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TheFlyJock's Inauguration Blog
- From: TheFlyJock
-
Description:
Inauguration Day 2009. It’s the day we’ve been waiting for, the day our parents doubted they’d see in their lifetime, and a day our ancestors never believed would come.
So, when Barack Obama, an African-American man was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States, his lovely wife, Michelle, held the Bible that belonged to Abraham Lincoln, and Sasha and Malia looked up proudly at their dad, the president, everyone who watched had to feel something they’ve never felt before.
This morning, starting with our broadcast on top of the Comcast Building - with a direct view of the Capitol Building and of, at first, hundreds then thousands of people of all races, ages and walks of life making their way to witness history - it began to sink in. And as cold as I was, I had a warm feeling that got warmer as they morning went on. And when I took my seat at the Inauguration, me, whose roots began in Tuskegee, Alabama in the thick of segregation, I was finally able to really breathe and put things in perspective.
We are all exactly where we’re supposed to be at exactly the right time. We did this together. We never have to think less of ourselves for not marching or singing or participating in the movement of the 60s. We don’t have to put ourselves down for not being able to organize and galvanize and produce a great leader. Finally, we did the darn thing. We are the ones we were waiting for. And tonight, we’re going to celebrate the victory together.
Put on a ball gown and tuxedo, or both … you know I don’t judge, and blog along with me as I sing, sing celebrate the greatest Black History fact ever.
---
8:03 p.m.: Y'all ready?
8:05 p.m.: Turn to ABC. Queen Latifah's on stage at the Neighborhod Inaugural Ball.
8:07 p.m.: Okay, party people ... are you ready to blog the night away?
8:25 p.m.: Sorry, all ... technical difficulties. I'll be back. Meanwhile, talk about how horrible Mariah sounded.
8:28 p.m.: I heard earlier that Barack and Michelle Obama are going to try to break a ballin' record ... uh. maybe I should rephrase that.
8:29 p.m.: Clinton attended 14 balls, they but they're scheduled to attend 10.
8:30 p.m.: Mariah Carey just sang and let me just say this: Maybe she needs to spend less time with Nick Cannon and more time working on that voice.
8:31 p.m.: The President and First Lady have just shown up at their first ball. So what do you think of their outfits?
8:32 p.m.: They look like they're at their wedding. On top of the cake.
8:34 p.m.: They're at the Neighborhood Ball. I love it!
8:35 p.m.: Are you watching these parties with neighbors in your 'hood? Or are you afraid to let your neighbors know you have a nice TV? Hey, just keeping it real ...
8:39 p.m.: Their first dance as the First Couple was nice. Again, wedding-like. But at least we know now that our president has a good slow groove.
8:41 p.m.: Jamie Foxx just co-signed. You heard him: "You know that's a black president ..."
8:42 p.m.: Shakira shouldn't be allowed near a Stevie Wonder song.
8:44 p.m.: Y'all saw Beyonce. Man! No wonder Jay-Z put a ring on it!
8:46 p.m.: President Obama is on the dance floor. Rate him on a scale of one to 10.
8:47 p.m.: He was a little off beat, but I think his dance partner threw him off. You know how that is, those of you who attended integrated schools.
8:49 p.m.: Let's see ... I have his schedule here. He's going to the Commander-in-Chief Ball, the Youth Ball, the Home States Ball ...
8:51 p.m.: I wonder if Michelle will get her Diana Ross on and change dresses for each one ...
8:52 p.m.: I wonder if they had that talk with Michelle's mom because you know they needed a baby sitter for tonight.
8:53 p.m.: It's a new day for grandmothers. They don't all baby sit. I'm thinking she wants to party tonight just like they do!
8:55 p.m.: Jay-Z is performing now and wearing some big glasses. Obama said he was gonna make being a geek cool, but come on, now.
9:01 p.m.: You think President Obama was practicing his moves with Michelle?
9:02 p.m.: That's the beauty of having a couple like this in the White House. You really can imagine them being romantic. Nobody wanted to think about Ronald Reagan and Nancy, the old Bushes, George and Barbara, or George W. and Condi. I'm kidding.
9:05 p.m.: And can you imagine if the McCains had made it. They would be attending the senior citizens' ball.
9:06 p.m.: Alicia Keys is singing, might be a studio singer. I'm just saying.
9:08 p.m.: She needs to remake that song where she talks about Bill and camille, Jada and Will and add Michelle and Barack.
9:10 p.m.: The Obama's just finished their second dance at their second ball, just eight more to go! Wonder what the ride in the limo was like.
9:12 p.m.: Did she say, "You should have spent more time with me?" Does he say, "You need to let that guy know you're with me?"
9:13 p.m.: Or do they try to get a nap? They've got to be exhausted.
9:14 p.m.: So, back to what if McCain would have won ... and Sarah Palin and the First Dude were making their rounds to the balls. You KNOW she wouldn't have been able to find a babysitter.
9:22 p.m.: All that working out the Obamas do is paying off tonight - in stamina.
9:27 p.m.: Stevie is performing at the Neighborhood Ball. His braids are hanging on for dear life.
9:28 p.m.: He's going to have to join me and Howie Mandel any day now, and just let it go.
9:31 p.m.: If you're playing the drinking game with me, take a sip everytime the Obamas get to a new ball. And double it every time they dance together.
9:34 p.m.: The Obamas are on their way to the Commander-in-Chief Ball. This is the ball where he has to take control. He's got to walk in there like George Jefferson.
9:35 p.m.: Just saw Joe Biden arrive at the Neighborhood Ball with his wife, the woman who can't keep a secret. Lord help her if she starts drinking tonight. They look good, though.
9:38 p.m.: Anderson Cooper just announced that Malia and Sasha Obama may have had a sleepover tonight. Now, what if someone wasn't invited, and they had to hear about it on CNN? Wow! Come on, Anderson. And isn't it a school night?
9:39 p.m.: I know that was on me. I completely forgot we were freezing our behinds off. My mind wasn't working right.
9:41 p.m.: Hey, do me a favor, everyone: I forgot to mention the Live Blog Party on the air. Call a friend or family member, and tell them about it. And tell them there's no cover charge.
9:43 p.m.: Tell them to let me know in five words or less what this whole day has meant to them. I'll talk it about it on the air tomorrow.
9:46 p.m.: The president just praised the 300 "wounded warriors" from Walter Reed Hospital who came out to party at the Commander-in-Chief Ball, where he and Michelle will dance with members of the military.
9:49 p.m.: President Obama better get to bed. He's got to hit the ground running in the morning. Michelle is sleeping in. He better not turn the light on either.
9:54 p.m.: You guys know I have to get up bright and early too. So I'm gonna dance a little more and then let you bloggers have it. Congratulations to Presient Barack Obama, and congratulations to you all for getting out there and voting - and making history!
9:56 p.m.: Send me a text tomorrow at oh oh oh 646464 if you were at the blog party.
9:58 p.m.: Keep watching all the inaugural parties, and text me tomorrow with your reports.
9:59 p.m.: Best performer, best dressed, best hair, worst performer, worst dressed, worst hair - I want it all!
- Blog post
- 10 months ago
- Views: 9018
- Not yet rated
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Worth the Weight
- From: TheFlyJock
-
Description:
The “D” word. How many diets have you gone on in your lifetime? How many have worked long term? That’s what I thought. Yet, this time of year especially, it’s what’s on most people’s minds.
If you’re an African-American woman in an office, on a bus or in your house with four other women, statistics say that that four of the five of you are overweight or obese. If you’re an African-American parent with children between the ages of six and 17, they are more likely to be overweight than white children, according to the Office of Minority Health.
That’s the problem, and for almost everybody I know, the right diet, they hope, is the solution.
What’s the big diet fad for 2009? At our office, several people are doing the Lemonade Diet. One website calls it a detoxification program written by the late Stanley Burroughs. Whenever I hear about a diet started by someone who’s dead, I get a little concerned. I don’t know how Stanley Burroughs died, but Dr. Robert Atkins, creator of the Atkins Diet, is dead too. And even though there’s no proof that his death was related to his famous low-carb program that encouraged consumption of high-protein foods like steak, bacon, cheese, butter and sausage, you gotta wonder whether it contributed to the heart ailment he suffered from. When a friend of mine on the Atkins Diet told me that she couldn’t have a high-carb apple but was allowed to pig out on pork rinds, I got a bad taste in my mouth. The Atkins Diet almost put the bread industry out of business. Pizza was prohibited, and bagels were banned.
