Good morning!

Beverly Johnson calls out lack of diversity in fashion

By Maghan McDowell

Beverly Johnson leads a discussion on diversity in the fashion industry at Macy’s annual Black History Month event in San Francisco. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

Despite a decade-spanning career in the fashion industry, with cover appearances on more than 500 magazines, Beverly Johnson actually attended her first fashion show three years ago. Disappointed, she’s skipped the biannual fashion shows at New York Fashion Week, and she’s not attending any shows this month.

Fellow former model Bethann Hardison, who was a fixture on runways in the ’70s and ’80s, now says, “I find Fashion Week boring.”

The clothes aren’t the problem. It’s who is – or isn’t – wearing them.

“There are no models of color on the runway – OK, maybe there’s one,” Johnson said during her Feb. 5 stop in San Francisco for Macy’s annual Black History Month event, which focused on the contributions of African American style.

“The lack of acknowledgement is disrespectful,” Johnson said, “particularly when we, as African Americans, participate in the bottom line of these designers and the entire industry.” At the event, Johnson, along with Daily Beast contributing editor Allison Samuels and host Renel Brooks-Moon, discussed the impact of icons ranging from Diana Ross to Beyoncé and Rihanna.

Johnson said that the fashion industry is less diverse now than in 1974, when she became the first black model to appear on the cover of Vogue. These days, people concerned about diversity “have even gone to counting the number of girls of color on the runway.”

She’s referring to those like Hardison, a self-described fashion advocate who is known for name-checking specific designers with all-white runways. Hardison started a series of panel discussions on the increasing lack of runway diversity in 2007, and although it helped to initiate a conversation in the industry (See: Vogue, July 2008), “things got quiet” again, Hardison says. The day before Johnson’s visit to Macy’s, Hardison, on behalf of the Diversity Coalition (a collection of industry insiders), sent an update to the governing bodies of the major international fashion weeks.

The numbers suggest that, despite a Caucasian prevalence on runways – about 80 percent, according to the coalition – there are some notable exceptions: Examples include Puerto Rico’s Joan Smalls (No. 1 on www.models.com), China’s Liu Wen (No. 3), England’s Jourdan Dunn and France’s Anais Mali.

At Calvin Klein, for example, the coalition reported zero non-Caucasian models at the February 2013 show; that number climbed to five in September. Just the month before, in a New York Times article about “fashion’s blind spot,” the label’s creative director, Francisco Costa, had addressed the challenge of having a diverse runway: “There are only a handful of top-level, professionally trained models of color at a particular level out there now.”

“I think it sounds like a really poor excuse,” Johnson said.

“It’s just nonsense, what he said,” Hardison agreed, “but one thing is true: A lot of the houses don’t have enough girls to choose from.”

So are the agencies to blame for not representing enough nonwhite models? San Francisco’s JE Model agency owner Phillip Gums says agencies simply reflect what the market demands. Gums, who is also an African American model, says it’s harder to find work for nonwhite models, noting that the agency’s San Francisco clients do typically request more racial diversity – but not much more.

Although San Francisco modeling agencies do represent African American and Asian models, “we hate to just have them on our wall sitting there” without work, Gums says.

As former Essence editor and fashion journalist Constance White suggests, it’s not just a model issue. “Fashion can do better in terms of diversity at all different levels,” she says, including executive suites and the fashion designers themselves. “Fashion reflects the society as a whole.”

Ultimately, Johnson and Hardison are encouraged that seeing more diversity in fashion is a possibility. Hardison points to the January issue of Vogue, calling its content “beautifully, organically diverse.”

If major designers, magazines and retailers continue to set an example, she said, “It will change what the next guy does. They tend to follow.”

Johnson and White also credited the influence of events like the one at Macy’s. “This emphasis on Black History Month, and celebrating the impact of African American style, from a company with the power of Macy’s, will help,” White says.

“You just have to shine a spotlight where you see there’s an injustice, and somehow the universe will correct it,” Johnson said. “We have to be reminded that we are all one, and that’s the human race.”

