Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!  Here's Daisy Voisin, The Queen of Parang.  Parang is one of the Christmas traditions in Trinidad and Tobago!!

Golden Girl and The Guardian of the Gemstones: Underrated Dolls of the 80s!

(www.pinterest.com)

Hello everyone! Season's Greetings!  It's that time of the year to buy gifts for your loved ones, especially the toys for the kiddies.  But again, don't go into debt doing so, speaking from experience.  Speaking of toys, I remembered growing up in the 80s, there were toys galore; Cabbage Patch Kids, Barbie, G.I Joe, Transformers, He-man, you name it!  I even wanted dolls such as Jem and She-ra, growing up in Trinidad.  But alas, I didn't get any for Christmas, just some no-name doll and perfume.  Well, it's the thought that counts, right?  One doll really caught my eye, in particular, was Golden Girl, not Golden Girls, but Golden Girl and The Guardians of the Gemstones.  

(www.ghostofthedoll.co.uk)

These dolls were created by Galoob in 1984 and they consist of the good guys; Golden Girl, Saphire, Onyx, Rubee and Jade and one male doll, Prince Kroma.  The villains were Dragon Queen, Vultura, Moth Lady, Wild One and the male character, Ogra.  The plot is simply Golden Girl and the other Guardians, guarding various gemstones against Dragon Queen and other villains.  The gemstones also give the guardian powers and skills to protect the Kingdom of Argonia (Wikipedia) from their enemies.  Other characters such as Dymondia, Coral, Turquoise, Pearl (heroes), Spidra and Centaura (villains) were in production but only Dymondia was released, primarily in Europe.  

With so many dolls around, Galoob decided to join the fray and created dolls supposedly in competition with the She-ra line where the fantasy world is concerned.  The similarities are the female blond heroines, the dolls having brushable hair, accessories, horses and even castles.  The only differences are that Golden Girl didn't have a cartoon but the dolls are very flexible compared to the She-ra line.  Plus, Golden Girl got the jagged sword! How cool is that? It's unfortunate that Golden Girl didn't have a cartoon series.  It had a simple storyline but I'm sure more complex series would be added if the cartoon was created.  If it happened in real life, I'm willing to bet it would be as popular as the She-ra cartoon.  Don't get me wrong, I love the She-ra series but sometimes some episodes are too cheesy.  I believed that Golden Girl would be in a similar vein of He-man series which often had a darker tone compared to She-ra.  It might even be a cartoon version of Xena: Warrior Princess!  

(toplessrobot.com) Ohhh!! blood!!!

I wondered why the cartoon was never created.  It could be a lack of money in producing the cartoon series or perhaps it wasn't on the agenda.  The main thing was to produce these toys to make a profit.  I also sensed that Golden Girl may be too dark for girls; you're talking blood and gore, straight-up fighting that it was even too much for He-man!  Apparently, society at the time believed that girls shouldn't be exposed to dark themes in cartoons but it was okay for boys.  That's my take on it.  Still, it would be a great cartoon series. Maybe companies such as Netflix can make it into a cartoon series, just hopefully not in a similar vein as the She-ra series on Netflix but stay true to the original for once.  Golden Girl and The Guardian of the Gemstones toy line was definitely underrated and sadly it did not get the shine it deserved at the time.  

(www.amazon.com)

(www.pinterest.com)

(www.pinterest.com)

Tyra Banks

                                                   

(www.pinterest.com)

Happy belated birthday Tyra and may you see many more.  Tyra Banks, a multifaceted woman, is a media personality and what we call in those days, a world-famous supermodel.  Do people still call models, supermodels these days?  Tyra Banks is basically a jack of all trades; a supermodel, tv producer, singer, and even an author!  I'm waiting for her to join NASA, (just kidding) but it goes to show that she's willing to try many things to be successful.  Modeling is a great but rather short career and thankfully, Tyra moved on to other areas in order to stay in the game so to speak.

Tyra was born on December 4th, 1973 in Inglewood, CA.  Her mother Carolyn London is a medical photographer, while her father, Donald Banks is a computer consultant.  She also has an older brother Devin who is currently in the Air Force.  Her parents divorced when she was 6 years old.  In high school, Tyra experienced what we would call an "ugly duckling" phase.  Tyra was teased mercilessly for her size, she was very skinny in high school.  High school, in general, is pure hell (speaking from experience).  If you're not part of the norm, in regards to appearance and the coolness factor, kids would tease and harass their peers, making their experience unbearable.  

There's always a silver lining because Tyra started modeling at age 15.  Sadly she was rejected by many modeling agencies, mainly because she's black and apparently they met their black girl quota which is still practiced till this day although, nowadays diversity is becoming a thing in the fashion world and more models of color are hired in many shows but behind the scenes, it's still very pale.  It remains to be seen if diversity in the fashion world will be here to stay or it's just a trend.  Tyra finally got hired by L.A Models and resumed her modeling career.  She eventually moved to Elite Model Management and moved to Europe (Wikipedia).  In 1991, she was booking 25 shows left to right in Paris Fashion Week and she appeared in many magazines including Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar and Vanity Fair.  She also appeared in many campaigns for fashion designers including Chanel, Oscar De La Renta, Tommy Hilfiger, Dolce and Gabbana among others.  She was even a Victoria's Secret Angel and appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue (Wikipedia).    

