Friday, May 25, 2007

The Deconstruction of 'Smokey'

(In keeping with our every Friday look at "Friday": Today's treat: "Smokey")


"No sugar? DAYUM. Y'all ain't never got two things that match. Either y'all got Kool-aid, no sugar. Peanut butter, no jelly. Ham, no burger. DAYUM. "



One of the most loved characters in black cinema surfaced in 1995 in a modest-budget movies created by a rapper filmed in 21 days.
The cult classic "Friday" catapulted the sayings of Smokey (played by a comedic Chris Tucker) into the cinematic stratosphere.
But in reconsidering Smokey's character traits, some questions come to the fore.
1. Smokey didn't have a last name? No, "Craig," played by Ice Cube, had a last name. It was Jones. The fact that Smokey didn't have a last name reinforces his role as a scoundrel with no influence of family compared to Craig's "full" family.
2. Did Smokey ever have a job? Smokey didn't have a job yet he ridiculed Craig for having a job — and for getting fired "on yo day off." This, along with the jesterly way Smokey makes fun of "Red" when Deebo knocks him out, combines to make Smokey a comedic yet somewhat unsympathetic figure until the end of the movie where he and Craig's lives are in danger. Some in the black community have criticized the character as being nothing more than a modern-day Stepin' Fetchit but the character flaws in Smokey (the lack of self-esteem, the shiftlessness, and eagerness to do drugs) mimic almost exactly the realities found in many of the urban areas of the country. Even though some positive attributes gradually surface (Smokey did have a car, but it was a backfiring put-put) his actions seem to trap him in a negative cycle of poverty without actually lamenting the fact. Smokey, unlike Craig, appeared to have a strong fatherly and motherly influence, while Smokey's mother — as seen by the bamboo curtains in his house and pro-smoking nonchalance she displays — is herself seemingly an addict (who cusses him out).
3. Smokey was "the bad influence" in the film. Smokey's entrance early in the film can be seen as an antagonist against Craig's workman ideal to keep a job and not do drugs. Smokey, after much whining and sulking, gets Craig to smoke on his front porch and before you know it, they smoke the entire day. The film's pro-marijuana message can be pinned solely on the lips of Smokey, and the film makes him out to be the neighborhood dopeman, but without all the bling and flossings that have come to glorify the dopeman figure since the mid 1990s.
4. Smokey was the clown, Craig was the straight man. Like Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin, Chris Tucker and Ice Cube play off each other with comedic genius. The fact that so many fans want to see the duo reunite is a testament to the chemistry onscreen that seemed to carry the film to cult status.
5. Smokey was a drug dealer. And to top it off, he was the worst kind of drug dealer, one who got high on his own supply. This characteristic made him the quintessential loser of the film. Even a crackhead, "Ezal," played by Anthony Johnson is redeemed late in the movie when he scores clothes from a neighbor, and still later when he is seen cheering for Craig to beat Deebo. Smokey, on the other hand, was a "hype," and is seen as being addicted to marijuana. What compounds his indulgences is that his supplier Big Worm is expecting a big payoff from the weed Smokey is supposedly selling for him, but instead Smokey smokes it throughout the day Friday. This could possibly be a metaphor for the "loser" mentality of drug users and how — despite their best intentions — they trap themselves in drug debts and destroy their lives.
After production wrapped and the movie was screened, Faizon Love, who played "Big Worm" in the movie, implied that Chris Tucker was not too pleased with the editing of the film. As one scene was playing, Love said Tucker said "that's f--d up." His displeasure, coupled with his change of morality due to the profanity of "Friday," and his next film "Money Talks," led Tucker to turn down any other "Friday" sequels. It was reported that Tucker had a change of heart about the negative stereotype that "Smokey" presented when he became a born-again Christian. After "Friday" and "Money Talks," Tucker signed on for the "Rush Hour" franchise with Jackie Chan, and increased his salary to $20 million per film. New Line Cinema would have to pay $20 million for Tucker to appear in another "Friday," which seems unlikely.
6. Is Smokey ever rehabilitated? The film ends with Smokey telling Big Worm that he's "going to rehab," as a way to put a positive ending on to the tale of Smokey. And even in "Next Friday," a line by Craig Jones says as much. But the end of Smokey gives way to the rise of Day-Day, Craig's cousin. By starring in the next two "Friday" movies, Day-Day (played by Mike Epps) steals the show with his physical comedy, and continues to play the clown to Ice Cube's straight man.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Master P blasts back at 50 Cent


