Black-ish

Blackish, the new show on ABC offends me. Not on the basis of race, as many people assumed it would be, but based on how incredibly immature and selfish the adults in this show are. 

Blackish was originally marketed as a show which would buck stereotypes and show a thriving, affluent black family with two professional parents living in a nice house on a nice block.  They have 4 kids who go to a good school. 

Aside from the fact that the frenetic pace of the show and the dad's obsessive preoccupation with his kids being "black enough" makes it practically unwatchable, the parents utter selfishness just compounds it. 

Father Andre and mother Bo force their children to conform to their wants and needs. In one episode rather than taking pride in his son's social and academic achievements, Andre laments his son's disinterest in subscribing to black codes and notes that are largely irrelevant to his life. It's one thing to build in a love of ones heritage into a child's upbringing, it's another thing entirely to force it down their throats after the fact. And even another still to do it for your own reasons because of your own guilt and needs and not really for your kids. 

This is a running theme throughout the show. The parents time and again insist on their children behaving in certain ways because it's what they want, not because it's best for their kids.  This seems to be a growing trend in TV parents overall. There's an infantilization of parents and adults throughout TV these days.  It's hard to say or understand exactly why, but it seems like networks are pandering to their target audience - 25-54 year olds - and if they keep them feeling young they'll keep tuning in. Maybe that means it's not a problem with the shows, but rather with this generation of young adults who aren't ready to grow up and who aren't being told that they have to grow up. I'm not excluding myself from that group, it's scary to grow up and to be told that we have real responsibilities, but ignoring them and sidestepping them will not benefit anyone - not ourselves and not our children. Our children need mature adults to look up to and to learn from. They don't need to grow up emulating parents who look out for themselves and the best interests above all else. 

Media has always been a lens that both reflects and in turns influences our culture and society. Do we want to project the best or the worst of what the parents of the next generation will be. Do we want our children growing up to emulate parents who look out for themselves or for their children's needs. 

I won't be turning in to watch more of Blackish. It's too upsetting and frustrating to see what parenting has become, or expected to become. 

Patriotic Cognitive Dissonance

How do you reconcile two diametrically opposing feelings? I've been struggling with many emotions since the horrific news of the kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers, Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar, and Naftali Fraenkel. Even more emotions have piled on since the devastating news of their deaths crept out in the news.  Sad and angry for the senseless deaths. Pain for the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandmothers, grandfathers, cousins and friends who are directly enduring this loss. Sadness for a nation who weeps at the loss of three young innocent souls whose only crime was following in their parents' footsteps of fulfilling the promise made to our forefathers of inhabiting the land designated to the Jewish people. Sadness for a culture who swears "never again" but slowly sees antisemitism rearing it's ugly head under the guise of anti-Zionism and pro-Palestinian sentiments.

Piled on top of those overbearing emotions is the disappointment and upset I feel towards our US leaders. How could president Obama remain silent for 18 days? How can he continue to fund a government that is known to be backed by an internationally recognized terrorist organization? How can the nation I live in and love for it's freedoms of human rights be so callous to say that both sides should show restraint when one celebrates by handing out candies and cakes upon hearing the news that Israelis have been taken?

Therein lies my internal conflicting feelings. I voted for president Obama twice, admiring his domestic policies. True liberal ideals, equal rights for all - gay marriage, women's health, universal health care, raising the bar on educational standards, etc. Even with many of his the overseas policies I agreed as he vowed to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He promised to be a continued friend to Israel. And now, the president who I trusted with the country in which I live has torn my heart out regarding his attitudes for the country in which my heart lies. As a Jew living in the United States I feel marginalized. I feel all of a sudden like a second class citizen without equal rights. The hundreds of tweets, letters, and calls he received on this matter (many of which from me) fell on deaf ears. He ignored his own people who were pleading their needs to him. He avoided responding to the cries of a people who had sought out this country when their countries oppressed and slaughtered them.  Now as it's happening in the country of our homeland he's silent.  How can I on the one hand be proud of the domestic issues he tries to push through into policy and be shamed in how he's so mishandled issues regarding Israel.

Never did I think the day would come where being an American and being a Zionist would conflict, but the day has come. How do I support  a president whose policies on Israel are so antithetical to my belief system yet his American policies are so in line with what I would wish for for this country? I'm split in half and grappling with this tremendous weight. 

