Saturday, July 30, 2005

Friday I'm in love

I'm just kidding. Far from it. Ladies, you still have your opportunities.

Take me while ya got me.

It has been flippin' too much today. I'm gonna look for that great story-teller voice that is just aching to come out and tell today's events in an enthralling way (if not, I just may start another post I won't ever finish or I may just decide to bore you another way).

But I wanna hit - real briefly - on two small, peripheral points. One, it was kind of cool to see my boy, superboymodel Johan Khalilian (remarkably, I think I misspelled his name) on the cover of the RedEye today. I say "kind of" because:

1) the RedEye sucks big time. It's the equivalent of saying, not only can't our children read, but neither can adults ages 18-35. So let's give them an alternative paper (This one being published and produced by Tribune Company, which gives us The Chicago Tribune, WGN, half of the WB "network", and the Chicago Cubs.) that's really only a daily US Magazine with a farm league sports section.

2) the way they cover the story about grown-up virgins /celibates (the article apparently either doesn't know that last word exists or doesn't want to risk assuming that its readership does). I think the topic is good and it needs to have some light shed on it. It says that there are some of us still out there. (Hey, if you're 30 and still haven't gotten any, you're either extremely antisocial or serious about the business of celibacy.) The problem is, the focus (again, because of projected images of readership) was on the beautiful virgins (Huh?? They exist?), and was way too short to address the issue with any clarity or depth. Which is bad enough in a regular newspaper (especially Red State / Blue State qualifiers like the NY Times), but this is a rag which delivers the cover story in a two page spread where 1/2 of it is dedicated to photos and another chunk is given to seriously unrelated - read, garbage - sidebars. As much as I want to see The 40 Year Old Virgin later this year, it has nothing to do with a worldview of purity in sexual relationships. Neither, shocker, does Brittney.

Also, got a chance to shortly meet JR from the Cross Movement crew today. One thing I know is, if he hangs out with CM, he's got his head straight. But joe can sing, and produce. He's engaged, ladies, so sorry. (Of course, I'm still available and I ain't got all that baggage.) But he's dropping his latest in Oct.

14 comments:

  1. alibabble,

    that's ok. we all need a break every once in a while. even from talking to me. sometimes i need a break from talking to me.

    that concert (actually, it was a coffee house type deal and JR performed as the last act) was on the far south side. i forgot where you said you lived, but i'm thinking around beverly. am i right? that's about where this concert was at. 117th & halsted. practically kentucky.

    i'm no judger of male looks. except to say that he came out like neo-souls do. i've never seen a shabbily-dressed neo-soul performer. unless you count lauryn hill on def poetry jam. wow.

    that thing about michelle williams, remember, was a secret. i don't want other people finding out i have a teensy-weensy crush on her.

    did you see yesterday's (friday's) redeye. i'm sure you could still pick it up. not like they move units or anything. that's my boy on the cover, starin' something serious ("ok, we need you to do your 'i'm a sexy virgin look. perfect. thank you.'").

    welcome back.

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  2. Shar,

    I'm very sorry for offending you. I meant no harm. The problem with sarcasm, however, is that it often leaves too much room for interpretation. So, what I meant - as I recall - as a cheap swipe at Mel Gibson's style of filmmaking (very violent and 'manly'. Not wrong per se, it's just he wouldn't be the type of filmmaker - in my opinion - to do a movie on St. Francis) you took, and probably with good reason as I hand out a lot of self-injuring ammo, as a libelous swipe on a peacemaking man of God.

    The truth is, I don't know a lot about St. Francis. But, in studying Jesus' Sermon on the Mount as the testimony of the life of Jesus, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi would demonstrate, there is nothing "effeminate and boring" about choosing to create peace.

    I'll have to review my comments and the context there. I'd like to get back to you on that shortly. In the meantime, my deepest apologies.

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  3. Anonymous7:43 PM

    Don't deeply apologize...be a man...mean what you say!

    *guarding the door*

    Evangelicals RISE UP!

    lol...I'm clowning

    Anyway...Im a pretty virgin! I'm not 30, but I'm still fine! Yes...I said Fine...no...I mean...Foine!

    I think neo-soul sucks big time. I have a big disdain for the title "neo-soul" Neo implies that it's new and we all know that there is absolutely nothing new about soul music. I'm not sold on JR's voice either.

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  4. i always mean what i say.

    sometimes.

    it's hard to do sarcasm justice though. a joke, i believe, should be taken as a joke, but people - for whatever reason - aren't able to read my mind.

    and sometimes they don't read much of what you said to take in the flavor.

    i def am not apologizing for all of evangelicalism. or for my remarks on gibson's violent filmmaking (not that i'm totally against it). i just didn't see how gibson could do St. Francis justice.

    you're close enough to thirty. might as well just claim it, sugs.

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  5. Tsk tsk tsk...see how that sarcasm gets you into trouble Mr. Dye? Mmmhmmmmmmhmmm! Anyway um, Shar, forgive me for butting in, but don't you think it's a little unfair to generalize all evangelicals as the same/grouping of (a) particular characteristic(s)? By doing that, you're demonstrating the same ignorance you claim Jason was showing in his comment. Just thought I'd point that out. Now everyone apologize and realize we're all one in the Lord :) Ok? Yeah? Bien. Niflah.

