I was unable to see any of the inauguration festivities live; therefore, what follows are observations based solely on news reports, video clips, and transcripts. The National Anthem Beyoncé looked a lot better than she sounded. And she sounded terrific – even if not quite as soaring and awe-inspiring as Whitney Houston at the 1991… Read more.
Beyonce
Kudos to Bey and Jay for not pimping out pics of their baby
There’s nothing more venal about the cult of celebrity that now defines Western culture than the way celebrities conspire with tabloids to pimp out pictures of their new-born babies. And there’s nothing redeeming in celebrities declaring that the money will go to charity; because that invariably means less than 10 percent of the millions they… Read more.
2011 MTV Video Music Awards
A quick browse of my commentaries on previous MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) will attest to the fact that my review of this annual show is invariably as informed (and I hope as entertaining) as that of any music industry critic. But watching Kanye and Jay Z perform at this year’s show, I could not… Read more.
No Blacks Please, We’re Fashionistas
It should go without saying that just because a black face appears on the cover of a fashion magazine, or on the runway of a fashion show, does not mean that there’s diversity in the fashion industry. Especially since that black face is most often half-white (like Halle Berry’s) or digitally whitened (like Beyoncé’s). Yet… Read more.
President Obama is right, Kanye is a “jackass”
No doubt you’ve seen a replay of the way rapper Kanye West bum rushed the stage during Sunday’s MTV Music Video Awards (MVAs), yanked the microphone from 19-year-old country singer Taylor Swift – who was delivering her thank-you speech after receiving the award for best female video, and shouted the following: Yo Taylor, I’m really… Read more.