What Would Thembi Do? » The Black Version

Marvin Gaye’s “I Want You” by The Lester Wilson Dancers, 1984

Thembi Ford — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:37:29 +0000

“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…

Great Caesar’s Ghost

Thembi Ford — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 03:42:54 +0000

How come nobody told me today was Shakespeare’s birthday? Just because he’d be an impossible 455 years old, I guess. I’ve studied some Shakespeare (mostly by force) but never fully embraced the common perception that his works are hard to…

Obscure Black C-Listers: Dorian Harewood

Thembi Ford — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:54:21 +0000

Dorian Harewood epitomizes the problematic nature of the category “obscure black c-listers.” Yes, I know I’m the one responsible for its creation, but please allow me to re-explain what the term means because I’ve fielded numerous questions about…

Somebodies: A Show About (Black) Nothing

Thembi Ford — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:05:00 +0000

If I were a space alien who just landed on earth I’d expect a network with the name “Black Entertainment Television” to take responsibility for rejuvenating our fractured culture and blessing our people with as much black artistic expression as…

The Black Version: John Grin’s Christmas!

Thembi Ford — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 11:04:00 +0000

Charles Dickens’A Christmas Carol is one of the most re-made stories in the history of literature, and if you have never seen the black version, John Grin’s Christmas starring Robert Guillaume as the Scrooge character, you are far from alone.…

The Black Version: It was Pollyanna, We Do It Like Polly!

Thembi Ford — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 02:08:00 +0000

I’ve realized that the underlying purpose of this blog is going to have to be cataloguing the minutia of black pop culture, which is long overdue. Therefore, I’m starting this new feature, “The Black Version.” If you haven’t seen “the…