Jack Tapper, Black people are allowed to have a damn good time. Since you need it explained to you, all folks are allowed the full spectrum of their humanity and at the risk of shaking the table, enjoying a Beyoncé concert as well.
There’s nothing that I love more than joy; the pure, unabashed kind that radiates from the crown to the soles of ones feet. But folks like Tapper are why we can’t have nice things. The CNN anchor has taken it upon himself to fault the Obamas for daring to be something other than mules for the Democratic party; as though their labor is owed until death.
The Democratic Party is the weakest it has been since the 1920s, but ¯_(ツ)_/¯ https://t.co/ATqKBx4bq0
Tapper felt the sweet wrath of the dreaded ratio. His tweet dripped with so much condescension, animus and the entitlement of a white man to presume to tell two Black people how they should be spending their time. He should’ve just sat there and ate his food.
i dont think tapper bothered to tweet about obama holding a summit with young african leaders recently and helping that continent prepare for the future. but ya know, the obamas went to a concert so fuck em, right? https://t.co/3pYhMuF1t7
The "Obama isn't allowed to go to concerts" is the same as the "Obama isn't allowed to give speeches for money" & the "Black people aren't allowed to do things I don't like" genre. Unfortunately you see this some on the left as well
I wasn’t aware that @BarackObama was enjoying a concert on the same night that he should’ve been saving the Democratic Party. Or that after an admittedly flawed presidency during which he managed to rescue the country from recession, he is not allowed to dance to Beyoncé. Got it.
Contrary to popular belief, it is not standard operating procedure that Black people be superheroes who always have their capes on. We hurt too and feel every bit of pain that society inflicts while being asked to be saviors. In fact, the marginalized feel it even the most but as they say in church, the blood still works. What’s there to save some of us is knowing when we need to just release. A primal scream, smile, yoga, reading a book, unplugging from social media and just being seen, heard and loved goes a long way when you’re emotionally taxed.
Now, I’ve never been president of the United States for 8 years but it seems pretty stressful. I don’t begrudge the Obamas for living their best lives without placing the weight of civilization on their shoulders. Singing Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh is not a betrayal or abdication of their character.
Just like the Obamas, I also run the gamut of emotions; to shift from having the fire in the belly over immigration, healthcare, advocating for healthcare and walking into a hair store a few hours later just to try on some wigs.
I settled on a black one in preparation for the upcoming National Association of Black Journalists conference in Detroit, Michigan. I’ll be strutting into Motown in my best Nicki Minaj inches, a few freakum dresses that would make Beyoncé blush and wearing Rihanna’s Stunna Lip Paint. I might even feel like cussing while I’m there and toss back a few drinks. Simultaneously, I’ll be discussing the current events of the day with my fellow journalists who also know how to walk and chew gum at the same time. It’s not a privilege that only exists for the Tapper’s of the world. None of us will be deaf, dumb and blind to the potential government shutdown Trump is threatening, the tariff war, sexual abuse taking place at detention centers and #MeToo allegations against Les Moonves. Just because you’ll see me posting selfies during the week doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten I’m a rejected handmaiden, got way too much student debt and remaining steadfast to journalism even though it is routinely under attack by this administration.
I’m more than happy to stand corrected but I don’t see Tapper using his platform to demand George Bush save the GOP from the throes of Trump. It’s as if he and his ilk know no other way but to put the Obamas under the microscope even if means conflating legitimate criticisms of 44 with cheap taunts.
Jake Tapper, take the Obamas off the cross. They weren’t put on this earth to die for the sins of the Democratic party or the republic at large.
The time may have finally come for me to apply for an AARP card. 2000 babies are 18 and headed off to college. If that weren’t a neon sign that my youth is coming to an end, interrupting my soaps and #Cin viewing pleasure is another because I get as cranky as an old lady. Let me enjoy Ciara Alice Brady and a serial killer falling in love without the endless “we have to interrupt the regularly scheduled program to bring you this….”
Usually, these interruptions have to do with President Donald Trump and the Russia investigation. Every breathless detail, even just to give an update on the last one, have cut into Days of Our Lives just as Ben and Ciara’s bond is forming. Contrary to popular belief, liking my “stories” as the old folks would say doesn’t mean that I’m not an informed constituent. C-SPAN, CNN, MSNBC, FOX, push notifications and the streaming era serve me quite well. Therefore, there’s no need for the networks to cut into the soap operas to tell me what I’ve heard about 100 different times before Days of Our Lives airs. Unless of course there is collusion…..
Russia is ruining my government. Britain is ruining my soaps. Can’t the CIA do something about this?!
At this point, I’m almost convinced the networks are working with head writers and EP’s of the soaps to get the remaining shows cancelled; what the OJ Simpson and his trial of the century failed to do, bad storytelling is going to usher out the final four serial dramas that are left standing. The ridiculous plots and declining viewership as a result will most likely dull the outrage once all the soaps are cancelled.
How else does one reconcile these arcs? Victoria’s domestic abuse, badly told to begin with, has become a parody on Y&R and ripping off Passions. At the very least, our dearly departed James Rilley creation never pretended to take itself seriously. I hold Bill Bell’s show to a higher standard (and yes I know that he dabbled in camp as well). Sister serial Bold is no better. Aside from ring around the rosy on Liam’s disco stick, there’s a random British girl who is talking to a cat. Brooke, Thorne and Macy were giving me heart palpitations when I used to churn butter back in the day and now a cat is supposedly must see TV. As for GH, so much could be said. Too much but dropping the ball on Steve Burton’s return as Jason is a low down dirty shame.
