Disney First Black Princess Prepares Debut (Guest Post)

By Nadra Kareem

Race Relations Guide

http://racerelations.about.com

After much ado, Disney's "The Princess and the Frog" opens Nov. 25 in select cities. The film will be the first Disney production to feature a black heroine. While much of the viewing public is excited that an African American will be added to Disney's multicultural list of leading ladies, which includes Mulan, Pocahontas and Esmeralda, others have lambasted the film long before its November release.

So, what do naysayers have against "The Princess and the Frog?" The main objections are that Tiana, the film's protagonist, spends much of the film as a frog rather than as a black woman; the prince is not African American; and the film's portrayal of voodoo.

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Question of the Day: The Battle Over Precious - Art Or Exploitation?

I've been reading a lot of varying views about the new Tyler Perry/Oprah Winfery backed film "Precious." Everything from criticism of it being exploitive from Armond White to a recent Root article criticizing the young lead actress' weight.

As some of you probably already know, "Precious" is based on the book "Push" by poet Sapphire and tells the story of a sexually, emotionally and physically abused overweight black teen, set in the late-1980s inner city. White probably had one of the more interesting (and in some parts, maddening) critique of the film. He labels it as the "con job of the year," all but calling director Lee Daniels a sick pervert and Winfrey/Perry black poverty pimps.

Wait. He actually did kind of call them that. Saying that Daniels knows how to "turn a racial trick."

Of course, White praises the Eddie Murphy films "Meet Dave" and "Norbit" by comparison, jettisoning his argument to a certain extent. I mean, how can you trust the opinion of someone who thought Norbit passed the sniff test? But even a proverbial broken clock is right twice a day.

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Tyler Perry. 60 Minutes Interview. Discuss.

Filmmaker and "King of the Chitlun Circuit" playwrite Tyler Perry was on 60 Minutes last night. You all know how I feel about the works of Tyler Perry. I have no problem will people enjoying crap, but it could at least be competently shot and blocked crap. But that's me. I can't get past the corniness of it all, but the market speaks for itself. Watch and tell me what you think.

Hot Topics: Diddy Is Dr. Evil and Chris Brown Is Sorry That You're A Hater

Hot Topics is growing so big it's ready to burst!

Want to be famous and make it as a singer or rapper? Don't get signed by Bad Boy. You know? Unless you want to be trapped in the fabulous, broke-ass world of being short-changed by the most egotastical hype man in the history of hype men. He charges you for the privilege of him being in your videos and on your tracks ... after demanding that you put him in your videos and on your tracks. Carl Thomas is still waiting on his paper!

Chris Brown swears he's not a monster and if you think he is, you're a hater! Aw. Guess I'm a HATER! As Dave Chappelle once said, "If you have hate in your heart let it out! Hate! Hate! Hate!" By the way, he wants you to buy his new album when it drops. Hey kid, I didn't like your music before you got caught beating the shit out of your girlfriend. "Kiss, Kiss" made me want to "Vomit, Vomit." I bought the "No Air" single for Jordin Sparks. She could be singing that thing with Biz Markie and I would have bought it. That girl's got some pipes. As for you, Usher Raymond would like his everything back, thank you very much.

TJ HOLMES WEDDING WATCH! Our favorite CNN news hottie, the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup of the TV News and the Prince of West Memphis, Mr. TJ Homes is allegedly getting hitched. You have questions? Well, so do I! Ask your questions and share your gossip on the official wedding watch thread!

How did you find yourself on The Black Snob? Snob reader Diana is just curious. And she's got an appetite for curiosity. She also is wondering what you thought of the 2006 interracial dating rom-com "Something New" (I never saw it, so I have no opinion) and wants to know about what's too black/not black enough.

Get in on the fun. Post your own stories, links, ideas, gossip and tips on the Hot Topics page.

