guess it shows where our interests lies.

[Troy]

Yeah you guys are right, I fell for the ole use-controversy-to-drum-up-sales okie doke.  Perhaps I was susceptible because I actually am a big fan of science fiction--always have been.  But I'm not a fan of the Star Wars franchise (ignoring the race issues).  I have not pre ordered tickets, and the only reason I would consider even going to see it in the theater is that it is showing in IMAX.  Even a mediocre film, which I expect this film to be, can be fun in Imax.

You definitely won't catch me standing in line to get in no Star Wars museum.

Melody Hobson is the shit.  Too bad a brother could not have scored her.  But hey...this would not be the first thing a white guy has stolen from us 

Harlem has more Starbucks than independently owned coffee shops.

Don't get me wrong Red Rooster is a nice restaurant, as far as restaurants go.  It is just overhyped and to expensive.

Sylvia's is an iconic restaurant, compared to Red Rooster its decor is run down, but it is a spot better suited, based upon cost, for people in the neighborhood.  But so is the Applebee's and Red Lobster a fews block away.  

That said, if you come to Harlem, as a tourist, both Red Rooster and Sylvia's are good choice because everyone else knows about them.  But a real foodie with try some of the other spots in the hood like Melba's, Chez Lucien, or Yetanga.

 

 

 

 

[Ce'Note]

I think all the controversy and discussion is just trying to boost interest in and attendance at the movie.  On the other hand, white people get angry at the strangest stuff.