‘Couples Retreat’ Promo Post Whitewashed for the UK

I saw Couple’s Retreat and absolutely cracked up. The cast included Faison Love and Kali Hawk. When Universal released the film overseas they made the decision to delete the black couple from the promotional poster. “A spokesman for makers Universal Pictures confirmed the poster had been changed to ‘simplify’ it for the UK and international market outside America. The studio said it regretted causing offence and has abandoned plans to use the revised poster in other countries.” In this case simplify means to whitewash the poster. Mail on Sunday film critic Jason Solomons said: ‘We don’t cater much for the black cinema-going audience in this country, which is a great shame, so it seems strange that when there are black stars in a major feature film this fact isn’t promoted. And, in terms of business decisions, this seems a pretty counter-productive one.’ So I guest once the filmgoers get to the film and see the black actors they won’t run for the door. The studio must have thought seeing them on the poster might have stopped them from seeing the film, but once they got them they would be a captive audience. This is similar to the indignity so many black artists suffered in the 50s and 60s when they had to put flowers or white couples on the front of their albums so they would not offend the majority, but in this new century I have to believe we have evolved from that mentality. Evidently Universal Studios does not share my mindset.

Is Sarah Palin Going Rogue or Just Going Crazy?

 Sarah Palin gave Katie Couric the interview during the campaign because Katie Couric had “low self-esteem”? This is one of the claims Palin makes in her book. Palin contends “McCain campaign adviser Nicolle Wallace pushed for the now-famous Katie Couric interview because the CBS anchor needed a self-esteem “boost”. Katie Couric is a household name. We knew Couric before we met the moose eating messenger from Alaska. So the idea that Palin could provide Couric with a self esteem boost is ludicrous. During that now infamous interview Couric asked Palin what magazines did she read. Palin was unable to answer that question. Most of us non vice-presidential candidates could rattle off at least 3 to 5 magazines that we read but this question left Palin with a deer in the headlight look on her face. This interview was important to Palin, but what it di d was show the country that this woman did not possess the depth necessary to be a heartbeat away from the presidency. Now a year later she is attempting to rewrite history and in doing so she is not only insulting Couric but she has thrown the entire McCain campaign staff under the bus too. The irony is we knew last year she was not ready when the McCainites told us she was and now they are getting stung by the kind of zingers she hurled at President Obama. What a difference a year makes.

Tom Joyner Responds to Monique

Tom Joyner says there is “no beef” between him and Monique. After hearing her remarks from last Friday night’s Monique show Joyner said that he “supports black shows”, but he also said he is “not going to give up the opportunities to give up good jokes.” He also said he apologizes, but Tom is not going to stop being Tom. His show jokes about everyone and he has no plans of stopping doing what he does. Some have said he is jealous because his talk show was not successful, but it is hard to believe that Joyner is that small. Tom Joyner is an icon in the black community and he has been a champion of Historically Black Colleges.  His efforts have raised millions for them and in some cases he has helped literally keep the doors of some of the institutions open. Joyner’s business is to give us some laughs as we start our work day. He is often politically incorrect, he sometimes says things that are funny, but they have some bite. His humor is not meant to hurt feelings but in some cases feelings are hurt and that is why he apologized, but he is not going to stop doing what he does because if he does we will stop listening.

Monique Calls Out Tom Joyner…It’s on Like Popcorn

Tom Joyner has been making some cracks about Monique. He and his staff have been critical of her interviewing style and the fact that she hollers and screams alot during the show. Tonight she said that she has nothing but love for those that are critical of her. She said there are so few of them in television and radio that they really should not be taking swipes at each other. Joyner’s show cracks on everybody and it is all done in fun, but sometimes they go too far and Monique felt they crossed the line. Joyner is a big dog in the industry, and calling out the big dog might have some consequences.

Did We need to see Charla Nash’s Face?

 Charla Nash was the victim of a horrific accident. Last February she was mauled by a 200 lb.chimp. Over past few months she has been recuperating at a hospital in Ohio. Wednesday Oprah Winfrey interviewed her and Nash removed her veil and let the world see what the chimp had done to her. Nash made the decision and Winfrey was very compassionate while she interviewed Nash, but I still feel a little uncomfortable about this situation. One of the things the chimp stole from Nash was her eyes. So she was exposing to the world something that she has not seen. Why did we need to see her? It was not a cautionary tale that this could happen to you if you are mauled by a chimp. Most of us if not all of us will never encounter a wild chimp. So why did we invade this woman’s space? Since the show that picture is all over television and the Internet. I was talking to a friend and saying that her injuries were such that no one would make jokes about her and my friend said don’t be naïve. She said the jokes will be coming because our society jokes about everything. All of this makes the reveal a little unsettling and it leaves me wondering why did she do it?