The only ray of light in the midst of all this embarrassment has been Days. The writer may not get all 10’s for his vision (Stefan has to go. Rafe must go and take Brady & Eve with him), but Ron Carlivati’s stewardship over the show has kept me entertained for the most part. Gabi is taking a wrecking ball to Abigail’s life, Brady’s about to get exposed by a returning Nicole but the cherry on top is #Cin. The soap press may not understand the ground shifting beneath them but the people have spoken.
I am 100% enjoying the #Cin train. They're fun, they're angsty, they're so wrong and I don't wanna be right. That's the best kind of potential. #DAYS
Ciara & Ben. A story that has me watching again. I will always love the vets & will fight for more story for them but how refreshing to see a younger couple burning up the screen. The looks, the unspoken words so reminiscent of the supercouples of old. Bring it on. #Cin#Dayspic.twitter.com/bL8qBJP8fd
Suddenly, I’m 17 again; bored at home and getting caught up in a taboo romance. Bo and Hope’s daughter should not be drawn to a savage. His kink was choking the good people of Salem with neck ties. It’s refreshing that DAYS has resisted the urge to whitewash him through a brain tumor, twin, clone or pretend that none of it happened. He could’ve also blamed the devil but that’s only reserved for Queen Marlena.
Ciara isn’t being written as a doe eyed lamb being led to slaughter. She knows he’s a killer and his violent past isn’t really ideal for a young woman who is a victim of rape. Ideally, she should be with someone like Tripp. It makes sense on paper. But on-screen, it’s like watching paint dry. The energy is with Ben and Ciara. Judge me accordingly for preferring a serial killer to other alternatives.
Robert Scott Wilson and Victoria Konefal just ooze chemistry. A simple look and touch are more intimate than the actual love scenes of other couples.
Maybe investigations need to be held about what kind of shit we’re into once the channel is turned. My Google search will turn up too much Mariah Carey, tips on natural hair and lyrics to gospel hymns. I’m too saved to ever want to hurt a fly but beyond that, I don’t mind watching a gifted actor give a psycho empathy which is what Robert Scott Wilson does with Ben Weston. He takes so much care in showing the push and pull of his character’s psychosis and wanting to do better. To be better for a woman who makes him feel. His Cee R Uh. I just love how he says her name.
Dramas have rehabilitated killers, rapists and abusers of all stripes; revamped them into leading men and ladies who are now as soft as Build A Bear toys. The trick is not to insult the audience. It’s a fine line between redemption and shoving a character that just doesn’t work down our throats. I get why some feel that Ben doesn’t deserve that same consideration but he and Ciara are must see TV for me; a bit of escapism from the news cycle and crazy headlines.
For the sake of my sanity, please leave Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. out of your mouths when it comes to the gaslighting of being civil. Just stop it.
It’s bad enough that his most pious quotes are bastardized once a year by those who hated him during his time and still hold his legacy in contempt every other day outside of a Monday in January but honestly, we all have Google. We have the images of MLK being gunned down in broad daylight, four black girls bombed in church, Jim Crow, segregation, riots, hoses and dogs being unleashed on bodies and the death of so many who fought for their rights. This era in American history was anything but “civil” and a sing a long that ended because they all sat around singing Kumbayah with those who oppressed them and upheld white supremacy.
King and so many were not celebrated during the throes of this struggle. They were called agitators, thrown in jail and under constant police surveillance. King was even told to kill himself by the F.B.I. and was hated at the time of his death. King was the original “Black Lives Matter” protester and the contempt of minoirites fighting for justice has not changed much by some who want us underfoot. Oh my how we’ve come in revisionist history to make it seem as though he was always on a Hallmark card as “I Have A Dream” is fetishized.
I’ll let our fallen icon speak for himself.
MLK also spoke of the white moderate who places order above justice.
I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to ‘order’ than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice […]
Across the dial, there has been a renewed effort to push the sanitized version of Dr. King; as though he were a teddy bear who politely asked for equality.
This is a lie. Both the Civil Rights & Anti-War mvmts were met w/ significant violence by opponents. Many people were killed. This nation also had a Civil War over slavery 150 years ago. Don't trust these ahistorical narratives about a more civil past or the people promoting them https://t.co/BEOo9SmnCE
There is such a hypocrisy in the moralizing of pundits who long for 1950’s America and that’s without even touching that the U.S. has the greatest military force in the world to wage war. The issue that now presents itself is that not all of us are privileged to enjoy America’s comfort and advantages. Blacks and those Brown skinned, Muslims, other minorities, LGBTQ, women and the poor are struggling to have their dreams realized. 8-year-old Black girls are having the cops called on them for having their entrepreneurial spirit to sell lemonade.
I don’t quite recall the moralizing for decency en masse when Barack Obama was president. He was often greeted with racial epitaphs and his likeness hung in effigy. Joe Wilson shouted “You lie” during a presidential address but civility was not the Bingo word choice. Maybe some lip service was dispensed. The Obama era feels about a 100 years ago at this point.
In the here and now, it is such an act of bad faith to demand obedience and a smile while the world burns around all of us. You have to be protected from those flames to insist bigotry, children being kept in cages and to have policies enforced that impact the quality of living are mere differences of opinions. We’re not breaking bread if you want me dead. I’m calling you out.
I can deal with folks who are real even if they disagree with me. To be quite honest, I’m suspicious of anyone who agrees with me 100% of the time when even my own mother doesn’t. I’m humbled to have a spectrum of friends who don’t share my ideological views or love of Beyoncé. The Facebook arguments that we have are lively, full of gifs and maybe a few hours of going back and forth. At the end of the day, there’s no whistling past the graveyard and wishing they’re dead to me. It helps that neither of the folks I engage with find my mere existence to be a threat to theirs.
Fish rots from the head down. President Donald Trump, supporters and allies in the GOP routinely express hostility. From chants of “Lock Her Up”, the rejection of their own value system to endorsing edicts that penalize the innocent. They want the rule of law to deny services to gays, sanction preventive care not being provided to women based on religious doctrine and stop Muslims from entering the country. It is demoralizing having your humanity debased constantly, even moreso when you’re just minding your own business.
