Professor Locs: March 2013

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March 2013

03/31/2013

Old School Easter Sundays and My Easter Speech Meltdown

I grew up in the 70's so Easter Sunday was much different than it is today. I am talking hand made outfits for Easter service. One year my mom thought it would be cute to make the entire family's Easter ensemble from the same material.

She and my siters sported Easter dresses with different styles but the same material and my father and I had coordinating vest. I know I have that picture somewhere or did I file it away under historically embarassing moments....lol. We look like an inner city black version of the Von Trapp family!

My grandparents would always send us easter paraphernalia. My sisters would each get an Easter basket while I got a gender appropriate Easter pail. I am not sure what the beach theme meant for boys at Easter but I was just happy to have something to haul around my Easter bounty.

We would spend the day before dying Easter eggs with Paas Easter egg dye, that I am sure was laced with lead as it had a tendency to stain anything on contact for several days.

You had to get up early on Sunday morning for Easter service. This is where the anxiety started for me because that meant you had to perform the dreaded Easter speech!

I remember one year in particular I was in a frantic state. I had been given an unusually long speech. We were waiting our turn and some kids were turning on the cute charm by smiling and recanting the "Lords Prayer" or like one girl Cookie who showed off by reciting what sounded like an entire chapter from Deutereonomy....lol.

My turn came and I grasp the mic with sweaty palms. My mouth was dry, I was sweating profusely, the room was closing in and I felt dizzy. I could tell the crowd could sense my fear as the requisite phrases reserved for children caught in church program head lights begin to rang out from the congregation.

"Take your time baby"

"Let the Lord use you"

These were the church equivalent of the sand man yanking you from the stage at the Apollo.

I could not remember my speech. I looked out across a sea of pastel colors and ornate Easter bonnets and hats and I was drawing a blank. When it seemed that I might just faint from embarrassment all I managed to shriek a simple "Jesus wept," into the microphone.

I know people were shaking their heads like "Was that the little Easley boy? I didn't know he was slow. Bless his heart."

I ran and hid in the fellowship hall until the program was over. My Mom found me a bit later and gave me comfort although I am sure she was embarrased that her son would be now known as the Easter speech simpleton....lol.

The morning ended like most Easter mornings with children in polyester outfits, scrounging in the church grass to find hard boiled Easter eggs hidden earlier that morning to be found hours later in the stifling Texas heat.

My Easter speech meltdown was forgotten as I scrambled with friends and relatives in an attempt to find the most eggs.

It is a miracle none of us died from food poisoning but that is how we rolled on an old school Easter Sunday!

Happy Easter!

Posted at 07:37 AM in African-American, Holidays, My Life, Popular culture | Permalink | Comments (2)

Jada Pinkett Smith Rallies for White Women on Black Magazines

Jada Pinkett Smith is accustomed to being in the news, and I’ve been a big fan ever since her “Different World” days. I respect her outspoken nature and the many causes she has lent her celebrity status to support. However, I find her recent public rant questionable.

Smith shared on her Facebook page that if the black community wanted to see more diversity on the covers of mainstream magazines, then we should allow white women on the covers of our publications.

Holy Lindsay Lohan on the July issue of Jet, Batman!

Smith is so serious about this new concept that she even had a few magazine mockup covers created and shared them on her social media page. One shows Queen Latifah on the cover of Cosmopolitan, while the Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron graces the cover of Essence.

I am all for being inclusive, but magazines by their nature are meant to target specific audiences, which translates into marketing and advertising dollars.

We seek out and consume these periodicals because of their niche content and focus. Do I really want to pick up a men’s fitness magazine and see some skinny techno-geek on the cover?

Smith shares some public thoughts on this topic:

"I pose this question with the hope that it opens a discussion about how we can build a community for women based upon us all taking a deeper interest in one another. An interest where skin color, culture, and social class does not create barriers in sharing the commonality of being… women.”

Okay, Jada, I am with you so far, soul sister. I think most folks can get down with a call for solidarity.

Smith goes on to share: “With love and respect to all parties involved, my question is this…if we ask our white sisters, who tend to be the guardians of the covers of mainstream magazines, to consider women of color to grace these covers, should we not offer the same consideration to white women to grace our covers?”

See, this is where I think Jada is still plugged into the Matrix.

The reality is that, if we did a random sampling of all media outlets, we would find a disproportionate number of magazines dominated by mainstream images. I am always slightly amused that marginalized communities are expected to correct or rectify problems that they did not create in the first place.

The reality is that black-oriented magazines like Essence, Ebony and Jet were created because African Americans were large excluded from mainstream options.