*****

Readers: If you want to see the exact stats of the diversity of models at New York Fashion Week, click here. Is this “Fashion Racism?” Would you call the casting agencies and designers racist for not including more women of color? What are your thoughts? Blog me.

Peace out. 

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

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Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

Howie: I see you are up and running again. I look forward to the 3rd installment. It will be interesting to see what beings will respond to the Emperor’s sanction and who will risk not abiding by it. From what I remember, you don’t want to go against the Emperor, a being that has been unconquerable, not to mention a favorite of the Gods.

Mike, TM: Your comment was pretty disturbing. There seems to be so much effort put forth to harm. Wouldn’t it be a lot easier to just be nice, care, and do the right thing? Oh yeah, there’s no money in that.

From Mother Jones:

Update 1, Friday, February 7, 12:45 PM EST: An airliner from the Ukraine was forced to make an emergency landing in Turkey due to a hijacking attempt, AFP reports. Turkish officials told CNN that a passenger, believed to be of Ukrainian nationality, “said that there was a bomb on board” and wanted the plane to land in Sochi. AFP says that he was “brandishing a detonator.”

Update 2, Friday, February 7, 4:30 PM EST: The AFP reports that the man, born in 1969, was “apparently drunk” and only said that he was brandishing a detonator. According to Istanbul’s governor, the man did not have a gun or explosives. Ukrainian security services reportedly said, “The man will answer for his hooligan behavior.”

This week, Americans nervously descend upon Sochi, Russia, to cheer on their favorite athletes in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. Members of the US team who have already arrived in the city say that with an estimated 100,000 security force members protecting the games, they feel safe. But US officials said on Tuesday that they are tracking “specific threats” to the games. And counterterrorism experts argue that the terrorism risk in Sochi is largely unprecedented, due to recent threats from active terrorist groups. They fear that attacks could take place outside of thesecured perimeter surrounding the event sites, particularly on public transportation or at checkpoints. While the Daily Beast notes that terrorism coverage could overshadow the successes of US athletes—and give terrorists free publicity—experts say that it’s warranted. “This is a very serious threat. It’s not overblown,” says Victor Asal, a terrorism expert at the University of Albany. He adds that if he knew people who were planning a trip to Sochi, he’d tell them, “Don’t go.” Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know:

​Who are these terrorists, and what do they want? 
The main threat to the Olympic games is the Caucasus Emirate, a loose network of Islamist terrorist groups that is located between the Black and Caspian seas in Russia. The Caucasus Emirate, established in 2007, aims to establish Shariah law in the region, but it only has suspected ties with Al Qaeda. The terrorist network is a partly an outgrowth of the First and Second Chechen wars, conflicts that began when Russia invaded Chechnya. “The human rights abuses committed by the Russians in the invasion of Chechnya were really extraordinary​, and the violence has come from these grievances,” Asal says. Initially, the group’s aims were nationalistic—secession from the Russian federation—but now, there is a growing jihadist component.

The group’s self-appointed leader is Doku Umarov, nicknamed “Russia’s bin Laden” (photo below). He’s seen only rarely, and Ramzan Kadyrov, the president of Chechnya, recently claimed that Umarov is dead. (He’s said this many times before, so terrorist experts aren’t convinced.) As of this month, that report has not been confirmed by the Russian government or the US State Department. While the network’s primary target is Russia, Umarov has also issued threats against the United States and Israel in the past, according to the US State Department. 