A friend, Esteban Guzman sent me this video of a racist white woman harassing him while out working with his mom.
"Why do you hate us?" "Because you're Mexicans." "We are honest people right here!" "Haha..yeah.. rapists & animals."
— therealkenidrawoods (@KenidraRWoods_) June 25, 2018
When your cheek isn’t bruised, it’s very easy to tell those who feel the unrelenting wrath to turn theirs.
Be Nice for what?
After the election, the pundit class insisted that “Fuck Your Feelings” and telling it like it is were the reasons why Trump won. Bad hombre, Mexicans being called racists, countries of African descent referred to as shitholes and pussy grabbing were a repudiation of the PC culture. I’m not advocating for violence but shaming works. Protest works. Inconveniencing and making others uncomfortable in restaurants were part of the blueprint of Dr. King’s civil disobedience and the standard of his moral witness. Yet, too many politicians were more upset with Rep. Maxine Waters for her calls to shame Trump officials. Trust and believe, Auntie knows what it’s like to be denied service.
Lol @ all the white politicians lecturing a 79 year-old black woman on the indecency being denied service at a restaurant
It would be a nice change of pace if many in the media and some of my fellow Americans didn’t feign pearl clutching when going high is no longer the energy. When have any of these vulgarities been apologized for? I need Paul Ryan and others to demand the courtesy of others in his party for using the inflammatory language he now needs fainting salt for.
All of this is ugly. Children suffering is ugly. Grown adults being reduced to helplessness also falls under that category. There is a visceral fear that is being felt in the bones and knots in our stomach. We’re not all going to keep cool heads and declaring that we have to be punching bags in the name of MLK is not the wave I’m on. If you’re not angry by all that is taking place, I have to question why.
It is not radical to be against discrimination of any kind and to seek change. Some of us would still be in chains without the courage to act upon conviction. We will not mind our manners to appease those who hurt and have never felt oppressed a day in their lives. That is a blessing you take for granted and then open your mouths to curse those that have. Despite the humanization that has taken place to make marginalized people “the other”, we are in fact human. We’re not robots who do not feel what is taking place or psychopaths who get off the destruction.
None of us should be silent, or courteous, in the face of the horrors happening in our country. We should not be intimidated by calls for "civility". If you have never lived in oppression, spare me the talk about cilivity. Totalitarians thrive in the face of submission.
Immigrants seeking asylum are being held in detention centers and Trump is threatening their due process. Voting rights are under attack. Athletes are being blackballed and referred to as “son of a bitches” for daring to speak truth to power. Those who argue in favor of gun reform are now subject to death threats while Flint, Michigan still is without clean water and Puerto Rico remains in crisis. The arc of history does not simply bend because you ask it to.
Only romanticizing revolution, protests and MLK’s journey is grandstanding when you will never be the collateral damage.
“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…”
Those are the words emblazoned on the New Colossus, the bronze plaque at the Statue of Liberty. It is an ode to immigrants seeking a better life from which they’re coming from. However, the pursuit of the American Dream is becoming a nightmare as the Trump administration has a zero tolerance policy of separating families at the border and according to Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, there will not be any apologies.
DHS Sec. Nielsen says her agency "will not apologize for doing our job."
There used to be a time when “compassionate conservatism” used to be the motto. Salute to former First Lady Laura Bush for keeping the embers of that message alive with her recent op-ed.
I live in a border state. I appreciate the need to enforce and protect our international boundaries, but this zero-tolerance policy is cruel. It is immoral. And it breaks my heart.https://t.co/he1uw1E96A
All living first ladies have come out strongly against this inhumane practice but the “base” apparently supports children being kept in cages, mattresses on the floor and kids being ripped from the arms of their mothers. According to CNN, 58% of Republican voters support the trauma being inflicted because it can be a deterrent and rules are rules. Compassion be damned and this is how comprehensive immigration reform will be done; screaming children being used as pawns if it can send a message.
Unlike some, I don’t believe this is America’s first betrayal. Black families were separated during slavery. There were the Japanese internment camps. This is just the latest hurt and playing on loop.
We've just published secretly recorded audio from inside a govt facility where children are being separated from their parents.
CBP releases video showing inside of a central processing center in McAllen, Texas for undocumented immigrants detained at the U.S.-Mexico border. Some could be separated. https://t.co/uF15QlTOdNpic.twitter.com/Q3CYjDjbok
One of the symptoms of the news cycle is that it’s everything all at once. Everyday, there is a flashing “Breaking News” interruption. It’s routine and almost a chore to get upset but I question the heart of those who don’t even give the bare lip service. They’ve got absolutely nothing to say as this crisis unfolds.
For many years, there has been the drumbeat of Sharia Law coming to the United States. Muslims have been scapegoats; deemed to be using dangerous ideology to impose its will on the majority and innocent. However, it has been the likes of Attorney Jeff Sessions invoking the Bible to explain the enforcement of the Trump policy. Sarah Huckabee Sanders also co-signed this.
WATCH: @AliVelshi explains how Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Press Sec. Sarah Sanders are using the bible to support separating migrant children from their parents. pic.twitter.com/cvg5cDrXuI
Never mind the separation of state and church but this particular passage was also used to legitimize slavery. Those that went to church, took to their knees in prayer and damned everyone else for not being as righteous as them supported Blacks being kept in bondage, raped, lynch and killed. That same malicious thinking is now being furthered to diminish those who are seeking asylum which is not a crime but too many are comfortable sitting silent in the pews.