(www.dailymail.com)

Now back to her modeling career in Paris.  As I mentioned above, Tyra was booking 25 shows in Paris Fashion Week.  However, there was another black Supermodel on the scene; Naomi Campbell. Also, keep in mind that model agencies do not hire many black women.  And the media took notice of this and instigated a rivalry between Tyra and Naomi.  Look out Naomi, Tyra is coming to take your spot!  Well, let just say bacchanal start!! In 1992, Naomi allegedly told the designer Karl Lagerfeld (RIP) to ban Tyra from the catwalk, threatening to walk off from the show if she showed up.  She allegedly forced John Casablancas, founder of Elite Models to drop Tyra (www.jezebel.com)

I could only imagine how Tyra felt at the time.  There she was, a young girl trying to make it in a cutthroat industry, only to be hampered by a fellow black woman.  As they say, all skin folk ain't kinfolk.  Don't get me wrong, I like Naomi. She worked her butt off in an industry that is unkind to black women and other POC.  She even made supermodel status.  However, her attitude stinks in my opinion and by many reports, she was very difficult to work with even as Tyra left the industry, going as far as assaulting her co-workers. Not excusing her bad behavior but it was a way to cope with an industry which seemed glamorous and excited on the outside, can be very demanding physically and mentally, more so for the few black models in the industry who had to endure the racist mentality from designers and model agents.   

Nonetheless, this left Tyra scarred for a while and it could possibly be the reason why she left her European modeling gig and went back to modeling in the States.  Tyra eventually became an actress and she performed in many shows and movies including Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Love and Basketball, Ugly Coyote, etc. She even had a talk show, The Tyra Banks Show, which aired from 2005 to 2010 and it won 2 Daytime Emmys.  I wished it was still on the air but sadly it was canceled when the CW channel became gentrified.  

(www.urbanogcom.blogspot.com)

However, she was famous for creating and producing a reality series, America's Next Top Model, which exposed contestants to in and outs of the modeling industry. I sometimes questioned the challenges that the contestants have to endure or in the case of contestant winner, Danielle Evans of cycle 6, who had her gap fixed and she was criticized for her southern accent. Or Tyra and the rest of the panel's disdain for Yaya's Afrocentric identity.  Honestly, the winners are mostly commercial models, not necessarily editorial and they often turned to other pursuits such as acting and music.  Well, the show wouldn't be famous without some bacchanal and some models were bumping heads, eerily similar to what Tyra went through in the past.  Nonetheless,  the show became successful in its own right and there are even international versions, including Canada's Next Top Model, Britain's Next Top Model, Africa's Next Top Model and Caribbean's Next Top Model among others.  Interestingly enough, it was in Africa's Next Top Model, a winner Aamito Lugum from Uganda, who is an editorial model and she has modeled in many shows, magazines and campaigns including Lacoste, Marc Jacobs, Balenciaga, H&M and various editions of Vogue and Elle among others.  I really enjoyed the show and I was disappointed that they didn't show season 2.

Tyra Banks has shown the world that she is a resilient and entrepreneurial woman and I admired her for that.  She went through hell just to show the beauty of black women in the fashion world even when the naysayers say otherwise.  I wish her all the best in the future and again happy birthday!  Don't forget to smize!! 

Mariah Carey and Christmas!

(www.theseconddisc.com)

Hello, my lovelies!! It's December already!  Time is flying fast!! Hopefully, your Thanksgiving was great and you ate plenty of food.  I hope you have enough space for Christmas dinner though because it's coming.  Speaking of Christmas, the holiday wouldn't be complete without some Mariah Carey especially the song,  All I want for Christmas.  You heard this song on the radio, in the malls, iTunes, it's everywhere.  You can't deny the power of this song even if it annoyed the hell out of you while doing Christmas shopping. The song is part of a Christmas CD collection called Merry Christmas, which includes O Holy Night and Joy to the World, among others.  

The album first came out on November 1st, 1994, with Columbia Records and its songs, were written by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff.  She also added some gospel elements to some songs especially O Holy Night and also maintaining the pop elements to the classics such as Santa Claus is Coming to Town.  

Naturally, there were mixed views.  Some might think it's too cheezy and risky for someone like Carey, who already had three successful albums under her belt.  But you gotta take risks and in her case, it paid off.  In its first release, the album debuted at number 30 on the US Billboard 200 with 45,000 copies sold.  By the sixth week, the album amassed 1,859000 copies sold and it was one of the best selling albums of all time, even reaching six-time platinum status on October 1, 2019!  It's more popular around the world, where the album has sold 15 million copies worldwide to this day! It even has a ringtone (Wikipedia)! Marey Carey is making that dough!   

Christmas wouldn't be complete without the album and it goes to show, taking calculated risks can pay off, no matter how long it takes, you just have to have faith in yourself and faith in God, if you're religious.  So enjoy the song even if it drives you crazy while you enter the battlefield of Christmas shopping.  Can't deny that it makes you feel good though!  Happy holidays everyone.  

Victoria's Secret: Is it still relevant?

(www.marketing91.com)

Hey everyone!  Are you getting ready for Thanksgiving and the Black Friday onslaught?  You know you're gonna do some shopping!  We all need some shopping therapy sometimes!  Just don't go into debt!! Speaking of shopping, I'm sure some of you will go to the famous Victoria's Secret stores for some deals.  However, my question is, is it still relevant today as more women are turning away from the brand and look elsewhere?  Still, it's an iconic brand that still promotes the image of sensuality and sexiness which can be a great thing and also its downfall.  

