Cedric The Entertainer / Thespian (?)

Sadly, it took a deep dig through this Sunday's New York Times to find something that felt relevant and fun to comment on.
If it ain't about Obama, or some dark tale of deprivation, this audience has to look long and hard for news that's fit to print.
Thank goodness, the adage "seek and ye shall find" still applies.


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There, tucked away in the Arts & Leisure section, was a rather gripping article on that Kings of Comedy stalwart, Cedric the Entertainer.
Bro' wants to be taken seriously as a Broadway actor, apparently. And with good reason.
He may best warrant this age's mantle left empty by Richard Pryor. He may need a theatrical venue to prove it since the Times gave his troupe's new rendition of David Mamet's "American Buffalo" a scathingly bad review.
No matter. Mamet and the Great White Way's powers that be are at least trying to include more actors of color in their productions; and Ced's helping to break new ground. Sharply or not.
In trying times like these, shouldn't we all stretch?
Mamet might say it in a few hundred words more, but "ain't nothing wrong with healthy conversation", as Ced's "Barbershop" character put it. Right?

While Obama assembles his Dream Team...

Let's look on the bright side.
Give this President-elect time to work things out.
It looks like his master plan is in full effect as far as cabinet placements go.
In the meantime, let's wake up every morning from until after Tax Day or Barack's first 100 Days (whichever comes first) realizing that things actually could be worse.
Here's this household's new theme song to help soothe the cold, early a.m. aches and pangs.


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If nothing else, current conditions teach us that it truly is, as the Soul Stirrers sang, "A Mean Ol' World". This "Ray Sings / Basie Swings" (Concorde Music) CD I just bought on a whim hits back with a certain, determined meanness that showed "the Genius" up against a full big band at his prime and fuels me. Not that I'm endorsing it or anything...
Back to the main point: Rise up singin' people! Show your kids by example that you've got the gumption to persevere. Fight back, at all costs, the shadows of doubt that might cloud their eyes.
Like that Big Buford burger I wolfed down after a volunteer stint at that germy pre-school this afternoon, this too shall pass.

When Michael Vick gets out of prison...

It's lighten up the mood time here at askyoudaddy...


You have to click on this hilarious Zippy Video link to get where I'm coming from on this one.


FROM MURK-WARS: ON YOUTUBE

Since no one wants to delve into the heavier topics that this blog was meant to address (namely, sharing advice on how to raise a generation of little Obamas), I'm digging into the goodie bag and just proposing jokes to invoke laughs and dialogue.
There aren't many mentions in the news lately about disgraced QB Michael Vick; and that's probably a good thing. I hope bro's in there at Leavenworth getting his mind and body right in hopes of returning, somehow, to the NFL.
*Note: askyourdaddy in no way condones dogfighting. askyourdaddy just enjoyed watching Vick play football. We're not saying what the Dolphins' Joey Porter was saying...namely, "all it was was dogs".
Since Vick's name doesn't come up much in the news, I don't have to lamely explain why he's in jail to my (almost) 5-year-old son as often as I once had to.
For the next seven months until MV7 is released, I can bide time; and find humor in the tragedy we can all somehow learn from and teach our kids to avoid.
Any thoughts?

Got yer 'house negro' right here, Hadji

I can't recall the first time I was ever called the "N" word; nor the last.
If you're any kind of evolved black man, you learn to get past B.S. like that. Put it behind you.
That's what I'll teach my son. (Since we live in Georgia, the slur's bound to be hurled his way sooner or later.)
And I'll remind him to pause and reflect on how President-elect Barack Obama reacted when the word got out that Osama bin Laden's No. 2 man, Whackadoo al-Zawahri, took Malcolm X's name in vain while referring to Obama as a "house Negro".