    Oh and this is off topic (which I'm famous for, of course) but on Muchmusic last night they had this little vote in show about artists and groups, etc. And then they had a topic that said "what's the most affective prop in a group/artist video?" a) Kevin Federline in Brittney's 'Perogative" b) a microphone in Ashley's Simpson's video and c) Michelle from destiny's Child.

    HAHAHAHA, Michelle's really a prop! I thought that was hilarious. Had to pass that on, mon ami :)

    Oh yeah and I agree with Timi, there's no such thing as Neo-soul, it's an annoying title. Soul ain't never died. I do however like the whiny-ness of JR's voice, which is an important aspect of soul music. He just always sounds like he's pleading for something. I like that.

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  6. 1) i didn't hear whininess in JR's vox on sat. maybe he's matured a bit since those last releases.

    2) leave my baby girl alone. see what ya started ali? aye aye aye.

    3) it's a media/industry-defined label and as such it's stupid. i agree. but there are a lot of similarities in that category. anyway, as with virtually everything else, i know a wide berth, but a shallow depth. i will shut my mouf on neo/soul. please, ladies, edumacate me some!

    love ya,
    j.

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  7. there was a christian coffeehouse near beverly that he performed at, along with some other people i've never heard of before. but the lassies are hating on him.

    i guess it's just us midwesterners holding it down for him.

    apparently, shar's not the only one misreading me. read that paragraph again. yep, not my voice. the projected voice of RedEye readership is, apparently, supposed to say that. that was the focus of the cover story.

    but then again... this morning before i launched into my sermon (plug) i showed the cover to the audience, many of whom are members of the church and his family (including his mother). one thing i wanted to do was draw attention to it, local boy gone localler, and purity in that popular rag.

    but i also told a joke about how he, at 25, will tell people he's a virgin and they'll all be shocked and stuff (there's always the requisite, and deeply sad, 'i can change you'). but me, at the age of thirty, when i tell people i'm a virgin they look at me and nod their heads thoughtfully, 'yeah, i can see that.'

    i thought it was funny. a couple others did too. but a lot of 'em were cheering me on.

    ehh, need to work on my communication skills.

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  8. a pic of who, girl?

    i don't think there's any of Johan on the internet. and i'm not about to search for you. if you're looking for JR, try the cross movement link to the right.

    and, no, you shouldn't be reading the redeye. it's gar-baj.

    and elmhurst is where the car dealerships are from. like celozzi ettleson, right? 'where you'll always save more money.'

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  9. hey, all right, thank you.

    i'm sure you're aware, we're not all pushy, and few of us - at least as far as i would venture - are cult-like.

    you must be thinking of the united methodists. (it's a joke! it's a joke!)

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  10. Anonymous4:47 PM

    Yo JD what it look like?
    I see you gave a brotha a shout out on your blog, that's love man. Even though the Red eye is not your favorite newspaper. I appreciate the love. We are still holding it down for the kingdom.

    One Love Bro,
    Johan

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  11. hey,

    are you back in the chi?

    i think the article's raised a lot of interest. and i think that's great. i mentioned it before the sermon. a lot of people were interested in that. and i don't think the redeye posts their articles, so it's hard to find.

    now, why in the world i should like the redeye...?

    and yes, one love.

    holler at your boy!

    peace,
    j.

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  12. alibabble,

    15 whole minutes, huh?

    you and timi need to join some weird jogging-three-whole-laps-and-fainting after-you-blog club. you can be the charter members.

    you're such an i.m.er, i always have to try and figure out what you're alluding to.

    there's no pic of JR at CM site. but there is one of ol' boy LaCrae, who's gonna be performing for us at a block party later this month, also at my brother's.

    johan's the guy in the redeye that everybody keeps coming over here to look for his pics. he's also 'anonymous' up above.

    why you telling me about clothes stores?

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  13. Anonymous6:58 PM

    Naw J, I'm still in LA. My stay got extended a bit. I was just asked to be on the Tyra Banks show. They saw the article some way some how and they want me to come on the show. I'm sure you don't dig that show either, I've never seen it myself. I just want to be a light in the midst of the pitch black we live in. Pray for me bro, I want to communicate God's heart for manhood and sexuality. Your prayers will be greatly appreciated.

    One Love Bro

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  14. Jo-hizzle!

    man, that's great.

    listen, i know i may have been a bit harsh on the redeye. it doesn't mean that i wasn't/aren't excited about you and the caris crew being salt/light in that environment.

    i think what you saw was the fact that i spent a lot more time complaining about the format of media that periodicals such as the redeye employ than extolling the virtues of a virtuous life. that is, in hindsight, actually quite cynical of me.

    but whatever its aims and whatever its goals, the redeye has a certain readership, a demographic, and you were able to witness something of God to that demographic. it's in a different format than, say, readership to the NY Times, which likewise needs that same witness and will have their own spin and take on the same story.

    whether or not i like tyra banks' show (she herself has always been on my 'meee-ow' list. gosh, how nerdy is that?) isn't important. what's important is your witness before that show and its built-in audience, who also may not be exposed to the virtuous life-style.

    when's the taping/airing? i'll show out support.

    as kip says to napoleon,
    peace out.

    ReplyDelete

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