Afronerd: putting the Black Bourgeoisie back on top(of the Ghetto Masses)

Sorry For The Preemption-Afronerd Radio Returns Next Sun.....For Now A Few Observations & Oh Yeah A Centenarian Buys a Camaro!

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:19:07 PST

Usually I'm not one for absolute speculation, but has anyone taken a look at retired baseball great, Sammy Sosa lately? The latest (and lighter) photo was taken at a recent Latin Grammys ceremony and all I can say is.....Didn't he get the memo from Mr. Jackson's demise this summer? Wow. Allegedly Sosa stated that the bright lights and his recent skin rejuvenation treatments caused this change in his complexion. I guess 300 plus years of Western indoctrination (and colonization) really is sticking with some us in this new millennium. And on that note, I guess Chris Rock's Good Hair should be doing well at the box office.

And just when I was thinking I should move on from a diatribe centered on alleged African-American racial/cultural insecurity, I'm reminded that Lee Daniels' epic, Precious was released this weekend. Afronerd reader and film critic, Sergio Mims forwarded an email to our attention a few days ago, linking an alternate review (from critic Armond White) that encapsulated my thoughts to the "t" regarding this film. I've stated my thoughts about this film on Afronerd Radio as well as the blog but I must confess, that I am gratified that someone else also noticed that this film, despite the growing Oscar buzz, may be deleterious to African American imagery. Here's a few words from White's piece, courtesy of the NY Press:

Not since The Birth of a Nation has a mainstream movie demeaned the idea of black American life as much as Precious. Full of brazenly racist clichés (Precious steals and eats an entire bucket of fried chicken), it is a sociological horror show. Offering racist hysteria masquerading as social sensitivity, it’s been acclaimed on the international festival circuit that usually disdains movies about black Americans as somehow inartistic and unworthy.

The hype for Precious indicates a culture-wide willingness to accept particular ethnic stereotypes as a way of maintaining status quo film values. Excellent recent films with black themes—Next Day Air, Cadillac Records, Meet Dave, Norbit, Little Man, Akeelah and the Bee, First Sunday, The Ladykillers, Marci X, Palindromes, Mr. 3000, even back to the great Beloved (also produced by Oprah)—have been ignored by the mainstream media and serious film culture while this carnival of black degradation gets celebrated. It’s a strange combination of liberal guilt and condescension.

Birth of a Nation glorified the rise of the Ku Klux Klan as a panicky subculture’s solution to social change. Precious hyperbolizes the class misery of our nation’s left-behinds—not the post- Rapture reprobates of Christianity’s last-days theories, but the Obama-era unreachables—including Precious’ Benetton-esque assortment of remedial school classmates. One explanation is that Precious permits a cultural version of that 1960s political controversy “benign neglect”—its agreed-upon selection of the most pathetic racial images and social catastrophes helps to normalize the circumstances of poverty and abandon that will never change or be resolved.You can think: Precious is just how those people are (although Cops and the Jerry Springer and Maury Povich shows offer enough evidence that white folks live low, too).

My sentiments exactly, Mr. White. I've had my fill of Black ghetto pathos on the silver screen-there are other stories to tell. Which reminds me.....I finally got the chance to see what all the hoopla was about pertaining to the vampire themed film, Twilight. Never let it be said that Twilight is the new Dracula or that lead actor, Robert Pattinson is a young Bela Lugosi, but it does remind the viewer (of color, specifically) that there is a severe dearth of diverse minority characterization in current cinema. Can you imagine a romantic (and expensive) horror flick with a majority Black/Brown cast that wouldn't be played for laughs? Or as I once posited, A Black Harry Potter-esque film, with its own unique mythos? Perchance to dream....anyway, feel free to check out the remainder of the White article by clicking on the link below:

Pride & Precious

And lastly, I thought that this next clip solidly proves that age really is just a number. While some seniors who may actually be 30 years this gentleman's junior complain about the difficulties and challenges of being advanced in age, others are buying brand new camaros:

Let's take A Break From The Serious Stuff......OK Until The Next Entry....For Now Let's Dance!

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:54:07 PST

CNN Posits.....Is The Obama Effect Trickling Down To The General Image of Men of Color?

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:45:33 PST

Somehow how I missed Don Lemon's CNN Special, Black Men in the Age of President Obama however, thanks to cyberspace, I'm never completely out of the fold. Although I have great appeal for CNN's coverage of current events, at times the famed news outlet has missed the mark on certain permutations within the African-American community. Nevertheless, I thought Lemon's piece was quite profound but short on enlightenment.

Perhaps the breakout voices during this broadcast were educator, Steve Perry and entrepreneur, Farrah Gray. The voice that was unnecessary? DJ Drama. His appearance/fashion sense reminds me of a question I asked our recent Afronerd Radio guest, Michaela Angela Davis-when does Hip Hop class up its act? Although Jazz music is highly revered today, we must remember that it's origins date back to the brothels of New Orleans, yesterday. Lemon's panelists were visually polished and therefore could be taken seriously....not so much for the hip hop representative. And as I have stated on countless occasions, I am a supporter and purchaser of hip hop music, I would just like to see some betterment. Let's hear your thoughts on this special? Click on the link below, for the remaining segments of the broadcast:

Black Men in the Age of President Obama

And Now A Pop Culture Week in Review Moment From The Comic Shoppe's Daryll B!

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:23:21 PST

Hiya Afronerd readers, once again I am back with some fantasy / sci-fi observations:

I told you folks about Trauma. Bye bye! The good news is that Chuck's new season episode tally has been increased by 6 or 7 episodes. (newsarama)

This Smallville season has really split its fanbase more than any other season. So much so that one of its producers put up a twitter poll in conjunction with a EW.com one to ask the fans directly what they want. In brighter news, Michael Shanks did a great interview with the Huffington Post talking about wearing the wings and carrying a mace. So yes sci-fi fans, we are getting Hawkman in look as well as spirit...um spirits....you know what I mean. (newsarama)

If you haven't been watching Venture Bros. folks, start. Omigosh my eyes are still watery from last night's episode which was a total ripoff from a Treehouse of Horror, Heavy Metal and The Shining .

If I see anymore scenes from 2012 on TV and on trailers I think I will have seen the whole movie. So far I am not impressed.

