Jennifer Marie Brissett

This is one of the funniest skits I have ever seen on television. It’s been years since it was on the air and it’s still damned funny. [via Shadow and Act]

It was genius of Wayne Brady to completely flip the script on his perceived personality while opening up whole new regions for him as an actor.No one should doubt the multiple talents of this man ever ever again. And I completely agree with him when he responded to the Paul Mooney joke on the “Chappelle’s Show”—“White people like Wayne Brady, because he makes Bryant Gumbel look like Malcolm X” --

I get offended from a bigger level, in the fact of black people, we are one of the only races that I feel, if someone is judged as not being black enough, no matter how well they’re doing, the thought isn’t, “Hey, look how good that brother’s doing, and he represents us, and if he can get in that door, we can get in that door.” People take it to be, “Ugh, look at him. He only got there because white people put him on. Listen to how he talks. He’s not hard, he doesn’t do this, he’s a square.”

It’s happened to me, too, and it’s offensive and hurtful. Look, whether anyone declares me black or not I’m gonna be black. Nuf’ said.

Back In The Day by John Jeremiah Sullivan is the kind of article that I really wish there were more of in the world. One where the author does his homework and doesn’t reduce his subject to cliches. He doesn’t over praise or over slam MJ. He tells you a narrative that illuminates the subject with enough nuggets that I found myself constantly checking the internet to look for more. Nuggets like MJ’s first song was “Blues Away” and that his son is named after 3 generations of men in his family on his Mother’s side named “Prince.”

Sullivan also had the sense to ask the question: just how did Michael’s voice not change? He noticed that Michael’s voice is actually deeper at age 13 than it was at 30! This suggests a kind of control that most, including myself, have never noticed. He was the lead singer of a major band, the Jackson 5. The changing of his voice would have represented a huge loss. But somehow MJ was able to control this. How? I did hear the rumor that one time MJ’s real voice slipped through later in life. I think that would have scared the pants off of me to hear a deep Michael voice after so many years of the high pitched childish voice he used.

MJ was an artist, an enigma, and a star. He was misunderstood and ridiculed. But he also was a kind of genius. MJ played a part, a character for the world to see. He entertained the world using this character and charmed millions. But in the end, he may have played that part too well.

“Soul Train” creator Don Cornelius shot and killed himself this morning. I’m completely shocked by this. We lost a real icon today. How many Saturdays as a kid did I spend boogying on down listening to my favorite bands on his show? I couldn’t tell you. But he gave me something in my lonely little world that I can never repay. I will miss him deeply. RIP

Here he is dancing for the first and only time on the “Soul Train” line. Check out his moves! Go ‘head, sir!!

Glenn Danzig of the Misfits is interviewed about his book collection. He looks like a creepy version of Keith Partridge. I can help but like the guy. Hey, he does seem to be a book lover! I remember seeing a blog post on the New York Times blog a few years ago. I thought I’d share it here. Enjoy!