When has the Caucasus Emirate carried out attacks before? 
Terrorists affiliated with the Caucasus Emirate are believed to have carried out about two terrorist attacks per year since 2008, killing hundreds of civilians. Here are some of their more notable attacks:

• June 2008: A Caucasus Emirate militia group claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack that killed 14 and injured dozens in Vladikavkaz, less than 500 miles from Sochi.
• November 2009: The group bombed a train en route to Moscow from St. Petersburg, killing more than 25 people, including high-ranking government officials.
• March 2010: Two female suicide bombers connected to the group bombed the Moscow Metro, killing at least 40 people. 
• January 2011: Umarov ordered a suicide bombing at Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow, killing 37 people.
• February 2011: The Caucasus Emirate conducted an attack at the Mt. Elbrus ski resort, located a little more than 100 miles from Sochi, in which terrorits shot tourists and bombed a cable car. 
• October 2013: A woman associated with Islamic militants bombed a bus in Volgograd, about 600 miles from Sochi, killing at least six. (It has been suspected that she was associated with the Caucasus Emirate, but not confirmed.)
• December 2013: A subgroup of the Caucasus Emirate claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a train station, also in Volgograd, killing at least 16. The group also claimed responsibility for bombing a trolley bus in the same city 24 hours later, killing 18. (On Wednesday, Russia state media reported that Russian police had killed a suspected mastermind of the December Volgograd attacks.)

Have the Caucasus Emirate explicitly said they want to target the Olympic games?  
Yes. In July 2013, Umarov published a video urging rebels to ”do their utmost to derail” the Olympics. He characterized the games as “satanic dances on the bones of our ancestors.” Late last month, a subgroup of the Caucasus Emirate posted a video (below) showing men they said were the bombers responsible for the December attack on Volgograd, and threatened to give Russia a “present” at the Olympics.

Who are the “Black Widows” I’m hearing about? 

An alleged “black widow” suicide bomber Whitehotpix/ZUMA

“Black Widows” refers to women who have committed suicide attacks, reportedly to avenge spouses or family members killed by the Russian military. According to NPR, Russian police have been circulating fliers over the last few weeks, searching for suspected female terrorists—including a 22-year-old wife who police say was recently spotted in central Sochi. While women have successfully pulled off terrorist attacks associated with the Caucasus Emirate, some experts say the threat has been overstated, because just as many, if not more, men are committing attacks.

Can these terrorists really pull off an attack on the Olympic sites? 
Counterterrorism experts say that it would be very difficult, given the security lockdown known as “the ring of steel”—an area about 60 miles long and 25 miles deep around the Olympic sites. Putin has militarized the areas surrounding the games, with 100,000 police and members of the armed forces on hand, including special-ops forces to guard the mountains outside of Sochi. Only vehicles that are registered in Sochi are being allowed through the city’s checkpoint, and that’s after they’ve been searched. Drones are being deployed to survey the sites from the air, and the government will be snooping on tourists’ electronic devices. (On Tuesday, the Boston Globe reported that some of these security measures could be overstated, noting that a reporter’s bag wasn’t searched.)

What about outside of the ring of steel?
Experts say the risk is high. “The checkpoint has to stop somewhere, and if bombers get anywhere close to a checkpoint, it could have the same political effect in the media as getting into the Olympics themselves,” says Aki Peritz, a senior policy adviser for Third Way and a former CIA counterterrorism analyst. He notes that transportation to and from Sochi is particularly vulnerable, considering the attacks on buses and roadways by the Caucasus Emirate in the past. Daniel Treisman, a Russian politics expert at the University of California-Los Angeles, agrees: “The network will seek to stage attacks in order to demonstrate their capabilities. It is possible [a subgroup] could succeed. But I think they are much more likely to succeed somewhere outside Sochi than inside the security area.”

The State Department warns that while Americans aren’t being targeted specifically in Russia, “there is a general risk of U.S. citizens becoming victims of indiscriminate terrorist attacks.” The British government has been more explicit about the potential threat, putting out a map recommending that tourists avoid many areas outside of Sochi (bottom far left):

The United Kingdom’s Sochi advisory map

What weapons might be used?
Counterterrorism experts say that suicide bombers are likely the biggest threat. ”I think anyone who is going to be attacking the Olympics is going to have to assume that they’re going to be dead. It’s a suicide mission however you look at it,” says Asal, from the University of Alabany. However, in 2012, Russian security forces claimed that they’d found a number of sophisticated arms that they believed were planning to be used in an attack on Sochi—including “grenades, portable surface-to-air missiles, explosives, rifles and other weapons​,” NPR reported. Gordon Hahn, a counterterrorism expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies​, also told Foreign Policy to not rule out the possibility that regional terrorists have obtained chemical weapons from Syria.

