Just the “Other Woman”

I refuse to watch “Scandal” and “Being Mary Jane” with anyone other than my mother. I only live discuss Scandal on Twitter. I avoid opinion pieces about both shows and movie of Being Mary Jane. Why? I get tired of the popular perception of these two characters as only being the “Side Line Chick”, “Side Piece” or the “Other Woman”. You know the woman that is Knowingly Sleeping with a Married Man. I first became of the perception when my BFF, who doesn’t watch Scandal, thought that the show was about Olivia Pope sleeping with the TV POTUS because of what she saw in her news feed on Facebook.

Amazing how many of us know, have been or are the “Side Line Chick”, “Side Piece” or the “Other Woman”. Oh these women are not new and unless infidelity or cheating is infinitely abolished from the face of the Earth won’t be going anywhere. I’ve been the first one to say I don’t understand the women and men might I add who are these people. But how dare we reduce these people to just “Side Line Chick (Dude)”, “Side Piece” or the “Other Woman (Man)”. Actually we don’t reduce them to that.  They are still our friends, loved ones, co-workers, associates or ourselves, living other parts of life other than having sex with someone who is married.

 So why do we describe a TV character by just that? I know it’s just TV but gosh is that the only thing people are getting from these characters. Mary Jane is a TV News Journalist who is a loving friend, a daughter who is supporting her parents, siblings and other family members. All while juggling her romantic life one that may or may not include a married man and another non-committal man (The show just started Episode 1). Out of all that the first thing people want to describe her as is a “Side Piece”. If memory serves correct Mary Jane didn’t start off knowing she was sleeping with a married man in the movie. And it was the end of the first episode after she fought to stay away from the guy that she finally sleep with him again. Okay I’ll leave that alone.

I love Olivia Pope. Not because she is sleeping with the TV POTUS. I love her because she is “The Fixer”. She and her gang of Gladiators gets other people out of Scandals. Also if memory serves in the beginning of this show also “she was not sleeping with TV POTUS anymore. Actually, she had declare war on him and the TV White House. She didn’t lure him, he chased and continues to chase her. And let’s talk about that. The women are the called “Other Women” but in both cases, neither lured those men into those relationships. Actually the men did the enticing and pursuing. Yet no one talks about their gross dog a-words for doing that. Men get to be men yet the women are the bad guys getting unsophisticated descriptions.

Again I know these are TV characters but I think they were made to show that the “Strong Black Woman” is a myth. She has cracks in her armor. The ladies being a part of an extra-marital affair in one of their crack among many flaws they have. Stop only describing them by that one.

So let’s try it again. Who is Mary Jane Paul? What is Sandal about?

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

Heels for Girls

Okay today on the ABC News actually I think it was GMA this morning; there was a story about the rise in availability of heeled shoes for young girls. Some shoes are even made for three year olds. The brand they mostly focused on was Steve Madden. They are critics out there that say the heels sexualize the little girls. My eye instantly rolled. Those critics tick me off.

If you have read any of my previous blogs dealing with children, you already know I am not a parent. I have a niece who is 17 and nephew who is 7. I have a Godson who is 8. I have several God nieces ranging from 4 to 12 and God nephews 6 to 10. So, I am around kids. I have seen the heels for girls. Actually they are not new. I think in the 80's a pair of my dress (church) shoes were low wedges. I just remember at age 8 being slightly off the ground when I was dressed up on Sundays. I don't see anything sexy about those shoes. People kill me saying those shoes sexualize girls. The shoes don't make them walk sexy. The shoes don't give definition to their calves or elongate the leg. They look like kids shoes with heels on them. I think people who think that are vulgar. The reporter showed a little putting on a pair of wedge sneakers. She said she felt taller and then commences to run around in them like any other pair of sneakers kids wear. Typical childhood behavior. So, what is so sexy about that?

I don't want to hear anything about pedophile look at young girls sexually because of the shoes. Pedophiles are sick. Some can look at a baby bundled up on a blanket and have thought. Pedophilia is about control. Girls & boys without heels on are getting molested and raped. So let's debunk that excuse.

I'm not saying that girls should wear them all time. I actually think the dress shoes should be worn for Pageant and Special or Formal Occasions only. A girl should not wear them to school everyday. The wedge sneakers can go to school but also she should wear regular sneakers also. Little girls’ knees and legs need a rest. And as for a three year in some heels, that is a bit much. Three years old children can barely walk straight in bare feet. I know they are falling down in heels. I think they should be at least school age when they wear the low heels.

Oh well, again I'm not a parent. But I know many agree with me that the shoes are not sexy. If they made those shoes in Adult sizes and sexy will not be the word that comes to mind. I get tired of every little innocent thing supposedly sexualizing children. If the girl is not dress as a prostitute, stripper, or porn star with a face full of makeup then I don't think she being sexualized. Pair those shoes with a cute cupcake dress with her hair in ponytail and hair ribbons and she'll look like Easter morning or the cutest flower girl ever been seen.