And even when there is a rare exception, women of color have had to make concessions. I taught mass media courses for years and always liked to site the example of how Oprah, at the height of her power as a media mogul, was advised by Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour to lose weight if she wanted to grace the cover of Vogue to promote her film “Beloved”.

So if Oprah has to concede to mainstreams concept of beauty, what chance do regular folks stand against a system that is predominantly controlled and monitored by the mainstream?

Smith ends her statement with this plea: “To my women of color, I am clear we must have something of our own, but is it possible to share in the spirit in which we ask our white sisters to share with us? I don’t know the answer and would love to hear your thoughts.”

I am not a woman but merely someone who monitors and critiques the media and popular culture, but I, too, am curious and would like to hear your thoughts.

Posted at 05:47 AM in African-American, Celebrities, Popular culture, Q City Metro | Permalink | Comments (0)

03/27/2013

The Wolverine Movie Trailer!

Xmen and comic book fans join me in a joyful geek squeal!

The new trailer is out for The Wolverine which I believe is the sixth film in the Xmen series.

The Wolverine has hunky Hugh Jackman reprising his role as the adamantium claw weilding tough guy of the Xmen.

It looks as if the film will take place in modern day Japan. I wonder if this means we will see Yuriko? You know Wolverines beautiful asian boo that eventually undergoes a similar procedure and goes all "I Bust the Windows Out Your Car" with my new adamantium claws....LOL.

The film does seem to feature Silver Samurai.

I have already checked and unfortunately there will not be a Storm cameo in the fillm so I am totally not right about that decision.

Anway I am looking forward to seeing The Wolverine! Are you?

Posted at 06:50 AM in Comics, Film, Popular culture, You Tube | Permalink | Comments (0)

03/26/2013

Real Housewives of Atlanta Star Porsha Williams Faces Real Life Divorce

Well the drama continues on and off screen with The Real Housewives of Atlanta (RHOA) these days and this time it's not Nene in the middle of some media madness. The drama this time comes from freshman reality star to the series, Porsha Williams.

Stewart filed for a petition for divorce on Friday with the Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta. Another celebrity couple bites the dust. Stewart states in divorce papers that his marriage to Porsha Williams is “irretrievably broken” and the two are separated.

Williams although she has barely been on the show has already worked the nerves of viewers as the black, Barbie, trophy, stepford wife to former Steeler, Kordel Stewart.

Remember William's statement on RHOA during the girls outing in Las Vegas that her husband "let her come on the trip."

Stewart came off as some kind of cave man relic who was all about being king of his castle and his wife Porsha could barely make a move or decision on what dress or lipstick to wear without his approval. But what made matters worse is that Ms. Porsha was more than happy to done her 1960's housewife ideology and pearls and play the role for her man.

Stewart who liked to brag about being a traditional man seems to be embracing some very new age ideas of man and provider in the divorce proceedings.

Stewart asks the court to find there are no marital assets to divide. He says Williams is “an able-bodied person, earning income, and is capable of supporting herself.” He asks that neither side be ordered to pay alimony.

Well isn't that very progressive of Mr. Stewart. Porsha my advice is that you need to tie your weave back into a ponytail, put on your big girl panties, get a ruthless divorce attorney and plan on taking this fool to the cleaners....LOL.

Posted at 01:19 PM in African-American, Celebrities, Popular culture, Reality Television, Television | Permalink | Comments (2)

03/24/2013

Mother Beats Son for Being Gay

I came across a story that immediately caught my attention because it happened in Texas, my home state, and involved a gay teen.

Erica Moore, a suburban mom from Fort Worth, was checking on her kids when she noticed that her 15-year-old son’s bedroom door was closed. (We know this mom is old school because old-school moms don’t tolerate closed doors.)

Moore walked in and found her son engaged in oral sex with her 18-year-old male cousin. She lost it and commenced to beating her son with an electrical cord.

In an interview with AllChristianNews.com, Moore explained her reaction: “When I walked in I saw my son, it was just disgusting to me, the way he was looking and my cousin was looking, and my cousin immediately ran out the door.”

Moore said she was “disgusted” by what she saw.

“They were committing a homosexual act in my house, and we are totally against that,” she said.

Moore, in her own words, was more repulsed by the idea of having a gay son than she was by the fact that her son was having sex and disrespecting her home.

I had a similar experience in my youth. I was playing fort with a cousin -- I don’t remember what we were actually doing – when my mom raised up the quilt and yanked me out of the fort. She slapped me across the face and told me not to ever do that again. I distinctly remember it was not so much disgust I saw in her eyes but absolute fear.

