Valerie Brown of Josie & the Pussycats Makes Saturday Morning Cartoon History

On September 12, 1970, Josie & the Pussycats made its transition from comic book to CBS Saturday morning cartoon.  One of the characters making the transition (Valerie) is significant because she became the first female African-American cast member on a regular Saturday-morning cartoon.

Valerie almost didn't make her historic appearance on Josie & the Pussycats.  In preparation for the cartoon, Hanna-Barbera Productions decided to assemble a real-life Josie & the Pussycats group, who would provide the singing voices of the girls in the cartoons and also record an album (other actresses provided the speaking voices for the characters on the series). The company who would be in charge of the recordings (La La Productions)  held a talent search to find three females who would match Josie & the Pussycats in the comic book in both looks  and singing ability.  The trio chosen to be "Josie & the Pussycats" were: Cathy Douglas (Josie), Patrice Holloway (Valerie) and Cherie Moor (Melody).  Side note: after Josie & the Pussycats disbanded, Moor got married, took her husband's surname and gained fame as Cheryl Ladd.

When one member of La La Productions (Danny Janssen) presented the newly formed trio to William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, he learned that they wanted to recast Patrice Holloway because they had decided to portray Josie & the Pussycats as all-white (even though Valerie was an African-American in the comic book).  Janssen refused to recast Holloway and threatened to walk away from the project.  After a nearly month-long stalemate between Janssen and Hanna-Barbera, Hanna-Barbera conceded and allowed Janssen to keep Holloway, and changed Valerie back to being African-American.  Ironically, Holloway became the most prominent voice of the trio.  In addition to singing lead on many of the tracks on their self-titled album, Holloway also provided lead vocals to the cartoon's iconic theme song.

Although it often gets overlooked, I think it's important to recognize the significance of the appearance of Valerie on the cartoon version of Josie & the Pussycats.  Her inclusion on the series opened the doors to black female cartoon characters on TV and helped lead to others such as Dee Dee (Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels), Susie Carmichael (Rugrats and All Grown Up), and Vixen (Justice League Unlimited).  

Below is the first single (Every Beat of My Heart) from the only album Patrice Holloway, Cherie Moor, and Cathy Douglas recorded as Josie & the Pussycats. Although the player below doesn't contain any performance footage, there  are stills from the cartoon series and of Holloway, Moor, and Douglas  recording in the studio.

Please Take A Moment To Vote In the Mel Gibson Poll... Thank You

Update: It appears that the poll problem has been fixed. If you experience any problems voting, please don't hesitate to let me know. Thanks again for your patience.

To say that Mel Gibson has been dogged by controversy over the last several years would be akin to calling The Passion of the Christ a minor box office hit. In July 2010, Gibson has been hit with allegations of domestic abuse, racism, sexism, and outright lunacy (which give a whole new meaning to "Mad Max"). I won't go into all the details because you've more than likely heard the the voicemail recordings by his former girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva.

Because of the allegations against Gibson, many have speculated whether or not his career has been irreparably damaged. While some have said they will never pay to see another Mel Gibson movie, others have stated they can separate his personal life from his professional one. In addition to "Yes" and "No", I've also included an "It depends" option in the poll. As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments section.

TCM Presents Native American Images On Film During May

As part of its popular "Race & Hollywood" series, Turner Classic Movies presents Native American Images On Film every Tuesday and Thursday nights in May starting at 8 PM EST. Hosted by TCM's own Robert Osborne and Professor Hanay Geiogamah, director of the American Indian Studies Center at UCLA, the 30 film retrospective traces the evolution of how Native Americans have been portrayed (both positively and negatively) on the big screen.

