Some years ago, George Carlin was regularly featured on television and on the radio. It did not last for long. For although Carlin, has been called one of the funniest men in the World only rivaled by Richard Pryor, and even considered to be funnier than the legendary Lenny Bruce, he incurred the wrath and the scorn of the FCC when he used four letter words over the air in his skit entitled Seven Dirty Words You Can Never Say on Television.

He was fired and fined and arrested on July 21st, 1972 for violating the Nation’s obscenity laws.

Don’t Ask Don ‘t Tell, challenges conservatives to come to terms with their idea of a strong military. Who should and should not serve? Should gays and lesbians in the military be allowed to speak out about their personal lives? Can they marry on base like straight soldiers? Currently, many gays have been discharged from service who were excellent soldiers and offered valuable skills such as weapons or language capabilities which should under ‘normal’ circumstance render them indispensable. Despite President Obama pledging to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the pink vote has noticed his annoying tendency to waffle as he has done with so many other campaign promises he made to liberals.”

Inspired by his concern for the self-concepts of his two pre-school aged daughters, Good Hair starring Chris Rock, is an insightful look into one aspect of The Black Hair Care Industry. The aspect of the Industry which Chris Rock explores is that which can give a woman “good hair”. Good hair is a euphemism in the Black Community for long, silky, straight hair. Through a series of interviews with actors and actresses, models, musicians, writers, intellectuals, entrepreneurs, civil right’s activists, beauticians, and other men and women having their hair done in beauty salons and barber shops producer, writer, and comedian Chris Rock examines the self-concepts of those people who prefer the more Eurocentric look which “good hair” can give to them as well as a few people who have found the beauty in wearing their own natural tresses.

To be fair, Rock does speak to some people who are willing to concede that “nappy” or coarse and curly hair is not “bad hair”. For the most part, however, the film investigates those aspects of Black Hair Care which straighten “nappy” hair. The documentary examines the hair relaxer (chemical) business as well as the sodium hydroxide found in crème relaxers, weaves, the process by which the hair for weaves is obtained, and African-American Hair Shows. Rock also examines the preference of Black Men for Caucasian Women by associating this preference with the concept of Caucasian Hair and the fact that Black Men can run their fingers through it.

For most Republicans the history of abortion extends back no further than the Supreme Court’s 1973 judgment in Roe v. Wade that struck down state laws banning the practice. A better sense of where we came from might help us understand where we are and why we have been unable to reach a legislative compromise on this issue.

Abortion has been practiced for millennia and we have literary evidence of it going back to ancient Egypt and India. Classical doctors and philosophers wrote about abortion and the early Christian Church wrestled with the practice. It has been variously banned, approved, encouraged and curbed at different times and among different cultures.

Teddy Pendergrass’ soul has taken flight. The buttery smooth R&B singer died today in Philadelphia (hat tip: Booker Rising). Mr. Pendergrass, who was paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident in 1982, underwent surgery for colon cancer eight months ago and had a “difficult recovery,” according to his son, Teddy Jr. A Philly native, Mr. Pendergrass came to fame in the early 1970s as lead singer of the Blue Notes, responsible for hits such as “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” and “Wake Up Everybody.” He released his self-titled debut in 1977 and enjoyed a successful solo career, siring velvety singles like “Close the Door” and “Turn Off the Light.”

The Daily Caller made a huge splash Tuesday night at the official launch party in Washington, DC and HHR Blog was there to rock the house!!

I don’t have a problem with a black American-specific holiday, but my main issue with Kwanzaa concerns authenticity. Kwanzaa isn’t rooted in black American culture and experience. While the official Kwanzaa website calls it a “celebration of family, community, and culture”, why is the holiday a mishmash of East African cultures when the overwhelming majority of black Americans are of West African origin? Nor is it even a holiday that resides with Africans. Kwanzaa thus contributes to the stereotype that Africa is just one big blob, with few if any inter-country differences. This viewpoint is ironically a strange bedfellow of many white attitudes towards Africa, as if one can switch African cultures in and out at will. Black Americans should certainly learn more about Africa. However, Kwanzaa – with its misinformation about our African heritage – falls short of this goal.

In You, starring Gilbert Jackson and Melora Harding, a new father must raise his daughter alone after his wife is killed in a car accident. Grief-stricken without the love of his life and the mother of his child,however, Gilbert Jackson continues to see visions of his deceased wife, whom he can also communicate with, as he struggles to raise their child together. Suggesting life’s cycle, in that the film begins with a wedding and ends with a wedding as well as with the words of the deceased, You is an extremely sentimental film which had the capability to make me cry.