Years later, when I finally came out to my mother, we had another talk. My mother shared that, since the day I was born, she knew how to prepare me for a world that was not always so fair to black men. But later, she said, her suspicions about my sexuality gave rise to new concerns about how to prepare me for the world as a gay man, since she had no point of reference.

My mom said she loved me unconditionally but worried that people would judge and even harm me due to my sexuality.

But back to our other Texas mom: Moore, because she whipped her son, could be facing jail time. Several Christian groups are supporting her actions.

The president of the Texas Southern Christian Leadership Conference (TSCLC), the Rev. Kyev Tatum, wants the district attorney to drop all charges against Moore.

“I have known Sister Erica for many years, and she did what we teach every good God-fearing mother should do when their children disobey their rules, values and standards,” he said in a statement. “Texas Penal Code 9.61 gives her the legal rights and the Holy Bible gives her the religious rights to discipline her child the best way she knows how.”

On one hand, I agree that families should have latitude to discipline and raise their children, but is it fair to beat a child for being who he is?

There were bigger issues the mother should have focused on. First, this appears to be a case of incest between relatives. Second, her son -- who was a minor -- technically was engaging in a sex act with an adult.

What doesn't sit well with me is that this child was beaten because he was gay. Would Moore have displayed the same outrage had it been a girl-boy act?

As for those supporting her actions, when will the majority faith community realize that, whether they like it or not, gay folks are members of your congregations, families and communities.

The phrase “spare the rod, spoil the child,” although used in faith environments, is not an actually Bible verse. Moore may have been guided by the proverb, but in reaching for the rod she also may have done more harm than good. The “disgust” she displayed toward her gay son may now become his primary frame of reference.

I understand Moore’s fear, but I hope for her son’s sake that they will have another discussion and she will accept and love him unconditionally.

Posted at 07:27 AM in African-American, Gay Stuff, LGBT, Q City Metro, Religion | Permalink | Comments (0)

03/19/2013

Father's Touching Letter to Gay Son Goes Viral on the Internet

We are always hearing stories of gay bashing and parents turning on their gay children so it is always nice to hear a story that affirms a gay youth especially when it involves their family.

A father wrote a letter to his gay son that is touching the hearts of millions of readers. The father apparently overheard a conversation his son was having that confirmed what the father had known for some time that his son was gay. The father was more than OK with the news.

He wrote the following letter to his son.

“Nate, I overheard your phone conversation with Mike last night about your plans to come out to me,” it reads. “The only thing I need you to plan is to bring home OJ and bread after class. We are out, like you now. I’ve known you were gay since you were six, I’ve loved you since you were born. -Dad. PS Your mom and I think you and Mike make a cute couple.”

This is in stark contrast to a Texas mother who beat her gay son with an extension cord when she found him in a compromising position with another teen relative in his bedroom.

The letter the supportive dad wrote to his gay son has gone viral.

The letter was posted to Facebook by representatives of FCKH8.com

Organizations like Parents and Families of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) have praised the letter as a wonderful example of supporting LGBT family members who would otherwise be ostrasized by other segements of society.

The dad deserves the Father of the Year award. His gay son is one lucky young gay dude....smile

Posted at 12:26 PM in Gay Stuff, LGBT, Social Media | Permalink | Comments (0)

03/17/2013

Throwing Big Momma From the Train, Really?

We’ve all been there, riding some form of public transportation when a fellow rider does something annoying -- a loud, inappropriate cell phone conversation or some guy spouting rap lyrics laced with the n-word or negative references to women.

Typically, this behavior goes unchallenged.

So how does an elderly woman in Miami Dade get kicked off a train for singing gospel?

Emma Anderson, 82, was feeling the spirit, so she started singing and playing a makeshift paper drum. Her concert of one was interrupted by a security guard who instructed her to stop because, apparently, riders can’t sing on a Miami Dade train.

Well, I guess Ms. Anderson thought that was crazy, too, because she kept on singing, and that’s when the devil showed up and showed out. The next thing you know, the guard snatched Anderson’s paper drum and kicked her off the train.

I have witnessed folks doing much more annoying things in public. I once had a student who would burst into a spiritual song for no apparent reason. I would be lecturing or demonstrating a technique and Angelica would suddenly sing a verse or two of “What A Friend We Have In Jesus” and then go right back to working on her computer. Was it unusual? Yes. But did I kick her out of class because she suffered some form of gospel turrets? No.

Well, the security guard who escorted Ms. Anderson from the train was not so accommodating. In fact, he was downright rude. Surveillance cameras caught him pulling her off the train by her bag. The scuffle resulted in Ms. Anderson falling and bruising her shoulder.

Jesus might be on the main line, but apparently there was a dream snatcher on the Miami Dade transit line.

