Monday, June 20, 2005

Essay Fifty-Seven

We’re Number One — or at least in the Top Million — with MultiCultClassics Minutes…

• Oprah is the top Pop Culture Icon, according to American cable network VH1. Semi-ironically, Elvis — who built a career ripping off Black culture — nabbed the number three slot (comic book character Superman ranked number two).

• Illinois Democratic Senator Barack Obama is the most popular U.S. senator in the nation based on polls conducted by SurveyUSA. Semi-ironically, North Dakota Democratic Senator Kent Conrad — who opposed the anti-lynching resolution passed by Congress — tied for second place.

• Chappelle’s Show: Season 2 Uncensored is the all-time leading seller in the TV DVD category. Semi-ironically, Seinfeld — the popular television series that never featured a Black character — holds second place.

• Who’s Afraid Of A Large Black Man? by Charles Barkley is not likely to be a number one best seller in the non-fiction category, but it’s still definitely worth reading. Semi-ironically, the current non-fiction best seller is 1776 by David McCullough, a nearly 400-page book chronicling the United States’ birth year — although a review of its index lists less than five pages mentioning Blacks.

• Michael Jackson is now the top celebrity to beat a criminal rap, edging out OJ Simpson and Robert Blake — pending results from the upcoming legal actions involving Bill Cosby and R. Kelly. Semi-ironically, Jackson’s post-acquittal celebrations included a rowdy slumber party with Hispanic boys.



(OK, MultiCultClassics made up the last entry.)

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