All Hallows' Eve

With today being what it is, it's only fitting to give tribute to the ghosts and goblins that are allowed on this one night of the year to return to this earthly plane to run amok and wreak havoc. Originally, the practice of wearing masks and costumes was to disguise oneself as one of the roaming spirits thus avoiding possible demonic possession and persecution.

Many of the networks have been airing "scary" movies [for the past 13 days] and I got to re-watch my faves, "The Exorcist" (part 1), "Poltergeist" (part 1), and "The Omen" (parts 1 and 2) ...sort of like watching "It's a Wonderful Life" on Christmas.

Although it's not scary, a great movie dealing with witches [and how they live inconspicuously among us] is "Spellbinder" with Timothy Daly and Kelly Preston. It's not widely known, (probably because it's considered a "B" movie), and not available on DVD or VHS, but I have a copy which I taped from a broadcast and it's one of my favorites. Another movie, also not scary, also a "B" movie, is "Lifeforce" with Steve Railsback. This one deals with extra-terrestrial vampire-type beings that live off the life force [as opposed to the blood] of others. Think Dracula meets Night of the Living Dead. More camp than horror, this movie is also a favorite that can also be found in my video library.

Witches, warlocks, and wizards undoubtedly will feature prominently in the Halloween costume choices, what with the far reaching influence of Harry Potter et al. I myself have been bewitched by the spell of Potter-mania and am waiting, rather impatiently, for the seventh and final installment in the HP saga ...although I have no aspirations of being anything other than a muggle. But is that really so? Among the books in my library, next to those dealing with astrology are titles like "The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft", "Guide to the Tarot", "The I Ching", "The Occult", and "The Black Arts", just to name a few. So maybe, secretly, I do aspire to do magic, to be a wizard or a warlock -- heh-heh -- wouldn't that be cool? However, since I am acrophobic (afraid of heights), I find a broomstick [as an aerial conveyance] to be singularly inadequate.

Here in San Francisco, Halloween is really rather special; it has the same significance as any religious holiday. It's considered blasphemous to not don a costume of some sort and go out and raise hell. The spectacle is so outrageous that people come from all over the country to participate in the Polk Street and Castro Street celebrations, with assemblages so vast, they have to block off the [respective] streets, re-route the traffic, and call out the police for crowd control. I myself still venture out among the denizens of the night, although no longer in costume. I'm a little long in the tooth to play "dress up". That attitude, however, is my own and has no general application, since there will be revelers of all ages, quite literally from 9 to 90.

There will be many types of costumes, anything and everything that the fevered, twisted imagination can concoct. Past years' celebrations have spawned some quite ingenious creations. And, of course, there will be the usual plethora of drag queens -- comely, ordinary guys who emerge from their chrysalides to take flight as glorious, fantastic, and often outrageous fritillaries. You see, a "drag queen" is not just a man in a dress, but something much, much more. A creature bigger than life and twice as fabulous ...with tons of shoulders and lots of attitude. You've seen RuPaul? Well, then.

Quote of the Week: "Be careful in casting out your devil, 'lest you cast out the best part of you."

You Selfish Bastard!

So I've been called, but am I? I rarely give of my time (or money...not that I have any to spare) in the service of others, when asked. And I surely don't give of myself unsolicited. And any self-less deed is anything but. Although I may not request it, I [expect] some show of appreciation or, at the very least, an acknowledgment of the act. So I guess, I am.

So, what goes into the making of a "selfish bastard"? Back when I was a kid, a set of unavoidable circumstances left me, (on [five] separate occasions), without parental supervision. On each of those five occasions, I was shuffled from one relative to another, each accepting the responsibility with much reluctance. So, from a very young age, I learned to appreciate the concept, "Help yourself, but don't take too much", and just as in Billie's chant, I realized the importance of having one's own, and not having to rely on the "kindness of strangers".

I learned to be self-sufficient, and self-reliant ...almost to the point of being anti-social. I abhor obligation, be it financial or social. I'm selfish enough to want to do what I want to do, when I want to do it, and not have to do what I don't want. And since I make it a point to "not" owe anybody anything, I don't have to do anything I don't want. Even in my circle of friend, I make an effort to keep the "inter-dependency" to a minimum.

