Friday, January 29, 2016

When reality shows become a reality

Let's face it, reality shows are addictive. It doesn't matter if you are into the family reality shows, competitive reality shows or what some people call ratchet TV, it can be addictive. Reality shows are television shows that allow the public to enter into the world of celebrities, wanna be celebrities, or even everyday normal people on a weekly basis. Reality TV all started with The Real World that aired on MTV in 1992 and ended in 2013. Every year millions of people tuned in to MTV to watch the 7 strangers that lived in various parts of the United States come together in a location that is picked by MTV to live together for a couple of months. It created that great TV and the new era of modern soap operas. The difference is soap operas are fake and scripted and reality TV are real and "somewhat scripted".



Reality TV is scripted to a point where the producers and others who are behind the scene set up certain things to occur. Sometimes they would call a person's ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend and have them suddenly appear at a location that the person will be. And from there a story is built using the hidden emotions that has been buried between the two former couple. But as of recently, many reality shows have gone off script and has entered into that person's real life. The people who are on screen admit in interviews that they refuse to allow certain things happen or fall for the "suddenly" moments. Which is why reality shows are now becoming a reality.

You hear and see these people going to jail, talking about unexpected pregnancies, affairs, brawls, and the list goes on. Thanks to certain sites and blogs, you are able to keep up with these people and know their every move as they film the shows. You would think that people would be smart and not appear stupid to those who watch their every move on television. One show that comes to mind is a show that I've grown to love since it first aired in March of 2011.....Love and Hip Hop of New York that comes on VH1 on Mondays at 8pm. There is a love triangle between a man name Peter Gunz, who was once a well known rapper in the mid to later 90's and two women name Tara and Amina.



To make a long story short, Peter was with Tara for years and they have 2 boys together but eventually secretly married Amina. He kept lying to both women and both women kept falling for the same lies. Eventually, Amina gets pregnant and Peter continues to run between the two women. After what it appears that the two women try to put aside their differences because their kids are now step brothers and sisters, the chaos began all over again. Tara thinking it will be a good idea to move into the same building but separate floors where Amina and Peter lives so their boys can see their dad move, turns into a constant affair with Peter. In the end, Tara gets pregnant again (but didn't know she was 18 weeks) and Amina gets pregnant but because of the constant drama and affairs between Peter and Tara she decides to have an abortion. But during an interview, Amina announced that she is pregnant again.



You would think this is scripted but it isn't. Many people find it interesting to see the drama unfold in from of them every Monday but sometimes forget that our realty show is their reality. It baffles many women to see other women caught in a love triangle and can't understand why anyone, male or female would stay with someone who treats them like last week's leftovers... as trash. As entertaining it is, reality shows are  realtiy. We followed Teresa Giudice go to jail because of taxes, watched her family feel the absence of their mother and wife and the great reunion when she was released from prison a year later. You can't write that into a script. You can't write planned and unplanned pregnancies into a script.

I don't know how long reality TV will last. How long will people want to put their personal lives on television for others like myself give opinions, criticize and make us appreciate the simple drama that we go through in our own reality? I don't know when that time will come but until then, we will continue to sit back with a bowl of popcorn and be entertained by their reality show reality.


Friday, January 15, 2016

Whisper Out Loud: Something is missing in the Oscars 2016

Whisper Out Loud: Something is missing in the Oscars 2016: Hollywood's Academy Awards better known as The Oscars is whitewashed again. Whitewashed means all white, not a hint of color in the...

Whisper Out Loud: Bill Cosby: Gulity but Innocent?

Whisper Out Loud: Bill Cosby: Gulity but Innocent?: Everybody loved America's favorite dad. Some still love America's favorite dad and still considers him as the such, America'...

Whisper Out Loud: Something is missing in the Oscars 2016

Whisper Out Loud: Something is missing in the Oscars 2016: Hollywood's Academy Awards better known as The Oscars is whitewashed again. Whitewashed means all white, not a hint of color in the...

Something is missing in the Oscars 2016


Hollywood's Academy Awards better known as The Oscars is whitewashed again. Whitewashed means all white, not a hint of color in the nominations except for the host Chris Rock. This is the 88th Academy Awards. This award show began in 1929 but was first televised in 1953. During the 88 years, this award show there has only been 30 African American actors and actresses that won an Oscar. Then there were numerous of years where between 1-5 African Americans was nominated for an award. And of course there were and still is the years of complete snubbing.

There were quite a few nominations. But the problem isn't who won and who lost. Sure those who lost, lost to movies that would have you scratching your head I  confusment. But that's not the issue at hand.