But what actually killed Dr. Atkins at age 72 was head trauma caused by him slipping on ice on a cold winter day. I’m just a D. J., but I can’t help thinking that if he had a loaf of bread with him when he slipped, it could have protected his head when he hit the ground. Hey, it’s a theory.
Oprah has certainly been on and promoted her share of diets and permanent lifestyle changes that included sensible eating and exercise, yet, as the whole world knows, she recently shot up to 200 pounds and is admittedly ashamed of herself.
Which leads me to this question: If you’re overweight, are you embarrassed or ashamed? Do you feel like a failure? If you’re sad, angry or depressed, maybe weight isn’t the only thing you need to lose. Maybe the first step is getting rid of something or someone that is driving you to indulge in unhealthy habits, like overeating. Maybe it’s a trifling mate. Maybe it’s a house you can no longer afford. Maybe it’s a friend or family member who is causing you more harm than good.
If you have a success story about how losing something gained you contentment, I want to hear about it. Shedding pounds is one way to get you on the road to a healthier life style, but shedding stress, bitterness, distrust, fear and the people and things that cause these emotions is just as important.
And worth the “weight.”
- Blog post
- 10 months ago
- Views: 23365
- Not yet rated
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TheFlyJock's Blog: Power to th
- From: TheFlyJock
-
Description:
I don’t know about anyone else, but the great feeling I got when I found out Barack Obama had enough Electoral College votes to become president is still hanging on. Even though it’s too soon for President-elect Obama to do the things he’s promised, change has already taken place, especially for African-Americans. The fact that a black man could become leader of the free world gives us the feeling that we all can do more than we thought we could.
I was fortunate enough to have grown up in a small town where a “yes, you can” attitude was present almost everywhere I turned. In Tuskegee, black doctors, scientists and nurses, college presidents, professors and teachers, inventors, pilots, etc. were the norm. The question for children growing up then was not “Can I be successful?” but just a matter of deciding what we’d be successful at. And yes, I know that isn’t proper grammar; that’s why I didn’t decide to be successful at being an English teacher!
When I left Tuskegee, I was surprised to find out that most black people didn’t have the same experiences we ha in our little town. No matter where I lived, I gravitated toward the most successful black people. My mentor became John H. Johnson, founder of Johnson Publishing Company, publishers of Ebony and Jet. Mr. Johnson understood how important it is for black people to learn about other black people who had done well. He realized that you’re more likely to aspire to do big things if you see people who look like doing it first.
For a guy like me, reading about these successful African-Americans affirmed what I already knew. But if it weren’t for Ebony and Jet, some people wouldn’t have known that a black man or woman could be a chemist or a surgeon or whatever they worked hard to achieve. Of course, every successful black person didn’t wait around looking for a black role model. Some black people had the drive, the confidence and the power to break new ground.
Barack Obama has changed almost everything we thought we knew for sure. What a black man would and could achieve and what America would tolerate is different than what was perceived just a year ago.
Today’s theme show is called "Power to the People: The New Age of Empowerment." Producer Erica Taylor wants us to think about how having the first African-American president has empowered us, how we empower others and how we’ve managed to get back the power we’ve lost.
Barack Obama, whether he’s a great president or not, has already done one great thing for sure. He’s reminded us that when the odds are against us, when they say it can’t be done, when all hope seems lost, we can push forward and win. Power to the people!
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 6820
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TheFlyJock's Blog: Yes We Did
- From: TheFlyJock
-
Description:
If you were one of the nearly 10,000 people at our Live Blog Party last night, then you were right with me when we found out that Barack Obama would be the 44th president of the United States. It was the moment we hoped for, worked for and prayed for. And even though we heard it, we saw the numbers and the blue states, the word I heard more than anything else last night was “unbelievable.” It seemed like the older the person, the harder it was to believe.
Most young people I talked to couldn’t see how Obama could lose. He was the better candidate. He attracted more people. He raised more money. He is brilliant, he is cool -- what more could any voter want? They’d read about the civil rights movement, but not only had they not experienced it; neither had some of their parents. If they were aware of the last two elections stolen by Republicans, it hadn’t fazed them. They got swept away with the notion that the best man would win, that justice and truth would prevail, and that if they went to the polls and cast their votes, those would be counted.
They also had what Barack Obama titled his second best-selling book, "The Audacity of Hope." Audacity,
when you define it, is really a young person’s word: “A daring or willingness to challenge assumptions or tackle something difficult or dangerous.” In an era when wars that don’t seem to make any sense
appear to be endless; the economy, the stock market, the public school system are all in turmoil, and their government would sooner rebuild communities in other parts of the world than resurrect the Ninth Ward in New Orleans, they had the audacity to hope and believe they had the power to make a difference.
I can relate. As nervous, worried and stressed out as I became in the weeks prior to the election, I never gave up hope. I don’t know how many times I was asked to address the possibility of Obama losing the election. I wouldn’t do it. Not for black media, not for mainstream media, and not for my staff. I couldn’t see anything beneficial about giving any consideration to his defeat.
Black America played a huge role in this election by digging deeper climbing higher, going harder, longer and stronger than we’ve gone in recent elections. And it paid off. But we still have a lot of
challenges to face and overcome, individually and as a race. Now that we have the formula, let’s have the audacity to tackle them while the momentum is on our side. Black-on-black crime, substance abuse,
absentee fathers are just a few issues we can take on. Many of us have expectations of President Obama, but no one -- not even a black president -- can help us if we don’t help ourselves.
Andrew Young says so many people say to him they wish they could have been part of the civil rights era because they believe they need to be inspired by a “movement.” This is our movement. The movement of hope and change, two words, require action. If you voted for President Obama, bought a T-shirt, screamed or shed a tear when he won, you owe it to him to do something to make black America better. This is our moment. This is our time.
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 2470
- Not yet rated
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Live Election Night Blogging!
- From: TheFlyJock
-
Description:
Fired up, and ready to blog!
This will be our last Live Blog Party related to the history-making 2008 presidential election. And as we celebrate the history that is unfolding before us, we can’t forget about the history we’ve made ourselves. The Live Blog Party, covering the vice presidential debate, was a first for us -- and you made it a success by logging on in big numbers. By the third Live Blog Party, so many of you showed up -- close to 10,000 -- we caused the site to crash. It was like a house party that got so crowded that someone called the cops.
Today, we made history again by being granted exclusive rights to broadcast the TJMS at the official Obama headquarters in Chicago. If you ever wondered whether Obama was really going to “do anything” for black people, he started this morning by putting us where everyone else in the media business wanted to be.
So as we come to end of this thing together, I can barely contain myself. I’m ready to celebrate now but I know I need to wait until it’s official. In fact, I don’t think I’ll celebrate until every single vote is counted. In the meantime, let’s
do the darn thing together.I’m here at Grant Park in Chicago where Barack Obama will make his acceptance speech, and you’re here with me, just as you should be. Your love, your prayers, and your votes made it all possible.
Check me out live on TV One as I bring you reports, updates and hopefully some breaking news that will Barack the world!
Oh, before I forget, we’ve got drinking games. Take a sip every time our man gets a blue state. I’ll announce the next game later, and if you have any suggestions, hit me on the blog. See you at the official after party on the TJMS!
---
6:14 p.m.: We've got a lot in store for you on this historic night. We'll be chatting about election results plus any news stories that I think you'd be interested in.
6:15 p.m.: Stay with me, people. It might be a long night.
6:15 p.m.: According to Jacque Reid, Vermont just called for Barack!
6:17 p.m.: Are you as nervous as I am? I don't remember being this excited, ever! And I've done a lot of stuff.
6:18 p.m.: Did you check out the show this morning? We were up in there ... I'm talking about the official Obama headquarters in Chicago, and we were granted exclusive rights. That means we were in there by ourselves.
6:20 p.m.: Let's start the drinking game now that we know Vermont just came in for Barack ... every time we get a blue state, take a drink!
6:21 p.m.: McCain just got Kentucky. Obama has 3 electoral votes and McCain has 8. Our magic number is 270!
6:23 p.m.: On the show this morning, Obama played a game of basketball at a gym on Chicago's west side. Is that Black enough for you? Is that cool enough for you?
6:25 p.m.: Were you checking me out on TV One? How's my hair?
6:29 p.m.: Did you all see Obama and his family go the polls and vote this morning? Imagine going with your daddy to vote ... for himself!
6:30 p.m.: We've seen it in the movies, we've seen it on TV and now it's about to be real, our first black president.
6:32 p.m.: I know you're watching TV, but don't forget about all the coverage on BlackAmericaWeb.com. We've got your black!
