Questions for the Zeitgeist- August 28, 2006

1- Prince definitely rocked in his 'Sign O' the Times' movie, 'Rockers' was great, 'Dave Chappelle's Block Party' was completely FLY. But isn't 'Grace Jones: A One Man Show' (released in 1982!!!) STILL one of the most visually-forward, ahead of its time concert videos ever produced?

2- With her first 2 solo singles making it into the Top 10, and her CD landing at the top of the Billboard charts, is LeToya Luckett having HER "Destiny Fulfilled" or what?




2a- LeToya's alleged ex Slim Thug and Bun B appeared on the track and in the video for Beyonce's "Check on It". Letoya did a track on Slim Thug's debut CD and Bun B appears on LeToya's debut CD ("Tear Da Club Up", produced by Jazze Pha, who also produced Beyonce's "Ring The Alarm" remix). With this "ONE degree of separation" between the ladies, what's next? Is it possible that NY Giants free safety Willie Demps (who played LeToya's love interest in her first video "Torn") will find himself playing a lead role in Beyonce's next video?

3- Is Jody Watley poised to make the ultimate comeback with 'The Makeover'? By the Way, how fly is her re-make of Madonna's 'Borderline'?

4- He has interviewed Hip-Hop's movers and shakers as well as R&B chanteuses. In a bold move, he has followed in Carson Daly's footsteps and become an executive at pop culture giant/video king network MTV. He is well respected throughout the music industry as a whole and represents for the "dirty backpack crew". The REAL RE-edit respects his hustle, but...(as recently lampooned on Aaron McGruder's "The Boondocks) we must ALSO ask...what the HELL is under MTV VJ Sway's hats?


5- Word is there is a proposal out there to bring McDonald's to the Rikers Island prison system here in NY. So, will visitors be able to sneak in a nail file camouflaged in the special sauce of a Big Mac? Or will prisoners start asking their families to put a supersize #1 in their commisary?

6- "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin is killed by a stingray barb that pierced his chest while filming an underwater documentary. Live by the sword, die by the sword?

7- Where is pioneering rapstress Bahamadia?

8- Is JonBenet Ramsey suspect John Mark Carr scarier than Jeffrey Dahmer?

9- Raphael Saadiq gave us solo efforts and Lucy Pearl. Dwayne Wiggins was quintessential in bringing us the quintessential girl group Destiny's Child. What happened to the THIRD Tone from R&B trio Tony, Toni, Tone?

10- Janet Jackson endorses Hillary Clinton for President. Is the election over now?


Another Jackson rounds out our FLASHBACK segment this week. Anyone Remember...REBBIE???

Questions for the Zeitgeist- August 12, 2006

1- Jay-Z and Beyonce aside, isn't the summer's hottest collabo REALLY Cham and Alicia Keys on "Ghetto Story Part 2"?


2- Naomi, who has been working like a rant-mule while still walking top shows at 36 years old- an absolute rarity in the modeling world- hasn't had a Vogue cover since August 2002. Linda Evangelista basically retires from modeling and becomes a woman of leisure concentrating on AIDS charities. So how did a PREGNANT Linda end up on August's Vogue (the first "model" on the cover in over a year), while Naomi hasn't commanded a real American cover in years? hmmm.....








3- Speaking of which...With Naomi still working nonstop at 36, Christy Turlington lured back into the modeling world at 37 courtesy of a Donatella Versace campaign (as well as returning to be the face of Maybelline once again after doing it TEN YEARS AGO!) and Linda shooting for Stefano Pilati at YSL (in addition to being ensconsed on the cover of the fashion bible at age 41), could the supermodel troika affectionately referred to in the 90's as "the trinity" really be making a comeback?

4- Iraq, Lebanon, Israel, England. Indonesia. Sierra Leone. Has the world gone fuckin' CRAZY?



5- Where is the "Pamela Anderson of video ho's", the first video vixen to become a household name (thanks to Jay-Z's 'Big Pimpin', Ja Rule's 'Holla Holla' and DMX's 'What Yall Really Want' videos)- "murda mami" Gloria Velez?