Ahh, Victoria's Secret! The brand that exudes sexiness and glamour in womanhood, even if it's not realistic. Growing up in the 90s, I wanted all things Vickies, mainly because at the time, its bras and underwear were pretty good!  I also looked forward to VS catalogs, not just for underwear but also clothing, shoes and bathing suits.  Not to mention the supermodels including Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, Heidi Klum, and Gisele Bundchen among others, graced many covers of the catalog.   I lived vicariously through the catalogs, imagining myself, chilling on the beach in a sexy bikini and looking glamorous!  At the time I couldn't afford most of the stuff there but one can dream. 

So a brief history of Victoria's Secret.  It was founded by Roy Raymond and his wife Gaye Raymond in San Francisco, California on June 12, 1977.  Raymond admitted that he was embarrassed when purchasing lingerie for his wife.  He noted that some of the underwear was not good quality and he felt like an intruder when shopping for women's underwear.  As a result, he founded the company, Victoria's Secret, named after Queen Victoria of England, the secret was basically underwear, while Angels, a sub-brand of VS was named after his wife's sorority Pi Beta Phi where its mascot was an angel (Wikipedia).  Raymond wanted his brand to reflect a refine and sexy image compared to other brands such as Hanes and Fruit of the Loom, which although practical and comfortable, was not appealing to the eyes so to speak.  He also maintained catalogs but keep in mind it was more for a male gaze than for a woman's benefit. 

In 1982, Raymond sold his brand to Leslie Wexner, owner of the Limited Brand which includes Bath and Body Works and Pink.  In 1983, the dynamic of the brand changed which would be more successful later on.  He put more emphasis on female customers, by replacing male-oriented catalogs to cater to women.  It also added glamour to the brand and revamped its stores, inspired by 19th century England (Wikipedia).  

www.pinterest.com

Adding supermodels to the brand also adds to its appeal.  For some models, it was a right of passage to be recognized as one of Victoria's Secret "Angels,"  therefore creating more exposure for the brand.  The catalogs also added clothing and bathing suits.  VS also went further and created Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on August 1st, 1995 to reach more viewers and more profits, which worked for a while.  Honestly, I'm not a fan of the fashion show, the costumes were too tacky for my taste and I really didn't get to see much lingerie.  It was more in line with a Carnival band launch in Trinidad and Tobago than a fashion show.  

(www.dailyhive.com)

Unfortunately, good things must come to an end and VS is no exception.  After the successful 80s and 90s, Victoria's Secret saw a gradual decline in profits especially in the age of the internet and social media.  In 2016 alone, sales only grew by 1.6%, especially around the holiday season.  Victoria's Secret also discontinued its catalog publication and dropped clothing and swimwear.  When I heard about this, my heart sank.  Catalogs were always part of Victoria's Secret brand and seeing it discontinued was very disappointing but not surprising as sales continued to plummet.  Victoria's Secret is also closing 53 stores across the country this year.  Lastly, Victoria's Secret decided to cancel its annual fashion show (praise the Lord) this month on the 21st. 


So what went wrong?  I believed that social media played a role. Body positivity is the thing these days (well it can be a good thing or is it being realistic?) and many women, especially the younger generation are getting tired of the unrealistic portrayals of women in brands such as Victoria's Secret.  Women were often portrayed as slim, with large breasts in some cases.  Also, the majority are white women, there were some black women and hardly any Asian women.  Then there was a controversial statement made by CMO Ed Razek, who claimed that the company doesn't cast transgender or plus-size models in its fashion show because the show is a "fantasy."  You have to keep in mind the show is also for the male gaze and honestly do you think most men want to see a transgendered or plus-size model? Even though Victoria's Secret is catered to women, there is still a male mindset in regards to womanhood, albeit unrealistic; slim women with long hair and large boobs. And the fashion industry still caters to the slimmer and paler persuasion even though slowly but surely, changes are coming.  

I also think that some of the lingerie lacked quality and looked very complicated.  Could you imagine wearing lingerie for your significant other and you had to be a scientist just to take it off?  That's how impractical its lingerie is.  Other brands such as Aerie and Rihanna's Savage X Fenty began promoting more realistic images of women and as a result, women began shopping in those brands in droves.  Rihanna even hosted a fashion show during New York Fashion Week and it was also shown on Amazon Prime Video. I'm not a fan of the show, it's too brash for my taste but it appealed to the younger generation, showing realistic bodies, which is something VS is lacking.  

Victoria's Secret is still an iconic brand and I even enjoyed my time working there.  However, if it wants to stay around for the long run, it has to adapt to the rapidly changing times.  Many stores such as Forever 21 are closing stores home and abroad because of this and hopefully, Victoria's Secret wouldn't get the same fate.  Maybe it's time that Victoria's Secret accept more realistic women's bodies and promote more diversity in its brand.   It should still be sexy and glamorous but also practical and comfy.  I still love Victoria's Secret, it such a famous brand and it's still a leader in the lingerie market.  However, it needs to make quick changes if it wants to stay alive in such a rapidly changing environment.   