The mayor of Miami Dade apologized, as has the Miami Dade Transit Authority, which released this statement: “We regret that Ms. Anderson had to be escorted out, but regardless of age, all passengers need to abide by rules associated with using transit.”

The statement went on to explain that singing, dancing or playing a musical instrument are prohibited on public transportation there, unless one has a commercial permit.

I saw the video and was outraged. My grandmother is my heart, and if I saw someone handle her the way the security officer did Ms. Anderson, I would be under the jail.

Certainly there are rules, but in a day and age when we have folks cursing, talking loud and violating every imaginable act under the Napoleonic Code of civil conduct, it’s unacceptable that a senior citizen would be treated so poorly for simply singing a gospel song?

In fact, I think an apology is not enough. I think the guard should undergo some kind of gospel sensitivity training.

To ensure that such an incident never repeats itself, I offer Professor Locs’ 5 Top Gospel Sensitivity Training exercises:

5. The guard would have to attend choir practice for a month, and not the regular choir, either; it has to be the children’s choir.

4. The guard would be detained in a fellowship hall with only punch and pound cake for an entire weekend while a video of the Stellar Awards years 2000-2012 runs on a continuous loop.

3. The guard should have to submit to being a roadie and personal manservant to Kirk Franklin on his next tour.

2. The guard would be required to wear and distribute “I Heart Thomas Dorsey” T-shirts at the next National Baptist Convention.

1. The guard would be given black and gold thread and made to hand-stitch the embroidery onto the choir robes for all 132 members of the Mississippi Mass Choir Gospel Love World Tour.

Posted at 12:55 PM in African-American, Popular culture, Q City Metro, Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (0)

03/15/2013

A Storm is Coming: Xmen Days of Future Past

You guys know that I love Divas and other than Patti LaBelle, Storm is one of my all time favorites.

I did not allow myself the pleasure of fantasizing that the character of Storm would be reprised after the somewhat disappointing 20th Century Fox's Xmen trilogy was over.

Anyway I just learned that my secret prayers have been answered and that Halle Berry will return as Storm in the new X-Men: Days of Future Past (the sequel to 2011's X-Men: First Class).

Join me in a big old comic book geek squeal!

Someone sent me a tip on my FB page from The Escapist Magazine where Berry confirmed during an interview with Black Film where she was promoting her latest film The Call, that she would be returning as Ororo Monroe everyone's favorite elemental Diva, Storm.

I love Halle Berry but she would not have been my first or second choice for Storm. Storm is from Kenya and is a dark regal enchantress, Halle sounds like she is from Los Angeles....lol. I think my perfect version of Storm would be a young Iman.

I thought in the Xmen: The Last Stand film they were finally going to let Storm cut loose, you know really kick Jean Grey's ass by throwing a Tsunami or Hurricane on her telekentic tirade but as usual they suppressed the real fiercness of this weather witch.

Well I recently caught up with my Xmen: Days of Future Past series on my IPad. Big shout out to Mike Wirth for turning me onto the Ap....lol.

All I can say is good luck with trying to craft a storyline from the Days of Future Past series because it is all over the place. Hollywood likes to muck up timelines and comic book movie conversions anyway so they will have a field day trying to decide which storyline to follow.

The Days of Future Past series includes Magneto, the Shi'ar's Imperial Guard, The Hellfire Club, Proteus, The Savage Land, Alpha Flight, Sentinels and Dark Phoenix. The list goes on and that was just the first comic book in the X-Men: Days of Future Past series.

Berry shared that she was not sure how extensive Storm's role will be in the upcoming film X-Men: Days of Future Past but if the producers and creators know what is good for them they will finally allow Storm to open up a big old can of weather whoop ass in this film and finally show just how powerful this elemental Diva can be.

Posted at 06:58 AM in Celebrities, Comics, Film, Popular culture, Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (0)

03/14/2013

NABJ Region 3 Conference

Hey guys I have recently attended a few events hosted by the Charlotte Area Association of Black Journalist (CAABJ) the most recent one held at Aloft Uptown. I was pleasantly surprised how many folks follow my work.

I learned about the NABJ (National Association of Black Journalist) Region 3 conference that was being held at Johnson C. Smith University.

You guys know that I am a product of an HBCU (Historically Black College or Univeristy) and I was an Assitant Professor at two other institutions so I am very familiar with the formal nature of the African-American community.

Black folks love to dress up for any occassion whether it be church, conference, birhtday or Piggly Wiggly store opening....lol

NABJ folks did not disappoint. There were more suits and folks dressed sharp as a tack that I swear I thought I was at a job fair or National Baptist Convention...lol

You know how we do.

