The Source of My Immediate Frustration with Pop Culture

My hopes and dreams being realized were again shattered by the powers that be known as popular media...

I have been waiting TWO YEARS for the release of The Frog Princess (the title has been since changed from The Princess and the Frog). The initial release read as such:

From The Times

March 17, 2007

Disney films go from Snow White to a black princess

Chris Ayres in Los Angeles

Walt Disney will soon have a new heroine — a black princess.

After years of criticism for alleged white bias and African- American stereotyping, the company responsible for Snow White will release a film in 2009 entitled The Frog Princess, starring a black animated princess called Maddy.

Like her white Disney sisters — Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, the Little Mermaid, and the beauty from Beauty and the Beast — Maddy will also get her own product line of toys, books, clothing, DVDs, furniture and other merchandise, sold under the Disney Princess brand...."

See that date? I have been waiting TWO YEARS AND ONE DAY to see this princess come out!!!!

This is the first released picture of her back in '07

Isn't she pretty?!

And then, today, I see this in the blogosphere

Can someone please tell me who that man sans pigmentation is and why he is STANDING NEXT TO MY PRINCESS?!?!?!?!?!

Now, after my rage subsided, I recognized that this was, in fact, a blow the progress that we have made in what some call the "post racist era."

Viewing this picture forces us into the realization that this is, in fact, not the post racist era. It is, rather, an era of suppressed racism. This Prince Eric (see The Little Mermaid) looking so and so is the graphic depiction of an ideology that says, though Black women are making strides, Black men are still lacking. And even now, in an era that a Black man is running this country, his fair skinned disposition makes it excusable.

Therefore, my Frog Princess's prince Charming has to be light skinned. I mean, isn't it a little much to ask Disney to have a Black princess and a Black prince?

*side eye*

As I stated in my letter to Walt Disney, they need to go back into the crayon box and pick themselves another shade for Prince Charming.

Because my Prince Charming doesn't look like that.

Star Magazine Must Love them Some J Hud...

So, yesterday I was at the supermarket using a Star Magazine to distract myself from the impending hit my bank account was gonna take at the end of the transaction when I came across this

right....

So then as I flip further, I see another celebratant heralded as being a Size 10.

(sorry, I couldn't find the actual pic.)

*Blank Stare*

Now, someone over at Star must love them some J Hud cuz I could have sworn I just saw a picture of her on an off day looking like

--Let us disregard the hot messness--And I could've sworn the last posted pic of B looked like

* please do regard the diva-lishesness*

Now, I'm not hating on Jennifer Hudson, because Lord knows she works it out for the curvy girls but..um...honey....

Star Magazine done lied on you, boo.

I leave you with this, folks:

Hmmm...

arms go to B...mid section goes to B...neck goes to B...cheeks go to B....

You be the judge! And I'm out!

Lady Obama...Killin the Game!

Again, I don't normally do this, but I can't escape the way Lady O is killing the game right now with her clear plastic belt. She donned it first here on the cover of O Magazine with a Michael Kors dress and Isaac Mizrahi for Liz Claiborne cardigan:

*moment of silence for the pure diva-lishesness that is this cover*

And again at a recent speaking engagement:

And yes, I know it's the same belt. But I really don't care. it's FABULOUS both times!

And although her Sonia Rykiel belt retails at about $150...we in the working world can buy our own version at French Connection for about $30

And if that's too expensive, you can always reach back into your closet and grab those jelly belt from back in the day..you have them..don't front!

Get Over It!!!

So, I don't usually comment on fashion unless it affects my train of thought.

I have found such an instance, and have chosen, for your benefit and mine, to address it.

Why exactly are people hating on the fashionista that is Michelle Obama? Like, for real, stop HATING.

You may wonder what I'm referring to. Well, recently Michelle Obama's official White House photo was issued to the public:

and she's KILLING THE GAME right now in her Michael Kors dress and antique pearls. But haters want to be haters all their lives:

"Does the lady not understand that these Big Speech Events are serious and important? Not a cocktail party?"~ Fox News (of course).

This picture makes me proud to be a Black woman. First Lady Obama, bearer of two young girls, is wearing a sleeveless dress and flaunting her KILLER arms and a FIERCE body. Instead of looking up to this multi-tasking maven, we have comments from the peanut gallery (*cough* FOX *cough*) that tell us she has something to be ashamed of.

Madame First Lady: YOU BETTER WORK!

And "two points" if you noticed that picture of the notorious slaveholder turned President Thomas Jefferson in the background. From plantation to President's wife. I bet Sally Flemmings is somewhere smiling right now....Get it Lady Obama!

Oh, and, for reference purposes, since the media just loves to compare the game changing first lady to another stylista white house femme fatale, here is Jackie O's official White House portrait

Lookin' kinda fierce there with your "sit-down-come-hither- "I can do you better than Marilyn" look there, Madame Onasis. Oh, and is that dress sleeveless? No, no. It must be a sheath dress.

*long side eye*

Jackie O was a game changer as well. And, for all the research I've done on Madame Onassis' portrait, I can't find the backlash. Even though, first lady pics usually looked like this:


I think you need one more ruffle for effect, Madame Reagan.

Don't Call it a Comeback!

Hola Pseudo-fab peeps!

You missed me didn't you? I know! But I'm back to give you something to talk about!

So, let's talk about Black health. You know where this is going right?

HAIR!!! AHHHHH!!!!!!

