“Scholar Alan Gribben and NewSouth Books plan to release a version of Huckleberry Finn, in a single volume with The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, that does away with the “n” word”, I read with stupefaction in today’s Washington Post. What the f-word? , I thought. Mark Twain’s chef-d’œuvre is a honest look at, amongst other [...]

Bill Cosby should be a model for anyone who wants to be on TV. Today’s television is inundated with one too many reality stars whose claim to fame is well, only that. Where’s the talent? Where’s the craft?

You know how many Black actors complain there aren’t any good roles for them on television and how they make much less than their White counterparts when they do find roles? Now imagine 1978 and cue-in Gary Coleman. In 1978, NBC premiered “Diff’rent Strokes”, the sitcom that turned Gary Coleman into the loveable Arnold Jackson. [...]

In Montreal, like in many other cities in the world, February is Black History Month. Even though I question its existence, I applaud all the initiatives executed by the dedicated team behind the Montreal edition. It was thus impossible for me to refuse when they asked me to pen an op-ed on Michelle Obama: their [...]

This morning while watching the Today Show, music genius L.A. Reid delivered the wisest words: “Turn down the chatter, turn up the music”. As a student of Michael Jackson – because if you can recite the lyrics to most of his songs, that’s what you are – I choose to remember the Greatness, not the [...]

We are in day 1 of the AO (After Obama) era. Contrary to most of the media coverage President-elect Obama’s victory triggered, this was not a victory just for Blacks. Still, for the Black community, it has set a standard. One that hopefully, will force rappers to clean Hip Hop, deadbeat fathers to contribute to [...]

When she learned of President Musharraf’s resignation, U.S. Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice praised him for his strides and efforts against terrorism. I beg your pardon, Condi? Are you serious? Perhaps Ms. Rice needs to be reminded that President Musharraf took over power in a coup which is the most blatant disregard for Democracy. And [...]

The problem about Jesse isn’t that he suggested that he would cut Senator Obama’s nuts off, as it was a private comment erroneously made public. The problem is that once again, Jesse Jackson has fed his irrelevance. Barack Obama doesn’t talk down to Black people. Instead, just like Bill Cosby before him, he cautions the [...]

July for many means moving into a new apartment. For many others, July means fun in the sun. Add this to your July: Vogue Italia’s homage to Black models. How refreshing to see Black Beauty another month besides February and in another spectrum than Hip Hop videos. Black is Beautiful.

I write this post with angst and sadness and took days before posting it. Forty years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated. Since then, his dream has not been fulfilled and I dare say that the Civil Movement has today very little to boast. Since Dr. King’s death, neither the Movement nor the Black [...]

With yesterday’s speech, Senator Barack Obama re-conquered electors he already had in his pocket: educated Liberals. Despite its eloquence and its truth, the speech certainly failed to convince the average GM worker who is afraid of loosing his job to India. That worker is scared and has been left behind by too many Administrations and [...]

For the past few days, Senator Clinton has been complaining the media has been harsher on her than it has been on Senator Obama. Good. Now she knows how Blacks and other misrepresented minorities in the public eye have been feeling. And for the record, Senator Clinton mocking her opponent’s eloquence and optimistic outlook, besides [...]

Never have the words of Martin Luther King been so primordial. Never have we needed them more as guidance. I really wish both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama would stop using their names and their so-called achievements in the same breath as Dr. King’s. It’s insulting and inaccurate. We all need the guidance and should [...]

I think my reticence’ origin was fear. Fear that outsiders would kill the dream I dared dreaming. From the very beginning, my imaginary vote went to Barack Obama. Over the past months I had doubts and thought Hillary’s speech was at times, more convincing. But I realized that speech was fed by lobbyists and interests [...]

Barbra Streisand is endorsing Hillary and Oprah is getting on the Obama campaign bus.Celebrities have the right to voice their political preferences even if they would be much more helpful fighting concrete social issues such as the pitiful state of education in poorer neighbourhoods but that might not be glamorous enough. Many pundits have condemned [...]

Here’s a wise piece of advice to Michelle Obama: stick to the Law (which you are exceptional at) and leave the sound bites to your husband, Barack. While speaking to a reporter, Michelle Obama blamed the hesitant Black vote for her husband on an inferiority complex Blacks have which leads them to believe others are [...]

When news broke that a tape containing a racist rant by Dog « The Bounty Hunter » Chapman had been leaked to the National Enquirer, a few days ago, all media-hell broke loose. All eyes were turned to Al Sharpton and to A&E, the network which broadcasts the Bounty Hunter’s TV show. As expected, Al [...]

In 1990, nestled in a sheltered private catholic school, I was shaken by Spike Lee. The movie “Do the Right Thing” had just be released, and its soundtrack, led by powerful Public Enemy tracks, exposed me to a world I didn’t really knew existed. Under the tartan uniform and behind the awkward braces, I was [...]

A few readers have asked me where I stood on the Jena 6 incident.I refuse to blog about it as it is a deep sociological issue which I am far from being qualified to correctly analyze although it’s clear to see that it is yet another creepy example of what happens when ignorance rules. The [...]

I love Barack Obama. Way before mainstream media got on the Barack bandwagon; I had been impressed by his frank views, notably in an interview with Tavis Smiley. That was before the famous speech at the Democratic convention in 2004 and before he reached Rock Star status. Besides evident intellectual prowess, Barack Obama has grasp [...]

Call it the post-Imus effect: airwaves policemen are out and want to make-up for lost times. Suddenly, they have realized the pitiful state of language in music and Hip Hop is their enemy number one. For years now, Hip Hop has been downgraded by foul language despite an increase in the genre’s popularity. Some Hip [...]

Don Imus: part radio-personality, part caveman. After spitting out what the New York Times politically correctly calls “racially disparaging comments”, NBC has suspended the stomach-turning host for two weeks. Let’s recall the facts: while commenting on a clip from a college women basketball game, Don Imus referred to the Rutgers athletes as “nappy headed hos”. [...]

While reading my New York Times yesterday, I fell upon an article entitled: “To Close Gaps, Schools Focus on Black Boys” (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/09/nyregion/09school.html) The article spotlighted a mentoring program implemented in a northern Westchester County. The program pairs young Black students to Black teachers for continued guidance, extra help with homework and inspiration. So far, so [...]

The Maury Povich Show is poison. Why is it still on? Why hasn’t Connie Chung filed for divorce yet? The show is one of the most blatant examples of racism on television. For those of you who have been saved and have never seen the show, Maury is a third-rate talk show where most days [...]

Last Friday night, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)www.naacp.org held their annual Image Awards show. The Awards are remitted to stand outs in acting, activism, and music. This year, winners included Prince, Sophie Okonedo & Tracey Ellis Ross. The Best Actor in a Drama series went to Isaiah Washington aka Dr. [...]