El Lonely Boy

This has been one strange week. On Wednesday, Michelle's family spent the night at the house, and when I say her family, I mean her FA-MI-LY: Her, her mother, her two daughters (Naimah's mine!), both sisters, brother-in-law, two neices, one nephew and me. In case you didn't catch that, estrogen-8, testosterone-3.

Thursday night, I was able to go see my friends' band Goodnight Insomniacs play live but had to sit through a dreadful 45 minute set by one of the WORST bands I've ever seen first- Hubcap City. The best way to describe it is trashy, bad, tone-deaf country music with no melody, harmony or direction! Two guitarists (one out of tune), a drummer with one drum, a violinist and a guy playing the saw and a dented metal bowl. In Daniel's words, "It's almost like they're trying to suck!" I start talking shit about them to the bartender and come to find out, she's a BIG fan of theirs and booked them to play some private show for her. Oops. Insert foot firmly into mouth. Luckily Goodnight Insomniacs is one of the BEST bands I've ever seen (I'm biased, but I'm dead serious!) and they made the night worthwhile. Anyway, tonight- I finally had the house all to myself and I'm able to do whatever I want. But guess what I ended up doing.....I sat and wait for Saddam to die.

Yes, America, just like the rest of the bored ass citizens of this country, I sat my lazy behind on the couch, on a FRIDAY NIGHT and glued my eyes to the t.v. for two hours to await word of Saddam's eventual demise. I'm flipping between CNN (D), Fox"news" (R) and MSNBC (?) just to see who would win the "news" race to get the word out that Saddam has taken a flight on Air Noose to that sandy palace in the sky (CNN won by the way...). The differing coverage between the stations was very interesting though. They ALL said basically the same things, but CNN focused on what violent backlash is to come due to American involvement in the invasion, capture and trial. Fox"news" constantly showed images of mass graves, dead Kurds and Saddam with rifles and cigars. MSNBC was just plain boring. You know, they say that celebs die in threes and the three that died this week are a doozy in terms of their importance. Usually its ONE big celebrity and a couple of people our grandparents remember from their day- but not so this time:

First: James Brown

Not this James Brown...


...or this James Brown...




THIS James Brown...



...JB, the Godfather of Soul, the hardest working man in showbiz- a man that will NEVER be equalled for his music, political stances, and the amount of pride he gave to Black people in a time where we were still trying to define ourselves.





Then: Gerald R. Ford...







...the 38th president of the United States known for pardoning Nixon and um.....uh......hmm... I guess that's it. Interestingly enough, I met G. Ford when I was 12 but I didn't get that emotional high you're supposed to get when you meet someone of such importance. Any connection here?


and finally: Saddam Hussein...


(OHHH, you mean, right NOW, right now?)


...former dictator of Iraq and perennial pain in the ass. I'm not sure he qualifies for the "dead celebrity" triad though because he didn't really DIE per se, he was executed! There is a difference of course but since I can't think of another person to take his slot, he'll have to do.


Anyway, after getting bored with the "Saddam's dead" coverage for two hours I found myself watching these four Hispanic dudes from Texas play the hell out of the blues on Austin City Limits! I'm surprised there aren't people calling up Immigration right now to complain that the "Mexicans are taking the blues too!" Hey, no complaints here. They knew what they were doing!


The moral of the story:

Boredom and television do not mix. It turns you into a deadpan cynic. So here's to you Los Lonely Boys- apparently, I am now one of you....at least for a night.




Jo Jo, Ringo, & Henry- Los Lonley Boys