Homosexuality, abortion and tithing are preached from the pulpit. Yet, there is no similar fire, brimstone and eternal damnation about how the least of thee are being treated. It is indefensible to care more about the unborn and then declare that your moral obligation is done once he or she draws its first breath. You can’t wag your finger because two people choose to love and just turn your eyes away at the abuses taking place.
It’s scary that so many of us have to shock the conscience of those who don’t want to be bothered; a labor to draw the simple concession that just maybe those seeking a better life shouldn’t be held in such contempt. Since election night, “this is why Trump won” has been a taunt but the effort that is taking to make others care proves that there is a malignancy in this country. The afflicted just pretend to be righteous but won’t act on what’s right. They’ll just thump their Bibles, deciding which verse in the Old or New Testament on which to cast judgment on everyone else.
Leave it to Trump and his policy to expose the hypocrisy. God really does work in mysterious ways.
Actors come and go. It’s a part of the genre and the show will go on. Y&R existed long before Morgan made her 2013 debut. The #1 daytime soap will most likely still be here in the years to come with the great Victor Newman still ruling Genoa City with an iron fist. Still, I hope Morgan leaves knowing that she carved her own legacy on the drama.
Hilary Curtis, nee Ann Turner, arrived on the scene as a spoiler the Winters family. She could’ve easily been a one note villain and only used to prop the fan favorites. Truth be told, that has been Hilary’s function for most of her time on Y&R. She’s had to carry so many stories and characters who leeched off her growing popularity. It’s a testament to Morgan’s powerhouse performances and charismatic presence that elevated a secondary role into one of the leading ladies of the serial and a beloved half of the supercouple, Hevon.
In recent weeks, that romance has been rehabilitated. Some of the most tender scenes have capitalized on the smoldering chemistry between Morgan and on-screen partner Bryton James. In 2018, there are still so many firsts and Hevon is an example of a Black couple on daytime that is one of the show’s focal points. Shauna’s introduction has added a maternal instinct to Hilary’s presentation while her friendship with Phyllis is its own unexpected pleasure. Women really can get along, especially if they’re scheming together. If Y&R chooses to recast, the bar has set been high for the next actress to weave all the different parts of Hilary that make her a dynamic whole.
Morgan drew fans in and just replacing her with another won’t be that easy. Most of us spent a considerable amount of time calling CBS, leaving voice mails and camped out in the mentions of CBS execs. This isn’t the ending we wanted but it’s nothing but love.
Taking my #Hevon fan hat off for a minute & pushing past the pisstivity that I'm feeling, @MishaelMorgan1 is a goddamn phenomenal actress. I loved Hilary solely BECAUSE of her. Shes something special. The brightest light I've seen in years & I will follow her star as it rises 😘
— The Heather Locklear of the #TVSPodcast (@WrecklessLove) June 11, 2018
I’m so heartbroken about Mishael Morgan leaving #YR. I’m sad for my fellow #Hevon and Hilary fans. And I’m pissed at the people who let this happen. It didn’t have to be this way. It really freaking didn’t. pic.twitter.com/EjW7uUi5PR
I'm not happy about Mishael leaving Y&R. But hopefully big things happen for a talented actress in the future. And if she wanted to leave to pursue other things well more power to her. Let's hope she won't be a stranger to our screens for long. #YR
— Town and Country Web Soap (@bredrew2) June 11, 2018
I have no doubt that I’ve seen the last of my fellow Canadian @MishaelMorgan1. She’s is awesome at what she does and she will continue to shine wherever she goes. It’s so sad to see her go ❤️💕 #yr
Once soap fans love you, you’re usually staying in our good graces. Renee Elise Goldsberry, Justin Hartley, Shemar Moore, Julianne Moore and Michael B. Jordan are just a few breakouts who got their starts on soaps. Each has always reciprocated the affection. They’re not ashamed and why should they be? We do the most but heart’s are in the right place. Hell, if the money is right, some of us might even splurge on a plane to fly above CBS Television City.
Morgan now has a built-in fan base that will help usher her into the upper echelon of Hollywood, red carpets, magazine covers and other projects she so desires. I did want Y&R to run Mishael her money but I trust her judgment and believe when she says that now is simply time for her to leave. Even if the show had offered her a Queen’s ransom to stay, if her heart wasn’t in it, that’s all there is to it. Living your own purpose is worth more than one more dolla.
Morgan’s time on Y&R is coming to an end but she will grace our screens again. We’ve seen her shine bright to know that for sure. Now we’ll just wait for the rest of the world to catch up. Thanks for these memories in the meanwhile.
Robert DeNiro using profanity doesn’t bother me in the least. Those who are profane do.
At the Tony Awards, the screen legend made clear just what he thought of 45. CBS may have censored him but DeNiro’s words would not be silenced about what he thought of Donald Trump and his presidency.
Bobby used a bad word. Can I call him Bobby? It’s so familiar and I’ve had a crush on him for years. Actually wrote a song in his honor. He’s an actor many of us grew up on. It’s as if we’ve known him for so long. For about half the country, he spoke for us when he cussed out Trump. The standing ovation he received after his remarks showed the resonance of his sentiment but this wouldn’t be the height of the culture wars if the other half of the country were offended that he dared to do anything but recite lines from a script. There are a lot of folks who want entertainers to just stick to that and show deference to the president of the United States and the office. I was raised on a set of values and morals too. Chief among them being respect is earned and you’ll be treated the way you act. It’s one of the many reasons why I wasn’t offended at all by Bobby’s bad words.
Actions speak louder than words and I have more fire in the belly over the multitude of injustices taking place in the world. There are women and children who are seeking asylum that are being separated. Children are being kept in cages and in deplorable living conditions.