The day started with a networking breakfast and panel discussion with founding memebers.

The next session was facilitated by Cash Michaels, an editor and chief reporter for "The Carolinian newspaper. Michaels spoke of and shared a video that documented The Wilmington 10 of a group of folks wrongly accused 40 years ago in a fire-bombing of a local grocery store.

The day progressed with further workshops dealing with Having a Plan B and one of my favorites dealing with technology and how journalist and media professionals will survive and thrive in the new digital age.

I really enjoyed that during the workshops they had a live Twitter feed with hashtag #nabjr3conf. It was good to see folks utilitizing technology and social media.

Lunch was a bit delayed but it was a wonderful spread. A big shout out to Dedrick Russell, Region 3 Director and his committee members that really organized an engaging event.

Mayor Foxx stopped by to welcome the NABJ conference participants and give an official proclamation from the mayors office. It is cool that after seeing the mayor at several events that he recognizes me now...lol.

The day was a wonderful opportunity to meet some very cool people...how you doing Davida J....lol.

But the man who shut it down that day was keynote speaker Byron Pitts, National Correspondent, CBS News and Contributing Correspondent, "60 Minutes." Brother Pitts gave such an inspirational speech where he shared his humble beginnings from growing up on the east side of Baltimore where his mom was a single mother and also an amazing support system for him.

I found we had much in common and was truly inspired. I think the brother has a little preacher in him because when he finished to a standing room of applause you almost felt like they should start the organ and choir and pass the plate for the building fund....smile.

The thing I was most impressed with is that NABJ is committed to expanding the definition of journalism and also how we communicate ideas as media professionals in the new digital age.

Posted at 12:18 PM in African-American, My Life, Popular culture, Social Media, Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (0)

03/11/2013

My Strip Club “Awkward Black Boy” Experience

I’ve been working with a wonderfully talented group on a film project. I’m acting as producer, and we shot all weekend at various locations around Charlotte, the most unusual of which was Club Nikki’s on Little Rock Road.

I’m no angel, and I’ve been in strip clubs before, but not during off hours and behind the scenes. You may have heard of the Internet series “Awkward Black Girl.” Well, I became the “Awkward Black Boy.”

Club Nikki is not quite your uptown crowd, so I was a bit nervous. We checked out the dressing room, which had a wall of mirrors and was littered with makeup, thongs, combs, jewelry, hair and other female accouterments. We could not have staged it better.

The dancers begin to trickle in, and I began to feel even more anxious. I guess I had worked myself up into a frenzied state thinking that I would somehow witness a Lisa Raye circa “The Players Club” inspired dressing room, stripper, banshee beat down.

I was so wrong. Almost all of the young women were pleasant and even a bit shy.

We were running behind schedule, so we had to switch dressing rooms because the performers were starting to get into their outfits. Angela, our female producer, asked if it would be OK for the men on our crew to enter and remove equipment. Given my orientation, I can truthfully say I saw more lady parts than I had in my entire adult life. lol

I was definitely more discombobulated about the experience than the young ladies were, who seemed quite comfortable in their respective skins. We needed to add some realness to our shot, so Angela asked if any of the women would mind walking into our scene for a cameo. A performer named Diamond agreed.

Diamond was an ebony, Amazon enchantress, what the old folks might call “a tall drink of water.” She had to be 6’5” in heels and was built like an Olympic athlete. Imagine Serena Williams in a bra and panties and four inch heels.

I could not stop staring and was afraid she might catch me gawking and kick my butt. But amazingly, despite Diamond’s intimidating stature, her voice and energy were soft and feminine, which made her all the more alluring.

Diamond nailed her walk-on scene, and for the rest of the shoot I found myself in full ““Awkward Black Boy” mode. I spent the entire time trying not to stare at the plethora of bosoms that seemed to be everywhere. I almost had a full-on panic attack when Angela opened a dressing room door to reveal a room full of women in various stages of undress.

I almost stumbled over myself when I saw a table full of female patrons watching one of the performers. I heard women went to strip clubs, but seeing it up close was like seeing Bigfoot.

My favorite “Awkward Black Boy” moment came when I had to cross in front of one of the performers. Not knowing the proper strip club etiquette, I threw up one church finger and quickly crossed, hoping not to have a beer bottle tossed at my head.

Even in my younger, cuter days, I did not have the guts to stand in the buff on a stage, so I was intrigued by the performers and their mix of vulnerability and self-confidence.

In between my various production tasks, I caught glimpses of Diamond and could not suppress a big, goofy grin. The shoot was definitely a surreal experience, and although I did not see anyone make it rain, I do believe Diamond inspired my first female exotic dancer crush…smile.