Demona: The Tortured Villain

Wikipedia.com

Ahh, Demona, the most antagonizing and dangerous villain in the Gargoyles universe.  A gargoyle who experienced pain and inflicted pain on others.  Demona is one of my favorite characters in the series; not just a badass villain, but a villain who experienced pain in her immortal life that it's hard not to feel sorry for her.

www.gargoyles.wikia.com

Just a little background on Demona. She was born or hatched in 938 near Castle Wyvern, Scotland. She didn't have a name then as was customary in the gargoyle community, although she was called "Angel of the Night" by Goliath as she got older.  "Angel" and Goliath became lovers and also his second in command as an elder gargoyle, later called Hudson relinquished his leadership to Goliath.  Well, it's time for retirement why not?  Although, I think Demona had a hand in it somehow.  Not to say Goliath wasn't a good leader, but I think Demona has her own plans when moving up the ranks and eventually controlling the gargoyle clan, instead of just simply leading.  She also had a curiosity for magic and she was a student of the Archmage, who treated her very harshly. He even made her steal the Phoenix Gate, a magical object which can carry its user to another dimension or even go to the future or the past.  "Angel" however decided to keep it to herself, breaking a piece of the gate, giving it to Goliath as a token of her love.  "Angel" became a capable leader in her own right but she grew frustrated with the mistreatment from the humans.  Hey, ungrateful humans, about a little thank you?  No wonder she was pissed.  She even expressed her frustrations to Goliath and he simply said that humans fear what they don't understand.  


Taking matters in her own hands, "Angel" and the Captain of the Guard plotted to betray the humans to the Vikings.  Their plan was to get rid of the humans so that the gargoyle clan can live in the castle in peace.  They even tried to convince Goliath to let the gargoyles leave while the Vikings attack the castle but Goliath insisted on protecting the castle and its inhabitants from the attacks.  The plan eventually went downhill, when the Captain allowed the Vikings to attack in the daytime.  As I mentioned in my last post, the gargoyles are vulnerable when they are turned into stone, therefore making them defenseless against the Vikings.  The interesting thing is, that she didn't even warn the rest of the clan, already putting their lives in danger.  The Vikings invaded the castle and massacred the majority of the clan. Goliath and the elder gargoyle (Hudson) arrived too late to save the clan and both were overcome with grief.  Goliath, thinking that Demona was killed, was in huge despair, probably blaming himself for the destruction of the clan.  Thankfully, a few gargoyles survived and then Goliath and his clan were put in eternal sleep by the Magus, perhaps as a way of exile for him and his clan.  Demona, seeing all this decided to blame the humans instead of taking responsibility for the massacre (gargwiki.net). 

Demona, yuh getting old lady! (gargoyles.wikia.net)

Now, "Angel" held her hatred for humans for centuries.  With no place to go to since Castle Wyvern is gone, "Angel" led a few gargoyles on a hunt for food and a safe space, while trying to avoid the genocidal humans at that point with little success.  With the numbers dwindling and increasing her paranoia against humans, "Angel" was desperate for a way to maintain her clan and also reclaim her youth so she can maintain her power over the gargoyles.   That's where Macbeth comes in.  He himself was entangled in a web of murder and betrayal in the royal household.  The murder of his father, Lord Findleach by the assassin Gillecomgain,  really had him nervous as he may be next.  What he didn't know was that his cousin King Duncan set the whole thing up as a way to get rid of the competition so to speak.  I would not want to be a royal in those days!  Insomnia for days!!!

www.gargwiki.net

Desperate for help, both "Angel" and Macbeth made a pact with the Weird Sisters, granting them immortality, yet Macbeth had to sacrifice his youth in order for Angel to regain her strength and youthfulness.  Talk about using and abusing people.  Together, they were able to defeat King Duncan and sent his son Canmore to England.  Noticing her fighting prowess, Macbeth remarked, "you fight like a demon." After the battle, Macbeth became king and made "Angel" his advisor.  He even named her Demona, which pleased her.  She would definitely live up to her name, unfortunately.  As they say, all things must come to an end.  Remember Canmore? Well, he's all grown up and ready to take his revenge on his uncle Macbeth and the Gargoyles.  With the help of the English, Canmore has taken most of Scotland and quickly advanced to Castle Moray.  Heavily surrounded, Macbeth and his advisors planned a course of action.  One of his advisors stated that they should abandon the gargoyles in favor of the English. Demona overheard this and in her paranoia, decided to betray Macbeth to Canmore and the English, believing that he was abandoning her and her clan.  Macbeth was defeated and "killed" and all of the Gargoyles except Demona are killed.  Again not taking responsibility for her actions, fled Scotland for good with an intense hatred for humans.  

Throughout the centuries, Demona laid low, plotting and scheming to destroy humans once and for all.  I guess patience really paid off because she had her chance to do so in the 20th century, in 1994 to be exact, when Goliath and his clan were awakened from their 1000 year slumber.  The clan was shocked and glad that Demona survived, not realizing the pain she endured throughout the centuries.  Happy to see them again, or maybe use them for her own plans, Demona convinced Goliath and the clan to raid Xanatos' rival company Cyberbiotics but in doing so, revealed her true self to Goliath, in which he found disturbing after trying to kill the humans during the raid.  Trying to convince Goliath and the clan that humans have to pay for what they have done to the gargoyles, she indirectly admitted she was the cause of the Wyvern massacre which caused shock and disbelief among the Gargoyles.  Goliath took it pretty hard and decided to abandon Demona.  Let's just say miss lady snapped and decided to kill the gargoyles because hey, it's my way or the highway.  Thanks to their human friend Elisa, the gargoyles were saved but Demona remained a thorn on their side ever since. 