So do I even care when I hear about victims of some catastrophe? Is my first response to see what I can do to help? Yes, I care, just as I care about the misfortunes of any living being, but if it doesn't directly affect me, I tend not to get involved. That's another hard lesson that life has taught. "If it's none of your business, then it's none of your business!"

This all may seem rather "cold", and there are times when my conscience urges me into some "selfless" deed. But then I get slapped in the face with the reality of, "Who asked for your help, anyway!", or "Mind your own damn business!", or, and this one really stung, "Do I know you? ... Then, why are you talkin' to me?".

There's a certain truth to the adage, "No good deed goes unpunished'. I was [once] a person who'd stop and pick up [for you] that item you dropped, or go waaay out of my way to return the found wallet, or accept that package [for you] from UPS, thinking it would eliminate the inconvenience of having it redelivered, or put that something extra into the "favor" you asked, hoping only that you'd express appreciation for the effort. I always ended up angry and disillusioned, but could blame only myself for having ignored the "lesson".

To avoid further disappointment, I keep my expectations low. Truth be told, all I want is...

consideration [of the fact that you're not on this planet by yourself],

The world has become a crowded place and it's necessary that we all make an attempt to live in harmony. But, when the overflow from your life becomes unreasonable and impinges on my right to not have to deal with it, I will bring it to your attention ...and take whatever steps necessary to correct the problem.

respect [for my rights as a fellow human being],

External approval or validation of me or anything about me is not required. I don't give a damn about your "tolerance"; you're entitled to feel any way you want. However, any attempt, be it intentional or not, to deprive me of that to which I'm entitled, or hinder my living my life in my own way will be met with utmost and all necessary opposition.

and perhaps a friendly smile.

A pleasant exchange is always preferable, but not required. What is required is civility. If you've got a bug up your ass about something that doesn't concern me, don't lay it on me. In such cases, I can usually dismiss it as being "nothing personal", but if you catch me on a day when I've "had enough", you just might be the recipient of a response which, I've been told, can be unnerving, and quite unpleasant.

This all may paint a picture of a bitter curmudgeon, but not so. I still have a kind heart. I still look for and see the beauty in the world. I still believe in the [potential] for good in people. I've never, ever been mean or cruel -- hurtful perhaps in my reaction to some wrong done to me, or unintentionally hurtful in some remark or action, the effect of which I was unaware -- but never cruel for the sake of being cruel. And, I respect all life ...except for cockroaches; I hate cockroaches.

I don't use more than I need, and in any event, I never take more than I'm entitled to. I cringe at the excesses that some people call "living well", and I bemoan the plight of those for whom mere survival is a major endeavor. I don't like the direction in which the world is going, but since I can't ...or choose not to... alter that path, I simply do my best to not compound the problem [as I see it].

And above all, I remember to laugh as often as I can.

Quote of the Week: "He who will not reason is a bigot. He who cannot reason is a fool. He who dares not reason is a slave."

Soul: Where's The Music Gone?

This is not a post to promote Leela James, but sometimes there's a song that really touches you and is in total harmony with your sensibilities. And it's so nice to see that there's someone of the current crop of performers [of the current generation] who shares my musical sentiments.

I can't truly speak for all of her music, since I've not auditioned anything [on her current CD, "A Change Is Gonna Come"] except the song "Music". I just happened upon the video while surfing the channels and was so taken, I immediately downloaded the track from Apple's iTunes. The message in her music is simply this, "It's all about the music!" As she articulates "...today, it's all about the video ... can't we just put the thongs away. ... where's the music gone .... all the soul is gone ... take it back to yesterday...", I'm reassured that there are people who are aware that musically, we've gotten away from "the music". I am encouraged to check out the rest of [her] CD and also the other music she's been making.

Now I know that R&B / Soul is only one type of music, (and I do appreciate most all kinds of music), but anyone who's ever truly been into the genre can attest that there's nothing like the soul of the 60's and 70's. And it's gone. Most stuff today is all about tits, ass and pelvic thrusts ...with a clever hook, and an occasional clever lyric ...oh, and of course, the video.

