The Devil & Mr. Obama

Can the news get any sillier? I don't know....Believe me, the only reason I am writing about this non-controversy at all is because it's a slow news day...Has been a slow couple of days...

If you are watching the History Channel's "The Bible" mini-series...You might notice (if you're simple minded) how much the guy playing the devil resembles President Obama.  I said you might....

Co-incidence?  Some people on both the left and the right seem to think so...(The simple minded...)
The producers don't.


The Bible" executive producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey say the notion that the devil in the miniseries is supposed to resemble President Obama is "utter nonsense."
The miniseries set Twitter aflame Sunday night because the actor playing the devil looks like the president might in several years.President  Obama's critics jested about the resemblance, while his supporters wondered if the casting was intended as propaganda. Ohhh puh leaseeee!

"This is utter nonsense,"Producers , Mark Burnett and  Roma Downey said in a statement Monday. "The actor who played Satan, Mehdi Ouzaani, is a highly acclaimed Moroccan actor. He has previously played parts in several Biblical epics -- including Satanic characters long before Barack Obama was elected as our President."

I have to wonder about that some...Why him in the Satanic parts?? What are they trying to say???
History also said the resemblance was not intentional. Wel, that's good to know.

"History channel has the highest respect for President Obama. The series was produced with an international and diverse cast of respected actors," the network said. "It's unfortunate that anyone made this false connection. History's 'The Bible' is meant to enlighten people on its rich stories and deep history."

Two years ago, This same History channel  found itself in the midst of another political dispute when it decided not to air the miniseries "The Kennedys" because of allegations from the left that it had a right-wing slant.

And last year, HBO's "Game of Thrones" came under criticism when its executive producers said in a DVD commentary that a fake head of President George W. Bush was impaled on a spike in one scene. People are a bit too sensitive on both sides of the political spectrum!


"The Bible" has been a huge hit for History, drawing 13.1 million for its first episode and 10.8 million for its second.

Mark Burnett and Roma Downey are married, and Roma Downey, a Catholic known for her role on "Touched by an Angel," portrays Jesus' mother, the Virgin Mary, in the miniseries.

Last week, one of the executive producers of "The Bible," Scott Sassa, resigned as Hearst's entertainment and syndication president after what the New York Post described as a sexting scandal involving a stripper.

And the silliness continues~!

Reality? Compared to What?

Okay. before I start ,let's get this straight....I don't like so called reality TV shows...None of them...Not one of them...I don't like them and I don't watch them...Not the least bit curious.... I once worked with someone who I think had the goal of being on one....Which was how I learned anything about the current crop. She watched everything from Real Housewives of Atlanta to Basketball Wives ....and would come in to work and talk with several other females about each charactor as though it was one of her girlfriends...someone she actually knew.

On her break, she would stream any shows she missed on her computer....Being two cubicles away...I could often hear the dsyfunction....but I digress....Comedian and Philadelphia native, Kevin Hart appeared on several radio shows hyping up his scripted reality show... The Real Husbands of Hollywood... He billed it as the "fakest reality show in history."  I thought...Wow..a reality show for someone like me who hates reality shows....What the hell, I'll give it a try...

The series is created by comedian Kevin Hart, and follows him and some other celebrities including: Boris Kodjoe, Duane Martin, J.B. Smoove, Nick Cannon and Robin Thicke. The series is  loosely based on the Real Housewives series; however this series is scripted. A sneak peek was shown as a segment during the 2011 BET Awards and the official promo was released in October 2012. Other special guests within the series are: Jay Leno, Ed O'Neill, Shaquille O'Neal, Nelly(who was in the pilot episode last night), Faizon Love, Common and Trey Songz.

 The series follows the daily lives of Boris Kodjoe, Duane Martin, J.B. Smoove, Kevin Hart, Nick Cannon and Robin Thicke as they adventure through their surreal life in Hollywood.

I wanted to like it...I really did...but I didn't find it particularly funny.....Not funny enough to watch it again...I'm sorry.... They even said that it was inspired by HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm in which Comedian Larry David and famous celebrities play exaggerated versions of themselves in a loosely scripted format. The show even features Curb Your Enthusiasm alum, comedian J.B. Smooth, who usually makes me laugh everytime he opens his mouth....Just wasn't workin last night.

See, Curb Your Enthusiasm is actually funny...I can watch episodes of that show over and over again...This show wasn't funny and didn't keep my interest long enough to keep me from drifting to sleep...Again to all you reality show fans out there..sorry.

I think I would fall asleep even on the ones that supposedly aren't scripted and are therefore...real.  Maybe I'm just biased and reality just aint my cup of tea...Maybe fantasy, at least on Television is better!

