Media Round-up, Part I

If you haven't already read this blurb about layoffs at National Public Radio, then check it out here. Nice to read in conjuction with news of other layoffs in book publishing and newspapers.

I had a whole mess of analysis and supported opinion on the cancellation of News & Notes. Objective and hopefully thoughtful comments on it's evolution from Tavis Smiley's spot to Farai Chideya's, ratings, cost centers, promo, NPR's endowment & contributions. But ya know, sometimes you gotta shout and stomp to clear the air. Here it comes...

...can we be frank about the disease, and not go 'round about symptoms? We're plain dummer, so why listen to NPR? We're a nation of Ricky Bobbies, Lil'Jons & Flo Ridas , Gossip Girls, Video Vixens, Sarah Palins, Real Housewives, Plaxico Burresses & Mike Vicks, Rush Limbaugh Dittoheads, texting teenagers, et al. So what's Farai's target demo amount to now--5 intelligent people? When folk get their news, "analysis" and investigative reporting from the likes of John Stewart/Stephen Colbert, Sean Hannity and Tom Joyner, is there any reason to have an NPR? For too long we've pandered and lowered the river. Perhaps the infrastructure we need to revive is between our ears!

Whew. I apologize for the rant. But it's time for us to wake the hell up and stop holding our tongues when we do see ignorance simmering. The outlets which keep us smart and care about the truth are dying and all we care about is not sounding "elitist." Lawd...

I, Madea...The Madness of Tyler Perry

You know I've never been a fan. I've even predicted that Tyler Perry will be the Jerry Lewis of blackfolks. Rising from obscurity and living in his car to become an empire-building sot, living forever, contributing nothing of artistic or lasting value. So check out the trade, Variety, declaring that the Writer's Guild union is taking the blush off the rose (rather, the grocery store carnation), by filing unfair labor practice charges against him for firing writers on House of Payne (his latest minstrel show). Tyler's lawyer says (1) the writers aren't necessarily union members and (2) were fired because their work-product quality had declined. Tyler Perry firing someone for bad quality is like Orson Welles worrying about cholesterol.

Now, Tyler is apparently a SAG and Director's Guild card-carrier. They all shit on writers. Who doesn't? But there is such a thing as labor solidarity, as evident by the big name directors and actors who honored the picket line in the writer's strike of 07-08. Black folks love unions. Imagine the internal conflict, then? Will that translate to a backlash? Will the Tom Joyners and the Steve Harveys out there call Tyler out? Hmmm. Tyler has a following analogous to Sarah Palin's among so-called "real" people--didn't you know? And among churchfolk who don't seem to mind how wonderfully smooth his skin shines. LOL Of course, we "elite" bastards "don't get it." Oh, we get it, all right...