In the past, R&B / Soul was considered Black music, but now rap is the new Black, and so much of what is labeled "R&B" or "Soul" is counterfeit ...although I will concede that there's been such a blending of the genres, that it's almost impossible to categorized music in this manner anymore. I won't comment on rap, since it's really not my thing and any evaluation of it would be totally skewed to the negative. As a music genre, I'm sure it has it's value, once you get beyond the anger, the vulgarity, and all the misogynistic references to bitches and 'hos.

Listening to 60s /70s soul is not just listening to "old" music. Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" is probably one of the greatest albums of all time, and the message is as relevant today as it was then. There are, however, some artists like Al Jarreau and Anita Baker who [in a lot of their music] still hold true to the nature of "soul". There would probably be more artists if they could only get the airtime ...but the music "business" is all about just that.

It seems that today's soul sound also comes from some unlikely sources, those who seems to appreciate what we've so carelessly dismissed in favor of the latest fads and trends. I dedicated a previous post to "Louise Perryman", an Australian singer / songwriter who's very much in touch with "the music" ....and [about a year ago] I made the acquaintance of a phenomenal R&B / Soul artist, "Solprins", from Sweden.

Quote of the Week: "After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music."

It Is The Cause!

"It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul:
Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars!
It is the cause...."

I begin this post with a passage, excerpted from Shakespeare's Othello -- just before he kills Desdemona, to introduce the movie "Stage Beauty" (Billy Crudup / Claire Danes), in which this scene features prominantly. In this (dare I say it) "fabulous" film, Crudup plays the real life Ned Kynaston -- although the film makes no claims of historical accuracy.

You see, in the [early] 17th century, it was forbidden for women to "act" on the stage, so all the women's parts were played by men. The beautiful Kynaston was very convincing in his portrayals and became a star playing such roles. Having been bred and trained from a young boy for these roles, he was quite confused about his sexuality. When Charles II proclaimed in 1662 that women could finally play women onstage, (and that women's roles, in fact, had to be played by women), it changed the face of the English theater and left Kynaston unable [at first] to adjust to playing men's roles. (He did eventually make the adjustment and even married.)

Which brings me to my next point. Transvestites are not necessarily homosexual. Many people, as well as the gay (LGBT) community, lump all non-heteros together in the same category. Many transvestites are straight, with hetero-sexual lifestyles and proclivities. These "cross-dressers", (be it for professional or personal reasons), just like to dress up as women.

All this to segue to the topic of men ...masculinity in men, to be precise. Being a gay Black man, I'm well aware of the need to be "macho". The African-American community (and surely other ethnicities as well) have a narrowly defined concept of what a "man" is ...and how he should behave. There's even a rather large subculture of Black men who refuse to admit their homosexuality (or bisexuality, if you'd rather), and just have sex with other men on the "Down Low" ...just "kicking it" with the guys. They then return to their wives and girlfriends totally convinced that they're straight and firmly ensconced in their heterosexuality.

This concept of acceptable male behavior has been bred in all of us, and consciously or not, we do "value" the jock over the sissy. Even in the gay culture there are a large number of gay men who claim to have come to terms with their [homo] sexuality but then still describe themselves as "straight acting".

One of the bigger fears of the "straight" man is being called or thought of as being a "fag", and many men expend a lot of time and energy to counter this perception. For all of the hassles that come with being a gay man, this is a non-issue. You wanna buy that pink shirt? Do it! You admit to loving that "chick flick"? So what! The cologne you wear is a little too floral? No biggie! And when somebody "alludes" to your being "light in the loafers", you simply respond with, "So, what's your point."

BTW: The movie "Stage Beauty" will have even more significance if, like me, you're a fan of Shakespeare's Othello.

If you do like Shakespeare's Othello [on film], I highly recommend the Kenneth Branagh production in which the valorous-but-misled Othello is brilliantly portrayed by Laurence Fishburne, and Branagh is deliciously evil as the malicious, conniving Iago.

In this production, Irene Jacobs delivers an exceptional performance. She brings a vulnerability to the ill-fated Desdemona, which so illuminates the sheer misfortune of the character as I've not seen in any other portrayal.