Another Keith

I've been watching a show on Investigation Discovery channel called "The Injustice Files" It's about another guy named Keith, Keith Beauchamp who teams up with an FBI agent who is in charge of the "Civil Rights Unit" who digs up old cold cases from the sixties and attempts to solve them. Before I go into the show any further, let me give you a background on Keith Beauchamp-

Keith Beauchamp found his calling as a filmmaker through his documentary about the story of 14-year-old Emmett Till, who in August 1955 was abducted and tortured to death because he whistled at a white woman.

Suspects were arrested for the murder, but they were all acquitted by all white juries. This story of a young boy, who was beaten, shot, and thrown in a river, ignited the early civil rights movement.

Decades later, the case was re-opened by the FBI because Beauchamp uncovered new information, bolstered by his ability as a filmmaker to reach deep into the communities where these crimes occurred and connect with potential witnesses who otherwise might not come forward.

Since his experience making The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till,Keith Beauchamp has become passionate about seeking justice for these families and assisting the FBI by developing new leads for some of their unsolved cases from this troubled chapter in American history.

For The Injustice Files, Keith Beauchamp combs through records; interviews family members, witnesses and investigators; and pieces together the known facts of each case. Beauchamp attempts to interview potential suspects and individuals who may know who was responsible for these murders, sometimes confronting them in their driveways after attempts to contact them for interviews prove unsuccessful.

These two ,Keith Beauchamp and the FBI agent kind of remind me of Agent Mulder and Agent Scully on the X-Files.. Two zealots pursuing hopeless cases that nobody cares about ,always mindful that they may be shutdown eventually. I hope this is not the case here...They both appear to be sincere and attempting to do good work.

I'd be lying if I didn't say that the show frustrates me at times... As much as I like it....Practically every week, They reopen one of these cases and they find that the killer or killers have died already and the people left behind who had something minimal to do with the murders are old in nursing homes, can't remember their names , let alone what they did 45 years ago...It's a real hurt piece....In a sense...Justice isn't being served.

These folks murdered someone 40 to 50 years ago....It was at a time when all white juries refused to convict (sometimes to even indict) the perpretrators. They got to live in freedom all these years and even die without ever paying for what they did.. Those that do go to jail now are so old that in a lot of cases..They are dead within a year anyway... They really should have been punished back when they committed these heinious crimes.

It's cool though...Justice delayed is still justice....If you get a chance and your cable provider has Discovery's Investigation (ID) channel check out my man, Keith's show -"The Injustice Files" on
Fridays at 9:00 PM.

One Keith In Trouble!

I got the news last night that Keith Olbermann, one of my favorite commentators on television today (and not just because we share the same surname) has been suspended indefintely from MSNBC for donating money to three Democratic candidates. I'm really sad about this because he did on television what I do on this blog... give the right-wingers hell!

Olbermann acknowledged the donations in a statement to Politico, saying he gave the maximum legal donation of $2,400 to Arizona Reps. Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords and Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway, who waged an unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. Senate against Tea Party standard-bearer Rand Paul.

Like a lot of these news organizations, NBC News, parent of MSNBC-TV, prohibits political contributions by its journalists without prior approval of the president. MSNBC.com, a joint venture of NBC Universal and Microsoft, also has a policy against its journalists contributing to political campaigns.

"Anyone working for NBC News who takes part in civic or other outside activities may find that these activities jeopardize his or her standing as an impartial journalist because they may create the appearance of a conflict of interest," the NBC News policy reads. "Such activities may include participation in or contributions to political campaigns or groups that espouse controversial positions. You should report any such potential conflicts in advance to, and obtain prior approval of, the president of NBC News or his designee."

That is their stated policy, but here is my problem with this matter. I have never viewed Keith Olbermann as a reporter or journalist per se... I've always seen him as a commentator, much as in the same way I, myself, am not a journalist (at least, not on this blog). I'm a blogger with an opinion... an opinion that is probably far more to the left than anybody on television right now. Olbermann, is a admittedly liberal and progressive commentator, much in the same way as

Glenn Beck and Joe Scarborough (also a part of NBC) are conservative commentators. I'm sure that Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly over at Fox have donated money to the Tea Party and other Republican concerns. They've shown up and spoke at rallies all year long. Another network, another set of rules! But Joe Scarborough , a former Republican congressman, now talk show host and commentator, has been rumored to have also donated money to Republican campaigns this year and he is a member of the NBC family. So, will he be suspended too?

The donations to Grijalva and Giffords were made on October 28th, the same day that Grijalva appeared on Olbermann's show, "Countdown with Keith Olbermann". Grijalva won re-election on Tuesday, while Giffords (as of yesterday) was clinging to a narrow lead over Republican Jesse Kelly in a race that the Associated Press has not yet called. I hate these types of tight races that go on and on way after election day.

In a statement made last night , Olbermann said he did not encourage his viewers or other staff members to donate to the candidates. "I did not privately or publicly encourage anyone else to donate to these campaigns, nor to any others in this election or any previous ones, nor have I previously donated to any political campaign at any level."

