Essay Eighty-Two

A musical extravaganza conducted by MultiCultClassics Minutes…

• The judge in the Michael Jackson case ordered prosecutors to return the items seized from the King Of Pop during the trial and investigation. Pity the fool who has to pack all the soiled porn magazines and undergarments. Plus, look for much of it to appear on eBay soon.

• Now a man in New Orleans has filed a lawsuit against Jackson, claiming MJ sexually assaulted him in 1984. Joseph Bartucci, who was 18 years old at the time of the alleged incident, says his memories of the foul deed were suppressed until recently. This case should be thrown out immediately. Everyone knows Jackson doesn’t sexually assault men over 13 years old.

• Discrimination is emanating from an uncommon source — the world of classical music. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra named Marin Alsop as conductor, making her the first woman to lead a big-time orchestra. However, the appointment was accompanied by controversy. A seven-month hunt ended with Alsop, but not before seven orchestra members on the search committee tried to block the decision. The excuse given? A desire to make certain the best candidate was found. Yet most folks, including prominent industry figures, recognize gender discrimination plays loud and clear in the field. As an encore incident, a violinist who worked for the New York Philharmonic filed a lawsuit, charging he was axed because he’s a man. The terminated violinist argues females receive preferential treatment (20 of the 33 violinists in the Philharmonic are women). Former compatriots insist the firing was based on performance, with one orchestra official sniffing, “It’s not even the culture in our business to differentiate whether the person is a female or a male player.” Hmmmm. Baltimore’s Marin Alsop might at least counter it’s a different story for conductors.

• Audiences may eventually overdose on rapper movies, with upcoming films showcasing Notorious B.I.G. and 50 Cent. Nonetheless, Hustle & Flow is worth checking out. After playing supporting characters for so long, Terrence Howard makes the most of his starring role. And Ludacris turns in a brief-yet-brilliant performance too. So please turn off your cell phone and enjoy the feature presentation.