My visit to the McAllen processing center was a harrowing experience. Children were in cages. People were distraught. Kids were ripped from their parents’ arms. It’s unconscionable that we are treating them this way. pic.twitter.com/LmtCmKYx84
My heart hurts and my eyes start to water. I take such offense that these immigrants are being treated with such contempt. Where are the pro-life people who demand the sanctity of life? Kids should not be born just to be treated in such a manner, to be lost in the system and at the mercy of sex traffickers. You’ll have to excuse me if I can’t muster up a shred of righteous indignation over DeNiro being crass when I see the human toll of the Trump administration policies. Those optics stir me more although I’ve accepted that visual proof of abuse is no assurance that some will care.
Police officers engaged in bad conduct goes viral every single day. The latest involved a 10-year-old child who was handcuffed.
A 10-year-old boy was handcuffed after Chicago police received a call about a young black male with a gun in the area. Family members say the child was unarmed. pic.twitter.com/SG4uion8cA
It’s so very easy to say that participating in the worsening of our culture is why Trump won. That is a favorite gas lighting pastime but for many. Especially those who dismiss pussy grabbing, sons of bitches and slurrin as “locker room talk”. For many of us, we can no longer be induced into guilt and behaving. Not when there are acts of violence that consume the news cycle at warp speed to the point where these mass shootings now blend into one another. Thoughts and prayers are cynically offered until the vicious cycle begins anew. It hasn’t gone unnoticed that there is now an outright malice directed at those who want gun reform. They’re taunted and subjected to death threats but yet I’m supposed to be more upset at DeNiro’s choice of language? I think not.
While DeNiro’s choice of words distracted or perhaps were the highlight for some at the Tony Awards, the voting booth is still where we will all have our final say. As was once said by Barack Obama, don’t boo. Vote. That’s if you still can. The Supreme Court just sanctioned Ohio purging voters from their rolls due to inactivity. This is a ruling that will target minorities and strip them of their right to participate in the democratic process.
In video with @dale_e_ho for @aclu & @moveon I explained how SCOTUS opinion upholding voter purging in Ohio will open door to voters of color & low-income people wrongly being kicked off voter rolls & unable to vote pic.twitter.com/z84K2zUjlP
Flint, Michigan still doesn’t have clean water. Puerto Rico is still without the resources it needs to recover from the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Healthcare is still in perilous danger for those who depend on ACA. The U.S. is also now at war with Canada of all places. An adviser to Trump telling Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau that there’s a “special place in hell” for him and the president’s trash talk are more out of bounds than Bobby being Bobby but that’s just me.
Michelle Obama is the epitome of class and grace. She held her head high and served this country as a shining example during her time as First Lady. When they go low, we go high are words to live by. But they are ultimately just words. There is a real anger in this country over what has taken place in the almost two years since Trump’s election and turning the other cheek to be bruised is a fool’s errand. If folks want to clutch their pearls over the absence of civility and decency, start with your POTUS. Civility should not be a standard we hold only actors to.
Janet Jackson’s legendary .janet album celebrated its 25th anniversary last month. An artist is lucky to have one magnum opus. Miss Jackson has three: Control, Rhythm Nation and .janet in my humble opinion. On this occasion, her fifth touched upon the raw nerve of female sexuality. It wasn’t a gesture of shock but a woman coming into her own skin. In the years that have followed, she continues to prove just how ahead of her time she was as it’s still seen as a revolutionary act for a woman, in particular a Black one, to own her sexuality but still be condemned for it.
Beyoncé has never been shy about revealing her body but this weekend, she took it up a notch. Nude pics of her and Jay-Z appeared in the On The Run II tour booklet.
The lyrics to Destiny’s Child’s Nasty Girl were used as a taunt against Beyoncé over the weekend. Some thought she was a hypocrite. These folks wanted to know why Bey, now a woman in her 30’s and mother, could not live by the words she sang at 20.
Some had different interpretations of how she got to this point. Growth and genes, rather than plastic surgery and thirst.
Some of these others in question happen to be one Kim Kardashian West. Her fans want to know why Kim can’t be great in the same manner that Beyoncé is for going au naturel. It was Kim who popularized “breaking the internet” in her 2014 spread for Paper but she’s usually met with scorn for nekkidness while Bey is given more of a pass for being artistic. Although, even this argument is flawed itself. There’s a group of white women that have created a cottage industry chiding Beyoncé for aesthetics, pregnancy announcements, whether she’s really a feminist and joy because it’s hurting some random Becky’s feelings somewhere. They’ve probably beaten me to a think piece whereas others believe Beyoncé should just sing in ball gowns and rely on her vocal talent alone. It’s always something but it is fair to ask why the energy is generally different for Beyoncé and Kim.
For one, most of us don’t love Kim like we do Beyoncé. I know I don’t. Her recent exchange with RhymeFest was another reminder of why; her gleeful insistence that she would “take” from the organizers in Chicago who have been putting in the due diligence while that husband of hers pays money to buy pictures of Whitney Houston’s drug addled bathroom but can’t cut a check to a foundation in his mother’s name.
Kim Kardashian is a rich white woman and dont give 5 fucks about no poor BLACK kids on the South side of Chicago. Threatening to take a charity and let her rich ass kids run it is laughable
That mean girl inside her jumps out whenever she can punch down on the culture she exploits. I will never support those who believe that “slavery is a choice” or enablers of such an ideology because it enriches them. Kim is not a freedom fighter because Alice Johnson is now released from prison. I’m happy that Johnson now enjoys her freedom but that moment will not be weaponized to lead others astray because Kim has a news cycle devoted to her efforts or to marginalize those who have been putting in the work.
Black people should NOT have to depend on White people endorsing & consigning our cases of injustice to get justice & to be treated fairly!
It's saying that our lives don't matter UNTIL a White person says it does. People been working on the Alice Johnson case for YEARS.