Commenting on the case, Rachel Maddow, his MSNBC collegue, whose show comes on right after Olbermann's, said the NBC News rules forbidding political contributions are part of what distinguishes MSNBC from Fox News, whose on-air personalities regularly contribute to political campaigns.

If this is true and this is indeed the policy, then Keith was being insubordinate and has been disciplined for it. Still, it's a shame because he is such an important liberal and progressive voice in the media. One of a very few in a field saturated with right-wing and Tea Party supporters.

R.I.P. Abbey Lincoln

August 6, 1930 - August 14, 2010

We have lost another giant! Abbey Lincoln, a singer with a distinctive style influenced by Billie Holiday, has died at 80 years old. Abbey Lincoln sang in a plaintive tone that reflected her idol, but was all her own. Best known among jazz aficionados, Abbey often sang her own compositions, tailored to highlight her voice and style. She was highly respected by jazz musicians and performed with the most famous list of collaborators, including Eric Dolphy, Coleman Hawkins, and Sonny Rollins.

Abbey starred in the 1964 film "Nothing But A Man" with Ivan Dixon, still considered one of the best and most realistic on-screen portayals of a relationship between two black people... and, shame upon shame on me because I still haven't seen that movie. My mother and my aunt used to talk about that movie when I was a child. I'm going to go out and see if I can purchase it now. She also appeared in "For The Love of Ivy, a 1968 film with Sidney Poitier and Beau Bridges. (another film that I did not see, but will see now). She also had roles in many popular TV shows like All in the Family.

Abbey was married to the great jazz drummer Max Roach during the 1960s, and they collaborated on "We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite", an album that was considered highly political at the time of its release. Abbey Lincoln, whose real name was Anna Marie Wooldridge, was found dead in her New York apartment this past Saturday.

Skim-Flam

When HBO's "Treme" comes back next year for it's second season, the damage to the region caused by Hurricane Katrina will be passe', a thing of the past. They can talk about the fishing industry, how it has been effected by this oil spill, and how tourism to the region in general has effected the livlihood and everything else. If "Treme" is nearly as topical as the producer's other show "The Wire" was, I'm sure these topics will be dealt with.

That poor region has had it's share of bad luck, but what is worse is the lies and distortions that BP, the ones responsible for this disaster, are telling people. In the 77 or 78 days since oil from the ruptured deep water horizon began to gush into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, BP has skimmed or burned about 60% of the amount it promised regulators it could remove in a single day.

The disparity between what BP promised in its March 24th filing with federal regulators and the amount of oil recovered since the April 20th explosion underscores what some officials and environmental groups call a misleading numbers game that has led to widespread confusion about the extent of the spill and the progress of the recovery, or let's just call it what it really is... a lie!

"It's clear they overreached," said John F. Young, Jr., Council Chairman in Louisiana's Jefferson Parish. "I think the federal government should have, at the very least, picked up a phone and started asking some questions and challenged them about the accuracy of that number and tested the veracity of that claim."

Perhaps, but the Feds could only go by the information they were given. It's obvious the Federal and State governments gave BP the benefit of the doubt about this and it should be a lesson to the de-regulation crowd that feels as though "less to no government regulation of certain businesses is the best way to go", to quote a certain TV pundit on a certain network that I will not name here. In a March report that was not questioned by federal officials, BP said it had the capacity to skim and remove 491,721 barrels of oil each day in the event of a major spill.

As of Monday, with about 2 million barrels released into the gulf, the skimming operations that were touted as key to preventing environmental disaster have averaged less than 900 barrels a day. Skimming has captured only 67,143 barrels and BP has relied on burning to remove 238,095 barrels. Most of the oil recovered, about 632,410 barrels, was captured directly at the site of the leaking well. BP officials declined to comment on the validity of early skimming projections, stressing instead the company's commitment to building relief wells intended to shut down the still-gushing well.

Yes, the writers of HBO's "Treme" will have a lot of material for next year's season... and at the rate of this disaster, for the next two seasons too!

Is It Real? Compared To What?

Frankie & Neffe

I admit that I don't watch any reality TV shows... not since the "Real World" premiered and how long ago was that? No, I don't watch "The Biggest Loser", "American Idol", "Dancing With The Stars", nada... none of that stuff. It doesn't interest me in the least bit. I view it as the cheapest and most unimaginable form of entertainment.

I don't begrudge people their guilty pleasures, though... to each his/her own. If you choose to watch that stuff, be my guest. Needless to say, most of the people I work with do not share my quasi -elitist beliefs and they do partake of these shows.

Every morning when I come to work, I hear spirited conversations about the "Real Housewives of Atlanta", "Singer", "Monica", "Chilli (of TLC)", and "Frankie & Neffe", as if my co-workers actually know them. I was going to say as if they were real people. Sorry to say, they are real people.

Across the reality-television spectrum, there have always been women like Sheree and her ''friends'' on Bravo TV's "The Real Housewives of Atlanta"... catty, materialistic, and self-absorbed. But are television executives really only interested in Black women when they are acting a fool? And more importantly, are sisters really only interested in seeing themselves portrayed in this light? I sure hope not.

