Latin music, celebrity donations

Well I really haven't thought of much to seriously speak about lately, so I'll stick with a few light thoughts.


I noticed that Mr. Marc Anthony and wife will be doing a somewhat biographical film due out next year. This should be quite interesting, as I like Mr. Anthony's music and acting. And he is a Nuyorican... like me. So that is a big bonus to me. His choice in a wife, as expressed by his current, is another matter but he is happy so what does my opinion matter?

One thing that does matter is the amazement that constantly surounds the music industry in the U.S. when any form of music that isn't in english does well. Given that there are several ethnic populations within the U.S. it shouldn't be surprising. Considering 'Hispanics' (I don't like that term) are the 2nd largest group in the nation and that spanish is the 2nd most popular in the world, it really shouldn't be a surprise. And the 'Latin Explosion' or whatever the exact term was back a few years ago was silly. You would think there was never a popular 'Hispanic' musical artist selling well in the U.S. before (Santana, Julio Isglesia, Gloria Estefan, Ruben Blades, Jose Feliciano and many more).


On another front is the news of Mr. Denzel Washington making the largest donation ever to Winter Assistance for Rocky Mount program. I enjoy seeing when movie actors and other celebrities give to worthy causes that they believe in. Too few do so. Or make charitable acts. Like when Mr. Samuel Jackson was on The Daily Show, and spoke about how he helped the Hurricane Katrina victims he encountered personally. He also mentioned how (as I recall) he helped Mr. Tommy Lee Jones feed hundreds at a cookout. [Mr. Jackson mentioned in the same interview that he feels direct help is better as donations get spent everywhere first leaving little to actually help people with - ie the 'guy who buys stamps']

Many artists of various types and fields of focus, often do events in honor of ____, with proceeds going to that cause. I hate them. While We Are the World, Live Aid (the first) and maybe the first Farm Aid were are helpful, and unique the rest are much less so. Much like the money wasted on providing some New Orleans victims residence in luxury cruise ships (at 3x the cost of a seven day cruise), funds from these events is wasted on every hand involved. Paying for television time, cameramen, organizers, security, lights, grip work, commercial sponsors, ect. All that must be paid for... Oh, and the entertainers too, as most do not forgo their fee to support the event.

Why can't Artists just donate their time or money or both to a cause they believe in? The excuse of 'everyone will line up for a donation' just doesn't work. These are famous and well-paid movie actors, sports stars and other celebrities we are speaking about. They already get people lining up for handouts. You think Ohpra doesn't get solicitations every day from some group or another? Or Puffy Combs? Donating to a truly needy cause or helping them directly (and at no cost) just helps people, it doesn't hurt the celebrity. As a bonus that most don't talk about, donations are tax deductible. And before anyone says, but they do it annonymously... most can't. Why, because its easier to go to Mr. Shaquille O'Neal and say Mr. Michael Jordan just gave X, can't you at least afford to match it. Once you tell one person a secret it stops being one. So most of the time if you don't see a donation from an artist, but you do see a big event with part of the proceeds donated, then you can conclude they haven't given anything but they did recieve.

But as for Mr. Washinton, again I say it's nice to see a celebrity make a donation to a worthy cause they believe in.

All of this are my thoughts, what are yours?

Minorities, Television and 27 percent

27. That number is a huge statement. It represents the percentage of the population of this nation that is Black/African American and Hispanic combined. That is a large number. Many of the people this number represents are concentrated in metropolitan areas throughout the nation. Those population centers, such as NYC, L.A., Washington D.C., Gary Indiana, and others are huge hubs for broadcasting and help determine what gets on television.

Yet it is interesting that broadcast television, and the cable networks overall, seem to believe that portraying the nation as virtually all white is more accurate. This is only slightly better than the portrayal found in movies in general. Why?

Not only is the lack of diversity to be found on the screens but behind them as well. As noted by the Multi-Ethnic Media Coalition, changes have been made but it could be much better. Minority writers, directors and other support for the shows pale in comparison to the national figures. In 2003 the NAACP reported that only 41.8 million dollars was spent on minority provided services and goods by the reporting broadcasters (the next announcement by the NAACP is in Juanuary and the only data I could find was from '03). That number is for 3 major broadcasters who spend over a million dollars per episode for strongly rated shows, or significantly more depending on how much each lead actor recieves (ie. each member of Friends, Seinfeld, and as I recall the lead of Fraiser recieving 1 million per show). Why?

All of these figures and data fail to include the impact of television commercials in this data. Part of my views on television commercials targeted to minorities can be seen in my comments on Burger King. The virtual absense of hispanics and asians is absurd. The way that I feel, Black/African Americans are given second class status in commercials and it is maddening.

