CLAY CANE // GET YOUR LIFE

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Check out my interview with the legendary Diahanna Carroll for BET.com. Diahann talks Halle Berry, Dorothy Dandridge, Hollywood and more. She also stomps the madness of some people who were offended at Halle's role in Monster's Ball.

Diahann Carroll reflects on "Claudine'

There are some parts of the interview didn't make the cut, like the exchange we did about Diana Ross. I love how she admits she was the "old" thought. Read below.

In your biography, you said you saw Diana Ross driving down the street, moving in your neighborhood, and said, "There's go the neighborhood." I was curious to know, where did that come from - did you and Diana Ross not get along or what do that mean?
Well, you do know there is some disadvantages to being young... you have to wait awhile. I was living in Beverly Hills and I was doing Julia, a television series. I think I integrated the neighborhood. When I was growing up, and most of us remember Detroit was a very dangerous place. I understand that in the city of Detroit at one point there were more guns than in the entire United States. So your take on Detroit is not what my take was on Detroit. That's where all of those wonderful hit songs came out of, Detroit, which was known for not being a safe place, kind of dangerous. The major success that happened in Detroit was Motown. When I saw Diana Ross, I think the description was in a yellow convertible, so if you put all those things together -- Detroit, Diana Ross, what I had to go through to integrate Beverly Hills in the sixties when I came out to do Julia... I hope it becomes a little more clear to you. It was actually said as a joke but it was not really totally joke, it was a double edged sword. Now what do you get out of that?

I think what you're saying is the idea of what Diana Ross represented, coming from Detroit, Motown - you were the first black person in Beverly Hills. She represented something different.
A different point of view.

A different point of view! So, it was nothing personal about Diana Ross.
I think I had met her once, yes. But, it was really an entire comment about a period of time in our history -- this was a change, her arrival. That's really what the comment was about. I was the old thought, holding onto something that had been a part of cultivating who I was. It was time to let go of that thought because here was something new that was represented by the recording industry, Motown and Detroit.

Also, after I told Diahann Carroll how the gay community supported her she said, "It's very important to me. I've always felt that the gay community was very much on my side, but I like to hear it again. Thank you

Labels: LEGENDS

Posted by Clay :: 10:07 AM :: 22 comments

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Monday, February 23, 2009

2009 Oscars Recap

I would rather see Whoopi Goldberg dressed in the print of Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s snatch than see her in this frightening monstrosity of a gown. Who told her to wear this? As much of an intellect she is on The View, how did she agree to it? Will Joy Behar get gangsta on air and tell her she looked like a pregnant reject from The Lion King?

The Oscars sucked fat donkey balls. What a waste. I really loved that year when they couldn't have an awards show so they had to read everything all in one hour. That was great. They should stick to that format because those duds couldn't put a good show together if their ratings depend on it.

Hugh Jackman was the oddest hetero of the night. Prancing, dancing, singing and popping top hats. Only good thing is it ends the homo rumors -- no self respecting gay man would sing that sharp and look so redundantly foolish. He is cute when he smile and has knives shooting out of his knuckles -- but it ends there.

They knocked the colored folk out of the way immediately - Viola Davis and Taraji P. Henson lost to two-time Oscar nominee Penelope Cruz. While I was routing for the sistah girls that award had Penelope's name all over it. Plus, she was emotional, came from humble beginnings and has been working for many years. That speech put a tear in my left eye. As Wanda Sykes said, "That girl sure gives a nice lil' speech."

The script writer for Milk, Dustin Lance Black gave an amazing speech about being an oppressed gay Mormon. He told all the lil' gay chil'ren that Jesus loves you. I loved it; especially that he didn't need to write a word down.

In between three hours of foolishness Beyonce Knowles continued to sing songs by people who will always be more talented than her -- Judy Garland ("Somewhere Over The Rainbow"), Patti LuPone ("Don't Cry For Me Argentina") and had the nerve to belt out a few bars of "At Last"! I know Etta James threw an empty bottle of Southern Comfort at her black and white 13-inch television screen and damned that woman to a Creole hell. Beyonce is talented, but momma needs to turn down some gigs. She is steadily rolling down the river - damn, why can't she get "celebrity exhaustion"? If it can happen to Brandy and Janet, why not Bey?

Queen Latifah was sitting in the front row with her "trainer." Okay, yeah right, I didn't see them doing crunches in their seats so I am going to assume there ain't no training going on. Dana also sang a tribute song to people who passed -- and would you believe they had the nerve to leave out Eartha Kitt?! Bastards!