Below are the topics that will be covered each night (along with a sampling of the movies being featured):

The evolution of Native American depictions by director John Ford (May 4)-

• Stagecoach (1939) starring John Wayne, Claire Trevor and John Carradine

• Cheyenne Autumn (1964) with Richard Widmark, Carrol Baker, and Karl Malden

Non-Indians in Indian roles (May 6)-

• The Outsider (1961) starring Tony Curtis as the ill-fated WW II hero Ira Hayes

• Walk the Proud Land (1956) featuring Anne Bancroft as an Apache widow gifted to an Indian agent (Audie Murphy) by a grateful Apache chieftain

Indians as enemies (May 11)-

• Northwest Passage (1940) with Spencer Tracy, Robert Young, and Walter Brennan

• The Last of the Mohicans (1992) starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeline Stowe, and Wes Studi

White men living among Indians (May 13)-

• John Huston's 1960 western The Unforgiven starring Burt Lancaster and Audrey Hepburn

• The 1990 Best Picture Oscar winner Dances With Wolves starring Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, and Graham Greene

Indians as “noble savages” (May 18)-

• One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) featuring Will Sampson as Chief Bromden

• 1970's A Man Called Horse starring Richard Harris in the title role and featuring Dame Judith Anderson as Buffalo Cow Head!

Native Americans facing racism (May 20)-

• Devil's Doorway (1950) starring Robert Taylor, Louis Calhern, and future All My Children star James Mitchell

• The 1992 mystery Thunderheart which stars Val Kilmer as a half-Sioux FBI agent

Native American actors and filmmakers (May 25)-

• The 1994 made-for-cable movie Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee starring Irene Bedard (who in addition to providing the voice of Pocahontas in the 1995 Disney animated film of the same name, was the physical model for the character as well)

• Smoke Signals, the 1998 road movie starring Adam Beach, Evan Adams, and Irene Bedard

Images from outside Hollywood (May 27)-

• The 1922 silent documentary Nanook of the North

• Broken Rainbow, the 1985 Academy Award winner for Best Documentary Feature which tells the story of the mistreatment of Native Americans at the hands of the U.S. government.

For a complete list of movies that TCM will feature in the Native American Images On Film festival, as well as other information on the retrospective, please click here.

The 1949 Movie Pinky Airs On TCM!

Jeanne Crain and Ethel Waters

On Wednesday February 3rd at 8 pm EST, Turner Classic Movies airs the 1949 classic Pinky. Starring Jeanne Crain in the title role, Pinky tells the story of a light-skinned black woman who returns to the Southern home of her grandmother after passing for white while living in the North as a nursing student. In addition to facing the everyday problems that came with being black in the South, Pinky also has to deal with such complications as the return of the man she loves (a white doctor she met while studying up North) and a nasty courtroom battle.

Although I would have liked it if Lena Horne (who campaigned for the role) was given the chance to play the lead, I understand why 20th Century Fox went with Jeanne Crain instead. Money talks and Crain was one of the studio's biggest stars at the time. Also, it was 1949 and a majority of moviegoers weren't ready for a film that featured love scenes between a black actress and a white actor. Having said that, Crain does a fine job as Pinky (earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress). Along with being believable, Crain also demonstrates fearlessness and dignity in the title role. Also earning Oscar noms were two Ethels (Waters as Pinky's wise grandmother and Barrymore as a sickly rich woman who is cared for by Pinky). In addition to these three, the cast is solid throughout. Some of the standouts include Frederick O'Neal as a shady character who lives near Pinky and her grandmother, Evelyn Varden as a racist relative of Barrymore's character, and Dan Riss as an attorney.

Although I've seen Pinky numerous times, I am really looking forward to checking it out again because it's been several years. If you've already seen Pinky or plan to watch it Wednesday night, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.

Below is the opening scene of Pinky.

TCM To Air Interracial Romance Triple Feature

On Friday, November 20th starting at 8 PM EST, Turner Classic Movies is airing a triple feature spotlighting interracial romance on film involving blacks and whites.

First up is the 1964 drama One Potato, Two Potato starring Barbara Barrie ("Nana" on Suddenly Susan), Bernie Hamilton (Capt. Dobey in the series Starsky and Hutch), and Richard Mulligan (Soap and Empty Nest). One of the earliest to deal with interracial marriage, the movie tells the story of a white divorcée (Barrie) with a young daughter who marries a black co-worker (Hamilton). Things are fine until her ex-husband (Mulligan) returns and sues for full custody of their daughter, claiming that a mixed racial household is an improper environment to raise the child.

