Rantings of a Creole Princess

Island Jake

Well?  Did yall watch?  What did you think?  Did Shonda deliver?  

My opinion?  

Scandal Thursday Is Here!

You ready?

Let's talk about "Black-ish."

I watched "Black-ish" last night along with a whole host of other people it seems:  

TV Ratings: 'Black-ish' Opens Strong, Nearly Matches 'Modern Family'

I have been looking forward to the show since I first heard about it because hey...it was going to be on ABC and they have been known, recently, to have good family sitcoms on lock.  I love me some Tracee Ellis Ross, although, she's mostly always Joan Clayton to me.  (Because I am dumb.  I know, I know but Joan was AWESOME.SAUCE!)  I understood the need for a television show with the premise and I just KNEW it would be done smartly.  I was banking on the "Modern Family" audience to watch the show and hoped that smart writing would start bridging some of the divisiveness we still, amazingly, find so prominently in the world we live in.

Take me for instance.  I'm probably not going to be your best "first Black friend."  I can be rude with it and will often remind you how ridiculous it is that you never had a Black friend before you met me.  I mean hey...I'm FABULOUS but I don't have the lock on being a FABULOUS Black woman.  We're all over.  Now...once I break that down to you we are probably going to be amazing friends and you'll probably be enlightened to just how similar we are even though we have different skin colors.  

Take "The Cosby Show."  See...that show worked so well because well...they were simply a family doing regularly family living that just happened to be a Black family.  Things our families found important made their way into the show without there being a big azz sign pointing out things we, as Black people deal with and consider important that non-Blacks don't deal with.

It just worked, you know?  I remember when Dr. Huxtable was talking about charities once and he said that he had 4 kids in college making them have their own Negro College Fund.  LOL!  That cracked me up.  I remember the episode when it was shared that they had to work twice as hard and we all understood where it went.  It was subtle but I think everyone got it and when Mrs. Huxtable went ANGRY BLACK MAMA on Vanessa that time when she had BIG FUN...oh yeah...we identified with that across the board.

But I digress.

I had some pretty strong feelings about the show last night while watching it and I've been thinking about it ever since.  I understand the job of a pilot and hope to make one myself one day.  It is to grab the attention of the audience and not let it go.  Because of this, pilots tend to be chock full of shocker one-liners, etc.  This pilot was no different so maybe, hopefully, the pilot was just that and the continuing series will be what we all hoped it would be.  I long for a family who looks like me on primetime television, (SIP:  Um...you know half our household is White right?  Me:  Say bruh...you know what I mean hell.) and I had high hopes for this one which was positioned just right for success.  I grew weary of watching Black people stereotype being Black.  I was perplexed as to how that child didn't know President Obama was the first Black president. I rolled my eyes clean up out my head at that severance worthy presentation and when Tracee said "If I'm not Black then someone needs to tell my hair and my azz..." lawd...I poured another half glass of wine cuz it was too late to pour another whole glass.  

And this scene?

KILL.ME.NOW. 

(But that skirt Tracee has on though?  YES.PLEASE!  GIMME!)

All that said, I am looking forward to the next episode in hopes that I won't be disappointed.  I refuse to watch it just because they are Black.  I'm too old for that.  It has to be good too.  

I'm not the audience for reality shows and it seems that's the only place we see Black people these days on television and they are something special I'm told.  I was at a framily's house the other night and "Love and Hip Hop" was on in the background.  I heard someone say something about "I know he ain't my man but..." and I asked them not-so-kindly to turn that shit off until I left please and thank you.  I mean REALLY.

So...what did YOU think?  Be honest.  Did you enjoy it?  Will you watch again?

 

Kelsey Grammer and Martin Lawrence: "Partners" on FX

Will you watch?

On Stephen A. Smith...Thoughts?

TV Moms

What television mom is/was your mom the most like?  

Are Victor & Nikki Over for Good???????

