- Assata Shakur - I wonder what it has been like for her to live in exile for so long and what she thinks of the U.S.- Mel B - Why in the heck was she with Eddie Murphy?
- Dennis Kucinich - I think he is the Presidential candidate with the best ideas. So why is he unelectable?
- Condi Rice - I would like to find out if she really believes in what she has been asked to do and been a part of.
- Marion Jones - Marion didn't give any real insight into why she did the things she did while appearing on Oprah yesterday. I have questions!
- Debra Lee - I want to ask her why she hates Black women. What did we ever do to her?
- Dick Cheney - I think Dick Cheney is the most powerful person on earth. I want to find out what makes him tick.
- Queen Latifah - I just want to ask her why she still takes so many bad roles in films, I mean really bad.
- Lauryn Hill - So much talent and so many problems, I wonder what she thinks of herself.
- Alicia Keys - Alicia seems so distant. I'd like to know the real Alicia.
Who did you find fascinating in 2007?
15 comments:
I heard an interview and performance from Lauryn on non mainstream media and she sounded normal. I also went to the concert in Brookly which was not that great. 20 years from now people are still going to say that Lauryn is the greatest of her generation.
She is the only fascinating celebrity b/c who decides to quit when they are at the top?
I don't think Queen has that many options, no black actress does.
Did you know Debra Lee went to Harvard? What did she learn?
And Alicia is not interesting anymore her clothes are boring now and she always sings the same love songs, nothing interesting or profound.
I heard a rumor that Debra Lee is actually half asian. I have no idea if it's true or not, but might shed a little light on things if she was.
id like to go hunting with mr. vice president LOL
"Assata Shakur - I wonder what it has been like for her to live in exile for so long and what she thinks of the U.S."
I've often wondered the same thing.
Well, MDC, we don't hear that much over here about American public figures, apart from the politicians, but one person who fascinated me was Hugo Chavez. Is he the great saviour of Venezuela, doing great things for the poor and dispossessed, or is he a dictator who wants to take over the country for his own ends? I read opposing opinions every week and I just don't know the truth - I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
I also heard a talk (here in Belfast) by an amazing socialist doctor Susan Rosenthal of the University of Texas. She has written some brilliant analyses of the destructive effects of capitalism and how it creates a huge sense of powerlessness in ordinary people.
Also, thanks for flagging up Assata Shakur. I knew nothing about her and the story of her Black Panther activities and long exile in Cuba. As you say, I wonder what it's like to live in exile for so long?
Great post! I find Obama fascinating. I'd like to know how it feel not knowing who you can trust, this is America.
Beyonce. (Don't tell Amber) But, I found Beyonce to be quite fascinating in 2007.
MDC, I know you shut off your cable, but the Sundance Channel produces a show called Iconoclast where they pair two celebrities from varying genres interview each other. This season one of the episodes featured Alicia Keys and Ruby Dee. It was really interesting and Alicia seemed to let down a but of her guard. It was very interesting.
BK,
Yeah Lauryn is very interesting. I'm not sure how normal she is these days though. What ever is going on I just hope she's okay.
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Miss Web,
I haven't heard that she might be part Asian. I don't think that would necessarily explain anything though.
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Torrance,
Lol, just make sure you don't forget the Kevlar.
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Nick,
Mr Chavez is pretty interesting. Have you heard the rumors about Naomi Campbell and Hugo? Supposedly they are dating. Lol Seems unlikely but you never know!
Assata Shakur's story is very interesting. I read her auto-bio; a lot of crazy things went on in the late 60's/ early 70's.
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JJ B,
I actually find Mrs Obama more fascinating then her husband. Lol
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Lisa,
No way!! Lol Why? She never says anything remotely interesting.
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Mango Mama,
Wow thanks, maybe I can find that on dvd.
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It is Ehav again back with a few questions for you? (smile)
Why do you feel Alicia is distant? What do you see as different about her now compared to before?
I agree with one of the previous commenters. I don't think any woman in the movie industry has a load of choices in roles. This is especially true of African American, Asian, and Latino women.
In terms of Debra Lee. I don't think she actually hates Black women. What I do think though is that she like a lot of people are proud capitalists. It is kind of like when read in comic books or movies and you have bad guys. I tend to think villains don't see themselves as evil. They may think that their view of the world is rational.
So for example with people like Debra Lee, I think they see things like this. This is looking at it from her perspective.
