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It seems we have now begun the part of the year where we watch the parade of the protected class history months. This month? Women's History Month. In light of this fact, "MSN Encarta" has put together their list of "10 Most Powerful American Women":

1. Condoleezza Rice, United States secretary of state.
   
2. Karen Hughes, political adviser. A key aide to George W. Bush.
   
3. Nancy Pelosi, minority leader, U.S. House of Representatives.
   
4. Sandra Day O'Connor, U.S. Supreme Court justice.
   
5. Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.S. senator.
   
6. Margaret "Meg" Whitman, president and chief executive, eBay.
   
7. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, U.S. Supreme Court justice.
   
8. Anne Sweeney, cochair of media networks, the Walt Disney Company; president, Disney-ABC Television Group.
   
9. Oprah Winfrey, media executive and personality.
   
10. Martha Stewart, media executive and personality.

This list has holes to say the very least. Number 5? I'm not impressed. Maybe I'm missing something, but is Hillary Clinton really all that powerful? Or is it the perception of power? Kind of like a Chihuahua behind a smokescreen.

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See if you can wrap your mind around this one:

This is just one of the many sane things recently uttered by Jada Pinkett-Smith, actress and wife of Will Smith when she was honored as "Artist of the Year" by Harvard University's "Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations." I've always appreciated the fact that Jada Pinkett-Smith, although hyphenated, has taken on her husband's name. In Hollywood this is rare. Unfortunately, her sane commentary on family and marriage got her in trouble with the rainbow brigade on Harvard's campus. Her crime? Speaking on the roles of men and women in relationships. The nerve I tell you. The Harvard Crimson reports:Let's keep in mind that any attempt to define roles of men and women in relationships will be perceived as narrow because we live in an "anything goes" culture that resists order. And yet we have the audacity to wonder why women are running around acting like dudes, and men are gallivanting around the city carrying Louis Vuitton purses. I don't care what "Bravo!" says; there is nothing normal about a man wearing capri pants.

Continue reading "Heteronorming : a load of crap">>>

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This story and Washington Post photo-op (reg. req) are old news, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to point out how Condoleezza Rice is upping the stakes fashion-wise. When was the last time you saw the Secretary of State wearing hooker fashionable boots? It's like "Salvation Army" meets "Project Runway." Okay, make that two reality shows that I've watched. Sue me.

Robin Givhan's Washington Post article makes a shallow attempt at dissecting Rice's fashion by talking "sexuality":

Please.

The only thing "sexual" about Rice's clothing is that she actually looks like a woman instead of a middle-line-backer.

Ms. Rice's first wise move of last year was getting a new hairstyle. The whip she had going on just wasn't working for her. As aninterjection, I am miffed by a frequent occurrence that plagues the population of privileged and wealthy Americans: the curse of the bad hair. I pose a simple question, "how is it that you make six figures to millions of dollars a year, and you cannot hire a good stylist?"

The last year has seen some good transformations. See Ms. Rice, and "Carolyn Kepcher" from "The Apprentice":

Long live fashion!

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The first time I saw the commercial for the new "7up Plus," I cracked up. I thought, surely these monkeys are not trying to pass off chemically manufactured soda (or pop) as though it were healthy. Indeed they are. The Atlanta-Constitution-Journal reports:

Although I have an affinity for fried, um, everything, even I am smart enough to know that there comes a point of absurdity. What's always struck me as particularly evil is the fact that instead of introducing new products that really are healthy to support a changing market, companies just try to convince the masses that the old stuff really is good for them.

Couple this with the fact that (pop) soda machines are strategically placed in inner city schools and we might have the makings of a conspiracy theory.

As long as they don't take away my fried catfish, I'm good.

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Following last year's halftime show charade, I figured Fox would play it safe this year. And safe they were; can't get much safer than Paul McCartney. Plus, if McCartney were to expose his nipple, chances are people would probably look away. For the record, although warranted, I think the FCC's crackdown was fairly hypocritical considering every other questionable aspect of the Superbowl and oh gee, half of the programming on television. Every year, the coveted Superbowl time slot offers commercials that dig deeper into the pit of eternal raunch.