How has being a supporter of Israel become something that is split on party lines?  At a recent Shabbat meal when I said I was a liberal and an Obama supporter, the first question from a staunch republican was - "But do you think Obama's been good for Israel?"  Why are the republican Senators and pundits, who make me sick when they talk about US policy, the only ones who have said anything in support for Israel in the past few weeks?  Where is the outrage from Democratic leaders over the hypocrisy and violations of human rights by Hamas?  Why does a vote in support for US ideals mean a betrayal for my devotion to Israel?  When did it mean you are anti-Israel if you are Pro-choice in this country? 

These are the issues I've been facing of late.  I love both of my countries. That of my communal people and that of my personal history and place. How can my chosen leader betray me so?  I've been grappling with this since his first moments of deafening silence 18  days ago, I continue to grapple with it today and likely for days to come. 

The Power of Nostalgia

You might have seen the recent buzz surrounding LeVar Burton's Kickstarter campaign to resurrect Reading Rainbow.  As he explains in the accompanying video, he is hoping to raise 1 million dollars over the course of the month of June in order to be able to fund a reboot of the series and make it available to all children across all media for free.

In less than one day he reached his monetary goal of 1 million dollars.  By 4:30 on the second day he has already surpassed the 2 million dollar mark.  How did that happen so fast?  Why were so many people (over 45,000 people thus far) happy to open their wallets and make donations to fund this project?  To me, this exemplifies the power of nostalgia.

Reading Rainbow is a powerful brand to those of us who grew up watching it, and while he's done plenty of well know and important work (Roots, Star Trek), for many of us, Burton is mostly known as "the guy from Reading Rainbow."  We grew up in an age where cable TV was not as pervasive as it is today, and even if you had cable, the best children's programming was on PBS.  It was educational, empathetic, interesting, smart, and most of all, it didn't pander to the lowest common denominator of attention grabbing.  (See: Any of The Disney Channel's current line-up to see what I'm talking about).  Children were spoken to with the assumption that they were smart and excited to learn new things be it Reading, Math, how things are made, or even social skills (Thank you Mr. Rogers, 3-2-1 Contact, Square One).  The value of educational television for children on that level seems to have been lost in the bombastic ratings-grab game of the 21st Century.

Are people yearning to give today's children what we had back then? Are people excited to be able to relive a piece of what we grew up on?  Burton offered incentives for large donations - private dinners with him, etc - maybe that's what spurred some of the donations, but overall it's clear that like generations before us, we believe that the good old days were in fact the good old days and are willing to open our wallets to bring even a taste of it back.  I just hope that the things we valued then are adapted appropriately and functionally to this brave new world and can impart good into it, rather than being watered down and bastardized to fit our current frenetic pandering media landscape.

The Normal Heart

Devastating. Tragic. Heart-wrenching. Infuriating

These are just some of the words that come to mind when trying to describe how I felt while watching The Normal Heart, airing on May 25 at 9 PM on HBO.  

Brought to television and starring some pretty big Hollywood hitters, this film tells the story of the early days of the AIDS crisis in New York when gay men were suddenly coming down with a mysterious disease that was, as one character puts it, killing of a generation.

Written by Larry Kramer as a semi-autobiographical play in 1984 and premiering on Broadway in 1985, these issues were still fresh and ongoing.  President Ronald Regan hadn’t even publicly said the word AIDS when Kramer began writing this.  National research funding was very limited, and thousands of people were dying every year from something that was killing off an entire generation of young men.

Starting in 1981, The Normal Heart, opens on a carefree Memorial Day weekend trip to Fire Island. Ned Weeks (the Kramer figure, played by Mark Ruffalo) joins his friends for partying and having a good time, but that carefree enjoyment soon turns to tragedy when one of their friends, Craig (Jonathan Groff) mysteriously collapses on the beach in a coughing fit.  The joy turns to concern for this individual and this is the moment the film turns into a horror story.  No one yet quite understands the more global problem that this seemingly isolated event represents.  Until this point the “only” hurdle gay men had to face was social and political disparagement, little did they know they would be faced with something far more sinister.

This initial scene lays the groundwork and foreshadows much of the narrative from that point on.  In an era where until that point, love was free from fear and the gay community was just starting to mainstream, comes a danger that lurks underneath that carefree attitude.  Not only their lifestyles were marginalized by society, but their sex lives now had real life and death consequences.

As the story goes on, Ned observes more and more of his peers falling ill and dying, including his lover Felix (Matt Bomer, who proves he’s more than steely blue eyes and devilishly good looks in one of the film’s strongest performances).  He endures the lack of respect and acknowledgement from leading political figures like Ed Koch and family members like his brother, Ben (Alfred Molina).  He finds one ally in Dr. Emma Brookner (an unusually dowdy Julia Roberts), a polio stricken doctor who has been in the front lines of the burgeoning epidemic as she has treated hundreds of dying men to this mysterious illness.