Heath Ledger won and deserved it, Kate Winslet won -- although I was kind of hoping she would lose because I know she would've had a Brit breakdown and stormed out of the Kodak Theatre cursing them all to a bloody hell... that would've made things fun. Sean Penn beat out Mickey Rourke for his role in Milk. Sean deserved it, he really transformed himself and Mickey played a version of himself.

The darlings from Slumdog Millionaire won and even snagged for best picture -- I was a lil' scared when they all stormed the stage, it looked like the Source Awards and I just knew it was a fire hazard.

Overall, boring, too ambitious and exhaustive. I couldn't imagine being in the audience -- and sitting through that mess to win nothing! Poor Brad Pitt. He is the new Leonardo DiCapiro.

Award season is officially over!

Labels: AWARD SHOWS

Posted by Clay :: 12:52 AM :: 13 comments

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Thursday, February 19, 2009

Rosie and Keshia

I know you think I am talking about two girls from around the way -- nope, check out my interviews with Keshia Knight Pulliam and the legendary Rosie Perez. Keshia is starring in Madea Goes to Jail, which I'll be reviewing tomorrow.

Rosie is reflecting on Do the Right Thing for Black History Month. I am a big Rosie Perez fan, she is such an underrated actress and says some poignant things in this interview. If you haven't seen King of the Jungle with her and John Leguizamo, add to your Netflix now!

Keshia Knight Pulliam: From Rudy to Candy

BHM Exclusive: Rosie Perez reflects on 'Do the Right Thing'

Labels: Interviews

Posted by Clay :: 12:00 AM :: 3 comments

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Monday, February 16, 2009

No more Chris and Rihanna!

I am so disgusted at this Chris Brown and Rihanna coverage. Every channel, every web site, I haven't seen a media circus like this since Anna Nicole Smith died. I think it's terrible what Chrissy did, but I could careless about these two pop hacks. If they never made a piece of music in their overrated careers I wouldn't lose any sleep. Plus, domestic violence is a terrible crime. You would think their, especially Rihanna's, privacy would be respected.

What is truly sad is this predicament has now extended Rihanna's stay in the spotlight! The power haircut was just getting ready to wear off -- and now BAM! This at least guarantees her another year. Damn you Chris Brown!

Seriously, I do think this is a disgusting situation but the media has handled it so salacious and tasteless that it's making many people feel desensitized. The media is covering it like a season of The Hills and this is real life. Also, this is the first time in our Internet society that a domestic violence situation has occurred between two celebrities. When David Justice was hitting Halle Berry... when Wesley Snipes was hitting Halle -- there was no Internet.

Chris - his career is officially over, hitting someone who is more famous than him and who white folks love! This is going to make Ri's career boom. If I were her, I'd talk to Oprah via Skype as soon as possible. Make sure those bruises are still visible, wear an "I, Tina" shirt and say she is releasing a single dedicated to domestic violence and all proceeds are going to the Angel Network. Capitalize!

It really is sad... and Rihanna is so tiny and delicate. Could you imagine if Chris would've hit Fantasia? BAB-BAY, Fantasia would've screamed like Sindel from Mortal Kombat and finished that m*thaf*cka off with his body landing in the Pacific Ocean!

I hope our faltering economy manages to make it back in the headlines soon.

Labels: RIHANNA

Posted by Clay :: 12:59 AM :: 20 comments

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Friday, February 13, 2009

NAACP Image Awards Recap: Uncensored!

Over at BET.com, I did a recap of the NAACP Image Awards, I couldn't really let loose like I can over here at ClayCane.net. So here we go…

Beyonce Knowles opened up with a performance of a song she stole for someone else called "Halo." I have to admit, despite her annoying, over fluttering vibrato, Beyonce was really feeling that damn song. She was all teary-eyed and not being celluloid plastic. It's amazing to see perfect Bey try and act like she is a real human being! I loved it, maybe she was hormonal...

Then, Bey accepts an award for outstanding female artist and was babbling like she suddenly forgot all that staunch media training. Of course she went on a rant about her family—poor Bey, black folks have given her so much flack and she always feels like she has to defend this generation's Jackson family. Don't be ashamed Bey...

By the way, where was Jay-Z? Actually where was anyone in hip-hop?! This is the 100 year anniversary of the NAACP—they had to be there! You know the NAACP is the Negro roll call. If you ain't there, you might get that sell-out mark stamped right on your forehead. Alicia Keys? Queen Latifah? The Secret Life of Bees won outstanding motion picture award and only Jennifer Hudson and Dakota Fanning were there? Oh Lawd…

Halle Berry hosted, who looked so damn gorgeous—I had to check my homo card to make sure it was still sitting in my back pocket. Can this woman get anymore fine?