6:37 p.m.: What do you think will BO's first official act will be? What should it be? Launching universal health care, ending the war, giving us every Friday off? Let me know what you think it will be.
6:44 p.m.: Things are looking good so far, BO is ahead. But remember it's the battleground states that count: Virginia , Ohio and Pennsylvania.
6:44 p.m.: When we get those three, we'll be in there!
6:46 p.m.: Are you checking out the blue states? You ought to be a little tipsy.
6:50 p.m.: I wish you could be here in Grant Park with me. Everybody is cheering and chanting already.
6:51 p.m.: And it's getting cold too. It started out nice and warm. Then it remembered it's November ... in Chicago!
6:51 p.m.: The polls have closed in Ohio and North Carolina.
6:56 p.m.: Don't get scurred, but in Toledo, Ohio police have issued riot gear. Holy Toledo!
7:01 p.m.: McCain has 16 electoral votes, Obama has 3! Don't slap anybody, it's early.
7:03 p.m.: That's a touchdown, and two field goals. We can do this, baby ... yes, we can!
7:08 p.m.: Obama takes Pennsylvania!
7:10 p.m. Florida is still too close to call.
7:12 p.m.: McCain took Tennessee and Oklahoma. What would you expect from an old guy? No offense, Tulsa and Memphis ...
7:13 p.m.: Memphis, the home of Stax records and the one of the best civil rights museums in the country. Oh, well!
7:14 p.m.: McCain is projected to win in South Carolina. I ought to whip J. Anthony Brown's behind. He promised us his home state. Well, I'll bet Columbia came through for us!
7:16 p.m.: Thanks for those comments about what Obama should do when he gets in. My favorite was to fix the election machinery ... Good one, VA55! Keep them coming!
7:17 p.m.: Nationally, Obama has 53 percent, McCain 46 percent.
7:21 p.m.: CNN projects New Jersey, Connecticut and Illinois for Obama. I think Illinois is a duh! Except Al Gore didnt take his homestate of Tennessee when he ran, so go figure. If I was running for prez, I might not win, but I'd damn well take Tuskegee!
7:22 p.m.: How you guys holding up? it's only a little past 7 p.m. Central!
7:28 p.m. We are ghetto fabulous here. I wish you could see our set up. we're blogging, and it''s dark, so Rev. Marcia Dyson, Michael Eric Dyson's wife, brought us a lamp out of her hotel room! Pretty gangster, huh? That's how we do it!
7:29 p.m.: People are borrowing press badges so they can eat for free.
7:29 p.m.: Someone is borrowing our power cord so they can power up their computer.
7:30 p.m.: The only thing missing? No one is selling black love incense. Yet.
7:31 p.m.: What song do you think Obama will rock when he first moves into the White House?
7:32 p.m.: I think it will be "One Nation Under a Groove."
7:33 p.m.: Whoever asked whether there was a doctor in the house was right! My heart is racing, too.
7:36 p.m.: Not since I got my first slow dance has my heart beat like this.
7:37 p.m.: When have you been this excited about anything? Tell me what it was.
7:38 p.m.: CNN has projected that Obama will take New Hampshire!
7:43 p.m.: So far, 2,500 of you have dropped by our Live Blog Party so far. Tell your friends about it! Have them join us!
7:44 p.m.: Fox has projected that mC will win Alabama and Arkansas.
7:46 p.m.: If he wins Alabama, I guess I can't say anything to J. about him winning South Carolina. Sybil will be the only one with bragging rights since Obama won Illinois.
7:59 p.m.: It's cold out here. I'm wondering if I can blog wearing mittens.
8:00 p.m.: Take two drinks for Obama winning Pennsylvania; it's a big state. And have a cheesesteak!
8:06 p.m.: Wisconsin, New York, Michigan and Rhode Island all went to Obama! That's four drinks ...
8:07 p.m.: It's too close to call in Arizona! See there, McCain -- that King holiday thing might be coming back to bite you!
8:11 p.m.: Are y'all doing special watch parties for tonight? The Queen of Soul is having a pajama party at a casino in Detroit. A school in sunny south Dallas is having a sleep over for fourth, fifth and sixth graders. What are you doing to celebrate this great evening?
8:20 p.m.: Are you checking out TV One? Don't forget to get your updates from BlackAmericaWeb.com. We're all you need!
8:28 p.m.: So, I'm wondering what hit I should play tomorrow. You be me and choose. Whatever it is, it's got to be funky!
8:29 p.m.: MSNBC is projecting that obama will win Ohio. We are so close!
8:36 p.m.: It's official: We just took Ohio!
8:40 p.m.: We're 76 electoral votes away from making history! Come on, California, and other big states. Let's do this.
8:46 p.m.: For all you ladies out there, Common just walked by.
8:49 p.m.: I like what you're saying, Blackmanforblackman08. It is time for us to go higher and represent. All eyes are going to be on us for real now.
8:50 p.m.: Oprah and Lynn Whitfield just walked by.
8:56 p.m.: So many of you are saying you're afraid to trust what you're hearing from the mainstream media. I hear you. That's why we're here.
8:57 p.m.: DDarling, I hear you. "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" is a great suggestion for tomorrow morning. If you can top that one, let me know. I've got to jam all morning long!
9:02 p.m.: People are screaming ... something good must be happening.
9:05 p.m.: Speaking of good news, MSNBC has called Iowa for Obama. It's too close to call in Montana, North Carolina and Virginia and too early to call in Nevada and Colorado. McCain is up by about 9,000 votes in Indiana.
9:09 p.m.: Yeah, dskobb! I'm with you on the things we need to concentrate on -- health care, education reform and the economy.
9:15 p.m.: So the rumor is Oprah may get a cabinet position with Obama. what do you think she should be? Secretary of State? Secretary of Talk Shows? What? Let me know. And who else should get a position? Hill Harper? Common? Maria Shriver? Mmmm ... Tom Joyner?
9:17 p.m.: It's getting good! This thing could be over in 30 minutes, I just overheard someone very important say. The helium people need to start filling the balloons. This thing is about to jump off -- in our lifetime!
9:20 p.m.: But not so fast ... let's wait until it's official. We've been tricked before.
9:25 p.m: But I really think we've got this. When will you be sure? Who do you have to hear it from?
9:29 p.m.: How many of you are having a prayer service at church like Rev. Al Sharpton suggested? And if you are at church, are you playing the drinking game with communion wine? That's just wrong ... wrong for me to say and wrong for you to do!
9:39 p.m.: Obama 207, McCain 136. Do the math, baby! Our magic number is 270!
9:40 p.m.: Fired up, ready to win!
9:46 p.m.: McCain just won South Dakota and its 3 electoral college votes. I don't think we expected to win South Dakota. But we would take it!
9:47 p.m.: They're blasting the music here. That's gotta mean something good.
9:51 p.m.: Red states are turning blue. Its starting to look like a Zeta convention! Sorry, Deltas ...
9:53 p.m.: I just saw Oprah coming out the porta-potty. That's worth about 30 electoral college votes alone. I'm calling it!
9:55 p.m.: I'm bouncing like a bad check.
10:03 p.m.: In our lifetime!
10:04 p.m. Who would have believed it?
10:05 p.m.: Do you believe in miracles?
10:10 p.m.: This party is over. And it's just beginning!
10:11 p.m.: J. just called, and he's crying like a you-know-what! And I'm not mad at him!
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 2558
-
I'll See Everyone In Just A Fe
- From: TheFlyJock
-
Description:
YES WE CAN!
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 1452
- Not yet rated
-
Election Day 2008
- From: TheFlyJock
-
Description:
Fired up, and ready to blog!
This will be our last Live Blog Party related to the history-making 2008 presidential election. And as we celebrate the history that is unfolding before us, we can’t forget about the history we’ve made ourselves. The Live Blog Party, covering the vice presidential debate, was a first for us -- and you made it a success by logging on in big numbers. By the third Live Blog Party, so many of you showed up -- close to 10,000 -- we caused the site to crash. It was like a house party that got so crowded that someone called the cops.
Today, we made history again by being granted exclusive rights to broadcast the TJMS at the official Obama headquarters in Chicago. If you ever wondered whether Obama was really going to “do anything” for black people, he started this morning by putting us where everyone else in the media business wanted to be.
So as we come to end of this thing together, I can barely contain myself. I’m ready to celebrate now but I know I need to wait until it’s official. In fact, I don’t think I’ll celebrate until every single vote is counted. In the meantime, let’s
do the darn thing together.I’m here at Grant Park in Chicago where Barack Obama will make his acceptance speech, and you’re here with me, just as you should be. Your love, your prayers, and your votes made it all possible.