"The Young and the Restless" was my mother's favorite soap opera.  She watched it every.single.day and she and her girlfriends and my Aunts would constantly discuss it.  I started watching it here and there, bits of pieces of episodes long enough to know who the characters were.  In college, I learned that lots of people scheduled classes around times their favorite soap operas were on and well, I guess I started watching a bit more of my mommy's favorite show.  I'd record it and watch while winding down for the night and get just as excited as she did.  Well...probably not AS excited mind you...but it was something to do.

It has been years since I've thought of Victor and Nikki.  Well, I take that back.  I was watching an episode of "Gunsmoke" recently and Victor was playing a bad guy and I smiled that I didn't know his real name because he's always been Victor to me.

I was in the grocery store the other day and this magazine was up front and center at the checkout line.  It seriously made me smile.  Victor and Nikki are still going strong I see.  LOL!  That brings me JOY!

 

Did YOU ever watch Y&R? Any of you still watch any soap operas? Do you record them and binge watch or do you catch them daily? Why Victor and Nikki can't keep it together?

Prime Time

For the past couple of weeks I've been seeing bits and pieces of a fight between these two beautiful women.  

For the past week I've been seeing bits and pieces about a pron tape of a couple from the HIGHEST RATED SHOW among the Black audience.

I know you've seen them too.  

Thoughts?

 

"Chrisley Knows Best"

Last night I was watching a marathon of "Modern Family." You know...the first season when it was crazy funny. Once the marathon went off, this show came on. I was unaware of it before last night. I watched 6 episodes.  Robby joined me for 3.

I love Todd Chrisley.  He is my new favorite White guy.

And I don't even get down with reality shows but baaaaaaaaaaaby...this dude's personality BRINGS.ME.JOY!  Some of his sayings?  Old Southern belle STRAIGHT.UP bitchy!

HBO's "Girls" - Hannah and that Green Bikini...Just...NO!

I get it.  You want people to get used to seeing your body without clothes on going about everyday life.  You want people to not blink twice if they see you naked.  I GET IT.  You seem to be in some semblance of nake-id-ity every episode.  WE GET IT!

YOU'RE ALL FEMINISTA AND WHAT NOT!  WE HEAR YOU ROAR GIRL!

LOUDLY!

HOWEVER...If you've worn a bikini all day long...swimming, dancing, cutting the fool, riding bikes, going to the grocery store, etc...and you then sleep in it and walk around in it the next day?  You are nasty.

N

A

S

T

Y

Nasty.  

Nasty.

Everybody else has changed three/four times and you're still in the same bikini.

NO!

I would NEVER eat from Hannah.

AND WHEN YOU PULLED THAT GROCERY LIST OUT AND GAVE IT TO MARNIE TALKING ABOUT IT WAS IN YOUR BACK POCKET KNOWING YOU HAD A WEDGIE THE ENTIRE EPISODE AND DIDN'T HAVE ANY DAMN POCKETS????????????? NO NO NO NO NONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONO!  MARNIE...GIRL...YOU JUST MIGHT BE NASTY TOO IN YOUR JCREW FIT!

I just CAN'T with her.  Just...ew.  

P.S.  I love Shosh.  That is all.

P.S.S.  If Adam isn't going to be on the show can we get a head's up?  Robby only watches for Adam.  LOL!

What did YOU think?

The ULTIMATE Anti-Heroes: Claire and Francis Underwood

“I love that woman. I love her more than sharks love blood.” – Frank Underwood of Claire Underwood

Live Blogging "Being Mary Jane"

Live Blogging "Being Mary Jane"

"Girls"

Did any of you watch the two new episodes?  What did you think?

VCR - DVR

Do you still have a VCR in your home somewhere?  Do you have a DVR?

The Ugly Truth About the Women of "Being Mary Jane"

That green blouse was everything.

I'm really loving Gabby's performances.  

SIP:  I'm trying to unhinge my jaw that there are ONLY two dramas with Black women leads and both the women are KNOWINGLY sleeping with married men and both the shows are written by Black women.  

Okay...moving on.

If you haven't watched and plan on watching...don't read further.

Black women and reality tv...