Sigh, I can't believe I am saying this but I got a chance to catch up on Star Wars: The Clone Wars
of the weekend and it's good. Those who have heard me, have heard my rants against the show before, but these bounty hunters and the action sequences are quite entertaining.

Comic Book Resources has a very interesting interview with Tyrese Gibson about comics and the digital market involving his book Mayhem. While I don't like the book personally, I can't lie, Gibson makes some valid points of the state of the industry. I give him credit, I thought he was in it for the money only. He has given this idea a lot of thought.

Sir Anthony Hopkins as Odin in the Thor movie? Sign me up for that!

V debuts on Tuesday and while I still have misgivings about the project, I will be tuning in.

3 words: Transformers. Ongoing. Comic. It is about time IDW. Thank You.

Marc Gugghenheim off of FlashForward already? David Goyer is going to run the show solo? I'd feel better about this if I didn't know that Goyer's last show solo was Spike's version of Blade. The show crumbled under the weight of melodrama before the last 2 episodes saved it. That is before Spike said screw it to renewing it. I'm praying for FlashForward in other words.

Saw The Vampire's Assistant and while it isn't Twilight, it has its own moments to make someone facepalm themselves. At least I get Selma Hayek as a supernatural creature again. However how appropriate is it really that in a theater with a LOT of little kids around, when she was on the screen I could only think of From Dusk Til Dawn ? Yeah you folks know the scene.....

Thanks for reading folks and until next week: Keep Fantasizing!

A Reminder & An Acknowledgement In Memoriam-The McLendons

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:25:30 PST

Boldaslove.us Presents: Fire In The Dark

Don't forget to set your dials....ahem, I mean your browsers/bookmarks for another special Afronerd Radio broadcast, when we interview Mr. Rob Fields of The Huffington Post and BoldAsLove.us, starting this evening at 7pm (eastern). And for your further edification and entertainment, click on the above link to get a free download of Fields' latest Black Rock music compilation appropriately entitled, Boldaslove.us Presents: Fire in The Dark. We will discuss the music industry in general and Black Rock musicianship, in the specific as well as playing some choice tunes from the aforementioned mp3 album. So don't be shy! Call in with your comments, questions or disagreements at 646-915-9620 or contact us via IM/email at afronerdradio@yahoo.com.

Afronerd Radio Interviews Black Rock Evangelist, Rob Fields

For the second half, we will have a regularly scheduled Week in Review segment, as we discuss yet another Chicago tragedy involving a friend to the show, Garrard McClendon. Our readers might remember Mr. McClendon, as we were fortunate enough to interview the esteemed educator and media correspondent earlier this year regarding his book, Ax or Ask? The African American Guide to Better English. You can check out the interview by clicking on the link below:

Afronerd Interviews Educator & Author, Garrard McClendon

Well, here at Afronerd, we send our heartfelt prayers and condolences to Mr. McClendon and his family due to the loss of his parents, Milton and Ruby McClendon who were killed in a indescribable act of violence. No one should ever have to go through something this horrific. Out of respect to the McClendons, I will keep my protestations to a minimum. But to our detractors that insist that we should refrain from discussing similar criminal acts, we will not let up because the decent folks of color are being seen as collateral damage and this cycle of violence must end now! Again, in an effort to refrain from too much editorializing (and sensationalizing), click here for more about the McClendon tragedy. We may speak in a more compendious tone relating to this tragedy for Afronerd Radio's second half. And if time permits, we will address President Obama honoring Senator Ed Brooke as well as NPR's recent coverage on Black/Latino identity versus the scholastic achievement gap conundrum. See you guys at 7pm!

An Afronerd Radio Preview-Upcoming Interview with Black Rock Evangelist, Rob Fields and Black Enterprise's Interview with Spike Lee

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:31:17 PDT

I think we're going to actually be fortunate enough to have experienced back to back, fiery and informative Afronerd Radio interviews this week, folks! While taking a brisk morning "cyber" jog through The Huffington Post, I came across an excellent entry by writer and self-described Black Rock evangelist, Rob Fields. It appears that Mr. Fields has a beef with hip hop entrepreneur (and former Jay-Z business partner), Damon Dash regarding an upcoming rap/rock collaborative project entitled, Black Roc. I reached out to Mr. Fields and he is scheduled to appear on our show this Sunday to discuss this latest controversy and of course Black folks who rock. I must say that I concur with Fields' take on the naming of Dash's effort but let's take a look at an excerpt from the entry in question:

Courtesy of the Huffington Post-

How can you call something “BlakRoc” when the black folks on the project only rap and the rockers are all white?

BlakRoc is the name of Damon Dash’s upcoming project, a collaboration between white rockers The Black Keys and rappers such as Mos Def, Q-Tip, Ludacris, and Raekwon, to name a few. Ordinarily, I could care less what Damon Dash does. But in choosing this name for the project, he crossed a line: You can’t match black rappers and white rockers and call it “BlakRoc.”

No, BlakRoc has nothing to do with black rock, something I’ve spent nearly the last three years championing on my blog. The conflation of the two is offensive. There’s too much history there. It’s like he’s acknowledging the existence of black rock with his middle finger.

“BlakRoc” is a slap in the face to those of us who have been working to develop audiences for black artists who don’t fit neatly into pre-conceived categories. It’s an affront to those of us who still face apathy and dismissiveness when it comes to the place of blacks in beyond hip hop and R&B.

It’s galling, too, coming on the heels of Dash’s former partner, Jay-Z, saying bands like Grizzly Bear were going to push hip hop. Some hipsters are going to save hip hop? Great. Statements like this ignore all of the black artists who are embracing live music, forming bands, telling more substantive stories, and the audiences who are supporting black alternative music in growing numbers. That’s going to force hip hop to evolve.

So stay tuned for more information regarding Sunday's broadcast but in the interim, click on the first link to get the Fields article in its entirety and the second link for his excellent blog, Bold As Love:

Dash's BlakRoc Disses Black Rock

Bold As Love

And then there's the Spike Lee-Ed Gordon interview when the noted director appropriately splashes "haterade" on minstrel disseminator numero uno, Tyler Perry:

Why Would Anyone Want To Be Black? This is The Question Breitbart's Burt Prelutsky is Asking! We Can't Be in The 21st Century....

