MOVIE NEWS: Red Tails is officially a BLOCKBUSTER, or is it?!?

Can a movie with a cast of ALL BLACK ACTORS "do well?"
Can George Lucas single-handedly change the plight of black actors/films by paying for a movie with his own money? 
Will audiences venture out to see an action movie that only features African Americans?  


I know you're tempted but don't  just read 'em like they're rhetorical, those are actual questions. 


Can it? 
Can he? 
WILL THEY? 


The above are questions people have been faced with long before Red Tails was released. If Red Tails is the measuring tool, then you can nod your pretty little head in the affirmative.  The reports are in and the movie grossed over $19 million in its weekend debut. 
Thats fantastic, right? 


The movie seems to have beat a Hollywood stereotype but at what cost? 
Would people have gone out to support the movie if George Lucas and the cast, and other famous Hollywood-type folks had not spoken out about the need to keep producing films like this?


Excuse my bluntness but I ::have:: to ask: did people really go see the movie because they wanted to or did people go see it because they of the guilt trip speeches heralded at them? Everybody got in on the promo. I read stories about how President and Mrs. Obama hosted a group of Tuskegee Airmen at a private screening in the White House theater and stars of the movie went around the country treating audiences to free screenings. I'm not knocking the uniqueness of the promo tour because I can appreciate actors who are genuinely interested in the success of their movie. 


What was I saying again? 
Ah! Yes! Red Tails. 


Full Disclosure: When I first heard about the movie, I planned to go see it before I heard about the story of George Lucas having difficulty making films. I wanted to see the film because I LOOOOOVVVEEEE movies centered upon black history. I LOOOOVVVVEEE movies with chocolate eye candy. I go see movies that feature at least one of those things. If I can get a movie with both->>>::swoon:: 


We all know these movies come few and far between. 
This bothers me. It doesn't bother me in the sense that I'm going to protest any studio that doesn't release "black movies." It bothers me the way waiting for my hot water to warm up bothers me. If I don't immediately get what I want, I'm willing to wait. This means I tend to not go to movies that lack the kind of subject matter (and chocolate eye candy) that I love. *Gasps* is that racist? Chill your melons. This isn't the time for you wolf crying heathens to howl at the moon of quasi-racism. If you thought it was, have a seat cuz you're wrong. Besides, I'm not about to explain or justify how I choose to allocate MY money for MY entertainment.


I knew black directors and producers like Tyler Perry *cringe* had issues getting funding but I thought it was due to some form of racism or some conspiracy to perpetuate the idea that black actors in America can't "carry" a movie. Hearing that George Lucas had issues getting funding [George friggin LUCAS] was a shocker. If HollyWEIRD wont' give this man money with his proven track record we might really be in trouble. 


*queue the knight in shining armor*


I would like to tell you that I'm one of the people wondering why we still have this conversation but I'm not naive enough to believe bullsh*t answers. These convos are still happening because African Americans are still not viewed as a powerful people. Yea, I said it! You mad? 


Have a seat with your I just wanna be mad to get attention  mad self. 

What is it REALLY gonna take for Hollywood to see "black" films as viable investments? Your guess is as good as mine. Matta fack, I don't wanna guess. I don't want you to guess either. Wanna know what I want? I want movies with predominantly black casts to not have to guilt audiences into a place where they feel a strong enough desire to pay for the movie. 

I'm happy Red Tails has been able to defy stereotypes. Truly, I am. I'm not satisfied or content just because the reports are good. That still doesn't mean things are gonna change. It might have come in at #2 and made 19 millie but it still didn't make Transformers money. It won't make Avatar money. In a community where money talks and bullsh*t walks (a thousand miles), we still have to speak with dead presidents. 

Bottom line, I don't want to have to go thru another 6 month guilt trip of negative media before hearing a story about a black movie *finally* making big bucks. Go out and support the damn movie people!

Sooo do I think Red Tails broke records? Do I think it SOARED at the box office? Why do you care? Ok that was mean. I'm sorry. I'll end with "no further comment."

What say you? Did you feel the guilty during the promo tours? Have you seen Red Tails? If not, do you have plans to support it? 

MUST SEE: President Obama Gives Apollo Performance of "Let's Stay Together"

I know I know I know. There is so much going on in the world that I could choose to post about, but its my blog sooooooo I decided to ignore posting those other things and post this. Don't act surprised, ya'll know I luhs me some Prez Obama! ::swoon::


Last night, on the campaign fundraising trail President Obama made the first appearance by a sitting president at the world famous Apollo theatre. During his speech, he showed another side of himself when he jokingly belted out in song. Hope Cain is taking notes.

