race & politics
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Dressing Vs Stuffing, Decided
I wasn’t even aware that people referred to stuffing as “dressing” until…shit, I don’t know when. Maybe I was 13 or 21 or something. Either way, I’d been on Earth for a while before I ever heard that shit. Apparently, as I learned on VSB yesterday, there are people who had the exact opposite experience.…
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Michael Jordan Fires Shots, President Obama Claps Back, Says "I Actually Do My Job, Bitch"
It’s very possible that MJ and Obama are chopping it up in some private back room at Burgatory right now, smoking blunts and drinking cookie dough milkshakes. Again, this is very possible. But, after seeing the jabs they’ve been giving each other for the past week, it might be a bit colder in Chicago than we…
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The Problem With Girls Like Lena Dunham
There are a lot of reasons not to like Lena Dunham. The way she’s chosen to cast Girls isn’t one of them. Dunham is one of those people most folks either love or hate; she’s seated squarely in the cross hairs of many writers of color. Personally, I don’t really care for her writing, which is…
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The Black Movie Solidarity Struggle
“Pizza is a lot like sex. When it’s good, it’s really good. When it’s bad, it’s still pretty good.” I discussed this quote with one of the homies, recently. We both agreed that it’s bullshit logic. If I’m not mistaken, the point of the pizza and sex is pleasure. It’s expected to be pleasurable. So,…
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My Street Harassment Story
I was in D.C. around this time last year for a screening of our TV pilot. We (my now wife and I) drove down from Pittsburgh that day, and made it to town at around five. Since the screening was at 7:30, we had a couple hours to spare, so we stopped somewhere on U Street to…
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On Seattle Quarterback Russell Wilson Not Being "Black Enough"
1. The Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman is Black. I assumed he was with a last name “Freeman,” but I had to google to confirm. I did not, however, google Freeman’s bio and background, so I’m going to assume he has some Black family members, Black friends, Black acquaintances, Black neighbors, and possibly even a Black…
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Why This Kid's YMCA Membership Card Pic Is The Blackest (And Cutest) Thing We've Ever Seen This Week
1. He’s shooting a jumpshot with the form people use when they want to mimic shooting a jumpshot, even though that’s no one’s actual jumpshot form. Basically, it’s a “We Fly High” (Ballin’) video jumpshot. This is Black. 2. Even though this is a pretend jumpshot with pretend form, his smirk clearly lets you know…
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Why The "Unmasking" Of Viola Davis On HTGAWM Is The Blackest Thing We've Ever Seen This Week
1. Because Blackness, in its essence, is about innovation and creativity born out of circumstance. It’s assigning practical solutions to less than ideal situations. It’s the perpetual shifting of an imperfect paradigm. It’s how soul food was created. It’s why ball players from Chicago are traditionally adept at getting to the hoop because it’s too…