Victoria Christopher Murray's Blog: Politics, Prose and Pop Culture

In 1993, there were almost 25,000 murders in the United States. In 1994, The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act was signed into law. And though Joe Biden wrote it, Bernie Sanders voted for it, and half the Congressional Black Caucus and black mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers across the country supported it, only Hillary Clinton has ever had to take the fall for it.

No, she didn’t have a vote. But she had a voice. And she spoke out in support of it. Here is exactly what she said.

“But we also have to have an organized effort against gangs. Just as in a previous generation we had an organized effort against the mob. We need to take these people on. They are often connected to big drug cartels. They are not just gangs of kids anymore. They are often the kinds of kids that are called super-predators. No conscience, no empathy. We can talk about why they ended up that way, but first, we have to bring them to heel and the President has asked the FBI to launch a very concerted effort against gangs everywhere.”

Oh…kay. An organized effort against gangs? Yeah, that sounds good. The gangs had turned into different kinds of gangs that weren’t just kids anymore…that sounds about right, too. Ah…but then, we get to the super-predators part of the statement. And that’s where the outrage begins and ends. “She called all African American men super-predators!” Or sometimes folks say, “She called all African American boys super-predators!” And, I’ve even heard, “She called all African Americans super-predators!”

That’s not how I read it probably because not only did I not hear or see African American in her words, but I lived in LA in the 90s and I remember being filled with paralyzing fear every time my husband or daughter or niece left the house. It was a time that was out of control and I was calling for anything, everything. I wanted help!

But no one remembers what it was like during those horrible years. No one remembers the 25,000 murders (compared to only 14,000 in 2014). No one remembers the car jackings and the home invasions and the random shootings and the drugs…the drugs where dealers were turning out everyone from kids to grandmothers. No one remembers.

All that’s remembered is — Hillary Clinton called African American boys/men/people super-predators. And because of that she is unworthy. Unworthy and just about the worst person on earth.

But hold up. Did you know….

In 1972, Hillary (working with Marion Wright Endelman) went undercover to expose racial discrimination (against black students) in schools in Alabama? Hillary and Mrs. Endelman wanted to prove that the Nixon administration was not upholding the legal bans against discrimination in education.

But she called all African American boys super-predators!

While she was First Lady of Arkansas, Hillary brought a program to that state called Home Instruction for Parents for Preschool Youngsters, or HIPPY, which trains parents of at-risk children in early education methods because she believed that if parents were given the support and tools necessary, kids would find themselves with opportunities outside of gangs.

But she called all African American boys super-predators!

She founded Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families which among other things fought to improve the juvenile justice system. With Hillary’s efforts, along with others, the Arkansas Supreme Court declared the juvenile court system unconstitutional. This created the impetus for a separate juvenile court system to deal with delinquency in Arkansas which had a disproportionate amount of minority boys and girls in the system.

But she called all African American boys super-predators!

Talk about Black Lives Matter: While the Clinton Foundation works all across the world, Bill and Hillary have made a major impact in Africa. In 2002 before the Clinton Foundation began, only 200,000 people were receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS in low and middle income countries. Now, more than eight million people are receiving treatment. And that’s just one of the Clinton Foundation programs. They are working with farmers, helping them to build a livelihood and even providing jobs for others. There are so many other ways that they’re trying to make a difference on that continent.

But she called all African American boys super-predators!

She served President Obama admirably, playing a major role in capturing Osama Bin Laden, traveling more miles than any Secretary of State, and restoring America’s reputation under President Obama that had been destroyed under President Bush. She believes in President Obama and his legacy. She will preserve what President Obama has built in his eight years in office.

But she called all African American boys super-predators!

And while she has several programs that would benefit African Americans in her platform for president, there is one that is the dearest to my heart: Hillary Clinton has rolled out a plan to make college more accessible and affordable to black parents and children attending historically black colleges that is part of a $25 billion fund. HBCUs will not be left out of any program that makes college more affordable to all Americans.

