Rihanna Doesn’t Speak For Me. At Least Not With Her Butt Hanging Out.

English: Rihanna Live at Target Center on her LOUD Tour. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A Dutch glossy magazine, whatever that means,  recently published an article in which it referred to Barbadian singer Rihanna as a Nig**r b**ch.  The female writer who penned the piece has since not only apologized but also resigned from her 8-year post.

Rihanna was understandably not flattered and like all bonafide celebrity, took to Twitter to voice her displeasure.  She accused the paper of being racist and nonsensical in its usage of the English language.  (Even though in her tirade, she forgot that it was not proper to use ‘u’ instead of ‘you’).   She accused the magazine of ‘intent of abasement’.  Rihanna also took the liberty to speak on my behalf, ending her tweet with,  ”On behalf of my race, f*** off!”

I am embarrassed right now.  No, no.  Not because of the nig*** comment.  Such things don’t bother me too much.  That doesn’t mean I condone such racist and derogatory remarks.  I don’t.  I am embarrassed that RiRi elected herself my spokesperson.   Having her speak on one’s behalf is belittling to the person.

Rihanna is not exactly doing too much to uplift her proud black race.  Pardon me but she puts the ‘basement’ in ‘abasement’.  With her increasing erratic and ‘girls gone wild’ behavior,  tweeting topless pics and just recently, tipping $8000 at a strip joint. I am not sure she makes such a great ambassador to any race.  Sorry RiRi!

I am curious about how much Rihanna really hates being called the ‘N’ word since she recently tweeted a photo of her holding a toddler she lovingly refered to as her ‘lil nig**r’.  No word yet on if the kid was offended.  Some of her songs also use the N word liberally.  Maybe it’s just a example of ‘good for the goose’?

So on behalf of all decent women, I would like to say to Rihanna, Gr*w up!

Just my take.

Related:

http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/rihanna-furious-being-called-a-nigga-bitch

http://jezebel.com/5869751/rihanna-does-not-appreciate-being-called-a-niggabitch

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/460508/20130423/rihanna-race-row-calling-toddler-lil-nigga.htm

• Rihanna Shows Off Her Flawless Butt In The Pool – See New Pics (hollywoodlife.com)
• Friday Folly: Who Are You Calling A Ni**er b**ch? Bitch! (funnysideupandscrambled.wordpress.com)

Oscar Falls On His Blades

Last Olympics, I was moved to blog after hearing and watching the exploits of Oscar Pistorius, the amputee who overcame long odds to run with able-bodied athletes.  He was a role model and a hero.  Read blog here.

This hero and role model is now accused of the brutal murder of his girlfriend.  I was shocked and so was everyone who followed this man in the culmination of his dream.  How could he do this?  He seemed so grounded.   But did we know him?  Do we really know the people we make our role models?  Sometimes if we knew what they were capable of, we might be less inclined to make give them that status.

Role models and heroes are humans with the same weaknesses and desires like us.   Just read the papers or watch the news and you will always find stories where a  hero turned into a villain.  Fortunately, not every hero or role model choose to surprise us and end up being charged for heinous crimes or other criminal activity.  There are actually some that we can look up to but we should still never be too surprised when even these show their human sides.

Oscar is no different than the other stories you hear about NFL players or movie stars who kill their girlfriends or their families.  The fact that he is an amputee perhaps lends a ‘feel good’ touch to his story as we see him as ‘different’ but he’s not.  He is capable committing the same crimes as everyone else is.

Oscar is innocent until proven guilty and no matter what the verdict is, he will still be remembered for being the first amputee to compete with the big boys.  If he is found guilty, then he would have basically ‘fallen on his blades’ as far as killing his legacy.

My take.

My Take On Royal Hoax Gone Bad

Punk’d (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sometimes a joke can have tragic or devastating effects when taken too far or when done without a thought.  Last week’s hoax by two Australian DJ’s were one such joke.   Without the grim results, it could very well have been a classic joke to be remembered and laughed about for a long time to come, garnering hits on YouTube and maybe upstaging Gangnam Style.

This morning, I was listening to a call-in debate on the radio on whether the DJ’s, or hoaxers, should be punished for what they did.  The legal ramifications were discussed.  It is illegal to impersonate the Royals, illegal to air a taped recording without the parties’ consent, etc.  So it seems like this has the potential to be remembered but not laughed about for some time to come.