But if you look at the popularity of these shows, apparently this is so: Last month, cable network VH1 dominated the list of top 25 cable shows in Black households for reality original programming, returning with the all new "Basketball Wives" ranked at No. 5. (Like Housewives and Tiny & Toya, the show features ex-girlfriends and wives trying to make names for themselves on the heels of relationships with famous men). "What Chilli Wants" followed in popularity at No. 7 and "Brandy & Ray J" came in at No. 11. Executives say that their channel had a 9% increase in Black women prime-time viewers ages 18-49 in this past year alone with the success of their reality shows.

For someone who has never watched a minute of any of these shows, I sure seem to know a lot about them, huh? That's because I hear women who work with me, both Black and White, constantly talking about these people and their adventures... in the office, on the subway, on the trolley, on the bus, and with such fervor and devotion, it's incredible! I almost feel like these women visited one of my co-worker's home the night before. LOL!

People are quick to talk about Black male rappers and the bad image they give the White world of Black males and Black people in general. So, I ask the question... Do the women on these shows not do the same for Black women and Black people in general? And especially, the ones who have a little money?

Some people say that these depictions aren't necessarily always ''negative''. I want to be careful about labeling,'' says Terrion Williamson, a doctoral candidate in American studies and ethnicity at the University of Southern California, who is writing her dissertation about reality-television programming.

''Because that attitude that comes from a kind of middle-class, bourgeoisie ideology that says there's a certain way that we, as Black women, should conduct ourselves. Would we be happier if all we saw was Michelle Obama? Would that then improve our lot in life?''

Maybe not, but as Benjamin Todd Jealous, president of the NAACP has pointed out, seeing actor Dennis Haysbert as President of the United States on the successful Fox TV series "24", may have helped to set the psychological stage for Obama's victory.

''I wouldn't want to say that what you're seeing on the "Real Housewives of Atlanta" is emblematic of everything that Black women are going through,'' said Andy Cohen, Senior Vice President for Original Programming & Development at Bravo. ''But, when you put four women under the microscope, then you're somehow portraying issues that a whole lot of Black women can relate to. It's fun,'' he added, emphasizing that the show isn't meant to be taken seriously. ''It puts a smile on my face.''

That's the excuse the apologists always use when it comes to Black denigration. "It's fun." I have this to say about that... White people could produce a show like "The Three Stooges", watch it, laugh, and not cringe because for every Three Stooges show, there was a show with a doctor, a lawyer, a swashbuckling and heroic pirate, a cowboy, a gangster, a detective, and whatever. Do you feel me? They had balance.

However, with Black people, you get non-stop "laughter" or what one of my co-workers so eloquently calls "coonery and buffoonery" and very little balance. It is getting better... much better. But then, in the world of so-called "reality TV", it seems to be getting worse. Take one step forward, then take two steps backwards.

What do you think? Am I just being, well, a little extra? Comments please!

In The Lion's Mouth

My grandmother used to say that when your head is "stuck in the lion's mouth, you've gotta ease it out slowly"... which to me meant, "Know where you are and how much you can and can't do at all times. Tread lightly when you must." So, when I heard today's news, all of this came to my mind.

President Barack Obama will appear on Fox News to rally last-minute support for the health care reform bill. I immediately thought, What? Say what? Special Report's Bret Baier will sit down with President Obama on Wednesday at 6/5C for an interview regarding the proposed legislation. The interview will be followed by an in-depth panel that will analyze President Obama's responses. The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the bill later this week.

President Obama has said that he would like a live televised Health Care Summit, which is all well and good, but on FOX? Unfair and unbalanced Fox TV? Makes me shake my head. We welcome the opportunity," Brett Baier wrote on his blog. (Yeah, everybody's got one and a Facebook page and a Twitter page!) "We're going to try to really get some specifics from President Obama on a number of different topics." That means, we are really going to try and stick it to the President, if we can.

I for one will break my self-imposed ban of all things FOX and try to catch the Presient's appearence on the Fox Network. Remember Barack, remember the words of my grandmother... "When your head is in the lion's mouth, you gotta ease it out slowly." Watch ya back and protect ya neck!

Just Like Dave

David Letterman

I've never been blackmailed before. I'm not a celebrity and I don't do much (anymore) that would be embarrassing or cost me anything. So, I don't know how it feels to be in the public eye and have lots of money tied up in endorsements from corporate sponsors, etc.

However, if I were being blackmailed, I would hope that I could play it the way my man David Letterman did it recently. Apparently, David Letterman was involved with a young woman who worked for him, much to the consternation of her ex-boyfriend, who happens to be one of the producers of David Letterman's late night television show.

In a move that has to be the ultimate in hateration, the producer attempted to blackmail David Letterman for millions of dollars by revealing that Mr. Letterman has had sexual relations with his ex-girlfriend and with a few other NBC staffers in the past. He figured that Letterman would cave in and give him the money, rather than have this kind of information get out. It could be very embarrassing to the late night host.

