Most POWERFUL Celebrity!

Forbes Magazine announced that Oprah Winfrey is the world's most powerful celebrity!

Watch out all you Oprah-haters!

But check this out- She and TIGER WOODS are the top two- and they're both Black.

Not bad you guys- thanks for the work! Makes me feel like I had better DO something around here...

30 million people watch Oprah every week- and the mag said they could see her affecting the outcome of next year's US elections... she seems to be behind Obama, so we'll see.

Wife Beaters- Not in fashion anymore.

Ok, so the title for this VERY serious Oprah is probably a little flippant.
I watched the video of this woman being abused by her husband, and heard the interview of her sons.

Awful stuff.

I actually want to talk about the idea that people were upset that Oprah showed a Black man abusing a 1/2 white woman.

1- I think for some CRAZY reason, it's better that she's a 1/2 white, and not fully. I can't understand it, but I have a feeling that if she were black it would somehow be less terrible. Crazy.

2- For the people who felt betrayed by Oprah for showing the black man abusing a white woman, I understand. I know how you feel as I was also EMBARRASSED by the abuser, and felt responsible somehow. I am a Latino man (mistaken for black all the time), and am married to a white woman.

When I saw the tape, I immediately felt responsible, or attached to it- like they were doing a story about the "warnings of marrying ethnic men", but that's not fair.

Often the media chooses to tell us the horror stories of ethnic people (it's not like there's a shortage of white abusive men), and I often feel like I am being lumped in with the stories. I probably am.

But I can only be responsible for my own life, and I hope the other people see that too.

Of course, he didn't HELP the situation either!

At some point, all of this won't matter, so why not make it not matter now?

Dinner with Sidney Poitier!

Ok, so NO, I have NOT read "The Measure of a Man", and I feel like I'm missing out now.

And I think Oprah wants a piece of Sidney.

I'm just sayin'- she seems pretty into him.

Pretty amazing that SIDNEY POITIER couldn't read- it means we can ALL learn something and then take it to a high degree.

From illiterate to Academy Award winning actor to author.

Inspiring.

Kid as Parents...

What kind of opinion can I have about this other than- whoa.

Sounds tough.

I imagine that sometimes life just deals you some cards;
The girl who kept her family together made that choice, and did what she had to do.

The boy taking care of his deaf mother might have a few issues when he grows up.
I'm sorry, but it seemed like maybe his mother could get by without him a little better than she does.

It just seemed like that to me.

The drugged out mom looked like she was still affected, so let me say this:

METH WILL MESS YOU UP.

3 years sober, and the poor woman couldn't sit still or talk right.

She is affected FOR LIFE.

Every few years there's a "new drug" that starts out just "cool", and then oops- this is actually harmful, and then lives get destroyed- I guess it's those "early adopters" that find out before the rest of us.

Get the hint- so far, NONE of them works long-term!

MAKE OVER MADNESS!!!

It's no secret- I LOVE these types of shows, and I'm DAMN proud of it.

Anything that can make women want to look better is a help to ALL of us!

That second woman was absolutely gorgeous, and I hope she has enough courage to model; her face is beautiful, and she has the cheekbones that buy BEACH HOMES for plastic surgeons!

That's all I have to say!

Denzel Washington' book- all about mentors

This episode is all about mentors and people who intervene to help young people who need help. It was really inspiring, but first, let me tell you one thing:

Yes, I'm JEALOUS of Denzel Washington.

It's not that I want to take anything from him- that's different- I think it's really just the SCREAMING women, freaking out and crying... it seems neat-o!

Oh yeah- and the career; but I'm not dead yet, right?

So evidently, we should be praying for "our children and our children's children."

That works? Why didn't someone tell my grandparents?

But that's not what this episode was really about.

It's about the answer to the question:

How am I helping?
How can I affect the future?
Can I affect it by affecting the next generation?

So, the next time I see a kid (and aren't we ALL still kids?)- I'm going to encourage them as much as I can-

I hope you can do the same!

My stomach is a walnut, my brain is a keg....

"Addiction transfer"

Trading one addiction for another... ain't that a bitch?

The first woman addicted to being fat, and now she's addicted to being drunk

(and apparently kissing all her girlfriends!).

She never got over some abuse in her past, and so food was helping her cope.

So- here's where MY mind goes- If there are SO many addictions, ie: Food, alcohol, drugs, sex, videogames, tv, shopping, etc.

Do we actually have any REAL motivations?

I mean, do we do EVERYTHING to cover up something else?

I hear that humans are always either moving TOWARDS something, or AWAY from something. If addictions are all in avoidance of feeling bad, then where are our addictions for feeling good?

Are they the "good ones" like going to the gym, or eating NON-addictively?

I doubt it. I think they are probably bad too.