Well, it seems 50 Cent bombed first:
The New York artist was asked by reporters about toning down rap lyrics in the wake of the Don Imus controversy.
When Master P, who is among those who have agreed to drop the vulgarity, was used as an example, 50 laughed, saying: “Well Master P doesn’t sell CDs anymore.” “You can tell him I said it. Cameras is rollin’ right?...Curtis, June 26.”
Well, somewhere in the southern Louisiana, off Interstate 10, you could hear a soft rumbling, "Uuuuuughhhhh," from the P man himself.
Roused from his hip-hop hibernation, "Ghetto Bill" wrote an open letter to "half-dolla":
Master P’s open letter:

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

LSU to PETA: Rickety-ROOWWLLL!!!


Animal rights activists are urging LSU not to replace Mike V, the university’s late Bengal tiger, with a live animal.
True to Louisiana character, LSU has told the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to stuff it.
Afte the Fighting Tigers lost the bengal mascot Mike V, PETA has been urging LSU to use a human mascot — not a live tiger — like the university has done for more than half a century.
LSU officials say they'll have none of it.
“The live tiger mascot has been part of the LSU family and community for 71 years, and we will be getting a Mike VI,” said Ginger Guttner, spokeswoman for the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, which is leading the process.
Not only will they actively look for a new tiger, but they want to have it in place before football season, where the Tigers will face the perenially bragadocious Auburn Tigers at home as well as Florida Gators.
But PETA aint giving up, they say the university's 15,000-square foot santuary won't cut it.
“It doesn’t come close to providing a tiger with the space that they need and doesn’t allow them to exhibit any natural behavior,” Wathne said. “There are many, many traditions that have gone by the wayside and this should be one of them.”
But if Tennessee, Alabama, Florida and Auburn can't bully LSU, then don't expect PETA to either.
“LSU stands behind its treatment of its tigers,” O’Keefe said.
Not to be outdone, PETA officials say the captive tiger is akin to imprisoning a human.
“Very few of us will choose to live in prison with the hope of extending life,” the PETA official said.
But yet, PETA wants LSU to have a human mascot and put him in the cage instead?! Hmmmm. I don't get it.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

The Rise of Funk — and its New Orleans ties

It's kind of natural, that it'd all begin with Dick, if you know what I mean. New Orleans was the place, and the 1940s was the time. Blues was still the prevalent music for black folks. Rock and roll didn't exist. What did exist was "New Orleans" R&B. This subgenre of Rhythm & Blues was typified by rapid-fire playing of the piano and holy ghost wails from the vocalist. Richard Penniman aka, Little Richard ventured down to Nola to get some of this vibe when he ventured into a studio in the crescent city. What Little Richard did was validate this artform and bring it to the masses. It later solidified and crusted into "Funk," which we all know about today.
The recipe — which is basically a gospel base with one part New Orleans R&B, one part European electro, one part blues, one part LSD — got its start right here in the Big Easy. Now, RUN TELL DAT!
Follow the chronology like so:

