THERE GOES THAT CHURCH AGAIN

You know, I am hard on comedians that cross the line. Since the question is always, “Who determines the line and where is it placed for crossing?” is as much a matter of personal opinion as beauty is for a Mother pretending her ugly baby is cute. Now that was supposed to be funny but for those Mothers out there with ugly babies, its personal and I am sorry.


You see, for saying something like that, and “Me” not being a comedian, I’d have to apologize for offending people with slighted feelings. As much as some people would think that was funny (and some of you are still laughing) it isn’t right to place judgment on people. Call it Karma, call it respect, call it the uniqueness and variety that make up Humanity, you often get back whatever energy that you put out in the Universe although I have yet to see many comedians get back in “spades” what they put out there for laughter – unless you are Flava Flav. Again, that was a joke.

So what’s the big deal about what is funny? Some would say to do that you need to have a license to be funny, a track record for knowing when and what to say or "timing", a PhD in the area of the Punch line, a working knowledge in being quick on your feet. Like the thousands of people who audition for American Idol each year, we get to look at them all and shake our heads and say, “Oh no she didn’t just sing that? Why?”

We get hit hard with the “Slippage of the Lippage” (I just made that up so you all better pay me if you try to use is as a new catch phrase like Billery or Bradjolina) and when Non-Comedians try to be funny (i.e. politicians or your drunk Uncle Tommy) the results can be often damaging. We all remember the "Macaca" scandal by ex-Senator George Allen of Virginia and his bid to be “funny”. His attempt cost him his seat in Washington DC and opened the door for a relatively unknown competitor to waltz into a relatively easy win.

Even comedians can “cross the line” of Political Correctness. Cross it so far that even fellow comedians can distance himself or herself in a “HOT OBAMA REV. WRIGHT MINUTE” (again another joke). Last I heard, Michael Richard, the fallen from grace comedian famous for his role as “Cosmo Kramer” on Seinfeld, is now sitting on top of mountains calling on his Higher Power to get his “chi” back because somewhere between being funny and calling a room full of Black folk the “N-word”, he lost his MIND. And let us not forget the “Nappy-Headed Hos" and "Jiggaboo” comments from Don Imus. Although this was washed over the media as the sensation for the moment, the hurt still lingers in the halls of funny enough to see that the numbers of those that aren’t laughing are more than those laughing. In a Blog posting entitled “Punk Ass Damon Wayans”, I talked about how in his bid to be funny on the couch of The View, Damon Wayans evoked the Nappy Headed Hos comment and tried to justify its validity as a piece of Creative Comedy on a Daytime Talk Show created by a Woman, for Women and hosted by Women. With the couch shared by three other Comedians, his ability to escape intact was a miracle at best, BUT what was most important was that in his comments, there was no TRUTH to his justification. His time spent on the couch only came off as a desperate need to make a few dozen people begin a chain of uncomfortable giggles thus giving room and validation for others to follow in concert.

“It has been historically noted that the Fool, the Trickster, the Jester and other similar characters were always walking the line of social and political correctness. Even today we honor the kid that can make us laugh as the Class Clown. And that’s who comedians are, Clowns; people who wear masks to hide the truthfulness of both their humanity and ours. And in our laughter he subconsciously laughs at our strengths and weakness, the beauty and our ugliness. BUT you have to be funny with an underlying message to elevate society because that is ‘ART’.” – The Poet: Shazza Blog (November 23, 2007)

We now go back to the “Whats” of funny/satire vs. offensive/politically incorrect in society. It is safe to say that America, as a culture, allows comedy to dance on the line of acceptability and once you begin peeling back a few layers, deep within the cultures, funny is considered a “Blank Thang” with each ethnic group filling in the “blank”.