(gargoyles.wikia.net)

Demona is definitely a loose cannon but she is a product of her surroundings.  Her negative experiences with the humans clouded her judgment, causing destruction in her wake.  So much so she became genocidal, killing humans when they turned to stone under her spell.  One good deed deserves another.  It's payback for the genocide inflicted on the gargoyles.  They say revenge is a dish served cold but in her case, the revenge is hot.  Her thirst for revenge caused a cycle of violence over the centuries, even led to the creation of the Hunter and future generations of Hunters, trying to track her down and kill her.  Even Macbeth donned the mask of the Hunter and "kindly" reminded her of her violence and treachery.  Demona must have things her way, especially where gargoyles are concerned, and surprisingly wouldn't hesitate to kill a gargoyle to do so.  Like I said, all she wants is power and she will go to great lengths to do so, even stepping over her fellow gargoyles and humans to achieve this.  Ironically, she was the cause of the gargoyles' genocide but using humans as a scapegoat to hide her guilt.  Will she be honest with herself and right the wrongs she has done? Only time will tell, perhaps with her newfound daughter, she can change for the better.  However, I understand where she is coming from.  Demona and her kind have been discriminated against for centuries just for being different.  Very similar to the negative experiences blacks and other people have to endure just for being different.  This can lead to frustration which is still evident today.  Yet, even as she tried to achieve her objective, she has done this alone.  She had no one to turn to, no one to trust and no one to love.  This is the price she had to pay for her madness.  Loneliness can have a strange effect on one's psyche and in her case, it drove her mad.  Demona is a tragic figure and we can only pity her.   Demona is her own worst enemy and it will be her downfall.  

Gargoyles!!!

www.comettv.com

Hello, my lovelies!  It's been a while I know and I'll try to be consistent from now on but no promises though.  By now you've heard that Disney's streaming service, Disney+ is out and most of their shows including classic movies such as Cinderella and Snow White.  There were even cartoon shows such as TaleSpin and Darkwing Duck on there, including X-Men.  I'll talk about the X-Men soon!  The one show, I'm happy that Disney is showing on its website is Gargoyles! I was like, amen and Hallelujer!!!  One of my favorite cartoon series is back!  Gargoyles is a Disney animated series that was aired from 1994 to 1997 with three seasons. It features six gargoyles led by Goliath, a large and hunky purple gargoyle and as the series progressed, more gargoyles and their human counterparts were added.  Betrayed by humans in ancient Scotland, the gargoyles were put to sleep by a spell, only to be awakened again in New York City in the 90s!  Stone by day, warriors by night, the gargoyles decided to protect their new home with the help of their human friend Elisa Maza while trying to find their place in it, all the while, enduring the centuries-long hate from the humans.  Not to mention they have to deal with their nemeses,  David Xanatos, an amoral and a wealthy man and a vengeful female gargoyle named Demona. Spoilers ahead!

I saw some of the episodes while in Trinidad and I was very intrigued!  I didn't get to see all of the episodes, unfortunately, especially when there were chores around.  I had to admit, a show about gargoyles in New York City was rather strange to me.  However, the combination of New York City's charm and ancient mythology (and really great writing), the show was a success.  I didn't even know that it was part of Disney.  Disney is known for promoting happy endings or in the case of cartoons, a happy go lucky mentality.  It was really surprising that Disney decided to create a dark and more mature cartoon which mentions the ills of society, especially racism and discrimination.  The show was created by Greg Weisman and it includes the writers Michael Reaves, Brynne Chandler Reaves among others in the series.  The Gargoyles series were supposed to be created in a similar vein of cartoons such as Darkwing Duck with a comedic flair but Greg and his crew decided to go to a darker route instead.   

David Xanatos and Goliath (www.gargwiki.net)

The first season was basically an introduction to the main characters in the series.  It was also about the gargoyles adaptation to their new world.  Even the names of the gargoyles, Hudson the elder (beige), Brooklyn, the second in command (red), Broadway, the overeater (light green), Lexington the tech genius (green) and Bronx, the dog-like gargoyle (dark blue), symbolizes this adaptation and even create their own identity.   It's rather interesting that Goliath was the only gargoyle named, while his friends remained nameless in the past.  Maybe it has to do with his size or his leadership ability.  David Xanathos was introduced as a villain immediately in the series and he was fun to watch.  He wanted the gargoyles to work under him but he showed his true colors once they realized he was not to be trusted. Plus thanks to Elisa Maza, a detective, who did some background check on Xanatos so she wasn't falling for the BS either.  The female gargoyle Demona was also introduced or reintroduced to the clan including Goliath who all believed that she died in the massacre long ago.  I forgot to mention earlier that the majority of the gargoyles were massacred by the Vikings and sadly, Demona had a hand in it.  Macbeth, no not that Macbeth, was also introduced in the season but we'll see more of him in season 2. 

Goliath and Demona (www.pinterest.com)

Goliath and Elisa Masa (www.blacknerdproblems.com)

Season 2 really showed the growth and depth of the characters, especially Goliath and Elisa.  We get to see the reason for Demona's hatred for humans.  After all, they hated the sight of gargoyles and they often take for granted the loyalty and protection the gargoyles offered the humans.  In the past, Goliath and Demona were lovers but they often have different views in dealing with humans.  Goliath wants to take a pragmatic and holistic approach while Demona wants to get rid of the humans so she and the other gargoyles can live in peace.  She almost had the chance when she and the human captain of the guard planned to have the Vikings attack Castle Wyvern and drive the humans away.  Unfortunately, however, the Vikings realizing that the gargoyles are vulnerable once they turned into stone, destroyed them.  Only a few survived, including Demona who couldn't believe what she had done.  Instead of taking some of the blame, she decided to take her anger out on the humans and have done so over the centuries, plotting and planning to get her revenge one way or another.  She and Macbeth, both tragic individuals were also connected.  Demona and Macbeth made a bargain with the Wierd Sisters, giving both Demona and Macbeth immortality.  However, Macbeth has to give up his youth, while Demona regained her strength and youthful appearance.  They worked together for a while, maintaining peace between humans and gargoyles alike.  Eventually, Demona betrayed Macbeth, believing he was about to betray her and her kind, left him to fend his enemies by himself.  Also, we get to meet other gargoyles from around the world including Goliath's and Demona's daughter Angela, one of many young gargoyles saved from the massacre. 