1. Little Richard comes to New Orleans for studio sessions. He fuses gospel leanings with "New Orleans R&B," a furious piano style and horn style. In between sessions, he sings a song called "Tutti-Frutti, Good Booty." It is changed to "Tutti-Frutti (aw, Rutti)" and becomes his first hit.
2. Little Richard gets "this new cat," James Brown, who is influenced by him, to come to Macon, Ga. (along with Bobby Byrd). They both perform "R&B".
3. Little Richard tours Europe.... shows ropes to "4 British boys" : Paul, George, Ringo and John. Mick jagger opens for Litte Richard (and Bo Diddley) in Europe. (The Beatles open for Little Richard as well).
4. James Brown hires bass player named "Bootsy Collins," for his band, The JBs (with also includes saxophonist Maceo Parker, who starred on all of the solos in the band's biggest hits).
5. Bootsy later moves to Detroit to join a Motown song writer by the name of George Clinton, in a band called Funkadelic. Clinton, the self-described "Prime Minister of Funk," started recording under Motown with a doo-wop group called the Parliaments. They would eventually morph into Parliament/Funkadelic.
6. A young, prolific musician, Jimi Hendrix, plays guitar for Little Richard's touring band, The UpSetters, for a short time. Psychedelia hits America (recreational use of LSD explodes).
7. Rick James moves to Motown, and after his band aspirations expire, becomes a staff songwriter, writing under the name Terry Johnson. Later Rick James records a solo album of pure funk.
8. An outrageous funk band, Sly and the Family Stone, emerges in the 1970s, led by a bass player who introduces the "slap technique," and spawns a genre of disco. His name is Larry Graham.
9. Prince opens for Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones in 1980 and Rick James in 1981. Prince with his best albums driven by funk, spawns the "Minneapolis Sound," heavy synth bass, pop percussions and melotic cords.
- Prince joins Larry Graham in the mid-1990s and the two join with Maceo Parker to create a more understated funk.
- Who has the funk now?

In Case You Missed It ...

Helping N.O. is an American obligation


recovery czar says louisiana needs birth control


pentagon rejects post-katrina command plan


obama fakes Southern accent to gain support in Baton Rouge

Friday, May 18, 2007

'You know I wouldn't trip'


"It's Friday!


In commemoration of this beautiful day, I thought I'd have some fun and give you the funniest scene from the funniest movie of the last 15 years. "Friday."

(Pooh steps to neighborhood bully, Deebo)
POOH: Can I talk to you for a second?


SMOKEY: Ohh, s--t.


POOH: Pop's tripping, man.


He want me to ask
for my bike back.



You know I wouldn't trip.


DEEBO: What bike?


POOH: The Beach Cruiser...
the one I let you use,


the one I been asking you about.


DEEBO: Oh, that bike.



I didn't know
you wanted it back, homie.



It's right here.
Follow me, homes.


POOH: Yeah, it's just like
it's both of ours.


We just keep it
down at my house.


PAYOW!




(Deebo riles back and knocks the s--t out of Pooh.)
Aw, s--t!
Whoo!


(Kids cackle)


DEEBO: That's my bike, punk!


(Smokey runs over to Pooh, leans down and says ...)
You got knocked the f--k out!


(Pooh's father hurriedly gets out of the car.)
DEEBO: You want some of this,
too, old man? Huh?

(Pooh's father runs up to Deebo, then thinks better of it.)
POOH'S FATHER: No!


Get off your ass
and get in this car.


Boy, I don't know
why you come here


messing with these people.

Hurry up!

(END OF SCENE).
Read the entire "Friday" script right here.

A few of Louisiana-born StarBlacks!



Anthony Mackie from the famed Mackie clan of New Orleans, has made a name of himself in acting. After attending the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, he hopped to Jilliard in New York, the Bayou boy took bit parts in theater before making it to the big screen in such slept-on gems as "She Hate Me" and "8 Mile." Look for him in 2008 in the feature length film, Jesse Owens.


The lovely Lynn Whitfield, Last Page she of an affluent Baton Rouge family, has been giving that seductive glare and pointy-chin with smile. After early work in theater she made her big screen debut in "Doctor Detroit," and would find mainstream success when she beat out 500 other actresses in the casting lead for "The Josephine Baker Story." She would later return to her roots in "Eve's Bayou," where she plays a controlling wife and mother, which is what she also what she plays in Tyler Perry's "Madea's Family Reunion" . In a career that spans 30 years, she is definitely repping the Bayou right!