The cable channel Comedy Central has an array of ethnically diverse comedians that universally are accepted by everyone. You rarely, if ever, hear people say they do not like a comedian because they are a particular "Race" but more so because they are either Funny or Not. I would almost place bets that Comedy Central is the MOST ETHNICALLY DIVERSE NETWORK CHANNEL in existence for its purpose. You have Black, White, Asian, Latino, Native American, Old, Young, Men, Women, Blind, Handicap, Gay, Lesbian, Straight, Overweight, Overly Thin, The Beautiful, The Visually Challenged, Arab, German, Jew, Muslim, Atheist, The Political, The Anarchist, Red Necks, Rated G to Rated PG R and all making fun of you and all the socio-political groups that exist. Actually it is prerequisite to make fun of yourself before others. It’s in the "Official Rule Book of Comedians"; “Thou Shall Make Fun of No Man or Woman Before Not Making Fun of Thine Self.” So when you have a comedian come on stage ranting about others without first talking about themselves, we get a since of uneasiness and eventually reserve our laughter for someone a little more talented since this BUSTER is a HATER. And even with bad comics, there is always that “Shield of Anonymity” that protects the comedian from being called a Terrorist, Anarchist, Ex-Patriot, Racist, Sexist or any host of Anti-American sentiments.

“You see when you consider yourself an “Artist” you create for yourself a ‘Shield of Anonymity’. You pull this infamous philosophy provided by the Constitution and its FREEDOM OF SPEECH. Sadly to say, the Racist of our nation do it equivalently and or in worst degrees practicing the same rhetoric.” – The Poet: Shazza Blog (November 23, 2007)

So here we are again with Rev. Jeremiah Wright back in the spotlightt although not as front and center as we’d like. This time, the Man with the satire in question is another GUEST speaker of Trinity United Church of Christ, Father Michael Pfleger. Now I will be honest, I don’t know a thing about the man so I can’t promote myself to a place high enough to throw stones BUT I will say this much, from what I know and saw (in the sound bytes flooding the media like a monsoon in the Pacific Ocean) HE IS FUNNY. He’s funny because it’s a BLACK THANG and I wouldn’t expect Non-Black Folks (maybe some Brown Folk) to get it.

“I won't lie, I watched the Father Pfleger and found it funny, almost MAD TV/In Livin' Color funny but I will also be honest and say what Rev. Michael Pfleger preached (is) what and how BLACK FOLK think and talk behind closed doors everyday about this election so for Black people to be up in arms and pointing fingers at the MEDIA, we all need to OWN UP and Keep It Real. The way Black folk talked, voted, turned on Black politicians, Super Delegates, Tavis Smiley, Julian Bond and many others we need to watch out for all those stones we are dropping in the Glass House.” – The Poet: Shazza on Jack and Jill Politics (The Obamas Leave Trinity)

The reality of those not culturally connected to the stage in which Father Michael Pfleger spoke on would easily sit “stone faced” and “pruned” over the comments while Black folk laughed, bounce and cried tears of uncontrolled laughter on par with a SANDMAN SHUFFLE off the stages of the Apollo Theater. Most of America isn’t remotely knowledgeable of the going ons of what takes place within a Black Church and will not get the Theatric component. "Fair or Fierce", Black Churches sway, swoon, dance, cry, become inspired, laugh and yes, have opinions about Politics and Politicians. STRONG opinions. Black Churches can be ruthless in its HONESTY because it is the only place where Truth (regardless of one’s spiritual perspective) can be spoken without condemnation. The Church can allow for personal emotions as well as opinions to wear on one's sleeve for an entire community to share. Or so we (Obama) thought. Knowing all of this, we still have to ask the question, why was Father Pfleger funny?

If all the World’s a stage, then for Black folk that stage represents the Church; which for its people is the center of the Universe. What happens in the World and beyond is explained clearly and colorfully every Sunday on this stage. So why was Father Pfleger funny? Because on the Black Church stage, he had a license to BE funny. It is part of the formula which Black folk have embraced. For Black folk, it is human to laugh just as much as it is to sing and dance and cry and love and the whole range of human experiences held together with prayer. Some may find it difficult and even a bit alien to be part of a church that does not sit quietly and reflect but Black folk are active participants during Sunday services. Outsiders may think that Father Pfleger was pandering to the members of Trinity BUT he actually part of the norm of its expectations. As this Nation changes (really as it begins to open a book and or get over its “fear” of avoiding dialogue with people different from his or herself) you will find that the Black Church is traditionally NOT A QUIET PLACE or a place to wear masks.