Some celebrities would have lied and said that the allegations weren't true if they had gotten out and this is where they get in trouble. If a blackmailer has something on you that is true and you lie, there is always a way to get it out and/or get somebody else involved. Now, you're exposed as a liar and your dirty little secret is out. You're screwed twice... literally!

David Letterman came out, ran his show the way he usually does, and then, in the course of the night, calmly brought up the allegations and admitted that they were true without going into any sordid details. He killed his would be blackmailer. Sure, people are going to laugh and make jokes about it but, there won't be any story. He just told everyone that it was true. Now, his blackmailer could lose his job and face criminal charges.

I read that story in the paper and I pumped my fists in the air... Way to go Dave! David Letterman was single at the time and he was dating several women. So what? Where is the scandal? Perhaps, he shouldn't have been dating women who work for him but, it doesn't seem as though any of the women have been complaining.

If someone tried to blackmail me, I'd hope I could handle it just like Dave and give a black eye figuratively folks) to my haters!

Where Was The Class?

BET Awards 2009 Official Website

Before I go on, let me just say for those who might get it twisted... What I write on this blog is just my opinion and, just as the description says underneath the title, you are getting "whatever is on my mind today". So, with that said, let me get right to it.

I purposely chose not to write a big blog post on the recent death of Michael Jackson. It was hurting me... I mean, I was really hurting. He has meant too much to me over the years for me to do him any justice (or injustice, depending on how you look at it) by writing a post on him. I figured that a number of bloggers and others would do that anyway and anything I wrote just might be redundant. By the time you read me, you probably would have read the same thing somewhere else.

Most of us grew up with the man in some form or another. I was fortunate enough to be 10 years old when he was 10 years old and just starting out. The first record I ever bought with my own money was "I Want You Back" by the Jackson Five. I used to go to the 5212 Restaurant on the corner of 52nd and Haverford Avenue and play the song on the jukebox so much that the cook gave me the money to go and buy the 45rpm (Remember those? If not, I don't want to hear about it!). I know... I'm really telling my age.

However, this post is not about Michael though. It's about the so-called "tribute" that BET put together and actually aired in his honor. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. New Edition came out overweight with hoarse (or "changed") voices and simply ruined a Jackson Five classic and the other acts were weak, at best.

I love Jamie Foxx... I really do... but, his coming out on stage in tight high-water pants and attempting to be funny at Michael Jackson's expense, just didn't do anything for me. I wanted to laugh but, enough people had clowned and mocked Michael when he was alive. I felt that as black people, we could have at least given him a break in death for one day.

Ne-Yo was the only artist who did Michael any justice. I did like the New Jack Swing part with Guy, BBD, and Keith Sweat. I also thought the tribute to the O'Jays by Johnny Gill, Tyrese, and Trey Songs was great and I thought the O'Jays were great too! Then, you had Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em... What was he singing? Then, you had Lil Wayne, Drake, all of those young girls dancing during their act, all of the cursing, and the 5-second delays that were hit and miss all night long. I just felt embarrassed and sad, that's all.

You know I sat in a movie theatre in the south when I was in boot camp and just cringed while watching "Gone With The Wind" (in 1984, no doubt) and Butterfly McQueen say, "Ah-ont know nothin' 'bout birfin' no babies!" I wanted to kill the white guy sitting next to me who laughed a little too long at her every time she was on the screen. Well, Sunday night, I wanted to grab a lot of those young black people who were portraying that same "coonery" on the television screen. I was just disappointed and embarrassed. I know I might be a minority with my opinion but, I miss the "class".

Michael Jackson (and his brothers) and all of the Motown acts, Philly International acts, Atlantic acts, and Stax acts all performed with class and precision. They didn't embarrass black people and they made us proud when we saw them on TV.

Even hip-hop icons like Tupac, Biggie, Rakim, LL, etc. put on great performances that made me proud when they were in their hey day. When they cursed, at least it was to make a point. Sometimes, it seems as if a lot of these performers today are just vulgar and ignorant just for the sake of it and just because they can be... but, that's not cool and nor is it good showmanship. It's just what it is...coonery! Where was the class? Where did it go?

If I'm by myself with this... if I sound like a crotchety old man and a hater... well, I guess that's just how I sound today. I don't window-dress myself and the older I get, the more I plan to let it all hang out. One of my ex-girlfriend's mother's once told me, "You ain't no good but, you don't try to hide it. What you see with you is what you get." And, she was right. I hope what I saw on BET is not all that we are going to get from our young entertainers. If so, that betrays all of the class and professionalism that Michael Jackson was all about!

Was It Me Or...?