In the footage, you see him acknowledging Rev. Al Green's attendance and seamlessly belts out a few notes of Green's timeless baby-making hit, Let's Stay Together. I'm sure its not the first time the Rev heard someone flatter him with a little performance.

I know one thing, POTUS can hold a note WAY better than I can on my BEST shower days. In case you're wondering, the song is unlikely to appear on iTunes and compete with Baby Carter's numbers but it is cute nonetheless.

The President continues to remain poised and charismatic despite all of the personal attacks on his character and all of the lofty criticisms heralded at him which seem to forget the mess he's dealing with was inherited from a guy who's name rhymes with Large Douche. Maybe my grams was right in her prediction that the powers that would allow him to stay in office long enough to clean up their MESS before putting another robot in office. I digress.

If you're in the mood to hear some baby making music, listen to the full song here. According to my family, Al Green was *that dude* back in his prime.

P.S. I just got news that legendary (I think that word is WAY overused but it sooo fits her) At Last singer Etta James passed away today. May she RIParadise. My thoughts, prayers and condolences goes out to her family.

*Updated Movie News: George Lucas Debuts Trailer for "Red Tails"

Source. 


You all may remember this original post back in August before we had an official release date. Now that we have some additional deets, I decided to repost it. Check the trailer below: 

Some of the finest pieces of chocolate actors Hollywood has to offer have teamed up to work in the new film Red Tails about Tuskegee airmen during World War II. The story centers around the the pilots who famously painted the tails of their P-51 Mustang planes red. If the story sounds familiar to you, its because their story was also told in the 1995 Tuskegee Airmen flick. The movie stars acting greats like Cuba Gooding Jr, Terrance Howard, Tristan Wilds and rapper-turned-actor Method Man. The film, directed by powerhouse George Lucas (who is funding this out of his own pockets), touches on the two wars at once – one against enemies overseas, and the other against discrimination within the military and back home.

When speaking about the film Cuba said,    

"I’ve seen the movie, I’ve seen the special effects, and I can’t tell you how excited I am about that movie and for people to see it. In my career I’ve done a couple of movies that blown up the zeitgeist of cinema and hit social consciousness, like ‘Boyz N The Hood’ or ‘Men Of Honor’ or ‘Jerry Maguire.’ These are movies where people are affected by either a scenario or scene or environment they’ve never been exposed to, or it just hits them and in their everyday life they can identify with.

We actors live for that, and we’ve done that again with George Lucas’ ‘Red Tails.’ The movie is breathtaking, and the thing about it is, visually you haven’t seen the things that George is doing with these fighter sequences. It’s insane. The real people we portray, like my character Major Emanuelle Stance. He took these young black men out of the schools of Tuskegee, Alabama and into the Air Force Base in Italy and turned them into warriors. You fall in love with not just the pilots but these men that helped them along their journey."

"Courage has no color."I am a HUGE fan of Cuba's acting so I can hardly wait to see this movie!  The movie is the first action movie starring an all African American cast. The official release date of the movie is slated for January 20, 2012. Go out and show your support! 


I LOVE their motto: Until the last plane, the last bullet, the last man, the last minute, we fight! we fight! we fight! You gotta say it with soul. 


Check out this video of the Air Force Association saluting the Tuskegee Airmen:



On another note: If you have older family members that have served in segregated wars, LISTEN to their stories. You will amazed at what they can share with you and how far we have come (or haven't come). Last week, I learned my uncle served on a segregated mission guarding artillery where the black soldiers were denied bullets. Wait, you missed that. They let my uncle guard bullets in a warehouse but refused to give him bullets to protect his own life against robbers and the like. Good Ol American history! 

Happy NEW Year!!

Wow 2011 is OVA!

Where did the time go?

First, I hope you all can accept my apology for not posting during the Christmas holiday, I had to take time away from my computer and get my mind right for 2012.

Now that we have that out of the way...I feel compelled to take the time out and share a few words. First, I hope you all can reflect on the hap'nins of the months past with joy and appreciation. Regardless of how things played out for you, recognize that you are writing your testimony with each new day you are awake. I don't know about you all, but I'm gonna have one HELL of a testimony!

Regardless of how negative things seem or how positive you wish they were, take note of your surroundings and appreciate them. Telling your loved ones you love them is underrated. Its such a satisfying and fulfilling experience (especially with young children) & I hope you all do it as often as possible.