I have watched as Jay Leno, David Letterman, The Daily Show, Dennis Miller, The Colbert Show, Jimmy Kimmel and others have begun their shows, dedicated whole monologues to ridicule Politicians more so Bill and Hillary Clinton for more than 20 years. Some have “crossed the line” of good taste and other jokes that are timelessly hilarious. The difference is that as a Religious figure, you are not suppose to be licensed to be funny, at NO ONE TIME EVER. Even if within the comedy, there is truth, it is taboo to place it, state it, do it from the pulpit. Not for the Black Church. Here, you use whatever tools needed to get the message of Truth out. If laughter bring you close to your truth, than so be it, you use it like a tool for building the gateway to the Lord. To ignore a sense of humor is a bold example for ignoring the grand design of human expression because even GOD has a sense of humor.

Am I saying what Father Michael Pfleger said was right? Well being me, and my political and social views on People of Color in America, I plead the FIFTH, but for being funny I would have been in the mix of laughing patrons. NOW if he was in any other church, speaking before a college graduation or at a Political rally my option would change but in the Black Church … I’m not so offended. I actually would like to have had an encore performance though, possibly with John McCain, George Bush, Condoleezza Rice or anyone with embedded rhetoric needing to get “Churched” on Sunday.

STAR JONES AND HER UNUSUAL SUSPECT

Not wishing anyone terrible news or blocking there blessing but I think it is a good thing Star Jones is going through what she is going through, an I like her contrary to what my initial statement sounds like.

I never believed the Fairy Tale romance and wedding Star Jones presented and I believe most of America felt the same way. At its core, that was the “bitter” pill that we all were forced to swallow during the whole ABC/ The View fiasco that resulted in Star Jones’ firing. We lived the drama and people drew lines in the sand over which side you stood. Either you loved the Woman who transformed her life and switched channels from the Big Girls Show to that of the Divalicious. I sided with Star ‘Diva” Jones because I am always a sucker for the underdog, and Star was a “Dog” in the eyes and lips of man people. Especially Black Women.

In my experience, I have noticed that Women are very hard on other Women who do well. Those that can go from pain and misery to health and spiritual enlightenment, often are placed in degrees and categories of acceptance, Women being selective in who they embrace when those that survive that climb into empowerment. Star Jones somehow must have taken the wrong staircase in her climb to the top because she never caught a break since she shed the pounds and decided for Professional and Personal reasons not to endorse publicly the radical methods for loosing weight. As a MAN, I was like, “Good for you Star, you did what you needed to do to get healthy.” To my Sisters, “That Bitch thinks she’s all that since she lost all that weight.”

It is just interesting that Star Jones was liked BEST when she was a Big Girl and the bigger she got, the more she was loved and adored. It was as if Star Jones encompassed the pain, insecurities, depressions and feelings or inadequacies and daily as she appeared on television absorbed those feelings and emotions until she was about to burst. In reality, she was about to BURST. The Woman’s heart was about to give out and in a moment to choose life over death, SHE decided to live. This was not acceptable for the World because Star Jones, as a Woman, and Black Woman, as a Fat Black Woman, as a Self Destructive Fat Black Woman was suppose to die and become the latest casualty for the decadence that is America. In THAT moment Star Jones lived and lived as LARGE as the body she once had and like all stars that go “nova”, she energy touched everyone including those that did not want to be touched. This energy included her “Happiness”.

OK so we know about how Alicia Keys had help HOOK up Star Jones with her soon to be ex-husband, Al Reynolds. We did the whole his Traditional Black Southern and my Southern Traditional family stories, the All-Star engagement proposal, a whole one year marriage counseling, one year of celibacy, the on air wedding dress shopping, The View as the year long Bridal Party, HELL we even grudgingly had to sit through a one-woman American Idol-like Star Jones solo act of her singing a Whitney Houston song. And by that time I too was going through a period of Star Rejection. Then we got in the final closing of the Star Jones Experience with her Wedding of the Century or as the media dubbed it “The Most Outrageous Celebrity Weddings of 2004”. Once this was done we were just like … OK what next? What was next was to figure out, "What Man Would Marry Star Jones?"