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:20:36 PDT

From an Oct. 22 post by Burt Prelutsky at Andrew Breitbart's Big Hollywood blog:

My final question is, why, in 2009 America, are mulattoes invariably identified as blacks? Surely there is nothing wrong with being a mulatto. There is no stigma attached, as once there was. It merely refers to those who have one white parent and one black. There are many notable individuals who are mulattoes, including Halle Berry, Derek Jeter, Lisa Bonet and Barack Obama. Tiger Woods, on the other hand, is a true amalgamation, being one-quarter Chinese, one-quarter Thai, one-quarter black, one-eighth Native American and one-eighth Dutch. And, yet, with the possible exception of the New York Yankee shortstop, we insist on identifying all of them as black.

It's as if there is something shameful about their being half or even one-eighth white. If there is, I'd sure like to know what it is. If, on the other hand, there isn't, why do we insist on acting as if there were?

The above statement was first picked up by Media Matters but I'm not sure if it is sufficiently being fleshed out by other cyber politicos. Let me first state that I am not an absolutist. I'm fully aware of the slant that Matters possesses toward liberal causes just as Fox News is equally myopic when it comes to conservative minutia. Some have even stated that belonging to either political party is an exercise in futility, hence musician, James Mtume's assertion-"left wing, right wing.....it's still the same bird!"

But I must confess that Prelutsky's racially obtuse diabtribe reminds me of a comment that was made in our last Afronerd Radio segment by urbanista, Michaela Angela Davis. To paraphrase Ms. Davis, she essentially stated that the rise of the Obamas has caused a paradigm shift and that if Black folks are still suffering from post traumatic slave syndrome, then conversely the majority culture is experiencing withdrawal symptoms from post traumatic master syndrome. Why now are some Whites attempting to parse Blackness? That train left the station eons ago. And better yet, many folks are becoming more comfortable in self-description. Let those who self-identify as being Black live their lives and for the remainder that are not comfortable in the concept of a racial designation, let them thrive as well, pending receipt of their respective wake up calls...I'm just sayin'. I've mentioned this many times in Afronerd, White supremacy does not allow for a special dispensation based on the degree of European admixture amongst people of color. I would normally go into a lengthy protestation against such ignorance by mentioning the European surnames that many African-Americans possess as well as the folly of race versus biology but I'll keep it simple...Black is Black and so is your president-stick to cogent arguments centered on policy and not race. What say you? Any thoughts? Let's hear from our readers...

What Hip Hop Used To Represent......Check Out This Freestyle Intermission Before The Next Entry....

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:03:46 PDT

Why doesn't present day commercial hip hop represent what the above video clip conveys? And what is being conveyed? Masterful lyricism. Watch the clip closely because you can't hear this on radio....except, perhaps Afronerd Radio. But you guys knew that. Enjoy!

A Preview of Tomorrow Comic Shoppe Broadcast & The Latest Entry From Daryll B.

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:21:29 PDT

I will attempt to keep the length of this entry tight, succinct, cogent or any other euphemism for "simple." Join the Comic Shoppe team-Max, Daryll and yours truly tomorrow evening at 7pm eastern to bring a pulp analysis to the following topics: our thoughts on the November airing of the sci-fi redux of the 80s V; the latest Heroes and Smallville storylines; the latest in movie news regarding Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, Paranormal Activity, Astro Boy and Where The Wild Things Are; Will the Lizard aka Dr. Curt Connors be the next villain for Spiderman 4?....and lastly, we will cover our favorite graphic novel reads from last week. Feel free to call up with impressions and/or questions at-646-200-0104 or via email/IM-thecomicshoppe@yahoo.com

The Comic Shoppe's Week in Review

And while you wait for tomorrow's show, check out this intermission, courtesy of the Comic Shoppe's own, Daryll B....

Hi Afronerd Fantasy Fans! This time I don't have a long rant ready for you folks, just some quick hits for you to consider:

-From When Fangirls Attack by way of Daily Scans: Why HAS Hank Pym been continually reviled for hitting Janet Van Dyne when other more famous heroes who have hit their significant others been forgiven? Is he really considered that bad compared to everyone else? Or do we chalk this up to the Millar effect along with the thought that a Capt. America who is all about truth, justice, and the American way is considered a pansy in today's world?

-Ya know I was pretty pissed reading Justice Society of America #31 where one of the few strong black characters in comics appeared to have died. Killed mind you by a mentally possessed junior white kid hero who stabbed him 12+ times. Then I saw Heroes and what they did to Ernie Hudson. Mind you the scene looked cool thanks to Ray Park, but it keeps up the stigma that black people just can't be on or have powers on Heroes. What a croc! You know I felt then what the black characters felt in Scary Movie 2. You know the "splitting up" scene...it still rings true to this day.

-On this note I still pissed that they hired LeVar Burton on to do the voice of Black Lightning for Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. Then proceeded to give him only one line! I guess I should be happy at least they didn't turn him into one of the strongest wimps on the planet (Power Girl) or play up their fan-fiction romance (Supes and Bats of course). And I'd be remiss to say it took me awhile to get Lex's debauchery out of my mind. Although the thought of him bagging PG and Amanda Waller would be interesting....

-OK Smallville and me have this love hate thing going on, but I can forgive them this week because they gave me Roulette and she was smoking hot!

-Help me out here Marvel: Just how many spider based characters do we got here? Well it could be worse, we could have multi-colored Hulks....um we do? Cwap!

-Ryan Reynolds and crew...exiled from Australia. Damn Green Lantern will begin shooting again...eventually..I hope.

-I have to agree with Troy Brownfield from Newsarama on this one: Where is the Iron Man 2 teaser trailer already???

-Am I the only one who hated Where The Wild Things Are as a kid? O well you folks can go see that, I'll be checking out Astro Boy...even if it does have Nicholas Cage as Dr. Tenma.

Enjoy A-nerders and until next week: Keep Fantasizing!

Oh and one more thing....-Thumbs up to Portland, OR and Flemington, NJ for holding Wonder Woman Day on Sunday October 25th. The events and activities scheduled are to honor the Heroine of Truth and all proceeds go to charities that fight domestic abuse. Good Luck to you fine folks!

Reminder-The Michaela Angela Davis Interview & Black Cinema 2009 with Cineastes Ms. Invisible & Sergio Mims!