The 2nd film is the 1970 comedy-drama The Landlord starring Beau Bridges as the son of a wealthy landlady who takes over managing a building in a black Brooklyn ghetto. Bridges gets involved in the lives of some of his tenants, including the wife (Diana Sands) of a radical (Louis Gossett Jr.). The cast also features Pearl Bailey, Lee Grant, and Robert Klein.

Wrapping up the triple feature is another film from 1970, the boxing drama The Great White Hope. A fictionalized account of the life of early 20th century heavyweight champion Jack Johnson , the movie stars a lean, mean James Earl Jones as Jack Jefferson and Jane Alexander as his wife Eleanor Backman. Rounding out the cast are Hal Holbrook, Beah Richards, and Moses Gunn.

For more background on the films airing during the triple feature, please visit the link below.

Interracial Romance On TCM

Click here for an interview from last year featuring TCM host Robert Osbourne and film historian Donald Bogle discussing interracial romance on film.

Putney Swope Airs On TCM

As part of its cult movie showcase "TCM Underground", Turner Classic Movies is airing the 1969 satire Putney Swope late Friday/early Saturday (Nov. 6th/Nov. 7th) at 2:30 am EST. Directed by Robert Downey, Sr. (yes, Iron Man's dad), the film details what happens when Swope (the only black man on the executive board at an advertising firm) is accidentally put in charge after the chairman of the board dies. Once at the helm, Swope (played by Arnold Johnson) makes some drastic changes which cause the firm to be not only successful, but the target of the U.S. government.

Because I've heard so much about Putney Swope, I've been wanting to see it for awhile. Along with Arnold Johnson, the cast also includes Antonio Fargas ("Huggy Bear" of Starsky & Hutch), Allan Arbus (Dr. Sidney Freedman on M*A*S*H), and Shelley Plimpton (mother of actress Martha).

To watch a clip of Putney Swope, you can click here.

TCM Presents Latino Images In Film During May

As part of its annual "Race & Hollywood" series, Turner Classic Movies presents Latino Images in Film every Tuesday and Thursday nights in May starting at 8 PM EST. Hosted by TCM's own Robert Osborne and film historian Chon Noriega, the 32 film retrospective traces the evolution of how Latinos have been portrayed (both positively and negatively) on the big screen. Some of the highlights include:

Tortilla Flat (1942)- An adaptation of the John Steinbeck novel about a group of paisanos (fellows/countrmen) who live on the California coast, this movie stars John Garfield, Spencer Tracy, and Hedy Lamarr.

Giant (1956)- Starring Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, and in his final big screen role, James Dean, a major subplot of this epic is the racism against Mexican-Americans in Texas.

Blackboard Jungle (1955)- One of the earliest films about juvenile delinquency, this movie features Raphael Campos as student Pete Morales.

Stand and Deliver (1988)- This fact-based story stars Edward James Olmos as Jaime Escalante, a dedicated high school math instructor who successfully teaches his underachieving students calculus.

My Family (1995)- Tracing three generations of a Mexican-American family, this drama features Jimmy Smits, Esai Morales, and Jennifer Lopez.

For a complete list of movies that TCM will feature in the Latino Images in Film festival, as well as other information on the retrospective, please click here.

TCM Airs One Potato, Two Potato

On Saturday May 2nd/Sunday May 3rd at 1 am EST, Turner Classic Movies airs the 1964 drama One Potato, Two Potato. Starring Barbara Barrie ("Nana" on Suddenly Susan), Bernie Hamilton (Capt. Dobey in the series Starsky and Hutch), and Richard Mulligan (Soap and Empty Nest), the film is one of the earliest to deal with interracial marriage. Barrie stars as a white divorcée with a young daughter who marries a black co-worker (Hamilton). Things are fine until her ex-husband (Mulligan) returns and sues for full custody of their daughter, claiming that a mixed racial household is an improper environment to raise the child.

I saw this film years ago on cable and really enjoyed it. If you've seen One Potato, Two Potato already or check it out tonight, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.

