Rantings of a Black Polemicist

Omarosa a victim? Of her own ego, maybe.

Monday, March 29th, 2004 | Race | 37 Comments

I’ve been watching Donald Trump’s reality show “The Apprentice” and am becoming a fan.

The show is made out to be “the ultimate job interview”, with contestants from different backgrounds and education levels vying for a shot to head up one of “The Donald’s” companies. The two black contestants, Kwame and Omarosa have pretty impressive academic and professional backgrounds. A Harvard MBA and former investment manager at Goldman Sachs, Kwame seems bright but a little too by-the-book to be interesting.

Omarosa’s is a former Deputy Associate Director of Presidential Personnel in the Clinton/Gore Whitehouse. She expects to be awarded her Ph.D. from Howard University this spring.

A part of me wonders if the “first black president” ever had an affair with a black Whitehouse staff member. Courtesy: Omarosa.com

Ok, so why then is she a such a nutcase? On and off the show, she seems to be a self-important, disingenuous drama queen locked away in her own fantasy world. She’s made the rounds on the talk-show circiut, talking about her big plans to “further [her] brand” but seems to be completely clueless as to how unpopular her appearance on the show actually was.

Worst of all, she accused one of the contestants on the show of using the “N-word” toward her, justifying her accusations of racism. The producer of the show, Mark Burnett (of Survivor) was appalled, citing that there was no footage to support that accusation.

I watched the episode in question. One of the other contestants, Ereka Vetrini accused Omarosa of being “the pot calling the kettle black.” Not only was that an innocent statement, but taking it as a racist one makes blacks with valid complaints everywhere look like “the Negro who cried racism”.

Omarosa, there is real racism in this country that makes it more challenging for blacks to reach the highest heights and fully live the American dream. Why are you trivializing this by lying about what you went through to create a bigger name for yourself?

Black men marrying outside their race. So what?

Friday, March 26th, 2004 | Race | 16 Comments

What makes some people so angry when black men marry outside of their own race? The anger seems to depend on his (perceived) reasons for choosing his partner.

Actor Taye Diggs with his now wife, Idina Menzel at the premiere of “The Best Man” in 1999. Courtesy: Wireimage.com

My wife is Asian (Filipino, to be specific), and I’m black. When we first started dating, I noticed that we got dirty looks from black women every now and then. Not subtle expressions in passing, but often blatantly judgmental stares. On one occasion, a group of black women looked on at us, all shaking their heads with disappointment. What is it about a decision I’ve made about my own life that angers them so much?

To be fair, there are black men out there with real issues. Having been bombarded with images of mainstream America’s standard of beauty all of his life, he starts to believe it. With his growing success in life comes an upgrade to a nicer car, bigger home and now that white wife he’s always wanted.

However, one can’t assume that every black guy with someone outside his race has this problem. The truth of the matter is, when you see two people together you don’t really know what their reasons for being together are.

I went to Bowie State University, a historically black college near Washington D.C. I did my share of dating, and virtually every woman I went out with was black. Not very surprising, as just about everyone I went to school with was black.

Then I met my wife, and nearly 4 years later we married.

Do some black women become upset with me and my wife because a “good black man” has been taken away from them by a undeserving woman of another race? That an outsider is wading in their shallow pool of available black candidates? I hate to be the one to tell you this hun, but were I with another black woman I’d still be unavailable to you. So what difference does it really make?

My finding something right with someone who isn’t black is not a direct indication that I find something wrong with black women as a whole.

I like Fantasia Barrino

Thursday, March 25th, 2004 | Trivialities | Comments Off

I’m an “American Idol” fanatic.

My Tivo device is coming dangerously close to reaching its recording capacity, and my tendancy to permanently save favorite AI episodes is to blame. With episodes from this season and the last stored on my machine, other shows I record only last 2-3 days before being automatically deleted. I’ve got to get a DVD recorder.

Well, this season looks promising. There’s some real talent among the remaining 10 contestants. Although the judges seem to be pulling for Latoya London , I really like Fantasia Barrino. She’s a natural performer with a sound that reminds me of Macy Gray.

Go, Fantasia. Courtesy: idolonfox.com

Some of these people never earned the right to be in the top 12, if you ask me. Dean Martin wannabe John Stevens completely murdered one of my favorite Stevie Wonder songs last week. Camile Velasco can’t seem to shake her crippling anxiety. And Jon Peter Lewis is surviving on charm alone.

We’ll see what happens.