When will Black women learn that reality television is not their friend?  No matter how lovely a person they COULD be in real life...they're not considered entertainment worthy unless their bitch claws are out.  You can't be sweet and nice and make an impact in reality television...you have to "come for people" to be celebrated.

Why is that okay with so many people?  Why are so many people so entertained by seeing Black women be so damn nasty all the time?  If you knew Black women like that in real life you'd stear clear of their azzes so why is the shit considered entertainment?

Just a vent that it seems folks I've always thought had good sense and were lovely people have to be painted with their bitch light on full blast in order for them to be reality tv worthy.  I didn't watch the show but just watched some clips this morning after reading folks flipping a head gasket over it.  

*sigh*

Did you watch?  What did YOU think?

How to Cancel Cable and Survive!

For the past year, once every couple of weeks or so, I have to listen to The Robinator cuss up a storm about how there is never anything on television and yet we pay a straight GRIP for all the channels of nothing.  

Basically...it takes us about 30 minutes of channel surfing to even find something reasonably decent to watch and it's usually something on the Discovery Channel.  Dude has really started to taking a liking to Survivor Man, Moonshiners and some show about being dropped off naked in the woods.

*BLINK*

I've decided to not look too much into that in the even it means I'm going to have to leave him soon because he's thinking about being one of those crazy out back woods people.

MOVING ON...

What say YOU?

Too far?  Or funny?

Who painted the art in Olivia Pope's office?

The artist is Randy Hibberd. You can find the print here:  Beauty In Blue II by Randy Hibberd

Google Chromecast Review!

Brothers

I love how close Niles and Frasier are on the show.  And Ray and Robert.  It's nice that they see each other so often and share so much.

On television.

LOL!

Is your S/O that close with any of their siblings?  Is it nice?

Mellie and Olivia

Those of you who watch Scandal...tell the truth and shame the devil...how did YOU feel when Mellie...

DO NOT CLICK IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED AND PLAN ON WATCHING!

Bethenny sent for Omarosa...and she came...

They both had points.  

But now it has started folks up racially, of course,  asking can White women and Black women be friends?

Bethenny Vs. Omarosa

Bethenny Vs. Omarosa

 

Well Damn, Omarosa!

Scenario from Scandal...

You're on the sofa with the current guy you're kinda sorta seeing...kissing.

The guy you've decided to break things off with calls.

You answer it cuz he has you whupped.

The current guy you were kissing says something while you're on the phone, loud enough to make his presence known by the person calling.

You good?

Side Piece Jake

You good?  LOL!

UPDATED: Not Wifeish?

I was watching an episode of "King of Queens" recently and Doug and Carrie had an argument.  See...Doug was volunteering at the church to protect the Nativity scene from vandals and another husband was out there doing the same.  The wife of the other husband noted it got colder and brought her husband a heavy coat and some hot soup.  Doug was all like...um...yeah...well...my wife is probably on her way.

Hood Rich

TLC Movie

Are you going to watch it?

So...Kanye huh?

Scandal Review

   

The Queen Latifah Show

Are you guys watching?  What do you think so far?  Does she have a hit?

"BUCKY F**KN' DENT" - Ray Donovan Discussion

Do not read further if you haven't caught up with season one and plan to or plan on watching the series later.  Something went down on this last episode that shook me.  

SHOOK.ME.

And I need to discuss with other folks who watched it too.

Cuz again...I WAS SHOOK!

Saturday Night Live - STILL NO BLACK WOMEN!

Yall know I don't play the race card cuz it's tacky, overused and seriously...it just isn't needed as much as folks try and whip it out.

I've been side-eyeing SNL for a minute now because of the lack of Black women.  I mean...REALLY!  And they know folks have been criticizing them for their lack of Black women too.  And they announce six new people and not one of them a Black woman?  Five are White men and one a White woman.  

COME ON MAN!!!!!  

Like...dude...SERIOUSLY???????????????????

WHAT THE FUG??????????????????

FUG.YO.COUCH.SNL!!!!!!!!!

