The most significant event of 2009 can’t be anything but Michael Jackson’s shocking death. We’ve had plenty of time to get used to the fact that he’s gone and contemplate the value of his contributions to music, style, and pop culture, and Spike Lee wraps it all up for us with the video for “This Is It.” The song has been an odd one to me since it’s October release – I get the feeling that the ballad, recorded by Michael in 1983, isn’t quite ‘perfect’ enough for his infamously strict standards. That aside, Michael’s voice combined with the beautiful…

Everyone who is anyone has a Christmas album, but in a rush to take advantage of our holiday cheer (i.e. trick us into buying bad music just because its Christmas-y) some artists have to cut corners on the cover art. Here are 10 prime examples of such ridiculousness.

Information is still developing, but Alaina Reed Hall passed away today at the age of sixty-three. The cause of her death has not yet been officially reported but the actress, best known for her roles as Rose Holloway on 227 and Olivia on Sesame Street, has been very public about her ongoing battle with breast cancer. She participated in the documentary “Breast Cancer Examined: An African-American Perspective,” to commemorate 2009 National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and share her courageous approach to fighting the disease.

Lawrence and Jackson, that is.  I’m still trying to make sense of Michael Jackson’s four brothers and their new reality show and in doing so have fantasized about the thrashing that Jermaine would receive in a just world. I don’t mean those old school Joe Jackson beatings, I’m hoping for something supplemental to punish him for recent offenses. Anyway all of this made me think of one of the funnier gags on Martin. Check it out (and disable the annotations)…

Oh, Aretha. I love you for your participation in the phenomenon of black women and hat-wearing. However, I can’t help but think that if it’s cold enough to stick your head through a fur muff, it makes no sense to have your ample breasts exposed while doing so. You’re either cold or you’re hot – which is it?

IThink Beverly Hills 90210 or Gossip Girl meets the story of a crew of affluent twenty-something black socialites living in Hollywood (buppies = black + yuppies, get it?), dealing with the highs and lows of finding one’s place in the world and a whole lot of drama. Buppies is highly addictive thanks to its accurately black dialogue and gossipy plot-twists; after each three- to five-minute episode of the show I was left with a cliff-hanger that made me crave the next one.

Another Old School Friday is upon us, and this week’s theme is especially exciting. Blame my overactive imagination, the fact that no real boys liked me, or my persistent couch potato tendencies, but I have had more crushes than I’ve ever known what to do with. I have always been boy crazy, and a simple search of this blog for the world “crush” shows how ridiculous I am.

I’ve posted about my longstanding crush on Wanya Morris from Boyz II Men – that one could still work out, you know. I’ve also come clean about Ricky Bell from…

When recording artist Santogold changed her name to Santigold I wasn’t really paying attention. I heard something about there being another artist who already had that name and kept it moving. But did you know that the man behind the name change is a tragically weird infomercial/jeweler/musician from the 1980’s?

Are you a feminist? After your first reaction, think about it for a few seconds, then answer again.
When Nona Willis Aronowitz interviewed me for her book Girldrive: Criss-Crossing America, Redefining Feminism, she began with that very question.

I have to reveal some journalistic laziness on my part. I fully intended to go to the event advertised on this flier but other stuff, like laying in bed watching Special Victims Unit, seemed to have taken precedence.

Who can blame me for dodging the sorrow induced at seeing our beloved Jimmy Walker with his chin wistfully

On a basic level, a dark, overweight, disadvantaged heroine is something worth watching (and analyzing), and the implications of a film endorsed via executive producer credit by Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry are so broad that I couldn’t stay away. For these reasons, if not just for its stirring quality, I’m glad that I saw Precious.

“Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever” is that gift that keeps on giving. First aired in 1983, the special was a mainstay in my childhood for years later thanks to the newfangled wonder that was VHS recording. This is the same television special that I’ve already posted clips from three times – when Michael Jackson first unveiled the Moonwalk, the Four Tops and Temptations had a classic battle, and Stevie Wonder rocked the house in a way so memorable that I still remember every note. Why hasn’t anyone re-released this thing instead of making us watch the BET and MTV…

Loyal reader Miriam posted a link to the Huffington Post article about Sammy Sosa’s drastic skin color change, and added the note: “As far as I’m concerned, this is a Thembi-mergency.” Miriam, I am on the case.