But she called all African American boys super-predators!

Sigh…..Should Hillary have used that term? I don’t know. But Hillary believed that she shouldn’t have and she’s apologized several times. I just can’t figure out why this is an issue. She spoke those words one time and others have said much worse (and have done worse things) about African Americans continuously. But back to Hillary — even if you think her words were the worst words ever spoken, no one is as bad as the worst thing they’ve ever done. Think about your own life. Have you ever made a mistake? Have you ever said something that you wished you could take back? Have you ever had better hindsight than foresight?

If you have, I just pray that forgiveness was afforded you. The same forgiveness that so many believe that Hillary Rodham Clinton is not worthy to receive.

VCM

Empire strikes back!!! And I’m back with your recap with this edge-of-your-seat episode. So we opened with Grandma Kizzy watching her roots rewrite her life story. Lucious, who had told everyone his mother was dead, wasn’t trying to have his mother’s reappearance blow up his sob story about a mentally ill mother killing herself. So while Grandma convinced Andre to take her to the ASA Awards, as usual, Lucious was one step ahead and had his trusted lawyer/henchman, Thirsty, lock the two of them in the panic room.

Hip Hop Producer D. Major was feeling Jamal….but only in private since no one could know he was on the d-l. But of course, Lucious knew…telling his son “A real dog can always tell a fake b*tch.” Well, alrighty then. But that conversation didn’t just go south, it plunged past the border in an emotional and raw scene that had Lucious tell his son, “The day you die from AIDS, I’m gonna celebrate.” Just when I think Lucious can’t get anymore lowdown….he proves me wrong(On a side note, I sure hope this is all from Lee Daniels warped mind and someone in his life didn’t really tell him that).

Cookie’s sister, Carol, was all too happy to hook up with their ol’ friend from Philly….but he was really with the FBI and Cookie wasn’t fooled. She knew he was just playing Carol, trying to dig up dirt on the Lyons. After a big blow-up, Cookie sent Carol packing. But when have crackheads ever followed the rules? Carol fell off the wagon and showed up to the ASA Awards, drunk, high or both. Either way, she acted a plum fool and Cookie smooth jacked her up by her weave and had her removed. On the way out, Carol did what crackheads do…spilled all the tea. She wanted ThugTasia, I mean, Freda Gatz to get her inside the awards. When Freda said no, Carol all but told her that Lucious was behind her father, Frank Gatz’s death. That sent Freda down memory lane and the realization set in that Lucious killed her daddy. Freda Gatz did what thugs do….and went straight for the Gat of the unsuspecting security guard. She opened fire right there at the ASA Awards….but Jamal jumped in front of Lucious and took the bullet for the dad that had just disowned him.

As the family rushed to the hospital, a hysterical Cookie went off on Lucious…who was devastated because of the hateful things he’d just told Jamal. While Jamal fought for his life…and the family waited…Grandma Kizzy decided it was time to make her presence known. She wandered outside, right into the lights and cameras of the waiting paparazzi. Of course, everyone wanted to know who she was. Will she tell them? Guess we have to wait til next week and see.

Next week is the season finale and it’s going to be a wedding…or a funeral….as Rhonda discovers Boo Boo Kitty may have been the one who pushed her and caused her miscarriage…and Boo Boo Kitty comes thisclose to jumping off a ledge. Literally.

Yep, can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.

Empire….my, how I’ve missed thee…

PS-Lee, just checking if you have the right phone number because I still haven’t gotten my call to come play TeaCake, Cookie’s gangsta cousin.

It seems Empire is no longer Must See TV for some of you….but never fret, your girl has got you covered with the Empire recap!

This episode opened with Baby Hakeem having a stripper party followed by a pity party because BooBoo Kitty broke the news that “You ARE the father.” Hakeem’s fiancé, Baby J. Lo, was not happy about that news and broke things off, giving Hakeem back the blood diamond. (Girl, don’t you know you don’t give back a ring of that magnitude??) Her girls must’ve been in her ear, though, because she quickly forgave Hakeem and bought a tshirt that said, “I’m the stepmom.”

