A Different World Today

One of my favorite TV shows years ago was “A Different World,” a spin-off of “The Cosby Show,” which followed the eldest Huxtable daughter to college. The writing was wonderful. The characters were a bit stereotypical the first seasons, but the actors did a good job of fleshing them out eventually. I adored Whitley’s mannerisms and probably still have a crush on geeky Kadeem Hardison.

I remember clearly my favorite episode. It had to do with fireflies captured in a jar. Even after the lid was removed, the fireflies kept banging against the sides of the jar.

This was a show made by African-Americans with an African-American cast for mostly an African-American audience, I presume. The issues addressed were universal.

I can only wonder WHY, 20 years later, we still have this societal race issue. And why is it considered so un-PC, even racist, for a white person to tell those damn fireflies to SHUT UP and FLY.

I think Bill Cosby would have made a better POTUS than Obama.

Furthermore, what do we get for TV shows today? Stoopid crap. “A Different World” dealt with TRUTHS (black Southern Belle Whitley learns her family owned slaves), date rape, domestic violence, AIDS. They did a dance routine one episode that was horrifying and brilliant back then that dealt with the “Mammy” image. Enrollment increases at historically black colleges and universities during the late 80s/ early 90s were credited to this important television program. The show had a message, and it was heard.

What message do people hear today? “You need help. You obviously SUCK and can’t do it on your own. I’m the government – I’m here to help you. Never mind that I have to steal other people’s money to push my will upon you.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3cGgr-Rz-w&NR=1

There She Is…

From Cooter’s Psychology text book, a discussion of causes of anorexia nervosa…

“Winners of the Miss America contest have been getting thinner over the years. Since the beginning of the pageant in 1922, the annual winner of the contest has become taller but is 12 pounds lighter in weight. In the late 1920s, her height-to-weight ratio was what the World Health Organization considers to be “normal” today. But in recent years, Miss America has become “undernourished” according to WHO’s standards. As the feminine cultural ideal grows thinner, women with average or heavier-than-average figures feel more and more pressure to slim down.”

Yeah, old news. Still relevant, though. This whole idea of what is beautiful or what is sexy, I don’t know. I don’t like seeing so many fellow American women overweight and ill. But, I don’t like all the stick-models, either. Why such extremes? (Between reality and the cultural ideal…) There is an ad in the latest issue of the Mensa magazine that does make me smile, though. I don’t necessarily want to buy a Mensa t-shirt, but the ad makes me grin. I think she's beautiful.

It’s a Mad, Mad World

Recently I paid $6 for a newsstand copy of Mad magazine, hoping to recapture once again the irreverent glee I experienced as a kid reading this publication. Oh, the giggles as I flipped through Spy vs. Spy, TV parodies, political digs, and cutting social commentary.

I can’t believe they’re still in business, frankly, with the likes of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert (who looks so much like a young Harold Ramis, the guy who wrote “Animal House” and “Caddyshack,” that it’s spooky!). Well, at $6 a pop, they’re probably on the ropes and soon to be out-of-business if we all don’t hurry to purchase a subscription as Christmas presents for all our friends.

I digress – this full-page “ad” from BP was almost worth the $6. The spoof of Obama as the Wizard of Oz pushed it over the top for me, though. Actually, the piece’s writer tapped into my dreams one night and stole my ideas about witches, scarecrows, lever-cranking, and hot air balloons. Ah, well. Here’s the BP ad.