How does this threat compare to those posed to Olympics in the past?
According to the New York Times, US officials haven’t been this concerned about security at the Olympics since the 2004 Summer Games in Athens. The paper notes however, that “the Greeks were far more receptive to help from American law enforcement and intelligence officials, who ultimately played a significant role in the security for the Games.” Treisman, from UCLA, says the most recent case that is comparable would be the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, which occurred at a time when the terrorist Basque separatist organization ETA was still active. Peritz, from Third Way, jokes that “it would be safer if we had the Olympics in North Korea. At least they don’t have an active terrorist group blowing things up.” (The most recentdeadly terrorist attack on the Olympics was orchestrated by an American at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics.)

What is the United States doing about all this? 
The United States has stationed two warships, which can launch helicopters into Sochi in case an evacuation is needed, in the nearby Black Sea. The United States is also stationing at least two dozen FBI agents in the area and may be sharing sophisticated counterbomb equipment with Russian authorities. US athletes have also been warned not to wear their uniforms outside of the secured perimeter. Several US congressmen, including House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers​ (R-Mich.) have expressed anger that Russia is not cooperating fully with US security efforts.

Is anyone actually staying home?
Several US athletes have said they are asking their families to stay home from the Olympics because of security concerns, including speed skater Tucker Fredricks, Minnesota Wild ice hockey defenseman Ryan Suter, and Wild forward Zach Parise.

Tucker Fredricks

Who says it’s safe?
Some US athletes who have arrived in Sochi already told ABC News on Monday that they feel safe there. “”We’ve had a lot of fun, and I don’t anticipate us being in any more harm’s way than going down the mountain in a bobsled at 85 miles per hour,” said US bobsledder Dallas Robinson. And last month, President Obama confirmed that he felt the games were secure, noting that ”the Russian authorities understand the stakes here.” However, he will not be attending with the first family.

******

Readers: Of course there are more men committing attacks. Do the “Black widows” have any choice? My guess is no. The men are behind the women making sure that they “do as told.” Like so many other women on this planet who have to succumb to the sick ways of men, “or else,” Russian women are being treated no differently.

Raina, Nadine, Tatyana, Nakkita, Zaria, Madina, et al: Reading your comments breaks my heart. Everyday I give gratitude for being born a woman in the US. One who can HOPEfully do something. The abuse all of you girls experience is palpable. I promise you are not forgotten. Be strong and be safe. Sending lots of love.

Igus: It is a sad state for gay men too, but at least you are a man. You have an edge that the women don’t. My suggestion would be for you to ban with the women, and support them. The women need more men on their side in support. If more women had a voice and a place of power in Russia, the gay men in your country would not be in fear of what is currently happening to you. But unless you help the women, why would they support you when it is men who are holding them hostage and abusing them. No doubt they are going to look after themselves first and who would blame them. Support your sisters to rise, and I believe change will happen for you too.

Ooohh…got to go now.

Peace & love: “Live it, Give it.”

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

Well, I finally broke down and got an iphone. And I do have to say that I love it. I kept my old flip phone for so many years, not wanting to buy into supporting conflict minerals in the Congo. However, I realized that without the best technology, I  could not be my best self which would enable me to be helpful in areas that are meaningful to me. My old phone was just not cutting it and I was losing precious time in a world where time is a big commodity, and efficiency is key in being the best that I can be.

Although I promised myself that I won’t be like so many others that I see, where their faces are constantly in their phones, and their fingers tapping away. No judgment. I just like personal contact too much, and I really want to honor my boundaries and personal time, and not be accessible 24/7. I think that’s fair.