Anika later had a pregnancy scare, but Cookie was there to comfort her. Hakeem stood up to his family and told them to lay off Anika and his unborn child. The Lyons had a rare family bonding moment. But then it was back to business as usual as Jamal and Lucious were up for the same American Sound Award and Lucious kept throwing major shade at his son, which was severely pissing Jamal off. Jamal bumped into his ex, Dora (Cookie branded him because I don’t even remember his name), who took him to a hole in the wall blues club, where Jamal performed and felt right in his element.

Lucious hooked up with blog reporter, Harper, and Cookie had a hard time hiding her jealousy. Lucious and the “Mop head Scallop” who Cookie suggested make an appointment with Summer’s Eve, got into some dominatrix, rough foreplay. (Sidenote: I guess I’ve been married too long, because if you slap me, it’s gonna be on….ain’t nothing sexy about that. But maybe it’s just me….) Anyway, they were all into it, bout to break some chandeliers and Femurs, when Harper made the mistake of talking about Cookie. Lucious can take a lot of things, but as he informed Harper, when you say Cookie’s name, put some respeck on it!

The board decided Cookie and Lucious would be Co-CEO’s. Lucious thought it was a good idea but Cookie should know if you get in bed with a snake, you’re gonna get bitten.

Of course, Harper wasn’t going away that easy. She gave Andre, who was preparing to make a speech on mental illness, pictures of his Grandma Kizzy, who everyone thinks is dead, but who Lucious had locked up in a facility. Next week, Grandma comes home and it doesn’t look like it’s going to be pretty! Stay tuned…

PS-So Lee just not gon’ get Becky with the Blonde hair a stylist, huh?

PPS-Have you noticed that we went from 328 celebrity cameos last season to none…

I’ve always had an inkling, just a tiny feeling that (some) white men in America rue the day when women and minorities were given the right to vote. And here’s what may shock you — I don’t think it’s because of any huge plot to keep the black man down or to keep women in the kitchen. I think it’s a belief some white men have that they, and they alone, know what’s best. And if they could just get the rest of us out of their way, they could make decisions that would benefit all of us.

And you know what? I would never agree, but I have to (hate to) admit that I understand.

The right to vote is a powerful thing. Although, I know that there are many who believe that a vote doesn’t matter, that the system is rigged anyway, that the president is just a figure head for the “real” government that is run in a room below the White House and Dick Cheney has been the real president for the last 109 years….

I know all the conspiracy theories and I could make up a few others on my own. But those theories are just that — conjectures that aren’t true. Our government is pretty much what you see – it is what it is. Yes, of course, there are things that have been done to rig the system, but so much of that rigging has been out in the open — gerrymandering, reducing the number of polls, eliminating voters’ names from rosters, all of that kind of stuff that can be traced back to us, the voters, not paying attention and not caring until it’s way past too late.

But getting back to the point — even with some of the back room deals, even with Citizen’s United (which must be overturned, but that’s a different blog) our votes are real, and our votes are powerful. Our votes determine more than who ends up in office, our votes determine policy — educational (school vouchers or not) fiscal (increased taxes or not), social (the right to choose or the right to life). Of course, those so few examples. Our votes count for so much because who you put in office will determine everything from changing a street name in your city to school curriculums, and especially, the city and state services that you receive. Your vote truly helps to set the course of your district, your city, your state, your nation.

That’s why I understand those white men.

Because why would you give all of that power to people who are uninformed? Why would you give that power to people who don’t watch the debates because they’re boring (and Love & Hip Hop is on)? Why would you give that power to people who have no idea of the issues and how the issues will affect their lives? Why would you give that power to people who don’t know their Congressperson nor their Senator…or worse, people who don’t know the difference?

I’ve never had a white man say the above to me; like I said, it’s an inkling. And also like I said, I don’t agree with them. We live in a free country so everyone has the right to be as uneducated and as uninformed as they want.