This year's most highly publicized Superbowl commercial was for GoDaddy.com, a web domain registrar--in fact, the domain registrar for nykola.com and every other domain I own.

The alternate version of GoDaddy's commercial wasn't allowed on the air. After seeing the version that did go on the air (a Janet Jackson spoof not void of a buxom brunette with an apparent wardrobe malfunction) next to full on exposure, I can't imagine how much worse it could get. Not everyone was pleased.

Are Americans--men in particular--so completely overtaken by that thing between their legs that sex is the only to which companies need to appeal? Although that's what many would have us to believe, I think humanity is capable of better.

Surprisingly, New York Daily news called GoDaddy's ad one of the worst. Unfortunately, taste doesn't count in these matters. Not only did GoDaddy's banned version get publicized in the media, the whole Janet Jackson spoof has put their company name in the spotlight. The irony here is that I'm giving them publicity too. Up until now, I liked them as a company. Safe to say, they won't be getting my business anymore.

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Along with others, I too was saddened to hear of legend Ozzie Davis's passing last week. Every time one of our "greats" dies, I am always reminded of how quickly time flies. Only recently, Shirley Chisholm passed; then Johnny Carson died and we can be certain that 2005 will see more deaths. C'est la vie. What is difficult is not esteeming people so highly that they become "invincible." Nevertheless, we should take these things as major indicators of time. What saddens me the most is when it doesn't seem like there are many successors to the thrones. If we're not careful, my generation is bound to crap away the legacies.

We still have time.

What struck particularly struck me about Ozzie Davis is that he was married to his wife Ruby Dee for 56 years. Count'em five and six. That's something deserving of praise considering that I just heard some entertainment anchor comment that in Hollywood, "Marriage is the new dating." Let the Davis' be an example.

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When the UPN sitcom "Homeboys in Outerspace" actually lasted an entire season on the air, I had heavy suspicions that Americans had severe psychological issues. Still, I dismissed it because after all, who could resist a homeboy in outerspace? Then there were all those times when we actually allowed Bob Saget to continue hosting "America's Funniest Videos" when we knew good and well that he was indeed, not funny. That too I forgave. I have now come to the conclusion that I am too forgiving, and so is the rest of America.

For the love of the Lord crying out in the night...CONVICT Michael Jackson! Does God need to come down from the heavenlies in a burning bush and write it in neon letters for us all?

They found child erotica? CHILD EROTICA?! It still amazes me that despite mounting evidence to the contrary, researchers in this country refuse to draw any type of correlation between pornography and child molestation.

Yes; I realize Mr. Jackson is a pop icon and famous, rich, exempt and all those other excuses. But really people, have we learned nothing from R. Kelly? Michael is not a "well" individual. He needs to be held accountable to the law like anyone else, and ultimately, he needs to be in a place where God can work on him. It is abundantly clear that Neverland Ranch is not that place.

My compassion is running low because I think people need to bury the "benefit of the doubt". It was killed when LaToya started talking to the press. The "benefit of the doubt" isn't doing Michael any good. We need to come to grips people. He has fallen and he can't get up.

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Tuesday morning, the much anticipated Oscar nominations were announced, and as was expected, Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ", the 8th highest grossing film of all time, was overlooked in all the categories that count.

Thankfully for us all, the accolades of mere men don't count for much in this life. Still, there is a manifestation of certain attitudes towards the cause of Christ that are made more explicit by many of the decisions made in Hollywood.

Granted, Gibson had quite a feat before him with absolutely no commercial support, tons of controversy, and film with subtitles in an ancient language hardly anyone uses anymore. Needless to say, if we're talking depth and quality, "The Passion" is certainly more deserving than the 1999 "Best Picture" winner, "American Beauty".