Y’all are trash for shaming Beyoncé for taking a half nude photo with her husband for their #OTRII tour booklet and for bringing up Kim K by claiming the two have “switched roles.” Kim K is not a “freedom fighter” and Trump is still a bigot. Y’all can kiss Beyoncé’s Black ass.
Yeah, I don’t like Kim. With all that said, if Kim wants to bare all, more power to her.
The same salutations go out to Nicki Minaj. These days, she can’t breathe without being called out as the “bad guy” of the Hip Hop industry. Her Cleopatra inspired album cover for Queen didn’t quiet her detractors who think she’s desperate and just using sex in absence of substance to sell. But everyone’s got the fever when Michael B. Jordan appears topless on the cover of June’s Essence. Mind you, I’m not complaining at all but no one of sane mind told him to put clothes on. If Nicki Minaj wants to monetize her looks, make that coin.
Stormy Daniels made hers in the porn industry and now Rudy Giuliani thinks that cheapens her credibility. He even opened his mouth to say that true feminists shouldn’t co-sign sex workers or any woman who asserts her sexuality. Boy bye. I’m also glad we left behind those that wanted to cancel Rihanna last year because she dared to put on a few pounds and couldn’t appreciate her form. All the men I know are in love with RiRi. In all honesty, I’m drawn to her free spirit as well and that banging body of hers at any size doesn’t hurt at all.
It’s almost cliché at this point for a woman to come into her own liberation. This is not a suggestion that modesty is of the past. A lot of women aren’t comfortable showing more than necessary and that’s more than fine. That’s actually me. Or was me. I’m transitioning out of that mindset of being covered up all the time. For many years, I didn’t want to be seen. I wore sweaters and clothes that swallowed up my petite frame. I didn’t want eyes on me. No shorts, tank tops, mini skirts or anything tight that could show any part of my body. In a way, I blamed myself for my sexual abuse as a child. I was real messed up. As is the thinking that women invite assault or disrespect because of what they have on or don’t.
Each day, I’m doing my best to shake off the respectability politics I was raised by. Each woman can do her. I rely more on my smarts but I feel no remorse if I’m feeling myself. You could say I’m asserting control. Janet taught me. She’s been quite the teacher for an entire generation.
The stone is what comes to mind when I think of Mishael Morgan, Emmy nominated portrayer of Hilary Curtis on The Young and the Restless. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare to her.
Morgan is arguably one of the crown jewels of Y&R. Value her as such. Run Mishael her money may not exactly be scripture but that is the energy for here and now.
TV Source reported Wednesday that Morgan and the CBS daytime serial drama were in the middle of contract negotiations that weren’t going well. Read between the lines and it’s about money and Morgan being properly compensated for her work. After nearly five years on the show in a stint that has included a Daytime Emmy nomination, appearances on The Price Is Right and part of the supercouple known as Hevon, she’s more than earned her praise and things. Alas, it doesn’t seem like the execs are quite convinced because rumor has it that Hilary may be killed off in a car crash if both sides can’t come to a deal.
Daytime Confidential later confirmed that Morgan is set to depart.
— Daytime Confidential (@dcconfidential) June 6, 2018
Soap Twitter wasn’t having it. Not on their watch.
We are devastated to say the least. We have often been tasked with rallying behind Mishael and we will do so again. Please email the show at yrbb@tvc.cbs.com & CBS Feedback https://t.co/rh9a49Ijsf and call CBS at 323.575.2345 and let them know what Mishael means to us! #YR#Hevonhttps://t.co/31U8B2Emdz
@AngelicaMcD@malyoung@SteveKentSony I've said multiple times that my love for Hilary is 1000% rooted in the fact that Mishael Morgan is a phenomenal actress and makes me care. I will follow her wherever she goes. But I hope Sony comes to their senses. Shes a STAR!
— The Heather Locklear of the #TVSPodcast (@WrecklessLove) June 6, 2018
Hilary is the most popular black character on #YR. And before the #Lane fans hop in my mentions, Lily is written as a white girl. Let’s keep it real.
— Tiggz Cooney Martin #TeamLiz #GH (@THEBEST11985) June 6, 2018
My day is freakin ruined. I hope the rumors arent true and y'all do right by Mishael Morgan. Give her a contract deserving of popular, Emmy-nominated actress and don't make the TERRIBLE mistake of letting her walk. @SteveKentSony@AngelicaMcD@YandR_CBS@CBSDaytime#YR
Years of being a soap opera fan has made it crystal clear just how much others look down upon us all. It’s as if we’re somehow children who don’t realize that this is fiction. The question of why do you care so much is rarely asked of sports fans. They spend their income tax and rent money on tickets and wildly celebrate in the streets after a win. We simply watch from our homes and tweet our opinions but we’re often stigmatized as people who have no lives and are looking for any form of escapism. Watch the news in 2018 or just scroll social media and show me someone who isn’t.
We all need a distraction and the oldest medium provides a way for us to be entertained with our stories for a few hours out of the day and if you’re an actor or actress fortunate enough to build a following, you are crowned. To many of us, Morgan sits upon a very cherished throne.
We want Morgan and Hilary to remain a daily part of our lives because they’re lightning in a bottle. If both were to chuck deuces, it would no doubt be Hollywood’s gain. Her sheer talent and prime age make it more than possible that she’d follow in the footsteps of Justin Hartley and become the next big thing. Yet, from her recent interviews, she’s expressed being happy with her job and open to spending more time in Genoa City.
Victoria Rowell, another gem who breathed so much life into Drucilla Winters, also wanted to stay put when she left the show in 2007 amid contract and backstage drama. She told us many years ago that people of color in daytime weren’t being paid what they were worth. In fact, she told me herself when I interviewed her years ago. Certain folks don’t like Victoria because they think she’s too in your face, problematic and doesn’t abide by respectability politics. Her advocacy for more Black writers, producers and executives isn’t done the right way to detractors. Since around that time, Rowell has been tagged as crazy. But did she lie? Did Mo’Nique when she accused Netflix of low balling her? Did Viola Davis when she demanded to be paid like Meryl Streep if you’re going to keep calling her the Black version? No lies have been told, regardless of what you may think of the messenger. The truth doesn’t change. Women, especially Black women, are underpaid.