I don't know how many of you watched President Obama's news conference on TV last night but, he started off by explaining the plight of a small town in Indiana that was (in his words) losing jobs at a rapid pace. He said that the unemployment rate was high and that the people who still had jobs weren't spending any money, which was causing other businesses in the town to have to lay off workers. In essence, the town like most of America is hurting. He was trying to make a case for his stimulus plan and he was saying that we cannot afford to not do anything.

When it came time for questions and answers, this silly reporter gets up and asks him, "Mr. President, what is your take on A-Rod and the steroid scandal?" A-ROD??? A-ROD??? WHO CARES ABOUT A-ROD right now??? Are you serious, man??? Was it me or, if you saw that, were you as stunned as I was??? This is the President of the United States, giving an address about the economy, during what is being called the worst economic disaster since The Great Depression and you're asking him about A-ROD??? This isn't SportsCenter, man!!!

Okay, I'm calm now. I just had to let that out. What is it with reporters and stupid questions? Just like last year during the presidential debates... someone asked Obama why he didn't wear the U.S. flag tie clip or some foolishness. I think I blogged about that too. Do they think they're being cute or are they really that stupid?

Was it me or were you shaking your head too?

"And, The Winner Is...!"

Sunday, February 8th, 8:00pm, CBS

Well, I didn't get a chance to watch the Grammys last night but, I did go online to find out who actually won this year. The following abbreviated list is what I discovered for the top categories as well as R & B, Rap, Reggae, Jazz, Blues, and Gospel. I was really hoping that Philly "homegirl", Jazmine Sullivan, would have walked away with something last night but, apparently, that didn't happen. And, what's this I hear about Chris Brown cancelling his scheduled performance because he is wanted by the police???!!! Anyway, let me know your thoughts regarding any highlights/performances from the show, the winners, or even the losers (as the case maybe)...

Album of the Year: "Raising Sand," Robert Plant and Alison Krauss; T Bone Burnett, producer; Mike Piersante, engineer/mixer; Gavin Lurssen, mastering engineer (Rounder)

Record of the Year: "Please Read The Letter," Robert Plant and Alison Krauss; T Bone Burnett, producer; Mike Piersante, engineer/mixer; track from "Raising Sand" (Rounder)

Song of the Year: "Viva La Vida," Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Chris Martin, songwriters (Coldplay), track from "Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends" (Capitol Records; Publishers: Universal Music-MGB Songs)

New Artist of the Year: Adele

R&B Album: "Jennifer Hudson," Jennifer Hudson (Arista)

R&B Song: "Miss Independent," Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen and Shaffer Smith, songwriters (Ne-Yo), track from "Year of the Gentleman" (Def Jam/Compound; Publishers: Pen in the Ground Publishing, Universal Music-Z Tunes)

Contemporary R&B Album: "Growing Pains," Mary J. Blige (Geffen)

Female R&B Vocal Solo: "Superwoman," Alicia Keys, track from "As I Am" (J)

Male R&B Vocal Solo: "Miss Independent," Ne-Yo, track from "Year of the Gentleman" (Def Jam/Compound)

R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals: "Stay With Me (By the Sea)," Al Green featuring John Legend, track from "Lay It Down" (Blue Note)

Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: "You've Got the Love I Need," Al Green featuring Anthony Hamilton, track from "Lay It Down" (Blue Note)

Urban/Alternative Performance: "Be OK," Chrisette Michele featuring will.i.am, track from "I Am" (Def Jam)

Rap Album: "Tha Carter III," Lil Wayne (Cash Money/Universal Motown)

Rap Solo Performance: "A Milli," Lil Wayne, track from "Tha Carter III" (Cash Money/Universal Motown)

Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: "Swagga Like Us," Jay-Z and T.I. featuring Kanye West and Lil Wayne (Roc-A-Fella/Grand Hustle/Atlantic)

Rap/Sung Collaboration: "American Boy," Estelle featuring Kanye West, track from "Shine" (Homeschool/Atlantic)

Rap Song: "Lollipop," Dwayne Carter, Darius Harrison, James Scheffer, Stephen Garrett and Rex Zamor, songwriters (Lil Wayne featuring Static Major), track from "Tha Carter III" (Cash Money/Universal Motown; Publishers: Young Money Publishing/Warner-Chappell Music, Herbalicious Music/Blackfountain Music/EMI-April Music, JimiPub Music/EMI Blackwood, Three Nails and A Crown Publishing/Roynet Music)

Reggae Album: "Jah Is Real," Burning Spear (Burning Music Production)

Contemporary Jazz Album: "Randy in Brasil," Randy Brecker (MAMA)

Jazz Vocal Album: "Loverly," Cassandra Wilson (Blue Note)

Jazz Instrumental Solo: "BE-BOP," Terence Blanchard, soloist; track from "Live at the 2007 Monterey Jazz Festival" (Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary All-Stars) (Monterey Jazz Festival)

Jazz Instrumental Album Individual or Group: "The New Crystal Silence," Chick Corea and Gary Burton (Concord)

