Post Prison Paris?

There has been much speculation about Paris Hilton's upcoming jail time. What will happen to this rich and famous young woman in a locked down facility full of people she has nothing in common with. She would never spend 24/7 with women from public schools, or who have been abused, and who are worst of all, poor. I have heard the snide remarks that not having a proper beauty salon may cause her trauma. That she may have anxiety attacks for lack of shopping and clubbing. And that she may never be the same if she is made to actually do some work. Also people say her stint in the pokey will only increase her above the law, do nothing little snob attitude and she'll be more famous than ever.

But while talking to my wonderful and wickedly funny friend James on the phone, we mentioned that our minister Don got a longer sentence for civil disobedience than Paris got for being a law breaking winey little snot. We pondered whether people may be selling her short. There are other possible outcomes for Post Prison Paris other than binge shopping.

Paris may come in contact with real women who have real problems (not that hers aren't real) but you all know what I mean, and actually learn that the world is totally different than she thought. A rude awakening. Very Rude.
This could cause her to become angry and she might organize the Paris Panthers and start a school lunch program.
Paris could do what many inmates do and become a Muslim, imagine Paris X.
Or, she could become a Patty Hearst type revolutionary and rob a bank.
With a new found social conscience she could become a civil rights activist and insist her family provide luxury housing for the poor... Hotel Hilton for the Homeless.
Perhaps she'll become an evangelist...Socialites for Jesus. I could see that.
Maybe her experience will lead her to be a prison reformer. She could do a new reality show, Extreme Prison Makeovers. Imagine the possibilities there.
So don't count this girl out. With the education awaiting her in prison, the possibilities are endless.

Josh Klipp

Check out Josh's new video! It's hot.
Look for Margaret Cho getting down with her bad self with Josh's gorgeous dancer girlfriend Sarah.
Josh and his crew will be in Chicago Sunday May 20 at
SPIN Nightclub, Belmont and Halsted 9pm-12am
He and Sarah were on the Tyra Banks show recently. He makes me proud.

Happy Mothers Day!

Mother's Day, a celebration of women in our lives. Mother's obviously, but also all the mammas.
There are the main moms like my mom JoJo. I'm so like her, opinionated and silly as hell and my Auntie who insisted I watch the token (our nick name for him)Black guy dance on Lawrence Welk's show. Token's on!
But think of them all, teachers, friends, cousins, sisters, neighbors, sorors, play mammas (it's a Black thang), church women, and if you are lucky, grands and greats. All of them making and sustaining what is now You.
Happy celebration of them all !

Hello in There

Monica's mom, Dorothy, had a stroke February 26. The day after the Oscars. She didn't call or answer the phone when Jennifer Hudson won. That was strange but we assumed she fell asleep or had gone to an Oscar party. That wouldn't be unusual for her very active 86 year old self. She was involved in several groups, traveled a lot, and as a former school teacher even tutored occasionally. She still drove around in that big Fleetwood Cadilac with her new implanted lens she called her "bionic eye".
She was talking when we found her but hasn't since due to the massive stroke. Now stable but still very debilitated in a nursing facility, it's hard on Monica to see her mom so non-responsive. But, she knows we're there, especially when Monica is telling her all the news or her niece is talking a blue streak...and she'll almost always answer Moni's request for a thumbs up.

Dorothy was a dancer and choreographer from exotic dance to classical ballet, but her specialty was tap. I've seen her out tap and learn routines faster than dancers 40 years her junior. It was amazing. She owned a dance studio for many years and produced many shows. Monica and I sometimes sing all the songs to her from the production numbers hoping someday she'll tell us to just stop it!

An administrator at the nursing facilty recognized Monica's mom as her high school English teacher and dance instructor. She remembered how unsure of her teenage self image she was and how Dorothy made her feel beautiful and confident, not to mention her good diction and English usage skills. Her recollections were complete with great Dorothy animation. This was not only touching and hilarious but wonderful for Monica.

Listening to this former student's gratitude to her teacher's influence made me look closer at the other patients and residents. What did they do? What had they been? Something to remember is, whatever it was, they still are. Thinking about this and Alexandra's story, I realize how fortunate we are if we have someone to catch us before we're sitting by a 7-11. Fortunate to have someone remember our contributions and jokes and talents. I thought of a Bette Midler song I love that speaks about the old, the ill, disabled or disenfranchised and how we should take time to look into their eyes.

Rushing Pass Life

Another beautiful entry from the life of Alex Billings. Nope, not a big story about another award winning performance or being applauded with screen stars or lunching with someone famous. Just a story about going to a 7-11 for coffee.
This story reminds us that there is so much around us we can miss by being so busy and self absorbed. Missed most of all, people. People who can bring something to our lives even though they are not in our lives. People easy to ignore and pass by with no eye contact and for heaven's sake no chatting or touching.
One of the greatest things about Alexandra Billings and about her writing, whatever the subject, is that she prompts us to stay in touch with our humanity. Nothing can be more important.

Transgender and Bio-Women as Friends?

This is the question Monica Roberts posed in her column and then to several Trans and bio-ladies that resulted in becoming a 4 part post on her blog. I was honored to be asked for my two cents worth.
The dynamics of female friend relationships are complex anyway. So it's certainly an interesting and worthwhile endeavor to add Transgender women in there. The responses to her questions go a long way in a discussion on understanding and what impedes understanding.
So scroll down to May 2007 Transgriot Column and then check out parts 2-4.
Keep talking ladies.