Anyway, I was pleased to be able to get my phone unlocked under Verizon, my choice of carrier. In case you were not aware, the FCC has agreed to some policy changes that will allow customers to unlock their cell phones. Yay! Another Obama change for HOPE. Here’s the write:

Top 5 US wireless carriers agree to let you unlock your cell phone

Victory! In a deal with the Federal Communications Commission, the organization that represents all five major wireless carriers in the United States has agreed to some policy changes that will allow customers to unlock their cell phones within two days after a request to do so is made, as long as the customers have satisfied their contract.

“We believe this agreement will continue to foster the world-leading range of devices and offerings that Americans enjoy today,” said CTIA, the lobbying group for AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular, and Verizon Wireless, in a statement.

The agreement was announced today by CTIA, which will adopt a set of six “principles” that will be added to CTIA’s Consumer Code, and make it easier for wireless customers to unlock their cell phones and tablets.

In addition to unlocking the devices of qualified customers who request the service (customers who have paid off their phone), and doing so within two days, the principles include:

• Posting information about unlocking on company websites.
• Notifying customers when they’re eligible to unlock their device, or simply unlocking qualified devices automatically.
• Unlocking pre-paid customers’ devices within one year after they first begin service.
• Unlocking devices for military personnel who are deployed overseas.

Once the principles are added to the CTIA’s Customer Code, wireless companies “will move quickly to implement these principles,” according to the CTIA.

The CTIA’s “voluntary” adoption of these principles comes as a result of efforts by new FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, who sent a letter to CTIA President Steve Largent earlier this year, laying out how the FCC would like wireless providers to handle unlocking.

Unlocking cell phones or tablets allows customers to freely move from one network to another, or to use their handsets while traveling overseas. The practice was re-established as illegal earlier this year by the Librarian of Congress because the process requires altering a locked device’s firmware, which is a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DCMA). The DCMA rule change brings with the possibility of fines and jail time for those who unlock their device without carrier permission.

Following the DCMA rule change, consumer rights advocates launched a successful We the People petition, which received 114,000 signatures, prompting a response from the Obama administration, which supported efforts to overturn unlocking’s illegal status.

“Today’s announcement is an important step forward for consumers,” said Gene Sperling, Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Director of the National Economic Council, in a statement. “First and foremost, the voluntary agreement will help to ensure carriers unlock phones in a manner that is reliable, transparent, and timely.”

Despite the progress made in the agreement, consumer advocates and the White House believe the law needs to be changed so that unlocking is no longer illegal. Sperling and activist Sina Khanifar, who launched the We the People petition, offered support for the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act, which would do just that.

*****

Readers: Thank you all for the beautiful birthday wishes and kind words! Every year my birthday feels so special because all of you are here with me. Thank you!

Happy Monday Everyone!

Peace & Love: “Live it, Give it!”

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

I think it’s time for a new day and another write honoring women. Congratulations Ms. Moreno!

Rita Moreno to receive SAG’s Lifetime Achievement Award

Actor George Chakiris (left), co-directors Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise and actress Rita Moreno show off their Oscars for “West Side Story” in April 1962. Photo: Associated Press

Los Angeles – When Rita Moreno received a call last summer from SAG-AFTRA Co-President Ken Howard, her first thought was that something was wrong.

“I was in the car on my Bluetooth and he said, ‘Rita, This is Ken Howard.’ I said, ‘Why the hell are you calling me? Do I owe dues? What’s going on?’ “

When he got a word in edgewise, Howard told her the reason for the call – Moreno had been chosen the 50th recipient of the SAG Life Achievement Award. Morgan Freeman, who starred with Moreno more than 40 years ago in the classic PBS kids’ series “The Electric Company,” will present her with the award during the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday night.

Stars including Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Stewart, Paul Newman, Betty White and Shirley Temple have received the award. Moreno is the first Latina to earn the honor.

She was speechless when she learned the news. “I said, ‘Let me call you back, I think I’m in shock.’ I stopped the car when I could and I called him back. He said it is an extraordinary honor. I said, ‘You don’t have to tell me anything. It’s the closest thing to getting an Oscar.’ “

Countless awards

Moreno would know something about that. She won an Oscar for her supporting role as the fiery Anita – who could forget her pulsating “America” number? – in 1961′s “West Side Story.” She’s the only Latino to have won an Oscar, a Tony (“The Ritz”), an Emmy (for guest starring on “The Muppet Show” and “The Rockford Files”) and a Grammy (“The Electric Company Album“).

