Courtesy of mic.com
During my conversation with a book editor, recently, she mentioned that, as yet, she’d had no morning coffee and didn’t feel up to facing our bizarre world. I felt sympathetic. The only reason I was awake at that hour was to accommodate a fire inspection scheduled for my apartment building. Even so, sans coffee, the pair of us managed to do business and I was smiling as I cradled my telephone on its base.
The word bizarre returned to mind shortly after, as I took a moment to scan the morning paper. There, I read about two Oregon anti-vaxxers who incurred a $1 million of hospital debt in an effort to save their son from the deadly tetanus virus. After a series of excruciating treatments, the child survived. But, when doctors prepared to administer the second tetanus injection, necessary complete his treatment, the parents balked. They still opposed vaccinations. Aware he remained vulnerable to tetanus, they took their son home, imagining lightning wouldn’t strike twice. One can only hope that as they pay off their huge bill in $5 increments, they’ll have time to rethink their decision.
Equally bizarre was an article about a man who gave birth to a baby. I admit the details were eye-popping, and I shuddered to realize that I’d yet to reach the political section of the newspaper.
Seeking firmer ground, I turned to the entertainment page, instead. Well… that was my error. Apparently, there’s a kerfuffle going on in Hollywood. Will Smith might play Richard Williams in an upcoming bio flick. Williams is the father of the tennis phenoms Serena and Venus Williams. Some in Tinseltown complain Smith isn’t black enough for the part.
Skin color does play a role in black culture, as I’ve noted in an earlier blog. Nonetheless, Hollywood, of late, has made an effort to become color neutral, moving African-Americans into traditionally white roles. Black actresses have taking lead parts in Cinderella, The Wizard of Oz and Annie. Now what am I to think if Smith isn’t black enough to play an African-American father?
I haven’t a clue. Which makes me think it’s time for my morning coffee.