Whether you're the type to make New Year's Resolutions, I would like to take this time to encourage you to consider making LIFE RESOLUTIONS.

Instead of waiting until January 1 to make a change, get up right now and make that change. You may have one of the common resolutions to lose weight or find ways to make more money or you may have a less traditional resolution. It does not matter. What matters is that you remain steadfast and dedicated to changing your life forever, not just for the sake of fulfilling a resolution you wanted to keep for a year. Whats gonna happen if you lose the weight you wanted to lose in 2012 but gain it back in 2013?

Don't be the person who can recognize something you want to correct in March but decide you will put off correcting it until a new year arrives. While new years are an opportunity for a fresh start, do not limit yourself to one new start per year. You can have a fresh start on July 10 if you decide its necessary.

While you're working on fulfilling your resolutions, don't just focus on aesthetics take the time to address the root of the problem. For instance, if your resolution is to lose weight you may want to brainstorm the causes of your weight gain. Are you an emotional eater? Are you a bored eater? Are you just a greedy person? Address those things and then you can move on and continue to rectify other things you decide to work on.

Finally, don't just focus on 2012! Position yourself so that you're not making the same resolutions in 2020. If you want to resolve a problem in your life by the end of 2012, DO THAT. Give yourself realistic deadlines and checkpoints to make sure you stay on track.

From me and my family to you and your loved ones, I want to wish you all a happy new year!! If the way I ended 2011 is any indication of how fantastic 2012 will be, I'm going to need a stronger footing with which to brace myself!

Peace and Love =)

P.S. You all may notice that for the first 8-10 weeks of 2012, I won't be posting as much (if at all). The reason for this is not that I don't enjoy blogging, I will instead be studying for the Florida Bar Exam. Considering the intense nature of preparation, I won't have the time to post as much as I would like to. I want you all to know I will be thinking of posting and I look forward to returning to my life as a blogger around March 5. If you all believe in the power of prayer for positive outcomes, do me a solid and send one above for me. If you're one of the people reading my blog to be nosey, keep it cute and put it on mute. This post is not for you.

For my fellow bar, medical board and "other" test takers, join me as we make these tests OUR Bish! See ya March 1!

Sharing is Caring: 3 Basic Types of Friends

This post is for everyone considering eliminating a few people from their inner circle in the approaching new year. I see your Facebook and Twitter updates, "I'm eliminating a few people from my inner circle in 2012." I know people are reflecting on the type of year they had and concluding that its time to eliminate dead weight.

What is dead weight?
I'm glad you asked!
Dead weight is those people who are not adding anything to your life, but think its ok to subtract a few things. I understand the feeling as I have felt it myself. You must assess the people you allow around you on a regular basis because some people change and some people stay the same.

While you are still YOU at your core, you are not the same person you were in high school. Some people are still the same person they were in high school. These people are still running popularity contests and trying to amass the most friends. They are not focused on the character of the people, just their presence. They want to party with 300 people on their birthday who don't even know their middle name or favorite color rather than spending it with 3 people who were there when times were dark. Don't be that person.

Be the person who is not afraid to classify relationships as they are. If someone is not your bff, don't force it and don't lie about it. Its ok if you only have one near and dear friend. As we get older, people will leave and you will realize they are not meant to be in your life for a lifetime, but a mere season. Don't try to force people to stick around who constantly show you they don't want to be near you. If you deem it necessary, eliminate those people without burning a bridge.

In the video below, Bishop T.D. Jakes shares a very powerful message about assessing the people in your life. His message is to watch out NOT for the physical attributes of a person, but to seek out their character. Ya'll don't hear me.

Bishop's 3 basic types of friends:
1. Confidant: These people are FOR you. You will have very few of these. They are those people who love you unconditionally. They are in it with you regardless of whether you are up or down, right or wrong. These are the people you can share anything with.

2. Constituents: They are not for you. They are for what you are for. These people will leave you if they meet someone who can further their cause, they will abandon you. Do not mistake your constituents for your confidantes.

3. Comrades. These people are not for you. NOR are they for what you are for, it is just that they are against what you are against. They will team up with you to help fight a greater enemy. Don't be confused, they will only be there until the enemy is defeated. You can expect them to leave you after a while.

Be careful who you tell your dream to! Everyone around you is not FOR you!

Here is a quick test: When you share your good news with your "friends" stop being happy for a moment and take note of their reaction. If you do not see a genuinely happy expression on their face, its time to stop sharing your dreams with them.

