Coming next month: Spring! It is February and balmy, the perfect weather for Paul the Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania groundhog to see his shadow. But six more weeks of winter? Who cares? New Yorkers have decided they will survive any blizzard, nor’easter or artic cold front Mother Nature has to offer.
Brothas flocked to the streets, tired of being cooped up, determined to pretend the 30-degree weather is a welcomed heat wave. They were everywhere! Checking out the Harlem Opera presentation at the Schomburg, the Nightlife Awards at Town Hall with Phylicia Rashad and Lillias White, the disco group Chic’s 25th anniversary at the China Club, and the Shelter, Body & Soul and Warehouse party with DJ Carlos Sanchez at the Gay Community Center. Brothas donned cashmere and silk scarves for the commune with New York’s fashionistas and up-and-coming drag queens at the upscale pub Morgan’s on Madison. Then darted uptown to Harlem for the gay lounge party at Revival Restaurant on Frederick Douglass Boulevard. Some brothas stopped in at Escuelita Sunday evening to catch Harmonica Sunbeam’s show. She’s on the cover of BlackOut magazine, the publication put out by People of Color in Crisis. Lookin’ fabulous!
Brothas raved about the gospel Valentine show at the John Houseman Theater featuring songs by James Taylor and Ashford & Simpson. Gay queen of soul Sade Pendavis had brothas perched up in Bard’O on Bedford Street in the Village for a Sunday evening of R&B and soul classics. The opening night of George C. Wolfe’s new musical “Radiant Baby” had some of the brothas giving Sister George non-stop kudos and applause. The show is about the 80s downtown artist Keith Haring and features disco, new wave and hip-hop music from that era. Billy Porter brings down the house in a production number set in the Paradise Garage! This show will be this season’s hot ticket, trust me! Black History Month began with brothas stopping in on Parlour Jazz, a Brooklyn brownstone spot where Rochelle Thompson and her trio Jazzrati performed a swingin’ tribute to African-Americans in music.
Despite the flurry of activity, winter took its toll. Brothas disappeared when the temperatures dipped to almost single digits. Colds, flus and stomach viruses caused some to stay in and more than a few quickly firmed up at-minute getaways. Several brothas jetted off the New Orleans for the Zulu krewe ball, another is packing up for a weeklong respite in Rio. Envious brothas rolled their eyes at the travel itineraries of retired brothas able to luxuriate for two months in Puerto Rico, three weeks in Spain. And counted the days until the next three-day weekend. Luckily there’s much to fill brothas’ schedules until then, like the Salute to the Blues concert at Radio City Music Hall that will star BB King, India.Arie, Ruth Brown, Natalie Cole, Angie Stone and Macy Gray, to name a few. “Take Me Out,” starts previews on Broadway and Lavender Light’s winter concert is next Saturday.
Brothas out on the town were talking the talk: Paris Barclay’s “black gay agenda” interview on This Way Out gay radio had us going for a bit, but nothing intrigued the brothas as much as the scandalous WBLS Wendy Williams telephone chat with Whitney Houston. The New York Times calls Wendy’s interview “combative.” We call it deliciously bitchy. Whitney’s fierce tirade had to be constantly bleeped for the expletives and at one point she shot to Wendy, “Who you think you’re talking to, a fuckin’ retard?” Wendy was all cool and calm, going on to ask Whitney about breast implants and commenting that when she lost weight, “you did look like two baseballs on a stick.” The brothas gave the girl two snaps when Whitney retorted, “I’m sure when you look in the mirror, you got some reservations, too. I’ve seen you. I know what you look like.”
After tiring of Whitney, the brothas went on to another news tidbit. The con-man David Hampton who inspired the play “Six Degrees of Separation” is in hot water again. He gained fame for convincing some wealth East Siders that he was the son of Sidney Poitier and eventually served at 21-month prison term in New York in October 1983. This time he was arrested for disorderly conduct, trespassing and resisting arrest at a West 96th Street deli.
And just in time for that feel-good time of the year known as Black History Month, the U.S. Census Bureau bursts our collective bubble by informing us that as of last week African Americans are no longer the largest minority group in America. That distinction now goes to Hispanics (now 37 million), who have edged out ahead of blacks (36.2 million). And it that weren’t enough, brothas were heatedly discussing the CNN study that says it helps to have a “white” name. Resumes with white-sounding first names elicited 50 percent more responses than ones with black-sounding names. Professors analyzed birth certificates in coming up with what names to use. The white names included Neil, Bret, Greg, Emily, Anne and Jill. Some of the black names used were Tamika, Ebony, Aisha, Rasheed, Kareen and Tyrone. With a whole generation of Sheniquas and Shenénés, not to mention Antoines and Maliks, I guess this spells doom for employment prospects of African Americans. Now, I’d like to see someone do a study about the new top minority, Hispanics. What about Maria, Antonio and Hector?
Original Post: 2/2/03
Earn up to $3500/month just by taking simple surveys online!
I tried one of those online survey sites about 4 months ago that
say all you have to do is spend a couple of minutes filling out
some surveys and you will be making hundreds a day..... YEAH RIGHT, I didn't make anything.
I joined 7 of these stupid websites and I actually tried filling
out a couple of surveys on each site and they took forever then at
the end they wanted me to buy things or I couldn't complete the
survey.
These are complete scams so be aware!!! I couldn't believe they
were even allowed to sell such bogus products.
Then about 2 weeks ago I was watching the news and they had some
vice presidents and marketing managers of some major multi million
dollar companies talking about a site that they personally work
with to pay consumers for their opinion, A site that actually just
wants the "average Joe's" honest opinion on products and services
and is willing to pay big money to get them. for more information
clik here: http://take-survey-and-get-money.info
Posted by: spidassusly | December 22, 2011 at 03:19 AM