Food Network To Paula: Bye Y'all!

Earlier this week, Food Network's darling Paula Deen stepped in it. She is currently being sued by a former employee and the transcripts have been released. You can see them here , all 150 pages of it. Deen insists that she has used the N word on more than one occasion. I didn't even blink any eye at that. It's the instances she uses it that bothered me. This article details the whole Deen ordeal. Also, Twitter had a field day at Deen's expense for the last three days. Searching #PaulaDeenDishes or #PaulaDeenTVShows or #PaulaDeenBestDishes and you are in for a little entertainment. The whole ordeal has taken on a life of it's own. But, let's be clear Deen will be just fine. She's rich. She survive the backlash. 

Food Network took swift action by dropping Deen. I truly don't care about her show since I never watched it. And, I watch a lot of Food Networks. Her show was never one I got into. Her style of cooking is not my fave nor is her overly exagerrated Southern drawl. Scrolling the Food Network Facebook page, I was astounded by white people. They are upset with the network for firing Paula. The more I read, all I could do was shake my head at the ignorance. White people, your racism is showing all over the internet. This is why I laugh when folks claim that we are living in a post racial America because we have a Black President. Post racial? Get the hell on with that nonsense. With both the election and the re-election of President Obama, racism has reared its ugly head. The fact that folks are upset that Deen was fired is amazing. I am NOT surprised that she is a racist. Not one bit. I'm more surprised when people aren't.  I am not even offended that she used the N word. What I am pissed about is the way she used it, the fact that she saw nothing wrong with her actions and that bs apology video. 

Do you see the above photo? That is a direct quote from her. Who in the holy hell thinks this is ok? She wanted slaves for this wedding. She wanted Black people to step and fetch it for her. That is not ok. As a matter of fact it is disgusting. Anyone who thinks this is ok is a horrible person as well. Back then, my people didn't have a choice nor were they paid. They were slaves, owned by white men. They were less than people. Treated worse than animals. That is what truly gets me. So, kudos to Food Network for having the balls to drop an earner. And, to you, Ms. Deen, you can take your backward thinking non-apology and stick it in your butter. Bye y'all!

Fear Assuaged

 

I've been tortured by one singular thought lately. I've had nightmares about it. It's been on my mind constantly. That issue has been children & the probability of me ever having any. It's no secret that I'm 33. I believed that my window of opportunity was fast lying closing. And, that frightened me. Then, there was a moment of divine intervention. The latest issue of Glamour magazine had been collecting dust on my coffee table for a week. I didn't have any real intention of reading it. But, I picked it up and flipped through it. As I was oohing and aahing over the fashions and perfumes, I came across an article that made me stop. The article was about women freezing their eggs. The article was enlightening. But, there was a graph in the corner of the 3rd page that held my interest. It broke down fertility rates in women over 30. It calmed down my fears. Fears that even my doctor couldn't stop me from having. The graph was extremely detailed. I have no idea what my future holds. I'm no longer apprehensive of it never happening. I still dream about that little brown girl and boy. I already know their names. Maybe one day my dream will come to fruition. For now, I have let this fear go. I've prayed about it. And I know whatever is for me, will always be for me.

A Scandalous Affair

If you've been following my blog, then you should already know how I feel about "Scandal." I am a proud Gladiator. The show is golden. The acting is superb. The writing immaculate. And the way the scenes unfold on screen always leave me wanting more and more. I am never disappointed. I have watched the most ridiculous conversation week by week spawned from the show. On Twitter and Facebook, people are upset with others who like the Olivia/Fits extramarital affair. These judgy folks have decided that those of us who like the relationship are championing the relationship. As if we aren't intelligent enough to decipher real life and tv. "Oh I can't believe that y'all are so into this relationship. It makes me sick. You guys should be ashamed." Well, excuse the hell out of me for being entertained by a show who's whole premise is to entertain.

Are folks really that dense? Seriously. If you cannot separate what's real from what's fake, you my dear, have a bigger issue. That is a personal problem. I suggest that you work that out within and stop projecting your issues on others. Are people so jaded that they can't differentiate between scripted tv and reality? It's almost as if these people don't understand that I can just simply enjoy the chemistry between Olivia and Fitz. Here's a clue: I can champion this fictitious relationship and be against adultery in real life. What I like to watch, hear or read does not equate my real life. They are all forms of entertainment. That is their only purpose: to entertain me. I watch shows like "Scandal" as a way to get out of my head for a little while. Adultery is wrong in real life. I'm more lenient of it on tv, in books and the like. That doesn't make me a bad person. It does make me a woman who can discern between what's real and what isn't. 

A friend on Facebook posted that "Olivia is going to have women thinking it's cute to sleep with another woman's husband." My response "If a tv character can weld that much power, then said woman has bigger problems." I'm sorry but that's just silly as hell. A scandalous woman is going to be just that because she chooses to be. A Jay-Z song has never prompted me to sell drugs, "50 Shades of Gray" does not make me want to dive into the BDSM lifestyle, nor has "The Wire" made me want to raise a son to be a corner boy. I'm smarter than that. People are who they are. They don't need validation from a fictional tv show. People who feel this way are doing entirely too much in my opinion. I like all of the characters in spite of their actions. I have the right to do so. If that makes me scandalous, I'll be that. Handle ya scandal people!

In Reality...

"I hate when my boyfriend says someone in a movie is sooooo attractive and I am her complete opposite and it happens to be one of my favorite movies because now I can’t watch it without feeling outrageously insecure." - via abakesacake. I saw this statement on Tumblr. And, it made me feel a certain way. Everyone finds some celebrity attractive. We have different reasons for feeling that way. But, the reality is that those crushes aren't real. They are purely physical. We don't know anything about these celebs. We know the characters they portray, the songs they sing & the clothes they wear. None of that should have any bearing on one's real life relationships.