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:32:04 PDT

Just a reminder folks, this evening at 7pm eastern, we will be interviewing fashionista, writer, activist and celebrity stylist, Michaela Angela Davis. During the tete`-a-tete´ we will touch on some of the controversial subjects of the day: the recent blackface photo spread in French Vogue; Chris Rock's Good Hair Documentary, the imagery of the Obama family and Davis' recent hosting of a speaking event entitled From Hottentot Venus to the White House: Black Women on Beauty and Bodies. And that's just the appetizer, folks!

For the second half of the show, we welcome Ms. Invisible (of Invisible Cinema) and Sergio Mims (of Ebony/Jet Online and Shadow and Act) to discuss the best and the worse of Black Cinema 2009 as well as what to look forward to for the following year. Feel free to call in at: 646-915-9620 or via email/IM-afronedradio@yahoo.com.

Afronerd Radio Interviews Author, Pop Culture Critic & Fashionista, Michaela Angela Davis!

What Is It Going To Take? 92 Year Old Woman Killed By Stray Bullet.....and the Shocker? Gang Violence! Again.....

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:26:55 PDT

I'm not going to write my usual treatise on this tragic story because it's really unnecessary. As the title of this entry suggests......will there ever be a line in the sand drawn that will act as the catalyst to galvanize our communities to make these events cease? It truly is a gift to make it to advanced age with one's faculties intact. In some respects such a feat is the flip side of the same coin-being killed as a youth before your life really begins and having your life taken as an elder, when your passing should have been far more respectful and with grace. Folks, we have to start valuing life, specifically Black life. Our detractors insist that we refrain from editorializing on these matters because somehow it's treasonous to communities of color. I think it's more accurate that the act of treason occurs when we make excuses and do nothing. For the specifics of this tragedy, check out this excerpt from the New York Times:

A Bronx teenager has been arrested on murder charges in the killing of Sadie Mitchell, a 92-year-old neighborhood fixture who was struck by a bullet not meant for her as she settled in for an evening watching television in her living room on Tuesday.

The suspect, Jamal Blair, 18, admitted during questioning by detectives that he fired a single bullet from a 9-millimeter pistol during a clash on Tuesday evening, involving about 10 people from two rival groups in the Williamsbridge section of the Bronx, Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said.

The bullet went through a window in Mrs. Mitchell’s apartment, on East 224th Street, and struck her in the hip before puncturing her lungs, Mr. Kelly said. As she lay wounded, Mrs. Mitchell phoned a neighbor, Mary Fields, and said, “I’ve been shot.” Ms. Fields and her husband, John, rushed to Mrs. Mitchell’s home and found her sprawled on the living room floor, bleeding from the gunshot wound.

Mrs. Mitchell’s daughter, Shahron Williams Van Rooij, said that she felt “a small amount of comfort” after the police told her on Thursday that they had made an arrest, but that she realized there was a long judicial process ahead.

She said, “There will be no closure until I hear the words ‘guilty as charged,’ and that’s down the road.”

Ms. Van Rooij said she was buoyed by the fact that the suspect is legally an adult, rather than a child, so that the “full weight of the law” can be applied.

“The fact that this is an 18-year-old, rather than a 12-year-old — there’s a lot more clarity,” she said. She added: “I don’t care about sob stories, bad background, poverty — none of that. As an adult, you know the difference between right and wrong. You have a choice and he made the wrong choice.”

For the remainder of the Times piece, click on the link below:

18-Year-Old Charged With Murder in Death of Woman, 92

What boggles the mind, is that because of our blog's conservative leanings (which is a fragment of what this site is about), spurious criticisms of self-hatred are bandied about. But the real self-hatred that led to death of this victim is never mentioned. Time to wake up folk....time to wake up.

"Still Bill" Answers A Question Many Have Pondered For Decades......Where is Bill Withers?

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:13:17 PDT

Our readers are probably tired of my railing against the status quo pertaining to what passes for musicianship in our new millennium. The music scene has always been a corporatized medium but a modicum of talent was still required in order to see an artist's vision make it to wax and then airplay. I must also be honest and somewhat self-effacing as well-I've been musically spoiled. I grew up under the tutelage of parents that were true music aficionados, who played everything from Billie Holiday to Stevie Wonder. The great Bill Withers was also played in our household and perhaps a question for the ages arises.......what happened to the man? Well this latest documentary entitled, Still Bill attempts to answer that question. Withers, who had a string of souls stirring hits (Ain't No Sunshine, Lean on Me, Lovely Day, etc) was a musical staple during the 1970s and then just suddenly disappeared for thirty years. Unlike his contemporary Sly Stone, who also left the music scene for decades, Withers didn't appear to leave due to drugs or paranoia.....he just didn't have a fondness for the business of music. As an aside, I believe he was married to the lovely actress, Denise Nicholas (of Room 222, Blacula, the TV version of the In The Heat of the Night, etc) at one time. I readily admit that I'm very curious to see this film but another question comes up-who is the equivalent of Bill Withers today? Kanye West? Drake? I think I just threw up in my mouth....

Just This Time, Check For The Comic Shoppe Tomorrow at 7pm (Next Week, It's Back 2 Tues!) Discussing Comix & More Of My Ruminations!

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:27:41 PDT

Please accept our apologies for Tuesday's Comic Shoppe cancellation but it just couldn't be avoided. So just for this week, expect the Comic Shoppe team to discuss all things pulp, tomorrow at 7pm ET (and we'll return to our normal Tuesday scheduling next week). Join Max, Dburt and Daryll on Wednesday as they bring analysis to the following topics: it appears that after a 30 plus year hiatus (hence the Bad News Bears clip, above), actor Jackie Earle Haley is on a tear. You knew him as Rorschach in this year's Watchmen film, then he tackles the Freddy Krueger role and now rumor has it that he will be Sinestro in the upcoming Green Lantern film; and if the Haley news wasn't enough, did Marvel snag Jude Law and Robert Dinero for Thor?; Adult Swim's Venture Bros. returns; our thoughts on the future of graphic novel themes and continuities (or can Batman remain 30 something for the next 100 years?) and lastly our favorite comic book reads from last week. Feel free to call in "live" with your comments and questions at 646-200-0104 or via email/IM-thecomicshoppe@yahoo.com. And remember....Excelsior with a double dose of Imperius Rex!

The Comic Shoppe's Week in Review

And in unrelated news, check out this clip (excuse the expletives) of the great hip hop icon and lyricist, Melle Mel discussing his impressions on the current state of rap music. I will give my impressions of his impressions in a few but based on some of the comments made in the site where this clip originates (worldstarhiphop.com), try not to age or as Mr. Starks stated on air recently, calling someone "old" is the new "you're a hater" rebuttal. Sad.

