Valerie's blog

Yesterday, I watched an enlightening interview with Viola Davis on Charlie Rose. Viola was speaking on her career and in particular The Help.

I read the book exactly two years ago. There was much rumbling among black writers about this book. Understandably, so. As a black writer publishers will only market my book to African-Americans. Not just because I’m black but they don’t think white people would be interested in reading about the lives of my black characters. But then a white woman writes a book about black women and the publisher markets her book to the masses. I guess the lives of black folks are far more interesting when a white person writes about it. But what’s new, right?

So Eddie Murphy dropped out of the Oscars. Boo! But my desire to see Eddie make a comeback was rekindled when I heard he was attached to play Marion Barry in a biopic directed by Spike Lee and written by John Ridley.

As a native Washingtonian, I witnessed Barry's first 12 years of reign and I have an affinity towards him. Barry came along when there were few black mayors in America. In his arsenal he toted intellect (Masters of Science in Chemistry), a civil rights background, charisma, and southern swag. His best weapon was his wife, Effie Barry. Effie added class and sophistication to Barry’s image. She was tall, slender, stylish, and educated. Think Michelle Obama.

“Drive” is a cheap title for the riveting ride this movie will take you on. Ryan Gosling stars as Driver, a loner with a knack for cars. He’s a mechanic and sometimes stunt driver by day and he moonlights as a getaway car driver. He’s a man of few words who smiles sparingly and just kinda stares a lot. But don’t get this guy twisted. He’s not the average dude next door, though he’s in love with the nice girl next door, which is almost always a mistake. Between the girl and the shady goons he works with at night, Driver ends up in a hot mob mess when a robbery goes spectacularly wrong.

Eddie Murphy has been named the host of the 84th Academy Awards. But at 84 Oscar is so old school and boring, he'll need a lot more than Eddie and the year’s notable movie producers and directors to bring in the ratings. Oscar needs a major makeover and a Mountain Dew IV.

Here’s a few suggestions on how to bring Oscar back from the dead.

1. Get rid of the symphony orchestra! It puts me to sleep. Call Harry Connick, Jr. and his band. How about Wynton Marsalis or the American Idol Band?! Bring some culture up in that joint. Give me something I can to bounce to.

Columbiana, is a triumph of sorts. It’s not often (okay, maybe never) that Hollywood gives us the pleasure of seeing a brown and sexy actress in a leading role when she’s not the help or the hairdresser. This makes Columbiana, starring Zoe Saldana of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent, a rare gift from the cinematic gods.

I always joke, if you want to become a succesful author, actress, cover model or even have your own sitcom you should go into the studio and cut an album first. Hitting high marks on the Billboard chart will open all kinds of doors. The music artists seem to beat out seasoned actors for coveted roles. Take for instance; Mary J. Blige has been cast to play Nina Simone in a film. Really? And you don’t have to simply have a hit. No, sleeping with a successful rapper can land you on the cover of major magazines. And Fantasia confesses to be illiterate yet she landed a book deal. I won’t go on about this pet peeve of mine. You get my point, right? Being popular in music can get you the next big gig.

Last night on the BET Awards Show Chris Brown, affectionately known as Breezy, made his first television performance in over a year. He hit the stage executing Michael Jackson’s dance moves like no one else can. (Sorry Usher.) And the crowd roared. I jumped to me feet, excited by the very sight of him doing Thriller. He KILLED IT. It was a victory dance, if you will, for those of us, who have been rooting for Breezy to come back.

Let me set the record straight. I have always been a Chris Brown fan. I’m not his demographic but I can appreciate any artist with real TALENT. Something many entertainers lack in this day and age. There’s innocence about Chris Browns image. Good PR. In a world of hip-hop artist who look thuggish, Breezy looks college bound.

I read all types of fiction. I really do. But when asked to list a few of my favorite reads….look what happened. All of these books are about oppressed people. Females oppressed by men and boys in the hood oppressed by society. I’m not sure why these books resonate with me, but for better or worse here’s a list of some of my favorite reads. Books I didn’t want to put down. Stories that gave me pause. Characters, who remained on my heart and mind long after I’d read the last page.

1. The Book of Night Women by Marlon Thomas
2. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hussieni
3. Douglass’ Women by Jewel Parker Rhodes
4. The Pursuit of Happiness by Chris Gardner and Quincy Troupe

In HOLLYHOOD, Naja Starr is the in-house diva and co-starring actress. To maintain her slim figure she secretly consumes jars of baby food by day. And like many women in Tinsel Town, Naja fears gaining weight and getting older. Either one could send her into early retirement. It’s the sad, sad truth. But Hollywood executives and directors, who are mostly men, are unmerciful in discriminating against women of a certain age and weight both on and off the screen. The overall preference is anorexic, twenty-somethings.

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of joining a book club in DC for their monthly meeting. My book, HOLLYHOOD, had been selected by Leigh Robinson Warfield for the group to read. Now I’ve belonged to a book club or two. I even started my own here in Brooklyn a few years ago. I’ve attended book launch parties, book salons and book events at museums. Yet, I was a bit unprepared for what my host had in store.