My Acting Career or My So Called Acting Life

You didn't know this, but at several times in my life I have done some acting. Nothing I was ever paid for and my biggest most famous local role was as the opening credits guy for my buddy Vic's (Bestalbino)
old improv group The Bad Mamma Jammas. The show was run on cable access and was pretty funny. This was around 93' - 95' or there abouts. I discovered some old tapes of that and started watching again. If you are nice I might show them to some of you. The copies have some weird wavy stuff going through them but the shows are funny. I will see if I can find a clear one.
I was dressed as man from the 70's with a huge afro and we spent a day in Uptown shooting me dancing in various places and talking to people and yes of course I was doing a really bad robot at one point. I've led a pretty cool life, at least I think so, and continue to have very creative and cool friends. I mean that about all of you.

The Coolest Thing About Today Being Valentine's Day

Listening to the radio this morning I heard this coming from the speakers....
A man's voice, very deep and take off on Barry White, Some super smooth baby making music, Barry White style.
So I am thinking it's gonna be an old school cut, the kind that takes you back to the bump and grind, when they played slow jams at the clubs and I would take a honey out on the dance floor, look her in the eyes, do the patented RickyP cheek caress, which always inspired a giggle or at least a smile and we would dance. I was shaken from my glow with this line.
"Hey Baby, that's right I said baby" "Let's talk about your baby and lactation" The next line was "Did you know breast feeding you baby is the best way to help develop their immune system and protect them childhood illnesses?"
I felt like someone had just ripped the needle off the record with the "VREEP!!!" noise.
I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. It was a PSA(Public Service Announcement"). It had my attention and I hope it caught some of you mothers out there too. Ignore what Morris Day of The Time once said in a song,
Morris: Honey, Don't you EVER try and breast feed no baby!!
Woman: Why Not?
Morris: Neva mind (Morris Day cackle soon followed)

Cupid, can you help a brotha out.......
HalleNaomiCharlizeJanetTyraHillary(not the cute one, but the smart one) failed to how up for dinner again this year. I put my heart out like I do for Cupid every year, right next to the Hershey kisses you are supposed leave for the tiny cherub and every year he disses me. Oh yeah, I know some years he's brought the occasional pretender, but he's dropped the ball again. Well, there's always next year.

You know, I haven't geeked in a while. So I will tell you about a show I waiting to come out. It's called Robot Chicken. I don't know the premise of the show, but they use Mego action figures from the 70's so it can't be all that bad. They are going to do it stop motion animation style. Should be funny or really stupid. It will be on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. The cartoon programming of discriminating adults. I do recommend it if you have the means.

Where is Rufus when I need inspiration?
I can't find his other book of love poems at the North Central Bible College library,
Yo Love is Like a Pick in My 'Fro, 1972 Bantam Press Publishers
The only excerpt I could find was from an archive at the Downtown Mpls Library

Happy Valentine's Day Baby
A love expression by Rufus D. Pearson Jr.

Happy Valentine's Day Baby
I put on my best red velvet suit
I pick out my fro
The scent of Afrosheen permeates the air
I climb aboard my platform shoes
I walk to your house, I am going to take you to the stars
Baby, You are my Starship I've come take you up tonight and I won't be late
I ring your bell
You come to me, your afropuffs bouncing as you walk toward me,
my favorite silk dashiki adorns your beautiful body
your face serious, your lips full and sensuously parted
You say the words
You say the words
I'm late, only two days late, no wonder the candy was half price

Rufus was the man. Sometimes misguided, but still a man who tried. Not mine but somebody's hero. The 70's were a funkafied magical time.

Jerome: Rick
Rick: Yeah
Jerome: Seventeen
Rick: So baby what's it gonna be?
The Honey: Chili sauce
Rick: Oh lawd

I stole that last part. Some of you will get what I am talking about and will laugh at the reference. Others will wonder if I spend to much time sniffing glue.