Remember people want to see you to good, they just don't want you to do better than them.

Keep winning.

In Case You Missed It: The Heat Intro

In case you missed it last night, the Miami Heat created a special intro for their fans to watch during the opening of their game last night. Before you go judging me, I know the Lebron & Miami Heat haters are gonna have something to say but I like it. I hope Bron gets his ring this year!

FUNNY TO ME: Jesus Gives the Broncos a Pep Talk

By now, you all should have heard that the Broncos lost their first game since "Tebow-mania" took over the football world. In a way that only the folks at SNL could do, they created a skit about the Tebow "phenomena."

Disclaimer: This is NOT a video about religion or Jesus. The video pokes fun at Tebow. I think everyone who perpetuates the theory that Jesus spends his time helping teams win football games trivializes Jesus and his power. To think he would prefer to help Tim Tebow win a friggin football game (although I'm sure he gets MILLIONS of prayers for him to do so) rather than helping suffering children or anyone else who may "deserve" or "need" a blessing doesn't make sense to me. Doesn't it make you wonder if God has a favorite team tho? Do I know how Jesus spends his time? No. You know what, nevermind if I keep going I'm sure I'll manage to ruin everything funny about the skit. Just watch it.

Tebow has been open about the reason he believes he managed to win the games. Anyone who has tuned in to ESPN in the past few weeks has been inundated with news, comparisons to other quarterbacks (Hey Cam Newton! *wink*) and overall Tebow d*ck riding. I got so sick of it, I stopped watching. I hope when I tune in tomorrow morning, they will have found something more interesting to talk about.

How about those grand jury testimonies in the Sandusky case?

Like I said, the skit was funny to me.

Daily Inspiration

GREAT morning beautiful people!! Here is today's quote: 

"Some men give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; While others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before." -Herodotus 

Before you allow anything to get to you, ask yourself "Whats the worst that could happen?" I know some of you don't want to think about it, and I'm not asking you to share but I want you to contemplate it, if even for a moment. Go ahead, think about it. What is the WORST that could happen to you? 


Everyone has a different answer to the question. Initially, you may think of something immediate like losing your job or becoming homeless. If I know you like I think I do, you allowed yourself to go deeper than that. Some of you may say the worst that could happen is that you never secure gainful employment. Others may cite things like cancer, HIV, unwanted pregnancy, death of a parent, development of a debilitating disease, etc. My answer? I'm glad you asked! The worst that can happen to me is that I would die and go to hell. What does my answer mean to me? It means if the worst thing that can happen to me involves dying and going to hell everything else is not the worst thing that could happen. Internalizing that allows me to maintain a healthy stress level as I pursue my goals. 


I started asking myself the question because as my time to begin bar prep looms on a very near horizon, I have started to feel an immense pressure. I had to remind myself that failing the bar is not the worst that could happen to me. Mattafack, I'm not going to give life to the possibility of failing BUT, failing is probably the source of the pressure I feel. Since failing is not the worst that could happen to me, I'm already confident. 


Regardless of your answer, take a survey of your surroundings. Has the worst thing happened to you yet? If the worst thing you can imagine has not happened to you, everything else is obsolete. Continue to PUSH forward knowing that you are blessed to have the opportunity to do so. 


When things seem so tough you want to give up, ask yourself whether its the absolute worst thing that can happen. If its not your worst thing, let it go. Let it roll off your shoulder like water on a duck's back and keep it moving. 


Today's Song Choice: Mary J. Blige-Living Proof


Spread Love!

The War on Christmas: Is Jesus STILL the Reason for the Season??!

Full disclosure: I was raised in a Southern Baptist church. I learned about Santa Claus in school. I got in trouble for telling a few students that Santa was not real. I wasn't allowed to believe in Santa Claus bringing gifts through our chimney because the story  did not make sense to us. Our home in Florida didn't have a fireplace or a chimney so a jolly fat guy in a red suit coming down our chimney with presents just wasn't possible.  I was taught Jesus blessed my parents with the means to purchase presents for me. I was allowed to shop with my parents and pick out my own toys. My Christmas list was composed during commercial breaks when I looked at toy ads and said, "I want that one too daddy." The presents were wrapped and put under our tree and I opened them on Christmas morning. Christmas was about celebrating the birth of Jesus and that is what we did. It was not about what gifts you received, it was about celebrating Jesus. 

Now that we have that out of the way...MOVING.ON. 