Deception of a Cancellation

OK  I am sighing and rolling my eyes this afternoon. The show "Deception" was cancelled by NBC. Even though we have no idea who Vivianne's killer (the point of the show), the show has been killed. I should be used to it. Lots of shows that I like get the ax. I hate how TV Networks do that. Let the shows have at least a proper ending. One special episode this summer could tie it all up in a little bow.

When I see Networks do this to shows, my mind thinks of many shows from just our recent television pact. "My Name is Ear" is one of those shows. If Darnell was not Earl Jr's father, who is? Who did Mona choose Chase or Lorenzo in the show, "Half & Half". There are shows like "Heroes" and "A Gifted Mind" both ended with questions that need answers.

The show that the Networks did  treated the worse in my opinion was the show "Girlfriends". The CW actually said a finale episode episode would cost too much. I was outraged. A Proper Series Finale would cost too much. A long running show that was showing its ending day was not worth the money of a proper goodbye. Wow, who did the research that helped make that decision? The sad reality is that CW said their reason but all the Networks probably feel that way. If they didn't think that way, then why are so many shows cancelled without an ending. It's all about the dollar line not what is actually the proper thing to do.

Oh well Deception joins the rest in the "Unfinished Series Ending" section of the Television Shows Cemetery. Finished or Unfinished great memories of our favorites will forever live in our hearts

Goodbye My Friend, One Life to Live!!!

Today I said Goodbye to a Good Friend by the name of "One Life to Live". We have been friends for almost 19 years. Christmas break of my sophomore year in high school I started watching this show. My high school friend Kim introduced it to me to this dear friend.

Back then I think Dorian Lord was being held hostage by Viki Buchanan 's alter Jean Randolph. Todd Manning kidnapped Nora Gannon, his lawyer who threw his rape case that cause to be imprisoned. And the man overseeing the crime in town was RJ Gannon, who was (first man amongst a select few) the Finest man with locks & a beard I ever saw (FYI: not a fan of hair on the head & full beards). Oh those were the days.

Today, with Tears rolling down my face. I watch Nora Buchanan's son Matthew see the birth of his son being born with Destiny Evans (who has a fine brother named Shaun, who has a hair cut. YES, my kind of man). They named him Drew. Todd Manning's daughter Starr go with her daughter to Los Angeles. He, himself get arrested again. This time it is for murder. Also, the reason why the Mannings and John Mcbain have to crossover to General Hospital (a story about the mob & not the hospital). Vicki Davidson finally got her happy ending. Oh let us not forget Mitch Lawrence went to Hell. Satan will happy to see his best son(oh he was evil and thought he was on the right side) Thank you, Lord!!!

I'll miss the only Soap that I could go to school (high school & college) for semesters and still pick up like I never left. I can't tell you where Kim is these days but I know One Life to Live will always be the Best Soap EVER. I don't know what to do at 1pm CST Monday through Friday. Well, other than get some work done. I will miss it so. Farewell Buddy!!!

MLK Memorial Ceremony News Coverage

Okay Roland Martin has his perspective, here’s OUTSPOKEN_DIVA’s on the coverage of the Martin Luther King Memorial ceremony on Sunday morning. First off KUDOS (yes big ones) to the stations of BET, Centric, CNN & TV One for covering the Memorial ceremony, when others did not. It was slap in the face to see the Big Three, ABC, CBS, and NBC going on with their programming as usual. All the news pundit shows could have been with held for one Sunday for coverage of the historical event. And I will not buy into the excuse because it was rescheduled because of the earthquake & hurricane on its original date. Organizers gave suitable notice of the rescheduled date so programming still could have been modified. I think the big Three could have covered the ceremony. What about those that do not have cable, internet, or satellite? How would they have watched the ceremony if they wanted to watch it?


Of what I was able to see and hear I was a very good ceremony. I hope to visit the memorial one day. Add to my Atlanta experience of the King Memorial there.


Yes I said of what I got to hear and see of the televised ceremony. Though TV One & CNN had the better coverage than BET & Centric (I know they are the same folks), they all are guilty of talking way too much at the wrong time. Do newscasters ever understand that no one cares what you think? I would have liked to here the choir sing or Al Sharpton’s whole speech without flipping channels without to see whose not discussing when the Obama Family arrived or running a commercial. I think most coverage of this event was only to show the President’s address. Ed Gordon et al. were talking during the introduction of Obama. Seriously? And that was very unfair for those of us not able to be there in person. Newscasters give your opinion while no one is up at the microphone speaking or performing. And keep it short because if you have something to say somebody else has an opinion to.

As Roland Martin says That’s my perspective, What’s Yours? ROTFLOL