Tyler's Critics Are at It Again

I respect Tyler Perry and his work a lot; this is a man who came up from homelessness to millionaire status all by the grace of God. His plays and movies have always had a positive spiritual message in them, and they’re something you can go see with the whole family. Now I haven’t caught House of Payne yet, as I don’t really do much TV these days, but I must say I was kinda surprised to hear that he’s already getting criticism…for having fat people on the show.

HUH?

Apparently the critics (why do we listen to them anyway?) feel as though Tyler is perpetuating the stereotype of the ‘big Black Momma.’ Does this sound ridiculous to anyone else? There are several things I could say on the sheer hypocrisy of it all, but I think Tyler does it best when, in an email to his fans he states (emphasis added):

One person asked why does the mama have to be a "FAT BLACK WOMAN" and said that I am perpetuating stereotypes by putting these overweight people on the show, as if there are no fat black women in America that are mothers. My mother and aunts are fat black women. And that upsets me to think that people, especially Black people, would say that I'm doing a disservice to America by putting them on T.V. Skinny does not make you beautiful. There are all kinds of beautiful women in this world. And if we begin to look at the heart of a person rather than prejudge then we would see that we are missing some of the nicest and most talented people in the world. I'm sorry but I had to get that off my chest. I just don't like to see good people hurt because of ignorance and intolerance.

Amen, Tyler. Amen. To read the whole article, go here.

Shuckin' & Jivin'...Uh...I Meant Leanin & Rockin'

Along with the popular Three Six Mafia show "Adventures In HollyHood" and the
curbside game show "Hood Fab," MTV Networks offers another take on Hood TV with "Dances From the Hood." (more...)

Because we all know how America loves another Minstrel Show. So um...when is the majority of Black America gonna wake up and realize the absurdity of something like this? Who needs white people in blackface when you can have Black folks in blackface?? It's the ultimate irony of ironies, is it not? Only...I don't know that these folks realize...or even care...that this is what they're doing.

For some reason I have the sudden urge to go watch "Bamboozled" again...anyone wit me?

Um...Black Power?

So yea…I’m checking my myspace account and I get a friend request from this guy. So I go to the page and voila:

Take it all in…so I’m lookin at the page, and of course I had to share the absurdity of it all with you, my lovely readers. Out of natural curiosity I take a look at some of his blog entries…

and I become a lil more disturbed. I guess this is some kind of BDSM thing?? Seems like the poor chap gets off on have a dominant Black woman tell him what to do, how to do it, and when.

Now…my questions of course are…
1. WHY is he in my extended network??
2. WHY did the man try to "friend" me? Was it the picture of me in the head wrap and the shades that did it? I was goin for neo-soul, not Black Militant Dominatrix Queen of All Whimpy White Men….WTF?! CLEARLY that’s my OTHER myspace page (I bet you clicked on the link, didn’t you!).
3. Is there something about me that’s particularly domineering?...scratch that, I know myself well enough to know the answer to that is a definitive and rather emphatic YES…but whatever, lol.
4. [childish whine] WHY does he have more friends than meeeeeee?!?!? [/childish whine]

So um…yea, random funny things that happen to me. Woot.

p.s. did I mention that our Black Power lovin friend Tony is a hair dresser? I wonder if I could order him to re-color my locs...my roots are lookin mighty black again...meh he might like that too much tho...

Tell the Truth

A message to the President, courtesy of the Mighty Mos Def, Jadakiss, Eminem, and Immortal Technique