Talk! with Marie

New Wave Young Boston Feminist

2011-03-14T19:56:00.001-07:00

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Marie chats with Rayshauna Gray, New Wave Organizer. It is a group that incorporates the myriad perspectives of our members to build a radically-welcoming feminist community.

This isn't our grandmothers' Feminism - we draw on the great progress of previous generations while forging ahead and creating our own path.

As a diverse group of Feminists, Womanists, Gender Studies students, professionals, and other folks with an interest in gender equality, we welcome ALL voices, Queer or straight, cis or trans, all genders and all backgrounds.http://www.meetup.com/bostonfeminists/about/

Remember Haiti: One Year Earthquake Memorial

2011-01-15T15:03:00.001-08:00

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;REMEMBER HAITI

January 12, 2011 marks the one-year anniversary of the massive earthquake that buried millions. In spite of pouring support from all the over the world, change has been painfully slow.

Renaissance Project Hope for Haiti

2010-08-09T20:36:00.001-07:00

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Gina & Danielle chat with Marie about the upcoming fundraiser to support the Renaissance Project. ;

Media Denial in a Digital World

2010-06-24T15:21:00.000-07:00

I recently read Teach Media Literacy, a special report published in The Atlantic Magazine (June 2010) about the urgency to teach media literacy in public schools. Given this digital generation is more immersed in media, it seems to be a no brainer to integrate this subject in the school curriculum. Integration of media education is key as teachers’ plates are already full with standardized testing, core subjects teaching and administrative duties. It is unrealistic to expect that media literacy will get a fair share in daily classroom instructions. On the other hand, media literacy is as important as learning mathematics and English. Although I’ve always been interested in media and popular culture as a teenager, I formally learned media literacy in college because I was concerned about the excess of ads in print and on television that were targeted at teenagers, particularly girls. The closest class to media literacy was journalism class even then you will not learn about news analysis. It’s not enough to simply learn to analyze the news and know its source. Media literacy goes beyond analysis and criticism. It is a powerful tool that can address a range of issues and topics through critical lens.
In comparison a decade ago, we have more than enough research highlighting the relevance of media and recommending teaching media to students. In addition, there are plenty of educators, practitioners and specialists who have been promoting and teaching media education in various settings. In preparation to enter the classroom, teachers are trained in specific subjects while learning about educational theories, research and other relevant topics. How many teacher education programs in this country make it a requirement for teachers in training to be media literate or critical thinkers? Perhaps, some teachers have now taken an elective course offered at their college or a professional development seminar. Beyond that, media literacy is not viewed or treated as an important area of teaching. In most programs, the emphasis is on teacher performance; classroom management and ensuring students can pass whatever standardized testing mechanism their district has in place. I’m aware that teachers are often blamed for what’s not working in our education system but not integrating media literacy should start with teacher programs (Jared’s article did not make this claim). Furthermore, media education has to be mandatory and prioritized as a core subject nationally. It is not guaranteed that individual school and state will voluntary choose to integrate media literacy in the curriculum.
In today’s educational climate, the purpose of education remains as ancient as some of the textbooks the students are still reading when the masses have transitioned to a digital lifestyle. Clearly, there is a disconnect between the wired world of students and that of school administrators and educators. As usual, we’ll play catch up when we realize another country is taking the lead in this area and we’re in lowest percentile. We’re now a nation at risk of media denial.

For those who are interested in media education, reach out to those who are at the forefront of this movement. NAMLE is a great resource and will lead you to more.