So now that we were exhausted about the woman, we now had to look at the MAN but what we found was someone that was NOT QUITE WHAT WE EXPECTED. He was just a regular Jack and Jill expressing, God Fearing (because we know he had to be that type of Christian), Independently wealthy, well educated, Black and masculine. Well, that last point, the “masculine part” was suspect. Much like the Barak Obama and the Reverend Wright controversy, this one issue never quite left the minds of the many “He-and-She-Hates” Star Jones followers BUT, if Star Jones said Al Reynolds was ALL MAN and not Gay than we will accept that for now.

Fast-forward four years later, Star Jones has rebounded time and time again from her The View Issues to her own show on Court-TV and still everything was Roses. One thing about Roses though, they grow, they bloom, they are admired and then they dwindle and die. There wasn’t a moment when we did not hear how WONDERFUL the Reynolds marriage was and how much it is this and how much it was that. For me, that was a RED FLAG. No one needs to reaffirm a good thing when life does that without assistance. Especially when no one asks.

Year 2005 and we are hearing comments from Star Jones’ Spokesperson, "This story is absolutely ridiculous and untrue. Star and Al are very committed to each other and their marriage." This statement was in response to the idea that the marriage was a sham and a means to boost The Views ratings, the rumors of past affairs by Al Reynolds and his visits to Fire Island (for those not in the know, Fire Island is a very popular place for Gay Summer Activities and Events) and pictures floating about the Internet in swimwear which for some, must be an antidote for Homosexual behavior. I mean from the start there has to be something “wrong” with this MAN to like …. HER. The rumors never stopped, if anything they became more insidious from two avenues, tabloid media and the Gay Community. Which as far as I am concerned are pretty much one and the same.

Each year the announcement of the two getting a divorce became an annual event with Star Jones reaffirming that the two are still living in Honeymoon Bliss. One thing I know about Honeymoons, they eventually end and the REAL marriage begins. And just that, people who either LOVE or HATE Star Jones know that what we see in public, ISN’T the real Star and Star never shows you her HAND.

But why do people keep bringing up The Star Jones Marriage? Why not just let up and move on to maybe other People’s Marriages? Is it that people still cannot release from the fact that this once “Ugly Betty” has become a Star or is this more like Marion Jones and her drug scandal (no relation … seriously) where people know something that everyone was else is ignoring and the accused is just not letting go of the Lie. Maybe Star Jones really is a Diva and has pissed off so many people that until she BURST the way people had hoped she would have on The View, she will be doomed to be hassled until then? How about the fact people either did not feel that they got their money’s worth (since Star Jones nor Al Reynolds paid a dime for it) or there was some small writing in the bridal Contract which stated that the PUBLIC owns Her for life? Regardless of the reasons, it’s official, Star Jones is getting a divorce and we are hearing the, “I TOLD YOU SO, HE AIN’T WANT HER BLACK ASS.”

So now what? Star Jones has lost the Weight, she’s lost The View, she’s lost her Talk Show, now she’s lost her Marriage. I am still an underdog supporter, regardless of the reasons, I am behind her 100% because I can relate when it comes to dropping dead weight and moving forward .. especially when you KNOW the person isn’t into you. We have been previed to the "Star Jones Saga" since day one and part of me would like to just shyt it all down and move past it BUT I do like Star Jones and I am looking forward to seeing how SHE bounces back from this one because like many people, This Marriage Seem Suspect from the start and wasn't going to last long anyway.

STAR TODAY GONE TOMORROW

I never understood the desperation by which people aspire to be famous. There was a time where there were shows on PBS and the ABC After School Specials (yeah I know, I'm dating myself with that one) where the overall theme was to, “Be yourself”. Some show themes talked about how loosing your identity can do my damage to you and your family than friends than all the fame in the world. People like Brittney Spears being shipped to the CRAZY HOUSE, ACTIVE THREATS against OJ Simpson, OVERDOSING of Heath Ledger, you ask yourself how much of your soul to you sell for that kinda life?

Well in the business, STARS rise and stars fall. They get up there again but at some point they implode and become nothing more than echoes in the sky.