Winton Marsalis, the second born of the musical Marsalis brood in New Orleans, is the definitive jazzman of modern music. He, and he alone, has trumpeted — literally and figurately — a return to the traditional jazz sound while casting aside "new cats" that would tarnish the pure stuff with "fusion," and, lord forbid, hip-hop. Marsalis has lived in New York for most of the past 2 decades but has never stopped returning to his stomping grounds in the Crescent City, the birthplace of Jazz. Here's to you, Winton: Play dat thang, boi!

Homegirl Claudia Hayden is definitely doing her thing. Hailing from Baton Rouge, she is one of the bright creative stars in none other than the Big Apple. Daughter of the late, great artist and world renown sculptor Frank Hayden, Claudia has fed off her heritage to compose music scores, abstract art and many other artistic endeavors.
She's 26. He's 22.
He's a Saint.
She aint.
Okay, okay. That's not fair. Anyway, this is old news, but I wanted to have some fun with it. We all know Reggie Bush is crushing Kim Kardashian of Ray J. sex tape fame and of Nick Cannon fame (Honestly, who wants a woman after Nick Cannon?). Well, Bush and Kim met through Paris Hilton and Bush’s former USC teammate, Matt Leinart. But I just wanted to help my boy navigate through what is surely a "fairly worn" field. Woudn't want my boy to get "smurf-toe," ... or, I mean "turf-toe."

Monday, May 07, 2007

Russell's first week on the job


ALAMEDA, Calif. -- JaMarcus Russell had a few nerves at his first practice as a Raider last week. Then that moment came. You know, the moment when you know he's going to be a beast in the NFL. Number 18, a receiver with fleet feet, took off across the middle, but had a man all over him.
POKOW!
Russ dropped back and rifled a pass through tight coverage that hit fellow rookie Johnathan Holland between the 1 and the 8 on his jersey.
Af the Oakland Raiders' first practice, even the veteran players were impressed.
"I think that kid, 18, is in there getting a rubdown," defensive tackle Warren Sapp said. "[He] caught that square-in, I bet he's got some markings on his chest. If nothing else, we're going to learn to catch with our hands or somebody's going to the hospital for some trauma. That kid's got a live arm so let's have some fun with it."

All was not perfect for the No. 1 pick though. Russ managed to fumble two snaps from center, overthrew Jerry Porter on a deep route and plain jacked up some short throws. Still, come September, we'll all "Raise One for the Na-tion."

OTHER JAMARCUS LINKS:
Teammate Sapp slims ... fast
Russell starts at bottom

Friday, May 04, 2007

Ice Man returns


Percy Robert Miller, better known as "Da Ice Cream Man," aka, "Ghetto Bill," aka, Master P, has announced that he will re-release his album "Ghetto D", in a 10th Anniversary Edition. This is the album that gave the world "Make 'em Say Uhhh," along with "Weed and Money," and of course, the title track. The 1997 LP sold over 3 million copies at last count. The 10th Anniversary Edition will include four bonus tracks that were previously unreleased. 
Ghetto D: 10th Anniversary Edition will be released on May 8th thru Capitol/Priority/No Limit Records.
 
Tracklisting: 
Disc 1: Original Ghetto D
 
 1. Ghetto D w/ C-Murder, Silkk the Shocker
 2. Let’s Get ‘Em w/ Mystikal, Silkk the Shocker
 3. I Miss My Homies w/ Pimp C, Silkk the Shocker
 4. We Riders w/ Mac
 5. Throw ‘Em Up w/ Kane & Abel
 6. Tryin 2 Do Something w/ Fiend, Mac
 7. Plan B w/ Mia X
 8. Weed & Money w/ Silk the Shocker
 9. Captain Kirk w/ Fiend, Silkk the Shocker
10. Stop Hatin w/ Fiend, Silkk the Shocker
11. Eyes On Your Enemies w/ Silkk the Shocker
12. Make ‘Em Say Ugh w/ Fiend, Silkk the Shocker
13. Going Through Somethangs w/ Big Ed, Serv-On
14. Only Time Will Tell w/ Mac
15. After Dollars, No Cents w/ Silkk the Shocker
16. Gangstas Need Love w/ Silkk the Shocker
17. Pass Me Da Green w/ C-Murder, Prime Suspect
18. Come And Get Some w/ C-Murder, Prime Suspect
19. Burbons And Lacs w/ Silkk the Shocker, Lil’ Gottie
 
