Bullying: Those who have been with me a while know that this is the ultimate hot-button for me, the issue that will get me fired up faster than dropping a lit match in a bucket of diesel.  I was bullied relentlessly for years, so I know what it’s like to feel so degraded that you don’t even want to show your face in public.  I know how it feels to be in so much agony that you’d rather cut to the chase and die than live to feel another day.  Yes, I’ve experienced the inner struggle of rejecting who you really are because it isn’t good enough for someone else. 

That’s why last night’s episode of Glee down right ticked me off.  While gays everywhere are celebrating it as a victory (because, lets face it – there’s quite an abundance of homosexuality on the show these days), their “win” comes at such a cost that it’s revolting.  The show’s two closeted gay characters (who happen to be the biggest bullies in school) start an anti-bullying campaign in the school as a means of making themselves popular and, therefore, prom king and queen contenders.  As if that wasn’t enough, Kurt (the openly gay character) finds out about the plot and is okay with it.  He won’t tell anyone as long as they start a PFLAG chapter at the school.  PFLAG: Parents, Friends, and Family of Lesbians and Gays. 

Are you &*%#ing kidding me?  For starters, you’re going to cloak a serious problem around something as superficial as prom king and queen?  That pool is so shallow it couldn’t drown a blonde if it had a scratch ‘n sniff sticker at the bottom. 

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Oh, “Glee”… the show that zips us right back to high school, full of all of its angst, drama, social awareness issues, and random outbursts of song.  It’s no wonder America eats it up like Mercedes chows down on tots.  Next Tuesday Gleeks everywhere will unite in front of their televisions to catch the newest episode, “Night of Neglect,” after the series took a short hiatus leaving us with four agonizing weeks of reruns.

In the two seasons “Glee” has been dancing into our homes, Mr. Schuester and the New Directions have brought much-needed attention to serious teen-related problems like bullying, underage drinking, and teenage pregnancy.  With an 11-million member primetime audience as diverse as the glee club itself, the show seems to be doing American culture a favor.  Except when it comes to the gays.

There are some on the Right in this country that would do well with a lesson in accepting the gay community and “Glee” is just the teacher for them.  After all, what’s more wholesome than teenagers exploring their emotions through something as harmless as song and dance?  Never mind they devoted a whole episode to the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Kurt Hummel is arguably the most lovable, well-developed character in the cast and Chris Colfer rightfully earned himself a Golden Globe for his portrayal of the bullied gay teen.  Fans everywhere have pulled for Kurt from day one and for reasons totally outside of his sexual orientation; whether it’s cultivating a relationship with his father, standing up to homophobic bully Karofsky, or hitting that high F in “Defying Gravity’s” wicked aria (no pun intended – okay, maybe just a little one) we’ve wanted him to thrive.  Yup, everyone was on the Kurt Train until he and Blaine sucked face.  Then lots of conservative audience members located their nearest exit noting it may be behind them and jumped right off, without even waiting for a slow down. (more…)

Every year we regular folk are blessed with wisdom from Hollywood’s elite: how to vote, worship, eat, what to drive, raise our kids, who in corporate America is making too much money, and who we should love and who we should hate. All while stars gorge themselves on private jets, third homes, and shaped tofu holiday dinners at 5-star resorts.

While we at Big Hollywood are quick to point out that celebrities can use their soapbox to do some good, but each time they open their mouth to tell us how to behave, they run the risk of losing the magic of their screen persona.  So to help remind you who spoke up on behalf of “all people” this year, here is a rundown of the 10 most asshat celebrity comments of 2010:

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10.  When Whoopi Goldberg went on O’Reilly to discuss her reason for walking off The View (i.e. plug her new book Is It Just Me?: Or is it nuts out there?”) rather than defend her position about the world having a “Muslim problem,” the two also touched on the issue of whether a Jewish kid or a Muslim kid is more likely to be bullied in the US because of his religion.  O’Reilly had the facts but like most good, Hollywood liberals, Whoopi just said, “I don’t believe it.”

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9. Mel Gibson finds himself on the list for having a long history of racist rants, drunk or not. He gets an extra asshat mention for not checking for a wire when being honest in the face of a Russian. (more…)

My wife and I have big dreams for our children. We want nothing for them but health, happiness and success and we recognize that a good education can be a step towards realizing that goal. We also demand that our children perform up to their potential. The skills one learns in school – study habits, attention to detail, and meeting deadlines – are essential for success in the work world. In this we are like every other parent in America.

However we are also Black parents of a certain generation and so the subtleties of race continue to speak to us and they are very real. Sometimes we are not sure if we are responding atavistically to the faint smell of something in the air or if what we are hearing are the soft echoes of our own imaginations. It’s sometimes impossible to tell, which is why race and issues associated with race (to coin a phrase from the late Ralph Wiley) continue to make Black People want to shout.

Last week I had what my parents’ generation used to call a “come to Jesus meeting” with my 7th grade son. His mid-term report card arrived in the mail. His mother and I were under-whelmed.

The comments on my son’s report card indicated that he is under the mistaken impression that school is for socializing and his grades reflect a rather lackluster effort at best. I went “old school”: after a brief lecture he received some tactile encouragement to start taking care of TCB. (more…)

It was a glass mug that I treasured dearly. My sophomore year in college my little sister, Carole, had given me the mug for Christmas. As a special treat she had engraved my nickname, “Joey” into the Mug. It wasn’t fancy or expensive; just a regular glass mug. After my sister passed away the mug took on a sentimental value and I loved it. It was a beautiful reminder of a sister that was also my best friend.

This mug had survived a year of dormitory life, nine years of Brooklyn apartment living, a move to New Jersey, a cross-country move to California, and three moves around the city of Los Angeles. Alas, the mug couldn’t survive children. (more…)