Today, more than ever we are plagued with distorted images of how we should look and what we expect others to be. I am sure that you have heard this quote ” beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. But whose eyes are we really looking through? ours or society’s? and are we really the beholder? All of us are influenced in one way or another by society or our culture, no one lives in or under a shell. I will say in all assuredness, that adolescents, teens and those in their early to mid-twenties are truly overweight and unhealthy. How do I know this? well according to kids health.org their studies indicate:

”The percentage of overweight children in the United States is growing at an alarming rate, with 1 out of 3 kids now considered overweight or obese”.”Many kids are spending less time exercising and more time in front of the TV, computer, or video-game console. And today’s busy families have fewer free moments to prepare nutritious, home-cooked meals. From fast food to electronics, quick and easy is the reality for many people in the new millennium”.

Body image is not just appearance,” said Karen Ritter, a licensed clinical social worker with 18 years’ experience. “Your body image has to do with your health, your various talents, how able you are to be in tune with sensations in your body.”Many of us grow up in families watching people be critical of their bodies, Ritter said. But everyone’s body has strengths and weaknesses, and bodies are tied to a person’s genetics.

In the documentary film entitled Thing With No Name producers Sarah Friedland and Esy Casey present a touching portrait of two HIV/AIDS afflicted women as they live out their final months in the province of Kwazulu Natal, South Africa.

Thing With No Name may be dull and boring for those who are unwilling to read the subtitles for the people in the documentary do not speak English. The English subtitles, however, convey staggering statistics regarding HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa and, specifically, in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa which are astounding enough to compel one to watch the entire film. For instance, did you know that of The World’s 39.5 million HIV/AIDS infected people that 63% live in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Also, did you know that in Kwazulu Natal, one in six people is HIV/AIDS infected. Because of this documentary’s ability to educate its viewers about HIV/AIDS, I would recommend this film as a vehicle with which to improve HIV/AIDS awareness amongst children as well as amongst adolescents and adults.

On a scale of from one to twelve roses, therefore, I give Thing With No Name eleven roses.

At a time when African-Americans were deserting The Republican Party in favor of The Democrats, Edward Brooke of Massachusetts remained with The Republican Party becoming the first Black Attorney General of his state from 1962 to 1966. In 1966, he became the first African-American elected to the Senate since the end of Reconstruction and the beginning of the era of Jim Crow. He was also the first African-American elected to this position in the state of Massachusetts. While Senator Edward Brooke remained loyal to the Republican Party, however, he proved himself to be a renegade and highly individualistic in that the issues he supported were far more liberal than the stance which The Republican Party usually took on such issues including the laws in place which he needed to enforce as the Massachusett’s State Attorney General.

Why don’t black people listen to or produce Rock music?

Apparently, the music died on February 3rd, 1959 when Buddy Holly, Richie Valenz, and the Big Bopper died in a plane crash following a concert. Apparently, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Howlin’ Wolf, and Big Mamma Thornton were also on that plane, if in fact, the music had died. Oh they were not. Then what the Hell was that song about? Oh that song was about the day white music died. Got It.

In short, Black people don’t subscribe to conservatism or listen to rock music because they gave it away. Many of their reasons were valid but for the most part they are outdated. As long as we as a people limit our political perspective and our artistic tastes we’ll lock ourselves out of the mainstream and all the opportunities therein.

In the film, which is expertly directed and produced by Lee Daniels who possesses leading man good looks himself and who also directed Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball, Precious escapes to a world of fantasy when the cycle of abuse becomes too severe for her to stand. Oprah Winfrey is also a producer in this powerful adaption of the novel named Push by Sapphire. Precious, like Notorious before it, has Academy Award ( Oscar) written all over it! For not only is the screenplay exceptional and the direction outstanding, but the performances are also equally outstanding particularly those by Gabourney Sidibe , Monique, Mariah Carey and Paula Patton. Don’t miss this exceptionally good film. Bring a handkerchief with you, however, if you are prone to tears. If you are not prone to tears you may cry anyway.

On a scale of from one to twelve roses I give to Precious a thirteen

Hip-hop artists like Will.I.Am. were on the campaign trail with Barrack Obama from the beginning. After his election, Young Jeezy released the voracious “My President is Black”, a bombastic track that aspired to be the new black anthem and seemed to imply a melding between Hip-Hop culture and mainstream society. On the night of the inauguration, Barrack Obama was showered in praises, blessings, and performances dedicated in his honor by powerful hip-hop luminaries like Jay-Z and Kanye West. Can you imagine the Juice Crew dedicating a rendition of “The Symphony” at the inauguration of Jesse Jackson in 88′? More likely it would have been The Four Tops or The Temptations.

It certainly wouldn’t have been Gil Scott Heron.

On Friday Evening, November 20th, 2009 I attended a performance of Dreamgirls at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York with my publisher and the founder of HipHopRepublican.com

Here is my humble review of Dream Girls.