Omorosa: Reality TV’s Ultimate Opportunistic Vixen

2010-05-19T16:06:00.000-07:00

As if we didn’t have enough reality shows about looking for love and lust on television, Donald J. Trump has now become a matchmaker on television. Omorosa became somewhat of a celebrity after her stint on the first season of The Apprentice. She was vilified on the show for being an outspoken and angry Black woman who couldn’t get along with most of her colleagues. According to pubic opinion, her worst offense was sabotaging one of the contestants, an African American male contestant the grand prize. If you’re a fan, you know the story well. After the show, she seemed to embrace her profile as the reality TV vixen and was casted on several other shows.
This June, she premiered her own reality show with Donald Trump as her matchmaker. The show is aired on TVOne, which is a network with a large African American audience. Instead of the possibility of being fired, she has the power to vote off one of the “Bachelors” vying for her approval. The format of the show is similar to “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelette” except on this show as the Lady O, she has many advisors from spiritual to culinary. Guest appearances have included a pastor, former apprentice contestants, a chef and her mother. The show is entertaining and filled with challenges for contestants to win dates with her.
From her introduction on The Apprentice and Ultimate Merger, viewers learn that Omorosa is well educated and has achieved a great deal as an Entrepreneur and profession in the political arena. She worked in the White House during Clinton’s first term. In spite of her public persona as a bad girl or a woman the public loves to hate, she has the resume to make a living without resorting to making out on television with strangers under the charade of finding a man. This show has been produced on the heel of her failed marriage with a man she raved about on The Apprentice.
Omorosa is not the first person to become hook on the reality TV bug after her first experience. She even documented her plastic surgery splurges on television as a mother-daughter bonding extravaganza. Trump’s involvement as one of Executive Producers is one of the many surprises of The Ultimate Merger. On the other hand, we have to give Omorosa credit for forging a relationship with Trump that may exceed the longevity of The Apprentice. She is the only contestant from the show to launch her own show with Trump’s financing and stamp of approval. The only other Apprentice winner with a reality show is co-starring with his wife on the E! Channel. For a contestant who did not win the top job on the show, she seems to have stretched her 15 minutes of fame to one that keeps her in the black (no pun intended) and in the public eyes.
I’m not a fan of reality shows with a focus of finding a man or woman or swapping wives for entertainment. Many reality show contestants often claim to be motivated by their families, children, wanting to empower others and make a better life for themselves. From those shows, I now know that people come on reality shows for three primary reasons: fame, money and self-promotion. Anything else that is gained through a show whether love, friendship, career, travel, house or even an STI are secondary perks. In the case of the STI and other non-fatal bacteria, it’s an unfortunate by product of exposing yourself to the elements in the search for the ONE.
I’m not an expert on reality shows and I won’t attempt to provide a critical analysis on their effect on the public and their viewers. What I know from the few that I’ve watched, including The Ultimate Merger is that they capitalize on the worst aspects of people’s lives and accentuate negative stereotypes. That being said, it is possible to find a few dignified moments or discover a person who stomps public perceptions or stereotypes. Can you think of few examples when you witness something positive during a reality show? Next time you’re watching your favorite show or while channel surfing and you bump into a new one that you just can’t stop watching, see if you can a glimmer of human decency in one of the revolving characters. But then again, if you’re looking for what’s good in our society, reality shows should be the last place for you to look.

Emily Beattie: Dancer/Artist & SWAN DAY Curator

2010-03-30T16:36:00.001-07:00

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I had the pleasure to interview Emily Beattie about this years SWAN DAY. Emily is a passionate dancer, choreographer, teacher and curator of SWAN DAY. Emily Beattie has choreographed one dozen dances since her arrival on the Boston dance scene in 2003. Her training began in classical ballet with Avery Ballet in Fredericksburg, Virginia. After studying the works and techniques of Humphrey-Weidman, Martha Graham, and Jose Limon she received a Bachelors of Fine Arts cum laude in Modern Dance from the Boston Conservatory.

Emily Beattie has held faculty positions at Brown University, Boston Ballet's Taking outreach program, The Boston Symphony Orchestra's Days in the Arts Summer Enrichment, Salem State University, and Longy School of Music.

Beattie's teaching philosophy encourages questions, experimentation, and creativity while keeping technique in the foreground.Teaching children, teens, adults, students over 55 years old and non-english speakers has developed her well rounded classroom experience. Her process of learning as she shares her passion for dance remains overt.

For more information about SWAN DAY and Emilys upcoming performances, check out her website.

Simmons School of Management

2010-03-30T08:38:00.001-07:00

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An interactive panel on entrepreneurship.

SWAN DAY: Emily Beatty

2010-03-25T16:43:00.001-07:00

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Emily Beattie, a Cambridge-based choreographer and dancer, organizes and curates SWAN DAY Massachusetts. On March 28th@7pm, SWAN Day will present: The Fearless Creation Collaborative. The innovative contributions of women to the art scene of Cambridge will be celebrated at this one day event at the Middlesex Lounge. This Cambridge night spot will be spontaneously transformed into a installation performance space by art in the making. Come celebrate the creativity of these women!

