My Eye on TV

Summer is sizzling not only here in NYC but also on television. Below is a list of some of my summer favorites. If you are like me I rarely have time to watch TV when the shows come on so I DVR them.

Special congratulations to the BET Awards 2007 "The Main Event." There is so much to say about this show. I usually don't care for them because they are often borrrrring. This was not the case last night. BET pulled all the stops from uniting Jennifer Holiday and Jennifer Hudson for a killa performance of "I Telling You" from Dreamgirls to the fantastic movement of the big girls choreography featuring Monique. The tribute to Gerald Levert was also moving and the Diana Ross retrospective was also well received. To me this show was a perfect blending of the new and old school. As a production man myself my hat goes off to the production team of lighting, sound, video and staging. Excellent.

Another show I stumbled upon was "Making of the Band 4" . Now every young man should see this show. It is about determination, hope, dreams and work ethic. Last year in Making the Band 3, record mogal, Puffy, Diddy or whatever he goes by this year, created a girl group and launched them to platinum success. This year he has search the country for the next big male group. This season the 20 young men that are in the house have different backgrounds and skill sets. So are big, some are small, others are educated and some are not. Whatever they have at least they have a chance to succeed. The life lessons taught so far in the series are excellent. Everyone can learn something from it event me. Check it out and let me know what you think. Here is the trailer.

This Thursday don't miss the Presidential Debates with Tavis Smiley on CNN. Hopefully they will address the plight of Black men in America. Tavis is a must see every night. One of the best talk show host on TV in my opinion.

City of Men - Catch this Brazilian drama before it goes off the air. Now yes, it does have subtitles but you will hardly notice them after awhile. This show reaffirms to me how blessed I am. Every young Black & Latin male should watch this. These kids keep hope alive and stay in the right path even with the poverty and madness surrounding them.

Also Mentions

Anderson Cooper 360 - Honest reporting

Democracy Now - Another view of the world. Not exciting yet informative

BBC World News - It is always interesting to watch the BBC newscast at 6PM and then the Network News at 6:30PM. The BBC shows a broader view of the world while all the other networks cover the same story.

Finally, I have to give the worst one sided show award to the AFI's (American Film Institutes) 100 Years, 100 Movies show. Now maybe I am crazy but how come out of 100 years and 100 movies there was only ONE black film. Now you know that isn't right. To boot they had Morgan Freeman hosting the show. That was really insulting to me but he has to eat to I guess. Oh the solo Black film was Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing" I think it was number 97. Hmmmm, sounds suspect to me. I wonder what would happen if Black people would boycott all films for one month. Where would Hollywood be then?

Change of Pride

It is that time of year when Pride week takes place in New York City. In 1984, the Heritage of Pride (HOP) took over the organization of the Gay Pride Rally, March, Festival and Dance. This year marks the first time that the PrideFest has been cancelled because the organization could not reach an agreement with the city as to where the event should be held. HOP wanted the festival moved to Eighth Ave. as opposed to the crowded narrow streets in the Village. This is a huge blow to the event and it's income streams. We will see how it affects the success or failure of the event. In my opinion it will have little affect on the overall week because there are more parties this weekend than ever before. Is this what pride is about?

in 2007, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community is segregated more than ever. The divisions are wide. The men and women don't party together nor do black, whites and Hispanics. Each group has it's own promoters and agendas. Meanwhile, gay marriage is still far from reality. Laws are still being drafted that would keep GLBT people from adopting children. HIV/AIDS is still rising in the African American and African communities. Where is the pride?

In the Black Gay Community - I use that word lightly- in fighting is alive and well. Some of the non-profit agencies that service this community are going under. Funding and services have been cut although the need continues to grow.

Pride needs a new definition:

P - Proactive efforts to help the community

R - Reach into ourselves and our pockets to support each other regardless or race or orientation

I - Interest in what is not only happening with ourselves but with others in the world.

D - Determination to make a difference in the betterment of others

E- Economic Development - support our youth, sponsors, non-profits & promoters

Now I step down from my soapbox. Happy Pride.

A Week of Amazing Performances

In case you missed it on Sunday, Ms. Fantasia Barrino tore up "I'm Here" from the Color Purple. It amazes me when I watch award shows that are so boring with no people of color on it and the most outstanding performance comes from a person of color. What did Fantasia get for singing her heart out? No standing ovation. Not even from the Black people or should I say they didn't show any. Wow. Well I will tell you what...she sold some tickets I bet you. Congratulations Fantasia on a stellar moment.


