It’s been years since I was wheeled out of a hospital maternity ward with a newborn in my arms, but I recall the moments as if they unfolded yesterday. Each time, the arrival of our son and daughters filled me with awe, affection and a sense of purpose. In our first moments as mother and… Continue reading Spoiled Brats = Drama & Heartache
Category: Pop Life
Miscellaneous topics, trends and columns
The Chris Brown Smackdown
http://www.dallasnews.com/lifestyles/columnists/lorrie-irby-jackson/20120803-professional-critic-judges-artists-work-not-his-life.ece When I meet people and they learn of my profession, the question is practically inevitable: “You’re a critic? Wow, what’s that like?” And the answer goes something like this: “The perks are great, but in order for me to remain employed, there are deadlines to meet and standards to keep.” Covering a play or… Continue reading The Chris Brown Smackdown
Whitney Houston: Her Sparkle Remains
Her movie opens next week and her 50th birthday should’ve been Aug. 9: she was Generation X’s version of Diana Ross and despite the public stumbles she took, Whitney Houston gave Chocolate Mamas like me a chance to daydream about successes and superstardom in a way that few other entertainers could. Here is the column that I… Continue reading Whitney Houston: Her Sparkle Remains
The Saga of Sagging Pants
Back in the early 1990s, Tupac Shakur revealed his social consciousness with a track called “Brenda’s Got a Baby.” When a peer shrugs off the news of the pregnancy by saying: “That’s not our problem, that’s up to Brenda’s family,” Shakur responds with: “Well let me show you how it affects the whole community.” He fleshes out… Continue reading The Saga of Sagging Pants
Private Abuse & Public Discipline: Praising The Lord That Creflo Dollar Isn’t My Dad
Whenever a discussion about out-of-order kids comes up and my father is present, he’s usually quick to remind everyone of the first and last time I earned a public spanking. The misbehavior happened decades ago, but the man recounts the details as if it all transpired last week. “We were at the grocery store, you… Continue reading Private Abuse & Public Discipline: Praising The Lord That Creflo Dollar Isn’t My Dad