Disc 2: Previously Unreleased or Unavailable Bonus Tracks
 
1. Weed & Hennessey w/ C-Murder, Silkk the Shocker
2. Scream (Previously Unreleased) w/ Silkk the Shocker
3. Playa For Life w/ Rappin 4-Tay
4. Make ‘Em Say Ugh (Instrumental)

Our boy, Avery, gets sent home


"We'll just see how everybody responds," Dallas coach Avery Johnson, Louisiana native and Southern University alum, said Wednesday at Oracle Arena, after his Dallas Mavericks squeaked out a gut-wrenching win in the 2nd round of the NBA playoffs. Ole Avery is a homeboy (Lutcher, La.). We're all proud of him and we thought this was going to be the year. Alas, Johnson and his Dallas Mavericks got eliminated Thursday night by the Golden State Warriors in a thrilling series. Johnson faced his mentor and the friend, Don Nelson, who groomed the ex-point guard to succeed him as the Mavericks coach after an eight-year run in Dallas. But in the end alot of people say too much pressure was on Dallas' star, Dirk Nowitski, who failed to deliver.

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Illusion ... or slight of hand?

President Bush said Saddam had WMD. And the American people bought it. There are several reasons for this.
A. The American people are largely uneducated
B. Reinforcement conditioned the American people to believe.
C. Bush painted an illusion
CLICK HERE and tell me it aint so.

Militia on Burbon?


NEW ORLEANS -- Besieged by crime, French Quarter businesses and residences are in the early stages of setting up a loosely run militia.
The area is already under the strict watchful eyes of the National Guard, Louisiana State Police and the New Orleans Police Department.
Citing violence against women and unsafe streets, the organizers are calling on French Quarter business owners, residents and supporters to chip in funds in increments of $100 to $50. See story here.

HIV in Louisiana: Playing it safe




2007 should be the year of WIUOTWFO (Wrap It Up Or It Will Fall Off!). Louisiana HIV cases are increasing. Since we have a big French influence it shouldn't be a big shock to get the point of these ads in France, which shocked people into seeing what a big risk it is these days to "slip up (or down)" with somebody. The full statistics are scary, but below is just a breakout of what's going on in the Bayou. As a matter of fact, uh, and a matter of public health, I will take it upon myself to explain to you how a random conversation should go with a person you just meet at a bar, club, library or even your place of worship:
Me: Hello.
Attractive person: uh, hi.
Me: I saw you over here looking at the menu.
Attractive person: uh, yes, I'm just seeing what I'll order.
Me: Uh, I don't mean to be so straight forward. Uh, have you thought about condiments?
Attractive person: Condiments?
Me: Oh yes laud! Condiments, you see, make the meal.
Attractive person: You mean like, jelly, or ketchup?
Me: Well, the jelly seems to work, but i've never used it. Latex probably is your best bet. Ketchup? You may want to stay away from anything red ... if you know what I mean.

OR, you could try something like this:

ME: Hello, there.
Attractive person: Hello.
ME: you showl is pretty.
Attractive person: (wierd stare)
ME: Protect ya neck, BIIIIOTCH!

Or, probably this:
ME: What's up
Attractive person: Nothing
ME: Well, actually that's not true, BUT, I've got protection. And to be honest I've got this stuff that adds 15 minutes to my endurance.
Attractive person: What did you just say?
ME: Oh, um, I said, I just saved 15 percent on my insurance.
Attractive person: Oh, okay. Let's do it!

Seeeee? It works, and of course, I was "safe" about it.
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