This event is part of a new international celebration of women artists called SWAN Day (Support Women Artists Now Day). SWAN Day is an annual event taking place on the last Saturday of Women's History Month (March). Boston's present role in the Northeast region as an artistic hub and historic role as the wellspring of gender equality in all aspects, makes it a natural and dynamic site for a SWAN Day Festival. In one incredible working day, the general public is welcome to witness the unique performance process of slamming several art forms together by local artists working with dance, installation, music, and text. This savvy take on a conventional performance illustrates the power that women in creative careers can conjure.

For more information, go to http://www.swandayma.com

LEI WANG: Dream to become first Chinese Asian American Woman to Climb MT. Everest 2010

2010-02-27T10:16:00.001-08:00

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I had the opportunity to interview Lei Wang about her dream to become the first Chinese woman, as well as the first Asian-American woman, to climb the highest mountain on every continent and to ski to both the North and South Poles. To date, there are only 9 people in the world that have finished both the Seven Summits and the Two Poles .She hopes to become the 10th.

To support and learn more about Lei, go to http://www.leisventures.com

VALENTINE’S DAY The Movie

2010-02-16T18:19:00.000-08:00

This movie is packed with big name stars and celebrities from Julia Roberts to Jamie Foxx. What does Valentine’s Day mean to you? What has this movie taught us about love, romance and relationships? This special day has become one of the most commercial celebrations in the world. I will save you from rehashing the history of Saint Valentine and other social clichés about the holiday. Here’s a spoiler if you’re a Grey’s Anatomy fan, Dr. Mcdreamy is playing a married Doctor dating Jennifer Gardner’s character (she thinks dating). Dr. Mcsteamy is also in the movie playing a hot athlete. In a nutshell, Valentine’ Day documents the predictable stories of various couples and singles, young and old. Some couple make celebrating Valentine’s Day an art form by making breakfast, sending flowers, buying chocolate, texting love messages and shipping adorable bears. This is also the perfect day for young virgins to lose their virginity or at least attempt to. George Lopez puts it well when he says, “love doesn’t exist unless you acknowledge it in front of other people.” If you can’t shout it, show it, flaunt it or write it in 140 characters to the world, you have nothing.
Flowers are the biggest symbols of love on Valentine’s Day. Nothing says “I Love you” like a giant white bear with a red heart. Ashton Kutcher eloquently advises a friend that, “on Valentine’s Day, you don’t think, you just do.” I disagree. When it comes to love and romance, you have “to do” all the time not once a year when everyone feels pressured to. Like in any love movie, there are a lot of complaints, confusions, lies, frustrations and unfulfilled expectations. After 800 years of fairy tales, we’re still trying to figure it out and confusing never-ending love with the messy reality of life. Reality bites, even on Valentine’s Day. No amount of candy and flowers can fill the void that most people are experiencing every day. Valentine’s Day seems to magnify the level of loneliness and unhappiness beyond human comprehension. As one character bitterly discovered, “The truth makes everything else looks like a lie.” Valentine’s Day brings out the best and worst in relationships. One of the funniest scenes in the movie is when Jennifer Gardner destroyed the heart shaped piñata at the “I Hate Valentine Party” held at the best Indian restaurant in Los Angeles. There are more heartfelt moments in the movie but you have to watch it to find them yourself. Hate it or love it, the magical power of Valentine’s Day lives on.

Immersion Emersion: Artist Luanne E Witkowski

2010-01-19T08:34:00.001-08:00

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Luanne Witkowski is Communication Design Studio Manager at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and on the faculty of the Critical and Creative Thinking Graduate Program at the University of Massachusetts/Boston.

Luanne has exhibited solo and with groups, been included in juried and invitational exhibitions throughout New England including the Wedlock Project: Engagement at Space 242 (Sept.09); United South End Artists' Open Studios, Boston; Hutson Gallery, Provincetown; Provincetown Art Association and Museum; Boston Public Library; Artcetera, Boston; Massachusetts College of Art and Design; Mission Hill Artists Collective, and many local N.E. fundraising auctions. Her works are in collections throughout the United States and internationally.

Witkowski works intuitively in alternative mixed media (clay, resin) to create abstract paintings on panels that are based in and extracted from landscape and experience. Strongly influenced by the natural landscapes of the shore and woodlands of Cape Cod and Maine, Luanne has 'researched' and 'collected data' through plein aire painting and environmental installations to create references, which she then translates in the studio into these painted works. Additionally, video and photographic documentation and imagery of her references are manipulated to produce 'moving/living' video montage paintings: electronic "wallpaper".

