March 12. 2003
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Book Mixes
Humor With
Controversy
Page B3
The Humours of
Black life
D a n c e t o F ran ce
continued
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‘Black Life’looks at
the lighter side of
African Americans
A new book. The Humours of Black
Life, forewarns those with thin skin, ‘black
or white,' not to tum its pages
The book humorously exposes the un­
derbelly of African-American history, cul­
ture and lifestyle from slavery to hip-hop.
Using irony, sarcasm and witty banter in
short narrative expose, streetwise editori­
als, offbeat poetry and tongue-in-cheek
anecdotes, it’s sure to offend more than a
few sensibilities.
Written under a number of author pseud­
onyms, the book reveals some o f the most
intimate details o f black life in em barrass­
ingly frank detail.
“Examining stereotypes humorously
takes away a great deal of their power to
dem ean," said M Dee Cee, the book’s
editor. "The book is a very potent ego-
builder.”
At 360 pages, the book does an interest­
ing job of revisiting history to uncover the
ironies it sees everywhere in black life.
President George W ashington’s Last Will
and Testament, for example, is hilariously
S te v e M artin a n d Q ueen Latifah s ta r in “Bring­
ing Down th e H o u s e ."
‘Bringing Down
the House’
Brings Down
the Comedy Bar
(AP) — Queen Latifah oozes charisma and talent
«¡nd absolutely deserves her supporting-actress Os­
car nomination for playing prison matron Mama
Morton in the musical “Chicago."
Which makes “ Bringing Down the House” all the
more baffling. Latifah not only co-stars in the movie,
she’s an executive producer and contributed music
for the soundtrack.
What was it about this movie that compelled her to
get involved so intimately?
It couldn’t be the script from first-time screenwriter
Jason Filardi. It’s chock full o f outdated racial stereo­
types. All the white people are uptight, racist WASPs,
all the black people are ghetto fabulous, and none of
them resembles a human being.
It starts out amusingly enough, albeit in a “You’ve
Got M ail" sort o f way. Tax attorney Peter Sanderson
(Steve M artin) is nervously preparing for his first date
with Charlene Morton (Latifah), with whom he's
conducted a giddy online affair.
This opening section is the only part that depicts
reality in any form, as Peter and Charlene carefully
choose their words to make themselves sound desir­
able. He describes himself as having “light hair,"
when it’s actually gray. She writes about exercising
for an hour, then working in the yard - which is what
she does at the Los Angeles County Jail, where she’s
doing time for robbery.
But then Charlene busts out and shows up at
Peter’s house in all her booty licious glory and insinu­
ates herself in hopes of getting him to exonerate her.
D espite his initial disdain. P eter form s a friend­
ship with this w om an, chiefly because she func­
tions as a M agical Black Person - a cinem atic
character, like Will Smith in "The Legend o f Bagger
Vance and Don C headle in "The Fam ily M an,”
w ho sw oops dow n, solves everyone’s problem s
and provides clarity.
Jhe Mixtape Series Live
JN TC C l
Come to the Ash Street Saloon, 225
SW Ash St., on W ednesday, March 12
at 8 p.m. for The Mixtape Series Live Vol. II
featuring O nry O zzborn and A naxogorus o f
O ld o m in io n , M y G, o th e rw is e k n o w n as
Sinistapushaman, Mic Crenshaw of Hungry Mob,
Keary Kase and D J’s Wicked and Evil One with
special guest Mystic. Admission is $8 for those 21
and older.
Go to Paris without leaving Portland
Until March 23, the Portland Art Museum will feature
Paris to Portland: Impressionist and Post-Impres­
sionist Masters in Portland Collections.’ The show
includes 165 worksdrawn from private collections in
the Portland area and has work by Cezanne, Renoir,
Monet. Gauguin, Picasso and prints by Toulouse-
Lautrec, am ongst others.
Reparations Thursdays
David Park s new band. The Reparations, will play
every Thursday at 9 p.m. with DJ Chill and special
guest performers and DJs at The Red Sea, 318 S.W.
Third Ave. Admission for those 2 1 and older is $5.