Check me out live on Radio One as I bring you reports, updates and hopefully some breaking news that will Barack the world!
Oh, before I forget, we’ve got drinking games. Take a sip every time our man gets a blue state. I’ll announce the next game later, and if you have any suggestions, hit me on the blog. See you at the official after party on the TJMS!
---
6:14 p.m.: We've got a lot in store for you on this historic night. We'll be chatting about election results plus any news stories that I think you'd be interested in.
6:15 p.m.: Stay with me, people. It might be a long night.
6:15 p.m.: According to Jacque Reid, Vermont just called for Barack!
6:17 p.m.: Are you as nervous as I am? I don't remember being this excited, ever! And I've done a lot of stuff.
6:18 p.m.: Did you check out the show this morning? We were up in there ... I'm talking about the official Obama headquarters in Chicago, and we were granted exclusive rights. That means we were in there by ourselves.
6:20 p.m.: Let's start the drinking game now that we know Vermont just came in for Barack ... every time we get a blue state, take a drink!
6:21 p.m.: McCain just got Kentucky. Obama has 3 electoral votes and McCain has 8. Our magic number is 270!
6:23 p.m.: On the show this morning, Obama played a game of basketball at a gym on Chicago's west side. Is that Black enough for you? Is that cool enough for you?
6:25 p.m.: Were you checking me out on TV One? How's my hair?
6:29 p.m.: Did you all see Obama and his family go the polls and vote this morning? Imagine going with your daddy to vote ... for himself!
6:30 p.m.: We've seen it in the movies, we've seen it on TV and now it's about to be real, our first black president.
6:32 p.m.: I know you're watching TV, but don't forget about all the coverage on BlackAmericaWeb.com. We've got your black!
6:37 p.m.: What do you think will BO's first official act will be? What should it be? Launching universal health care, ending the war, giving us every Friday off? Let me know what you think it will be.
6:44 p.m.: Things are looking good so far, BO is ahead. But remember it's the battleground states that count: Virginia , Ohio and Pennsylvania.
6:44 p.m.: When we get those three, we'll be in there!
6:46 p.m.: Are you checking out the blue states? You ought to be a little tipsy.
6:50 p.m.: I wish you could be here in Grant Park with me. Everybody is cheering and chanting already.
6:51 p.m.: And it's getting cold too. It started out nice and warm. Then it remembered it's November ... in Chicago!
6:51 p.m.: The polls have closed in Ohio and North Carolina.
6:56 p.m.: Don't get scurred, but in Toledo, Ohio police have issued riot gear. Holy Toledo!
7:01 p.m.: McCain has 16 electoral votes, Obama has 3! Don't slap anybody, it's early.
7:03 p.m.: That's a touchdown, and two field goals. We can do this, baby ... yes, we can!
7:08 p.m.: Obama takes Pennsylvania!
7:10 p.m. Florida is still too close to call.
7:12 p.m.: McCain took Tennessee and Oklahoma. What would you expect from an old guy? No offense, Tulsa and Memphis ...
7:13 p.m.: Memphis, the home of Stax records and the one of the best civil rights museums in the country. Oh, well!
7:14 p.m.: McCain is projected to win in South Carolina. I ought to whip J. Anthony Brown's behind. He promised us his home state. Well, I'll bet Columbia came through for us!
7:16 p.m.: Thanks for those comments about what Obama should do when he gets in. My favorite was to fix the election machinery ... Good one, VA55! Keep them coming!
7:17 p.m.: Nationally, Obama has 53 percent, McCain 46 percent.
7:21 p.m.: CNN projects New Jersey, Connecticut and Illinois for Obama. I think Illinois is a duh! Except Al Gore didnt take his homestate of Tennessee when he ran, so go figure. If I was running for prez, I might not win, but I'd damn well take Tuskegee!
7:22 p.m.: How you guys holding up? it's only a little past 7 p.m. Central!
7:28 p.m. We are ghetto fabulous here. I wish you could see our set up. we're blogging, and it''s dark, so Rev. Marcia Dyson, Michael Eric Dyson's wife, brought us a lamp out of her hotel room! Pretty gangster, huh? That's how we do it!
7:29 p.m.: People are borrowing press badges so they can eat for free.
7:29 p.m.: Someone is borrowing our power cord so they can power up their computer.
7:30 p.m.: The only thing missing? No one is selling black love incense. Yet.
7:31 p.m.: What song do you think Obama will rock when he first moves into the White House?
7:32 p.m.: I think it will be "One Nation Under a Groove."
7:33 p.m.: Whoever asked whether there was a doctor in the house was right! My heart is racing, too.
7:36 p.m.: Not since I got my first slow dance has my heart beat like this.
7:37 p.m.: When have you been this excited about anything? Tell me what it was.
7:38 p.m.: CNN has projected that Obama will take New Hampshire!
7:43 p.m.: So far, 2,500 of you have dropped by our Live Blog Party so far. Tell your friends about it! Have them join us!
7:44 p.m.: Fox has projected that McCain will win Alabama and Arkansas.
7:46 p.m.: If he wins Alabama, I guess I can't say anything to J. about him winning South Carolina. Sybil will be the only one with bragging rights since Obama won Illinois.
7:59 p.m.: It;s cold out here. I'm wondering if I can blog wearing mittens.
8:00 p.m.: Take two drinks for Obama winning Pennsylvania; it's a big state. And have a cheesesteak!
8:06 p.m.: Wisconsin, New York, Michigan and Rhode Island all went to Obama! That's four drinks ...
8:07 p.m.: It's too close to call in Arizona! See there, McCain -- that King holiday thing might be coming back to bite you!
8:11 p.m.: Are y'all doing special watch parties for tonight? The Queen of Soul is having a pajama party at a casino in Detroit. A school in sunny south Dallas is having a sleep over for fourth, fifth and sixth graders. What are you doing to celebrate this great evening?
8:20 p.m.: Are you checking out TV One? Don't forget to get your updates from BlackAmericaWeb.com. We're all you need!
8:23 p.m.: If you're keeping up with the Senate seats, the Democrats have taken North Carolina and virginia. Don't you wish you had paid more attention in school?
8:25 p.m.: A.J. from BET and Hill Harper were just standing in front of us. Hill was Obama's roommate at Harvard. I wonder which one got all the ladies. It was probably a tie.
8:28 p.m.: So, I'm wondering what hit I should play tomorrow. You be me and choose. Whatever it is, it's got to be funky!
8:29 p.m.: MSNBC is projecting that obama will win Ohio. We are so close!
8:36 p.m.: It's official: We just took Ohio!
8:40 p.m.: We're 76 electoral votes away from making history! Come on, California, and other big states. Let's do this.
8:46 p.m.: For all you ladies out there, Common just walked by.
8:49 p.m.: I like what you're saying, Blackmanforblackman08. It is time for us to go higher and represent. All eyes are going to be on us for real now.
8:50 p.m.: Oprah and Lynn Whitfield just walked by.
8:56 p.m.: So many of you are saying you're afraid to trust what you're hearing from the mainstream media. I hear you. That's why we're here.
8:57 p.m.: DDarling, I hear you. "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" is a great suggestion for tomorrow morning. If you can top that one, let me know. I've got to jam all morning long!
9:02 p.m.: People are screaming ... something good must be happening.
9:05 p.m.: Speaking of good news, MSNBC has called Iowa for Obama. It's too close to call in Montana, North Carolina and Virginia and too early to call in Nevada and Colorado. McCain is up by about 9,000 votes in Indiana.
9:09 p.m.: Yeah, dskobb! I'm with you on the things we need to concentrate on -- health care, education reform and the economy.
9:15 p.m.: So the rumor is Oprah may get a cabinet position with Obama. what do you think she should be? Secretary of State? Secretary of Talk Shows? What? Let me know. And who else should get a position? Hill Harper? Common? Maria Shriver? Mmmm ... Tom Joyner?
9:17 p.m.: It's getting good! This thing could be over in 30 minutes, I just overheard someone very important say. The helium people need to start filling the balloons. This thing is about to jump off -- in our lifetime!
9:20 p.m.: But not so fast ... let's wait until it's official. We've been tricked before.
9:25 p.m: But I really think we've got this. When will you be sure? Who do you have to hear it from?
9:29 p.m.: How many of you are having a prayer service at church like Rev. Al Sharpton suggested? And if you are at church, are you playing the drinking game with communion wine? That's just wrong ... wrong for me to say and wrong for you to do!