6- Jerry Rice, this is YOUR FAULT!!! Who's ready to see 3-time Super Bowl champ and NFL Rushing leader Emmitt Smith compete on the new season of "Dancing With the Stars"?

7- How, exactly, is one supposed to dance to Christina Aguilera's whirling-derbish of a new single, "No Other Man"?

8- While not necessarily the best singer,


hasn't Ciara blossomed into a beautiful young woman?

9- For those that watch Keyshia Cole's BET reality show "Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is": how REAL is Keyshia's sister, Neferteri?

10- Who told Busta Rhymes that he could steal 50 cents' body? While we're on Busta, how slick was it to shoot the video for his latest single, "In the Ghetto" (which features a Rick James sample from his song "Ghetto Life"), and include Rick James' daughter Ty? Who even knew Rick James HAD a daughter?






11- A litle morbid but...since things ALWAYS happen in threes...
First Ariel Sharon's health declines forcing him into the hospital back in January(and currently having been diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs), and most recently Cuban dictator Fidel Castro's deteriorating health that no one will confirm or deny. Who will be the THIRD world leader to fall deathly ill? Could it be...Osama Bin Laden?

12- Cable network Bravo has been VERY gay-friendly in their programming, featuring among their lineup "Queer Eye For the Straight Guy", "Boy Meets Boy" (and some would say "Project Runway" and Kathy Griffin's "My Life on the D-List"!!). With a gay version of "The View" (being produced by Joan Rivers, of all people!) in the works, is Bravo trying to give the Logo channel a run for their money?


13- Given that her last album "Concrete Rose" bombed on the charts and her movie "John Tucker Must Die" followed a similar fate, what is Ashanti going to do NOW?

14- Now that he has reportedly knocked her up a SECOND time, will Puffy FINALLY propose to his stunningly beautiful model/girlfriend/Jennifer Lopez stand-in Kim Porter?

15- And now, our FLASHBACK...Doesn't pioneering female rap duo Finesse and Synquis' video for "Soul Sister" look a LOT like Salt n Pepa's "Push It" video?

All aboard Noah's Arc...

Not many things in the last year have stirred up as much dialogue in the black and latino SGL/fag-hag/clued-in metrosexual's life as much as the first season of the controversially groundbreaking series "Noah's Arc".

Deemed by some as "Sex and the City meets Soul Food" by others as the best thing to happen to gay TV since "Will and Grace", the show has also seen its share of setbacks, criticisms and controversy. Even though Patrick Ian Polk, who is black, is the (HNIC?) Creator, Executive Producer, Writer, Director and-we suspect- stylist, word is that protests took place by some in the black community because of the lack of people of color behind the scenes. Even within the black GAY community, some in the 'gayblackblogosphere' attacked it as an unrealistic portrayal of black gays and accused the show of being "watered down" to appease a more, shall we say, 'general' audience. Yet and still the show powered on, winning the allegiance of countless fans black and white, gay and straight and in-between. With its sharp wit and sometimes surprising casting (and the fashion! don't forget the fashion!), it has spawned a number of online fan clubs and yahoo groups.

Controversy aside, many without the LOGO channel included in their cable package (you know, the underprivileged!) as well as those who live and die by the show scrambled for DVD copies of the series' first season when it was offered online at logoonline.com; so much so that it resulted in backorders of up to a month in some cases. But, be rest assured, young campers! That has been resolved as 'Noah's Arc' has gone into general release! Now, for a few ducats you can pick up the hotboy runaway hit at Best Buy, Circuit City, Target, et. al, starting last Tuesday August 8th...

Not since seminal offerings like the late Marlon Riggs' "Tongues Untied" and Polk's first onscreen offering, "Punks", has there been anything out there that addresses what it is like to be unapologetically black, gay, and trying to make it in this world. Up until now, black gay men on the big and small screen have tended to be relegated to minor somewhat one-dimensional roles (think Lamar on the Revenge of the Nerds franchise), or as ONLY vogueing trophy-chasers (in the classic Jennie Livingston documentary "Paris Is Burning"). Although some still argue that the story of the black gay diaspora is not a monolith and can't be told through one lens, 'Noah's Arc' addressed issues of gay/transgender/masculine identity, the black church, HIV/AIDS, adultery, gay parenting, commitment-and all in THE FIRST SEASON!