PCC Kit Kat Klub Cabaret
The Portland C om m unity C ollege T heater Arts
departm ent presents the fabulous m usical, the Kit
Kat Klub, at 7:30 p.m. on T hursday, M arch 13
through Saturday, March 15. The show features an
em cee that leads the audience through a wild and
decadent jo u rn ey into B erlin 's Kit Kat K lub in
1929. The play follow s the character o f C liff
Bradshaw as he m eets Sally Bow les and the girls
o f the Kit Kat Club. The production contains
m ature subject m atter that may not be suitable
for younger audience m em bers. Tickets are $8
for general adm ission and $5 for students and
seniors. The play will be perform ed at the Perform ­
ing A rts C enter at the Sylvania Cam pus, 12000
S.W. 49,h Ave. For tickets or inform ation, call 503-
977-4949.
I JtfcsJ by M IV * Cw
The H um ours o f Black L ife' is
available a t B a rn es a n d N o b les a n d
on A m azon.com
translated for its hidden meaning such as
the fact that W ashington freed his slaves
after his death, but only after his fields
have been harvested one last time.
The book is full o f original caricature
drawings depicting five black personality
profiles-Treadmillers, Saints, Revolution­
aries, B-Boys and Girls, and Buppies as
well as numerous other caricatures under
such headings as “The Sociology Hall of
Fame,” “All in the Family" and “Roots”.
Beneath its sarcasm and humor, ‘The
Humours of Black Life’ makes a very posi­
tive statement about being black in America
and is a must read for anyone who wants
to look at the lighter side of black life. The
book is available online at Amazon.com or
Barnes and Noble.
o f five students from Jefferson that
will go abroad. She is in her third
year in the program.
"I’m excited for everyone,” she
said. "It’s a unique opportunity to
do something really different."
Many o f the Jefferson dancers
would someday like to dance pro­
fessionally. And most find inspira­
tion in Gonzales’ real world experi­
ence. He still dances during his
summers with Momix, an interna­
tionally renowned m odem dance
company.
“He still knows what its like to be
out there in the p ro fe ssio n a l
world," said senior dancer Chris
Patterson, who finds G onzales’
story a constant source o f am aze­
ment.
“H e’s been dancing longer than
I’ve been alive and he dances 20
times better than 1 do,” Patterson
said. “He started when he was 16. If
I work hard like he did, I can do
this."
In the meantime, Gonzales is
adding an extra hour or two here
and there to a practice schedule
already topping 30 hours a week.
But the kids don’t seem to mind.
Expectations are running high as
they have less than a week to wait
before departure.
" I ’m co u n tin g d o w n ,” said
Patterson.
from Metro
In addition to the perfor­
mances, the kids will have a
chance to sightsee and take in all
that is French.
T here are a couple girls in the
com pany that speak French,"
Gonzales said. "W e’ll alsohavea
couple interpreters there, thank
g o odness.”
Mean whi le, this gaggle of tal­
ented artists are training harder,
focusing longer and maybe hav­
ing a little more fun as the antici­
pation tickles there sense of ad­
venture.
"1 ’ m ecstatic,” said dancer Ty
Cheng, a Sunset senior. "I’ve
never been out o f the country."
Cheng credits Gonzales for
bringing out the best in all his
dancers and never accepting sec­
ond best in the pursuit of the
perfect dance.
“Kids our age are capable of
doing this. Steve gives us the
chance to really go for it,” Cheng
said. “He prepares you to be a
professional.”
Cheng, who started dancing
just two years ago is curious
about performing in other coun­
tries and is looking forward to
this unique opportunity.
Senior Ashley Caldwell is one
Dean’s Beauty & Barber Shop
Rapper Faces Obscenity Charge
3 DOLLARS OFF
Naked performance riles South Carolina prosecutor
T u e s d a y s th ro u g h T h u r s d a y s
S e n io r C itizens days are Tuesday
(A P) — F orm er 2 Live C rew rapper L uther
C am pbell faces a felony charge after police said
he led a sexually charged perform ance at a
D orchester C ounty nightclub in South C aro­
lina.
An arrest w arrant was issued W ednesday
for the 42-year-old Florida-based rapper on a
charge o f presenting or participating in an
obscene perform ance.
_
t h e O ctober show reportedly featured na- / w
ked people on stage at the End Z one nightclub.
"T hat might go over in South Beach or
w herever h e’s from, but it’s not going to fly in
D orchester C ounty,” prosecutor W alter Bailey
said.
Police began their investigation the day after
C am pbell’s show , when a 23-year-old w om an
reported she was dragged onto the stage, stripped
naked and sexually assaulted.
