The Texas Tiger Chronicles

Saturday, May 13, 2006

A view without a Star

Mood: Young and carefree. Yet slightly perturbed that I am indoors (at work) and not out enjoy a beautifully sunny day in NYC.

Mojo: It was a stress-free vintage day. One of the days where I put on some comfortable, very professionally versatile shoes and a nice shirt that does not need to be ironed (because its wrinkle-free or because it's fresh from my dry cleaners).

Musical Moment: Abba "Gimme Gimme Gimme (a man after Midnight). Besides knowing that Abba produces more money that the entire gross domestic product of their native Sweden, I knew very little about Abba. Then Madonna sampled them in her song "Hung Up" which encouraged me to seek them out and find out who these people were. I did not get so wrapped up in the drama that I considered buying a ticket to go see Mamma Mia! on Broadway, but I did download the some "Gimme Gimme Gimme". Very catchy. Light. Bouncy. Free. Perfect for the summer.


A view without a Star?

I am sure you have heard the grumblings about The View. And what of it without Star? As soon as I heard about Rosie signing her deal with ABC, I feared for Star. I know she is a strong black woman. But the thought or her sitting between Rosie and Joy Behar gave me the chills. The number of daggers that woman would have to endure five hours a week on air and numerous hours behind the scenes could only be compared to the torture Jane Pauley must have felt the day Deborah Norville showed up on Today. What's my role?




Where will they send our shooting Star? Will she gain back all the weight she lost from dieting and pilates?
SIDEBAR: Check me out in the pink and green! Shout out to Star and her sorors.

When I met Star I found her to be warm and inviting. In that "tv personality" sort of way. I met her one day during her book tour. And later she come by my job and I talked with her in her dressing room. I shared with her my views on her book and some of my own struggles with weight. Me and Nicole "I know I'm too thin" Richie have it so hard. No one understands us.

Star talked to me about my weight and about some questions I should ask my doctor about weight gain. I have to say that getting tips on weight gain from Star have really helped me. In the past few months I have gone from 130 to 135lbs. Cutting those trips to the restroom have worked wonders. Thanks Star!

The other Star gone BUCK wild!


For people outside of New York and the Clear Channel family, you may be unfamiliar with the Star and Buc Wild Morning Show. It is nationally-syndicated, but I do not know what other markets he airs in as I have lived in several cities and did not discover him until I moved to New York. Now, if anything, I listen to NPR in the morning. But for the most part, I choose morning television over morning radio.
I think Tom Joyner serves a great purpose with raising awareness about single mothers and black colleges. And I think the family-style show he does is great...in small doses. But again, nothing I could stomach long term. And that tired-tv show he does late nights which is like Def Comedy Jam for out-of-touch geriatrics. But back to Star....

He has a beef (and why not? What is a black man with a microphone without a beef?) with a local NYC DJ name DJ Envy. So perhaps in his envy of DJ Envy, Star got on the radio one day and got a little bit carried away while making threats against DJ Envy's wife and his 4-year-old daughter. He threatened to do an "R. Kelly" on DJ Envy' seed (i.e. his daughter). And...knowing who his audience is...Star "broke-it-down" and explained what he meant...knowing some people would miss that reference.

He's recently been arrested and fired. And replaced by Big Tigger from Bet.

There is a line between what is offensive and what is humerous. There are comedians and musicians and family members and colleagues in all of our lives who do push the boundaries of taste and class. But it is all about intention and perception. Richard Pryor's use of the "N" word, Dave Chapelle take on racial politics, Jerry Falwell take on ANYTHING, Bill O'Reilly's take on anyone who disagrees with him, and Vivica Fox's take on breast implants all serve to stir up emotions and feeling in us.

But there is a line between what is sarcastic and what is nasty. And what is funny and what is crass. And sometimes our own filters do not depict how other people will receive our take on humor. Star does not think he did anything wrong. And that is not for me to decide. I did think his comments were tasteless and disgusting but I think that about his entire show. And it has worked for Clear Channel in the past....which makes me wonder why they are coming down on him so hard now?

All about the benjamins. I think if DJ Envy's wife had not called a press conference Star would still be on the air. This is not about decency, it's about money. You can push the envelope and long as it is financially profitable.

Who knew that freedom of speech was so closely linked to the free market.

Posted by Texas Tiger in NYC :: 1:34 PM :: 0 Comments:

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