Tyler Perry was the co-host, who looked like the director of a gay choir in his black mortician suit. The good Lawd knows Perry was probably pitching Halle a movie between every commercial break. Sweet Jezuz Halle don't do it! I'se beggin' you! You don't want to lower the bar—we are still trying to recover from Catwoman!

Great acceptance speeches came from Traci Ellis Ross, Hill Harper and Taraji P. Henson (I love her - she is the new Regina King! Although her dress looked like a broken pineapple in that ill-fitting dress.).

Then it all fell down… the time was 8:49pm and Diddy won for best TV actor for his embarrassing, couldn't be criticized enough, middle school like performance in A Raisin in the Sun. I thought the NAACP gave him a nomination as a courtesy, but when he won it was more like blasphemy. Diddy a better actor than Charles S. Dutton, Ben Vereen and Sean Patrick Thomas? Jeffrey Wright presented Diddy with the award (who had the nerve to pull out a written speech!) and you could see Wright behind him, evilly peering with pursed lips and a thought bubble that said, "This ni**a!"

Will.i.am, a combo of an imitation Wycelf and a pseudo Bob Marley, sang the worst political song of all time for Former Vice President Al Gore and Kenyan activist Wangari Maathai. He lip-synched lyrics like, "We'll stand up and take our planet back!" Will, please—I'll be glad when he gets back with the Black Eyed Peas and stop taking himself so seriously.

Seal was there, who I interviewed and loved—but where was blond and blue Heidi Klum? She follows him everywhere he goes—I don't know why she couldn't have showed up at the NAACP Awards. Then again, Seal might've got stoned right on stage if he brought his German snowflake along. I feel ya’ Seal—Halle's significant other was nowhere to be found either!

By far, the best moment of the show was Jennifer Hudson singing "The Impossible Dream" to Muhammad Ali. Yeah, I know her lower notes are shaky, but mama was feeling that damn song and brought a tear to the corner of my left eye. Ever since she came back from her hiatus, Hudson has this sweat in her voice. Hudson could already sing and feel it, but she has only gotten better. Congrats to a survivor like her! I only hope her next album is true soul and not R&B fluff.

The evening closed with a performance from Stevie Wonder... I loves some Stevie, but he is the stock tribute man for every show from the Grammys to the Nickelodeon Awards. Lawd please, let Stevie chill!

Overall, I enjoyed a sophisticated, classy and elegant NAACP Image Awards. It was much better than the Grammys.

Until next time!

Labels: AWARD SHOWS, Beyonce, HALLE BERRY

Posted by Clay :: 1:11 AM :: 15 comments

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Thursday, February 12, 2009

EXCLUSIVE: Young Celie reflects on 'The Color Purple'

Check out my exclusive interview for BET.com with Desreta Jackson -- she talks about Oprah, alleged strife with Whoopi Goldberg, not being invited to the Oscars and surviving sexual abuse. This interview is a must read.

BHM EXCLUSIVE: Desreta Jackson reflects on 'The Color Purple'

Labels: Interviews

Posted by Clay :: 2:01 AM :: 5 comments

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Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Top Black Actresses of All Time

I know many of you like a good list. Check out the official list for the top black actresses of all time according to their box office numbers. Some of the people might surprise you. Yes, Beyonce is in the top ten!

Top Black Actresses of all Time

Labels: Beyonce, HALLE BERRY, Jennifer Hudson

Posted by Clay :: 9:43 AM :: 11 comments

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Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Gay and in Prison

I recently read a story that gay inmates at a in prison Costa Rica are not allowed conjugal visits, which was a ruling that came from the nation's highest court.

The worst place for a gay man to be is in prison. One of my friends is incarcerated at least till the end of 2010 and I am consistently shocked at the horror stories he tells me via letter or whenever he can call. Yes, prison is an awful place for anyone, but if you are gay it is even worse. Prison is the one scenario where racist whites and homophobic blacks will unite against you.

My friend has experienced endless discrimination from other inmates and especially the staff. A few weeks ago he called to wish me a Happy New Year. I was concerned because I hadn't heard from him in over two months. He was in solitary confinement for those two months because he got into an altercation with a band of ignorant straight boys.

My friend has been attacked in every way you can think of—slapped, punched and choked, being left with permanent scars. The sexual abuse, he says he isn't being raped... but if he doesn't have sex with particular people who he has no attraction to then there will be no protection from other inmates. His only option is to have a "partner." He recently told me, "I'm tired of being Tina."

The treatment from the staff is shocking. Their advice is to just "stop" being gay, like he has a choice in the matter and he can change it. Sad. He has no freedom over his time, humanity and body.