Señor Baby Wipes Engaged To Future Stalkee

Updated on Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 12:28PM by Danielle Belton

Terrence Howard and actress Zulay Henao at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2007.My fair, soul-humping, effeminate, murse-carrying, bag-o-pretty-pretty-princess-nuts, Señor Baby Wipes, aka actor Terrence Howard, is engaged! (I know! Aren't you HORRIFIED!) He's found LOVE, or something like it, again, so sez WENN.com. I don't completely trust WENN.com (as they've burned me before), but hey, it's Señor Baby Wipes. I'm sure he could find some woman-based life-form willing to put up with him despite the fact that he sounds like he completely hates women. 

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Family Fued: Dexter Approves Biopic, Bernice and MLK III Do Not

Aw. Remember when the King kids were just cute little kids? Not suing each other and arguing about Daddy's legacy? Well, I personally don't because I was born in 1977, but I have this picture. Proof they all once got along when they rocked Pampers.Monday news broke that Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks had reached an agreement with the estate of Martin Luther King Jr. to create a biopic on the life of the slain civil rights leader. Everyone was excited. Everyone was interested. Who would play King? Would this be a three-hour-epic like Spike Lee's "Malcolm X?" How would it differ from the King miniseries that reduces me to tears when they show it once a year during Black History Month?

But hold up! Wait a minute! This involves the King family, right? I got a bad feeling about this ...

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New Trailer for "Precious" Will Destroy You

This film, if you haven't heard about it, is based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire and is being financially backed by Oprah Winfery and Tyler Perry after being a huge hit at Sundance. (OMG! Tyler Perry is using his powers for good by helping a new filmmaker! Yeah!) It tells the story of an abused back teen, raped by her father and abused by her vindictive, manipulative mother as she searches for a way out and a better life for her and her child.

That said, I don't know if I will make it through this movie. (Can you say DEPRESSING AS HELL???) Just watching the trailer makes me cry. But there's a 90 percent chance now I'm seeing this in a theater. As for Mo'Nique, I'll see you at the Oscar's, girl. And Mariah, who knew? Glitter can ACT, ya'll!

Moments In Pop Culture That Ruined Reality For Me (Rants)

Paula's gonna run, gonna try, gonna ruin my perception of teen romance!

As a tyke playing with my Barbies I would dream of a world far, far away from my tormentors and the confines of my parents' home of a magical place called "adulthood." Oh, adulthood (or even teen years in some cases). It just HAD to be better than the hell hole known as elementary school and junior high where I had little to no friends. (Thank you Marla for being down when no one else was.)

Because I had no frame of reference at the time, everything I knew about being a teen or adult came from popular culture. My parents' version of adulthood sounded woefully boring. (Hard work? Sacrifice? Bah!) But TV had such wonderful, much more unrealistic ideas to put in my noggin.

Unfortunately these visions left reality terribly disappointing. Here are the top five things that ruined growing up for me as a kid (and a few that still affect me today).

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Sam Jackson Is Nick Fury Nine Times Over (Geek Alert)

Nick Fury as Sam Jackson. Sam Jackson as Nick Fury. It's a S.H.E.I.L.D. thing. You wouldn't understand.

Remember how Terrence Howard, aka My Fair Señor Baby Wipes, got fired from the super successful "Iron Man" franchise and I laughed at him and they replaced him with the always cool and affable Don "The Juan" Cheadle?

Yeah, that was great.

And then, remember how at the end of "Iron Man" they teased us with Samuel L. Jackson in an eye-patch looking all awesome in some leftover black leather jacket from Shaft and we all squealed like idiots because we're a bunch of dorks who really, really, really liked the idea of that brilliant former crackhead who will never, EVER turn down a part (especially if it's toon, action, or curse word related) being Nick Fury?

I mean, he did "Snakes On A Plane" and that animatronic shark movie where he died two minutes into it. Sam would never say no to us. Would he?

But then remember how Sam, even after Marvel started drawing Nick Fury IN HIS LIKENESS, was hemming and hawing about how he might not do it because Marvel couldn't get the money right? (Re: They were being cheap. They're already talking of paying Mickey Rourke in 'roids and gold plated "Obama" dollar coins.)

Nevermind!

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