Please visit www.lewstudio.com for more information.

YogaHope

2009-12-28T21:19:00.001-08:00

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Founder Sue Jones is the featured guest.

Meet the CEO & President of the Mass Life Sciences Center: Dr. Susan Windham-Bannister

2009-12-25T16:14:00.001-08:00

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The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) is a quasi-public agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, created by the Massachusetts legislature in June 2006. The MLSC is closely affiliated with the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development but is not subject to its direct supervision or control. The MLSC was established to promote the life sciences within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is tasked with investing in life sciences research and economic development. This work includes making financial investments in public and private institutions growing life sciences research, development and commercialization as well as building ties between sectors of the Massachusetts life sciences community.

Meet the CEO & President of the Mass Life Science Center: Dr. Susan Windham-Bannister

2009-12-16T06:21:00.001-08:00

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Author Veronica De La Croix Discusses New Book

2009-12-01T10:19:00.001-08:00

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Author Veronica De La Croix discusses her new book: Presenting My Hero in His Memoire. Join her on December 3rd at Harvard University, Ticknor Hall (12 Quincy St.) from 7:00-9:00 pm.

Pink and Black Campaign Empowers Women: Augusta williams

2009-11-03T11:49:00.001-08:00

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Augusta Williams, a Pink & Black campaign embassador and 22-year breast cancer survivor is featured on the show.

Promise to me + Pink & Black Campaigns

2009-10-28T06:32:00.001-07:00

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Promise to me and Pink & Black campaigns are featured. Guests include:
Debra Burnham-Director of Education, Anne Rivers-Corporate Marketing
Augusta Williams, a Pink and Black Campaign Embassador and 22-year breast cancer survivor.

Everyone gets a mansion and free ice cream in the Invention of Lying

2009-10-18T15:56:00.000-07:00

In The Invention of Lying, Ricky Gervais, the always funny and quirky comedian grapples with the instant benefits and results of lying. This movie has a few actors I never expected to see from Tina Fey to Edward Norton and a serious actress who has appeared on Law & Order as a tough District Attorney to. I can’t help but see a hint of Maid of Honor as Gervais and Jennifer Gardner play the odd romantic couple. If you could do anything, what would it be? Such a vague question yet profound since we’re in the pursuit of truth while lying to get what we want. Five minutes into the movie after the main character goes on a date with Jennifer Gardner and told him all her shallow yet truthful thoughts, I questioned my motivation for renting this film. I’m already bored out of my mind and wondered how will this humorless movie ends. To find out I have to keep watching and suspend my constant judgments and high expectations of something surprising to happen. Mark is ea nobody writer who starts capturing everyone’s attention with his ability to tell spellbinding stories that makes the world a happy place. I can use this dose of happy pill in the form of an touching sugary story right about now.
His first action with his newfound ability to lie is to get money and help his suicidal neighbor feel good about life. He then builds the courage to ask his last date to go out again because he’s different now. He can get just about anything he wants including a woman who does not find him attractive. Furthermore, he lied his way back to his old job at Lecture Films where he was fired for the most unsuccessful screenplays. He pitched a new story with the same title that was previously rejected by his boss. What would I do with that kind of lying power? Well, getting an old job at a company where I was not wanted would not be on my wish list. At this point, what Mark knows is how to tell lies that make people happy and make them feel good. One of our obsessions is what happens after we die and Mark seems to have stumbled on the manifesto of life beyond. He shares his tips with his curious followers while holding the pages inside a Pizza Hut box. Needless to say Mark becomes rich with the best film ever and building a life with his best friends and his very own mansion. Being rich and famous does not change how his dream woman sees him: a fat man with snub nose. In other words, he’s a loser in the body of a good guy. She’s looking for a strong genetic match to reproduce with and Mark does not fit her DNA profile requirement. Which would you choose? Your ideal genetic partner or being with the person who makes you happy just being around? Is it possible to get everything you thought you wanted yet live a miserable unfulfilling life? We live in a world where we claim to value happiness over beauty and money. On the other hand, we spend endless amount of time and resources to be perceived ageless, flawless, rich and beautiful. Instead of chasing a Man in the Sky ideological fable, how about looking in the mirror and around you to discover and rediscover what matters as you go through the cycle of life.

National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP Boston)

2009-10-05T23:47:00.001-07:00

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Lisa Yasner is the featured guest from NAAAP Boston. NAAAP

AIDS Action Committee & Fashio Fusion

2009-09-30T06:46:00.001-07:00

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Keith Orr from Aids Action Committee is featured on the show.