So, it seems like your only choice is to live CONSCIOUSLY, and make your choices FOR yourself.

But then you gotta SEE when your subconscious is making choices that you don't like, and then maybe DECIDE to get addicted to things you DO want.

So, here's to my addiction to getting RICH!!!

Parents who can't say no...

That first little girl learned to yell at her mother because her daddy does it.

Period.

However, I guess the responsibility for that lies with her, right?

Great.

I'm all for parents giving their kids stuff if they earn it somehow- and that means chores, grades, or helping them with 1/2 of the money for somethings they want.

Dr. Robin was saying that evidently the mother was filling the void with the things, and so she was over-compensating by giving them things...

Someone tell my folks that they didn't have enough guilt!

And there DOES come an age where your parents are the LAST thing kids want, and they would GLADLY trade them away for an ipod!

But of course, you wanna watch what you're teaching them, right?

I think a lot of this issue comes from no one knowing what money is, and how we get it. When I first got out of college, I had NO IDEA what to do with money, and it seemed like I was doing EVERYTHING I could to be broke. I don't think we teach our kids about money, and because they have no idea, ramifications can't be seen until they're parents, and then the cycle starts all over again.

Also, it spreads the idea of dependency.

With our society not really maturing until 30 (there are many tv shows and movies about this idea now), it's just become normal. And although it seems like we should be blaming "the parents" for not teaching their kids about taking care of themselves, but if the parents don't know how to either, it seems like a lost cause.

SO I HAVE SPOKEN!!!

Gay Wives break out!

Great, so women who discover they are gay are now breaking free of their marriages, and going off to be with women.

Good for them.

However, had this Oprah ben about gay MEN who leave their wives, I'm not so sure that the audience would have been so supportive. I think FAR more people would have been sympathetic towards the wives who lost their husbands, and I think that sucks.

Even Oprah talked about the "Down-Low" society like it was a pariah, and those are men who are NOT leaving their wives, or for that matter not even wanting to be gay- they just want some hassle-free sex!

So I've heard....

So is gay something you DO, or something you ARE?

YOU are the only one who can decide whether you ARE gay or not, and I'm glad that they said that. Many women can go and play around with other women without being stamped "GAY", but it just doesn't work like that with men.

If you're a man and you DO anything Gay, then you ARE Gay.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again- in the debate over whether or not Homosexuality is Nature or Nurture, the entire question is just looking to assign BLAME.

If it's Nurture, and you "decide" to be Gay, then we can blame the person, and string him up for his or her "immorality"

If it's Nature, and you're "Born like that", then we can blame God, and no one would DARE say God did something wrong, so we'd have to figure it out from there. It does, however open the door for pedophiles to say they are "born like that", or whoever doing whatever.

HOWEVER, if we just decided that there was nothing wrong with being gay to begin with, then there'd be no reason to ask, and furthermore, people would be FREE to BE what they wanted and DO what they wanted- as long as no one else is hurt-

Which is what this country is supposed to be about anyway.

Older women talking about getting older...

I was prepared to be BORED TO DEATH with this episode:

"Oh, women are so smarta,d aging is easy"

But instead, we got some FRANK discussions, some GREAT Jokes from Nora Ephron, and watching Oprah be the YOUNG woman!

Diahann Carol's care-free attitude was great to watch- she even had the GUTS to take OFF the earrings that Oprah gave her, AND say that she BELIEVED in plastic surgery.

Now THAT'S guts! To say that you believe in plastic surgery on OPRAH? GUTS baby!

And Gina Davis.... hmm.. the last time she was there, they were celebrating the "REVOLUTIONARY" show- "Commander-in-chief". WHAT A BOMB!!! I notice that no one even MENTIONED it!

Hey look guys, I'm glad I saw this episode, if only so that I know that when my woman starts getting older, I can say "Hey- I watched that Oprah episode!"

Resilient people!

"I've never met a kid with more desire"

Isiah scratched and clawed his way to NFL stardom, and on the day of the big game,
His mother dies.

But then he goes to Harvard, and is assigned #39. Then one day he's reading Isiah :49, and he finds his mother's picture with a Harvard sweatshirt on!

Whooaaaaaaaaaaa! He made a poster, and put it above his bed: "Let no one out work you today"

I just put a poster up over my bed, but now I'm starting to think it's maybe too weak.

Maybe something like "Get up you lazy piece of crap, and prove me wrong!!"

Ok, so then Isiah's dad who has been trying to make up for his mistakes in the past, won his son's respect. That was cool, and then being super-proud of his son while trying to keep his cry in was a little too much for me... I lost it, then laughed at myself.

Then came Jeff- drug dealer convict turned chef:
"It felt good to be somebody"

Now I admit, he had to be something absolutely special to get out of prison and CHANGE.
So many people go in after a mistake, and then learn NOTHING but prison life and crime.