9:39 p.m.: Obama 207, McCain 136. Do the math, baby! Our magic number is 270!
9:40 p.m.: Fired up, ready to win!
9:46 p.m.: McCain just won South Dakota and its 3 electoral college votes. I don't think we expected to win South Dakota. But we would take it!
9:47 p.m.: They're blasting the music here. That's gotta mean something good.
9:51 p.m.: Red states are turning blue. Its starting to look like a Zeta convention! Sorry, Deltas ...
9:53 p.m.: I just saw Oprah coming out the porta-potty. That's worth about 30 electoral college votes alone. I'm calling it!
9:55 p.m.: I'm bouncing like a bad check.
10:03 p.m.: In our lifetime!
10:04 p.m. Who would have believed it?
10:05 p.m.: Do you believe in miracles?
10:10 p.m.: This party is over. And it's just beginning!
10:11 p.m.: J. just called, and he's crying like a you-know-what! And I'm not mad at him!
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 13674
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TheFlyJock's Blog: We're With
- From: TheFlyJock
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Description:
Today’s theme show, produced by Erica Taylor, is about something that seems to be on the minds of everyone these days -- our money.
People talk about it, write about, rap about it and cry about it. Back in the day, most of the music about money was talking about the lack of it or how money can’t buy love, a huge Beatles hit that was remade by today’s In Studio Jam guest, Wayne Brady. In more contemporary music made by hip-hop artists, they brag about their abundance of money and all the things legal and illegal their money can buy.
Lil Wayne’s hit, “A Millie,” includes these lyrics:
I’m a young money millionaire, tougher than Nigerian hair
My criteria compared to your career just isn’t fair.Hey, I didn’t say they were great lyrics!
Now, for most of us, the ultimate song about money is the O'Jays classic, “For the Love of Money.” I guess if this theme show were running any other Tuesday, it would have me thinking about the economy and the stock market and what kind of impact it’s had on black people in America. But instead, when I think of the song “For the Love of Money” today, my mind is on Jennifer Hudson.
As you know, on Friday, her mother and brother were found dead in their Chicago home, and her seven-year-old nephew, Julian, was missing. Today we learned that the little boy was found dead in an
SUV. The whole story has not been told yet, but here are some of the facts that we have: One man police are calling a “person of interest” is William Balfour, Jennifer’s sister’s estranged husband, who served seven years in prison for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and other crimes. Friends and families also said Balfour had been heard arguing with Julia over the SUV that little Julian’s body was found in.For the love of money, people will steal from their mother.
For the love of money, people will rob their own brother.
For the love of money, people can’t even walk the street
Because they never know who in world they're gonna meet.
For that mean, mean, mean, mean, mean green.
Almighty dollar.
I know money is the root of evil.
Do funny things to some people.
Give me a nickel, brother can you spare a dime?
Money can drive some people out of their minds.A lot of people have asked why Jennifer hadn’t moved her mom away from the crime-ridden neighborhood she lived in. The answer is her mom didn’t want to move. She didn’t want it to appear that Jennifer’s money had changed her or her family. That was her home. Ironically, she wasn’t killed by a stray bullet or in a gang incident. She was shot and killed inside the one place where she should have felt safest.
I don’t know this for sure, but I’ll bet, like most people seeking fame, Jennifer may have thought at least once in her life that money was the answer to almost any problem she came up against. We’ve all been there -- "If I had enough money, everything would be all right." Today, there’s no amount of money or fame that can bring back her mother, her brother or her nephew.
Our prayers are with you, and your family, Jennifer.
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 1918
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TheFlyJock's Blog: Are You Our
- From: TheFlyJock
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Description:
While everyone is wondering and worrying about who’s on the short list to become Barack Obama’s running mate, I’m busy with a list of my own — not for a running mate, but a replacement for Tavis. The time has come for him to move on, and, as I said in my blog a while back, trying to replace Tavis would be like trying to replace a family member. You can’t do it. So, what we’re trying to actually find is another commentator who will inform, enlighten and empower us twice a week on the TJMS.
When Tavis first announced he was leaving, I got lots of phone calls and e-mails from people either asking for his job or letting me know about someone who they thought should have the job. Many of them were people you’ve heard of who were already in the business of doing commentaries either on TV, radio or in print. I got a lot of suggestions from you all too, and one thing was loud and clear: You all told me that you didn’t want a Tavis “clone.” You didn’t necessarily want another male, and you wanted someone who would really make you think. Most importantly, you let us know you didn’t want to hear more from the same old people you can hear from everywhere else — the go-to black people that CNN, Fox and MSNBC have discovered. That’s when it occurred to us that there is someone out there who doesn’t have an audience but has a lot of important things to say. When I say he or she doesn’t have an audience, I mean a TV, radio or newspaper audience. His or her audience is a spouse, church members, the PTA, the barbershop, the beauty shop and maybe even a former cell mate. The point is, we want a fresh voice with fresh ideas.
It could be or someone you know.
I knew the day was coming, and I’m excited. As Tavis exits our show, he leaves a huge space to be filled. But he, better than anybody, recognizes the beauty in giving someone else the opportunity to talk to 8 million people for a couple of minutes twice a week. When he first began doing commentaries back in Los Angeles, Tavis was just a young man who had lot to say and not a lot of time to say it. Back then, there was no such thing as a black syndicated radio program, and he couldn’t imagined that he would some day have the impact he had on so many. I know there’s someone out there waiting for his or her chance to become part of the TJMS family. He or she has huge headphones to fill.
J. loves to tease Tavis when he goes on vacation by saying the time-off isn’t deserved because Tavis’ commentaries add up to working 10 minutes a week. Whoever dares to step into that time slot will discover there’s nothing further from the truth. I just have one simple question: Is it you? - Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 7986
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TheFlyJock's Blog: We've Got F
- From: TheFlyJock
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Description:
One of the most recent names being considered as a possible running mate for Obama is Al Gore. I think I can speak for Barack, when I say, “What else you got?” As Rev. Al pointed out yesterday in his commentary, Obama needs a running mate who’s going to attract some voters that aren’t too crazy about him—poor, uneducated white men and hardcore Hillary-supporting white women. The Archie Bunkers and the Maudes. If you don’t remember Maude, it was sitcom featuring an outspoken, liberal, pantsuit wearing feminist—the opposite of the loud mouth, blue collar racist Archie Bunker character from “All in the Family.” The Jeffersons, former next-door neighbors to the Bunkers, are no problem. I don’t know of a black lower-class or middle class family who isn’t for Obama. Even the Jeffersons, after they moved on up to East Side, would still be sure bets as Obama supporters. I think, single-mom Julia, Florida and James Evans in the projects and
Huxtables would also all be on board the Obama train.
So, who do we turn to get Archie, Al Bundy, Homer Simpson and would-be Hillary supporters, Jill (the wife of Tim the Tool Man), Miss Hathaway from the Beverly Hillbilllies and Carol Brady?It’s not going to be easy. Hillary might be the answer for winning back white women, but she’s not the answer for attracting blue collar white guys. I think the real answer is a man that white men and white women love and respect … a combination of George Clooney, Chris Berman and ET. I don’t know who this person is, but we need to find him right away. He might not be our first, second or even third choice but we have to remember, in this case, it’s not about us. It’s about them.
If you listen to your white bosses, co-workers, neighbors and friends, more and more you’ll hear them coming up for all kinds of rationalizations for voting for John McCain—even the ones who are against the war and are pro-choice. If Obama comes up with a running mate they’re comfortable with who speaks their language and is on their team, many of them will vote the Democratic ticket in November. It may not be be pretty but the bottom line is getting Obama in the White House, even if it we need Larry the Cable Guy to make it happen. “Get Her Done” sounds just as good as “Yes We Can” to me.
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 6959
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TheFlyJock's Blog: Do Your Tha
- From: TheFlyJock
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Description:
On the historic Tuesday night that Barack Obama became the first African-American nominee for president of the United States, Michelle Obama gave her man, Barack, some dap. It was cute. But of course the media has turned it into a big deal. They’ve shown it over and over in slow motion and from different angles. It has become one of the week’s most popular videos on cable. They’ve given it their own name -- fist bump, fist pound, Obama dap -- and it’s been described as everything from black love to something as ridiculous as a terrorist fist jab (from a Fox reporter, of course).