Season 3 I didn't watch because the season didn't even show in Trinidad so I didn't have an idea.  I'll have to watch the show on Disney plus to find out.  It was a great series and too bad it only lasted three seasons.  Nonetheless, it had a cult following and hopefully, there will be a season 4.  Maybe?  The complexities of the characters are worth watching, even the villains, Demona especially. There's even a budding romance between Goliath and Elisa, well bacchanal start :)!  It's also cool that some of the voice actors, Marina Sirtis (Demona) and Jonathan Frakes (Xanatos) came from Star Trek: The Next Generation. How cool is that?!   Also, Salli Richardson did an excellent job voicing Elisa Maza and Keith David as Goliath, (Lord, that's a deep and sexy voice).  

Gargoyles was ahead of its time and it dealt with a lot of serious issues in society, including discrimination/racism, gun violence and even gun smuggling! It also showed teamwork, love and empathy for both gargoyles and humans and also tragic consequences of trying to get revenge.  All this heavy stuff in a kids' show! Anyway, if you never see the show please go watch it, it's worth it and quite frankly a classic.  So please check it out and it's on Disney +, although right now it has many issues at the moment. 

The Little Mermaid

(People.com)

Hello darlings, I'm back (for now).  Summer is here and I'm enjoying it while it lasts because this year is going by rather quickly.  It's also the time for blockbuster movies such as Spiderman: Far from Home, Avengers: Endgame and now the live-action movie, The Lion King.  Speaking of live-action, The Little Mermaid and Mulan are in production right now and they should be out sometime next year.  There's a huge controversy concerning The Little Mermaid with Ariel being cast as a black woman compared to the cartoon version of Ariel who's white.  Lord, Pandora's box has opened and many people (hwight people) are extremely upset.  Before I address the controversy, I want to give you a little background of the original movie.

The Little Mermaid is an animated movie produced by Disney in 1989.  It is loosely based on the Danish tale, The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen in 1837.  It's a story of a young mermaid named Ariel who dreams of becoming human, especially after falling in love with a human prince named Eric.  Along with friends Sebastian the crab, Flounder the fish and Scuttle the seagull, the motley crew went on their adventures, learning the ways of the humans.  Ariel's desire to become human became true thanks to Ursula the sea witch and her magic but naturally, it came with a price.  Still, in the end, Ariel's wishes finally came true and she and Prince Eric lived happily ever after (Wikipedia).

Mami Wata (face2faceafrica.com)

Yemaya (Hijo de Yemaya)

Mermaids have appeared in folklore in many parts of the world, including the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa. Mermaids (and Mermen) can be benevolent and in some cases, plain evil.  Mami Wata, for example, is a West African spiritual entity, also found in the Caribbean and other places with the African diaspora.  Speaking of the Caribbean, in Trinidad and Tobago, we have our own mermaid, Mama D'leau, a beautiful woman with a fishtail or snake tail, who is a healer or protector of river animals.  Lastly, we have the Yoruba Orisha Yemaya, not really a mermaid but a water deity worshipped in Nigeria, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago and Brazil among others.  Now if they would stop whitewashing Yemaya, that would be great.

Now back to the movie.  Since its release, The Little Mermaid was a huge success, making $84 million in the local box office and $233 million worldwide.  It was considered a huge success for Disney after years of animation failures.  It even won two Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song, "Under The Sea," (Wikipedia).  I remembered singing this song with my friends in primary school and we wanted all things Ariel and even Sebastian the crab.  There was even local commercials in Trinidad based on the song.

(insidethemagic.net) 

Now it's time to address the controversy.  Unless you have been living under a rock, Disney is producing another live-action film, this time The Little Mermaid.  Well, Halle Bailey was cast as Ariel and the internet exploded!! Halle Bailey is an African-American actress and singer, portraying a character who was originally white and ginger (red hair). People were so pissed that they created a hashtag, #notmyariel in protest. Some are even boycotting the movie altogether.  However, there are some who supported Bailey's role, stating it's about time that Disney is promoting diversity.   Here's my take in all this.  I'm a black woman and I'll probably be in the minority, but I really don't agree with the casting.  It reeks of tokenism and a pat on the back for Disney in promoting actors of color in their movies.  It's also really lazy in my opinion and I don't see why they can't create new POC characters and give them a dynamic storyline in the movie itself. 

I don't see the need to change the original characters to a different color to promote diversity.  Now, what would happen if they changed Tiana's (which they already did), Black Panther and Pocahontas' skin colors?  We would have a fit right?  These are all fictional characters (except Pocahontas), so there should no problem changing skin colors, right?  To be honest, I probably wouldn't go see the movie if it comes, quite frankly I'm getting tired of live-action films but I will see the Lion King and that's it.  What's interesting however was the casting of Ursula the sea witch.  Melissa McCarthy was originally cast for the role but other celebrities such as Lizzo (a black singer) were considered.  Many black people are supporting the casting of Ursula as a black woman.  Noticeably, whights were eerily quiet.  I guess if it's a plus-sized villain, of course, they have no problem with that.   However, Ursula was inspired by a drag queen.  The narrative of black women portraying fat mammy and evil types is really getting old.   I wonder who is going to be portraying Prince Eric though.  I wish Halle Bailey all the best, and who knows, maybe the movie might do well after all despite the controversy.  Then again, controversy sells anyway. 