AM I THE ONLY PERSON WHO IS PUT OFF BY THIS?  AAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

New Course for ‘Weekend Update,’ and All of ‘SNL’ ‘Saturday Night Live’ Setting Its New Cast

 

2014 Miss America Nina Davuluri Bollywood Dance

Did YOU watch? Who was YOUR favorite?

On Katherine Heigl

Yall already know why I didn't care for old girl on Grey's. I'm sure I don't have to say it.

And yeah...once she did that bullshit about the Emmy...I was completely done with her.

After she won an Emmy in 2007, the next year she refused to submit herself, publicly bashing the writers for not giving her good enough material. And if that weren’t enough, she fought with Shonda over her contract, and once she was let out of it — she failed to show up for her last day of work!

Girl...AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT AND YOU KILLED DENNY SO GO SIT DOWN SOMEWHERE HELL!

So...even though she was all out in public being unprofessional and whatnot with her boss and colleagues, folks still kept giving her roles and big money to play those roles.  I guess they thought it was Shonda and NOT little miss sunshine huh?

Well...they started learning their lessons at the box office:  Box Office Poison

So now...she's back to television with a new drama coming on NBC.  She's going to be a CIA agent with a complicated personal life.  *YAWN*

Okay then.

I think I'm busy that night.

Then...The Hollywood Reporter put her on blast so tough...Shonda probably read it, folded it neatly, and put it to the side without nary a chuckle because a woman with class would not gloat over the final checkmate of the game she ended YEARS ago and kept it moving.  

From 'Knocked Up' to Nyquil Ads, Can TV Save Katherine Heigl's Career?

So what are YOUR thoughts?  Do you think had Hollywood paid attention to how SKD treated Shonda/Grey's they wouldn't have lost so much money playing around with her?  Do you think she's just getting a bad rap because she stands up for herself and has uncompromising standards as it relates to her work and career?

Whatcha got?

 

You good?

Infomercial Actors

When someone on an infomercial says they are not a paid actor...do you believe them?

ABC has a new television show coming this fall and advertised it during GMA.  

A woman was watching GMA with her 8 year old at breakfast and got mad at the ad calling it soft pron.

What say you?  Too early and too much for GMA?  Do you think the primetime regulations have gotten a bit lax?

 

Uncle Grandpa

Uncle Grandpa

I blame Shelly for me sitting here trying to figure out how someone could be an Uncle Grandpa.

 

Canceling Cable for Good?

I read this article this morning:  Your Guide to (Finally) Canceling Cable

The first step says to decide what you REALLY watch.

This is what we watch:

You Should Watch: "The Soul Man" on TV Land

If you are not watching this show you are doing life WRONG!  The Soul Man

Neicy Nash and Cedric the Entertainer are bringing me JOY, JOY, JOY on this show! The concept is awesome and it's so funny and refreshing!

This past week when Cedric had to marry the two women and Neicy was getting ready for the hair show? STRETCHED OUT HOWLING!  When Cedric puts his "official" preacher voice on?  STROKE.OUT.LAUGHTER!

Do YOU watch?

Scenario from OITNB...

A pregnant family member is in jail for 6 years.

She has the baby.

If someone doesn't take the baby, he/she will be taken into custody by child services until the mother gets out of jail and can become stable.

Would YOU take the baby?

Orange is the New Black on Netflix

We are over here DYING.LAUGHING at episode 5,"The Chickening."

Are yall watching?  What do YOU think?

Morning Television

What morning television do YOU watch?

Netflix, Hulu Plus or Amazon Prime?

Which of these do you subscribe to?

Jummy Olabanji - ABC Local Reporter

I love me some Jummy Olabanji.  When she comes on the screen I just start smiling.  Do you have a favorite local news anchor/reporter?  

LOL!

My husband hates this commercial and he has no rhyme or reason to it. Crazy huh?

Re-Runs

What's the last re-run of an old show you watched?  You know...the classic sitcoms and hour dramas.  I could watch Andy Griffith and the Cosby's all day every day.