In the summer of 2009 I saw Martin Lawrence in a stand up show at Palms in Las Vegas. There was no question that he could still bring the funny, and it was evident that funny just in his DNA. It was one of the most he-lar-i-ous stand up comedy shows I have ever seen in my life, and he made it seem effortless, like he had just walked out on stage to talk to the crowd for 2 hours. All that to say, I’m a Fan.
Now 15 years after the Martin Show went off of the air in 1997 and left my life incomplete, I am overly elated to hear that Martin Lawrence signed a development deal with CBS in the fall of 2011 and will be returning to our living rooms soon with a new sitcom, run tell dat!
As it stands right now, ole Marti-Mar is in the midst of two sitcom ideas. The first was developed by “Bernie Mac” creator Larry Wilmore where Martin would play a single man who becomes a foster parent to several children along with his sister. The second idea by Tom Hertz, the man behind “Rules Of Engagement” came up with a different plot where Martin would be a family man trying to keep his kids grounded while facing off with his wealthy in-laws. It is buzzed that the network will make a decision in the next few weeks on which direction the network will go!
I will admit, I a wee bit nervous on whether CBS knows what to do with such a comedic gem that Martin Lawrence is. My hopes are that he doesn’t get filtered out too much. Sometimes comedians and network tv sometimes don’t work, because the network tries to make them into something they are not, and as a result their comedic flavor suffers.
In any case I am excited all the same to see what the product will be, and even more excited to see Martin “You Go Boy” Lawrence back on TV!
WhatChu Think? Which show idea do you think would be best suited for Martin?
I’m not really into award shows. I’m annoyed by corny thank you speeches, people who aren’t funny but the teleprompter tries to make them say things funny, shiny dresses, and parties that I’m not at.
However, I do tune in to keep a pulse on the times, and while watching part of the 2012 Golden Globe Awards this past Sunday I said to myself, Self, and myself said “what the hell do you want now”, I replied … “there is something missing from this award show…..some award categories are missing and they should add this one”….
The Gator Achievement Award
(In honor of the character Gator from the movie Jungle Fever)
Best Performance by an Actor or Actress in a Crack Head Role
And the nominees are…….. (cue music)
Christian Bale: played the loveable crack head with a never give up spirit, Dicky – The Fighter.
Hale Berry- Played the clear complexioned, all teeth having crack head love interest of Gator in the 1991 controversial cult classic Jungle Fever.
Anthony Johnson- Played the entrepreneurial crack head Ezel in the comedic classic Friday.
Ryan Gosling- played a Teacher addicted to crack in the 2006 movie Half Nelson. Even as a crack head he still maintains that boyish charm….how does he do that!
And the winner is………It was close but the winner is Anthony Johnson for his role as Ezel…What-Chu Think?
Up next….
Best Crack Head Role Played By an Actor in a TV Series or Comedy.
And the nominees are……….
Dave Chappelle- played Tyrone Biggums, the crack with a message on Chapelle’s Show
Tracy Morgan- played Hustleman, the innovator of “chitlin’ loaf ” Martin
Andre Royo- played the crack head who cares….Bubbles from the irreplaceable series The Wire
Shawn Michael Howard- The voice behind the charismatic claymated crack head Smokey- The PJ’s
And the winner is……………I just can’t choose, they were all so good, I’m a leave this one up to y’all……..
Various cities steak a claim on being the originator of the great American staple, the cheeseburger. Pasadena, California is one of these cities, and according to legend in the 1920’s the cheeseburger was invented in the local Rite Spot Cafe by 16 year Lionel Sternberger JR. According to the Dena’s head of Chamber of Commerce Paul Little, the teenager was working at his Dad’s restaurant when he “accidently burned a hamburger. Rather than throw it in the trash, he flipped it over, put a piece of cheese on it to hide his mistake and served it to a customer who was delighted to have it.”
Sternberger Sr. added the new creation “cheese hamburger” on their menu for 15 cents, dubbing it the “Aristocratic Hamburger.” AAAwwwwwwww….Dont’cha just love a good hamburger legend.
To celebrate 90 years since this amazing accomplishment ,this week is Cheeseburger Week in Pasadena. All week the city will pay homage to their cheeseburger heritage with over 20 restaurants participating in the Cheeseburger Challenge in which patrons take an 11 question online survey on local burger joints for a chance to win a meal for two at one of the participating restaurants. Yummy!
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is the upmost example of how great ideals coupled with great leadership can change the world. Dr. King was one of the many heros at the front of the civil rights movement. He called for change in race relations in America, and brought persons of all races together to endure the common cause for equal rights for Blacks in America. Today, we celebrate his Birthday, not just to have a day off from work, or go and see parades, but celebrate by carrying on his work and ideals. Celebrate by being being active in your community, celebrate by not being idle to current human injustices, and celebrate by not taking for granted the opportunities that are available to you.
Thank You Dr. King for dreaming so that I could have a better life!
Happy MLK Day!
Learn all about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in this great collection of articles, and pictures from the Seattle Times! http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/special/mlk/
If you build it, they will come. And if you put it on the table, chances are someone is going to take it.
