But why does he have to be intimidating? That’s got no bearing on the music at all. The fact that every rapper for the past 20 years has had to play up their street cred/toughness is exactly that tendency to “fetishize blacks who align with negative stereotypes” referenced above.

Where’s the review of Clutch’s new album?
FWIW, I call it OK, not great. I was hoping to a return to the gloriously weird and triumphant Robot Hive/Exodus.
No dice.

A family friend who was a landscaper was killed by a gator a few years ago- pulled into the water by a big one. She was rescued, but died of a massive infection shortly thereafter. Growing up in Florida had its moments, but the poisonous and/or bloodthirsty monsters weren’t great.
...and the people down there are just…

Not a fan of Perry’s films at all (seems like all the young women are Jezebels out to corrupt innocent and trusting young boys, give or take the occasional virginal angel). But good on him for using his money and influence to try to get some justice for these men.

Aw yeah- I was waiting for someone to reference this!

Yeah, it’s probably calculated, but how many ludicrously rich pop stars shun any kind of philanthropy? Too many. Good on him for making that girl happy. Seems like she deserves it.
(side note: how about an ungraying over here? Pleeeeaaaaase?)

I guess I’m in the minority, but I think he’s pretty funny on Snl (though underutilized). His bits on weekend update are consistently funny- the one where he compares coverage of him and Colin Jost in their hometown newspaper was gold.

I thought the first season was pretty great- I like a little ambiguity when things get weird.
...the second season was a damn trainwreck, though. I have high hopes for this one- Mahershala Ali is a great choice.

Man, Jay-Z got trim for this tour.
...and it really is terrible that entertainers can’t, y’know- entertain- without fearing for their lives from some crazyperson.

I expect their pizza to have a weird chemical aftertaste.
They’ve never let me down.

Shit- that sucks, man.

Then what about the “and the governor’s true” line at the end?

I’d be more inclined to buy that line of reasoning if they didn’t double down in the last verse with, “...where the skies are so blue and the governor’s true”.

Last verse of the song- “...where the skies are so blue and the governor’s true”. That is not an anti-Wallace stance.
I got no beef with King, but man, do I hate that song.

Nah- they tacked on that explanation long after the fact. That’s the fun part about dog-whistle racism: you have just enough plausible deniability to deflect criticism, while getting to give a big ol’ wink to the confederate flag wearin’ good ol’ boys.
Sweet Home Alabama was released just 10 years after George Wallace…

I wonder why the dog-whistle racism of Sweet Home Alabama is never brought up. Revisionist history aside, “in Birmingham they love the governor- we all did what we could do” is clearly a reference to segregation.

Eric Roberts has a reputation for being something of a lunatic, yeah? I remember Mickey Rourke using his comeback speech asking people to give Roberts another chance. What did he do that was so crazy, besides churn out dreck for a couple decades?

Was that show in Boston, perchance?

*BRONZE girl*
...and Dorothy Height would get my vote.

No sympathy for this guy whatsoever.