So, if this one little gesture between Barack and Michelle has caused this much of a stir, can you imagine what their life will be like in the coming months and maybe years? Will this make them rethink and pre-think their every move? I hope not. I hope they keep it real all the way to the White House. In fact, I hope they do something to really get people talking the night he defeats John McCain. It doesn’t have to be much, apparently. Here are some suggestions: Five on the black-hand side, bring it low — you too slow, an NBA chest pound, an end-zone dance or they could really mess everybody up and do the Flip Wilson handshake from back in the 70s.
The beauty of having the first African-American presidential nominee and president is that he’s bringing something different to the table. Last time around, when it was becoming apparent that Democrat John Kerry wasn’t going to get the job done, more people came to realize that America was looking for something different. The same old middle aged, middle-of-the-road white man wasn’t happening. Perhaps it was time for a non-white man or woman to come forward. That happened. Now that it has, we should embrace all that it means — or should mean.Barack is a black man with a black family, living the black experience. And don’t tell me how he is bi-racial and was raised by white people in Hawaii. I know all that. I also know that there are things he has gone through when he was a student, on his early jobs, in corporate America and on the campaign trail that only a black man who has been through it can understand. He won’t always be able to come right out and say everything that’s on his mind, but we know that he knows that we know what’s really happening.
The decisions he makes, the policies he puts in place will be based on who he is and what he’s been through, and that’s a good thing for all of America. So, when he becomes president, he can only be the best he can be if he’s his real, true self. He’s got to continue to stand tall, and do him.I think the dap Michelle gave him was saying that more than anything else. He’s where he is for a reason. Do your thang, Obama.
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 5783
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TheFlyJock's Blog: Where Does
- From: TheFlyJock
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Description:
He had to do it, but was it right?
They weren’t going to stop until they pressured Barack Obama to resign from his church in Chicago. This time, it wasn’t because of controversial statements made by his former pastor or even the new pastor, but a guest pastor. Whether the words the priest said in the pulpit were right or wrong, my question and your question should be this: Where does it stop?Should everyone Obama is ever in contact with have to be someone who has never criticized the government or the country or a politician? Is he going to have to disassociate himself with everyone who speaks out or stands up for things they believe in? Or in the end, will Obama and everyone he’s around have to be neutral, middle of the road, white bread, boring people? Where does it stop?
What about the books that he’s read and the videos he’s rented? What about the newspapers he subscribes to and the radio stations he listens to? What about everything that has made him the person he is today and the candidate that so many of us support?
Not that the people who are out to get him really want to have a logical conversation, but if they did, why wouldn’t they ask themselves if having been a member of Trinity United Church of God in Christ for 20 years made him a bad person? Has it he done more good things in the last 20 years than bad? Is he able to relate to and understand more people because he’s been exposed to all kinds of points of view?And now that all of America has gotten a glimpse of some of the political issues that come up in the pulpits of some black churches, will Barack Obama be the only black person who will be forced to leave his church in order to appease those who are not comfortable? Think about all the other members of Obama’s church or churches like his. What if their bosses start to question how anti-American or how militant they are because they haven’t chosen to quit? What if, on the next job interview you go on, you’re asked to submit a video tape of the last 10 sermons your pastor preached? Where does it stop?
The black church was once a place where black people could safely -- and sometimes discreetly -- show up and just be black. Others might not be able to understand that because most others are allowed to be themselves, speak their minds and their politics without fear or worry. Many black people can’t. Many of us have to hold it all in until we get home, or to our fraternity or sorority meeting, or to the beauty shop or barber shop, or to church. Many of us would be fired on the spot if our bosses and co-workers really knew how we felt about so many things.
The joke used to be that what happens on the cruise stays on the cruise. Technology has changed everything, including the church. We have to know that anything and everything we do anytime and anywhere can be made public.
I’m sure Barack and Michelle are trying to figure out what kind of church they will now join. Maybe you should, too.
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 11848
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TheFlyJock's Blog: The Cruise
- From: TheFlyJock
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Description:
Well, it’s Day Seven of the Fantastic Voyage, and once again, it was fantastic. I want to congratulate my soldiers on a victory over J’s army in the water gun fight. He and A.J. Jamal did their best to defeat us by starting with a sneak attack from behind, but in the end, we were too much for them.
I know you might have heard some things about Erykah Badu’s performance in San Juan. If you were under 40, you probably liked it. If you were under 30, you probably loved it. If you were over 50, you were already back on the ship before she took her first sip of tea. She had a great show, but it’s not easy to rock that crowd after a day of touring Puerto Rico. John Legend and Cedric the Entertainer had great sets, but to be honest, had either of them been last on the bill, they would have had the same problems Erykah experienced. Even her mom, Miss Queenie, barely lasted after such a long day. The comedians, of course, had no sympathy and have gotten plenty of material out of her show. I say don’t sweat it, honey – which, by the way, she didn’t sing. Too much show and not enough time or audience.
SWV had a good show, but it got me wondering: Will they be The Emotions in 30 years? If not, who will be? If the cruise is still sailing in 2039, what old-school acts will still be able to command an audience like The Emotions, Maze, The Stylistics and Chaka Khan were able to? Chris Brown? Rhianna? Beyonce? Use your imagination, and book your dream old school line up 30 years in the future. Blog with you later!
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 6676
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TheFlyJock's Blog:More from th
- From: TheFlyJock
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Description:
The Emotions put on a great show. Everyone said they turned it out. They sounded exactly the same as they did 60 years ago. Just kidding. They sounded good, and they put on a good show. It was truly old school. They didn't try to do any Beyonce songs or Rhianna, They kept it real, hit after hit. When I asked one of our young staff members if he had seen their show, he had a blank look on his face. So I said, have you ever heard of The Emotions? He said no. I should have fired him on the spot and made him pay his way back to Dallas.
I had a ball hanging out with J., George Wallace, DL Hughley and Huggy, J. and George had a mama joke marathon, and I can't tell you who won, they both were so funny. Late that night, we went to see Bobby Brown together, and that was the end of the laughter. I felt like yelling out his name like Whitney does: "Bob-Bay!!! He came on stage after Marc Curry and was ready to work. But when he opened his mouth, it was tragic. He had nothing. Everybody in Studio B was rooting for him and hoping he would bring it, but he couldn't. One of his biggest fans told me she left before the show ended because she loved him too much to watch. She wasn't alone. A lot of people left the show. George Wallace said he saw someone in a wheelchair get up and walk out! Bobby got another chance – and he redeemed himself with the help of Johnny Gill, who ironically replaced Bobby in New Edition when he went solo.
Yesterday we docked in Turks and Caicos, and a large group of us went to a reception hosted by the premier and first lady Lisa Raye. It was at their home – well, actually outside their home overlooking the beautiful turquoise waters. It rminded me of the time J. invited us to a party at our house and wouldn't let us inside. Bruce Bruce said he didn't believe we were even at Lisa Raey and the premier’s house. He said the real owners of that home were out of town!
Most of the people were shuttled to and from the premier’s house on buses. Here's a scoop: Dr. Bobby Jones announced that he goes either way -- when it comes to the light-skinned vs. dark-skinned water gun fight. He was overheard saying he isn't light or dark, but right down the middle.
Last night was Mardi Gras night, and I hope you have had a chance to see the pictures. I was Superman,.and Donna was Lois Lane, aka Lola May. Sybil was Wonder Woman , Myra was the Hulk. Ms Dupre was Underdog; J. was Cat Woman, and Tavis was Obama! Just kidding about Tavis; you know I like to see if you’re paying attention. There were all kinds of good costumes, but in my opinion, the prize goes to Jacque Reid for taking the bit all the way. She, her mom, her aunt and other friends dressed as the women from the Texas compound that had their children taken away. They looked and acted just like those women and would not break character. Jacque found a Mormon website and ordered authentic outfits and everything. They were my favorite.
Today we docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico -- a man with late child support payments’ worse nightmare. If you’re wanted by cops, sheriffs, marshals, etc., this is where you'll get caught. I let you know who didn't make it back on the ship tomorrow. - Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 6410
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TheFlyJock's Blog: What Happen
- From: TheFlyJock
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Description:
Hey, everybody. I told you I would be blogging on the ship. In fact, I started on Saturday.
By the way, we have a new motto for the cruise in light of all the technology: "What Happened on the Cruise Never Happened.” Just like that. Yes, there are pictures. Yes, there's video; you just saw it. But it never happened, and I'm sticking with it. It works for everyone else who gets busted -- LAPD, NYPD, governors, R. Kelly!
