Just My Thoughts People

Charmed

photo: VH1

I commend Mo’Nique for her attempt to rectify the mishaps and behavior of young women, especially the young black women.  Admittedly, I was not going to watch Charm School when I first began to see the promos and commercials for it.  Although I religiously watched the debacles that were Flavor of Love and I Love New York, I refused to turn my attention to a show whose focus was on changing the lives of those involved in the highest rating shows on VH1.  Go figure. 

Charm School was in its third week before I actually sat down to watch it and turns out, it was much better than I expected.  My initial thought was that Mo’Nique doesn’t really want to fix these misled girls; this is just another spin off to capitalize on the spawns of Flavor Flav.  Instead what I realized was that she is giving them life lessons that they should have learned while growing up.  Kudos.  Week after week, the girls embarked on new adventures and life lessons that were intended to empower them and help them to make wise decisions, sensible decisions and to behave in ways that show that they do, indeed embody some form of common sense.  Granted, a lot of them didn’t get it and it will take much more for them to understand the ramifications of their actions and lifestyle, but she did manage to change quite a few of them.  I was surprised to see that Leilene made it as far as she did.  I didn’t really see much improvement in her or maybe I just need to go back and view the episodes again.  Shay (Buckey) endured, but to me it was apparent that she was brought up properly, maybe she was just a little defiant or was just going through a phase of finding herself.  Becky still has a little black girl inside of her (nothing wrong with that) but she also learned that it’s ok to be the white girl that she is. Larissa (Boots), being the loudmouthed spoiled brat that she is, still has a LONG way to go as evidenced in the reunion.  Brooke is still a whore and maybe it is true that white women and black women don’t perceive sex/oral sex/making out in the same way.   And much to my surprise, tears actually formed in my eyes as Saaphyri (Saaphyri) gave her heartfelt speech to Mo’Nique and Shay and won the $50,000.  I found myself being proud of her and happy for her and wishing that more women could benefit from life lessons such as the ones given my Charm School.

I watched the reunion show last night to first of all hear what Saaphyri ended up doing with her winnings and secondly to see what would happen with Shay and Larissa.  Sadly, the scene between the latter two was disappointing on so many levels and just goes to show that some black women still have a lot to work on within themselves.  They didn’t even want Larissa out on the stage with Shay for fear that a fight would ensue.  Finally, LaLa urged her to come out and you could feel that a brawl was on the verge of happening.  But when the two began squabbling with each other, Mo (as they affectionately call her) stepped out and shut it down.  She stated how heartbreaking it was to see that the two former best friends were acting so vehemently towards one another.  Then, while Mo is still trying to talk sense into them, saying how could they behave in such a way knowing that their parents are watching, Larissa disrespects Mo’Nique by telling her to shut up.  Mo got in her face to tell her some more and Larissa’s mother comes out to defend her daughter, which is not wrong at all but damn where you the first 22 years of this girls life when she was wildin out and acting like a child??  I often ask myself what’s wrong with the younger generation today and this is clearly it – the parents.  Why aren’t they raising their children? Why are they depending on others to instill values and morals into them?  Why does it take a village to raise a child, but when that village attempts to help, you discredit and tear down the village?

I say all of this to say that I have a newfound respect for Mo’Nique for recognizing the situations that black people and women are in and for taking a stand and doing something about it.  And for all of those who have kids, just know that your kids will grow up to be the person that you are, they will grow up with what you instill in them.  If you read books and take pride in yourself, so will they.  If all you do is watch videos and go to the club, spending no time with them, they will become a product of their outside environment…

Back Shots are Not the Gateway to Hollywood

I was reading a clip about Melyssa Ford the other day and how she was considering turning down a role in a film by Wendy Williams because she feared being typecast as a slut.  What role was she to play, you might ask?  A mistress who stole Wendy Williams husband.  Although I understood her stance, I had to laugh a little.  For the upcoming movie, "Three Can Play That Game," the sequel to "Two Can Play That Game," I heard that she plays almost the exact same role (this may be a rumor as I am unable to find any information on it).  I’m not saying that she doesn’t deserve a good well-rounded role, but for all her screen-life, she has been known as one of the chicks with a big azz.  That’s it.  Nothing more.  I will say that out all of the big booty models that she has made it the farthest in terms of stepping away from the one-sided modeling gigs, but she hasn’t quite stepped her foot into mainstream Hollywood.

One of the few magazines I subscribe to is XXL and it is my favorite magazine of all time.  I read almost all the articles, including the Eye Candy’s.   It amazes me that 95% of them all want to be actresses or anything besides strippers or back-shot models.  Everyone seems to have forgotten that old saying – “First Impressions are Lasting Impressions.”  You can’t begin your life swinging naked from a pole then pop into someone’s corporate office and expect them to see you as an intellectual.  I’m sorry, that’s just the way it is.  And no, this is not a slam against Melyssa at all.  Like I said, I read the clip about her and it made me think of all the model chicks who strive for this same goal.  It’s more of a warning to women I guess. One eye candy tells of her frustrations in turning from a stripper to a model.  She said all the photographers just wanted to take rolls of shots of her butt.  Duhhhh.  It’s hard to see the road that lies ahead but every decision that you make ultimately affects the big goal.  And I’m mainly speaking of black models because this rule does not apply to white models, as a lot of them got their start with Playboy spreads.  But I’ve already stated that Playboy is considered to be a respected magazine and the rules do not apply here.  And this is not a slam against women who pose nude either.  I wish that for these girls there was a publication that was thought of on the same level as Playboy but until then, ladies, before you decide to jump in the latest rapper’s video, consider your life goals and how that may alter your plans…

Just for laughs…

http://king-mag.com/online/?p=3027

Don't Think, Just Do

Four simple words, one simple phrase that I jacked from a kiddie show on Nickelodeon.  Think about it - your friend tells you of her/his plans to go back to school, or to start a new business venture and proceeds to say but what about the money, but what about finding the time, but what about a million other things that could possibly affect this decision. Remember when we were all teenagers and we were so uninhibited and took chances without thinking of the consequences??  How many times did we sneak out of the house to go to some party we had no business at, or how often did we sneak on the phone at midnight to chat endlessly about nothing.  We weren't scared of anything and we were determined to go out and do whatever it is that we said we were going to do. Why can't we be like that in our twenties and thirties?  Why can't we say "I'm going back to school" and just leave it at that?  The longer we ponder on the 'buts' and the 'what-ifs', the more likely we are to not pursue our dreams.  Start speaking life into your words.  The second an idea comes to mind, act on it.  DON'T THINK, JUST DO.  The idea came to you for a reason, didn't it????????