The STAR JONES SHOW has been cancelled. He’s what they say in Reuters edition Jan. 31, 2008:

"Due to the re-branding and programming refocus of the network, truTV and Star Jones Reynolds have mutually agreed to cease production of 'The Star Jones Show,"' said a memo from Marc Juris, executive vice president and general manager of the channel formerly known as Court TV.

The show, which began in August, showcased Reynolds' work as a TV host and former lawyer. She will remain with the network as a contributor to the channel's trial coverage."

Two things. They are actually re-tooling the image of truTV (and by the way, what F&*%’ing idiot came up with that TAG?) or the STAR JONES SHOW was so bad and a drain on the budget that to just come out and say the FAT LADY (I mean the simmer and more slimmer LADY) just hit her last note and its time to “EXIT, STAGE RIGHT”.

I would bet on the latter. I watched STAR’s show and I honestly gave her my support and prospers. I like a good comeback story, especially how ABC did her. In recent Blogs such as You Should Have Learned Your ABC's, posted on Yahoo360’s Blog site on June 13, 2007, I detailed the cold decisions that Entertainment and Media, specifically ABC, can make at the expense of the bottom line or personal feelings. In light of ABC's diminishing number of Black Actors and non-existing News and National Corespondents, actors like Isaiah Washington (Grey's Anatomy), Star Jones (The View), Taye Diggs (Day Break) and Alfre Woodard (Desperate Housewives) have come and quickly gone on to where most Black actors go until someone at a desk in Hollywood feels the pressure to show some Color in a project. So in my support of the underdog I watched the STAR JONES SHOW and watched and watched and then I started to yawn. That was all SHE WROTE. I started to get the STAR TREATMENT; attitude, Star’isms, personal rants and if I hear one more time about WHAT HER GRANDMA told here or scolded her about I was going to scream. Maybe she should have ignored Grandma more and did what was needed and kept the show a legitimate LEGAL SHOW. The show started to become everything that people turned off to when she was on The View.

When Star dropped knowledge it was for the better. It initially was advertised as a place to get legal information from. It was also suppose to be a show with "a little of this and a little of that." RED FLAG !!! But I still had love for my STAR. I recall an earlier show where she discussed A Patients Bill of Rights, the rights of a patient to keep their medical records secure and private. After that show I began to pull that knowledge into play and got very positive results. There were other shows that talked about money issues, credit protection, false arrests, orders of protection and a personals legal right to act against Credit Card Companies. Shows like "When is it right to sue your family when they steal your identity?" There were a few great legal stories up in her lineup that I made sure I recorded or jotted down the details, but that other SHYT? What was that all about?

OJ Simpson, Brittney Spears, Kidnapped Babies, Wives disappearing (when we all know the HUSBAND DID IT), it was the same TV that many people turn to cable to escape. Star Jones went from Lawyer Girl to Gossip Girl in a matter of three months. The format kept changing, o’ Girl kept trying new things out; there were very few ONE ON ONES. I mean where were the exclusive Celebrity Contract Disputes, the CEO’s caught with their hands in the cookie jars, where were the pieces on WHERE ARE THE GOVERNMENT AND CORPORATE WHISTLE BLOWERS NOW? How about a step-by-step list on what to do when you WIN the lottery? I mean there was so much a person can do and all I got was ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT meets TMZ meets THE COCHRAN GROUP. In essence, there was too much FAT and not enough LEAN.

STAR STAR STAR … you should know about getting rid of the FAT GIRL SNACKS, the Fluff and Sweets, the salt and grease. After a few months the show started to get REAL MESSY especially with the exclusive OJ Simpson coverages. That was the final sign that the show was doomed to fail. It would have been a BOLD STATEMENT to NOT cover that bogus trial. Star Jones told us she would be directly involve in all aspects of the show. Maybe she needed a little HANDS OFF TREATMENT with this one. I don’t want to hate too much cause I like you Star (and based upon the people I talk to – Sistahs included, they ain’t feelin you too much) I want you to bounce … I mean get back in the saddle. Not the one you got at home for your FREAK FELLAH I mean back in front of the camera so we can REALLY SEE the legal mind your have. People need more of that then all the Celebrity CRAP truTV or LawTV or whatever they want to call it now tried to spoon-feed instead of a bogus recipe on how to bring down the HEAVENS and a STAR.