Sunday Feb.13th Declared Gordon Parks day in the city of St.Paul

Today was a celebration of Gordon Parks. Parks is a noted photographer, poet, director,composer and writer. He was also known for directing two of the Shaft movies in the 70's. Shaft, was one of the first Black Action Heroes,one of the first with a huge budget and the soundtrack netted Isaac Hayes an Oscar and the honor of being the first African American to win an Oscar for composing.
Parks was also the first African American to take photos for Life Magazine
The celebration was at the Ordway and the house was packed. He is still very much alive, but was unable to attend today's show. By the way, front row seats are cool most times, except when they are showing pics on a screen, my neck hurts. :) Did I mention the Ordway was in St.Paul? Do you remember what else is in St.Paul, let me remind you. Only the stinkin' best cake in the Twin Cities, that's right Cafe Latte. Yes, I had chocolate cake and I did hear the music too. If you don't know what music I heard, you will have to check my post archives and you can find out.
The music was a mix of songs composed by Parks, songs that helped the narrator tell the story, and songs that part of the era being described. There were also a few actors on stage to help with the story. I enjoyed myself and thought the whole thing was very interesting.
A few years ago I had the chance to see Gordon Parks speak in person, he spent a good number of years living in St.Paul and many of his family members still live here and were at the celebration. His story is very interesting and inspirational without being preachy. I don't like preachy.

Soapbox: Washing out your mouth!!
Black History Month....
I sometimes joke about how Black History month takes place during the shortest month of the year, why? Why does "The Man" do that to us? (wink wink) All jokes aside. It's more important to me that American History becomes way more integrated and that "The Month" becomes more of an extra celebration and not the only time we hear about the struggles, inventions, and triumphs of African Americans. In fact, one of my greatest wishes is that we would all stop seeing color and start seeing people. I hope that in my lifetime we will see less "Black Lawyers", "First Hispanic Doctors" and "First Women Presidents" and just see people for people and the contributions they have made. I think a lot of my friends know that when I tell stories, color does not come into it unless it is an important fact to the story.
Just like I asked all my male friends about the going to the doctor, I would ask that all of you keep your minds open and be ready to accept new cultures, new differences and new opinions. Hold close to you what you believe and recognize that it may clash with others and that's alright. I like the differences, it makes life interesting. Now I may sound all huggy and whatnot , but I am human and I make mistakes and get set in my ways. I have to remind myself not to close the "book" try something new or hear a new side to an issue. I guess I am just becoming a little more mature, but I still love my cartoons and comics.

More soapbox....
Paranoimia, a song from the 80's made famous by a talking head called Max Headroom and recorded by The Art of Noise. My next rant is not about either one of the stuff I just spoke about, it's has to do with my own paranoia.
Several times over the past few weeks, I have had to ride the parking ramp elevator alone with a woman. Now this in itself does not make me paranoid. What makes me all freaky about it is what goes on in my head. Here's the situation. I get on the elevator and she is already on it, the floor I need to go to is pressed so I do nothing, but wait for my floor to come. The elevator stops, the doors open. I beg for her to be going to the other side of the ramp by taking the door on the left, because I need to go right. Crap!! She's going right. Then comes the battle. Do I hold the door open for her letting her go through first and then hope she goes a different way from me or do I go through the door first and risk being the rude guy ( I like to be chivalrous sometimes)?
She goes through my held open door and is going the same way. Now we are walking the same direction and I am behind her. The whole time I feel like she might be thinking "this guy is behind me!!!" So I cross to the other side of the lane and make noise to let her know where I am. I usually make Moo noises or hum the "Jaws" theme. Just kidding. Well, last week my car and the woman's car were parked next to one another and I walked all the way there and she was a bit freaked I think. When she still saw me coming to her direction she gave me this look like "Oh my god! What are you doing!?!" and jumped in her car pretty quick until she saw me get in mine. How should I have handled it? Suggestions? I am tired of feeling like the parking lot Stalker. :) The whole parking ramp thing helped to add to my sometimes crabby mood of late. I am not totally crabby just having one of those times when you have less tolerance for stupid stuff that would not bother you other days. Don't worry I am ok.