What would this nation do without Jon Stewart?!? The Daily Show has taken the recent controversy over South Park and its (attempted) depiction of the Prophet Muhammad and turned it into a profound commentary on religious and artistic expression. This segment is smart, hilarious, and delightfully reckless. Plus, the gospel choir at the end of [...]
Archive for the ‘pop culture’ Category
19 Nov
This (Black) American Life
Sometimes I imagine that I am Ira Glass, reflecting on society’s oddities and ironies behind the microphone at WBEZ Chicago, pondering new punchlines to humanity’s oldest riddles, narrating stories with the conversational rhythm of old friends at the kitchen table. To my mind, there is no better radio program than This American Life (and maybe [...]
7 May
TBoH Recommends: SuperNews!
It’s your favorite YouTube viral video meets The Daily Show, or perhaps a South Park version of The Office. SuperNews is a new half-hour animated sketch show on Current TV that features hilarious political, entertainment, and technology satire. It also has one of the best vocal impressions of Barack Obama that I have heard to [...]
30 Mar
TBoH’s Top 10 Villains in Black Popular Culture
Entertainment Weekly recently published an article on the “Top 20 Heroes and Villains in Popular Culture” (both lists can be found here). I’m delighted that my favorite movie hero, Ellen Ripley, ranked #5 and wow, what a nice surprise to see Foxy Brown (#13) featured three spots higher than Jack Bauer (#16) on the hero [...]
26 Mar
“Changing Seasons”
Now the steely gaze of a Female Cop, (too tough to love) will begin to soften and linger a moment longer on the District Attorney’s back. A newborn baby is about to be stolen, but Mr. T is coming by, and the gang has just touched down in sunny Acapulco. Now come the time slots [...]
1 Jan
“You Know I Don’t Mean You”
This week I spent some quality time with Dear Darkness: Poems by the incredible poet, Kevin Young. He draws on his Louisiana roots in this new collection, mourning the loss of family and faith with the characteristic voice of a bluesman. Poems such as “Another Autumn Elegy” are particularly moving, while other verses use images [...]
12 Dec
Lost & Found: For the Santa in All of Us
A few links, videos, and other online ephemera from our favorite sites this past week: TBoH has discovered Twitter! Honestly, though, beyond posting blog updates and reading what others are doing, I still don’t know how to make this high-tech time-waster useful. (Do you really want to know what I’m eating for breakfast?) If you [...]
21 Nov
Lost & Found: Get Up! Edition
A few links, videos, and other online ephemera from our favorite sites this past week: Yes they did: The photographer who brought us Breach of Peace: Portraits of the 1961 Mississippi Freedom Riders has a wonderful series on his blog that features the reflections of the civil rights activists on Obama’s victory. Here are the [...]
17 Nov
Uniqua’s Post-Racial Backyard?
Rethinking the politics of identity is more than just an intellectual exercise when you become a parent. These days, my anxieties about raising a black child with a healthy, well-rounded sense of self has lead me to unusual places and unexpected insights. Take, for instance, “The Backyardigans.”
24 Oct
Lost & Found: Barack O’ Lantern Edition
A few links, videos, and other online ephemera from our favorite sites this past week, including Obama pumpkins!
7 Oct
Lost & Found: Token “Black” Edition
A few links, videos, and other online ephemera from our favorite sites this past week.
13 Sep
Prince Akeem for President
Lately I’ve been wondering how much of my fascination with Senator Barack Obama has been shaped by Eddie Murphy’s 1988 comedy, “Coming to America.”