This includes, but is certainly not limited to, condiment sachets, paper napkins, individual coffee creamers, cracker packets, and just about anything else “not wrapped for individual sale” that can easily be stuffed into purses and/or pockets without a single qualm.
Whether it’s your best friend, grandma, crazy uncle or maybe even yourself doing the lifting, evidence of the petty pilfering can be found in drawers and car glove boxes across the nation – each with their own little cache of restaurant and sugar caddy bounty.
Diane Merrits of Orlando, Florida, says she saves money this way. She hasn’t had to buy coffee creamer in years, takes extra ketchup packets at fast food restaurants and saves all the leftover condiments sachets when she orders delivery. She even washes and reuses plastic tableware because “it is good for the environment and better than wasting money.”
“It’s easy for some people to say – to rationalize – taking these items is not going to have an impact. ‘No one is going to feel it if I take five Sweet N’Lows,’” says Kristene Doyle, psychologist and the Executive Director of the Albert Ellis Institute.
For those people, it’s the restaurant’s way of paying it forward.
“Although there is an unwritten understanding that condiments and small spices or ingredients for making the food served at restaurants more flavorful are there for limited use, some people choose to see this as an unpaid bonus of having come to the restaurant,” agrees Patricia Farrell, clinical psychologist and author of “How to Be Your Own Therapist.”
Farrell adds some of the caddy swipers might say to themselves, “It’s there for me, isn’t it? Why shouldn’t I take it? If they only wanted me to have a little bit, why didn’t they just put out a little bit?” – an example of what psychologists call attribution of responsibility.
“In other words, the person taking all of this stuff isn’t responsible; it’s the establishment’s problem. They should have been more careful and it wouldn’t have happened,” Farrell explains.
While every freebie opportunist has their own personal reasons for the habit, there are a couple non-pathological, generational factors as well: the current age of entitlement, and what has been identified as a Depression-era mindset.
Entitlement issues are especially prevalent in Generation X and Y (roughly defined as anyone born between 1964 and the mid-1990s), says Doyle.
“They’re used to being told they’re perfect; they deserve what they want; they get what they want. It’s the ‘if it’s there, I want it’ mentality,” Doyle explains.
On the other hand, the generation that experienced tough economic times, rationing and salvaging during the Depression and even up into World War II, learned to save, plan for possible need and prepare to be as resourceful as possible.
“From the Depression, it was ‘we don’t have a lot, we might not have any in the future, I will gather it, hoard and reduce anxiety to ensure I’ll be OK,’” says Doyle.
And while it’s easy to label younger people with a sense of entitlement and the older generation with the belief they “need” these items, clinical psychologist Noel Goldberg adds that age isn’t always a defining factor.
“If you grew up with parents from the Great Depression, or grandparents from the Great Depression, they can pass on this learned behavior just like folks who have to ‘clean their plate’ when they eat,” he clarifies. Same goes for people who grew up with tough socioeconomic backgrounds.
In very severe cases of this behavior, deeper psychological reasons like kleptomania, hoarding or obsessive-compulsive disorder could be afoot.
Those with kleptomania will experience “an increasing tension or an irresistible urge prior to engaging in the behavior, followed by a feeling of pleasure, gratification, or relief during the behavior. It may also involve shame or guilt following the behavior,” says Marla Deibler, clinical psychologist and the Director of The Center for Emotional Health of Greater Philadelphia.
Hoarding, on the other hand, tends to be distorted belief about the value of items, adds Doyle. “People that are real hoarders have this excessive attachment to items that typically aren’t valuable.”
Goldberg further explains that for those with obsessive-compulsive tendencies, the anxiety relates to lack of control, so by hoarding, counting or keeping items, they somehow feel they are in more control over some type of anxiety.
Regardless of the reason, restaurant owners feel (and accommodate for) the expected pinch.
“As a restaurant operator, it is amazing to me how much of a negative financial impact every sugar packet, ketchup packet that leaves the building unaccounted for affects our bottom line,” says Nick Pihakis, CEO of Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q.
“Our table condiments account for about 1% of our total supply cost. I know this sounds unbelievable, but that equates to about $900,000 on an annual basis. As crazy as it may sound, we continue to stock our tables, for our guests, with these bits of convenience or opportunity, however you look at it.”
Like Pihakis, usually the business owner takes this standard of practice into account when budgeting and pricing items that are purchased.
As for the psychological takeaway, Deibler says, “The question is, where is the line drawn? Stealing a cracker, a pack of sugar, a salt shaker, a plate, or something larger and of more value? You decide.”
You no longer have to wait around for your favorite Girl Scout (GS) cookies, because Keeebler has cloned them… Their new Coconut Dreams cookies are equivalent to the GS’ Caramel Delights and their Grasshopper variety is equal to the beloved GS’ Thin Mints… They’re not almost as good, not half as good , but the same good as the Girl Scouts Brands….Sorry girls you may want to consider selling something else in the spring cuz your cookie monopoly ring has ended! Well not completely, you girls still got the shortbread cookies under lock and key!
Food and the City 