Mastering the Art of Cooking & Living

2009-08-10T09:22:00.000-07:00
Nora Ephron did it again with the movie, Julie & Julia! She directed a beautiful film with a simple story line, simmered with applicable life lessons from captivating characters. I love the juxtaposition of Julia Child’s adventures in France while chronicling the life of a young married couple living in a 900 square feet apartment in Queens, NY. She works at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation assisting 9/11 families with insurance claims. Her job calls for her to be objective with callers but it is difficult when most people project their own frustrations on her. Needless to say, her job is stressful and she’s miserable in her cubicle. To make matters worse, she subjects herself to having lunch with a group of rich friends with well-paid jobs and lavish lifestyle. As a refuge, she turns to cooking to cope with her frustrations and disappoints. She started out with one cake in her tiny kitchen, which fills a void for a night. She then came up with the unique idea to start blogging about cooking Julia Child’s cookbook. As an incentive to finally finish something she started, Julie sets a one-year deadline to get through Julia’s cookbook. With her plan in motion, the virtual Julie/Julia Project was born.
As Julie settles in her newfound purpose after a hard day at work, we learn that Julia Child is loving Paris and pondering about what she should be doing because she doesn’t want to go back to government work. Like Julie, she runs her ideas by her husband who listens intently to her list of possible pursuits. One thing we know about Julia, in addition to her love for France, is that she loves to eat. By day, she learns French with a tutor and tours the city. The interaction between Julia and her husband is always pleasant and loving. He seems to actually care about every word that comes out of her mouth. The way he listens to her is comparable to Julia’s mindful eating of every meal. She takes pleasure in all her daily activities from shopping in outdoor markets to searching for a French cooking book in English.
Julia found her purpose and decides to go to cooking school. She is in “utter bliss” at Le Cordon Blue. Ironically, the Director of the school, who is female, dislikes Julia Child from the moment she met her. Imagine Julia's predicament, about to enter a school that’s all male and must face a Director who does not have 1 ounce of confidence in her. Although I suspect Julia had dealt with more challenges than presented in the film. As I watch the movie, I wonder, what would happen to Julia and Julie if they did not have the support of their husbands? They also made the time to learn how to cook and to practice cooking daily. One distinction in Julie’s relationship with her husband is the limitations of their interaction inside their apartment. In spite of this minor difference, they both seem to have talent, drive and a quiet fearlessness about them to pursue their dreams. As Julia and Julie, write about their experiences with cooking, it is evident that it has a profound effects on their sense of self as they navigate through their daily routines. Their discovery and love of cooking stimulate their lives and in turn, inspire us to jumpstart our own. Bon Appetit!

Intersection of Race, Class, Power and the Criminal Justice System

2009-07-23T11:00:00.000-07:00
The city of Cambridge found itself in the international headlines in defense of racial profiling accusations. Many of you may have watched, read or heard that Harvard Prof. Henry Gates, Jr. was arrested at his Cambridge home and charged with disorderly conduct. The charges were quickly dropped after national outrage. Since then, there has been comments from the highest political figures in office. President Obama described the action of the Officer as "stupidly" when a reporter asked him directly for his opinion during a televised health care reform press conference. You can guess what the media pundits chose to highlight and overanalyze.
Many are commenting on others' comments which is making this incident viral. Others are sugarcoating deeper issues such as pervasive racial tensions and the inbalance of power in our culture. Race continues to divide many in this country post electing the first African American President. Some have sided with Gates and others with the arresting Officer in question. It is being presented as a black and white problem.
WGBH's Basic Black, CNN and several other television programs jumped on the bandwagon to create special forum to address the recent event. As I'm listening to all views, I wonder what role, if any, did assumptions and power play in shaping this incident? How is anger perceived in the context of race, masculinity, and class?
As you can see we still have old wounds to heal and new ones to mend. It's a lot to process but this incident certainly qualifies as a teachable moment.