But just like we shouldn’t put the power of a gun in the hands of people who aren’t prepared to use it correctly, our power to vote should come with some responsibility, too. And that responsibility is to vote, vote often, vote wisely and do the work so that your vote does count.

vcm

Pardon me while I sprinkle my fairy dust over y’all while I mumble….”Come baaccckkkk to Scandal…..” Cuz, Shonda is back and she ain’t playing games! All right….let me get my recap rolling…

This episode opened with the former Vice President, Andrew Nichols in a rehab facility from a stroke he had last season after that ludicrous kidnapping storyline….Andrew, who was behind Liv’s kidnapping in a whole take-over-the-world attack, was hellbent on revenge and was about to spill all the tea to a newspaper reporter. Of course, Liv gathered together the Get Fresh crew and they tried to figure out how to deal with Andrew. “Off him,” said Elizabeth, which they all quickly shot down. Ultimately, they decided to let Mellie go try and get Andrew to stop his quest for revenge. She gave him a spiel about missing his watermelon seeds. He tried to get freaky with her, and she recoiled in disgust, then bolted.

Liv went to Poppa Pope to ask for his help in killing the news story by tapping the reporters’ phone….as he and Jake munched on dinner (why is Jake eating in every episode now?), he told Liv that he’d play her little spy game, but when she was ready to REALLY handle Andrew, come holla at him. To which Liv replied, “I’m not like you.”

Andrew said he’d drop the story for $10 million dollars and a book deal (everybody wants a book deal…but I digress)….The crew debated how to come up with the money. Cy offered a dollar (He’d negotiated immunity from getting into any kind of trouble so he found the whole thing humorous). Abby and Liv said they didn’t have that kind of money (Cy said it was because they were Democrats). Liz offered up five million (she has money because she’s been a Republican all her life)….then after a War of the Roses spat with Mellie, Fitz agreed to put up the other five million.

Liv took the money to Andrew, he laughed and told her he didn’t want the money. He wanted revenge. After Fitz agreed to take the fall for everything, Abby ran to Liv to get her to help change Fitz’s mind. But somewhere in that conversation, Abby started smelling herself. She reminded herself that she was the head bish in charge, so she was going to handle it.

Abby cut a deal with Andrew and threw Mellie under the bus, the train, and the horse drawn carriage. The news story would now be about Mellie’s adulterous affairs.

Not to be outdone, Liv returned to talk to Andrew to see what it was he was really after. Andrew turned into Donald Trump on steroids, disrespecting Liv and calling her all kinds of degrading names. While he berated Liv, she started having flashes back to her kidnapping….then when Andrew called her an aging porn star and a cheap whore, Liv decided to star in her own version of Snapped and give Andrew a seat – literally. Liv channeled her inner Pope and went full metal jacket, beating Andrew to death right there in the White House basement.

Of course, the president came to her rescue. Liv snapped out of her daze, gave Abby a ‘who gon check me, boo,’ speech, then sashayed out the White House as if she wasn’t covered in blood. The gladiators showed up, gave Liv a change of clothes, then took her home where Poppa Pope opened the door with a “Welcome home, Apple,” look on his face.

Whew….yeah, that was a lot…and the kind of stuff that put Scandal on the map. So glad it’s back….now can’t wait til next week when PTSD seems to be kicking Liv’s butt. Can you say “whosoever thinks this couple should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

PS – Now, you know I couldn’t forget about sly Cy….laying up eating brownies in a hotel with Tom…yes, Tom the Secret Service agent Tom. Cy’s compeition, Rico Suave, on the new presidential campaign just so happened to snap some pics of the happy couple….and took the pics to share with Cy’s gigalo-turned-househusband….Can’t wait for that bomb to explode…

PPS – So glad they gave Liv some color this season….now if they can just give her her own man…

Raise your hand if you forgot the season premiere of Empire came on tonight. Raise both hands if you knew, but didn’t really care…Well, you know I have you covered with your Empire recap.