Multi-Platinum Teen Pop Star Did What?!

The photo above of teen pop sensation Miley Cyrus (3rd from left) recently emerged showing her and some of her pals posing with an Asian friend and pulling their eyes sideways. In response to the photo, the OCA (Organization of Chinese Americans) issued the following statement on February 2nd:

The photograph of Miley Cyrus and other individuals slanting their eyes currently circulating the Internet is offensive to the Asian Pacific American community and sets a terrible example for her many young fans. This image falls within a long and unfortunate history of people mocking and denigrating individuals of Asian descent.

"Not only has Miley Cyrus and the other individuals in the photograph encouraged and legitimized the taunting and mocking of people of Asian descent, she has also insulted her many Asian Pacific American fans," said George Wu, executive director of OCA. "The inclusion of an Asian Pacific American individual in the photo does not make it acceptable."

"OCA hopes that Miley Cyrus will apologize to her fans and the APA community for this lapse in judgment and takes the opportunity to better understand why the gesture is offensive."

OCA is a national organization dedicated to advancing the social, political and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans in the United States.

Miley responded with the following on her official fansite:

"Ive also been told there are some people upset about some pictures taken of me with friends making goofy faces! Well, Im sorry if those people looked at those pics and took them wrong and out of context!

In NO way was I making fun of any ethnicity! I was simply making a goofy face. When did that become newsworthy? It seems someone is trying to make something out of nothing to me. If that would of been anyone else, it would of been overlooked! I definitely feel like the press is trying to make me out as the new 'BAD GIRL'!"

I feel like now that Britney is back on top of her game again, they need someone to pick on! Lucky me! haha Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know what is on my heart. You guys know me and have been by my side every step of the way!

You guys know my heart and know the most important things to me are my friends, family, fans, and GOD! In NO WAY do I want to disappoint any of you! But, when I have made mistakes in the past, I feel like Ive owned up to them and apologized.

Anyway, I really wish everyone would stop focusing on my personal life and get back to focusing on what I love! Music and Acting! Hopefully, I will be touring again this fall! Yayy! =] It will be a nice change to be back out on the road again!

xoxo Blessings.. Miley =)"


The intentions of Miley and her friends may not have been racist, but I can understand why some would be offended by the photo. Although it's not as bad as Mickey Rooney's stereotyped portrayal of "Mr. Yunioshi" in the 1961 film Breakfast At Tiffany's, I think that Miley and her friends made a bad move by posing that way in the photo.

Miley didn't really help her case with the above "apology". She basically tried to blame the media for covering this story. I don't feel that members of the media should go digging through a celeb's trash or follow their every move, but being famous does mean that your missteps will be publicized for all the world to see.

Miley's slant eyed pose wasn't the worst thing she could have done so I'm not calling for The Disney Channel to yank Hannah Montana off the air or that the public boycotts her CDs. As those who read this blog know, I watch Hannah Montana on a regular basis and will continue to do so. Miley's slant eyed pose may have been nothing more than a 16 yr old kid making a "goofy face". However, if Miley and her other friends who pulled their eyes sideways don't feel they did anything wrong, they should at least acknowledge that their actions could be deemed offensive.

Debut of Diversity Ink

As a heads up, I will be one of the contributors to a new blog that is launching on Monday, January 19th. Titled Diversity Ink, the blog will deal with race matters from a variety of angles (personal experiences, current events, pop culture, etc.).

You can reach Diversity Ink by clicking here. I hope that you add us to your blogrolls and are able to take part in the discussions.

Texas Lineman Given the Boot After Racist Remarks About Obama

When will idiots learn that things posted on Facebook have the potential to be seen by millions of people? On Wednesday, Texas Longhorns lineman Buck Burnette was kicked off the team after it was learned that he posted a racist remark about President-Elect Barack Obama on his Facebook page. His Facebook page no longer exists, but according to reports, the posting of the following comment led to his dismissal from the team:

"all the hunters gather up, we have a n----- in the whitehouse"

Note: I didn't type out the offensive word that Burnette put on his Facebook page, but you get the point. After Burnette was bounced from the team, he made the following apology:

Clearly I have made a mistake and apologized for it and will pay for it. I received it as a text message from an acquaintance and immaturely put it up on facebook in the light of the election. Im not racist and apologize for offending you. I grew up on a ranch in a small town where that was a real thing and I need to grow up. I sincerely am sorry for being ignorant in thinking that it would be ok to write that publicly and apologize to you in particular. I have to be more mature than to put the reputation of my team at stake and to spread that kind of hate which I dont even believe in. Once again, I sincerely apologize.

