Uncle Gary's R. A. G. A. Post Restore Absolute Great Again THINK-TANK FRIDAY AIN'T POLITICS IN EVERYTHING? Is it time for us to stop saying & thinking that we are not political? Do we put too many limits on when, where, who with & how we discuss #politics? After the #Trump presidency, #CapitolRiots, #COVID19 & #2021election, are we doing enough as citizens? Is there anything in our lives that actually doesn't intersect with politics? In the arts & entertainment industry, at least we have lots of ways to answer these questions. Do you?

Uncle Gary's R. A. G. A. POST Restore Absolute Great Again THINK-TANK Friday GOT A SWEET-BACK MOMENT? #MelvinVanPeebles, the creator of Sweet Sweetback's Badass Song & Ain't Supposed To Die A Natural Death passed away this week. His son, Mario Van Peebles, also accomplished film producer, director & actor, was by his father's bedside until the legend's journey home. Unlike others I won't name, Peebles was a TRUE genius & NOT someone with a flamboyant way with words & cunning enough to fool a gullible public into thinking they are brilliant. Like Oscar Micheaux before him, Peebles and his contemporaries Ivan Dixon and Gordon Parks forged a path for another generation of #AfricanAmerican filmmakers & other independent filmmakers to demand their voices be heard. Dixon was best known for his role as the only black character on the 60s sitcom Hogan's Heroes &, unfortunately, less for his brilliant & underrated film Nothing But a Man. Parks was a brilliant photographer who expanded his artistic repertoire into a successful filmmaker whose most significant accomplishment was the phenomenal 70s hit Shaft. The 70s exploded with African- American filmmaking. Much of it that was dominated & branded as Blaxploitation. Yet, Peebles' success can be credited with making it possible for even Motown's Berry Gordy's success in Hollywood. Likewise, Lee Daniels, Ava DuVernay, Regina King, Spike Lee, John Singleton would agree that Melvin Van Peebles has done the same for them. RIP

Uncle Gary's R. A. G. A. POST EDUTAINMENT THURSDAY BALL OF CONFUSION 2.0? So, is this what Ball of Confusion 2.0 looks like? Last night I had an epiphany while listening to Ball of Confusion, The Temptations 70s hit.  It was the era of Watergate, Vietnam, songs like Ball of Confusion & Edwin War's, which eerily resonate today when we think of the #Capitol Insurrection. Women's eight's, abortion and voting rights were issues then and now. The influence media, news and information triggers our reaction to hot button issues is also as relevant today.  In the 70s, we had Walter Cronkite. Today we have #Fox'S SeanHannity and the My Pillow guy. In 2020 the voting power of African-American women helped change history with the election of President #Biden and Vice President #KamalaHarris. Before Harris women like Aretha Franklin & Shirley Chisholm demanded #Respect. Today there is a lot of focus on #CardiB and #MeghanTheeStallion. Perhaps I am navigating through a generational ball of confusion. As a teenager, I recall enjoying Pam Grier movies during what was labeled the Blaxploitation era.  p Nevertheless, with the explosion of #COVID19, a cure is desperately needed in more ways than one.  What are our options in a world that often feels like an episode of General Hospital, starring Dr. Faucci  & Dr. Phil. Oh well, that's what the world is today. Hey, Hey.

Uncle Gary's R. A. G. A. POST Restore Absolute Great Again THINK-TANK FRIDAY ARE ALL LAWYERS SLEAZY? "Geez, are all lawyers sleazy?" one woman asked another on the subway this morning. She was reading an article on her tablet about #AlexMurdaugh, "that f****** lawyer from South Carolina is back in the slammer, what a moron." She griped. My mind flashed back to when I was growing up; being a doctor or lawyer was the best profession in the world to become. TV's Perry Mason and Atticus Finch from the movie and novel To Kill A Mockingbird were like a modern-day saint. Still, when we watch TV today, our children are exposed to Rudy Giuliani & Sidney Powell. Perhaps the first significant shift in my perception of "all lawyers" came years later, during the testimony of Anita Hill that almost kept Clarence Thomas from serving on the #SupremeCourt. That revelation worsened with time, especially over the past four years as Giuliani confirmed what I suspected of him long before he became America's Mayor. Then William Barr became #Trump's top corrupt cop. Perhaps the final straw was when #CNN commentator and rising star Michael Avenatti turned out not to be this generation's, Perry Mason; I realized we had hit rock bottom. Have we fallen so far into the pit that it's impossible to crawl out? If I see things from a balanced perspective, there is no need to wonder if ALL lawyers are sleazy, right? In the words of #BillClinton, another lawyer who became President, "it depends on what the meaning of 'is' is"? www.globescopeae.com

Uncle Gary's R. A. G. A. POST Restore Absolute Great Again EDUTAINMENT THURSDAY DIANA STILL REIGNS SUPREME!!! Before #Adele, #LadyGaga, #Beyonce & every other female superstar out today, the legendary #DianaRoss reigned supreme!! Tomorrow she releases Thank You, her latest album that is another remarkable gem. Throughout most of the 60s, the Beatles were the only group to rival Diana Ross & The Supremes. In the 70s, Ms. Ross ascended further towards megastardom while conquering music, the stage, and the screen. These days, far less talented celebrities fill arenas because they have a way with words & spectacle. So-called divas dominate the spotlight in an age where ageism dominates, while arts/music education is limited. However, Diana Ross will go down in history with her Presidential Medal of Freedom, two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, multiple Lifetime Achievement Awards, including the Grammy and so much more. Billboard Magazine named her Female Entertainer of the Century, while the Guinness Book of World Records proclaimed her the most successful female music artist in history. The new music is a continuation of Ross's ability to embrace multiple genres of music throughout her long career, but this time with a freshness and team that includes a younger generation of musicians. As we celebrate on Spotify, Amazon, or wherever we stream our music, November 5, 2021, is the day we get this party started, OK? While the still very youthful Ms. Ross thanks us, we have a chance to thank her & the universe too. More than anything else, #ThanksYou is all about love, supreme music, entertainment & art that every generation can enjoy together worldwide.