Large Jazz Ensemble Album: "Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard," The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (Planet Arts Recordings)

Traditional Blues Album: "One Kind Favor," B.B. King (Geffen)

Contemporary Blues Album: "City That Care Forgot," Dr. John and The Lower 911 (429)

Gospel Performance: "Get Up," Mary Mary; track from "The Sound" (Columbia)

Gospel Song: "Help Me Believe," Kirk Franklin, songwriter (Kirk Franklin); track from "The Fight of My Life" (Fo Yo Soul Ent./Zomba Gospel; Publishers: Universal Music-Z Songs/Kerrion Publishing)

Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album: "Thy Kingdom Come," CeCe Winans (PureSprings Gospel/EMI Gospel)

Traditional Gospel Album: "Down in New Orleans," The Blind Boys of Alabama (Time Life)

Contemporary R&B Gospel Album: "The Fight of My Life," Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul Entertainment/Zomba Gospel)

Rap or Rock Gospel Album: "Alive and Transported," TobyMac (ForeFront Records EMI CMG)

Click here to see a simple but complete listing of ALL the Grammy winners posted by the Associated Press shortly after the broadcast.

Think Of Something Happy

"Happy 3rd Birthday Boogs!"

Yesterday's post about the man and woman who lost their jobs and felt so much despair that they made the horrific decision to kill themselves and their children upset me a lot. I read that post after I wrote it and was filled with a sadness I haven't felt in a long time. When I was a child, I was always able to bounce back after something bad happened to me by bringing up a memory of something good that happened to me. It's something that has stayed with me most of my life... the ability in the worst of times to think of something happy.

I pulled up my blog and I stared at the photo of that family and I was wondering what I was going to write today. I didn't want to write about anything else in the news. The news has been and probably will be very depressing for a while. As I was preparing to write something altogether different, my grandson ran past me. He had a little cup of Motts Apple Sauce and he was eager to show it to me. I looked at him and remembered that just three years ago this month, he came into the world...

I sat in a hospital room with my daughter, who was in intense pain. Being a man and having never given birth or witnessed anyone being born. I really couldn't relate but, I could understand that she was in pain. I told her that she could hold my hand and squeeze it as tight as she needed to. We had been in the hospital all day awaiting his birth. It was now 9:30pm and he still hadn't arrived. There was a television on above us and I remember that "American Idol" was on (just like it is on right now, as I write this post).

On that night, I remember the performers were particularly bad and I was trying to get my daughter's attention off of her obvious pain and to watch the screen. One guy said, "People, tell me that I'm a cross between Ginuwine and Maxwell when I sing." He sang and let me tell you, Ginuwine and Maxwell have nothing to worry about! Midway through the song (he was singing "She's Out of My life" by Michael Jackson), he forgot the words. He asked Simon if he could start over again. They allowed him to do that and he stopped again, burst into tears, and ran off the stage. I was hysterical, slapping my knee with one hand while my daughter was squeezing my other hand like a vice grip. I pointed to the screen with my good hand and I told her, "You should really watch this show... these singers are giving me as much pain as you must be in." She didn't say anything but, I'm sure in her mind she was saying, "Don't bet on it!"

A couple of nurses came in and one put a cold towel across my daughter's forehead, while the other was telling her to "push". She tried valiantly but, nothing was happening. Meanwhile on the TV screen, another person was singing and attempting to do a back flip to close out the song. He lost his balance and fell into a group of chairs and hit the floor. I was in hysterics again until I felt her grip on my hand tightening. I looked around and it seemed as if twenty doctors were in the room all at once (really, it was about eight or nine). They were all talking feverishly fast and imploring my daughter to PUSH... PUSH... PUSH!!! Finally, I don't remember if it was my wife or one of the nurses but I heard someone say, "I see his head!"

Then, I heard everyone in the room say, "Ohhhhhhhhh..." I looked up and there was the little fella... all 8lbs + 7ozs of him. My daughter was relieved and my wife was ecstactic (I think she was the first one to hold him). I was happy because my daughter let go of my hand and this little fella grabbed a hold of my heart...

aka "The Booga Wooga"
January 24, 2006 @ 9:59pm

Farewell Kiss

Just when I think that life can't get anymore bizarre than it is, it does. It's Sunday night, and I had just finished writing a short story for my other blog, Escapades, called "The Waiter's Wife". I was trying to hurry up because I wanted to see the Dallas Cowboys-New York Giants football game and I didn't want any interruptions. The TV was on but, I wasn't paying much attention to it yet... and then, they interrupt the broadcast with "Breaking News". I'm still just barely paying attention when I see President Bush at some press conference or meeting. Then, I heard a man in the audience yell, "This is a Farewell Kiss, you American Dog!!!" and he threw his shoe at President Bush!!!