Mmm... yeah. If Burnette had said something in the heat of the moment, I'd be more willing to give him a pass. However, he had plenty of time to ponder whether or not it was a good idea to post this racist remark on his Facebook page. His apology comes off as a weak attempt at damage control. In addition to ending his college football career, Burnette may have also killed any chances he may have had of making it in the NFL.

President-Elect Barack Obama's historic win on Tuesday night (yes all you haters, it was historic whether you want to admit it or not) has many saying that this proves America is not a racist country. Maybe... maybe not. However, the comments by ex-college football player Buck Burnette proves that there are still pockets of racism in this country. Yes, let's celebrate President-Elect Barack Obama's historic victory (there it is again you haters) and work to move The United States in a positive direction, but let's not forget that there are several people in this country who have zero interest in progress.

Barack Obama Makes History

Photo courtesy of the AP

Normally I stay away from politics on this blog. However, I feel that Barack Obama's historic win in the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election is worthy of discussion. When it became official that Obama would be the next President of the U.S., I was reminded of something that I hadn't thought of in a few years. My introduction to Obama was when he gave the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. After listening to him, I said that if an African American has a legitimate shot at becoming President of the U.S., it's him.

One thing that has distressed me over the last several years is the divisiveness of this country. I've been trying to figure out when things started to go wrong. I don't think it can be traced to one particular event, but I would say that a big part of it can be blamed on our involvement in an unpopular war, the feelings by many that the media doesn't fairly represent their political viewpoint, and the venom spewed by some of the media outlets. Unfortunately, this has spilled over into the blogosphere. Over the past few months, some of the things I've read on blogs have taken dishonesty and ugliness to a new level (or should I say depth). Not only that, but on Halloween, a woman in suburban Detroit refused to give candy to Obama supporters or their children! I was like, "lady, are you out of your fuckin' mind?!" Regardless of one's political beliefs, I'd like to think that we are all in agreement that we need to come together and truly be The United States of America. I'm confident that President-Elect Obama will be able to build that bridge.

In keeping with the pop culture angle of my blog, below is a clip from when the then Senator Barack Obama appeared on The Ellen Degeneres Show.

Please Take A Moment To Vote In the Current Mark Cuban Poll... Thank You

As some of you may know, last week a huge controversy erupted surrounding Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard. Back in July, he played in fellow NBA star Allen Iverson's charity flag football game. During the National Anthem Howard said, "The Star-Spangled Banner is going on. I don’t even celebrate that shit. I’m black." He then went on to make a comment referencing Barack Obama followed by another expletive. This incident was filmed using a cell phone camera and was then uploaded to You Tube.

As a result of Josh Howard's foolish comments, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was besieged with hate mails directed at Howard. Not only did Cuban post a sampling of the emails on his blog (Blog Maverick), he included the names and email addresses of the people who sent the offensive messages. However, on the next day (Sept. 19th), he deleted the post and wrote a follow up explaining why he did. You can read that post here. Although I didn't get a chance to read the offensive emails before Cuban deleted them, I did find a couple of them here. A sports radio station that I listen to did a segment on the topic last Friday in which one of the hosts read some of the offensive emails. You can listen to them by first clicking here and then clicking the "Listen" button under the heading "Cuban Reacts to Hate Mail 9/19". Just to warn you, some of the emails the host read were extremely disgusting.

Although I can understand Cuban's change of heart, I wouldn't have had a problem if he decided not to delete the post. If people want to be racist jackasses, they deserve to be exposed. It's not like Cuban hacked into someone else's computer and posted the messages/email addresses. The perpetrators chose to contact him.

