Tuesday, July 13, 010

Bsi 2,027.54 -6.1 -.3%

The View is under fire for a recent segment of the show where Sherri Shepherd and D.L. Hughley alleged that the high rates of HIV in the African-American community can be attributed to "the Down Low" phenomena -- which not only seems wrong, but irresponsible in that it points blame and takes accountability out of the hands of everyone in the community.

Must we point out the whole "DL" irony here?*

BUY

Paris Barclay

The Emmy nominations last week were, no surprise, glaringly whitewashed so it's nice to see the director get a nomination.

SELL

Jesse Jackson

So now we know how the Reverend feels about the whole LeBron thing. Phew. Good thing nothing too important is happening in Oakland or anything.

*I guess we do. We are not insinuating that D.L. Hughley is in the closet. Only that his initials match that of afore mentioned controversial phenomenon.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Bsi 2,028.66 -8.12 -.4%

So Jesse and the other "black leaders" want Obama to engage with them, er... the black community more.  We believe by that taking steps to end our two ours, health care crisis and economic freefall he'd be doing more than enough for the black community.

Rev. Jesse Jackson said that he and other African-American leaders “want to engage more fully with [Obama] because there is a lot of unfinished business.” While Jackson noted that the president has met with members of the Congressional Black Caucus and with some African-American mayors, Jackson said he has yet to sit down with Obama.

So Jesse can shut the fuck up -- thank you very much.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Bsi 1,829.08 +19.42 +1.06%

Analysts are still bullish a week after the nation's historic election.

BUY

Basehead

A smart, innovative and funny forgotten band from the early 1990s that seamlessly blended hip-hop, soul and rock into it's own brand of unmistakable music. 

A black band that actually got college radio air-play -- can you believe it?

SELL

The Huxtable-Obama Cause and Effect Thesis

Just about everyone is trying to take claim for last week's historical achievement in politics.  Including Bill Cosby.

Hey, where Sandra at?

While the show certainly was ground-breaking, the fact that the show was an instant mega-hit throws water on the theory that America is just now ready to accept the idea of professional African-American images.

And while whites have long accepted blacks as entertainers, they're just now accepting them as politicians.

While people may have been watching Cosby, Michael Jackson and Magic Johnson in '84, they sure weren't voting for Jesse.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Bsi 1,294.1 -14.56 -1.11%

The market responds nervously in anticipation of news due Wednesday.

It'll be an upset if Korto pulls Project Runway out.  Good luck, though.

BUY

Three modern classics of "Black" cinema.

Analysts here are confident that had any or all of these films been directed by African-American directors they would have had the potential to usher in a new wave of black filmmakers.

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai

George Washington

Half Nelson

The directors, though, are white, but that shouldn't exclude these works from any conversation on black film as these three pictures feature fearless, atypical roles for African-American actors.*

SELL

The Race Card

Critics have cried foul on Democratic Representative John Lewis for linking recent McCain-Palin strategy to the rhetoric of segregationist George Wallace, going so far as to say that Lewis played "the race card".  Here, though, we see the comment for what it is: a political exaggeration made during an election year.  We also see claims that someone is "playing the race card" for what it is, as well:...

Got a lot of issues with Jesse, but this is just wrong.

...an attempt to undercut the real issues of racial inequality and white privilege.

A race flag, however... we may have something there.

*Yes, we're quite aware that making this statement puts us dangerously close to a "Toni Morrison moment" -- still, we stand by it.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Bsi 1,318.31 -49.51 -3.62

It's getting ugly out there people.

Who looks for a job in the newspaper anymore?

WINNERS

Black American's Collective Comprehension of Satire (BACCS)    5.67 +.65 +11.46%

Backdoor gains after making it onto the losers column on July, 18 brought about by another group's not understanding metaphor, as advocates for the blind protest the new movie "Blindness"... you know, the one based on the Nobel prize winning allegory.

"The National Federation of the Blind condemns and deplores this film, which will do substantial harm to the blind of America and the world. Blind people in this film are portrayed as incompetent, filthy, vicious, and depraved. They are unable to do even the simplest things like dressing, bathing, and finding the bathroom. The truth is that blind people regularly do all of the same things that sighted people do."

Perhaps this is because the characters in the book/movie aren't blind, but are rather, suddenly struck with blindness.  Despite the title, it has nothing to do with THE BLIND.  It's good to know we're not the only people who sometimes don't get it.

Yeah, we talking about you, Jesse!

LOSERS

Black Period Pieces  (BPP) 9.24 -2.56 -21.69

It seems there are three types of black films being made today.  Tyler Perry movies, Gangsta/Hood movies, and feel good period pieces (anything set in the past with overt racism and/or a Motown soundtrack).

Love football.  Love Ernie Davis.  But I would still like to see a movie deal with contemporary issues of race.

I'm sorry, I should have made myself clear.  One that ISN'T god-awful.

The limits on the first two "genres" are clear, but BPP does just as little to tell the story of the 30 million different ways there are to be black in America.  In addition, these movies seem to make racism, institutional or otherwise, seem like a relic of the past.  If the ugly tone the election took this week is any indication, that's anything but the case.

Like I said, it's getting ugly out there.