For many, the specter of Victoria and Dru still looms. She’s vindicated every time fans have to lobby for Black characters to be written with substance, dimension and not just seen once a week. Hilary Curtis came along and it felt as though a shift were taking place. She struck a chord with viewers, particularly Black women, in the way that channeled back to Dru.
Hilary is full on messy boots at her worst, a woman in love with Devon, rival to Lily and surrogate mother to Shauna. It’s a hat trick of complexities that Morgan pulls off with finesse. She’ll smile in one scene, curl lips in anger in another, remind us that she’s a grown woman still carrying scars from the past and put on her best Wendy Williams grin if it means she can spite Lily. Hilary at her best is a fleshed out character with nuance, a type of grace that another actress may not have amplified because it hasn’t always been written in the script. Morgan had to imbue Hilary with her humanity when the writers didn’t and that hasn’t gone unnoticed. The angry Black woman is such a worn trope and it is very much appreciated when our full humanity is represented.
Morgan’s absence will be felt. Hiring another Black actress in a few months won’t change that either since they are not interchangeable. You can’t just swap in one for another and pay her even less if it means a box is checked. The dynamic won’t be the same and contrary to popular belief, Black viewers don’t necessarily love all Black faces just because. I don’t like Neil and he was blessed by Dru but I’m sure he’s somebody’s favorite. Just like Lily has her die hards. Devon is also wildly popular. All of them aren’t for everyone and that’s the beauty of it all. They all have their unique strengths. Each of these characters have their supporters and at this time, I hope those that love Hilary will be heard.
May the Lord wrap himself around the mentions of the powers that be if they’re not.
You never know what someone is going through. Not until it’s too late at times.
Kate Spade is another reminder of all that shimmers isn’t gold. The iconic fashion designer was found dead of an apparent suicide on Tuesday. She was only 55 and a powerhouse with 150 stores nationwide and 175 internationally with millions in her bank account and none of that could fill the void in her. My heart goes out to her family and loved ones.
Suicide is an act that I’d never take but I’ve got no judgment. None at all. That kind of attitude goes against what I was raised to believe which is that taking your own life is the ultimate sin. In the church, you’ve got to give it God and tell the pastor what’s wrong. Depression is routinely treated as a bad mood or demonic spirit that the prayer warriors can fix and licensed counselors aren’t really needed. This frame of reference is not an indictment. A lot of people genuinely do believe that if you just read the Bible enough and leave it all at the altar, your breakthrough will come. I’m waiting on mine.
I’m just going to be honest. I’m not happy. I’m not suffering from depression or suicidal but I’m just not happy. There’s a gulf of space between living your best life, going through the motions and wanting to end it all. I’m in the middle as I suspect most are. I am stuck in place where I just wake up, shower, put one foot in front of the other and watch as the days blend into one another. There are many frustrations weighing on me and I’ve fallen to my knees in prayer because that’s what I’ve been taught to do. At times, it seems like a chore born out of guilt. I’ve lost count over how many times I’ve been told that I’m just not praying hard enough and that God would’ve heard me by now if I were really trying. Even cutting my hair seemed to have some Satanic implication if you let some people tell it. I guess it’s the same devil that possessed me when I was 19 because I liked a guy who was 27. I’ve been laughed at for seeking the help of professionals because what can they do that God can’t? That if he brought you to it, he’ll bring you through it. That you’re being tested and he only uses the strong.
Even DMX thinks so. I went to my first concert in January and pastor X gave a few words of wisdom. In his own way of course.
I share all this not to mock my faith but to let it be known that there is no shame. You can love God and still step outside the church for help. None of us really has all our shit together. I don’t.. My struggle isn’t the same or severe as the next person but we’re all a bunch of Effie’s. We’ve all got pain.
My friend, LaJaneé Scott (IG @_lajanee_) has one of the most larger than life personalities that I know and she’s been open about her experiences. Her recent Facebook post is raw, to the point and worth sharing.
Depression is so real & is completely different from sadness.
Depression is a state of mind, dark place, a lost place. Sadness is just a damn feeling.
Depression is literally like walking around w/a weight on your body that makes you weep in silence. No matter who calls, you can’t shake it.
You can’t fuck it away, drink it away, spend it away, or run it away. It’s like a gnat that won’t go away.
With sadness, one person calls & you’re instantly not sad anymore.
I talk about depression & anxiety a lot (y’all know this). People really gotta stop acting like folks can just snap out of it or have enough money to not suffer from shit.
Therapy is good. Therapy is great & it saved my damn life.
Y’all can keep on playing w/shit & act like you gon’ ‘pray everything away, if you want to.
Better take yo depressed ass to a therapist after you pray. Suicide attempts are real.
Stop discounting people & telling them to talk to God. They also need to talk to a damn therapist & possibly need medication.
Kate Spade was depressed & used her own scarf to hang herself. I’m sure somebody told her to not worry about it (her issue).
It feels like I’ve already put too much out there but we’re all holding something back from view. Ego and pride won’t let us share what’s stealing our joy. It’s just easier to keep up with the Jones’ of Facebook; sharing smiling pictures and moments in time. I’ve done it and have become quite at an expert at it. I won’t use Facebook as my own personal diary but I will upload photos that often seem like I haven’t got a care in the world when I know the truth; there’s nothing behind my eyes. I’m just there in body.