Toby Keith Enlightens Us With His Thoughts On the Black Community

During a July 30th 2008 interview on Glenn Beck's radio show, country singer Toby Keith gave his thoughts on how he thinks the Black community views Barack Obama. Below is a transcript of that portion of the interview. You can also listen to it in the You Tube player below. For those who want to read the complete transcript, where Keith discusses a variety of other topics, click here.

TOBY: The racial issues just never ever seem to change. We can't get past them. And so I really don't know what the answer is.

GLENN: Wait a minute. Hang on a second. Haven't we gotten past it. Isn't Barack Obama possibly the next president of the United States and you don't see people, you know, saying, oh, he's black. I don't know any of those people. I'm sure they exist, but I don't know those people. Don't you think that shows that, I mean, look at the great distance we've come in just the last 20 years.

TOBY: Okay, but, also, I think that the black people would say, he don't talk, act, or carry himself as a black person.

GLENN: What does that even mean?

TOBY: I don't know what that means, I'm saying that's what I think that they would say. Even though the the black society would pull for him, I still think that they think in the back of their mind that the only reason that he is in is because he talks, acts and carries himself as a Caucasian.

Toby Keith, thank you for setting this wayward brother straight. All this time, I thought the primary reasons that Obama is the Democratic candidate for the President of the U.S. is because of his intelligence and leadership qualities. This weekend when I see some of the Blacks I know who support Obama, I'll be sure to share your incisive commentary with them.

Toby or should I say TAFKAK (The Artist Formerly Known As Kunta), until you actually talk to Black people and find out why they think Barack Obama is in the position to possibly be the next U.S. President, don't guess at what you "think" we would say. It shouldn't be too hard for you to get a feel of what we think now that I think about it. Considering that you have a Black fanbase that rivals Lil' Wayne's, I'm sure that quite a few of us attend your concerts. Just set up a backstage meeting after one of your shows and find out what's really on our minds. If that doesn't work out, call up Charlie Pride and/or Cowboy Troy to get their take on Sen. Obama's Presidential candidacy.

Thanks to Thembi (who writes the blog What Would Thembi Do?) for writing about the Toby Keith interview. You can read her thoughts on the matter by clicking on the title of her blog in the previous sentence.

Hey Natalie, where can I get one of those T-shirts?

Don Imus Strikes Again

To paraphrase Brook Benton, I knew it would be just a matter of time before radio talk show host Don Imus was at it again. As you may remember, Imus made some controversial remarks about the Rutgers University women's basketball team on April 4, 2007 which led to CBS Radio cancelling his show shortly thereafter. After months of legal wrangling, Imus returned to the airwaves last December.

On his June 23rd broadcast, Imus made some questionable comments about Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam Jones (formerly nicknamed "Pacman"). While sports anchor Warner Wolf was reading a story about Jones, Imus inquired about Jones' ethnicity:

Warner Wolf: ...He's been arrested six times since being drafted by Tennessee in 2005...

Imus: What color is he?

Wolf: ...He's African-American

Imus: Well. There you go. Now we know.

Afterwards, Wolf continues on about Jones and then goes into a story about soccer legend Pele being robbed at gunpoint in Brazil. To hear the entire audio clip of the incident, click here.

In the wake of the controversy, Imus said that his comments about Jones were misunderstood. "I meant that he was being picked on because he's black," Imus said in a statement released by his spokesman. Although Imus could really believe that Jones is being targeted because of his race, I don't think that's the case. In my opinion, Jones' past troubles with the law are because he was a fuck-up... pure and simple.

When I initially read and listened to Imus' remarks about Jones, my first thought was that he should be gone quick, fast, and in a hurry. I even said so in the original post that I wrote. However, after listening repeatedly to Imus' remarks and in light of his explanation, I don't think that firing or suspending him would be justified. Just to be clear, I believe that Imus lied in his statement to save his ass. On the other hand, he could be telling the truth. Right or wrong, Imus' past history of making insensitive remarks means that anything he utters that's even remotely controversial will be scrutinized.