The facts taken in total make a profound statement, that is seen and felt not only in the US but also throughout the world. Broadcasters appear, in my opinion, to state that any non-white is relatively unimportant. That no attempt at providing quality programming targeted to these groups is required or of practical use. Perhaps it could be summarized as 'the less seen the better'? That offends me.

The characters portrayed on television are more than just mindless figures. They are, in the best of shows, figures of inspiration and mirror feelings we have ourselves. How many young girls are inspired by seeing Ms. Geena Davis as the president of the United States? How many 'geeky' or 'nerdy' kids are motivated by the actions of Mr. William L. Petersen's Gil Grissom? And what motivation or inspiration is being given to non-white children/adults?

Who are the women, and the show, of Desperate Housewives trying to connect with? I mean that as a fantasy what are men to think? And how are women to feel? That only white slender women can be sexy? (Sex and the City also comes to mind on this point) I haven't seen the show {I only watch the original CSI, Law and Order, and the West Wing} but this is what I get just from television commercials and news releases.

Movies are even worse. Only white males can be leads in complex, quality, widely distributed movies. While Mr. Terrence Howard proves this wrong, take a moment and count the total number of major studio films {and probably independant films can be included} released this year. Take out the number of movies with black leads. I doubt the comparision will be anything close to 27% or even 12.9% (percentage of Black/African Americans). So what is Hollywood also saying to the world, that will see an even more narrowly targeted group of these movies. This is interesting when it can be estimated that Whites [defined as Non-African, non-middle eastern individuals that are catagoriezed as Caucasian, and includes Spain] are not the world majority, nor close to it.

Basically I am annoyed. Annoyed that broadcasters and movie studios continue to ignore and shun "minorities" in all aspects. That television commercials treat non-whites as immaterial, and yet expect us to purchase their goods. That the attempt to reach for more in life is not an idea to promote to non-whites. And most of all, too few even notice that this is happening and say nothing when its told to them.

This is what I think, what about you?

DMX, Murder Inc. and others in the news

Elvis wiggled on Ed Sullivan, Jerry Lee Lewis married his 14 yr old cousin, the Beatles smoked pot and protested Viet Nam, Ozzy Ozbourne bit the head off a bat. What does this have to do with anything? Well in reading some news I ran across a bit on DMX and this on Murder Inc.

Now in my posts Rating Rappers in Movies, Thought from previous days and More old thoughts I have addressed various points that I disagree with pertaining to Hip Hop culture and Rap (including the entertainers themselves). So my predisposition is noted, and I do not intend for Black Entertainment Blog to be a anti-rap site. I do enjoy pre-'91 rap music, mostly. I think that Tupac had potential to really say something. I find some of the lyrics by Emminem to have strong meaning. But I cannot sit by as the majority of Black culture is warped by what I can only refer to as criminals-waiting-to-be-arrested.

I mentioned some other entertainers at the start of this post and this is why. At the times that the above acts were done they created outrage. Scores of parents wrote letters or phoned in objections to the above actions. Demands to have these individuals dropped from their contracts were lodged, and in some cases arrests and civil penalties were enforced. This group I mentioned are a mere drop in the bucket, but I feel represent the nature of the actions of their respective times and genre. None were destructive blatant criminal acts (well perhaps the Ozzy incident).

Rap and its performers are another thing. Besides the rampant adoration of drugs, gun violence and degradation of women that is directly stated in every video and song, we have the performers actively engaging in criminal acts to help boost their careers. DMX getting a 104 mph speeding ticket is not a big deal, compared to smashing into a gate and impersonating a federal authority at Kennedy Airport. You try that and see how long you get locked up for, not a fine and probation. Even with such forgiveness he continues to blatantly break the law and the fact that he can easily afford someone to drive him while his liscence is suspended makes it worse.

Murder Inc. is slightly different. Comparisions to Suge Knight do come to mind, but as the article mentions knowing a criminal, and/or doing legal business with one, is not a crime. Yet I must disagree with Mr. Russell Simmons when he states "Poverty and ignorance is more of problem in our community than convicting our poets", when the poets commit and then glorify their crimes. I feel little sympath for individuals such as 50 cent, Suge Knight, Lil Kim and (sadly) many others. It seems to me that the poets are perpetuating and reinforcing the ignorance that can be found in the Black community for the end of gaining wealth. While ignorance is the lack of knowledge, these individuals and their ilk are obtuse in my opinion.

Black entertainers are no different than any other. The fact that many have had difficult lives and many challenges does not infuse them with the right to do as they please. Moreso having abandoned the street/thug/ghetto in their personal lives (many living lives closer to the suburban or upper income, especially in regards to their childrens' upbringing), it seems almost deceptive that they continue to propagate images of the virtues of a lifestyle that never gave them any of the success they enjoy. Responsibility, discipline and punishment for criminal actions should be applied to them as they do anyone else.

This is what I think, what do you think?