Twitter Killed The Celebrity

I remember when I first heard of Twitter. I joined that same day. My first celebrity follow was Solange. I've never regretted that follow. I was already a fan. Twitter made me like her more. That's the way it is with Twitter. It can make you love a celebrity or hate them. It gives you so much access to them. Too much access is clearly a bad thing. I so long for the days when celebrities were an anomaly. I want those days back. I've decided to unfollow most celebs that I like I was order to save that feeling.

When I say that Twitter killed the celebrity, I mean their image. Before Twitter, I was a huge fan of Tyrese. Dude was gorgeous with his chocolate brown skin, inviting smile, and voice of an angel. I loved his music and his films. And, then I made the fatal mistake of following him. I realized that dude was an idiot who couldn't spell to save his life. Oh and he fancies himself a relationship guru. This would be fine if he was in successful relationship/marriage. But he isn't. I can no longer take him serious. So I had to unfollow him. He isn't the only one. There are the celebs who cannot spell or speak correct English or they retweet every compliment tweeted their way. It's beyond annoying and kind of narcissistic. Erykah Badu, Diddy, Jay Electronica, Toya Wright, and Keyshia Cole all fall into that category as well.

I love the interaction that Twitter allows. It's a great social media tool. But, like every thing else, it has its down falls. You gotta take the good with the bad. It takes a while to get a feel of who a celebrity really is. Twitter can also make you a fan of someone that you weren't before. I know I love Rihanna on Twitter. She is hilarious. She is a great follow. But, for some celebrities, Twitter will be their demise. It's inevitable. It will continue to be interesting to witness. Stay tuned.

"Come Shoot Me Clothes" Really?

Geraldo Rivera stated yesterday that "His hoodie killed Trayvon Martin as surely as George Zimmerman." As well as "Its not blaming the victim Its common sense-look like a gangsta &some armed schmuck will take you at your word."

A hoodie killed Trayvon? Is that right? Blaming the victims clothing is just about the most ignorant thing I've heard about this case. So Trayvon's clothing and not the overzealous idiot with a gun killed him? I cannot wrap my mind around people who fail to see reality for what it is. There is no grey area in this case. It is cut and dry, black and white. I'm sure that Trayvon could've been wearing any article of clothing and his killer Zimmerman would have found issue with it.

We are talking about a man who repeatedly called 911 to report any and every young Black man as suspicious. He even called the police on a 7 year old Black kid. The man had an issue with young Black men. That makes him a racist. Killing an unarmed Trayvon makes him a murderer. I don't know anyone who doesn't wear hoodies. They are warm and practical. Who doesn't own one or four? In the words of journalist Charles M. Blow, "there are no come shoot me clothes."

Furthermore, Black people have feared white people in hoods for decades. That doesn't give us the right to kill them. A hoodie did not nor could not kill Trayvon Martin. There is only one person responsible for that: George Zimmerman. Just as an Arizona tea and a bag of Skittles aren't a weapon or cause for suspicion. Murderers belong in jail. You can't arrest a hoodie. That is the reality. Trayvon was suspicious for one reason only: he was Black in a community that wasn't. That was his only crime, which isn't even one. I'm still upset about this. Excuse me while I pull my hoodie on.