One caller to the radio station was adamant in her stance that the announcers should not be punished.  She saw it as just a prank, not worthy of sentencing.  The female co-jockey was also adamant in her stance that of course they should be fined to the extent of their crime.  She felt laws were broken and therefore, a price should be paid.  Now I had mixed feelings listening to this.  I am not sure if these announcers should be punished.  I think the fallout is mostly because it was done to the Royal Family.  Would it have been some lesser person, I am sure the views would have been less inclined to heap coals on the heads on their heads.

I readily admit that I’m not exactly warm on Royalty.  I couldn’t care less about the sweet Kate and her Royal husband but that’s another blog for another time.  I do think everyone is entitled to some form of privacy but in the same breath, everyone is fair game for a little prank now and again.  (Seen Punk’d?).   Now, it is a sad thing that someone died because of this prank but the nurse, God bless her soul, did not follow hospital protocol.  It was her fault that pertinent information was released, not the fault of the DJ’s. Sorry.  Yes, they probably should not have aired it but that’s the whole point of the hoax.  They just couldn’t keep a copy for private viewing, doesn’t work the same way.  They probably should not have crossed the line and impersonate the ‘Untouchables’, but that’s also the fun of it.  Think of the Salahis, the couple who crashed a White House dinner.  Read it here.  It would not have carried the same punch had it been your dinner that they had crashed, would it?

So my take?  This is a hard one.  I am straddling the line a bit here.  You have to admit that our society thrive on shock value and sensationalism.    We can’t get enough of it, even with so much Reality TV.   YouTube and other media are forever trying to come up with ‘The Big One’.  The hoax or prank that would be the next big YouTube thing.  Get used to it.  On the flip side, I can sympathize a bit with The Family as it was a sensitive time for them and yes, someone did lose their life because of it, unfortunately.  I am sure it was not the intention of the DJ’s to hurt anyone.  Should they go to jail for impersonation?  Well only if Kim Kardashian also goes to jail for impersonating a real actress.

Just my take, nothing else.

Related articles

• DJs behind royal hoax tearfully apologize for ‘gut-wrenching’ death of nurse (with video) (vancouversun.com)
• The end of prank calls? (bbc.co.uk)
• Vancouver DJs halt prank calls after Australians’ royal hoax (vancouversun.com)
• Watch: Royal Hoax Tragedy: Could DJs Be Charged? (abcnews.go.com)
• DJs Behind ‘Royal Prank’ the Real Victims in Kate Middleton Hoax (celebs.gather.com)
• Royal hoax DJs’ first interview: The full transcript (itv.com)
• DJs ‘heartbroken’ at nurse’s death after hoax (itv.com)

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo

No one bothered to tell me about this show before? I had to find in while surfing the web.  No one also bothered to think that this was a bit odd and wrong?  A 7-year old  parading around dressed inappropriately?  And we wonder about our lost morality and values…  And we wonder why there are so many young girls in Hollywood messed up to the hilts.   We promote it with garbage like this.

So I found out that Here Comes Honey Boo Boo is a show on TLC featuring toddler, Alana Thompson and her family.   Apparently, the family gained famed after being on Kids & Tiaras, another exploitation show.  (Oops, did I say exploitation? I meant beauty show).  In its first season, it was one of TLC’s most watched shows.  So there’s definitely an audience out there for that sort of thing.  We both know what they are called, it’s illegal in some states.

In case you didn’t know, HBB’s mom give her Go Go Juice so she could be alert for her engagements.  Don’t be alarmed, it’s only a mixture of red bull and mountain dew, the equivalent of two cups of coffee.  Nothing a precocious 7-year old can’t handle.

Now I don’t know about you, but this makes me furious.  I know it’s not my kid but seriously?  Have you seen pics of this girl and her family?  Worst yet, have you seen pics of this girl?  Suggestively posing in skin-revealing clothing that some, even you, might find cute but I don’t and I can’t.  How far is this exploitation of children going to go?  I know we are in an economic downturn and people are doing anything for money to take care of themselves and their families.  Fame and fortune at any cost is the order of the day.  But please, not the children.  Let them be children.

You know you should quit when your kid tells you they hate being in the spotlight and hate it when fans approach them.   End it now before it becomes  ”There Goes Honey Boo Boo”

 

Hey, if this sort of thing turns your crank and you are a fan of this show, don’t let me rain on your parade, knock yourself out as they say cuz it’s just MY TAKE.