What is so painful for Ned, and in turn for modern audiences watching in 2014, there doesn't seem to more public outrage on the hundreds and thousands of deaths.  This disease didn't have a name yet, it was still referred to as Gay Cancer, as it tore through New York and the US.  Ned insists on being that voice of outrage – despite the resistance he gets from his family members and friends.  He, along with a few friends, found The Gay Men’s Health Crisis as a nonprofit to spread the word about AIDS awareness.  Even within the group there’s a schism over how they should plead their case.  Ned is a loud, sharp voice who wants to scream and yell to get heard, but there’s also the closeted Bruce Niles (Taylor Kitsch, having shed all of his Tim Riggins persona) and Tommy Boatwright (a strong Jim Parsons) feel like they’ll catch more flies with honey.  Nevertheless, despite the differing ways they feel will be most effective in how to get people’s attention, the film, as did the play before it, capture the real sense confusion and urgency of action at this time.  They didn’t know what to do, but they knew something must be done.

What is so fascinating about this story is how little people under the age of 35 actually know what went on in those early days.  Despite films like Philadelphia and And the Band Played On, there has been limited public and widespread presence to this issue of the early days in our popular culture, and unfortunately without the knowledge of our past, we are destined to relive it.  In one impassioned  plea to Felix, Ned decries what would have happened if the Jews in America and in Europe had spoken up and out against the Nazis.  Moreover, Emma states that “People once died from Polio” to say that this too could be curable, if people paid attention to it.  In these instances, Ned and Emma are not only the voices of their generation and "his people," but he’s also the voice of future generations who will need their voices heard on their important issues.  Above all else, The Normal Heart is a warning of what happens when people don’t stand up to social justice issues - either for causes that directly effect them or for injustices they see going on in the world.  This happens to be a great film with stellar acting and impressive direction, but it’s most important element is it’s truth.

The truth is that today the big fight is about gay marriage and equal rights which is a huge step from 30 years ago when politicians wouldn't even recognize the gay community of deserving equal health care.  The fight for equal rights for this minority group has evolved, but it still continues.  In fact, the fight for equality for all minority groups continuities and the importance of The Normal Heart is important not only to know the history of this historic fight, but as a lesson for the future on how we treat people in our societies and to ask ourselves, what side of history do we really want to be on?  And, if the outrage isn't there and you think it should be, sometimes, in order to win a war, you have to be willing to start one.

The Normal Heart Trailer

On May 25th, HBO's film version of Larry Kramer's Tony winning play, The Normal Heart will hit the airwaves.  The Normal Heart tells the grim story of the early days of the AIDS crisis in New York City.  It implicated doctors, politicians and every day citizens in covering up the crisis and not taking it seriously as a national and global epidemic.

The Normal Heart stars Julia Roberts, Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons and Taylor Kitsch and it is directed by Ryan Murphy.  It is sure to pack a punch.  Here is the first trailer promoting the film.  I highly recommend watching it and saving the date to watch the whole film on May 25th on HBO.

Oscars 2014

Tonight is the 86th Oscar ceremony, honoring the year's best films - or the films the Hollywood Machine has told us are the best.  I watch every year with ritual.  I have my ballot, my highlighter, my notes, and I do it all - alone.  My phone is off, my friends, my family and husband know that this is my night and not to bother me.  I will be acting out this ritual again tonight, and yet, I won't do it with the same fervor that I usually do.  Why? Well, frankly, I don't think this year's films deserve all of the attention that they're getting.

As a group at least.  Not one film has risen to the level of acclaim they've been receiving.  Her was a terribly boring film that had me squirming in my seat for 2 hours.  Joaquin Pheonix falls in love with his phone's operating system - and yet, no one seems to think this is strange.  If it was a comment on how we a society are becoming to reliant on technology then the film might have had something to say, but that's not what it was saying.  It seemed to be asking the question of can machines feel and think.  This topic is not new - the Twilight Zone asked this of us half a century ago.  There was never a moment of revelation where the characters realized how much better human interaction is, nor was there a time where the audience was given any real insight as to how the characters on screen believed this to be a viable option.  The acting was...ok.  Phoenix's character oscillates between being a nebbish ne'er do well and a likeable loner.  Amy Adams is a cute filmmaker and friend to Phoenix's Theodore but her character never is given the opportunity to develop fully - and, let's be real, Adams is always cute and likable so that's no shocker or a stretch for her.