I have a thing for Idris Elba. That accent, that face, that chocolate skin make me smile. I liked him as Stringer Bell on "The Wire." I like his movies. His pictures are always nice. But, I do not know who personally about this man. I do not fawn over him in front of my guy. I also have a thing for Paul Walker. He is a blond, blue eyed, white man. The complete opposite of my Love. But, I like what I see in him anyway. Just like I know my guy has a soft spot for Rosario Dawson, who looks nothing like me, and Jill Scott. They do something for him. Am I threatened by it? No. Should it? Absolutely not. Why would it? I know why I love him & vice versa. A crush on a celeb means nothing.




I think that sometimes people get so caught up in the insecurities that they lose sight of the realities. I would be a fool to let that make me question my relationship. The reality is I'm me. And that's who my Love wants to be with. Just like he is the one I want. If we are so quick to make a thousand insignificant rules inside our relationship, we're doomed to fail. I'm not here to tell him what to do, how to feel or where not to look. He is a grown man dealing with a grown woman. No one here needs to be led. We're together but neither of us are suddenly blind. We both may see someone attractive. That's life. Anyone who thinks otherwise is already on a collision course with failure. I'm not here for that.

Dream House

In the last year, I've started to seriously think about what I want my first home to look like. I know that there are some specific things that I want. I'm big on bathrooms, especially tubs, and closets. I want enough room for my future family to grow. I want a home. You know something that looks nice and feels warm and welcoming. I want a space that looks lived in. I would hate to live is a place that is like a museum. I absolutely love the open floor plan. I want my home to have a good flow to it.




Most importantly, I need the master suite to be a place of peace, our solitude. I want it to be open and airy. I already know there will be one red accent wall with a black and white art piece. Black and white bedding with red accent pillows. This is the way I see the bedroom in my mind. Since I am a sucker for a clawfoot tub, this is a must. As is a big shower with a bench. I also believe that a private toilet is a necessity. Since I'm such a shoewhore, a closet big enough to house them is a deal breaker.



The kitchen is the heart of every home. Especially now with the open floor plans that connect the kitchen and family room. I like to cook. And I would love to cook in a fabulous kitchen. Stainless steel appliances just make everything look sleek. I need an island. Like seriously need. That is a must on my list as well. I haven't actively started to search for a home. But I have a general idea of what I want and don't want. I will be surprised to see how my expectations and my reality line up. Either or, I cannot wait to find or build my dream home.

Just Say No To Reality TV

Hello. My name is Kenda and I am addicted to reality tv. I was a reluctant viewer at first. But now, I am deeply immersed in it. I've come to the conclusion that my intelligence is really being insulted by this dumbing down of American television. I need an exit strategy asap. So, in this very beginning of this new year, I feel the need to ween myself off of it.

The first causalities of this year has been "Brandy & Ray J Family Business." This was an easy decision because Ray J is beyond wack. This is further made obvious by the fact that he has no clue that he thinks he is so cool. This show comes off very scripted and just forced. So, I'm clearly saying bye-bye to the Norwoods. Another one that has to go is Teen mom and 16 & Pregnant. These two shows only make me mad.

Now, there are shows that will be much harder for me to let go off. I am a fanatic behind the Real Housewives franchise. I am currently watching the Atlanta and Beverly Hills seasons. I will finish these seasons and be done with them. The New York and Orange County women will be back on the scene soon. I will not even get back into those franchises. I am a Big Brother, Four Weddings, Bridezilla, Jersey Shore, Top Chef, Say Yes To The Dress, Te Real World, and America's Next Top Model fan as well. These shows will not be watched anymore. I just cannot do it. I am beginning to feel dumber by the day for watching such cleverly disguised trash. I am over it in 2011.

I think I need to spend more time feeding my intelligence. I have to be more conscious of what I take in. I think I need to read more or watch more things on the History Channel. The reality tv explosion does not seem as if it's going anywhere any time soon. I am just respectfully declining from participating. I need more from entertainment. I deserve more for me and my mind in 2011. And, I'm going get it, by any means necessary!

The Faux Celebrity

Remember the days of actual talented celebrities? It seems like so long ago. In 2010, we are handed a bunch of faux celebrities. People, mainly women, who have no real talent but everyone knows their names. You guys know who I'm speaking of. Folks such as Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian & her family, Superhead, Kat Stacks, Tiger woods' mistresses, and Jesse James' mistresses. Women who've used sex and sex tapes to garner their faux fame. When did this become the norm? Why are these people featured on magazines and talk shows and the like?

I swear I wish I had never head of none of these people. They are seemingly simple and vapid people. But, also kinda smart. They used what they had to get the fame, notoriety, and money. The public eats it up. I refuse to indulge in the simplicity. My mind cannot wrap itself around the fact that this is real life. We've become so caught up in the fakness that reality has become lost. Reality tv isn't real life. I want movie & tv stars back. Actual, real life people with God given talent. I do like some reality tv shows. But, I'm not a fan of these people. I don't wanna see them on my tv, on the computer and on magazines week in and week out.

Truth be told, I don't see this trend ending any time soon. The public is too caught up in the fascination of it all. I don't support this. I just can't. My intelligence won't let me. I know where I will and won't spend my money. I know what I will watch and won't watch. Everyone else can keep and idolize these faux celebs. I'll be late for that (c @brookandthecity) lol.