Related articles

• Kris Jenner Wants To Manage Honey Boo Boo – Report (hollywoodlife.com)
• Honey Boo Boo’s Niece Kaitlyn Already Competing In Pageants (hollywoodlife.com)
• Honey Boo Boo Doesn’t Like Being On TV, Hates Fans Encounters (VIDEO) (huffingtonpost.com)
• Is Honey Boo Boo Headed Towards A Meltdown? (997now.cbslocal.com)
• http://herecomeshoneybooboo.wikia.com/wiki/Alana_Thompson

The Dissed Duchess of Doff

English: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, on her first royal tour, visiting Ottawa for Canada Day celebrations. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Royals and their subjects are mad but not rioting mad, over the lack of privacy that saw photos of the Duchess plastered in French and Italian tabloids.  Photogs apparently did not read their memo on Royal privacy.

A photographer or photographers, took some photos of the Duchess of Cambridge enjoying some sun while topless.  (Stop me if that sounded all too familiar).  The photos were leaked or sold to a French tabloid then later showed up in an Italian paper also.  Still sounds familiar?  Well this has turned into a Royal Pain indeed.

I am sorry but I have no interest in this antiquity.  I have nothing against the royal family and think that Kate seems like a lovely young woman and the Queen, a beautifully aging woman but that’s where it ends.  I think that queens and kings have outlived their usefulness and belong in fairy tales.  Plus, it’s a ‘what have you done lately?’ thing for me.

So understandably, I do not see the big deal in making a fuss over something that is becoming quite normal these days, the breach of someone’s privacy.  Of course the royal couple deserves their privacy, we all do.  Even Lindsay Lohan and Britney. (Except when we voluntary do something silly like take nude pics while in Vegas, then we get what we deserve).   Privacy is a scarce commodity, some give it up willingly, others reluctantly and some have it snatched from them.

Kate is a celebrity.  Her and her husband are one of the most photographed couples in the world.  Knowing this, what would make Kate think that a private château was a good place to flash her private?  Even if that resort was listed as ‘private’.   Poor gullible Kate.  You learn from your mistakes.

Should heads roll over this? Of course not!  Did heads roll when her brother-in-law’s Vegas pics were leaked?  It’s the life you live, it comes with the territory. Grin and bear it.  Live and learn, you voyeur you!

Note:  This is just my take.  I realize that we are all entitled to some degree of privacy but in a world where money rules, how many photographers would pass up a big pay-day in the name of respecting one’s privacy?  It’s a sad world folks.

Related articles

• French magazine publishes topless photos of Duchess Kate (newstalk.ie)
• Kate ‘Saddened’ by Nude Photo Scandal (abcnews.go.com)
• ‘More intimate’ Kate Middleton pics exist – editor (nzherald.co.nz)
• Duke and Duchess of Cambridge ‘angered’ by topless pictures (itv.com)
• How The Duchess Of Cambridge Is Responding To Topless Picture Scandal (graziadaily.co.uk)

A Cornball Blogger

Yesterday, I blogged on the issue of  Beyonce being voted the most beautiful woman in the world.  I had no problem with her being thought of as beautiful as she is indeed a beautiful woman, no doubt about that.  She could even be a front runner for most beautiful celebrity.   I have no problem with the honor bestowed on her or anyone else.  Instead, I have a problem with the last three words in the title, ‘in the world’.   I think it is misleading when those three words are used, it is misleading.  Read more on what I wrote here.

I am very argumentative and opinionated so of course I took it upon myself to argue why I thought it was wrong to name the lovely, oh and BLACK Beyonce the most beautiful woman in the world.  My take was that it was not a very level playing field as I am sure the other countries that make up the world did not not send a delegate.  (Is this another example of the USA’s egotistical side?  Everything has to be the best/biggest/etc in the world?).

A few hours after publishing, I noticed that I a reader had left a comment.  I was excited as I love reading comments from readers but my excitement quickly turned to disappointment and a tinge of embarrassment when I read the following posted by one Nanci Lynn.

U R SUCH A LOSER!! Firstly, we all know there are other beautiful woman in the world prob more beautiful than Beyonce and if they put your wife , the girl next door or any of those ebony beauties on the cover someone else would say the same thing you’re saying about Beyonce about them!! Beauty IS in the eye of the beholder but if a publication, who has NEVER put an ALL black woman on their cover decides they want to FINALLY give and black woman props and if THEY feel she deserves that title along with all the other white woman who have graced their pages (i hope you also complained when they were on the cover) than let it be!! How many times are positive images of african americans projected to the world!! They wont even give our wonderful president his props because he’s a black man!! How could a person of color complain at all!! Yes, beauty is skin deep and Beyonce is the one young artist who we never see drinking, doing drugs, sleeping around with different men, gossiping!! She’s always rehearsing, working on herself and everyone that knows her says she has the best heart, character, morals and treats her friends and family with respect and love!! She deserves her title and prob much more!!! Celebrate our african beauty and if u cant give props where due SHUT UP CORNBALL!