Families of Anthony Sowell’s Victims Speak

Anthony Sowell allegedly killed 10 women and buried them in this Cleveland home. So many of the victims have been labeled drug addicts and prostitutes. Some have said that his killing spree was undetected because no one was looking for these women but that is simply not true. There was a recent gathering of the victims family members and they detailed how in some cases they had been looking for their family members for years. Some said they would put up flyers only to return the next day and find their flyers gone. These women were not throwaways. They deserved better than they got. http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/11/grieving_moms_suspect_sowell_t.html

 

Why is the Media Still so Fascinated with Carrie Prejean?

Yesterday the women of The View got into a heated exchange regarding the recent Carrie Prejean visit. Whoopi Goldberg said that the ex beauty queen acted rather “bitchy.” They also discussed her Larry King Live appearance. Prejean threatened to leave the show because she said King’s questions were inappropriate. Prejean is on the talk show circuit promoting her new book, but she has also had to discuss a recently released “sex tape.” Her former boyfriend has released tapes she gave him to the media. Prejean claimed she was 17 when the tapes were made, but her boyfriend said she was 20 at the time. He also said she called him and asked him to lie about her age. Let’s just take a minute to talk about him. He is truly the scum of the earth, but he is a cautionary tale. Do not give anything to anyone that you want to stay private. It won’t and if you achieve any level of fame it will come back to haunt you. I am no fan of Prejean but I am a fan of fairness and to allow her boyfriend to cloke his own identity while releasing these tapes and photos is simply unfair.

Will Political Correctness Kill Us?

It has been a week since Nidal Hasan slaughtered 13 servicemen. Stories are now coming out that he showed a disdain toward our country. Some of his colleagues have said he often went on anti-American rants. We have learned that he was in contact with radical extremists who were involved in the 9/11 massacre. All the signs were there but nobody took action until it was too late. Yesterday Sen. McCain spoke of how we could not allow political correctness to stop us from taking action when we should. McCain actually called it an act of terrorism. McCain said “the fact is that it was an act of terror when you’re on a military base, and you are a trusted member of the military, a commissioned officer, and you kill your fellow members in the military — motivated obviously by his views of the extremist interpretation of an honorable religion.” We do not have the facts to support that this was an act of terrorism. There are plenty of questions that need to be answered and hopefully they will be answered. Hasan demonstrated enough strange behavior to have been watched and watched carefully. There were warning signs that were ignored. Hasan is not the poster child for all Muslim soldiers, and we should not paint all Muslim soldiers with a broad brush, but this soldier should have been monitored and he was not and political correctness might have been a factor, and 13 people lost their lives and in this case political correctness might have been the culprit.

 

Chris Brown Speaks to His Real Fans on BET 106 and Park

Chris Brown sat down for an interview today on 106 and Park. What is important about this interview is he sat in front of his fan base.  We have heard from middle- aged pundits that have demonized Brown. We have heard some radio personalities that have said they will never play his record again, but this is the first time he spoke in front of the group that loves him the most, young people. When he was introduced he was greeted by cheers. Young people seemingly have a shorter memory span. What he did to Rihanna was wrong, but judging from their response to him that is history.  They have seemingly moved on. He apologized to the audience in the studio and his wider audience watching the show. He says he takes responsibility for the incident, but he would have prefered if it had stayed a private matter. Sadly,  when a public figure beats up his girlfriend it can not be a private matter. Today, he is speaking to the people that matter most to his career, and hopefully the young people will hold him accountable for his actions.  He ended the interview with a promise to do the best he can and become the person that they can “love again”.

Why would Sharon Osbourne pick on Susan Boyle?

 

While being interviewed on Sirius radio Sharon Osbourne took a cheap shot at Susan Boyle. She said that she was a “hairy a-hole.” The men interviewing her found this statement hilarious, but why do women insult other women. This was completely unprovoked.  Why aren’t men asked questions about how other men look. Why do so many women feel the need to lash out at other women. Osbourne has since apologized via Facebook.  Osbourne said “Susan Boyle is a lovely gracious woman and I took advantage of that by poking fun at her. I would never want to be responsible for hurting Susan and I must apologize for getting a cheap laugh at her expense.”  It was just a very unclassy move from a woman who claims to have some.