This episode opened up with a Christian Loubiton-wearing mystery figure stepping over Rhonda….after pushing her down the stairs and making her lose the Empire heir to the throne. She was rushed to the hospital where the family gathered in an emotional moment of togetherness.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…the “half-lesbian” (according to Cookie) Camilla was relishing her new position as the head of Empire after a takeover that gave Lucious a breakdown. In fact, he was so mad, he locked himself in his office and told police they’d “have to drag him out.” (Why do I love Thirsty, the gangsta attorney, who was packing two pistols ready to back Lucious up?) Lucious ended up rounding up some thugs to torture the candidates who had placed their name in the hat to take over Lucious’s job. After said thugs blew up a car, killed a lady’s cat, and beat up one of the candidates, all of them withdrew their names from consideration.

Cookie was waiting with her infamous broom for Hakeem, so she could give him some of that Black Mama medicine about voting his father out. When the broom broke, she went for the purse (page 321 of the Black Mama code book).

Jamal, Jamal, Jamal….I sho’ do like you, but what the heck is sexual fluidity???? Jamal was talking about how its cool that he likes men one day and women the next….I’m glad Cookie called him out and said “Boy that sound like you just wanna get freaky deaky.” Jamal felt so strongly about that sexual fluidity, he wrote a song about loving who he wanted..men or women….Hmmm, that’s one Empire song I won’t be singing along to (that and Drip, Drop….)

Cookie tried to come up with a plan to get back into Empire. Much to “Yo-ho’s” (i.e. Camilla) dismay, Cookie managed to convince Hakeem (who Camilla made the new CEO) to bring her company on board. Hakeem agreed. He probably was in a happy mood because he had just got through reading the cartoons on his suit.

Hakeem also created an argument with his Latina love, broke up with her, then went to the hood and took her virginity beneath the cross (side-eye on that symbolism)…..Lucious later lured Hakeem to the spot he offed Bunky, confessed to the killing, then gave Hakeem the gun to shoot him. Of course, Hakeem didn’t, and Lucious told him to “watch his back” as he walked away.

BooBoo Kitty lurked in the background this episode, bringing flowers to Rhonda after her miscarriage, then waiting for the right moment to tell the Lyon’s clan that she’s carrying Hakeem’s child. That didn’t happen this episode, but it’ll be good when it does!

This episode was definitely a better start than last season. But alas, it’s not rush-home-to-see TV. Maybe that’s because Hollywood thinks you should be reading anyway:-)….#AuthorPromo

I’ll keep tuning in for those of you that can’t….or don’t….at least for now. If you saw it, what was your take?

(3-17-16)

I’ve been MIA for the past two episodes of Scandal…unfortunately, it dropped off as Must-See TV for me….but I tuned in tonight and was pleasantly pleased…So here’s your recap since judging from my timeline, only me and about six of y’all were watching…

This episode opened up with Dinner at Poppa Popes….Liv, Jake, and his new fiancée, hemming it up like they were the ‘Leave it to Beaver’ family. While Jake described Liv as the sister he never had….(if you screwed your sister), she grinned and seethed inside. She wasn’t feeling his new boo, so she set up a video feed to spy on them…and I would write more, but I really don’t care….I just wish I could fast forward through all the Jake and Liv scenes….Yawn.

My favorite Texan reappeared. That walking cliché known as Hollis Doyle. He met with Susan trying to bribe her in her presidential run and after Fitz was “San Antonio rude” Hollis went back to Mellie, who had met with him earlier trying to get money. Mellie worked her magic on that Redneck and got him to see the error of his racist ways. (Hey, Mellie…you think you can arrange a dinner with Donald Trump?) But alas, in true Trump fashion, Hollis took all of Mellie’s ‘We are the World’ ideas, stabbed her in the back and announced he was running for president in order to Make America Great Again….