Congratulations to actor Robert Jason Jackson who opened last night in the Shakespeare Theatre in downtown DC last night.
He played Polonius in Hamlet directed by the legendary Michael Kahn. This multi-cultural cast exploded with energy that didn't stop until the final curtain three hours after the show began. The reviews are starting to come in and so far they are great.

Washington DC's Shakespeare Theatre like the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta continue to put out amazing productions with multi-racial casts and they seem to work. I wonder when Broadway will wake up to the fact that Broadway need not be the Great White Way any longer.

This Joint is Jumping

Now this has been a busy week. Not that they all aren't. Just launched the new campaign for the 5th Annual Moonlight Cruise which takes place in NYC on August 3rd. The tickets have been selling fast so my client is happy. This annual event is for the 30plus crowd that caterers to the Gay & Lesbian market. It always turns into one hot evening on the Hudson. This year we have gathered a great group of affiliates to support the event as well as exceptional talent. If you are looking for a great time, book you tickets now before it sells out.

On the real estate front I have also been busy showing a variety of apartments ranging from 3.2 million to rentals for $4,500 a month. Everytime I hear on the news that the real estate market is falling I feel like calling the TV and newspapers and saying, not in Manhattan it isn't. Prices are now steady but you have to be doing pretty well to live here now.

There is a new project being launched this week in Harlem by a community cooperative development. I am so proud of them. If you are looking to buy soon in Harlem, now is the time. The project is called Graceline Court which will be located at 106 W. 116th Street in NYC. Many of the units will feature Central Park and Midtown views, floor to ceiling windows, hardwood floors, stylish bathrooms, open kitchens and so much more. Currently prices range from $375,000 up to $1,125,000. Now, here is the thing to remember before you click to see this property. If you want to view this or any other property, please email me and I will make the appointment for you okay? Okay? Thanks. Okay here is the link. Now if you are concerned about financing for this or any other project I suggest you talk to a mortgage broker now and see where you stand. The way rents are rising it is a great idea to discuss with a professional what your options are. My good friend August Caponi and help explain everything to you and pre-qualify you for a loan. His company is PM Bankers who have been doing creative mortgages for a long time. Give him a shout out for more information. Promise, it won't hurt ya.

My friend/client Robert Jason Jackson is in DC is playing Polonius in Hamlet at The Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, DC. He is jetting between DC and NYC since he is directing the staged reading of "Can I Be Me" for British Writer/Journalist Esther Armah at the Museum of the City of New York on Thursday June 14th. Can I Be Me? is a play written by international journalist Esther Armah and performed by Collette Porteous. It is a story of one woman’s journey to understand the conflict she feels about being African and British. Presented as part of the Museum’s ongoing collaboration with the Harlem-based New Heritage Theatre Group and their Roger Furman Reading Series.

Until next time, stay strong my people.

A Summer Day in Harlem

Woke up early this morning smiling. Decided it was time to start my New Years Resolution to exercise every day. (-: Got out and went down to Central Park to walk 5 miles. Got lost in the park through the many trails and stumbled into the manure field. Thanks God my sinuses are acting up. The fact that I walked through it means something right? The field opened to a beautiful lake with a fountain. What a metaphor.

When I picked up my mail their was a envelope from a family friend who is probably 75 years old. Ms. Grant sent me a notice that saddened me. It was clippings from the Philly newspaper that Ms. Flo Sledge, mother and manager of the Sister Sledge singing group had passed away. She was the first women manager I had ever met when I was 17 years old. God bless her. She gave me my first road job in the entertainment industry with the group. She ruled with an iron hand but she did a great job getting the girls from obscurity to fame without them doing drugs or having babies. I most fond memory of Flo was when we were in Las Vegas opening for Bill Cosby. At 4am one morning she called my room to ask me why the flowers on the grand piano were wilted. I couldn't believe it. Everything always had to be perfect. She taught me a good lesson but that was a rough one and that one call changed my destiny. After that gig I decided to go into the corporate world. Went to work for Mobil Oil and then Philip Morris and then back into the entertainment industry for another 25 years. Thanks Flo. RIP Flo.


Looks like it is a good beach day. I haven't been in the ocean since Bahia, Brazil in March. Got to get wet sometime, plus it is hot as hell today.