FiFA Women's World Cup

(www.si.com)

It's that time, folks; the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup!  This time it is held in France, in various cities around the country.  Did you know that the FIFA Women's World Cup is 28 years old?  Time is surely flying!  A little disclaimer though.  I am going to say football a lot, not soccer.  Even though I am currently living in the U.S where the majority says soccer, where I grew up (Trinidad and Tobago), we say football as with the rest of the world.  So football stands.  The event which occurs every four years started in China in 1991.  However, if you want to count the unofficial events, it started even earlier.  In 1970, the first international tournament took place in Italy, followed by Mexico, with Denmark defeating Mexico in the finals.  In the mid-80s, the Mundialito (Spanish for Little World Cup) was also in Italy where Italy and England each won their titles.  Coming to their senses I supposed, many countries have lifted the ban on women's football in the 70s, leading to the creation of women tournaments in hopes to promote the sport, particularly in Europe and North America.  In 1975, the first women's tournament was held in Asia and in Europe in 1984.

Norwegian football player, Ellen Wille stated that she wanted better promotion of women's football from FIFA.  To see if the tournament would be a success, FIFA created an invitational tournament in China in hopes of becoming successful and it did!  As a result, the FIFA Women's World Cup was born and the official tournament was staged in China again in 1991.  The tournament started with 12 teams, with the United States winning its first championship! The US went on to win 3 championships, followed by Germany (2), Japan (1) and Norway (1) (Wikipedia).  Brazil, one of my favorite teams haven't won a championship but they are consistent in the tournament, just like their male counterparts.  The tournament also created new stars such as Mia Hamm, Hope Solo, Brandi Chastain, Formiga and Marta among others.

Now the question needs to be asked, do people take this sport seriously?  Keep in mind, this is a relatively new event, so it's going to take time to attract more viewers.  Plus, there were many misogynistic statements concerning the sport, and then there are others who find the game so far, "boring." Honestly, there are going to have boring games and that includes the men's tournament as well.  Just last year in the men's World Cup, I fell asleep watching some of the games.  And then there's lack of support for women's football in some countries, particularly in Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America.  What is surprising to me was Brazil, a country where football in life.  Sadly, there is a lack of support for the women's team.  Not to mention sexism and lack of support from the male players added to the mix.

North America and Europe have promoted the sport for women very well but even they have issues.  The United States team, which won 3 championships has sued the US Soccer Federation for equal pay.  Now keep in mind the women's team won 3 championships, while the men barely made it to the quarterfinals.  It didn't even qualify for the men's World Cup last year. Yet the men are paid more than women and that includes bonuses!!  Frankly, it should be the other way around, as the women really put in the work to achieve their goals.  Another issue is, football in the US is a rather elitist sport as mostly white people played while black people and other POC are not really exposed to the sport unless they're children of immigrants.  But slowly but surely it's changing.  Some European players decided not to play in the World Cup because of this issue. The Jamaican team who made history as the first Caribbean nation to participate in the Women's World Cup, hardly get support from home, which is quite unfortunate but not surprising.  If a woman is too athletic, she is deemed too manly and unattractive.  Look at Serena Williams for instance.  She is one of the best tennis players in the world, yet she is insulted on a regular basis because of her athleticism, deeming her too manly, not feminine enough and unattractive to the male (and even female) gaze.   Also, culture and religion may play a role in lack of support.  In Islamic countries, women are not allowed to play football because of dress, whereas the men especially from Iran, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, have qualified and played in the men's event last year.

Well, the good news is, the Women's World Cup has been gaining popularity over the years.  In 2015, 750 million people watched the event in Canada (fifa.com) and this year there are already 9.38 million and it just started (sportsmedia.com).  In some games, including the semi-finals and the finals, tickets are already sold out!! Countries such as Germany and Italy have professional football clubs for women in order to promote the sport and gain more viewers and sponsors.  Yet, it has a long way to go.  FIFA's prize money for women is $30 million, doubled from $15 million four years ago. Still, it's chump change compared to men, where the French team last year won $440 million.  As women's World Cup gains more prominence, it's time for the rest of the world to step up and give the women the respect they deserved.  They put in the hard work for the game they enjoyed, so why not give them the props they deserved?  Last question, who's gonna win the CUP? The United States is the favorite but don't sleep on Germany or Italy and definitely not France!  It would be cool though if the French team wins the World Cup just as their male counterparts have done last year!!

Ben-hur

(amazon.co.uk)

It's that time of the year!!  Spring has sprung and Easter is right around the corner. Time for some classic movies which stood the test of time and that includes the wonderfully made film, Ben-Hur, starring Charlton Heston. Ben-Hur was created in 1959 by MGM Studios.  It was based on Lew Wallace's 1880 novel of the same name and it was even a remake of an earlier film in 1925 during the silent film era (Wikipedia).  The movie follows the life of prince Ben-Hur who was betrayed and framed by his former friend, Messala.  Ben-Hur was sent to the gallows as a result and desires revenge.  He learns a lot of life lessons along the way including redemption and forgiveness.  