At first I thought of deleting the post before anyone could read it and spare myself the embarrassment of being called Loser and Cornball.  Then I thought of responding in kind and throw out a few barbs of my own.   Cooler head prevailed and I decided against either.  I reread her comments and formulated a level headed response:

Must it always come down to being a BLACK thing? I am not taking anything away from Beyonce. I have nothing against her. I find her quite attractive and one of my favorite female voices around. (After Mariah). Giving her the title of the world’s most beautiful is quite a stretch, won’t you say? After all, like I said in my blog, the world is bigger than Hollywood.

And please go easy on the name calling. My blog is called my take for a reason. You could disagree without malice.

Thank you for reading and commenting.

Nanci, if you are reading this, please note that my blog is called My Vuze and I always reiterate that it is MY TAKE and everyone is entitled to their own, without being chastised.  I like to think that democracy is alive and well, maybe I am wrong.  Also note that had Obama been named most handsome man in the world, I would have felt exactly the same, nothing against the Prez.  I have no argument that Beyonce is everything you have mentioned BUT there are others like her around the WORLD who is all of that AND MORE, did they have a chance to compete? Or was this judging open only to American celebrities?

Note:  I looked upthe word ‘Cornball’ and found out that I am either a popcorn rolled into a ball and flavored with molasses, a person who indulges in clichés or sentimentality, a country bumpkin or I am just unsophisticated.   Sadly, I am a bit of each but again, that’s just my take.

 

Related articles

• Beyonce world’s most beautiful woman? (myvuze.wordpress.com)
• People magazine’s most beatutiful woman: Beyonce (examiner.com)
• Dear People Magazine, You’re Wrong For This One (clutchmagonline.com)

Beyonce world’s most beautiful woman?

Beyonce VMA Red Carpet (Photo credit: mp3waxx.com)

People Magazine voted Beyonce the world’s most beautiful woman.  Seriously, who is in charge of coming up with these most beautiful/sexiest/handsome  man/woman/couple/baby in the world?  How is it that the competitors are mostly always American celebrities?  What about the rest of the world? How about the girl next door?  Did they check the jungles of Africa? Last time I checked there were some ebony beauties back there with skin as smooth as silk, no makeup, no weave and no enhancements.  They worked with their kids attached to them, now that’s beauty.

Now on the topic of beautiful, have they met my wife? I think, and not because she’s my wife, that she is not only the world’s most beautiful woman but also person/wife/mother/daughter/friend.  Beauty is indeed in the eyes of the beholder and to me it is more than just a pretty face. (My wife does have a pretty face too).  Based on looks, I see way more beautiful females  here in my city on almost a daily basis. (Not to take anything away from Beyonce as she is eye candy material herself).

Beautiful to me is more than just skin deep.  It is your character, your moral values, the way you treat those around you,  How you are as a mother, friend, daughter, son, wife,  the way you face adversity.  Possessing a good heart.  Independent and not relying on the nanny to take care of your children.  Classy.  These are some of the things that make a woman beautiful.

(I would also question the credibility of the voting as J-Lo was also once voted as the world’s most beautiful woman. Yep, that J-Lo).

It is time to dispense with the misleading monikers like most beautiful woman in the world.   Celebrities have got enough fame as it is.  Put the average Jane or  Joe in the spotlight instead.  There is actually life outside of Hollywood.  So maybe we can say Beyonce is the most beautiful woman in her family? Ok, maybe Hollywood then? But that’s as far as I will go.  Except if it’s my wife because she really is the most beautiful woman in the world.

Just my take,  congrats to Beyonce.

Related articles

• Beyonce : People Magazine’s Most Beautiful Woman (thebuzzcincy.com)
• Beyonce is PEOPLE’s Most Beautiful in 2012 (sooofabulous.com)
• Beyoncé Named The World’s Most Beautiful Woman (now1031.cbslocal.com)

Kirk Cameron has a take too.

After the furor over Kirk Cameron’s anti gay remarks,  I wrote a blog paying respect to him for standing up for his beliefs, popular or not. Read it here.  To quote a bit of Kirk’s controversial statement, he said homosexuality is ‘unnatural..detrimental, and ultimately destructive to so many of the foundations of civilization.”

