Ken Burns Hates Mexicans

Pinche Pundits

I know I know. Sometimes I sound like a broken record when it comes to my absolute frustration with the near total absence of a Latino voice in the mainstream political discourse. (See Huffington Post/Bill Maher critique below.) And while I sometimes question the value of Brown folks blathering side-by-side with the 24/7 parade of talking heads (I mean, how many times can we watch Rachel Maddow and Chris Hayes banter screwball-comedy-like making fun of Sarah Palin Christine O'Donnell?...OK...a lot) for better or worse we live in a cable news driven age.

What's blabbed about on Morning Joe becomes column inches in the Washington Post which then become signs thrust about at Tea Party rallies. It would be nice if on occasion a Brown perspective was contributing to the conversation.

If any good came out of the recent media attention on the Arizona anti-immigrant law it was the various cable channels need to actually put some Raza on air to see what was up. Not that talking to a Latino was CNN and company's first instinct.

As usually happens in these TV news narratives of Someone-Oppressing-a-Minority, the sage voice of the oppressed is almost always a black guy. Usually Al Sharpton. So no surprise, then, in the immediate days following Jan Brewer's signing of Arizona SB 1070, the good Reverend appeared everywhere. Homeboy even led a march of angry Latinos. Not that I don't appreciate the props from my fellow person of color, but it would be nice if Larry King would have let one of us speak for ourselves.

Enter U.S. Representative Raul Grijalva (D. NM).

Not sure where I first saw the good congressman, but from that moment on I was a fan. Any guy called Mecha-Boy by right-wing blogs and a weasel by Michelle Maklin is a badass in my book. And in the fine tradition of not only Barney Frank, but the late great Texas Congresman Henry B. Gonzales, the rumpled, disheveled look from Representative Grijalva somehow adds an "everyman" authenticity to his words. Not that he needs the packaging. Son of a migrant worker, Grijalva's father entered the U.S. through the Bracero Program. He's worked in education. And has called for the economic boycott of his own state.

Here's a video of Grijalva giving a tour of his office. (Thanks to Crooks and Liars for originally posting the video.) While the video's music of Flaco Jimenez is a bit of an obvious cue choice to my post-Chicano ears (Hacienda, perhaps, a more interesting choice? Or even Steve Jordan...) I am nonetheless, heartened by the attempt. Enjoy.

Image of the Day

From my ongoing "Rock Fans" photo series. Took this one in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Same At It Ever Was #765

They keep NOT letting me post in the comment section of Huffington Post. I try putting 'em up, their censor moderator keeps deleting 'em. Just trying to politely point out the fact that their list lacks Raza. I'm starting to get annoyed.

I'm giving my fellow progressives the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps it's my typos that's preventing me from participating in the grand discourse. We'll see. If they don't watch it someone's in line for a Wet Burrito Award.

Will keep trying...

Invisible America

 

Huffington Post just came out with a front page list of "the Game Changers of 2010," Ariana's idea of the "innovators, mavericks, visionaries, and leaders who are changing the way we look at the world and the way we live in it."

I read the list. It may be her world but it sure ain't mine.

You know where I'm heading with this one: Same ol' same ol.' Of the 100 notable people from 12 categories praised for "bravely changing the world" only one is Latino. One and a half if you count Armando Gallarga, the Detroit Tigers pitcher who had to share his "Game Changer" entry with a white guy, Jim Joyce, the umpire who's flubbed call robbed Gallarga of a rare perfect game.

Yeah, two people.

The very badass Jorge Munoz, who runs a food bank (and placed in a very weird category that includes Alyssa Milano and Ben Affleck both pictured with grateful, smiling Third World children -- what's up with that colonial imagery?), and the other "Lauded-Latino" an athlete who's attaboy'd for his hat-in-hand demeanor and Si Senor docility by not complaining when his rightful place in baseball history is stolen.

Ken Burns would be proud.

At least with Jan Brewer and her right-wing ilk you know where you stand. Beheadings in the desert and demands for proof of citizenship when pulled over for a busted tail light.

Unfortunately, all too often, it's with so-called Liberals and progressives, who you assume should know better, that the disappointment in the lack of Latino inclusion and representation in the mainstream discourse constantly happens. Take the guest list for Bill Maher's HBO show as just one example. The only Latino the self-styled social critic/comedian feels worthy of inclusion in his weekly discussions on the important topics of the day is almost always crazy Florida Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who's nuanced understanding of geopolitics is still figuring out how to kill Fidel Castro.

And don't get me started on the Sunday morning talk shows. As breathlessly reported Sunday in the New York Times (and reposted in the Huffington Post, by the way), the overwhelming majority of guests on Meet the Press, This Week, etc etc., are white and male.

How exactly do you say "no duh" in Spanish?

"We couldn't find any qualified Brown people," the HuffPost folks will most likely whine in disingenuous bewilderment. Let me help you.

Univision beat the rest of TV land in most viewers last week. The majority of television viewers in the entire United States were getting their news, novelas, morning shows and reality TV fix in Spanish. Does the Huffington Post in their media category single out Univision anchor Jorge Ramos and his monumental presence in American TV news on their list? Not a chance. They go instead with Gayle King, whose CV highlight seems to be perennial BFF of Oprah Winfrey.

As I'm sure I don't have to tell you, the roster of Brown folks more than qualified to make the list could go on and on. Which leads me to this...

Ariana asks at the end of her self-congratulatory intro ("I am so delighted to announce" this...) to participate and "click on a category below...and cast your vote! Then share your picks with your friends -- see if they choose the same Game Changers as you."