I think I started the whole party of at the Conrad Hotel in Miami when I bought Bobby Brown his first drink of the day. I heard he was going strong late into the night. Bobby said he wants to perform seven nights instead of the two we have scheduled for him. I told him to go ahead and stay on stage seven nights straight! Bobby is a performer to his heart, the nicest guy you ever want to meet, and he's nice to everyone.
Everybody got here Saturday -- Sybil, J., Myra J., Ms. Dupree, Huggy Lowdown, Jawn Murray, who on Sunday was representing with the baddest Obama shirt I've seen yet, and believe me, there are a lot them here. Haven't seen any McCain T-shirts yet or Hillary either for that matter, but if you paid to get on the ship, I say, do your thing!
Jacque Reid showed up at the hotel straight from shoe shopping. Sheryl Underwood was trying to convince Jacque's mama to go with her to see Tyrone Davis. The Two Live Stews’ mama is here too telling everyone she's the Two Live Stews’ mama. \
The Bon Voyage party at Dreams was very crowded, and it took people three hours to get back to their hotels -- six hours if it was a player making an excuse to his girl!
Sunday morning, Spinderella was walking around the hotel looking like she didn't miss Salt or epa. When she was on our show a few weeks ago, she said she was looking for an ordinary guy on the cruise. Okay, we'll see what happens when a chipped-tooth brother with a gut tries to holla at her.
I saw a slow-moving George Wallace boarding the ship. We may have to put an age limit on the cruise. We have a minimum age 21, but we might have to make the max 102. George has two more years!
Minister Louis Farrakhan is here, looking as healthy as can be. He said he's not going to speak this time because he doesn't want to say anything the media could twist and use against "Brother Obama." If only my frat brother, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, had thought that way!
Ran into The Emotions, and they were a little emotional about hearing that I said they would be wearing bikinis on the pool deck. But they laughed about it … well, one of them wasn't laughing.Aruba Tommy is here, of course. He and a bunch of people squeezed into an elevator, and when he looked out and saw a brother who couldn't get on, Tommy said, "I'm coming back for YOU!"
Blog with you tomorrow when I tell you about the show from Sunday night! - Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 19650
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TheFlyJock's Blog: What Happen
- From: TheFlyJock
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Description:
What happens on the cruise no longer stays on the cruise … as if you didn’t know. In fact, what happens on the cruise might get back home quicker than you can say "cell phone pictures."
When the Fantastic Voyage first set sail nine years ago, technology was nowhere near what it is today. A few people had cell phones, and they didn’t work outside of their neighborhood, let alone on a Caribbean beach. Nobody had laptops; camera phones hadn’t been invented, and there was no wireless anything. When those 2,000 black people boarded that ship in Miami, we might as well have been getting on a submarine. No one could reach us, and we couldn’t reach anybody. All you could do is wait until you got to Jamaica and risk calling home on a pay phone.Oh, oh, oh, how times have changed. And everybody better recognize. I can’t help anybody any more. Everything and anything you do may become front page news, depending on who you are and what your job is. I hope you hear me.
A lot of people -- deservedly and undeservedly -- have gone down over the past couple of years because of technology, mixed with a combination of stupidity and ego issues. If you’re on the cruise, add Hennessey to the equation, and you’ve got a scandal waiting to happen.
I’ve seen it, believe me. Politicians, preachers, teachers -- great people who, on land, carry themselves like the pillars of the community that they are. But once they get on that ship, something happens and they get caught up. They’re in Studio B booty dancing. They’re at the water gun fight wearing Speedos. They’re naked in the hot tub sipping champagne with strangers. They’re tipping back to their cabins at 4 a.m in Power Ranger costumes. And I didn’t say a word.
I never told you that comedian A.J. Jamal’s wife met another man on the cruise, and it led to their divorce; I only talked it about it after A.J put it in his act. You never heard from me that Earthquake and a bunch of others -- including a gospel singer’s husband, who owed back child support -- were detained when we docked in Puerto Rico. I tried to pull the coattail of a state senator who led the dark-skinned water gun team to victory, then jumped on stage and chanted "Shaka Zulu!" And what about the celebrity mayor who's been in the news lately? He used to book five cabins for vacation. Yes, they were together, and now he's on lockdown. I was not the one who publicized the alleged affair between Bobby Brown and an "America’s Next Top Model" contestant ... not to mention all the domestic disputes, drunken brawls, pimp slaps, and cheating from our regular passengers.
I’m warning you all. What happens on the ship no longer stays on the ship -- at all. In fact, we’re the main ones putting the stuff out there.
It’s a new day. BlackAmericaWeb.com will be on and poppin’ on the cruise, with daily news reports, gossip reports, my daily blog, etc. so that you’ll know everything that’s happening on the cruise up to the minute. And if you’re on the cruise, you’ll be able to visit our Internet café and communicate with the people back home as often as you’d like.
So, here’s my point: If you’re high profile, you need to either slow your roll or be prepared to take the heat if your stuff shows up on the web.
If you’re not high-profile, and you want to keep it that way, watch yourself. The freakiest night of your life could be documented and in major circulation with the push of a button.If you’re a player or playette who’s telling somebody back home that once you get on the ship, you won’t be able to communicate with them for seven whole days, I’m bustin’ you out. The Internet café is available to everyone.
The good news is it’s no longer like we’re going into the abyss. BlackAmericaWeb.com is your link to the Fantastic Voyage, and I hope you visit the site early and often.
Now, for everything true that happens on the cruise, there are about 500 rumors. What have you heard? I’ll tell you if it’s true or false. Don’t forget to read my special cruise blog all next week.Bon Voyage!
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
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TheFlyJock's Blog: Keep On Pus
- From: TheFlyJock
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Well, that’s it. It’s over. America voted, and it was clear that she was not as popular as her competitors. So, she went home.
You know I’m talking about “American Idol’s” Syesha, right? Hillary Clinton is still hanging on. All the odds are against her now, and with the endorsement of John Edwards and his delegates going to Barack Obama, I can’t see how she can continue. But whatever it is that’s driving her, that’s pushing her, that’s making her feel like she’s supposed to be there when numbers and logic and pundits are telling her she shouldn’t be, we all should have.
I don’t know if it’s her supporters, Bill, or the pantsuits. I can’t figure it out. Well, maybe I can, sort of.
I come from a small town, Tuskegee, Alabama, where the majority of the community was made up of well-educated, ambitious black people. The children of these hard working Negroes were taught by example to work hard and dream big. There was nothing we thought we couldn’t achieve.
I don’t know that much about Hillary or how she was raised, but I know a fighter when I see one. You don’t fight this hard unless you’re accustomed to winning. But there are different kinds of winners — those who win because they’re really the best and those who win because of who they are and who they know. Some people think they should win because they’ve paid their dues, played by the rules and attained success. Some people think they are entitled to that success — that in spite of the rules, in spite of the laws, in spite of the people, they deserve to have what they want, and they’re willing to fight for it any cost. This feeling of entitlement will give you the confidence, the spirit, the power to stay in a race when everyone says you should quit, when everyone says you can’t win, when everyone tells you it’s over.
When Hillary finally has to bow out, I hope that Barack will be able to go into this thing with the same kind of fight. As Tavis pointed out Tuesday, when Obama becomes the nominee, the heat will be turned up like never before. There will be days he will wonder whether he can or should go on. He’s got to fight with everything he has, and when he’s got nothing else to give, he’s still got find a way to keep swinging.
There’s something in each of us who aspires to be successful that continues to drive us when our tank is low. I was once a member of the Commodores, but quit the group before Lionel and the guys blew up. I felt so stupid when I saw how well they were doing that I wasn’t going to stop until I’d achieved something that would make me stop regretting my decision to quit.
What is it that made you keep going in spite of the odds? If you have a story of being down and out, but you somehow found the strength to continue, share that story. Maybe it will inspire someone in else in their darkest hour, in the fight of their life, to press forward. - Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 7734
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TheFlyJock's Blog: Is Fat The
- From: TheFlyJock
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You’ve heard the rationalizations for getting older: 60 is the new 50. 50 is the new 40 and so on. Well, at your kids’ school fat might be the new skinny. Think about it. If you’re over 40, you probably remember the time when being an overweight kid was not the norm. If you’re like me and were that overweight kid, you remember being teased because you stood out. Now, there are so many overweight kids in the classrooms that a skinny kid stands out.
My first response to this is, YES! Finally, revenge of the fat kids. But to piggy back (pardon the pun) on what Dr. Ian said Monday about the danger we are placing these kids in, we as parents and grandparents of overweight kids ought to be ashamed of ourselves. As J. always says, follow a fat kid home and a fat parent will answer the door. We teach our kids poor eating habits, we buy them unhealthy foods, we don’t take responsibility for our kids getting the exercise they need, we feed then grown-up sized portions when they are kids.