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Of course, the mainstream ate the clandestine message from some Afghan cave right up and spread it like Kingsford lighter fuel in the hands of a drunk uncle at a barbecue. Obama's reaction was classic: he didn't react at all.
That any Muslim leader would besmirch a man of color in that way is beyond comprehension. And it defies sanity, given the racial indignities and innuendos Obama endured during the Presidential campaign.
But such is the fate if you're born black and stand proud. Someone _ some impotent skalawag _ is going to stoop to the basest level in a desperate attempt to bring you down.
Don't take the bait. Obama's re-taught us that.

What if he asks what 'gay' means?

It's bound to happen sooner or later.


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We might be raking leaves, or poking around the hardware store, or driving to school.
Sooner or later, I'm guessing, the 5-year-old genius is going to pose the question the way an attorney would: "What does gay mean?". He'll have an answer in mind before even asking. And I'll be on the figurative witness stand, sworn to be honest and forthcoming.
But how?
Granted...
The Young'un has known and accepted for a year or two that the little neighbor girl with the chubby cheeks "has two mommies". His only barber (besides Mommy) is a gritty gal who has no qualms about flexing her masculine side. And, without doubt, at good few of his intown pre-school teachers lead me to believe that they lead "alternative" lifestyles.
So be it. He's progressing briliantly. So don't ask, don't tell. Right?
But now we have Wanda Sykes (who I always thought was fine) coming out as a proud lesbian. And untold thousands are protesting across the U.S. because California voted down gay marriages. The controversy's not going away. So there's bound to be spill-over he picks up on.
Back to the question of what to say. (Since I met Wanda up close and personal once and found her lovely skin and chiseled features and white-hot wit really attractive, I consider myself an oblivious moron on these matters.)
The g-word passed my lips inadvertently in front of the Young'un on Sunday when his godfather and I were watching an NFL game andit occurred to me how one player didn't strike me as playing manly enough. I regret the comment for countless reasons.
Chief among them: the Young'un might have asked what I meant. And rightfully so.
Coming soon...DO THE CUB SCOUTS STILL EXIST?

School Daze: Public or Private for Obamas?

Here's yet another reason why I connect with our President-Elect.

I'm in the same jam as far as picking the next school route for my child.

Or, more accurately, weighing in on the decision my wife will ultimately make.

Decisions like this can cost you sleep.


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The choice between public or private schooling causes intown Atlanta parents agony to no end. We all wish the unspeakable for ourselves: enough wealth to swap the question aside entirely and just navigate the political landmines en route to enrollment in one of the private academies. There are several within the city limits. And their fees for kindergarten students now rival what it cost me for my freshman year at Vanderbilt 25 years ago.

As of now, that rules this household out. But stay tuned ladies and germs: Poppa's got a maniacal scholarship plan in the works.

But back to "the conundrum". I've enjoyed reading the admittedly late take on the issue posted on theroot.com. And I commend the way the Obama's adressed the matter yet again on "60 Minutes".

Do "we" who have overcome the failings of the urban public school systems somehow owe them for what they got right? Do we have to give back by sacrificing our kids' future? Are we absolutely obligated to roll up our sleeves and delve into educational systems that by all indications seem like lost causes?

If black middle class parents abandon the public schools now, will any generation ever benefit from them again?

I'm just asking...

Does Barack Obama play golf?

I'm frankly still feeling too wiped out from all the election hysteria that culminated two nights ago to go through Google to find out what else the President-elect and I might have in common; hobby-wise.


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But I will; and if the golf industry sees any chance to make his connection to the game a win-win in terms of publicity, it'll soon be known anyway.

For some reason, I keep envisioning Barack and Tiger Woods in a dream pairing; playing privately at Woods' Isleworth compound. Imagine the conversation, the laughs, the bets, the precious pauses.

To lighten things up on this blog, for a change, let's focus on golf. Black men who play golf. How black men play golf differently, if at all. What draws more and more black men to the fairways?

More importantly: what's the best way to get more of our black children into the game? My son is 5, so I can't get him into the First Tee program for another two years. I've tried, without pushing, to get him used to swinging clubs. But it's hard to hold his attention for more than 20 minutes.

Any suggestions?