The problem is, the Oscars has been whitewashing and snubbing outstanding movies with African Americans. In the year 2015, there were great movies that should have gotten a nomination, such as "Beasts of No Nation" with Idris Elba, "Straight Out of Compton", "The Wiz: (The Muscial)" and "Creed". Now before you go off the handle and react, yes, I know "Creed" is nominated for an Oscar but it is Slyvester Stallone who is nominated for playing his reprising role as Rocky. They snubbed Michael B. Jordan for playing Adonis, Apollo Creed's son and the director and writer of the movie Ryan Coogler. Slyvester Stallone had won an awrd at the Golden Globes and didn't thank or mention Michael B. Jordan or the director Ryan Cooglar. But he gave reference and thanks to his character Rocky and his agency. REALLY? Then you have people making excuses for him by saying that he was caught up in the moment abd feeling overwhelmed. That's a bunch of crook. Slyvester Stallone has been in that position of receiving awards so many times, him getting caught up in the moment is just an excuse to give him a pass.

They snubbed the Live musical "The Wiz". Why? Who knows . Could it be, because of the all-black cast. There were uneducated people who casued an uproar because "The Wiz" was a blackout and saw it as an snub to the original movie "Wizard of Oz." Then they got schooled after learning that the remake of the the musical "The Wiz" wasn't from the "Wizard of Oz" but from the orginal musical "The Wiz" which was on broadway in 1978 with Diana Ross, Nipsey Rusell, Micahel Jackson and Ted Ross. "The Wiz" Live musical ratings were extremely high. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 91%. IMDb rated it 8.8/10 and was seen by 11.5 million viewers. When the show was rebroadcasted it was seen by 1.6 million viewers. But I guess that wasn't good enough to get an Oscar nomination.

What about "Straight Out of Compton"? The actors in the movie did an outstanding job reliving the time when West Coast ganagsta rap began to emerge. But somehow the Oscar nomination the movie received went to the writers Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff who is white! But yet the movie grossed over $200 million world wide. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie 88% and IMDb gave it a 7.4/10 and Cinema Score gave the film an A on a scale from A+ to F. I can't believe that they snubbed a black film by nominating the 2 white writers of the movie.But then again, this isn't anything new. So, I shouldn't be surprised that this has happened again.

And Idris Elba's"Beasts of No Nation" was a Netflix movie that everyone was talking about. Idris has received critical acclaim for his performance. And the movie received high ratings with 91% from Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.8/10 from IMDb. This has been an outrage for years. So many African Americans as well as white people have stopped watching the Oscars because of the constant disregard of eliminating black actors and actresses from nomination. Could this be part of the cause of the decline in viewers in recent years? Or could it be the Oscars is just completely boring? I think its both. This will never get better. The Oscars will continue to be whitewashed, snubbing out extraordinary black actors and actresses. Nothing can or will rectifiy this. No matter how hard black actors, actresses, writers, directors, songwriters, designers, etc work they will never be fully accepted by white Hollywood.

Here is a list of all African American actors who won an Oscar.

1. Hattie McDaniel--------Gone with the Wind------------                             1939
2. Sidney Poitier------------ Lilies of the Field--------------                            1963.
3. Issac Hayes----------------Shaft-----------------------------                            1971 (Original Score)
4. Louis Gossett Jr.---------An Officer and a Gentleman---                           1982
5. Irene Cara-----------------Flasdance------------------------                            1983 (Original Score)
6. Stevie Wonder------------The Woman in Red------------                            1984 (Original Score)
7. Prince----------------------Purple Rain---------------------                             1984 (Original Score)
8. Lionel Richie-------------White Nights--------------------                            1985 (Original Score)
9. Herbie Handcock---------Round Midnight---------------                             1986 (Original Score)
10. Russell Williams-----------Bird-----------------------------                          1988 (Best Sound)
                                               Glory----------------------------                          1989 (Best Sound)
                                               Dances with Wolves----------                          1990 (Best Sound)
11. Denzel Washington-----Glory------------------------------                           1989
12. Whoopi Goldberg--------------Ghost----------------------                            1990
13. Cuba Gooding Jr.--------Jerry Macguire-------------------                          1996
14. Denzel Washington-----Training Day--------------------                            1999.
15. Halle Berry---------------Monster Ball---------------------                           2001
16. Jamie Fox----------------Ray -------------------------------                            2004
17. Morgan Freeman---------Million Dollar Baby------------                           2004
18. Juicy J, Frayser, DJ Paul----Hustle and Flow------------                            2005 (Original Score)
19.Willie D. Burton-----------Dreamgirls----------------------                           2006 (Best Writing)
20. Forest Whitaker---------The Last King of Scotland-----                            2006.
21. Jennifer Hudson----------Dreamgirls----------------------                            2006
22. MoNique------------------Precious--------------------------                           2009
23. Roger Ross Williams---------------Music by Prudence-------                    2009 (Documentary)
24. Geoffrey Fletcher---------Precious-------------------------                           2009 (Best Writing)
25.Octavia Spencer----------The Help-------------------------                            2011
26. Lupita Nyong'o----------12 years a Slave-----------------                            2013
27.Director TJ Martin-------Undefeated----------------------                             2013
28. Steve McQueen-----------12 years a Slave----------------                            2013 (Best Picture)
29. John Ridley----------------12 Years a Slave---------------                             2013 (Best Writing)
30. Common and John Legend-Selma-------------------------                             2014 (Original Score)