Kirk, ever a true gentleman, defended his comments yesterday.  He blames the media and especially Piers Morgan for putting him on the spot with such a hotly debated and personal question. (I agree with him there). In his words,  ”I don’t change my feeling about the comments,” he said. “To take some answers, reduce an important and personal and sensitive issue to a four-second sound bite and toss it into a community to start a political bonfire and really upset people you’re looking to protect was disingenuous.”

I still applaud Kirk’s frankness, ( just like I would appreciate your telling me if I smell).  Whether we like it or not, it’s better to know exactly how the people around us feel about us and not assume everyone is our friend and embrace our lifestyle.

I do not have the intestinal fortitude to debate the lifestyle choice of others.  I am not even sure I have the qualifications to even do so.

Piers called Kirk’s statements ‘bigoted‘.  I failed to see that.   In my view, being anti something does not necessarily makes the person a bigot.  It’s just his take, respect it.

 

Related articles

• Piers Morgan Responds To Kirk Cameron: I’ll Let Others Decide If He Was ‘Stitched Up…Or Just A Bigot’ (mediaite.com)
• Piers Morgan Isn’t Having Kirk Cameron’s Victim ‘Moaning’: ‘I’ll Let Others Decide If He’s a Bigot’ (towleroad.com)
• Kirk Cameron Stands Behind Anti-Gay Comments, Blames Piers Morgan For Creating Hateful Soundbite (inquisitr.com)
• Kirk Cameron Clarifies Homosexuality Comments: “I Love All People” (seattlepi.com)
• Kirk Cameron Controversy Keeps Growing: Pains to Defend His Stance Against Homosexuality. (tinfoilhatman45.wordpress.com)
• Kirk Cameron clarifies alleged anti-gay remarks: ‘I love all people’ (digitalspy.co.uk)

The Bachelor Or The Player?

Finally someone else is seeing the reality show The Bachelor for what it really is (The female version is not exempted).  It is a show that is contradicting all the values we try to instill in our children.  It also erodes the very fabric of our society on a whole.

I know that for sensationalism, shows like this feed societal cravings.  We want to see love. We want to see our favorite girl gets the guy even at all cost.  Cost being that he ‘samples’ the other girls then drop them like it’s hot.  In our own soap box, some of us would not accept this sort of behavior from the men in our lives.  We would find it unacceptable. Reprehensible. Sick. Disgusting.

So today, I read with some degree of satisfaction that Barbara Walters has sided with me and slammed the show for what it is, degrading to both sexes and a step back for humanity. (those are my words). Her piece  can be read here.

My take on this whole thing is that we as a society practice a double standard when it comes to what we watch and embrace on television and what we live.  The things we abhor in real life are relished when packaged in a television show.  We fail to recognize that these shows do involve real people with real lives and real feelings.

This show should be called ‘The Player’.

Related articles

• Barbara Walters Rips ‘The Bachelor’ (huffingtonpost.com)
• The Bachelor (caramieandtheboyz.wordpress.com)

The Golden Globes

Last night was a prime example of what’s wrong with our world.  The much-anticipated Golden Globes was on and the Hollywood elites got their chance to show off their wealth and fame while some of us sat in front of our televisions eating kraft dinner and watching this facade.

I watch and enjoy movies and television shows as much as the other guy but that is where all similarity ends.  I do not follow the lives of celebrities. I couldn’t care less what they did and what they named their kids.  As a news junkie, it is sometimes impossible to ignore news relating to Hollywood Stars and that’s how I came upon the story about Modern Family Sofia Vergara wearing 5 million dollar worth of jewelery to the Globes. Five million worth of earrings, necklaces and bracelets!  Seriously, how can you feel good about yourself wearing millions in jewels or clothing for that matter. While parts of our world are experiencing starvation.  Forget parts of the world, parts of their very own neighborhood, the stars parade around showing off their wealth.  Yes I know it’s their money and they can do whatever they want with it but come on. If you have everything and have done everything that money can afford, why not do something worthwhile with what you have left?

Apparently this is nothing new as Carrie Underwood wore $7 Million worth of accessories to the CMA Awards in 2007 and Jennifer Lopez also had jewels totalling $5 million at last year’s Golden Globes. Shame! Shame!

Related articles

• Golden Globe Winners and Losers: Fashion Style! (thehollywoodgossip.com)
• My Golden Globe Favorites (sairasays.wordpress.com)