the young people's professor

You know you hear this kind of crap in one context and you've heard it in all of them. Whether one is an academic, a business person, holding a working class job, or all of these social identities, folks of color are going to hear liberal cat calls for reverse racism when whites feel their status threatened optically, sonically, and what-have-you. The sad part about all of this is that the show is not really making any kind of statement that moves against the grain of normative life ways, as you point out. So, the issue at hand is truly basic, isn't it? Should movies or shows with all black casts exist? Should black presidents exist? Should black academics exist? and on and on and on. Forget about the politics; it's all about bare life. Then again, when isn't it about bare life? The use of Latino and Asian identities and/or bodies within the context of a conversation that is truly about white status anxiety...well how convenient, since we're all equal, right? I wonder if the show did include figures that provoked us to think about living with AIDS, working class life, having to turn tricks to pay for the loft and moisturizer what the nature of the criticism would be in white lib. mags such as Next. I suppose it would be something like, "the show or movie are racist because they exclude the lives of white prostitutes."lol. The changing same. White privilege anxiety. Nice provocation.

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okay. don't know where to start so i'll just jump in--racist white assholes always question and dismiss art forms that exclude them. white supremacist thinking mandates that they be the center of everything so their absence from the film hurts and like a moron, instead of making his/her own white gay film where s/he gets to propagate her/his biscotti-munching chelsea idealism, s/he critiques a beautiful film. yeah, Jumping the Broom is not perfect--for instance, not all of us aspire to marriage as the epitome/destination of gayness; not all Blacks are american born or consider the u.s. where we from; the female characters introduced need to be complicated; hello, not everyone is fuckin rich, lots of us have concerns this film did not address (health care, affordable housing, not getting bashed, etc); and so on and so on. but dammit, the film IS BEAUTIFUL. not because it's the first of it's kind to reach so many people and we'll take whatever we can get cuz we're so under & misrepresented in the media, the street, the classroom, our families, etc but because Black gay men love each other, make love with each other, are good friends to each other, do fucked up shit to each other and themselves and still find a way to be fuckin happy thru it. where the fuck else have we ever seen anything of ourselves beside racist, homophobic, transphobic pathology and skewed perspectives of our lives (i.e. Next mag review)? all y'all spendin money on starbucks & urban outfitters and what not, i ain't gonna knock how you get down, but maybe skip a machiato or 2 and go support this movie. it's a good one. and to the Next mag asshole: hi hater, i see you, bye hater, BYE HATER.

I drove with a friend from Cincinnati, Ohio to Chicago (almost 300 miles one way) to see "Jumping the Broom". The film was not showing in my city (Chicago was the closest) and I wanted to see it opening weekend.

The movie was entertaining, funny and never boring. And it LOOKED good, too. Do yourself a favor and see it. Seeing it might lift your spirits to the point where you can respond appropriately to the person who wrote that retarded "review".

I thought that the movie wasn't going to be that great either. Surprisingly, it was pretty good. I was entertained the whole movie. Of course, none of those guys are the best actors, but hey?

Also, "they" get a little angry when "they are not included in our art forms. The review was blatantly racist. I hate the gay scene in N.Y. I was there this past weekend and couldn't wait to get back to D.C. Don't hurt anybody...lol.

I thought it was funny that the author said "segregation was over", because I was under the assumption that the collective queer media had adapted the Jim Crow Laws a long time ago as it relates to the queer mainstream media.

I guess my mistake.

I think it is important that all the sub-groups of the queer community have their fifteen minutes, or in this case two seasons and a movie, without the saturation of the ever-present White gay presence in queer media.

As for the series focus on middle-class HIV negative professionals. While that is one of the series shortcomings, it would be impossible for all practical purposes for a series to even attempt to represent everyone. Rather stick with one focus and do that well, I say.

Great blog by the way!

I read this too and found it interesting that what he was bitching about continues to happen in most white gay movies (unless a Negro is playing the magical friend who solves all things or is the sassy comedic relief). Did he have these comments for the Bird Cage? Queer as Folk, or hell even Sex in the City? The bitterness in his writing is literally dripping over the fact that a white character is not being obsessed over, included or being the center of attraction. But it s not only White gay movies, it really is White Gay life. Especially Chelsea. As for your comments on the TV show, perhaps you should watch it. Money issues, HIV, relationships with HIV positive people were a big part of it. Also, the truth is the odds of different social classes hanging out that much is very unlikely and I think that goes accross the racial line also. Not saying it doesn't happen, but normally the people were friends before they chose their respective careers.

UNBELIEVABLE. WHY IS IT THAT WE HAVE TO BE A SNOW QUEENS IN ORDER TO SHOW WHITE FOLKS WE ARE NOT RACIST. EVERY SITCOM AND TV SHOW WITH A BLACK GAY CHARACTER HAS SAID CHARACTER DATING A WHITE BOY, SPIN CITY, SIX FEET UNDER, THE STARTER WIFE, TAYE DIGGS ROLE ON WILL AND GRACE, DIRTY LAUNDRY. WHITE FOLKS GET SO OFFENDED WHEN WE DECIDE TO LOVE OUR OWN INSTEAD OF BEING THEIR MANDINGO HOUSE BOY. TO HELL WITH THIS RACIST QUEEN SHE JUST NEEDS TO GO WASH HER WHITE SHEET AND GET READY FOR HER GAY KLAN MEETING LIKE ALL THE REST OF THEM.

The gay community here in new york and abroad is soooo segregated. The whites go to this club, the blacks go here, the latins here....and those who fetish for them follow behind.....The lesbians go here the gay men go there....there is no unity at all....so im not suprised that it is depicted as such in film.......however good review or not im glad the reviewer actually purchased a ticket and saw the movie. i was one of the many who saw the movie opening day. Me and my diverse group of friends then saw the movie as a group on halloween.....and oh how scary it was.....these guys acting! whoa. however i enjoyed the movie and most importantly i enjoyed supporting a gay film, in hopes that more gay films of color are to follow....

Thanks so sad about the commentary from the white queen. He just wants to whine because there is no white guy being the center of attention. Can't give credit with credit is due without all the whining. Blah..the Noahs Arc series shows we want to see black gay men together because it is absent in the other series such as Queer as Folk, Will and Grace, etc. Ultimately, we are trying to set a standard just like others and look inward and there is nothing wrong with that honestly. Noah's Arc is the among the base of contemporary black gay media. I hope to see more from others.

Both your arguments and those of the "racist" seem moot to me. It's like going to a jazz bar and complaining that all they played was jazz all night. It's a movie/show about a bunch of hot black guys with money. If i wanted to see a movie about AIDS or poor people or "normal" people or a racially diverse cast then I'd go pick out a movie that offers those things. Maybe today I want to see some fabulous gays of colour being fabulous today. No movie or show is ever going to be all-inclusive, it's just impossible, someone will always be left out and they will probably be upset about it. No, all gay black men are not like Noah et al. but some of us are or may want to be and there's really no reason for you (or anyone else) to dismiss them simply because they do not represent you. And seriously, aren't there enough serious movies out there? I will not expect Jumping the Broom to be a life changing experience... i really just wanna see what bitches are gonna be wearing.