Wednesday, February 6, 2008

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS LELA ROCHON?


Whatever happened the image of strong black women? All during the eighties we had some of the strongest singing sisters since the jazz age come through. Aretha, Chaka, Anita, Gladys, Minnie, Phyllis, (rest their souls). Then there were actresses such as Cecily Tyson, Diana Ross, Lela Rochon, and whoever else came through during those mid to late nineties. Of course, we were all over television during the mid to late nineties, in so many sitcoms you lost count. But where are we now? Why did we all of a sudden disappear from almost every venue, even music?

During the mid nineties Fox and WBFW vied to see who could run the most black shows, and while I don't know who won, I do know that for a time black folks did. At this point I suppose I should make a confession; I don't watch much commercial and I rarely caught the many shows on. I haven't watched much commercial tv in the last almost 28 years or so. Until the 70's it was very rare for blacks to appear as regulars in any major television production. Did you ever notice that if the production is all white there can only be one reoccurring black character? He/she never has a family or love interest, just there for comic relief. I see old Julia has a new love interest and he's black.

Sex in The City. Four incredibly skinny and not attractive white women and the stories of their lives. One day I'm going to write about why race matters, and this is part of it. I have had some really wonderful relationships with white women, very close ones, but not in recent years. Our lives, in too many deep ways, are nothing alike, and while we can get over this during childhood, by the time we're adults our lives have really diverged brought on by life experiences. Besides, whites see our sex lives in such outlandish and caricatured ways we could never have been in City. White people probably think that if a sister kissed on a white man the screen would burn down. Then they'd be ready to burn us all at the stake.

Let's see. UPN used to have some black shows on, but not any more I don't think. Tyler Perry is on tbs or tnt, can't remember which. Bernie Mack finally bit the dust as well he should have. I just don't know what fascinates people about public cursing. Is Dennis Hayesbert still on the Unit? Is the Unit still on?

Right now I'm following Terminator:The Sarah Connor Chronicles. For the first time since I don't know when, I am actually following a t.v. series, and that is a feat for me. I wanted to follow Lost, but couldn't, and Ghost Whisperer, but didn't. I love Terminator 1 and 2, 3 sucks bad, but the the t.v. series? It's the bomb, lol. The thing is tight, just the way it ought to be, and I can't believe they did 3. O.K., in case you're wondering, on a certain level I am an Arnie fan, but just of the Terminator series, 1 and 2 being excellent scifi, which I really love. Otherwise, Arnie needs a face slapping for real, lol. Is Maria frigid? Isn't that what they used to call it? Frigid! Ewww, I shudder at the thought! I don't suppose tho, if girlfriend gave him some 365 she still wouldn't cool that thing down. I'm waiting to see how much the brother's character develops.

Martin Lawrence has a new movie coming out. Sigh. At least it ain't Friday. It looks like it should be funny, I've laughed at some of the ads for it. LL Cool J as a lover. Naw, it don't work! Soup Cooler Lover In Da House, lol. Denzel. I wish he would just make a romantic comedy or two, shoot do some remakes, Bringing Up Baby, Arsenic and Old Lace would be great, just so I could stare at him. Boy, he could hire so many black folks, all the ones they wouldn't hire for feature films back then.

Well, it seems as if they is one place you can find us in abundance now. Commercials. Ever notice how many of us are showing up in those things? I shouldn't complain, at least we can get work somewhere.

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