Essay 216

First Friday’s MultiCultClassics Minutes…

• A new study shows the mere depiction of alcohol-related imagery — even in advertising — inspires aggression whether you’re drinking or not. Most adfolks feel strong revulsion by simply viewing the Budweiser and Coors spots starring the bad-acting brewery bigwigs.

• Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman went on a rant, insisting graffiti artists caught tagging public property should be subject to harsh punishments — including having their thumbs chopped off on national TV. “I also believe in a little bit of corporal punishment going back to the days of yore, where examples have to be shown…I’m dead serious,” proclaimed the mayor. Wait a minute. This is coming from the mayor of a place where prostitution is legal and mob influence is the norm. Add this moron to one more thing that should stay in Vegas.

• President Bush announced the Presidential Medal of Freedom honorees, and the list included Muhammad Ali, Aretha Franklin, Frank Robinson and Paul Rusesabagina. Hey, maybe Kanye West was wrong after all.

• A Chicago avenue will be named after the late John H. Johnson. The new honorary street sign will appear at the corner near Johnson Publishing Company headquarters.

• Blacks now make up a smaller share of the military, with declining numbers of Black recruits. The Army has taken the biggest hit in terms of Black recruiting. Guess we can expect to see hip-hop advertising for the military soon.

• The race for state senator is getting ugly in Maryland, with Democrats launching racial slurs at the Republican candidate. Lt. Governor Michael Steele, a Republican seeking to become the state’s first Black senator, is under attack from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and an Internet blogger. Blogger Steve Gilliard (who happens to be Black) portrayed Steele in minstrel Blackface, dubbing him “Simple Sambo” — and Gilliard vowed to post more. Talk about Black-on-Black mudslinging.

• K-Fed, aka Britney Spears’ husband, is launching his hip-hop career with tunes due out next year. Great. Now there will be two talentless wannabes in the family.