Afronerd Radio Preview-Writer, Pop Culture Critic & Fashionista, Michaela Angela Davis Pays A Visit To Our Show and Black Cinema '09 for the 2nd Half!

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:44:39 PDT

Remember to mark your calendars for this upcoming Sunday (October 25th) when noted writer and urbanista, Michaela Angela Davis stops by for what will undoubtedly be a festive and informative broadcast. Here's just a taste of Ms. Davis' resume: former Executive Fashion and Beauty Editor for Essence; founding Fashion Director for Vibe magazine and she is also a well renowned stylist to celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Beyonce, Prince, Diana Ross, Donald Trump and so on...and that's just the first half of Sunday's show. Stay tuned for the second half of the Afronerd Radio broadcast when we delve into the state of Black Cinema '09 and we will be joined by fellow bloggers, Sergio Mims of Shadow and Act and Ms. Invisible of Invisible Cinema. More info as the week ensues...

And speaking of Mr. Mims....check out his interview with the director and lead actress of the upcoming Precious film, Lee Daniels and Gabourey Sidibe:

Making Precious.

PS....guess who's on BlogTalkRadio? It's Dr. Cosby! Check it out:

The Cos on Blog Talk Radio!

What's The Difference Between Urban Fiction and Wearing Muddy Goggles? Not Much! Author Teri Woods' Guests Sue For $1B

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:05:25 PDT

Mr. Starks has stated on numerous occasions that mainstream American Whites have been quite adept at compartmentalizing Appalachian or "White trash" culture. In simpler terms, lower tier "cracker" mores are appropriately categorized and rarely promoted to the exclusion of centered Western humanistic pursuits. Perhaps due to the minority status of African-Americans (and people of color in general), ghetto culture has been mainstreamed as authentic Black culture. The reality is....there are gradations and aspects of the Black experience that have yet to be exposed or highlighted for popular societal consumption. The rise of urban fiction or street literature serves as an excellent example of how inner city pathology for the past two decades, superseded the promulgation of a mainstream middle class Black aesthetic. I implore our readers to pay close attention to what is being overtly promoted in many bookstore chains.

One can make the argument that the African-American literature section in these stores are preternaturally sparse, however "street lit" seems to dominate the scene in the same way that Hip Hop overshadows popular music. Now you're asking.....what does this have to do with Ms. Woods? In my estimation, the Progressive penchant for victimology and their obfuscation of inner city dysfunctionalism can muddy legitimate racial concerns. Case in point, the prospective Teri Woods' discrimination case. Woods, who is the author of such popular urban literary works as True to the Game and Alibi, is claiming that her Black guests were denied entrance to a book release party in her honor. But does her claim hold water in the backdrop of the type of literature that she writes? Check out this excerpt from the New York Daily News concerning the Woods matter:

Author Teri Woods says she was in tears after the club Greenhouse barred African-Americans she had invited to her book party. She claims white guests got in.

Author Teri Woods says she was in tears after the club Greenhouse barred African-Americans she had invited to her book party. She claims white guests got in.

It was supposed to be a big night for top urban fiction author Teri Woods, who had invited 175 people to party at a trendy SoHo nightclub to celebrate her new book.

But Woods ended up in tears when she found almost her entire guestlist being kept outside Greenhouse's notorious velvet rope.

Now a $1 billion class-action suit says the partygoers were denied entry because they were black.

"They should have just put up a sign that said, 'No Coloreds Allowed,'" fumed Kashan Robinson, 39, of the Bronx, one of the plaintiffs. "There was no reason for them to not allow us into that club, except for the color of our skin."

Club owner Barry Mullineaux declined to discuss what had happened to Woods' party beyond calling charges of racism "all pretty much bogus."

Woods has text messages she says he sent that night showing he was barring people based on appearance. "Everybody looking at me like this ur people Barry???" read a text message. "I couldn't let in 300lb girls."

Asked if he remembered sending the messages, Mullineaux said, "Not word for word."

Woods said, "I was clearly violated that night, and so were so many other people. ... All I know is it had something to do with 'your people' and 'fat.'"

A pioneer of the enormously successful urban or hip-hop fiction genre, Woods had planned a blowout on Aug. 6, complete with popular DJ Suss One, bottles of French Ciroc Vodka and gift bags with copies of her new book, "Alibi."

I lament the days when one could honestly maintain a strong righteous boot against the neck of bias and institutional racism. But the question remains-can disproportionate intraracial crime/violence and its propagandized promotion in media skew claims of discrimination? Let's see what our readers think and in the interim, click on the link below for the News piece in its entirety:

Blacks slap SoHo club Greenhouse with $1B bias suit following snub of author Teri Woods' guests

Another News Flash Blog Blast From The Comic Shoppe's Daryll B.-Waxing on Brother Voodoo, Bones, Stargate & More!

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:08:52 PDT

Hi once again Afronerd readers and contributors. I apologize for not turning in a blog last week. Between personal reasons and school work I got a little behind but I intend to rectify that with this week's blog. And yes I remember that I promised you folks my thoughts on Bones and Stargate: Universe too....matter of fact they are going to be a part of the theme of this blog.

Point of reference: http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2009/10/five-for-thursday-thoughts-on-tcrs-five-biases/

I was on Comic Book Resources last night and came across Tom Bondurant's adaptation of Tom Spurgeon's five stickiest comic biases and wondered if I could use the same philosophies while approaching fantasy and science fiction TV shows / movies and why I am so fickle about likes and dislikes. So my thanks to these two enlightened reporters for this idea and I apologize in advance for most assuredly messing this up.

Tom Spurgeon's five stickiest comic biases were:

1. I don't covet the comics of my youth, I covet the comics from just before my youth.
2. Whether or not there are comics for kids, I still want comics to function as a pastime for a child.
3. I over-trust the serial.
4. I distrust a social component for comics.
5. I expect everything in comics to last forever.