She’s received countless other honors as well, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and National Medal of Arts. She quips that she’s earned so many honors over the years that her mantelpiece is sagging.

Moreno, who lives in the Bay Area and starred in the autobiographical play “Rita Moreno: Life Without Makeup” at Berkeley Rep in 2011, is a force of nature whose vitality belies her 82 years. The diminutive actress is outspoken, poignant and funny.

“I have seen her over the years and she’s so positive,” Howard said about Moreno. “She’s had her ups and downs – haven’t we all? – but she has a vibrant personality.”

And she remains a busy working actress. She just finished a run as Fran Drescher‘s mother in the TV Land comedy “Happily Divorced” and appears in the upcoming indie drama “Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks” with Gena Rowlands.

Marlon Brando‘s lover

In between her acting assignments, she published her 2013 autobiography, “Rita Moreno: A Memoir,” in which she wrote not only about her career but also about her tempestuous love affair with Marlon Brando, which led to a suicide attempt in 1961. “We became obsessive lovers,” said Moreno of her romance with Brando. She later married cardiologist Leonard Gordon, who died in 2010.

The Puerto Rican-born actress, who has had her SAG card for more than six decades, has struggled over the years to avoid typecasting. It’s been an uphill battle.

As an ingenue under contract to MGM in the early 1950s, she went from what Moreno describes as one “dusky maiden” role to another – she played Polynesian, Thai, Arabian and Indian. She thought of herself as “the house ethnic.”

Moreno laughed at the memory. “I should have had this little kit with a shoe box that had dark Egyptian pancake makeup, two hoop earrings and an ankle bracelet.”

Born Rosita Alverio, Moreno arrived in the Bronx with her mother at the age of 5. As a youngster she performed in nightclubs, and she made her Broadway debut at age 13 in “Skydrift.” Then using her stepfather’s last name of Moreno, she was put under contract to MGM while still a teen. A casting director changed her first name to Rita. The newly named Rita Moreno made her first film for the studio, the Mario Lanza musical “The Toast of New Orleans,” in 1950.

She admitted she “thought twice” about taking these roles but “then always accepted because you know when you are out of work for a month or two months you’d be thinking, ‘Would I get another job?’ I wanted to be in the movies.”

Relentlessly typecast

Moreno thought she would break the typecasting mold when Gene Kelly hired her to play flapper actress Zelda Zanders in the 1952 classic musical “Singin’ in the Rain.” But she went back to playing ethnic characters, including the ill-fated Burmese slave girl Tuptim in the 1956 film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “The King and I.” The role may not have stretched her, but she did get to work with the famous and demanding choreographer-director Jerome Robbins, who oversaw the dance sequences.

“He was the one who recommended me for Anita,” she said.

Though Robbins was famously difficult to work with – he was fired from “West Side Story,” which he was choreographing and co-directing with Robert Wise – Moreno thinks of him fondly.

“I do believe I worked with a genius,” she said of Robbins. “If he were alive and said, ‘Rita, would you be interested in doing this?’ I would drop everything.”

*****

Readers: I don’t watch much television these days, so I didn’t see the SAG awards. However, I love bragging about wonderful women. And this is my way of doing it. Thoughts? Blog me.

Peace out. 

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

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“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

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Good morning!

Food for thought - 

Party Girl Pop: Empowerment or Sexism?

Published on Sep 18, 2012

It’s Friday…you know what to do. Blog me.

Additionally…

Howie: In the interest of preserving peace and ending war in the galaxy of the Milky Way and beyond, may I suggest that you tell the Wopre that they cannot recover any of their losses by means of aggression. And should they employ means of aggression the same thing that happened before will happen to them again – Their weapons will be rendered defenseless. Thank you.

Peace & Love.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2012

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream 

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"