But as much as I enjoy quoting J’s theory it doesn’t always hold up. And the only thing worse than unhealthy overweight parents raising unhealthy over weight kids, is weight conscious; parents who ignore the fact that their kids are over weight. You know the type. They’ve had a health scare or just decided at some point to make healthy changes in their lives. They begin exercising and eating right while their kid sits in front of their computers eating fast food for dinner. It’s not done on purpose but it needs to stop. If you’re going to make a change in your diet and exercise that will probably prolong your life, you shouldn’t leave your children out.
I know it’s easier said than done but think of this statistics. This generation of kids may be the first to be unhealthier than their parents. That means, as you approach the age when you will begin to need assistance you might not be able to call on your children. In fact, your unhealthy children may be living with you and depending on you to help them get around. If that’s not enough to make you want to make some changes I don’t know what will.
There are so many opportunities out there for us to do better. If you’re a busy mom or dad that spends most of your time in the car, you don’t have to cut out eating at fast-food restaurants all together, just make healthier choices for you and your kids. If they’re used to fries and turn their nose onto yogurt or apple slices; don’t make them give up fries cold turkey. Just cut back gradually. The younger your children are, the better chance you have conditioning them to eat from the healthier side of menu.
I love to see an overweight kid, or for that matter, an overweight adult who is happy and confident about the way they look.
But, so many of the health issues that disproportionately plague African Americans are directly related to obesity—hypertension, diabetes, strokes, etc. I hear you out there. “Tom Joyner, I know you’re not trying to sit up here and judge anybody about being overweight.” Hey, I’m not judging, I’m loving. If you love your children enough to commit to providing them with a healthier lifestyle you’ll make the future brighter for them and you.
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 6251
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TheFlyJock's Blog: Holla At Th
- From: TheFlyJock
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Holla at Them!
Here’s what most of us seem to know: Obama has 260 superdelegates, and Hillary has 273.
A lot of us have been throwing those numbers around like we really know what we’re talking about. I’ll only speak for myself when I say I’ve never been as involved in an election as I have been in this one. And I’ve certainly never had as many conversations about the whole election process as I’ve had about this election. I’m sure that I must have taken a political science course in college and some civics or social studies classes in high school, but I don’t remember them.
Like many of you, this primary election season has given me a crash course in politics. And I’m trying to keep up.
For example, as much as we talk about superdelegates, do most of us really know who they are or what they do? According to the 2008 Democratic Convention Watch website, there are 795 (not including Michigan and Florida) total Democratic superdelegates that the nominees are trying to be endorsed by.
Superdelegates are made up of Democratic governors and members of Congress, former presidents, including Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter; former vice president Al Gore, retired congressional leaders, and all Democratic National Committee members, such as my girl Donna Brazile, and Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Superdelegates automatically get to cast a vote at the convention this summer to decide who the party’s nominee will be. They can come out any time before their state’s primary and pledge to support either Obama or Clinton. That support is actually a vote that moves the candidate closer to the number of delegates needed to secure the nomination.
Before the superdelegate system was put into place, party bosses that were usually white men had way too much power and influence in the way candidates were nominated. So, in the 70s the party’s rules were changed to open the process to more grassroots activists, women and ethnic minorities.
Usually, by the end of the primary season, it’s clear who the presidential nominee will be. Of course, this is not a usual election, and it looks like the battle between Obama and Clinton will not only go beyond the primary season but all the way up to the convention. If this is the case, the role of the superdelegates will be huge.
So, I thought it would be a good idea to let you know who some of these superdelegates are and how you can get in touch with them to let them know how you would like them to vote. We know it’s ultimately up to the individuals, but I don’t see how letting them know how we feel can hurt.
Even though this is radio advocacy, it isn’t a case where we’re contacting a person to yell at them or make a demand. It’s more like a “let me holler at you” kind of thing.Here’s the first list of uncommitted super delegates and their e-mail addresses. Holla at them.
Rep. Chris Carney (PA)
http://carney.house.gov/contact.shtmJoyce Beatty, DNC (Ohio)
District27@ohr.state.oh.usGilda Cobb-Hunter
gch@schouse.orgRep. Jim Clyburn (S.C.)
http://clyburn.house.gov/zip_code_verify.cfmAkaka, Daniel K.- (HI)
http://akaka.senate.gov/public/index.cfm ?FuseAction=Contact.Home
Baucus, Max- (MT)
http://baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailFo rm.cfm?subj=issueBiden, Joseph R., Jr.- (DE)
http://biden.senate.gov/services/contact/Brown, Sherrod- (OH)
http://brown.senate.gov/contact/Byrd, Robert C.- (WV)
http://byrd.senate.gov/byrd_email.htmlCardin, Benjamin L.- (MD)
http://cardin.senate.gov/contact/Carper, Thomas R.- (DE)
http://carper.senate.gov/contact/Representative Tom Allen (Maine)
info@tomallen.org (e-mail)Representative Jason Altmire (Pennsylvania)
http://altmire.house.gov/IMA/issue_subscribe.shtmlRepresentative Howard Berman (California)
http://www.house.gov/berman/contact/
Governor Steve Beshear (Kentucky)
http://governor.ky.gov/contact.htmAnita Bonds (Washington, DC)
http://www.faxzero.com - Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 17139
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TheFlyJock's Blog: What Had Ha
- From: TheFlyJock
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Let’s see. As I prepared to do my blog on yesterday, I tripped and fell and hit my head.
Not buying that? How about this, I knew if I had put the Clinton/Obama blog up in April you would have known it was a joke, so I did it on May 1st to throw you off. Don’t like that one either? What about this? Forgive me Father for I have sinned.Yesterday I wrote a blog about a theory that I’d heard involving a Clinton/Obama ticket and how it would almost assure Democrats 16 years in the White House. We put up a For Real, For Real poll and even though most of the people who responded to the blog hated the idea, 42 percent who participated in the poll said they would vote for the ticket. Thirty percent said they would not vote for a Clinton/Obama ticket and 27 said they hated me for bringing the topic up.
I’m sorry I did bring it up. A lot of you told me you were disappointed in me and accused me of secretly working for the either the Clinton campaign or Tavis. Even though I kept saying, I wasn’t endorsing the idea, the fact that it was written on my blog made me guilty in the eyes of many of you. So, just as Obama had to denounce Rev. Wright, I’m denouncing yesterday’s blog. I’m moving forward and stepping away from that theory for good. Well, sort of. But let me just say to those of you who accused me of being a traitor. You should know me better than that. I was just trying to stimulate our thinking and remind us that we need to know what other people are talking about. And okay yes, I was trying to stir things up a little bit, too. I admit it. But these days, people, black people in particular seem less and less interested in being stirred up.
There’s one thing about the Rev. Wright interview with Bill Moyers that really stuck with me. He talked about the role of the black church in the black community. In his opinion, the role is not just to preach a nice sermon and tell the congregation what it wants to hear every unday. The role of the church in the black community is to reach outside of the four walls and to have hands on relationships with people who might not ever come to church. He says to be effective you need to bring the things and the people of the world into the church and the people of Christ outside of the church. The two worlds have to meet. Rev. Wright and preachers like him who do not insulate themselves or their congregations from things “of the world” stir things up. When I was a kid, that was the way black churches were. They were not just houses of worship, they were houses of politics, houses of debate and houses of activism. Like black radio back in the day, the black church was a place where black people could talk to black people about things they wouldn’t talk about to anyone else, and they weren’t afraid to do so.
I’m proud of having come from a black church and proud, as well, that the TJM has tried to hold up the tradition of black radio I grew up listening to during the Civil Rights movement. Many of us think everyone in the movement worked together harmoniously all the time. That wasn’t the case. There were lots of people with lots of ideas and that leads to a lot of heated discussions and arguments. But when you’re discussing or arguing with people who have your best interests at heart, you’re more open to hearing what they have to say, even if you disagree. That may have been the real reason I thought it was safe to share with you the idea of a Clinton/Obama ticket. I was thinking that I owed it to you to bring to the table a real scenario that is really being discussed. I thought we had it like that. To me, the black church and black radio are the two places that we should be able to talk about anything and everything that will affect the lives of black people. When we spend too much time filtering out things that make us uncomfortable or dressing up things that might be too ugly, are we doing anyone good?
- Blog post
- 1 year ago
- Views: 11363
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