1) I am in the entertainment industry and this is a business.
2) My goal is to increase the company shares and make the company as profitable as possible.
3) My company has a market that is currently profitable so this is good for business.
4) There are people who support this business model, and profits are not going down because of it.
5) I may not myself subscribe to everything that is a part of the output of the business model, but once again profit is the goal of this business.
6) Sure some people may not like it, but it is business and there are a lot more people who don't have a problem with it.
7) If this business model ceases to make the company profitable, then we will switch to the business model that works.
That is how I see people like this who put out this kind of garbage. They more than likely are thinking about things from a profit margin standpoint. They probably are distanced from the affects of the product. For example, because of the money she has her children for the most part won't suffer the affects of the image BET puts out, so it doesn't bother her one bit. She may even keep her children from watching some of the content.
So in the end, her actions may be those of one who hates African Americans, but she may not see herself in that light. One of those outside looking in situations.
Well, she has an extremely obvious musical intelligence. Listen to her runs and the songs she writes. . . but, then, when you see her in interviews you get the complete opposite. I just want to see the "person" who writes those songs and does those runs.
Remember. . . you can't tell Amber :)
Ehav,
You have a point but Ms Lee knows how many people feel about BET. She knows people consider the programming derogatory. So she isn't living in a vacuum.
I think a person like her needs to have a special king of animosity to create programming like that on BET.
I didn't say there was a difference; I have always gotten the feeling that Alicia was distant.
Whenever I see her in interviews she seems a million miles away. That intrigues me.
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Lisa,
Okay, I'm just going to take your word for it the Bey is interesting. Lol
And I won't tell Amber..(Shhhhh!)
Lol
Assata Shakur is quite fascinating. i've caught a couplpe of her documentary things on YouTube and she is so profound.
People who fascinate Afrodite:
1) Barack Obama
2) America Ferrera
3) Will Smith (How has he stayed so sexy?)
There are countless others bu these are the ones that come to mind.
Afrodite,
I agree about Will Smith. I would like to see an in depth interview with him.
Hey MDC,
In terms of Debra Lee, I guess what I am trying to say is this. Maybe, just maybe it is not a matter of her living in a vacuum. Maybe the issue is that the people who have a problem with the programming of BET have a different moral framework than Debra Lee and all those who support BET. There are obviously enough people supporting BET to make their present business model profitable enough to where they can ignore the protests and such. At least for the moment. I assume when their current model isn't profitable they will change. Kind of like when Coca Cola was being protested because of their business ventures in South African during Apartheid.
Like you are getting at, you would think that a woman in person position would want to try and do a different venue of programming. BET has the ability to change the face of African American entertainment. Yet, maybe she doesn't live in that world view that you are talking about. Just like the artist who do the type of "entertainment" on BET. Maybe these people don't care because they feel like they don't have to. If the money is rolling in, and their basis for what they are doing is money why should they feel the need to change?
One way or another this turns into a moral argument because who decides what is morally right or wrong? I think that if you were in a room with people like Debra Lee you would that you don't see eye to eye on what is morally right and wrong. I think it is as simple as that.
In terms of Alicia. I think you have to consider the pressures of being in the spotlight and trying to do a job. I remember once I was given an prestigious award called the Spirit Award when I lived in Kansas City. I was the youngest person, at age 17, in KCMO to receive it. Prior to me the youngest person to receive it was in their 40's. When the Awards Ceremony came around I was in contact with a lot of the movers and shakers in KCMO. Then the local newspapers started to come around and ask lots of questions. It got to the point where I didn't really like the spot light that all of a sudden got cast on me. I remember once a reporter came to my house when I was washing my car. When he interviewed me I was really distant, and I tried to downplay the whole thing. At the time he interviewed me I felt like I was being distant, but he didn't seem to notice it and he wrote an interesting article.
I was only 17, and I didn't ask for such a thing. The community work I had been doing, wasn't that big of a deal to me. There were people who were doing a lot more than me. It ended up that one of my mother's friends sent in my name when they chose.
One thing I remember about that time was how the spotlight was on me for months until I left and went to college. It was a little scary, because I felt that I couldn't really be me in the presence of such attention. Things that were previously personal to me were no longer personal. Things that were a part of my private nature were no longer private. I also had to be Mr. Youngest to receive the Spirit Award all the time, or else people had things to say.
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