I couldn't believe what I was seeing!!! The president has obviously spent sometime around the brothers... (maybe some of the cats on his Secret Service detail) because he weaved that first shoe just as cool as a cucumber... his suit didn't get a wrinkle. (Now, that's gangsta!) Then, if that wasn't enough, the same guy threw his other shoe at the president and screamed, "Die, American Dog!!!" The president bobbed, weaved, and ducked that shoe too. I almost expected him to look at the angry Iraqi and say, "What? What?" You know, get real gangsta with it... but, he's not that cool. That's something I would've done. I might've added, "Who's ya daddy now?" to top it off... but, that kind of bravado might have gotten him pelted with more shoes from more people. After all, he's not me... the Maverick of all Bloggers.

What amazed me is that this guy got two shoes off before the Secret Service (or whoever was in charge of the president's security) got the man to the ground. I'm so glad he wasn't shooting a gun at the president. You have to feel for the shoe throwing man, identified as 28 year old Muntadhar Al Zeidi, a journalist and fellow blogger, believe it or not. This poor man is a Shiite Muslim who was kidnapped last year by Islamic militants and held for a while. He escaped, only to be captured and detained by the U.S. Military, so you have to understand that he is a little pissed now of days. Wouldn't you be if you were he? As expected, Al Zeidi is now a hero in the Muslim world and from what I hear, people have taken to the streets demanding that the young man be freed. I'm sure he will be released shortly. How long can you hold someone for throwing shoes?

This is just one more bizarre thing to happen in an administration that was filled with bizarre and unseemly events. Some tragic... some hilarious... if not for the serious consequences of some of them. I'm going to miss George Bush. Barack Obama, who is already being called "No drama Obama", is just so cool that I can't imagine any of this kind of stuff happening to him. The comedians are gonna miss George Bush too... he just supplied them with so much comedic content. And, this blog will miss him... after all, his mishaps were the subject matter of so many of my early posts, before most of you knew who I was. I was just posting for myself and screaming angrily at the wind in those early days... kinda like throwing my shoes at somebody's head.

Saturday Seven (My 7 Favorite TV Shows Of All Time)

1. The Wire
Simply the finest cop show (that was more than just a cop show) in the history of television.

2. Homicide: Life On The Streets
The second finest and most realistic cop show on TV. Some years later, its writers would create "The Wire".

3. Miami Vice
In the 80's, I didn't go out clubbing until after Sonny Crockett and Rico Tubbs shot up a bunch of drug dealers!

4. Crime Story
Set in 1960's Chicago... this period piece was a cops and robbers melodrama between Lt. Mike Torello and uber gangster, Ray Luca. It kept me in the house on Tuesday nights and later, on Friday nights.

5. Living Single
I followed this series from it's inception to the very end (I don't believe I missed an episode). I loved the idea of young professional African-Americans hanging out in an apartment.

6. Martin
This show was just flat out funny. This was another show in which I'm certain I saw every single episode that ever aired. My friends and I could quote lines from practically every episode.

7. Batman
Some of you are far too young to remember the 1960's series that starred Adam West and Burt Young as the Caped Crusaders, Batman and Robin... but, this was probably the first show that ever compelled me to watch every week and I planned my life around it. I was 8 years old but, somehow I felt a lot safer when I heard Adam West say to Commissioner Gordon on the "bat phone"... "We're on our way commissioner!" I knew that The Joker, The Riddler, The Penguin, Mr. Freeze, and The Cat Woman (she was my favorite villian for reasons I still don't understand) were in a world of trouble.

Honorable Mention:

1. The Sopranos

2. The X-Files

3. Friends

4. Sanford & Son

5. Hawaii Five-O
When somebody in the neighborhood gets arrested, I still say... "Book him, Dano!"

What can I say... I'm a TV addict!

Little Boys, Trains, & Grandfathers Too

What is it about little boys and trains? I can remember spending many hours with my grandfather, just playing with trains. I loved them as a little boy and I see that my grandson does too. Ever since he was old enough to notice what was on the TV screen, he has been absolutely mesmerized by the “Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends” train characters. There was something about this little tank engine show that not only caught his eye but, actually held his attention for hours on end at a very young age (and mind you... he's not even 3 years old yet and won't be until January 24th).

Well, just like any other family when you discover what the favorite character or toy is, the child must be inundated with it and in our house, my wife is guilty of this habit. Needless to say, she makes sure that our grandson has "Thomas & Friends" EVERYTHING! (When our daughter was growing up, it was "Cabbage Patch" EVERYTHING!) But, being a man who was once a little boy who loved trains, at least this is something I can get into and it also brings back a lot of special memories of times that I spent with my grandfather.

So, I know this is NOT the hot topic of the week or an intriguing story from my past ... but rather, an attempt to momentarily suspend all of the craziness that we call "adult life", which we all need to do from time to time. These photos were taken of my grandson on Saturday morning and I decided to let him have the spotlight for just "a minute"... a little boy playing with his trains, while his grandfather enjoys the memory of doing it "once upon a time" too.

This post is dedicated to my grandfather
PRINCE ALBERT MARTIN