A fter review ing videotapes o f the perfor­
m ance. police determ ined the w om an had been
a w illing participant and charged her with filing
a false police report.
C am pbell’s spokesw om an, R ebkah Funk,
said the rapper had no im m ediate com m ent on
the charge.
"
B e s t know n
for his explicit
rap lyrics,
form er 2 Live
Crew m e m b e r
Luther
Campbell
fa c e s cha rg es
for a sexu a lly
charged
perform ance.
"
215 N .E . 1 la n c o c k S t., P o rtla n d , O R
(50.31282-2920
BARBERS:
W
A.D. Williams
I yrone Frazier (n e w s ty lis t)
A L K - IN S
W E L C O M E
PRESS k Cl RES SPECIAL S25»
WE NEED YOUR
You are invited to review and comment on grant applications to the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for funding to assist
in the reuse of Brownfields Properties
Attend community meetings to:
• Review the conceptual designs developed by a citizen-based committee and learn about the reuse efforts
for property located at 3368 NE Martin Luther King Jr., Blvd.
• Learn about the City's "Brownfields Showcase Program" to address contaminated properties.
• Review application drafts, provide direction and assist in finalizing the grant applications to U.S. EPA.
Wednesday, March 12 • 3 :3 0 - 5 :0 0 PM
___
T H H F
”
The Faces of Art
and Psychology
at Bureau of Housing & Community Dev, 421 SW Sixth Ave., Suite 1100, Portland
AND
‘Faces’ by Gary Mac Smith will be
Thursday, March 13 • 6 :3 0 - 8 :0 0 RM
showing through March 28 at Portland
State Uni versify ’ s Littman Gallery. Smith is a Portland
Psychiatrist specializing in individual psychotherapy.
at OAME Cascade Plaza, 4134 N. Vancouver Ave., Portland
This planning process is being led by the Buieau of Housing and Community Development,
MargaretCho‘RevolutionTour’
the Portland Development Commission, and the Portland Brownfields Showcase Program.
W ith the same unbridled, no holds-barred hum or
that has made her famous, M argaret Cho will tackle
the axis o f evil, her travels through T h ia lan d 's red
light district, the explosion o f child birth, bartering
sex for household chores, revolutionizing your
self-esteem , the jo y o f bodily functions, her loosed
ex-boyfriend, and o f course, her w orld-fam ous
m other and much more that cannot be printed. Cho
will perform in Portland on T hursday, M arch 13 at
the A rlene S ch n itzerC o n cert Hall.
For general Brownfields Showcase information, contact Clark Henry at (5 03 ) 823-7053.
For information about the NF M IK Jr, Blvd. project, call Christine Hermann at (5 0 3 ) 823-3239
To review the draft application, go to w w w . p d c . u s
PDC
PORTLAND
D fV ilO P M f N T
C O M M IS S IO N
H. & B. Too
Portland Symphonic Girlchoir
The Portland Sym phonic G irlchoir, a 170-m em ber
choir for girls ages six through 18, will host its
annual Inform ance/Tcacher A ppreciation Concert,
on M onday. M arch 17 at 7 p.m. at the First United
M ethodist C hurch, located at Southw est 18,h and
Jefferson. Admission to the event will be a free-will
donation to the G oose H ollow Fam ily Shelter. For
more information, call 503-226-6162.
Back to the Ooo Wop days
High school friends from Detroit’s North End, Levi
Stubbs, Renoldo “Obie” Benson, Abdul “Duke” Fakir
and Lawrence Payton began marveling their audiences
with an infectious blend of pure vocal power and sweet
harmonies in 1954. Once they signed with Motown
Records in the 60s as the Four Tops, the group churned
out hit after hit eventually ending with an induction into
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. With 43 years of playing
history, the group will play at Chinook W indsCasinoon
Friday, March 21 and Saturday. March 22 at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $25 to $40 depending on seat location. For
more information orto buy tickets, call I -888-624-6228,
or Fasdxx at I -800-992-8499.
NOW OPEN
Oregon’s Oldest Licensed Pawnshop
4709 N.E. Martin Luther King Blvd.
2 blocks south o f Alberta
Weekdays til 6 p.m. - Saturdays til 4 p.m.
Free Parking - State Controlled Rates - Se Habla Espanol
www.hbloan.com
Oregon Family Business for over 50 years
Lie #306
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