Huck was spying on his son and saw his ex’s new man, Sean….he immediately thought it was Six-Toes, this guy Huck once tried to kill. Huck donned his Harold the serial killer persona and picked Sean up after he had “car trouble”. Meanwhile, the Gladiators went in search of Huck….as Marcus had a ‘what the heck did I get into’ moment once he found out “Huck ate people for a living.” As Quinn and Liv argued like two roommates fighting over who drank the last of the orange juice, Huck walked up with a body…. talking about ‘oops’…Sean wasn’t Six-Toes. Luckily, Huck only maimed Sean, then flashed him with the Men in Black wand so he wouldn’t remember anything when he came to.

Abby tried to channel her inner Olivia, then sipped some Powerade and got to feeling like she needed to be the President’s right hand….so when she found out Cyrus was working for the Democratic nominee….she sold out Cy, and Fitz gave her his job…first order of business, fire Cy. Again. Be careful Abby…in Cy’s world #SnitchesGetStitches.

This episode was definitely better than the last one I saw but I need to get #OliviaNeedsANewBoo trending….because I’m so ready to get off the Jake-Liv merry-go-round. Please, Olivia, for the love of all things scandalous, FIND SOMETHING TO FIX!!!

PS-Hollis is the king of one liners….did he really tell Mellie, “Are we gonna rub jeans or just lay here frustrated?”

PPS – Hey Shonda, if you need a boothang for Marcus, I’m available….since I had six lines in my movie, I’m a member of SAG (full disclosure…four of the lines got cut….) I tried to get you to make me Harrison’s love interest….maybe if you had, he’d still be around….

PPPS – Liv was watching Jake like he was the latest flick on Netflix (speaking of Netflix, did y’all know Let the Church Say Amen was on Netflix? Hey, if Zyrtec can have commercials in the show, I can have them in the recap). #WatchItThisWeekend

#UntilTheNextEpisode

rtb

“If a person wants to be the nominee of the Republican Party, there can be no evasion and no games. They must reject any group or cause that is built on bigotry. This party does not prey on people’s prejudices.” ~ House Speaker Paul Ryan.

When I heard Paul Ryan utter these words on Super Tuesday, I paused my television, rewound my DVR, and played it again…and then again…and then again!

If I were a cursing woman, I’d say something like, “Get the — you know what — out of here.” But since I don’t curse, I’ll just utter the infamous words of that notorious Republican, Joe Wilson, “You, lie!”

Someone needs to knock on Speaker Ryan’s door and tell him this truth — the Republican Party is all about preying on people’s prejudices!

I used to suspect that was one of the tenets of the Republican Party, especially through the coded language of “states rights,” and “welfare queens,” and that despicable Willie Horton ad that Papa Bush ran during his bid for the White House, playing on white people’s fears and beliefs that all black men commit crimes.

However, in the last seven years, I suspect this no more. I know it now to be a fact — the Republican Party thrives on fear and prejudices. Don’t believe me? Look at the people who call themselves Republicans. There is a reason why the majority of these voters:

. Think that President Obama was not born in this country.

. Think that President Obama is a Muslim.

. Want Muslims banned from entering the United States.

. Want Muslims tracked in this country.

. Want mosques closed.

There are many more issues, but it all shows the same thing — that a good majority of the Americans who call themselves Republicans have little respect or concern for people who do not look like them. And the Republicans politicians have kindled that, ignited that, and fueled that.

So please somebody…tell Speaker Ryan to go take several seats. No one is buying his self-righteous we are the party of Lincoln jargon. (Though that has never impressed me because Lincoln would have never ‘freed the slaves’ if he didn’t have to in order to keep the Union together, but that’s a different blog!)

All of those Republicans who are shocked and horrified now at Trump’s words — all Donald Trump is doing is saying out loud what every other Republican has been saying behind closed doors for a long, long time.

VCM

Dear White People:

I love you, I really do. Some of my best friends are white. (Please don’t be offended by that — we’ve had to put on a happy face every time we’ve heard the reverse. So you can do that, too.) But back to the subject: Please, please, please stop trying to push Bernie Sanders down my throat.