Of course I am not dealing with comics this time so I am going to tweek it a little:

"I don't covet shows and movies of my youth, I covet those from just before my youth" - Guilty as charged and I will give you 2 perfect examples of this. At 9 years old I saw the original Night of the Living Dead. Black and white film, very little gore compared to the psychological thrills you received watching it and one of the most screwed up endings ever. I think this is the reason that I tend to hate on the torture porn and zombie flicks now. When the bar is set so high by Mr. George Romero that is kind of hard to surpass. By contrast I saw Superfriends as a kid and thought what kind of messed up thing is this. I was actually embarrassed to be a comic fan with the shoddy animations and characterizations. This actually scarred me for a bit until the 90's comic animation wave first hit.

"Whether or not there are shows for kids, I still want some of them to function as a pastime for a child." - Well I am of 2 minds of this. I freely admit that the original Star Trek series, Star Wars movies, Buck Rogers and Battlestar Galactica got me hooked into science fiction viewing and that there always should be gung-ho science fiction shows for kids to watch. But I can not ignore the grown up themes explored in shows like X-Files, Lost, Battlestar Galactica V.2, Fringe, and the new kid on the block, Stargate Universe that appeals to the adult in me. If a science fiction show can avoid falling into the trap of not knowing which audience to pander to (Heroes I looking at you!), then it has a good chance of finding its niche. Well that and avoiding getting the dreaded Fox Friday Night Slot (Sorry DBurt for your loss but I had to joke about this one).

"I over-trust the serial" - I am addicted to watching Heroes. I still watch Smallville every week. I think that shows my dedication to crap at least. However I counter this with Bones, Eureka, Supernatural, and Fringe; shows that have established deep characters with rich history; shows that haven't let me down....yet.

"I distrust a social component for Science Fiction" - O yeah. I guilty of this one too. When EVERYONE loves something in a genre I like, I tend to believe something is wrong with it. Great example of this is Lost. I loved the first 2 seasons. There was hardly a show in the seasons I found fault with. Enter the fake fans overcompensating for not jumping on when the show started, then acting like experts on not just that but ALL of fantasy works in the media, over the airwaves and on the net. After that I so avoided the third season like the plague, figuring it was the show corrupting me. I caught up later through DVDs and Hulu but that original joy is gone.

"I expect everything to last forever." - Yeah. You can't be a fantasy / science fiction fan and not imagine the show lasting forever. There might be an end to the show on the tube and the screen, but in our imaginations the story's adventures can last forever. Just avoid doing ill conceived fan-fiction stories, nothing good EVER comes from those. See Superman Returns as proof of that.

Books of the Week: If you haven't heard about Planetary by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday, I would recommend picking it up in trade paperbacks. Never have so many disparate Science Fiction / Fantasy / Comic Hero themes been thrown together and tossed on its ear. Its final issue #27 came out 2 weeks ago and it is awesomely mind trippy!

Last week also saw Doctor Voodoo Avenger of the Supernatural come out and let me say this: Doctor Strange fans and enemies have never seen a Sorcerer Supreme quite like this! Rick Remender is flying under the radar as a writer but gives his characters a bravado that is unmatched in comics today.

This week I would suggest Booster Gold #25. I know Russ Burlingame and his Gold Exchange over at Newsarama always talks Booster up, but it is well deserved. Dan Jurgens writes the hell out of the character and the scenes in this issue with Dick Grayson nearly put a tear in my eye. Most underrated book in the DC stable right now.

Matter of fact, this just gave me an idea for my next blog: Overrated / Underrated next week here in the fantasy blog. Folks you got an opinion? You think I am full of it? What books and shows do you think fit this criteria? Feel free to comment below or to afronerd or to orionben666@hotmail.com. I will reply to everyone I get. This is Daryll B signing out and until next time: Keep Fantasizing!!!

Afronerd Radio at 7pm ET This Sunday! Was Balloon Boy A Hoax-Time for Rev Al?, The Return of Blackface Minstrelsy!, Rush Loses & More!

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 09:28:46 PDT

Keeping it simple! Check out our regularly scheduled broadcast (7pm eastern) this evening as we discuss the following: A real The Day the Earth Stood Still moment when the nation was mesmerized over a saucer shaped alleged hoax; an analysis of the French Vogue and Harry Connick/Australian blackface incidents; our lament over Rush Limbaugh's loss at becoming a minority owner of the St. Louis Rams and a Louisiana judge refuses to follow the letter of the law and marry a couple over (inter) racial concerns! So you guys know what to do-call us "live" at 646-915-9620 or contact us via email/IM-afronerdradio@yahoo.com. And as always....Be there, Be square and always be aware. Imperius Rex!

Afronerd Radio's Week in Review

Oops I Forgot To Mention....The New "It" Rock Act to Look Out For.......Introducing South Africa's BLK JKS!

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:26:50 PDT

I'm going to push the Black alternative til the cows come home or at least until Afronerd Radio gets its own channel on Sirius XM-I'm just sayin'.

Briefly...from the Boston Herald:

South African’s BLK JKS are not following anybody’s footsteps.

BLK JKS - pronounced Black Jacks - an alt-rock quartet from Johannesburg, don’t echo Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba or any of the South African greats who have hit it big across the Atlantic.

“We’ve never wanted to sound like someone else,” said BLK JKS bassist and singer Molefi Makananise, 34, from a tour stop in Minneapolis.

This is why BLK JKS can be found sharing bills with acts as different as the Dirty Projectors and Afro-pop star Femi Kuti. And it’s why the group has drawn raves in publications such as Rolling Stone and SPIN.

The foursome makes its local debut Sunday at T.T. the Bear’s, where the group marks the release of its first full-length album, “After Robots.”

It’s a disc that lives up to the band’s self-described style of “psychedelic dub rock,” with spacey reggae excursions peppering rock attacks, along with the occasional Afro-beat horn and South African township jive rhythms.

“We listened to pretty much everything,” Makananise said. “We grew up hearing so many sounds from everywhere in the world: reggae, jazz, gospel, African and world music, classical - and rock and pop music, of course. I didn’t listen to one particular kind of rock when I was growing up. I’d hear a song on the radio and think it was really cool - U2, the Police, so many different groups.”

When Makananise and drummer Tshepang Ramoba, both from Soweto, first teamed up with singer Lindani Buthelezi and guitarist Mpumi Mcata, childhood friends from the East Rand section of Johannesburg, the bassist didn’t know what to expect. He soon found out.