Jean Hersholt Humaitarian Award

 Quincy Jones (1995 )
 Oprah Winfrey  (2011)
 Harry Belafonte  (2014)

Academy Honorary Award

 James Baskett ( 1948 )
 Sidney Poitier (2001 )
 James Earl Jones (2011)
Spike Lee (2015)




Friday, January 8, 2016

Bill Cosby: Gulity but Innocent?



Everybody loved America's favorite dad. Some still love America's favorite dad and still considers him as the such, America's Dad. Then there are others who dislike and have turned their backs on him. Bill Cosby's reputation has become tarnished in the last two years. And it all began with a comedian name Hannibal Buress who made reference to Bill Cosby's rape allegations. This guy will always be known as the guy who outed Bill Cosby.... oh the stigma.



Almost 50 women came forward confessing that Mr. Cosby had raped them. Mr. Cosby did confessed saying that he gave women Quads back in the day. But let's explore that phrase back in the day for a moment. Back in the day, during the 1960s, 70s and early 80s and even now, drug usage, promiscuous sex and alcohol was all the rave. During this time, drug usage was a serious problem in America. Studio 54 was even one of the hottest and most popular club in NYC that entertained many celebrities. And many celebrities even said that Studio 54 had the drug of your choice. There was even a secret room where celebrities would go to, to do drugs and have sex. It was said that during that time, asking someone if they "Want to pop one" was the same thing as saying "Do you want a drink?" We have the 2016 mind set but let's go back to that time, partying with celebrities, feeling and getting high, smoking and enjoying life....Yeah, you'll get hooked too! Don't act like you won't because all of your morals would go out the door. (Just like those who sign waivers to party with celebrities at their homes today. No one knows what goes.) But with Bill Cosby, a famous, successful, young comedian, that was his life on the road just like any other comedian, actor, and rock star.

Now yes, he also took it a step further by letting them "enter his home", which I personally find it hard to believe. A married man wouldn't bring a potential hit and quick it to his home. Unless he has the guts to pull something as stupid as that off. Now Mr. Cosby was wrong on ALL levels don't get me wrong. He even admit that he was wrong. And to the "AUTHENTIC" victims wo was truly victimized by Mr. Cosby, they have nothing but sympathy from me and others and deserve their voices to be heard. But those who just want their 15 minutes or 10 seconds of fame need to have several seats and should be ashamed of themselves because being a victim of ANY type of rape is nothing to lie about.

What I do find quite disturbing and utterly upsetting is that they removed ALL of the Cosby Shows off the air. The Cosby Show was one of the most positive African American TV shows shown on television. Every Thursday night, I waited to watch the Cosby Show to get a good laugh, a good moral, to see what black love looks like, and to see two successful parents raising a family. Television stations removed the shows after the allegations became out of hand. Now before Cosby was the center of attention another actor name Stephen Collins who played the picture perfect pastor Eric Camden, with a picture perfect family on a show called "7th Heaven" was in the spotlight. He was heard confessing, recorded by his now ex-wife, to molesting minors... MINORS.... That word is plural!!!! Right then people said the show needed to be removed and the show was removed but within weeks later the show was back on the air under the radar. The shows are still being shown on networks today. (The picture below was taken by me today at my home. Take note that it will air again on Monday at 2pm on UP)



So let me get this straight, Mr. Cosby said he gave women Quads, although it was casual and they were ADULTS and the Cosby Show gets taken off the air BUT Stephen Collins who was recorded confessing, SAYING that he molested MINORS, show is still being played on air. That's not right AT ALL!!! I can sit here and pull the race card on this and have every right to pull the race card but I'm not. Wrong is wrong and if The Cosby Show has been pulled off the air, including on demand, Netflix and Hulu then the same should happen for 7th Heaven. Both shows show a positive look on a family that everyone watched. One was black and one was white. I'm not going to go into the spill of the race issue...I'm not... although I should and will but not in this post.