OMGospel, I’m telling you, I have received at least two dozen emails from white people — friends I love, friends I grew up with, friends I’ve worked with over the years…all with one subject line — Why African Americans should vote for Bernie Sanders.

My eyes were just as wide with the twentieth email I received as the first one. All I could think was, ‘Really? You’re telling me why I should vote for Bernie?’ I don’t get it. I mean, I get why you like Bernie and I get why so many African Americans support him, too. But here’s the thing — I would never send you an email with the subject line — Why White people should vote for Hillary. Actually, I wouldn’t send you an email about why White people should do anything. (Though if I did, I would begin with why White people should read my latest novel…but, I digress.)

The thing is, it would be presumptuous of me to think that I know you and your issues and your concerns so well that I can tell you the best way to address the matters of your heart and your head and your pocketbook. Sure, it’s fine to share ideas and have discussions over this political season — no one loves a debate about politics more than me. But when it comes to what I should do as a Black woman? White people, please stay out of that! When we talk, let’s just keep the discussion about the candidates, about the differences between the left and the right, about the crazies and the not-so-crazies. There is so much to talk about; we don’t have to discuss what you think is best for me.

This is just my little piece of advice because I’m sure I’m not the only African American receiving your emails and others may not be as nice. Someone may receive one of your emails and tell you how your messages really makes us feel — like a white man saying to a black man, “Put your feet in these shackles and your hands in these chains…we’re just gonna take a little trip…..”

VCM

Host Chris Rock speaks at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

So….I know a lot of folks boycotted the Oscars…..but I tuned in to catch Chris Rock’s monologue…(and truthfully, fast-forwarded thru everything else until he came up again). I wanted to see how the comedian handled the controversy of #OscarsSoWhite.

Chris has come a long way from the white-lipped junkie asking how many ribs he could get for a dollar. He’s a bonafide comedian that draws a line in the sand and isn’t afraid to cross it. So I expected him to make some folks uncomfortable. I just didn’t expect those folks to include me.

Yeah, I ‘oooohed’ when he blasted Jada Pinkett Smith, saying she wasn’t invited to the awards show anyway. And I laughed when he made reference to Will getting 20 mil for Wild, Wild West.

But then, the cringe-worthy moments began. The ‘our people weren’t worrying about boycotting years ago because they had bigger things to worry about’ was akin to all of the folks who were in an uproar because some folks had an opinion on whether “Sorority Sisters” shouldn’t have been cancelled. We are capable of caring about more than one issue. Okay, I still gave him a pass on that because, hey, that’s what comedians do. But when he made lynching into a joke, I stopped laughing. If I was uncomfortable, I can only imagine how some of the white people in the room felt. But I think I was more than uncomfortable. I was like, “Really, so we making jokes about lynching now.” I love to laugh as much as the next person…but for me, that just went too far.

Chris did call to light the ridiculousness of some of Hollywood’s exclusion, but missed the mark in so many other places, regulating valid concerns of many who have seen entertainment as an avenue to make a difference, as a platform to push social issues…to a “we so petty” moment.

Don’t get me wrong, there were still some funny moments….Loved the bit where the Black folks appeared in the best pictures (Whoopi was dead on when she said they’d make a major movie about a white woman inventing a mop…but we gotta find a cure for Cancer and we MIGHT get a movie on Lifetime. In February.) And the interviewing of the movie-goers, while also cringeworthy when they rolled out some of the most ghetto-fabulous folks they could find, still had some laugh-out-loud moments.

So while Chris had some hits and misses….I can tell you that Stacy Dash bit was an Epic Fail. I wonder does she even realize folks were making fun of her. But then, again, she probably doesn’t even care….

And yeah, I know, Chris did what he does….and got paid nicely for it….while I’m sitting here recapping for free:-)….I can’t imagine that his was an easy task. But for me, I’m glad the American Black Film Festival was airing a Celebration of Hollywood up against the Oscars….I’d much rather be at a party where they want me in attendance…

RTB