Starting Your Dreams Later In Life and Embracing the Detour

Jenee Darden speaking at Creative Mornings I know it's been a while since I've posted anything but that's because of my job. I'm working as a reporter covering Oakland and I host an arts segment on the radio where I get to interview amazing artists from around the Bay Area. Plus I'm publicizing my book  and building my speaking career!  You know what's funny? I thought this would all happen by the time I was 27-30.  Nope. That wasn't God's plan for me. I'm finally beginning to do the things I've wanted to do and I'm almost 40 years old. Some people reading this who are 40 will say 40 is still young. But some younger people reading may think 40 is nearly ancient. But I'm writing this post for those who like me, thought their career and personal dreams would come true much early in life. I'm here to tell you not to give up.  You know, death inspires life. A number of my relatives and friends have passed away, ranging in

Cocoa Bits:
Wanda Sykes Out Washington
What the Cluck Is Wrong with Free Chicken?

Please Wanda, Don't Hurt 'Em
Whose idea was it to book Wanda Sykes for the Washington Correspondents Dinner? Everyone knows Wanda is raw so I'm a little surprised by the debates. You think an outspoken, out-of-the closet, funny, smart black woman is going to toss softballs at the White House Correspondents Dinner for the first black POTUS? Ha, please. Not after what this country went through the last eight years. A lot of her jokes were funny and the only reason why more people didn't laugh was because there were a bunch of journalists in the room and they didn't want to reveal their bias while the cameras were on. Times are hard in journalism right now. No one's trying to get a pink slip from their editor over laughing at a joke.

The dinner was three nights ago and still everyone is asking, "Did Wanda go too far?" In particular, the jokes she made about Rush Limbaugh being a 9/11 terrorist.


Sykes: Rush Limbaugh said he hopes this administration fails. You know, so you're saying, I hope America fails. You're, like, I don't care about people losing their homes or jobs or our soldiers in Iraq. He just wants the country to fail. To me, that's treason... I think maybe Rush Limbaugh was the 20th hijacker, but he was so strung out on Oxycontin, he missed his flight...Rush Limbaugh. I hope the country fails? I hope his kidneys fail, how about that?


Some people were understandably offended by Sykes using 9/11. I thought the joke was more of a poke at Limbaugh's addiction to prescription meds and his patriotism. But I can understand if people were offended because of the 9/11 reference. You make the call. Did you find the joke inappropriate? Speaking of being offended, I read on Aunt Jemima's Revenge and Philly. com that Sykes was "offended" when dinner organizers told her not to use the N or F-words.


"Like what the [bleep] they think I'm going to do? They really think I was going to say that to the president?,"Sykes said.


Sykes jokes on Saturday were some of her best. My favorites were remarks about Sean Hannity sitting in coach, Sarah Palin's absence and Obama's nipples. I bet RNC Chairman Michael Steele was laughing hard on the inside at the Rush jokes. President Obama's monologue was funny too. There was definitely a feel of playing the dozens going on that night. Go to C-SPAN to see the whole thing. It's worth it.


I Don't Have a Chicken Bone to Pick with Oprah

You know why people were blocking traffic and sidewalks to get free food from KFC? BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE BROKE. Five years ago when sparks flew off our credit cards because we swiped them so often, you would not have seen this kind of reaction for free chicken. Oh, don't you miss the good ol' days? But times have changed and life is hella hard for more people. Myself included. I don't fault Oprah for helping people and giving out free lunches. Was it the healthiest offer? No. That's the great thing about this country. If you don't find free chicken healthy, you don't have to eat it. I bet somebody that didn't have money for food was fed because of Oprah's offer. I'm not going to lie to you. I got excited when I saw the coupons and sent them out to people and I'm very health conscious. The only reason why I didn't head to KFC because the lines were long. But I will get my rain check by the May 19th deadline. I even read some people criticized Oprah for the 2-piece give away because she's dieting. Why should her weight prevent somebody else from getting a free meal? The KFC craze is a sign of the times. Many American pockets have more lint than dollar bills. When you're hungry and broke you don't always care what you eat. The hunger problem in Haiti is so bad that some are eating mud pies. A KFC 2-piece don't sound bad to me.

Comments

  1. I completely agree with your points about Wanda Sykes. I had the chance to interview her for a few minutes when Over the Hedge came out a few years back, and she was an amazing presence. I am so glad that she was at that dinner, and I'm so glad that she did what she does: she was perfectly, wonderfully herself.

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  2. I met Wanda Sykes when I worked at NPR. She was a bit shy off the mic. Was she like that when you interviewed her?

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  3. I finally saw Wanda Sykes' whole performance and thought she was hilarious. Aren't comedians controversial by definition?

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