For the Herald piece in its entirety, click on the link below:

BLK JKS

My Alma Mater Is Disappointing Me! Hampton U Student Body Upset Over Crowning Of Non-Black Campus Queen

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:28:03 PDT

I may be having an inverted epiphany, a la Michelle Obama's jingoistic remark from last year's presidential campaign. For the first time in my life, I'm ashamed of my alma mater, Hampton University. More specifically, I'm ashamed at some of the student body. There appears to be a bit of a controversy brewing over the choice of this year's Miss Hampton U based on her ethnicity. Some reports are describing the young collegian as White, which I think makes for good copy but it is inaccurate. Other reports are describing Nikole Churchill (the student in question) as multi-racial, Guamanian and Italian. I am a very proud HBCU graduate and part of the reason I initially decided to obtain my undergraduate education at a predominantly African-American institution was for cultural reasons.

But the reality is these institutions are also gaining popularity with non-Black attendees as well. The reticence that some the students may be having toward Ms. Churchill can (and has..) conversely be used to object to our sitting president. Our nation previously had forty-three White presidents and yet we couldn't make room for one Commander-in-Chief of color? Just as it has not been explicitly stated that a U.S. President has to be Caucasian, there are no bylaws that affirm Miss Hampton needing to be Black. Now don't get me wrong, just as a yeshiva is entitled to promulgate Judaic principles, an overarching Black cultural standard should also be upheld for African-American colleges and universities. In the case of Churchill, matters became even more complicated when she drafted a letter to President Obama imploring him to intercede in this controversy. Here's more on this issue courtesy of today's NY Daily News:

Nikole Churchill, first non-black Hampton University pageant winner, apologizes for letter to Obama

The first nonblack winner of the annual Miss Hampton’s University scholarship pageant apologized for a letter she wrote to President Obama, criticizing her peers for not accepting her win.

Senior student Nikole Churchill, 22, beat out nine black students when she won the Miss Hampton University pageant Friday.

Hampton University is a traditionally a black school.

Touting her victory, she wrote a letter to President Obama calling her win, “the best night of my life.”

She added that her crowning “was not widely accepted” on campus “because the color of my skin.” She wrote, “I am not African-American”

In the letter she asked Obama to come speak at Hampton University “so that my fellow Hamptonians can stop focusing so much on the color of my skin and doubting my abilities to represent, but rather be proud of the changes our nation is making towards accepting diversity.”

Her win and subsequent letter ignited a fire of debate around campus.

Executive pageant director Shelia Maye said Churchill’s win is a milestone and is shocked at the polarized debate around the issue, according to the Daily Press.

"We have all kinds of people on our campus, we are not in a cocoon," she said. "As far as I'm concerned we need to get her ready to serve HU and to move on and represent us at Miss Virginia."

Other students complained that she doesn’t attend the main campus and isn’t black.

"They're saying that people don't know who she is, people don't even see her, so how can she represent us if she's not even from the main campus?" said journalism sophomore Juan Diasgranados.

On Tuesday, Churchill issued a statement apologizing to the university for the wording of the letter.

What do our faithful readers/supporters think about this latest controversy? If other ethnicities are attending HBCUs, shouldn't they expect parity? And is this a form of discrimination not too dissimilar to what White colleges (and pageants, for that matter) imposed on African-Americans in past years? Again, a quarter (adjusted for inflation) for your thoughts....

In The Immortal Words Of One Of Our Greatest Legal Minds-Let's Not Rush (Limbaugh) to Judgment! Controversial Radio Jock Denied NFL Team Purchase!

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:10:11 PDT

Let me say from the beginning that not all Republicans think alike! In spite of my political leanings, I am not a supporter of the right wing radio host, Rush Limbaugh. I am not an apologist for him or his "on air" comments. If my memory serves me correctly, I was quite adamant about Michael Steele's capitulation to Rush earlier this year regarding the hoopla over Limbaugh being an entertainer or leader of the Republican Party. Now the latest dust up (which has been averted) dealt with Limbaugh attempting to become a minority owner of the St. Louis Rams football franchise. Due to a history of racially charged remarks made by Limbaugh over the years, a cadre of Black players threatened to not play for the Rams if the the talk show host obtained approval to become a part owner.

I guess I have become indifferent to these matters because I have yet to see athletes of color galvanize with the same fervor when their compatriots are involved in behavioral/criminal missteps. But when a racial element gets added to this type of elixir....well, things start to change. I have talked about this phenomenon in the larger context of "pathology versus race" within communities of color in previous diatribes and entries. Well Rush lost his bid, due in part to the same cast of characters-Reverends Jackson and Sharpton. Am I looking at this wrong? If so, enlighten me....

And with typical Limbaugh aplomb, he has some words on this defeat, courtesy of the Kansas City Star:

Limbaugh lashes back after being dumped by Rams group

Radio personality Rush Limbaugh assigned blame Thursday after seeing his hopes for owning an NFL team dashed.

The list of those responsible includes President Obama, NFL union leader DeMaurice Smith, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and the media.

Conspicuously missing from the list was Limbaugh himself.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Colts owner Jim Irsay each expressed misgivings this week at a leaguewide meeting about Limbaugh’s involvement with a group trying to buy the St. Louis Rams.

Goodell said Limbaugh had made “polarizing” comments, and Irsay vowed to vote against him. On Wednesday, Dave Checketts, who is organizing the bid, said Limbaugh had been dropped from the group.

According to transcripts posted on his Web site, in 2007 Limbaugh said: “The NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There, I said it.”

In 2003, he was forced to resign from ESPN’s Sunday night football broadcast after saying of the Eagles’ Donovan McNabb: “I think what we’ve had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well.”

“The league has 78 percent African-American players,” said Dan Lebowitz, executive director of the Center for Sports and Society at Northeastern University. “Do you bring in someone who has made racist statements to own a team that’s largely made up of players the owner has made slurring statements about?”

On his syndicated show Thursday, Limbaugh said he was approached by Checketts, the St. Louis Blues chairman, earlier this year about participating in a Rams bid. Checketts assured him his involvement as a minority investor had been vetted by the NFL, he said.

“I said to him at this meeting, ‘Are you aware of the firestorm?’ He said ‘We wouldn’t have approached you if we hadn’t taken care of that,’ ” said Limbaugh, a conservative favorite who is reviled by many liberals.

Limbaugh added that Checketts had told him his involvement had been cleared at the “highest levels of the NFL.”