Wednesday, August 9th at 10 EST beckoned the second season of this sure-to-be-cult hit. Patrick Ian Polk, Daryl Stephens, and Jensen Atwood were gracious enough to hold court on the eve of the series premiere at Splash here in NYC for a promotional stop in conjunction with Ballroom Rockstar magazine. You KNOW The Real RE-edit went, right?

And now, the REAL RE-edit...




Never been one to jump on the bandwagon, but, yes, Jensen IS a handsome cat...


"Noah" and Patrick vaseline their teeth and smile for the flashbulbs...

Some of the gay zeitgeist were also in attendance. The ever-ubiquitous Keith Boykin was shouted out by Noah's Arc star Daryl Stephens. Event promoters Nathan Scott and Nathan Williams were making their rounds. Pioneering designer b. michael joined the gayborhood on stage. Oprah show producer Patrick Riley clinked glasses with his clique at the bar. The most versatile turntablist I know, DJ Bladerunner, came through. Also on hand were cute-boy-next-door-slash-filmmaker Maurice Jamal and transgender diva Tyra Allure.




Damn-near-naked blatino go-go boys, the premiere of the first episode of the second season of Noah's Arc a full 24 hours before it aired on cable, hot boys left and right, hot girls right and left. What more could you want?

Noah's Arc...continued!!!

Guess who's meeting the cast of Noah's Arc tomorrow?

That's right...The REAL RE-edit!!! Stay tuned for details, photos, soundbites, observations...:-)

Questions for the Zeitgeist- August 3, 2006

1- Let's talk about the cyclical nature of fashion and trends. Doesn't D&G's somewhat homo-erotic, nautical-themed fall menswear collection and accompanying ad campaign feel amazingly like Jean Paul Gaultier- FROM, LIKE, FIFTEEN YEARS AGO?!!!??? Or like John Bartlett TEN YEARS AGO??!!!!

  

  



2- Foxy Brown may need to bow down to the "Illest na-na" of them all. Paul McCartney's wife of only two years, Heather Mills, stands to rake in (courtesy of a non-existent prenuptial agreement) half of his estimated $1 billion dollar fortune. Does she REALLY have a $500 million dollar "kitty box"? Or is she the real "Ultimate Hustler"? OR... is she the REAL 'Sal Bonpensiero' (think about it for a second, you "Sopranos" fans!)



  3- Are BAPE and Greedy Genius paying royalties to the person at Nike who designed the hip-hop staple Nike Air "Uptown"? Did they at LEAST send him/her a "thank-you" note?


4- I'll take "Black Musicals" for $1000, Alex...First Dreamgirls, now David Alan Grier and Wayne Brady are set to star in a Broadway-bound production of The Wiz. "
  
Do you think they'll ask Desiree Coleman to consult for a revival of "Mama, I Want To Sing"?

5- Ashley Simpson has facial reconstruction to eerily resemble older sister Jessica. Will she now have the "Jennifer Grey syndrome", where she can't be taken seriously because she looks LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE?
  


6- Wasn't the recent episode of "Inside the Actor's Studio with James Lipton" -which featured Dave Chappelle as the guest- the FUNNIEST, most compelling, honest, thought-provoking program to hit the 'boob tube' in a LOOOONG time?

7- After the "Passion of the Christ" hoopla and most recently the alleged Anti-Semitic remarks made in the wake of his DUI arrest, will the Jews finally make peace with Mel Gibson if he attends an upcoming Yom Kippur service (which focuses on atonement)?

8- Why the F&*^*(K is it soooo HOT?!!! With the heat index at 105 and Con Edison asking us to reduce our power usage (?!!!), is New York City actually HELL ON EARTH this week or what?

9- OK, who is going to see Samuel L. Jackson's latest, "Snakes on a Plane"?

10- Did Madonna's rise to popularity in the 80's kill Jody Watley's and Cyndi Lauper's careers?

11- And for our FLASHBACK...didn't life seem sooo much simpler back when THIS was the only Miami Vice (and South Beach) that we knew?