I'm hoping there is opportunity for some write-in votes. And I'm hoping you too can go to the site and add your own names to the list. I'll be thinking of some worthy Brown inclusions and will post them in the coming days.

At least she didn't come out with her list on Thursday.

Happy Diez y Seis. And the start of Hispanic Heritage month.

We're Number Uno

Last week, for the first time in TV history, a Spanish language network had the most viewers in the prized 18-49 year old demographic. Univision's beat down of Fox and friends (ABC, NBC, et al) not only proves telenovelas are addictive, but further challenges the notion of what we mean when we say "mainstream."

If the united action of a majority of this country determines its "prevailing current of thought, influence, or activity" then what does it mean when this majority of TV watchers is united in collective attention not by 60 Minutes or Glee, but instead by the latest installment of Soy tu duena, or a news story on whether or not Dulce Maria will take her clothes off (and can that be the reason the singer is single and alone)? What's mainstream? Katie Couric or Jorge Ramos? Top Chef or Sabado Gigante?

Still, while the numbers are impressive and speak to this country's inevitable cultural shift, this is TV we're talking about. A lot of it bad. No matter what language they're speaking. Univision's upcoming fall lineup will include a reality show about contestants having to survive on an island (sound familiar?) and a celebrity dance show. Ho hum. Give me Mad Men any day. Speaking of which I'm still waiting for Don Draper's Puerto Rican housecleaner to show up again. Been missing her since episode 1 this season.

Men in Black

As one of three NBA teams spittin' distance to the border shenanigans of the various Mexican drug cartels, the San Antonio Spurs don't figure as the team of choice for vicious narco kingpins.

The Lakers, on the other hand, have an alleged rapist in their starting lineup -- what better cred for cartel fandom than a near-felon in the roster? As for the Phoenix Suns, they play ball in the so-called kidnapping capitol of the world. And while that right-wing talking point has been disproved (along with Governor Jan Brewer's claims of beheadings in the Arizona desert), the lawless aura of drug mayhem in the wild frontier sticks.

And the Spurs?

NBA thugs worthy of a drug lord's admiration? Not so much.

The most menacing tatt on starting forward Tim Duncan's body is a goofy Dungeons & Dragons-inspired wizard. And on top of that homeboy likes to spend his free time in his den, playing Wii.

Badboys the Spurs ain't.

So imagine my surprise when the photos of Sergio “El Grande” Villarreal Barragan, leader of the notorious Beltran Leyva cartel, hit the internet. The dude was sporting a San Antonio Spurs jersey while strolling his obligatory perp walk.

Not sure what it all means, both for future Spurs Shop t-shirt sales, not to mention the team's hopes for the upcoming season. All I know is Phil "Kiss My Asterisk" Jackson better watch what he says come playoff time.

They'll be listening south of the border.

[Postscript: Googling to find a link to explain the Jackson * reference above I came across this great 2003 SI piece by a sports writer who get's it. Very badass article on George Gervin, breakfast tacos, San Antonio, and how it all fits. Grab a Big Red, a bean and cheese, pop on a Rush CD and check it out.]

Image of the Day

 From my ongoing 210 series...

Go Vanessa Go!

Los Suns sweep my beloved Spurs and they do it while taking a principled and courageous stand against the draconian Arizona profiling bill. Phil Jackson reinforces his standing as boorish arrogant blowhard by supporting said bill while Kobe's wife, Vanessa, wears a t-shirt to Game 1 at the Staples Center that says "Do I Look Illegal?"Talk about being "lost in a world of confusion." What's a San Antonio fan to do?

Suns in 6!

Dio Goes Medieval - Metal Never the Same

Of the many great moments in the very fine documentary Metal: A Headbanger's Journey, one of the best is Ronnie James Dio explaining how he "perfected" the infamous Devil sign, "one of the most enduring symbols of Heavy Metal culture. Seems Ronnie's Italian grandmother, walking the streets of the New World, often flashed the sign to ward off the evil eye. Apparently the gesture left an enduring impact on the young Ronnie. And has since become synoymous with all that is loud and heavy. Lars Ulrich writes a fan's tribute to the legendary rocker here. LA Times obit here. Scene from the movie here...

Hello!

As you can tell I've been away from blogging for a few months. Been busy with a couple of scripts and the Viva Max documentary. I know, I know: what a bad time it's been to go dark and not pontificate on all things Latino and pop. Crazy times we're living in these days.

Arizona has gone racist, not only profiling Latinos but picking on poor Rudy Acuna; the Spurs lost to Los Suns, (que lastima); the New York Times has designated the next "post-Hispanic" US President a few short weeks after the New York Times hates on post-modern Chicano artists; Manny from Modern Family has proved to be the coolest Brown person on TV; Ricky Martin is gay; Elena Kagan isn't; there are still no Mexicans in Dillon, Texas; a dozen or so Tea Partiers gather in DC and the media goes 24/7 while a million Latinos march in the streets and Fox and Friends doesn't care; John McCain now hates Mexicans; the Texas State Board of Education hates Henry Cisneros; Girl in a Coma loves Selena; (so too, apparently, does Texas Monthly, but they still hire white people to write about her); and, most egregious of all, the New York Times thinks the best breakfast tacos come from Austin, Texas.

Idiots.

And people wonder why newspapers are dying.

I leave you with an excerpt from a live a Girl in a Coma live acoustic show I directed a couple of months ago. More details on the full show later, but for now enjoy this teaser, a very badass cover of Joy Division's Transmission. Rock on.