Sadly, this whole charade certainly isn't about who is more deserving. If so, then Halle Berry wouldn't have won an Oscar for her role as Leticia Musgrove in "Monster's Ball". Instead, this is about the politics of the film industry and the statements executives quietly send about who does and doesn't gain their approval.

Admitting defeat, several activist types lobbied throughout the year for at least a "Best Picture" nomination for the Gibson's vivid depiction of the last hours of Jesus's life. In a striking juxtaposition, "The Passion" and Michael Moore's most recent manipulative effort, "Fahrenheit 9/11" have ended up in the same sentence. Moore's flick (and it truly is a flick) was also snubbed by the "Academy". Unfortunately, one thing many have failed to realize is that unlike "Fahrenheit 9/11", "The Passion" was actually a good film.

Continue reading "Hollywood's True Colors">>>

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• Lauryn Hill is Back: Word is out that Lauryn Hill (winner of the 2000-2004 award for most wasted talent of the 21st century) is in the studios again working on another album. I hope she's working on getting outta that whack pseudo-spiritual cult life too.

• Too Much God: Peggy Noonan says there was too much "God" in the President's inaugural address. You know that annoying God guy. If only he would just leave us alone and let us run our own nation already.

• Katie Couric Talks Teen Sex: This Thursday, Katie Couric will host a special, "411: Teens and Sex" wherein the "truth" shall be revealed to us all. I'm certain I will have more to say about this later.

• Rolling Stone Accepts Bible Ad: Leading Bible publisher, Zondervan, approached the magazine about placing an ad for (TNIV) a new "hip" translation of the Bible (Today's New International Version). Originally rejected as a result of a "no religious ad policy", in a striking turn of events, Rolling Stone has agreed to publish the ad. They were probably afraid God would smite them if they didn't.

• No Name-Calling Week:High schools across the nation will participate in a "No Name-Calling Week" initiative developed by none other than the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network. The curriculum requires that students read, "The Misfits", a book wrought with gay themes and some parents are not happy. It's interesting that tolerance has become one of the chief messages of the rainbow brigade. Of course it only works one way you know...

• Intelligent Design Pre-Amble Required in Pennsylvania: Yesterday marked the first day Dover Area school district students heard about intelligent design in their biology classes. As you recall, this has stirred up some national controversy.

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If you were so unfortunate last weekend as to have devoted three hours of your life to the pageantry and complete and utter waste of time also known as the "Golden Globe Awards", then I feel sorry for you. As it stands, I feel sorry for myself too because I nearly did. However, not before getting completely sick to my stomach due to what seems to be increasing hyper-glorification of reckless behavior.

I've decided that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association is full it. What is "it" you ask? Read on.

Many are well aware that the Hollywood Foreign Press, also known as HFPA are the ones behind the Annual Golden Globe Awards, the traditional build-up to the Academy Awards. Normally I wouldn't write about something so incredibly shallow (says the girl who monthly publishes fashion critiques), but the show itself stirs up some topics worth noting.

Among the many awards given out, a few important ones note an overwhelming trend in the moral accountability of Hollywood: it's nonexistent. Any group of individuals that deem the film "Kinsey", a biopic of a pedophile with absolutely no redeeming qualities, as worthy of a "Best Film" nomination are clearly delusional.

For starters, "Desperate Hussies Housewives", a "satire" in which suicide is glorified and slutty married women commit adultery with their gardeners, is one of "the most talked about" new television series and was incidentally a big winner at the Golden Globes for "Best TV Series: Comedy". In addition, four of the show's main characters were nominated for "Best & Supporting Actresses", with two winning.

While many won't find this significant, in an industry where discretion and propriety are fleeting notions, awarding accolades to a show that makes a complete mockery of the sanctity of marriage only confirms that Hollywood is plummeting quickly into the abyss of foolishness and self-destruction.

It gets worse.

Continue reading ""Desperate Hussies" and other things for which we can thank the Hollywood Foreign Press">>>

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