What (if anything) do you think should happen to Don Imus in regards to his comments about Adam Jones?

Race & Hollywood: Asian Images In Film Airing On TCM

In case you haven't seen any of it yet, you may want to check out the 35-film retrospective Race & Hollywood: Asian Images In Film on TCM. Every Tuesday and Thursday in June, the classic movie channel will air films that trace the portrayal of Asians in Hollywood. This continues TCM's annual look at Tinseltown's depiction of minorities (they previously did separate festivals focusing on African-American and gay/lesbian images).

Although I have missed some of the festival, I was able to catch two documentaries (one dealing specifically with the portrayal of Asian males on the big screen and another one focusing on Anna May Wong, the first Asian actress to gain international fame). I also watched two of the films that aired last Thursday (Dragon Seed and China Sky). Some of the films coming up include the following:

Go For Broke (airing Tues 6/17 at 8 PM)
Walk Like A Dragon (Tues 6/17 at 1:30 AM)
Bridge To the Sun (Thurs 6/19 at 8 PM)
Flower Drum Song (Tues 6/24 at 11:30 PM)
Enter the Dragon (Tues 6/24 at 2 AM)
Rush Hour 2 (Thurs 6/26 at 8 PM)
The Joy Luck Club (Thurs 6/26 at 10 PM)

For more details on Race & Hollywood: Asian Images In Film (including an overview of the festival, a complete list of the movies and a photo gallery), click here.

Below are excerpts of interviews that feature such Asian performers as Ming Na, Nancy Kwan, and Lauren Tom discussing their experiences in Hollywood.

Pressure Point Starring Sidney Poitier & Bobby Darin Airs On TCM

On Tuesday/Wednesday March 4th/5th at 12 midnight, the 1962 psychological drama "Pressure Point" starring Sidney Poitier and Bobby Darin airs on Turner Classic Movies. For years (possibly due to its unsettling subject matter), this film was relatively obscure to most people. However, it has deservedly grown in stature over the last decade.

The story begins in the present as a chief psychiatrist (Poitier) is confronted by a frustrated younger doctor (played by Peter Falk) threatening to resign because of a difficult case he's been assigned. To convince him not to quit, Poitier's character recalls a tough case he had as a prison psychiatrist 20 years earlier in 1942: treating a Nazi supporter (Darin) who was in jail for sedition. Probing into the mentally disturbed inmate's background, the psychiatrist works to learn the reasons behind the inmate's nightmares, blackout spells, and hatred towards Blacks and Jews. As to be expected, the doctor-patient relationship isn't an easy one.

As a teenager in the 1980s, I saw "Pressure Point" for the first time. Even though it was years before I saw the movie again, it stuck with me. I was impressed by the film's use of flashbacks, surreal imagery, and fantasy sequences. One of the most memorable and disturbing scenes involves Darin's character as he recalls the time he worked with a traveling construction crew. On their last night in a small town, he and the crew go to the local speakeasy to have a good time after a hard day's work. They eventually begin playing the game tic-tac-toe and as Darin's character says, they really played it.

The acting in "Pressure Point" is equally impressive; especially by Poitier and Darin (who both gave Oscar-worthy performances). Poitier delivers as expected, but that doesn't make his performance any less powerful. I really sensed the conflict his character felt: even though he was repulsed by his patient's views and behavior, he still wanted to help him. As the troubled patient, Darin turns in a multi-dimensional performance. In scenes such as the ones where he spouts his racist beliefs or jokingly recalls the "tic-tac-toe" incident, I felt nothing but disdain. On the other hand, he also managed to elicit a bit of sympathy from me as his past was revealed.

Another interesting side note is the fact that Bobby Darin even took the role. No pun intended, but I think it was daring for him to play such an unlikable character. Most pop stars of his era would probably have been worried about the damage their career might suffer. Darin not only tackled the role, he makes you forget the image of the finger-snapping singer of such classics as "Splish Splash" and "Mack the Knife".