He writes, "I'm tired of being a trash can for these men." And, there are no condoms. He once said he used an empty bag of potato chips as a condom.

However, he always stresses, "I deserve this though because me, out of all people, should not be here. I have been afforded all the opportunities that many of the people here never got and I am still here."

I always knew as a black man I had to be better. But, as a gay man you have to be smarter, more intuitive and make nearly flawless decisions in comparison to your straight counterparts. I see some gay men make terrible decisions, seeming to function as if there are no consequences, or living the role of the tragic homosexual. They feel like there is no option, you have a temper, you want to be fabulous, or you don't have discipline. Still, our consequences are usually deadlier and come with little to no sympathy from the outside world. I wish some of us would get this...

Labels: COMMUNITY

Posted by Clay :: 10:05 AM :: 15 comments

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Friday, February 06, 2009

Movie Reviews: ‘He’s Just Not That Into You’ and ‘Push’

Check out the reviews for the week's movie releases!

Movie Reviews: ‘He’s Just Not That Into You’ and ‘Push’

Labels: MOVIE REVIEWS

Posted by Clay :: 9:27 AM :: 3 comments

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Thursday, February 05, 2009

Beyonce vs. Etta and Djimon

Ain't this Bey vs. Etta scandal fun? I just love that Etta is so damn hood. I did a blog entry for it over at BET.com:

Etta James on Beyonce: “She gon’ get her a** whipped!”

Honestly though, if Etta really wanted to make the Knowles camp suffer she would fly to Malaysia and free all those poor women working in sweatshops forcing to to spit out those atrocious House of Dereon outfits.

Also, my Djimon Hounsou interview is live. I wish I could've got to more of your questions in, but we were on that time crunch. But, he does say some interesting thinks about Amistad.

Djimon Hounsou: From Amistad to Pu sh

Labels: Beyonce, Interviews

Posted by Clay :: 8:00 AM :: 12 comments

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Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Doug Spearman interview and 'Noah's Arc' on DVD today

Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom is on DVD today. I did an interview with Doug Spearman for BET.com. The first time BET has ever done any press for Noah's Arc. Here is an interesting excerpt from the interview:

In Hollywood, do you feel like you experience more racism or more homophobia?
Racism. I've never heard somebody scream faggot on a set. I’ve never been told I couldn’t have something because I was gay. No one's ever going to do that, people aren’t stupid—99% of the people who work in Hollywood are not stupid. They're not going to openly express that kind of prejudice. Are good gay roles hard to find? Absolutely. Even gay people write stereotypical gay roles. When I walk into the room a black man walks into a room, not a gay man. I think I’m black before I’m gay, there is a cultural history attached to that. I look at television and thirty years ago you saw more black faces than you do now. There are no series with the exception of “The Game” and “The House of Payne” that have a predominantly black cast. There are certainly no major networks or cable networks series built around black characters. We are disappearing from our culture and we need to stand up and say something about it.

BET.com: Black and Gay in Hollywood

Labels: NOAH'S ARC

Posted by Clay :: 9:17 AM :: 8 comments

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Monday, February 02, 2009

Why isn't the national anthem live?

Yes, Jennifer Hudson killed the national anthem. It was great to see her back in the spotlight and looking amazing, especially after enduring a rough few months.

Some people sent me texts saying J-Hud's performance had to of been live. No, it wasn't (seems like folks argue this every year), Rickey Minor, the music director, told the Associated Press:

"Although entertainers can perform live, Minor insisted that Hudson and Faith Hill, who sang 'America the Beautiful' before the national anthem, use the tracks the NFL requires them to submit a week before the game.

'That's the right way to do it,' Minor said. 'There's too many variables to go live. I would never recommend any artist go live because the slightest glitch would devastate the performance.'"

Too many variables -- does the NFL think singing the national anthem is the biggest musical event of the year? If folks can sing live at the Oscars or the Grammys they should be able to take it at the Superbowl.

Does it take away "the magic" for anyone else that these Superbowl performances are never live? Every year people rave how great the artist was, but... it wasn't live singing.

I remember Whitney's version, she was sweating the Atlantic Ocean, going through it and reverberating for over two minutes -- then word got out performances at the Superbowl are never live. That was probably the first time the public really understood these performances are to a pre-recorded track.

Cher sang the National Anthem in 1999 at the Superbowl. People said she was amazing -- but it wasn't live. Why exactly does the NFL recommend lip-synching? It's hard for me to take amazing national anthem performances seriously.

In case you want a live national anthem - check out Patti Labelle.

Check this out
Star-Spangled Mess

Labels: Jennifer Hudson

Posted by Clay :: 12:20 AM :: 19 comments

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