I really want him to be more famous, and be more of an example- our recidivist rate is ridiculous, and I feel like it doesn't have to be.

He said he was CRAVING praise and appreciation, and when he got it IN PRISON for cooking, then he wanted to get better at that. I wonder what might have happened if he got praise for other things? What about if we were more of a PRAISING society than a punishing one?

Then Lori Johnson- who lost her baby son and husband in a plane crash. She struck me when she said:

"Either I could look at my life and think about what was TAKEN AWAY from me, or look at what was GIVEN to me" and then..

"Why not me? Why should suffering happen to everyone else?"

That takes some AMAZING courage to say "That was great THEN, and now I appreciate those memories".

Whereas I admire it- I'd really rather do without needing THAT much courage!

Then Rhonda Britton told us she had to MAKE A DECISION about who she wanted to be after seeing her father kill her mom and then himself.

She maybe was a little too preachy for me, and a little too eager to knock people over the head with her decision, but good for her. I'm sure there's a lot to learn from her.

Chris Rock, Fantasia, BOTH on Planet Earth!

I have a prediction:

"I think I love my wife" will NOT be funny.

Chris Rock is brilliant, and so insightful, but I think this movie will be a regurgitation of his stand-up, but without his delivery.

I hope I'm wrong.

But I doubt I'll be at the theatres to decide.

Cute girls though: "Look Daddy, look!" Am I going to be a soft daddy too?

Fantasia- Listen folks, this is a BIG sign for us actors-

If you wanna be on Broadway, YOU'D BETTER GET FAMOUS.

I'll write about that in my personal blog.

As for Planet Earth- I think it'll be awesome- I wanna see a pack of lions take down an elephant!

Oprah's Leadership Academy

WHAT AM I DOING?!?!?!?!

AM I DOING ANYTHING!?!?!?!

When I see people who are actually DOING something, I wonder what the hell is wrong with me that I'm whining and bitching about.... NOTHING!!!

"Oooh- I'm not an Oscar winner"
"Oooh- why am I not a millionaire yet?"
"Where is Playboy with my invitation to move in?"

And then there are people who actually HAVE something to bitch about are just fighting and going forward, scratching for an opportunity, and Oprah making it possible.

I want to make things POSSIBLE for people.

And you can't do that when you're broke.
You can't do it when you aren't taking care of yourself first.

In the airplane emergencies, they tell you to put the mask on your OWN face first,
so that you can THEN take care of others.

This special was so wonderful- ANOTHER reason to let Oprah inspire me.

I hope it did the same for you.

Post-Oscar Party!

Not an particulary IMPORTANT show, but two quotes I MUST comment on:

"I started going to the reviews"
When Ellen Degeneres started getting nervous, she had to start VISUALIZING the reviews in her mind- the reviews she WANTED to see, the reviews that didn't exist yet.
That was powerful for me. I hope it was for you too.

and

"Look at what God can do"

Said by Jennifer Hudson about her winning the Oscar.
"what God can do?"

Seriously?

So if GOD did that, then not only did God also DENY the other nominees, but it also puts QUITE a limitation of God!

I mean, did she think it was BEYOND God's abilities?

"Look what God can do"- Wow- very good God- this is MUCH harder than creating the Universe!

It amazes me how much power we give God, and then how little we actually think of IT.

And oh yeah-

I think I'd mess around with Helen Mirren.

Oscar Hype....

There is a well-known tactic in Holywood that has to do with "Ending Amnesia" and here's what it is:

If the last 15 minutes of a movie are good, the audience will forget the drudgery of the previous hour and a half.

Little Miss Sunshine is one of those movies.

It is a classic indie film, in that it is like digging through dirt. You dig, and dig, and dig, and then you find a gem. There are DEFINITELY a few gems as you watch, but it is mostly dirt. And then the end is very possibly one of the best endings, and it seems like the entire movie is based around this one joke at the end.

And it will give you the "Ending Amnesia".

Don't think so? Watch the film, but turn it off before she does her final dance, and tell me what you think. Then watch the end, and you will see how different you feel.

With that being said, I'm glad it was made, and I am happy for Greg Kinnear and everyone else in it. I just felt like I should educate you on that tactic.

As for "Hide and Go get", we used to play "Run, Catch, Kiss", where you did exactly that.

The girls would chase the boys, and if they caught you, you had to kiss them.
It took a YEAR before I figured out that I should let myself get caught.
But then again, I think I was stirring the pot of anticipation....

Anyway, once all the boys had been caught, it was the girls' time to run.

Don't we STILL play that game?

See you after the oscars!

Your BEST LIFE Diet...

50% Body Fat? Wow.

That means that 50% of your body does NOTHING.