Whether or not you are able to stay up until midnight to watch "Pressure Point", it's a film that's well worth recording. For anyone who has already seen it or who watches it for the first time when it airs on TCM, I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

Duane "Dog" Chapman Returning To the Airwaves

On Tuesday, A&E announced that Duane "Dog" Chapman's reality TV series will be returning to the airwaves after a three month layoff (no airdate has been scheduled). The cable channel yanked his show (Dog the Bounty Hunter) in November after a private phone call between him and his son Tucker hit the Internet. During the profanity-laced call, Chapman used the N-word repeatedly to describe his son's black girlfriend and to acknowledge that the term is used regularly in Chapman's household. It was later reported that Tucker sold the tape of the conversation to the National Enquirer for $15,000. If you would like to read my post about this incident (which includes the recorded phone call), click here.

Here is a statement from the network regarding their decision to relaunch the series:

"Over the last few months, Duane "Dog" Chapman has taken and continues to take the appropriate steps in reaching out to several African American organizations in an effort to make amends for his private comments to his son which were released publicly," said a statement from the network.

"Since the premise of "Dog The Bounty Hunter" is about second chances - we have decided to give him one."

I didn't watch the show before the controversy and don't have any plans to change my viewing habits. What about you, are you willing to give "Dog" a second chance?

Spike Lee's "She's Gotta Have It" Is Finally On DVD!

Tuesday January 15th marks the North American DVD release of Spike Lee's debut feature film, the 1986 romantic comedy-drama "She's Gotta Have It". Although it was released in the U.K. in 2006, this will be the first time that it will be available on DVD in North America.

Starring Tracy Camilla Johns, Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell, and Spike Lee (who in addition to directing the film, also wrote and co-produced it), "She's Gotta Have It" tells the story of Nola Darling (played by Johns). An desirable and independent female, Nola simultaneously dates three men (played by Hicks, Terrell, and Lee) who share little in common... except that they all want Ms. Darling to dump the other two and make a commitment to them.

Shot mostly in black and white on a limited budget, "She's Gotta Have It" is arguably one of the most important films of the last 25 years. It helped to usher in not only a new wave of African American cinema, but independent filmmaking as well. The success of "She's Gotta Have It" opened the doors for such talents as John Singleton, Albert and Allen Hughes, Julie Dash, and Kevin Smith. The popularity of the film (in particular Spike Lee's "Mars Blackmon" character) also led to a series of Nike ads featuring Spike and Michael Jordan.

Since I was unable to find any clips from "She's Gotta Have It" that I could embed in this post, I have included some quotes from the film below.

Dog #7: Baby, you're so fine, I'd drink a tub of your bath water.

Mars Blackmon: [begging Nola not to dump him] Please baby, pleasebaby, please baby, baby baby please!

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Nola Darling: It's really about control, my body, my mind. Who was going to own it? Them? Or me? I'm not a one-man woman. Bottom line.

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Mars Blackmon (to Jamie): Nola's about as dependable as a ripped diaphragm.

Golf Channel Anchor Suspended Over Comments About Tiger Woods

On Wednesday, the Golf Channel suspended anchor Kelly Tilghman for 2 weeks over comments she made about Tiger Woods on the air last Friday. During the Mercedes-Benz Championship, Tilghman was discussing young players who could challenge Tiger Woods with her broadcasting partner Nick Faldo, who suggested that "to take Tiger on, maybe they should just gang up for a while." Tilghman jokingly replied, "Lynch him in a back alley".

When this news story first broke earlier in the week, the Golf Channel stated that no disciplinary action was planned. However, they changed their tune once the story started to gather steam (including the intervention of the Rev. Al Sharpton, who demanded that Tilghman be fired immediately). When the Golf Channel first announced their plans to do nothing, I was disappointed. Although I didn't think that Tilghman should be fired, I felt that a suspension would be sufficient. Joking or not, what Tilghman said was offensive and irresponsible.

Should the Golf Channel had done nothing as originally planned? Is the two week suspension sufficient? Should Tilghman be fired for her comments? I am interested to hear your thoughts.
For more on Tilghman's suspension, click here.

Below is a clip of the incident that started the controversy.