OK This Isn't News......Maybe It's An Excuse for a Rant.....John Mayer vs Huff Post vs MediaTakeout vs CNN vs Human Decency!

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:42:18 PDT

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

CNN Leaves It There

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Ron Paul Interview

Unfortunately, in life one may find themselves having to pay a visit to the projects or as some colloquially refer to as the PRO-jects. A cyber equivalent would be a trip to blogs such as Bossip, Worldstarhiphop and perhaps one of the more salacious sites, Mediatakeout.com. Takeout recently reported that pop star/guitarist, John Mayer while twittering, slammed the politically Progressive blog, The Huffington Post as being the “white” Mediatakeout. And the irony is that the writers at Takeout couldn’t tell if Mayer’s remarks were disparaging or complimentary. As much as I can appreciate the context of Mayer’s tweet, The Huffington Post really should not be compared to the folks at Mediatakeout.

For instance, the Jon Stewart clip (above) which I retrieved from the Post, encapsulates a biting commentary on CNN’s fact checking abilities. I doubt that Mediatakeout would cover such a story or if they did, it would be lost in the muck of yellow journalistic mud that the blog overwhelmingly wades in. But my main critique centers on the vituperative atmosphere that these sites create in the overall promotion of subcultural ghettocentric mores. Do you need examples of Takeout’s propagandized lower tier jibes?

If you visit the site, you will undoubtedly see references to interracial dating as doing the “the swirl” or constant emphasis on racial descriptions purely for the sake of prurient interest. I’m not sure of the purpose or mantra for Takeout but much like a Chris Rock skit, African-American culture takes a step backward when the promotion of urban malaise is at the forefront. So in response to the great Mr. John Mayer……MediaTakout could only wish to be The Huffington Post-Black edition.

I Guess My Definition Of Blackness is A Little Different Than Some Folk....Ok A Little Funkier.......Q-Tip Gets A Visit From A Friend...

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:52:03 PDT

For Those Unaffected By The Recession........Introducing The Water Car.....And Oh Yeah...It's Real!

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:34:10 PDT

First off, an amphibious car has been around for close to a century and has been depicted in cinema for a number of decades as well (thank you, Mr. Bond!) but this supercar takes the cake! Wow...I just had to share this with our readers. And then there's the company website:

WaterCar.Com

Back To Reality & Back To The Hate-A Georgia Restaurant Owner, Healthcare & The N-Word.....Again

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:40:28 PDT

I must say that I'm not shocked that we find yet another Southern racist exclaiming his hatred for the president under the guise of dissatisfaction with Obama's healthcare initiatives. And according to some of our detractors, we're just not angry enough when it comes to these matters....allegedly. Patrick Lanzo, a Georgia restaurant owner is using the "N-word" expletive on a sign outside his establishment objecting President Obama's health care plan. The sign in question reads, "Obama's plan for health care - Nigger rig it," Atlanta CBS affiliate WGCL reported. It's not that Mr. Starks and I are not perturbed about these kind of stories, it's just that they are of a bygone era. One can no longer be surprised or deterred by folks that are afflicted with the mental disorder of racism. And matters become skewed when "generation Y" will vehemently defend their right to use the n-word with reckless abandon allowing lower-tier Whites like Lanzo in the video clip a social/legal "excuse" to be vulgar.

The irony is, one can easily deduce that Lanzo had to be instructed to be angry about healthcare. Hillary Clinton and then Senator Obama debated the issue of nationalized healthcare for a year prior to the election and either candidate would have pursued this agenda during their respective presidency. As always, to keep it succinct....Mr. Lanzo, your president is African-American-get over it already! You should be honest and just remove the word "healthcare" from your sign. It's not racist to disagree with the president regarding a policy issue but when you mix political distrust with racial prejudice, your argument not only falls on deaf ears but gets lost in the muck. What say you? Are you shocked, disappointed or just tired of this foolishness?

Afronerd Radio IsTaking A Break But We'll Be Back (Like the "Governator") Next Sunday......Meanwhile, Some Ruminations...

afronerdradio@yahoo.com — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:50:44 PDT

We're just taking break this Sunday folks but Afronerd Radio will return at our regularly scheduled time next week. But don't forget the team at The Comic Shoppe this Tuesday to get your weekly dose of pulp fiction, pop culture and fantasy analyses. Now on to some of the things that have been occupying my thoughts as of late. Kudos, salutations, crumpets and a "right on!" to President Obama for receiving such a noteworthy and prestigious award as the Nobel Prize. I make no bones about being an "Obamacan" the portmanteau for a Republican that supports our current POTUS, however my allegiance has little do with political persuasion. Of course, I would prefer that President Obama leaned a bit more to the right on the ideological scale, but the necessity of his historical presidency for its inspirational attributes as it pertains to people of color can not be discounted.

But back to the matter at hand-as expected, the de facto conservative talking heads have made it clear that not only was President Obama not deserving of the award but that his win somehow diminishes its importance and/or relevance. The reality is.... the previous administration was so inexplicably inept and ruinous toward global diplomatic relations, America's voting in a Black person assuages this international (Europe, more specifically) dissatisfaction and therefore explains Obama's win. Furthermore, the conservatives are being disingenuous in railing against the time frame that the Obama administration has been existence relative to the Nobel win and yet 10 months is supposed to be long enough to solve two wars,immigration, terrorism, Iranian/Korean nuclear encroachment, an unprecedented financial meltdown and an array of other issues that presently plague our country. You see....I can critique Republicans! That's the difference between having a political bent and being an outright ideologue. Next time, I'll talk about the progressives' putting our economy on layaway til the close of this century....

And now for pop culture concerns, I'm always complaining about the dearth of real musical talent with Black cultural sensibilities as it is currently presented for public consumption. I think a capitulation is in order. It really is a matter of exposure and fighting that vaunted monolithic "box" that Black artistic expression is forced to fit into. I implore our readers to start rummaging through the cyber aisles of Okayplayer.com and Afropunk.com. Case in point, check out some more footage from this past summer's Afropunk music festival, held on the Planet Brooklyn:

And then there are those the NY Times referred to as "blipsters," the frankenword nomenclature for Black hipsters. Again, Black folks rock, skate, ride BMX bikes, surf, purchase, collect and write graphic novels, preside over nations....and yet we continue to get culturally marginalized. It stops now! More from the '09 Afropunk festival....

And then there's the gentleman that started it all...