Is it that our MINDS are doing nothing? Are we ALL so unhappy?

While a majority of us are obese, anorexia is also on the rise.

Does that make sense? Are we all so "Body image" crazy that we either go one way or the other?

It CAN'T be all about our bodies-
We all kinda agree that anorexics are sad about something, and that's why they don't eat.
Also, each of the participants had some sadness inside, and it's apparently showing itself as fat. Oprah said that there were things she had to work out before she could really start to win the fight (by the way, she IS still fat- why is she talking like she's not?).

Why are we all so unhappy?
If obesity is unhappiness, and MOST OF AMERICA is overweight, and we are the most advanced country in the world, what's the problem?

I admit that I've been looking at myself in the mirror a lot lately (wanting to stay cute!), and when all of these people showed their old pictures, they WERE healthy and thin. So what changed?

I think we need to be vigilant about our happiness, and to guard it. Maybe as small decisions make you sad, they make the bigger ones easier. It can be a slippery slope.

That's it- stay happy!

Bill O'Reilly? AGAIN??

Ok, so now we can see just how committed Oprah is to putting away child molesters-

She had Bill O'Reilly on again.

I already wrote about my feelings about child molesters in a previous post...

I felt for Todd Bequette, and I think it takes enormous courage to go on TV and talk about it.
Whoever is running around wondering why the kids don't run- Shut up.
They are PRISONERS.

Adult, TRAINED military men get captured in war and brainwashed; what chance do you think a child has?

Anyway- here's the problem with Bill O'Reilly:

"They're evil, they're evil; We have an obligation to get rid of them"

He happens to be talking about child molesters in this case, but I have a feeling that those words are said in relation to a GREAT MANY people. Blacks, Jews, Gays, Rappers, The Dixie Chicks, etc.

He's an intelligent, passionate guy, and I think he's a leader- but he seems unable to hear.
If he's under the impression that he has "The Answer", there seems to be no way to give him another side.

Being Gay was EVIL a few years ago, wasn't it?

Well, I happen to think this situation IS horrible, and definitely needs a punishment.

Remember my other post.

But what happens when we hear about someone who is "sick"; will we try to help her, or will we get rid of her?

Just asking.

Nate the Magician!

I live in New York, and YES- those teeny-tiny apartments exist.

But really- why submit TWO cats to living in that teeny-tiny space?
Aren't they better off in a CAGE??

But I have to admit, I was SO happy for that woman when she saw her place.
I was proud of her for buying it with her last pennies, and proud of her for
being proud of it.

As the population keeps growing, will we ALL live in small spaces?

Better buy some real estate!!

Tidy, Glam, and OCD!!!

WOWZA- what partays this guy throws!!! Holy CRAP!

Is it me, or did that party at the Met Opera House have a bunch of Black men dressed as Genies walking around.... and they were the only black people there, right? Ok...

I guess that was part of the theme.

Anyhow- Colin has some OCD goin' on there with his cabinets and his closets- but DAMN THEY LOOK GOOD!!!!

I need to get rich because I could hear my own mind: "That's ridiculous- they spent all that on a wedding?"

I evidently still need to grow my wealth mind- AMEN!!

The Secret- AFTER THE SHOW

I don't always catch the "After the Show", but this one warranted it...

"I'm available to more good than I've ever experienced, realized, or imagined before"

But what I want to talk about is this quote:

"The easiest way to get something is when you don't need it"

-Ain't THAT the truth!! The feelings of "neediness" and "Desperation" always drive away what you want. Now, we've heard all about the people who NEEDED soemthing so badly, they worked hard to get it- but those people aren't in the "needy" feeling; they are DOING something about it, and their faith is in the WINNING, not in the desperation of "maybe losing".

I guess.

The way it hit home for me was that when you are broke, and owe money, the bank WON'T lend you any. The time to borrow money is when you DON'T need it. Then the banks trip over themselves to give it to you, don't they? I now get so many credit card applications in the mail it's silly, but when I have needed cash, it's near impossible to borrow it.

I guess it's the same with other things and the Universe. If I am "needing" an audition, I have tended to blow it. In fact, I just booked an industrial that I didn't even really want, and so I joked around the whole time. But when I've had one that I KNEW was going to be "it", I have choked, or someone else got it, or whatever.

So, I robbed myself of enjoying the audition because I "needed" it.

Even with Laura sometimes I get all needy, and want to be told how great I am, and that she loves me, and all that; and I can see how it turns her off.

Even though I AM great!! :-)

So why ROB ourselves of the enjoyment of NOW just because we THINK we "need" something?

Enjoy NOW- and be open to other stuff. It'll come when you don't NEED it.

and THEN you can bitch and moan and say "HEY UNIVERSE!!- I could have USED it before!!!"