I’ve been carrying a lot of pain and the load is getting easier. There used to be a time I never wanted anyone to know that I was a victim of sexual abuse. I couldn’t even speak the words. I went to therapy for a year and talked about the weather or my grades. On the very last session, I wrote a note to my counselor about what happened to me as a child. Restoring myself emotionally, mentally and spiritually has not been an easy process but I’m fortunate to have people that care and are prating for me. I don’t take it for granted at all but also know that it takes more than that.
Check in on your strong friends; the ones who always seem to bear the burdens of everyone else and are always there. They just might be tapping into their reserves for that strength. Take the time to really ask and mean it when you wonder how someone is doing. I’ve had folks tell me that I’m far too nice. Some don’t deserve it but an act of kindness can go a mighty long way for someone who may need it. If I’m quiet, it’s not because I have nothing to say. I’ve got so much to say but it’s hard to say the words and I know I’m not alone in that feeling.
If you are having suicidal thoughts and need someone to talk to, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number at 1-800-273-8255 and the Crisis Text Line is 741741.
In the realm of daytime soap operas, not much makes sense. Granted, that also applies to real life these days but reel should have no reason to be so devoid of logic when it’s intentionally scripted. For The Bold and the Beautiful, the greater offense is not living up to its name. It’s no longer bold but rather boring.
As I write this, Steffy is currently delivering her baby. Myself and other viewers may as well be in labor too, enduring the Liam Spencer hour. Every show, script, character and story revolves around him. The thought of it makes me want to scream, have someone take my hand and wipe the beads of sweat from around my forehead. Steffy will be holding baby Kelly in her arms next week but what about this Stephanie? I shouldn’t have to be in pain watching one of my favorite shows circle the drain because Brad Bell and creative only want to xerox dialogue.
The truth may hurt for those at CBS reading this but this is a safe place.
Credit: Google
Let’s talk through this. If I didn’t care and know Bold could do better, I’d just wait for CBS to put the serial in the endangered species listing. I don’t want to speak of Brooke Logan in the past tense. I want to still be able to trash my favorite love to hate slut from the valley but we’ve got to be honest about where the show is now.
William J. Bell and Lee Phillp Bell’s creation premiered in 1987. Naturally, it will show its age but the cast includes Heather Tom, Don Diamont, Scott Clifton, Rena Sofer, Karla Mosley, Jacqueline MacInnes Wood and original cast members Katherine Kelly Lang and John McCook who anchor this ensemble about fashion and drama. So many heavy hitters and the material just isn’t there but yet every few months, a big name is added. Ingo Rademacher was hired as a recast Thorne and I still don’t know why. Yes, the Forrester spare has spent many years in the basement but surely not enough time to develop an Australian accent. Kimberlin Brown’s bungled return to her old stomping grounds is such a sin. Sheila Carter has been reduced to serving coffee!
Credit: Twitter
Hunter Tylo made her long awaited return as Taylor Hayes Forrester and instead of letting Sheila know she’s got a bullet for her too, it’s all about Liam. Taylor should’ve been the first to tell Steffy that no man is worth the stress and sanity but old habits die hard. She’s still competing with Brooke, but this time over whose daughter gets to be the leader of Liam’s harem.
For a show that is set against the backdrop of California and the shenanigans in fashion, it’s so regressive. It may as well be the era of the 1950’s where people are stigmatized for having kids out of wedlock and just freely enjoying sex without condemnation. The traditional family structure is important but it’s not the only one that deserves recognition and women will not herd cats if there’s not a man around. Steffy’s character has become such a cliché, obsessing over a man who proposed to another the second he divorced her. She is named after Stephanie Forrester dammit! Steffy should’ve put his shit in a box to the left because that is who she is, not defined on anyone else’s terms but her own.
Instead, Steffy cries in every episode over Liam and behaves like a victim of her consequences. She and her father in law had sex. Regrettable but not rape. It also doesn’t make her the town punching bag and Brooke’s virtue signaling is so out of character. She’s been married to all the men in the family and should be jealous and proud that a new generation has learned from her. Even when Brooke wasn’t a vixen stealing any man she so desired, she was a force to be reckoned with as a chemist and businesswoman.
Hope should be Brooke’s prized pupil. The lovechild of Brooke and Deacon showed no growth after living in Europe. She just had to have Liam back. Let that hurt go. There’s nothing wrong with being single or just living up to her heritage. Hope could’ve assumed the mantle of “slut”, sleeping with whomever she chooses because she can. Or she could be invested in her career. Instead, she came to town humming George Harrison’s “Got My Mind Set On You”. It’s a catchy classic but “None of Your Business” by Salt N Pepa knocks too.
Sadly, we can’t have nice things. Everyone’s got to be married on this show and marching down the aisle. The cast can do so much more than be gloried extras in a David Bridal infomercial. The endless weddings on this show have to be sponsored.
Bold is only a half hour show and there’s but so much time to go around. Just make it count. Amber and Rick’s romance with some Usher thrown in there took place during the Brooke/Ridge/Taylor heyday. Macy and Throne’s relationship, Sally Spectra scheming to take down Forrester and Maya’s transgender reveal were stories that got rotation without sacrificing the ensemble.
Stephanie Forrester, portrayed by powerhouse Susan Flannery, certainly polarized the canvas during her reign. She used to be the standard, driver of stories and also supported. The writers knew how to weave her larger than life presence without bludgeoning the audience. Stephanie infuriated, could read with the life force of Whitney Houston’s best shade moments and crossed the line many times. So many times but we were ride or die for her. I loved that woman. I still do. So much strength infused her bones and it was every scene. Susan always clocked in for work. That’s not an opinion either. She’s got those four Emmys on her mantle as proof.
There’s such a void that’s been left since Stephanie’s character was killed off in November 2012 due to Flannery retiring. For me, it’ll never be filled but Bold still doesn’t have to feel so empty.
