Friday, July 07, 2006

Getting Ready to Jet

Well, the time has finally arrived. I’m leaving for Florida In a couple of days. Actually, now that it is after midnight, I can officially say that I am leaving tomorrow.

My planning for this trip has gotten a lot more serious. All day today, I’ve been pulling out, trying on, and buying clothes for this trip. I think I’m pretty ready. I just need to get my hair did. (smile) I’ve also decided not to wait until the very last minute to pack. My things will be completely packed the night before I leave, not the morning of my departure.

I’m kind of nervous about my trip. I don’t really know what to expect. I have a few concerns. I won’t go into detail now. But when I get back, I’ll sit down and blog about it. But overall, I think the conference is going to be quite an experience. I pray that it will be a good one. I’m looking forward to it.

By the way… Only a few days after I return from Florida, I’m going to NYC to see the Color Purple. Plus, I’m going to see one of my best friends. I’m so looking forward to that. Yes, I love NYC, and I’m certainly looking forward to seeing the show. But most of all, I love hanging with my friend. She’s the best! Always has been… Always will be…

Because of all my traveling, I probably won’t update this blog for a couple of weeks. Until then, reach out and touch the Master. He wants to hear from you.

Sunday, July 02, 2006

My thoughts on the Starr Jones Termination


I know that I recently said that I was only going to use this blog to discuss disability issues, as it relates to me, of course. But I have to take a few minutes to disperse my opinions about the Starr Jones debacle.

First of all, who does Barbara Walters and the other executives at ABC think they are fooling. Starr was fired. No matter how they try to phrase it, color it, shape it, or spin it… Not renewing Starr’s contract means that her services were terminated. Most of us know that terminated is the word that is used to describe fired. So, let’s not play games with each other. The show is continuing with the other women, who in my opinion are not any more likable than Star. If the show is continuing without Star, that means that Star was released/terminated/fired/exterminated/extracted from the show. (Pick the word you want to use.)

I touched on this a second ago. Starr is no more annoying, opinionated, shallow, or covered up than the other women. I’m sure that Ms. Walters is not the person that she decides to show the world on screen. She has created an image that obviously works, and that’s the one she decides to place in front of the camera. Starr did the same thing. If she didn’t want to be forthright about certain aspects of her life, then she should have had that right.

As for her “medical intervention”, which is how Starr chose to describe it on Larry King’s show… That is her business. Everybody doesn’t want to have a pound for pound melt down with the public like Oprah. What did people want? A day by day confession of what she was eating, how much weight she was losing everyday, what size she was shrinking to, what did Al think about her new nude body…. People/the public/her cohosts need to mind their business.

While weight loss surgery is very popular these days, it still has great controversy around it. When you are planning to have weight loss surgery, just had weight loss surgery, or trying to get use to your weight loss surgery: you don’t always need “people” offering comments, airing out their opinions of the surgery, or just outright being nosy. Weight loss surgery is a major surgery that has many-many challenges. Starr needed to begin that journey with the support of those who loved her, not the criticism and nosiness of those who don’t even know her/the public.

As for the free merchandise that she received for her wedding… SO WHAT!!! These celebrities always get free clothing, shoes, vacations, and I’m sure plenty of other things from companies donated to them. The white girls that go to the Oscar’s and the Grammy’s every year get their fine, designer, $20K dresses donated to them. Other celebrities have admitted that now that they are rich and able to buy anything they want, they don’t have to. So, why did people really have a problem with Starr getting free merchandise? Do I smell the scent of a hater?

Yes, as Mrs. Walters said… “The View helped make Starr a star.” Goody! Now Starr can move on and go to something better. Walters and/or ABC are not God. Contrary to what Walters may think, she and the other rich, white boys in the swanky offices on the top floors of the ABC building did not open that door for Starr. God opened that door for her. And I’m pretty certain that he has some bigger doors to open for her.

As for ABC claiming that the audience didn’t like her anymore… I guess she was more likable when she was fat and black like a mammy. I guess they liked her when she was single and seemingly desperate for any man to want her. I think that people, at least the people that ABC claimed that they poled, can’t stand to see a SMART, BEAUTIFUL, EDUCATED, WELL SPOKEN, GROUNDED, MARRIED, BLACK WOMAN. But I can… So, I’m going to be looking for Starr to show up on screen real soon.

I wish that ABC would pole me to get my opinion of the View. But I know they won’t. So, I’ll just have to offer my two cents on this blog.

I can’t stand Joy. She’s smart. I’ll admit that. But she is awfully rude and can sometimes be quite pushy. That behavior would not be tolerated from anyone without white skin. If Starr acted like Joy her contract would have not been renewed eight years ago.

The young girl on the show is incredibly silly and lacks experience and the ability to effectively articulate her undeveloped opinions. She’s a waste of airtime.

Barbara is strikingly the hen that sits on that little nest. That’s kind of nerve wrecking. The whole point of the show was for the ladies to be equal. It was obvious from the very beginning that Walters was the boss.

Starr and Meredith were actually my favorite. Both of them were smart, extremely capable of articulating their stance on an issue, and capable of holding their ground. I like that…

Well, I know that this entry was quite opinionated and verbose… But I just wanted to let the whole world know/the couple of people that read my blog to know how I felt on this particular matter.