In recent weeks, I have noticed an increase in stories regarding Christmas and people who are offended by "Christmas." It has made me so sick and tired of hearing the back and forth that I decided to write a post about it. Read it if you dare...


Christmas begins with CHRIST for a reason. The book of Matthew in the Bible tells the story of the birth of Jesus and although the bible does not give a specific date, it is celebrated as occurring on December 25.   


Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus of Nazareth by attending church, exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, sharing meals with loved one and awaiting the arrival of Saint Nick. 


December 25–Christmas Day–has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870. 

My observation about every report exploring the war on Christmas can be summed up with one word: RIDICULOUS. If you don't want to celebrate the birth of Jesus, then don't celebrate! Its really that simple. I understand retailers and money hungry companies capitalize on the season, but that doesn't mean you have to give in. If you don't celebrate Christmas, put a condom over your heart and protect your feelings.  Stop being so darned sensitive. People should not be forced to walk on pins and needles because they are afraid of how others will react after hearing, "Have a Merry Christmas!" 


I don't ever hear people complaining when they get a day off, but they start to complain about the reason for the day off. If you don't want to celebrate Christmas, ask for a work assignment. 

Whats next? 

St. Patrick's Day is an Irish holiday. Will people be offended by the tradition to wear green and drink green beer? 


Will people be offended by St. Valentine's Day when they don't have a Valentine to celebrate with?


What about President's Day? Martin Luther King Day? Independence Day? Juneteenth? 


To play Devil's Advocate (and be fair), I know it must be frustrating to have something that you don't believe in forced upon you.  I get that. I really do get that. The feeling of a forced celebration is reason enough to ask others to respect your beliefs by not saying "Merry Christmas" to you. Its enough to tell people to respect your "Holiday Tree" and "Holiday gift exchange." I respect that adjustments must be made for people who have religious beliefs that prevent them from attending the company "Christmas Party." The jist of it is Americans are self-centered and selfish. We have a tendency to only think of ourselves and not totally consider the feelings of others. 


You should be able to enjoy your day off without feeling guilty for the reason you got the day off. You should be able to celebrate your family during the holidays without being forced to engage in a sacred religious holiday. Make sure everyone in your household understand this so you don't feel guilty for not celebrating. 


You should not be forced to celebrate because of what your children are taught in school. 
Your children should not feel isolated because they don't celebrate Christmas. 


America's national religion is Christianity. Regardless of what people may claim, we don't relate to other religions all that well. We are so comfortable in our Christianity that we don't always take significant time to learn about other religions. Why else would we question how Mitt Romney's mormonism will affect his ability to lead? Why else would there be a tv show called All American Muslim?  


Devil's advocate time over. 

Jesus IS the reason for the season. His birthday is nationally accepted to be on December 25(although there is some dispute about the actual day). If you don't follow the religion based upon the teachings of Jesus, then don't celebrate his birth. 

If you celebrate Christmas, celebrate Christmas. 

If you celebrate Hanukkah, celebrate Hanukkah. 

If you celebrate Kwanzaa, celebrate Kwanzaa. 

People are so hellbent on being politically correct and not offending people that they continue to explore things that might offend others. Christmas is just another one of those things. Don't let the army of politically correct people take it away from us.  Throw your CHRISTMAS parties. Decorate your CHRISTMAS tree. Attend your company CHRISTMAS party. Allow your loved ones to open their CHRISTMAS gifts. 


You can celebrate in your own way and respect the religious views of others without being offensive or too focused on being PC. 


If you're looking for someone to blame--->Blame retailers for taking advantage of the way the holiday has evolved. They stopped having Christmas sales and removed the word Christmas from their promos. 




In all fairness, retailers have moved up Christmas celebrations so much that it has become obnoxious. Roughly 5-10 years ago, you didn't put up a tree until Black Friday (until after the Thanksgiving turkey is gone). In 2011, people were putting up decorations as early as the day after Halloween. Its absurd. Its enough to turn a regular person into a Scrooge. 

Bah Humbug!

Music News: Can You Do "The Frankie Leg?"

Its a Code-10 Man Down situation. Keyshia Cole's mother, Frankie Lons has decided to release a full video of her song The Frankie Leg. At first, I thought this was a play on the popular hip hop dance song The Stanky Leg but it is a far cry from it. I'm not sure if thats a good or a bad thing. I'm not mad at her hustle but the song is JUST...nehmind. Take a listen for yourself...


Let's just say if I'm ever in a place that plays this song, I'm grabbing my belongings and removing myself from the situation.

Will you be practicing your Frankie Leg?