culture
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About the Blacks the Marigold Manchurian Candidate Has Been Meeting
For as long as he is president, there will be debate over whether or not black people should be meeting with the Marigold Manchurian Candidate. It’s a question The Root’s political editor, Jason Johnson, recently tackled in the piece “So, When Is It OK to Meet With Trump?” While we are in accord with the…
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Good Riddance to the Worst Show on Earth
“Ringling Bros. Circus Closing After 146 Years” I saw this and sarcastically said to myself, “Oh no! Not ‘The Greatest Show on Earth.’” Top articles covered: the 146 years of “greatness”; the mistreatment, abuse and murder of exotic animals, which led to battles with animal-rights groups; and the too-little, too-late attempt to hire its first…
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Idris Elba Says ‘Pound My Yams’ for Valentine’s Day and I’m So Here for It
So much naughty innuendo. So much sexy. Actor Idris Elba recently posted a video on his Instagram page asking folks to be his valentine. The rub (oooh) is that you have to contribute to a fantastic organization based in Africa, W.E. Can Lead, to win a chance to “pound his yams.” Chile. This whole “pounding…
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Yara Shahidi in Talks for Her Own Black-ish Spinoff
Poised, pretty, polished teen Yara Shahidi, who plays oldest daughter Zoey Johnson on Black-ish, is set to get her own TV show, based on her life in college. Shahidi, who recently shut the internet down with her uncanny redo of a classic Sade photo, is blossoming into an impressive young woman. According to the Hollywood…
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In the Spirit of Living Single, Reboot These Black Shows, Too
During a recent appearance on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live, Queen Latifah revealed that there has been discussion about a revival of Living Single. While some of us were immediately joyful about seeing the return of Khadijah James, Regine Hunter and Maxine Shaw and hearing the phrase, “Put some beans in that oven,” others were…
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A 5-Step Guide to Surviving a Trump Presidency
Barack Obama was one of the most disrespected presidents in American history. He was heckled by a reporter from the Daily Caller in the Rose Garden; he was given a chair lecture by Bill O’Reilly; and a former mayor of New York City said of Obama, “I do not believe, and I know this is…
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Why Black-ish Is Winning This Season
For years there has been a progressive erasure of high-quality black, mainstream television sitcoms. It feels as if, after Family Matters and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air went off the air, the idea of black family comedies went right out the door with them. Though many have tried (My Wife and Kids, Reed Between the…
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Unique Views, Episode 27: #TeamLawrence or #TeamChrisetteNeedsACheck?
It’s here. It’s finally here. President Trump. We don’t have to respect it, but that doesn’t make it any less true. A reality star who hates everyone except white men is president of the country, and the world is in retrograde. We know we said that episode 26 of the podcast would be the last…
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45 Things You Can Do Instead of Watching the Inauguration
Like Maxine Waters and every Negro who does not fool with those who do not fool with us, I will not be watching Sweet Potato Saddam’s inauguration. I would rather be alive during my own cremation than watch a racist whose hobbies include becoming a puppet of the Russian government and grabbing random pussies without…
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What the Hell Happened to Jim Brown?
He used to be one of the most feared athletes on the gridiron, and after he retired at age 30, he took that same toughness directly to the streets. His legacy both on and off the field was one of a tireless worker who wasn’t afraid of contact. He was a modern-day civil rights leader…