Now, my hair has always been my crowning glory. It's always been healthy and well maintained, and has been a source of admiration for most people that look at it.

But, recently, my hair has betrayed me to the point that I look like a Dr. Miracle commercial contender.
The "Before" version. Ya dig? SAAAAADDDDLY!

So why don't I do my hair, you ask? What has hapenned to Stephanie, Queen of the Fresh-to-Death layered hair that she's looking like Who Shot John?!?!?!?

I'm working out. I have made a concious decision to put my body and health in front of aesthetics for long term aesthetic appeal.

And I must admit that, although my clothes don't fit as ridiculously as my sisters (cue MC Hammer boot cut looking pant...ROTFLMAO..proud of you Stis!) they're doing better. And, per my sister this morning, my face is getting leaner. And my boyfriend says I'm getting a butt. LOL!

More importantly, I feel healthier. I'm able to run for the bus and not be that person on the bus breathing all hard like that kid on "Hey Arnold"
And that's important. As Queen Latifah and Clair Huxtable...uh...Phylicia Rashaad big up Jenny Craig and Dr. Ian promotes the 50 Million Pound Challenge, it is becoming more aparent in main stream media that we as African Americans are becomign increasingly more unhealthy. 44% of Black men are overweight. And, an alarming 4 out of 5 Black women (non-hispanic) are considered either over weight or obese (http://www.womenshealth.gov/minority/africanamerican/obesity.cfm). That evens out to a staggering 80%!

So, with all the hair options afforded to Black women (weaves, braids, going natural, twists, short cuts, etc.) I am going to be a big girl on this one.

Because, the fact of the matter is, no one will be admiring my hair when I'm dead and can't fit in my coffin.

Fabulousness is hereditary!

I grew up with a Dad who wore a leather bomber jacket and boat shoes.

Like, Timberland ones with the little leather tassel string thing-a-ma-gig that were weaved all around the parameter of the shoe and laced into two sets of parallel loops in the middle of each shoe.



And Daddy never wore faux leather. Always real, nice, soft leather. Lamb skin most of the time.

Mommy is a diva. She never shops at Gap. She shops exclusively at Macys. Last time I checked a tag, she wears INC and Style and Co. She gets her hair done by the same hair dresser that has done her hair since I remember from the beginning of my memory. I can't really remember what her natural hair color is, but from the looks of my little sister (her duplicate) I think it's jet black. Mommy always did her manicures in a bright red that I wasn't allowed to wear until I hit puberty, and had floor length flowing trench coats that she could pull off with jeans.

Yup, I grew up with some real stylish people. Quality was always stressed over quantity, and everything was looked viewed as an investment.

"Sure, that pot set cost $20, and one of my pots cost $60, but you'll have to replace that pot 5 times and I'll still have mine." That's how Mommy reasons.

So I find it intriguing that people call me bourgeois as if it's something negative. Sure, I didn't grow up in the best neighborhood, but my parents were always interested in the experience. From my neighborhood, I grew to be strong, open-minded, and loving of a self that other people may not love. I grew up around people who looked like me and shared my experiences, and around people who I knew I didn't want to be like.

But I grew up with a good sturdy family who valued the better things in life. I didn't play Super Nintendo until I was about 12, but I had Socrates (the learning game, you can play with him! He'll entertain you're brain!) when I was about 8. A birthday gift from my Uncle. My sister and I weren't allowed to watch The Simpsons, MTV or any other potentially mind numbing shoes (which is probably the reason I don't understand Seinfeld to this day)but could watch anything on PBS. My parents didn't expect popular media to raise us. They raised us.

So, do I think I'm better than anyone else? No, not at all. Was I more fortunate in growing up? Indubitably.

So, I'm sure you're asking where the fabulousness in this post is.

It's in the fact that I'm alright if I have one pair of jeans or shoes. I'm alright if I don't live in the most extravagant of neighborhoods as long as I feel safe. I'm satisfied in I'm challenging myself and living up to my full potential in life.

And I'm ok being "Bougie" if it means that I'm following in the fabulous footsteps of my fabulous parents!

Pseudo Fab Projection- 2009

Pseudo Fab Projection- 2009
So, it's official.

I will be moving to Chicago on January 2, 2009.

No job(Update: Got one kids! Start date: January 5, 2009! It pays the moving bills!!)

No apartment (Update: Pretty nice apartment!).

But I'm going. Packing up a U-Haul and making that 7-9 hour drive through the line of longitude that makes my blackberry clock go back an hour while I look for a sign to welcome me to the windy city.

And I'm kind of petrified. I know that my sister and I will make it work, and that we'll struggle for a little while until we get on good footing, but it's hard to block out the reality of living in these times and be completely optimistic.

Viacom (MTV, BET, VH1) announced the lay off of 850 employees. And, in the face of financial institutions getting bailed out, bought up and laying off, it is the Viacom lay offs that concern me the most. Because it signifies a laying off of creative minds. Those that think, innovate, inspire, and entertain are being expensed as frivolous.

And here I am, moving to the third larges city in the world, trying to make it in this creative industry.

But, I know we'll be alright. It's my hope that education and talent are going to prevail. And even though I'm sure that there are people out there that write better than me, dress better than me (few and far between, I'm sure) and are better people than me, I'm confident in my abilities.

Stay tuned. I promise this is not the end of my fabulousness...even though I think it will be Pseudo for longer then we initially planned.