If the Cosby Show is off the air so should 7th Heaven. I miss the Cosby Show. I miss having a good laugh. Every time the show was on I watched it, especially on Sundays when they always had a little marathon on TV Land. Hopefully they will put the shows back on air just like they did with 7th Heaven. Until then enjoy my favorite Cosby episode.


Friday, January 1, 2016

Quick review of a FEW things in pop culture from 2015

2015 was a great year! Just like any year we experience highs and lows, the birth of new babies and passing of  loved ones, new jobs and promotions and layoffs and being FIRED! But with many obstacles we've endured another year. 2015 was full of laugher and new things and new phrases. There were so many things that happened in 2015 but some things will always be remembered. Here's a look back at some things of 2015.

January:


Kanye West did a musical collaboration with Paul McCartney titled "Only One". This was really funny because a lot of the younger crowd didn't know who Paul McCartney was. They didn't know he was in one of the biggest group in the world named The Beatles. This was one of the top singles in the incoming new year.
*The top movies were American Sniper and Selma. Both movies were outstanding in it's own right. American Sniper reminded us on the daily war that our soldiers are fighting for us and the dedication that they endure. The movie Selma showed us the struggle that African Americans had to go through for voting rights with the epic march from Selma to Montgomery Alabama.

*Record Producer and Executive Suge Knight was arrested on murder charges after he was involved in a hit and run. His dominant bad boy bully behavior has finally caught up with him. But I guess that was all a cover up because after his arrest he tried everything to not go to prison from telling the judge he was suffering my blindness and having a possible brain tumor. After his $25 million dollar bail was announced it was said that he collapsed in court. But yet he was the one who put the fear of him and his intimidating behavior in many people in the record industry.

*And then there is Bruce Jenner...or should I say WAS. Bruce Jenner decided to become a woman. He is now known as Caitlyn Jenner. Bruce said he always felt like he should have been born a woman. So at the age of 67 he decided to become a transgender. But I must say this, NO born-as-a-man will ever know what he truly feels like to be a woman.

February:

*Musical genius Pharrell Williams did it again with his hit song, "Happy". This song had people up and moving. Putting a smile on people faces and giving us a reminder of just being HAPPY. His song "Happy" has been played all around the world sparking numerous of people making their own "Happy" video. This song has been a hit all year.
*And on a sad note: we lost Bobbi Kristina Brown who was found face down in a filled bathtub at her Georgia home. What makes this even crazier is that she was found the same way her mother Whitney Houston was found in her hotel room. And we also loss Leonard Nimoy "Mr. Spock". He passed away at the age of 83. I must say, he did "live long and prospered."

March:

*The new top single that is still being played, but not as much as "Happy" is Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars "Uptown Funk". This was another song  that got people up and moving. When the first beat drop you can't help but move. "I kiss myself cause I'm so pretty, hot damn."

*But as Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars was celebrating all the way to the bank, Robin Thicke and Pharrell had to pay Marvin Gaye's family $7.3 million dollars for copyright infringement. This was quite a blow for Robin Thicke after the public humiliation he put on himself and his wife. But the music duo isn't giving up without a fight. They are set for a re-trial.......more to come in 2016.

*Angelina Jolie had removed both of breasts because of high risk of breast cancer that runs rapidly in her family. She had told the public that she had more preventive surgery done by having her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed in hopes of reducing her risk of cancer. Sometimes a woman have to do the unthinkable to keep herself healthy for her family. I know this must have been a hard decision for her or any woman that have cancer that run rapid in their family.


April:

*The top song goes along with the top movie. Bringing in the spring season the Fast and Furious series continued in Paul Walker's memory. Furious 7 was a great send off movie for Paul Walker. His untimely death was shocking and painful to so many fans, friends, and family. The top song was on the movie's soundtrack. Wiz Khalifa's "See You Again" featuring Charile Puth had touched the hearts of many and stayed in rotation on the radio. This was an outstanding send off.

*The game show The Price is Right messed up and gave away a free car by mistakingly exposing the winning selection. I wish I was that contestant. Oh and the model kept her job...accidents happen, RIGHT STEVE HARVEY.

*Dircetor JJ Abrams announced the showing of the long awaited movie: Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Every Star Wars fan went crazy that day. Even myself. It was going to be released on my birthday weekend. It was going to be a great birthday indeed.