Media Diva

So Sexy So Soon: Girls & Tiaras

2009-07-21T18:02:00.000-07:00
TLC will debut another reality show capitalizing on the state of our culture with a snapshot of pageant for toddlers. Now that Kate & Jon+ 8 has become a rating disaster, it's time to find the next ploy to draw an audience. How about a showcasing little girls being conditioned to become beauty obsessed ? I saw a news story that reported that an infant as young as two weeks old has been entered in a pageant. Two weeks! This child is just discovering her environment and a parent decided the best way to build her child's imagination and place in the world is through pageantry. Many of these parents, mostly the mothers, have also been part of pageants as young beauty queens. The cycle continues but now it's starting earlier on the premise the girls want to do it. Many parents have stated the kids wanted to participate and they're simply being supportive in helping them reach their dreams. One of the mothers interviewed stated, "small towns, big dreams." Regardless of where a girl is growing up, a happy childhood is more important than winning pageant trophies. At four years old, a little girl is parading on stage with loads of makeup, coiffed hair, in heels and smiling at the judges for votes. What is wrong with this picture? It all depends on who you ask. A few months ago, I interviewed Dr. Diane Levin, co-author of So Sexy So Soon, about the sexualization of childhood in our culture. Little girls are growing faster and being objectified in the media for profit disguised as cuteness. This is a dangerous trend as some of these girls will become celebrities through reality TV and get scrutinized about their looks. There is also the possibility that other girls watching will see these participants as potential role models. What's next? Extreme makeovers for babies. The network will probably get a pass because the parents grant them permission to use the images of their children. Who should be held accountable?
Everyone should read So Sexy So Soon to learn about ways to raise media savvy children and teach them critical thinking skills. If toddlers are now part of the reality TV landscape, it is clear parents and others must take a proactive role to counter these packaged messages about girl/childhood. Don't thinkg that boys are exempt from these images, Dr. Levin reminded me that they're negatively affected as well. Drs. Levin and Jean Kilbourne offer some great tips in their book. Here are some examples from the website:
• Encourage a broad range of interests and skills in both your girls and your boys.
• Choose toys and play materials that allow for a broad range of play activities instead of narrowly scripting it.
• Encourage girls and boys to find common ground for engaging in meaningful activities with each other, including play.
• Point out examples of males and females who are doing a broad range of activities, not just the limited range that children so often see in the media.
• Help boys and girls find appealing role models that provide alternative images to increasingly influential celebrity culture with its superstar icons.
I encourage you to add the book to your reading list. It's a must have companion guide to complement your parenting and teaching.

Media Diva

The Price of Beauty: DIY Plastic Surgery

2009-07-20T08:14:00.000-07:00
I never thought it would come to this. We live in a culture obsessed with beauty by any means necessary. Good Morning America reported a story about a woman who injected silicon in her lips to make it plumper. She also wanted reduce a small scar on her face. She bought a cheap product online and set out to perform her own surgery at home. The result was a disaster. She then realized she should have accepted herself as is. What an afterthought! It is so disturbing to me the extent some women are willing to go for appearance's sake. Imagine sticking yourself with a needle in hope a fuller lips will make you feel better about yourself.

For more on the story go to http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=8080723&page=1

Drop Dead Diva: Do my knees look fat?

2009-07-13T09:00:00.000-07:00
How many times have you heard these negative body talks among women? How many women do you know who are grieving daily over the body they have? A few weeks ago, I saw the trailer for the new Lifetime's dramedy, Drop Dead Diva. I could not believe my eyes and ears. Another fluffy show about a woman measuring her self worth through her body, relationship status and what not to wear and eat. I was ready to block it from weekly show line up when I saw Margaret Cho talking about DDD and her role in it. Cho is one of my favorite Comediennes. After hearing what she had to say, I had a change of heart. I braced myself to see the pilot episode on Sunday night.
For those who have not seen Drop Dead Diva. It's about a size 2 aspiring model who died and get a second chance in the body of a plus size female lawyer. Oh the horror! Wearing Lane Bryant turned out to be a major fashion faux pas for this diva. During one of the scenes, the character's best friend (before her death) declares, "Fat thing should not happen to skinny people." In her new curvaceous body, she is insecure yet smart and sassy. She is tempted by a plate of chocolate donuts at work. There are so many food references throughout the show from easy cheese to chocolate. This is not the first tv series to explore these body image angsts and won't be the last. I wonder what viewers are learning from the character and how will Jane evolve in her new body. More importantly, what messages are young women being exposed to? It's only the first episode but I'm curious to see how the story line develops. How will Drop Dead Diva perform in ratings in comparison to Dead like me, Sex and the City, Lipstick Jungle and dare I go back in time to Ally McBeal. Let's watch and find out..

Your Media Diva