A TV Weekend in Review or Get A Life

• Caroline Rhea, who once hosted televisions, “The Biggest Looser,” is now roughly 20 pounds heavier and hosting the opening of the new Times Square, “Pop Tart Store.” –Talk about taking your life in a different direction… BTW: I love the sound bite about, "PopTarts are not about nutrition, they're about fun..."

• I believe that you can have a PX90 body in three months only if you recently had a PX90 body or its’ equivalent. The average couch potato would explode on or about the 4th or 5th session. I imagine that they might look like a baked potato after you squeeze the ends and put a big gob of butter and sour cream atop.

• “Burn Notice,” “White Collar,” and “The Glades,” in that order but, only if there is nothing on the Sundance Channel.

• “This ain’t no party”… Don’t forget, “Tea Party,” is not a third party or any kind of party for that matter so, it’s okay if you didn’t go.

• And another thing… “Fox and Friends” Whose friends? My friends don’t hype inane sh*t just to scare me.

• The UK series’, “Shameless,” and “The Inbetweeners,” are brilliant!

• F & F reported that soccer star David Beckham’s sister lives on a few hundred dollars a month via the public dole in England. Shouldn’t F & F be the first to suggest that she does not deserve money she has not earned (from the state or her brother)? I hate inconsistent hard-asses.

• There is actually a “reality” show about; three teams in NYC who collect scrap metal to sell for a living. I was only able to sit through 12 minutes. Oh, the high jinks those guys get into.

• There is actually a “reality” show about; a 400+ pound woman and her peeps who repossess vehicles. Call me crazy but, I am not entertained by the troubles of others. (think about this one)

• Speaking of the troubles of others… Really, Brooke Shields? “A prescription medication to make your eyelashes longer and fuller.” Has it really come to this?

• How come when I parade around in tight vinyl briefs people don’t assume I’m a wrester and fear me? Maybe I could gain 60-70+ lbs and legally change my name to, “The Academic Crusher?”

• Mental note: don’t let this TV thing happen again.

Kenneth Cole and the economy...

I’m climbing onto my soapbox again. This time I want to wax on about how intolerant I am of intolerance. When did we get to be so intolerant? When did we get to this point where any and all perceived or actual differences are taken as a personal affront?

It seems that everywhere I turn these days someone is horribly bothered by someone or something to the point of speaking out in anger. What concerns me of late is how stupid and small those things are that so many are angered by. It almost seems that if someone has a thought that might in any way be taken as contrary to one of our own, we are personally offended. We even go as far as damning them.

Here is an example: The other day in honor of our president’s 49th birthday and of course to encourage business, Kenneth Cole had a 49% off sale. Social media was used to get the word out about this event. As a result, Birthers and Right-Wing Nutters alike came out of the wood work. Some people were so offended by the sale that they vowed to never purchase another KC product and to unfollow or unfriend as the case may have been. My first thought was that this was their baby-out-with-the-bath-water loss in that Kenneth Cole has always designed some pretty sweet clothing, shoes and accessories. As well, they have also always been a demonstratively socially conscience organization. -That and 49% off, how could you go wrong?

Upon further reflection I wondered what the heck was/is wrong with people that a sale connecting itself to a president’s b-day would outrage some. Honestly, the only thing more ridiculous might be if as a black man I complained about January “White” sales or February, Presidents Day sales when my own February birthday seems to go wholly unnoticed by retailers. Are they just nuts? I imagine that some might be… The more I pondered the matter, the clearer things seemed. I believe it has much to do with the economy and choice. Now hear me out…

I believe the point that so many lives have been affected by our current economic situation; (a situation that does not seem to be ending soon) has unleashed hate and intolerance of everything. During prosperous times we generally don’t sweat the small stuff. (I wondered aloud, why weren’t these same people as vocal on our long road to hell?) Yeah, there have always been nut jobs and always will be but, this current muck we are in where people seem to search for reasons to hate and to be discontented are connected to our economic sorrows. Hate becomes an easy diversion; it is something that we can control. Our futures are out of control and uncertain so, rather than spending our times in productive pursuits to get where we need to be we blame and hate instead. Don’t ask me how to get people to rechannel their energies; I’m sure a lot of people have already written about this in vain. I will say that how you approach and process life is a choice.

Man this!

It has been too hot to write much as of late. I get miserable when the temps rise much above 80 degrees. Besides, I like to keep things current and humorous here and I am certain that no one wants to giggle about me sweating.

Moving right along… Does language evolve or is it bastardized? I’ll table that academic discussion for another time when good Port is handy. For now, I’ll just go with my gut, it is indeed bastardization! Sorry, but I need to whine a bit today. Whine about what, Les? We love it when you whine. Well, if you insist…

I am just about done with extending any degree of patience with the use of the word, “Man” as a prefix. I actually saw a movie promoted yesterday that used the made up word/term, “Man-tears or “mantears.” As well, recently I heard about two “straight” men who went on a “man-date” or “mandate.” This was of course confusing because there is another meaning for that word. Man bag, man cave, mandals (sandals for men), manpris (capris pants for men), manyhose (see pic insert) etc... I am sick of it all. Who thought of this man madness? In addition, who does not feel foolish actually uttering the word man before common items that aren’t even gender specific?

As a culture are we so gender bound and so afraid of being labeled as the Jamaicans might refer to as a bhatti boy or batty boy? Are we so stupid that we believe that the pretend prefix “man” absolves us of gender bending much like avoiding sidewalk imperfections will prevent mother from having a severe back injury? Geez, if you are going to wear Capri’s’ in public at least, man-up!

BTW: I have a personal branding blog on WordPress that can be found here: http://lesb3.wordpress.com/2010/08/02/your-personal-brand-and-originality/