Quote of the Week: "Put out the light, and then put out the light."

Chef!

I just bought the 3-series box set of "Chef!" This was a BBC comedy series that ran from 1993 to 1996 featuring Lenny Henry ...no relation, despite our sharing the same surname and he too being African-American ...no wait, he was born in Dudley, West Midlands, England, so he'd be African-Englishman, or would that be EurAfrican. But wait, he's of Jamaican descent, so that would make him EuroJamaican.

Oh, what the hell, he's a Black guy who lives in England. A very funny Black guy who joins the ranks of Richard Pryor, and Chris Rock as my favorite "Black" comedians. But this isn't your usual "Black" comedy; race is a non-issue. The major difference in Lenny Henry's approach is language, the English language with all of its subtleties and nuances, which Lenny utilizes for maximum impact...with acerbic perfection -- as only the British can.

The main premise of "Chef!" is an English chef opens a high class restaurant ("Le Chateau Anglais") featuring haute French cuisine. But unlike "Basil Fawlty" with his aspirations of grandeur, Gareth Blackstock can really cook. The comedy comes from the tyrannical way he runs his kitchen, riding roughshod over the kitchen staff of wannabe chefs with insults and verbal abuse, and with threats of physical violence that never materialize ...unlike Basil who reprimands Manuel with actual physical attacks.

In the scene to the left, we see Gareth obviously infuriated with Everton, one of the kitchen staff. Below are excerps from the hilarious discourse that takes place in the kitchen of "Le Chateau Anglais".

Gareth [and the restaurant] have just been interviewed by a prestigious gastronomic magazine, however, when the issue comes out, it features an article about Everton, (one of the kitchen staff) --

Crispin: Show it to him, Everton.
Everton: Well, I...
Crispin: Look, he's bound to see it sooner or later. It's much better to have courtesy on your side.
Everton: I was afraid he might be a bit pissed off.
Crispin: Oh no, he won't be pissed off.
Everton: Oh, good...
Crispin: He'll be incandescent with blind and barbaric fury. Next to Chef, Mount Pinatubo will be an irritating, unripe zit. The killing fields of Kampuchea will be as a bouncy castle.

After Gareth has prepared a meal to [what he considers] perfection, a customer asks for extra salt --

Gareth: I hate you more than you can possibly imagine!

Gareth has appointed Lucinda "sous chef" and she's having to deal with a gastronomic mishaps ...a bandage that Everton was wearing has "disappeared" --

Lucinda: Everton, I'm the sous chef, do you know what that means?
Everton: It means you're the second in command, sorta thing.
Lucinda: It means I'm the second in command in the finest restaurant in England. Now the head chef leaves me in charge for an hour and suddenly we're serving fricassee of used Elast-O-Plast! I hate you Everton. I want you to die.

Gareth putting on his chef's hat --

Gareth: Lucinda, I have adorned myself with the culinary condom.

Gareth instructing Everton to clean up the kitchen --

Gareth: Everton, please remove the maggots, rat carcasses, and corpses of shocked health inspectors and make the place fit for the preparation of sodding food!

Gareth speaking to one of his kitchen staff --

Gareth: You have as much chance of becoming a top chef as John Major has of becoming a stand-up comedian.

Again, Gareth speaking to one of his kitchen staff --

Gareth: You are a pea-brained, prat-faced, pompous, pillock-headed cretin. If you took an intensive course of intelligence injections and studied till you drop, then one day you might make it to moron third class failed.

Gareth's wife speaking to him --

Janice: You've been fighting with the customers?
Gareth: Well, somebody's got to do it.

Gareth speaking to one of the waiting staff --

Gareth: So please go away ...and please re-arrange the contents of this plate so that someone in the latest stages of malnutrition will at least take a passing interest in it.

Lenny has also starred in some comedy feature films, playing Josephus the genie in "Bernie and the Genie" (with Alan Cumming), and in "True Identity", where he plays Miles Pope, a Black man masquerading as a White guy in order to elude the "mob". He also had a small part (as the shrunken head) in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban". Gareth, however, is by far my favorite of his alter egos.


Quote of the Week: "Don't let a suitcase full of cheese become your big fork and spoon."