Where is Kola Boof when we need her? Wonder if she watched the NAACP "IMAGE" AWARDs Friday?? Image, indeed. There was certainly a preponderance of high-yellow, blue-eyed winners among the nominees; e.g. Vanessa Williams, Terrence Howard, Colin Powell, not to mention an olive "colored" Hispanic sitcom star, and the light-eyed gold-toned Regina King. And of course there was Halle Berry in all of her one-drop glory, modestly accepting an award from the light-skinned hazel-eyed Prince, displaying his usual eccentric behavior. I suspect the cameras were kept off the reaction of the losers in the audience, whose melanin must've blanched.

What would the show have done with out Loretta Devine doing her best version of a cross between Prissy and Mammy from "Gone With The Wind".

Not to be outdone was the President of the NAACP whose appearance harked back to the days when the men who held this office were referred to as "voluntary" Negroes because they were so fair-skinned.

Just another irony of the 21st Century. In Chicago, ex-senator Carol Moseley Braun, the black candidate for Mayor lost the race to the Jewish Rahm Emanuel, who came in first in all of the Black wards.

The more things change, the more they become the same. And so it goes.

I guess we are truly "post racial".

I did not follow the Chicago election, but it appears Obama did not support Braun. Do you think Obama should have endorsed Braun.

Who was the best person for the job?

Why didn't Black folks blindly support Braun they way they supported Obama over Hillary Clinton?

I have no idea what to say about the mixed race thing, other than the obvious...

The NAACP is, of course, entitled to stage an award show even if it is obvious that TV ratings are always their number one priority. Me, I simply find the inclusion of the word "image" in the designation of this black honor ironic because stars like Vanessa Williams and Terrence Howard are so - "atypical".

Then there was the presenting of an award to bi-racial Alicia Keyes who got knocked up by the boyfriend she stole from another woman, subsequently flaunting her pregnancy, barely making it to the altar before droppin out the baby. What an inspiring "image" she projects. When I grow up I want to be just like her.

Yes, the personal lives of the celeb nominees are their own business but since so often the winners of this NAACP award do not exemplify an esteemed image, IMO, the word "image" should be eliminated from the proceedings, making the category of the award the focus, instead. But, - that's just me. Not only am I old school, but I am also a stickler for-semantics.

As for, Carol Moseley Braun's defeat, I'm not that conversant on Chicago politics, but the pundits did note that there was a very low voter-turnout, possibly because people didn't care that much for any of the candidates. Obama, deferring to cronyism, never endorsed Carol, making his backing of Rahm implied.

I would venture to say that Carol never rallied a grassroots following because of her elitist aura, what with her living in a million dollar Hyde Park Condo, and running an organic food business, with the reason for it losing money probably being that black folks ain't that into organic food. Or did being behind in her taxes bode well for her, and last but not least, when she called her black female opponent a "former crack-head", that alienated a lot of her "constituency", because most black voters in Chicago have a crack head relative who, although steals from them, still commands a modicum of their loyalty.

The consensus of opinion does seem to be that the dynamic Rahm Emanuel, with all of his expertise and connections, will make a suitable mayor.

Well Cynique, I was rooting for Bernice McFadden to win the fiction award.

She is VERY light skinned. Haha.

We're on the same publisher and we chat from time to time. I really love her to

death and Terry McMillan, whose writing I also admire, is not friendly to me, so

I wanted Bernice to win. She deserved it (Read "GLORIOUS" folks!).

But you do make a point that always irks me about America's "Black" community in

general.

Which is why I've now removed myself and only consort with "MY" Black American relatives. That way, I can be the "immigrant" and not feel that the IMAGE Awards is a

reflection on me or mis-representing me. I used to take

these images so personal and

feel that I was part of a "traitor" class. But now I have come to accept that I will never

really be Black American. It's what my family is and they love me and understand me.

Maybe instead of raggin' on the NAACP, I should've praised them for their foresight. They've never changed their name and the term "Colored People" actually takes in people of all color, - something very relevant in today's mix.

But, again, my main gripe was with the word "image". The emphasis should be about awarding people for excelling in their craft, not in how exemplary their image is.

The "Image" awards are a popularity contest.

I will say in the book category the nominees, over the years, have improved.

It looks like was a fun event and Bernice's reports from the field were interesting. Seeing Bernice, a regular down to earth person, on the red carpet being interviewed and having her dress critiqued was fascinating. I was actually very happy to share in her experience.

Cynique -- forget image. In today's celebrity fixated world you get more media attention "props" for being an animal than you do for being an upright citizen, a square.