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I almost didn’t bring back the Black History Month Pop Culture Challenge this year. To be honest, I’ve been hit with a wave of winter malaise that’s kept me from being as enviably sharp as my usual quick-witted pop culture genius self. There’s still just enough random trivia floating around in my head to make this fun, so here goes nothin’…
I started the Black History Month Pop Culture Challenge in 2009 as a way to shake some of the staleness off of February. Sure black cultural phenomena from 100 years ago and history makers that live today are…
Crime of Fashion, Good Hair Gone Bad, Hair Freaks, Miscegenation, Music, My Life, Now That's Dancing!, Our Shame, What the Eff?, Yipes!, featured »
People always ask me, “Thembi, how do you find this stuff?” Well, this week I’m going to walk you through the process because there is no reason why a perfectly sane woman such as myself should be asking any questions about Corey Johnson. Please bear with me as I take you through the tragically painful journey of discovering all there is to know about this person. Do not feel obligated to watch any of these videos all the way through, but you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t at least sample a few moments of each painful little…
Jacko, My Life, The Black Archives, headline »
After my much needed hiatus I’m refreshed and re-focused…well, sort of. Since I spent the first week of the new year laying low I only absorbed all of the motivational “let get it in 2010!” talk from afar, and am rejoining the online community in a regular winter blues state of mind. It’s cold. It’s not just December on the East Coast cold, it’s freezing. I spent my time away in FLORIDA where it was only fifty degrees or so, which is way better than the negative temperatures I would have faced at home but still a huge rip off…
Jacko »
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…
Jacko »
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)…
The Black Version »
“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…
Black Hair Talk, Celebutainment, Jacko, Post-racial America my Great Aunt Fanny., Spot Blowing »
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
Old School Fridays »
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…
Jacko, Review, The Black Archives, WWTD »
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.
Jacko, WWTD »
I HAVE TO see “Michael Jackson’s This Is It”. I simply must. I was torn for a while because of the exploitation potential, but I think Michael would want us to see it, don’t you? It will only be in theaters for two short weeks so I have to act fast. And I want all of you to come with me.
The first “WWTD Dinner and a Movie” event will be held next weekend in Philadelphia! On Sunday November 1st we’ll check out…
