Archives for : Newsy Bites

T.J. Holmes: From the Black of a CNN Week to a Deep Black Hole

On being mistaken for CNN's other weekend anchor Don Lemon: "At first, we had fun with it. But after awhile, it got kind of annoying," said T.J. "If someone calls me Don, I ignore them. They probably think Don is a jerk!"

T.J. Holmes is leaving CNN.  Exciting news, right?  Obviously, he’s been promoted.  A year and a half ago when the 34-year-old Arkansas native married, jilted and forsaken admirers all over the world breathed an agonizing, “Why, Lawd, why?”  But this time, when we learned that he was being offered his own television news show, broken but loyal hearts went all aflutter.  We said, “T.J. is finally going to get his moment to shine like Anderson Cooper, right?  Isn’t that right?”  Then we learned that it meant he would be ringing in the New Year at BET.  To which, we potential third and fourth wives all rolled our eyes and sighed “Oh” in bittersweet disappointment.

Shh, come closer.  Let me whisper something to you.  “T.J. Holmes should be as suspicious of BET as Dorothy was of the wizard of Oz.  You see, for the longest time, no one has known for sure who’s pulling the strings or flashing the lights behind the curtain.  Come closer—not even us—the black people.”

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The Many Faces of Kareen Wynter

Kareen Wynter, the early days...

"In the beginning"

Kareen Wynter graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Boston College.  She also earned a Master of Arts degree in broadcast journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.  In the 1990s, Kareen Wynter worked for ABC affiliate WEWS-TV in Cleveland, Ohio.  Dedicated and fearless, tenaciously, she reported in the blazing-hot summer sun while very pregnant.  And ring-less.  (But don’t read too much into that.  Her fingers were probably swollen.)

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Smithsonian Proudly Presents the National Museum of African American History and Culture

Finally, a museum documenting the African American experience

Coming in 2015!

With the founding of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, finally a museum, and long overdue, will speak to one of the most important, but often neglected, chapters of the American story—the African American experience.  The museum promises to celebrate the African American experience in all its richness and complexity in a place of honor on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

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Congratulations Brad Sellers!

Brad Sellers: New Mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio

Last night, Brad Sellers scored enough points with voters to win his bid for Mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio.  The former Ohio State University and NBA basketball player had been serving as the economic development director of the small kissing cousin of Cleveland, Ohio for ten years.  It just goes to show you that despite the ugly—potentially libelous—anonymous letter sent to residents, an adored celebrity need not answer any coward shouting down a page in block letters.  The letter asked these disturbing questions:

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Newsflash: Lindsay Lohan Late…

"Dude? Gimme a break!"

for community service at the morgue.  Question: Can you blame her?

Too bad, Lindsay, Judge Stephanie Sautner must have a taken a literal reading of Proverbs 21:16: “The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.”  But looking for life among the dead?  Seriously judge, can the dead breathe life into the dead?  Unless the prophet Ezekiel, himself, is the coroner prophesying, “Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live,” what is the point of banishing the walking dead to the valley of dry bones?

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Dang, Football Has Lost Its Twang

Hank Williams, Jr.A little less blacktalk goes a long way Hank Williams, Jr.  Country music star, did you really think it wise, comparing President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner’s recent golf outing to a meeting betwixt a murderous, demonic fiend like Hitler and Prime Minister Netanyahu?  Of course you did.  The truly “ridiculous pairing” occurred when you showed up on Fox News believing you were communing with friends.  For this reason solely, the American public should show empathy for you—as you were no more than the latest of their numerous victims to be thrown under the H8 is Gr8 tour bus.  Those dressed-up hillbillies left you swinging in the wind on the fifty-yard line like Janet Jackson’s right breast at the Super Bowl.

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The New Colored People

When God said, in Leviticus 19:28, “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord,” He obviously was not talking to the youth of today or its parents.

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Bill Maher is Dead

I think flying planes into a building was a faith-based initiative.
I think religion is a neurological disorder.
–Bill Maher

January 20, 1956 – ?

I was half-watching television one late night, mostly flicking through channels to give my restless brain something to light on. On Piers Morgan, I heard Bill’s flesh say OUT LOUD for the Good Lord to hear that he is an actual atheist! Blackbiting aside, this was disturbing, for I genuinely like Bill Maher. I think he’s both witty and wise with a cute, but sneaky boyish look. And it was unbearable thinking that when I arrive in heaven with my entourage, when he puts off his tabernacle, he won’t be present to entertain me into the really beyond.

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The Mo’Nique Show Bites the Dust?

If you’re like me, you were a bit taken ablack when you heard this rumor.  I thought, what the heck is going on ever there at BET. The rumor is that either The Mo’Nique Show  has low ratings or that there is in-fighting over money.  I would tend to think that the latter is the biting issue. Consider this, if it wasn’t for  106 & Park and The Game, I doubt if anyone would be watching any of BET’s programming, considering that it serves up daily, nothing but repeats and reruns–which, of course, is redundant–which, of course, is exactly my point.

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