May:

*Not the song we would imagine but it was very catchy. And Mr. Fetty Wap didn't disappoint. His hit song "Trap Queen" quickly rose to the charts. A song about your girl cooking drugs for you....not my kind of tea but apparently everyone was hooked, literally.

*NBC had removed Brain Williams from the nightly news because basically he lied. Journalism 101 use the word allegedly and don't say you were there when you wasn't........And moving on.

*David Letterman had said goodbye to his show after hosting for 33 years as a late night host. Ok, truth here, I've never watched David Letterman and was offered to attend who one the shows. I turned it down because "it just wasn't my thing". Hey, I was young.

*The great B. B. King had passed away at the age of 83. "The Thrill is Gone" singer song until he couldn't get out the bed and sing no more. We had also lost Reynaldo Rey an actor was played in many numerous roles in "Friday", "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka", and "White Men Can't Jump".
June:

*June was slow month... A very slow month.... Diddy was arrested by UCLA police department for an altercation on his son's campus. He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon when someone said he threated to it someone with a kettlebell weight.... Bad Boy for Life
July:

*Finally we have a top song!! The Weeknd's song "Can't Fell my Face" was the summer hit. Many people didn't know if he was referring to a woman or drugs. Once again drugs has come out on top in a song....SIGH

*Subway announced it had ended its relationship with Jared Fogle after he was found guilty on child pornography charges. DISGUSTING!!!!!

*Bill Cosby had admitted to giving prescription Quads to give to women he wanted to have sex with. There are so many things I can say about this. But I will discuss this at a later date.

August:

*The new top song of the month was "Cheerleader" by OMI. Finally a song without the glorified of drugs. It has a nice island feel to it.

*The biggest movie to hit and end the summer was "Staright Outta Compton"!!!!! This is how the rap culture of the West Coast got started. It was great to relive the awesome moments and memories. I remember my father banning me from listening to their songs because of their violence towards the police. My dad was a police officer, so I can understand his feelings. But like many children, when there is a will, there is a way. I found my way to listen to the head nodding, truth-in-lyrics rap every chance I got. In it's opening weekend it had made $56 million dollars.


September:

*Another slow month in pop culture...

*Billboard said that OMI Cheerleader was the song of the summer! I do agree with that. Although there were so many other songs. Whatever song that made you feel good and move, that was your song of the summer.

*A former radio personality had filed a lawsuit against Taylor Swift saying that he lost his job after being accused of inappropriately touching her during a photo shoot. I guess we'll see how this play out in 2016.

October:

*Hotline Bling was the ULITIMATE song!!! And Drake made it even more popular with his dancing skills. This song was on everyone's play list and Christmas sweaters.

*No one expects Kanye West to be so funny. Well he playfully audition for American Idol judges during the 15th season. Did he make it to Hollywood?

November:

*Not a big Justin Beiber fan but he released a song. yay. And Ms. Adele released her hit song "Hello". It sold a million copies in one week. No one, NO ONE has sold that much that fast, EVER!!!!! Not even Michael Jackson!!!

*Taylor Swift is getting sued again for $42 million dollars. Someone said that she stole their lyrics from her hit single "Shake it Off". People need to learn a lesson from Robin Thicke. Give credit to where credit is due.

*Charlie Sheen was the A list actor who has AIDS for about 4 years. And he was being extorted for money to keep the information quiet. Thankfully all of his sexual encounters was affected. AIDS isn't something to keep quiet about Mr. Sheen. 4 years is too long to keep it quiet. Not cool Charlie!
December:


*Rock and ROll had inducted Cheap Trick, Chicago, Deep Purplem Steve Miller and NWA into their 2016 Hall of Fame.


*Top movies of December were Creed and of course Star Wars: The Force Awakens! Ending the year with a bang!!! Star Wars made $129 million opening day and byt he that Sunday the movie had grossed $238 million dollars.

* Bill Cosby was indicted in PA in an alleged sexual assault encounter with a woman 12 years ago!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah you read right, 12 years ago!! More on this at a later date.

Now I know I missed so many other hot topics and issues from the defeat of Manny Pacquiao, Ronda Rousey, the Racial tension and the presidential debates. This was just to touch a few things that we left behind in 2015. If I would to sit and write about every issues, it would take me all of 2016. But lessons were learned and still being learned. I don't go for the whole New Year New Me crap. Yeah I called it crap. That has become so cliché. Why don't your new me begin when you open your eyes every morning and when you realize you were wrong. Well, either way I'm ready for this ride. I'm ready for the ride of my life in 2016. Are you? Lets go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!