I read a piece today where Viola Davis lamented her status as the black Meryl Streep because she’s not getting the same opportunities or the same pay that goes along with that very complementary descriptor. "I have a career that’s probably comparable to Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Sigourney Weaver. They all came out of Yale, they …
Logan Paul: When a Video Strategy Goes Bad
Logan Paul has made a very good living being a weird, shocking, daredevil type. At least, I think those are good descriptors. I’m not a fan, nor am I one of his 16M+ YouTube subscribers. Don’t get me wrong. I love me some YouTubers. I subscribe and follow quite a few channels religiously. But as …
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About That Myth That Black Films Don’t Sell…
So, Black Panther is like the King of the cinematic world right now, and the movie is still two weeks out. There goes the myth that black movies don’t sell to anyone except black people. The film has already broken several pre-release records including first day advance ticket sales, and it’s Fandango's top-selling superhero film …
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Anatomy of a Perfect Message: The Letter to Larry Nassar that Broke My Heart
I’ve followed the Larry Nassar case closely this week, and I swear I have a sore neck I’ve been shaking my head so hard. I’m not naïve enough to say, “I can’t believe it,” though it is unbelievable. Nor am I naïve enough, sadly, to think that something like this couldn’t happen. What floored me …
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The Power of a Platform to Fatten Your Pockets
I love change. I always have, and it’s gratifying to watch the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements create waves, promote dialogue and actually lead to positive action for actresses in Hollywood. Things aren’t settled by any means. There’s a long road ahead until we have parity on multiple fronts, but by in large the women of …
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Seal, Did You Really Think You Could Come for Oprah?
So, this week was all about the 2018 Golden Globes. The black dresses, the political messages, the speeches and presentation zingers. But who remembers the winners - except for James Franco for all the worst reasons - when Oprah gave the acceptance speech heard 'round the world? Winfrey was the first African-American woman to ever …
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Guard Your Image, Or Else
I almost titled this blog, “What Not to Do When Someone Writes a Tell-All About You,” but the idea behind it is bigger than that. It’s something that I’ve been chewing over for weeks, and it’s something that can affect anyone whether you’re in the public eye or in a public-facing role. But the scuttlebutt …