(hollywoodreporter.com)

Like, The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur is shown every Easter when I was growing up and I looked forward to watching it every year.  Also, like The Ten Commandments, the film was way ahead of its time in regards to overall production including location, technology, costume design and the score, oh my goodness!  The musical score, created by Miklos Rozsa was so good, that it gave me goosebumps!!!  I have to admit though, the movie was very long with 3 hours and 42 minutes run time and that includes an intermission!  The casting of the movie was excellent especially with Charlton Heston as the lead actor with his wonderful portrayal of Ben-Hur.  Stephen Boyd played a character that everyone loved to hate, Messala a corrupt Roman nobleman.  Haya Harareet played Esther, Ben-Hur's love interest.  Hugh Griffith played an Arab tradesman Sheik Ilderim which in itself would be problematic today.  Griffith did a very good job with his character but that blackface he did, meh it was cringeworthy.  Well, it was the 50's and I supposed actors of color were few far in between which allowed majority white actors to do stuff such as blacken their faces to portray a person of color or the horrendous yellowface.  By now,  Hollywood should know better but every now and again, incidents like these keep popping up.  

(hollywoodreporter.com)

My favorite scene in the film was the chariot race.  It is a gruesome race for sure and I really feel for the stuntmen, who had to deal with the grueling training that comes with the chariot race.  I also felt bad for the horses, all that running around in circles.  It was also my favorite because Messala got the taste of his own medicine after he threw Ben-Hur under the bus.  In the movie, Messala succumbs to his injuries after he falls off his chariot compared to Wallace's novel in which he was still alive and still plotting for Ben-Hur's demise.  

It is a great film and to say it is epic would be an understatement.  So epic that it won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Actor (Charlton Heston), Best Director (William Wyler) and Best Picture among others.  It was one of the highest-grossing at that time and it was regarded as one the greatest film of all time (Wikipedia).  It is a film about friendship, betrayal, revenge and forgiveness, at a time where Jesus Christ was gaining new followers, including Ben-Hur.  Naturally, there were remakes including the 2016 version but unfortunately, it fell flat.  Some classics should be left alone.  Like I said, this film had stood the test of time and I'm sure it will still be relevant well into the 22nd century!!  

The Ten Commandments!!!

(Amazon.com)

(wikipedia.com)

Hello, my lovelies!!! Spring is finally here!! I must admit that winter has gotten me down as of late.  The damn cold and the darkness can put a damper on your mood.  It's still a little chilly outside, apparently, the weather couldn't make up its mind if it wants to be warm or cold.  But it's getting warmer and the days are getting longer.  It's also Easter and if you're Jewish, Passover and there are preparations for those days.  Unlike other countries, Easter is not a public holiday in the States,  something that I can't wrap my head around and it calls itself a "Christian" country.  It's also time for the movie which stood the test of time, The Ten Commandments, starring Charlton Heston as Moses and Yul Brynner as Ramses.  It's a movie based on the Old Testaments' events concerning the Prophet Moses and the exodus of the ancient Israelites to the promised land, after slavery in Egypt.  

This movie was directed and narrated by Cecil B. DeMille in 1956 and it was one of the highest-grossing films of its time and it was even nominated for 7 Academy Awards in 1957, winning for Best Visual Effects.  It was also an expensive film but it was a good thing that it was successful, grossing approximately $122.7 million in the box office, so it really paid off.  I didn't even know DeMille made an earlier version in 1923 during the silent film era.  My guess was that he wanted to take advantage of the Technicolor technology at the time and the results were tremendous (Wikipedia).  In my younger years in Trinidad, I always looked forward to seeing the movie.  From the time you heard that theme song, it was on.  But I had to admit, it was a long movie and it was definitely edited for a time but it was an enjoyable experience.  The scenery and the musical score really add to the memorable experience in regards to the film.  DeMille and others really took the time to do research for the film including the locations such as Egypt, Mount Sinai and the Sinai Peninsular to give the movie an authentic feel.  

Charlton Heston as Moses and Anne Baxter as Nefretiri and Yul Brynner as Rames II

(overthinkingit.com)

King Rameses II and Queen Nefertari

(archaelogyillustrated.com) 

However, even with its meticulous research and authenticity, it has many inaccuracies.  When I was younger, I didn't even notice, all I cared about was the action and the beautiful costumes.  Let's start with race.  We all know by now and I'm sure they knew then, Egyptians and even the Israelites, Moses included were not white.  Ancient Egyptians were definitely black and the Israelites were perhaps Middle Eastern.  Even the Pharoah Ramses was black, not as white as portrayed.  But I got to admit, Yul Brynner was a sexy Ramses though!!  Even Queen Nefretiri didn't exist but the Queen Nefertari did though.  Back in the 50s, it would be unthinkable to cast black actors as Egyptians and even the Israelites, the whites would be foaming in the mouth.  However, I did notice in one scene where Ramses and his soldiers were chasing after the Israelites, in a monument, there was a pharaoh who was black.  Maybe DeMille was trying to tell us something, in a sneaky way.  

Naturally, you can't have a movie without some sort of romance where Nefretiri can't get over Moses even though he moved on and Ramses, well he got the hots for her even though they hated each other guts.

Overall, it's a great film, enjoyed by everyone regardless of religion or lack thereof.  It's a story of sibling rivalry, jealousy, romance,  redemption and freedom. And it's still relevant today, particularly for those who are currently oppressed.  There are also various films concerning The Ten Commandments such as cartoon version, The Prince of Egypt, which depicted its characters in a more realistic manner where skin color is concerned.  Also, the horrible and tone-deaf, Exodus: Gods and Kings, which again portrayed characters as white and Moses looked he just came out of Gladiator.  The Ten Commandments is one of those movies which definitely stood the test of time. It was way ahead of the curve its heyday and even transcended into the 21st century.  In fact, according to the Guinness Book of Records, it was the seventh most successful film of all time.  It's one of those movies you have to see again and again.