This is Sammy Sosa. For those of you who don’t know, he’s considered one of the greatest baseball players ever. He’s of Dominican descent and his home run hitting ability was a source of pride for Latinos until he was accused of using performance-enhancing drugs and corking his bat in 2003. Sosa retired earlier this year, and since then seems to be passing the time gettin’ purty. That’s Sammy in May on the left, and

Maybe it’s just our recent culture of “brushing off haters,” but I have a heard time drawing a full distinction between “I’m so inspired!” and “I’ll show ‘em!” Let’s say, for example, your goal is to make a bunch of money. Do you focus on flashing your bling in the faces of people who mocked you for having flat pockets, or do you remind yourself everyday that riches are within your reach? When trying to lose a few pounds, is it about that guy who rejected you for a slimmer companion, or is it just about proving to…

Man Calls 911, Doesn’t Know His Address

Police Say Man Reported His Marijuana Stash Stolen

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — When you dial 911, there’s certain things you have to do to make sure you get the help you need.

First, know your home address, and second, don’t wait 45 minutes to dial 911.

Von Powell, 22, who lives near Gainesville, had a hard time doing both of those things after he said he was the victim of a home robbery.

The man also told police that one of the things stolen was his “personal stash” of marijuana.

When you’re committing a crime and you’re also the victim of a crime, it

Sesame Street turns forty years old today, which is quite an achievement even though Muppets can’t die and don’t age. The real accomplishment is that the show is an iconic collection of stuff about childhood and learning about our world nice and early. My Five Favorite Things About Sesame Street are…

5. The Robinson Family. Sesame Street was originally created for black, disadvantaged pre-schoolers, so the black Robinson family was supposed to be the focus of the the show even before the Muppets became part of the cast. Gordon Robinson (Roscoe Orman, who has played Gordon since 1974) is a teacher and is wife Susan (Loretta Long) a nurse. Throughout the show’s run we’ve met

As a little girl (and for that matter, as a teenager) I was so self-conscious about letting people see me dance. I think it all goes back to fourth grade, when I was in non-optional after-school jazz and tap classes. Although I possessed natural rhythm, the little outfit that they forced me to wear just wasn’t appropriate for my chubbiness, and after getting teased by a few seventh graders I pretty much put my dance aspirations to rest. The sting still remains, but in adulthood I’ve miraculously lost the ability to be embarrassed, and as a consequence tend to have…

The WWTD Dinner and a Movie Event was so much fun that I’ll definitely have more in the future – the people who read this blog are fun and cool with sick senses of humor and an appreciation good times, so I want to thank everyone who came out! The real star of the event, of course, was Michael Jackson.

I don’t know who all has been anticipating H-Town’s comeback, especially since lead singer Dino died tragically in 2003. Oh, and that when Dino passed, H-Town was actually about to release their FOURTH album since their 1993 debut Fever For Da Flavor (yes, that is the one that had the ever-embarrassing “Knockin’ Da Boots,” on it). Since I don’t remember being excited about albums number two or three, I have to assume that H-Town still has a sturdy fan base that’s waiting to hear some fresh new love-makin’ music from the Houston Boys. But someone decided it would be a…

Fact #1: I cannot now nor could I ever double dutch

Fact #2: I cannot double dutch because I came from private school to a public school where no one would let me have enough turns to learn how to do it.

Fact #3: When I tried to participate by turning the rope, I was called “double-handed.” I still don’t know what that means.

Fact #4: Due to the above events, there is a hole in the tapestry of my blackgirlness.

Fact #5: Michelle Obama is way blacker and doper than I am, because even though she is not very good at it, she has double dutched on the White House lawn!

AND she hula hoops.