American Hustle was just ok- it's characters were all caricatures, which made for a fun romp, but serious film it is not.  The plot was convoluted and inane with little character development, but the acting and costumes were definitely superb.

12 Years a Slave offered a powerful story with excellent acting, but the screenplay was often forced and many directorial choices were odd.  For instance, a major plot point - like the moment that Solomon Northup, the main character, was kidnapped and sent down south to be sold as a slave was vague and convoluted.  One would think that this pivotal moment would be wrought with emotion and nuances.  Yet, it was lacking.  And yes, it does take on a powerful important story to tell, and it's important to keep the atrocities of slavery top of mind in our history to make sure we do not repeat the sins of our fathers. 

Gravity made a huge splash this year because of its technological achievement, but as far as storytelling goes, there wasn't much there.  Sandra Bullock spends much of the film floating around space just trying to get back into planet earth's atmosphere.  There is an emotional heart at the center of the film, but best film winner it is not. 

Of the films that I actually liked were Dallas Buyers Club and Wolf of Wall Street.  Both films are biopics, telling a part of the story of our national history and about a person who made a difference - good or bad in our historical narrative.  They were good, yes, and definitely deserving of nominations.  Will they go down in history as best films of all time?  Probably not. 

2014 should not go down in history as a year of great filmmaking, but as the Hollywood machine dictates, we have to honor up to 10 films with "best film" nominees.  I am excited about the show and the pomp and circumstance that comes with the show because I love the glamor.  What I am not excited about is being forced to root for a film that I am not excited about.  The FYC campaigns that surround the titles and entice voters to cast their ballot for the film that spends the most money is a system that falsifies its results and doesn't truly honor the best in show. 

So during tonight's telecast, let's consider those who might not have had the most money to spend or the biggest horn to blow and consider some of the true artistic expressions that deserve the top prize.

Dallas Buyers Club

For all of its cultural, historical, and medical significance, you would think Hollywood would devote more time to exploring the AIDS crisis in America.  Be it the onset, politics or social repercussions of it.  However, save for a few poignant and landmark films, Hollywood has explored AIDS with a near deafening silence.

30 years after AIDS emerged Hollywood continues to tentatively explore the disease with Dallas Buyers Club.  Starring Matthew McConaughey as Ron Woodroof, a homophobic rodeo cowboy/electrician who finds himself stricken with HIV.  He is given 30 days left to live, and after the initial shock wears off he decides that he won’t resign himself to the initial prognosis and lack of traditional medicine and takes action.  Not someone to follow protocol and stick to rules he finds alternative medicines and ways of getting the drugs to other sick men. 

McConaughey is getting a lot of rightfully positive attention for this film.  He physically transformed himself for the role of Ron Woodroof by losing 40+ pounds and he solidly asserted himself as more than a comedic actor with this turn.  Another transformation was made by Jaret Leto, playing the transvestite, Rayon who becomes Ron’s unlikely friend and business partner.  Leto dissolves into the role and un-selfconsciously became his character allows the audience to be sympathetic with someone who they might find strange and maybe even repugnant in real life.  He brings heart to someone who, even in our modern day culture, is either maligned as the strange other trying to hide in their own skin, or celebrated as a bombastic, fierce performer. 

Upon their first meeting each is disgusted and offended by the other.  Ron is a homophobic, violent drunk who emotionally alienates and cheats anyone who comes into his world.  Rayon can be both soft and biting - clearly someone who has learned to take care of himself when no one else would.  They discover that to survive their fates they learn to trust and rely on one another even though in other circumstances they would never tolerate cooperating.  Through the evolution of the friendship between Ron and Rayon, the audience too learns to admire these characters and their strength.

While such a huge part of our modern history and central to our culture, AIDS has not been a mainstay in popular culture as other historical atrocities has.  I suppose it makes perfect sense as it can be traumatizing to revisit and relive a time that is still effecting so many people directly.  And yet at the same time, to not tell the story to future generations would be a mistake as it’s vital to make sure generations to come know what happened and how the revolution came at such a grass roots level thanks to vocal activists.  Today, we have some key films and plays that tell the story - The Normal Heart (an award winning Broadway play and an upcoming HBO Film), The Band Played On, Philadelphia, and now, Dallas Buyers Club (and hopefully more to come) will all be a part of the legacy and education for future generations.