I mean, I just don't get people not knowing who Alex Haley is. But then, when I think about it, I don't think it was mentioned at all in my schooling. I think the only reason I knew about him and Roots was from watching it with my parents.
@soudesafinado we are in the same age range...did you watch it when it was on TV originally? I don't even remember how many nights it was on, just that we watched it as a family, which was unusual because I don't think we watched much as a family....except The Muppet Show.
How old are you? I'm 33 and we learned about and watched Roots in high school. I too was shocked that those kids didn't know the answer to that question tonight.
As an aside, Erin! Was totally freaking me out with her nervousness and screaming the answers.
Older than you. Old enough to have watched it when it first aired on TV.
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
Post by ChillyMcFreeze on Jul 22, 2014 20:45:44 GMT -5
I'm familiar with Roots, but I've never read or watched it. I'm a bit younger than most of you, though. ::flips hair:: Like, when people reference Kunte Kinte, I know what they're talking about.
That's it. Roots is required viewing/reading for you people. FOR SERIOUS!
I mean what the ever living fuck? Did you guys even get the jokes in Diary of a Mad Black woman??
You don't know who Chicken George is?
I have no idea what these things are and/or mean.
You've never seen Diary of a Mad Black Woman? That ish is funny. Watch that after you watch Roots.
So you've probably never seen Queen either then and have no idea why iammalcolmx and NitaX say Ise Nigra every time Halle Berry's name is mentioned?
Man, you people are missing out on major chunks of black folks pop culture. No wonder you guys (in general) don't watch black folks' movies. You don't even know what's funny.
But in all seriousness, there are two major television events that stick out in my childhood. The airing of Roots and the airing of Shaka Zulu. The whole of Brooklyn was glued to the television for those nights.
So apparently, I didn't watch it originally. But I know I watched it on tv, on an old ass TV while I was living in Brooklyn. So I was in first or second grade. Guess someone had it on VHS.
Post by irishbride2 on Jul 22, 2014 20:49:42 GMT -5
Have you not read MalcolmX either?
We need to make a list of books that must be read!
Eta we read Malcolm X in high school. I didn't read roots until college but I vividly remember learning about it, and the author, in history in high school.
You've never seen Diary of a Mad Black Woman? That ish is funny. Watch that after you watch Roots.
So you've probably never seen Queen either then and have no idea why iammalcolmx and NitaX say Ise Nigra every time Halle Berry's name is mentioned?
Man, you people are missing out on major chunks of black folks pop culture. No wonder you guys (in general) don't watch black folks' movies. You don't even know what's funny.
But in all seriousness, there are two major television events that stick out in my childhood. The airing of Roots and the airing of Shaka Zulu. The whole of Brooklyn was glued to the television for those nights.
We have determined this to be false. RE-AIRING does not count, young lady.
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
I guess the other thing is, everybody keeps talking about they didn't learn this in school. I didn't learn this stuff in school in N.C. during the damn late 70s/early 80s. N.C. wasn't some bastion of multicultural teaching and awareness that turned a corner somewhere in the last two elections. I just KNOW this stuff.
YES!!! THIS!! This is why my mind is just completely blown.
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
You've never seen Diary of a Mad Black Woman? That ish is funny. Watch that after you watch Roots.
So you've probably never seen Queen either then and have no idea why iammalcolmx and NitaX say Ise Nigra every time Halle Berry's name is mentioned?
Man, you people are missing out on major chunks of black folks pop culture. No wonder you guys (in general) don't watch black folks' movies. You don't even know what's funny.
But in all seriousness, there are two major television events that stick out in my childhood. The airing of Roots and the airing of Shaka Zulu. The whole of Brooklyn was glued to the television for those nights.
I have never pretended to be versed in black TV/movie culture, but it's more due to lack of exposure as a kid in affluent white suburbia than complete indifference as an adult.
So, forgive my ignorance, bit you say these were major TV events. Where can I see them? Netflix? Hulu? The library? Apparently not knowing Roots is mockworthy (hi, @ttf!) but I'm legit curious.
If you asked me to name a "major TV event" pre-1998, all I would remember is, in reverse order: Princess Diana's funeral, the OJ verdict, the OJ car chase, the Dallas finale (because my mom watched), the Berlin Wall falling, and Luke and Laura's wedding on General Hospital (because Mom told me about girls skipping class to watch it).
If you were black and a SAG member in the 70's, your ass had a part in Roots.
Bet none of these fools know about The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman neither.
I mean seriously though, I'm not trying to dog anyone out but this isn't just history, it's effin pop culture. Do you know the Commodores? Ike and Tina? Flip Wilson? Josephine Baker? Langston Hughes? The Harlem Renaissance? Lena Horne?
This is why we have Black History month, people!!!
And see how well it's worked, btw. You guys all know Rosa Parks but don't know Geoffrey Holder.
God I'm old. That picture looks like Alex Trebec and the kindergarten tournament to me.
Eta: I posted without reading the thread. Lol. Out of context. I have seen and read Roots, watched Queen, and read the Autobiography of Malcolm X. I remember my (white) parents talking about Roots and how they watched it when I was a baby. So now my post has context.
You've never seen Diary of a Mad Black Woman? That ish is funny. Watch that after you watch Roots.
So you've probably never seen Queen either then and have no idea why iammalcolmx and NitaX say Ise Nigra every time Halle Berry's name is mentioned?
Man, you people are missing out on major chunks of black folks pop culture. No wonder you guys (in general) don't watch black folks' movies. You don't even know what's funny.
But in all seriousness, there are two major television events that stick out in my childhood. The airing of Roots and the airing of Shaka Zulu. The whole of Brooklyn was glued to the television for those nights.
I have never pretended to be versed in black TV/movie culture, but it's more due to lack of exposure as a kid in affluent white suburbia than complete indifference as an adult.
So, forgive my ignorance, bit you say these were major TV events. Where can I see them? Netflix? Hulu? The library? Apparently not knowing Roots is mockworthy (hi, @ttf!) but I'm legit curious.
If you asked me to name a "major TV event" pre-1998, all I would remember is, in reverse order: Princess Diana's funeral, the OJ verdict, the OJ car chase, the Dallas finale (because my mom watched), the Berlin Wall falling, and Luke and Laura's wedding on General Hospital (because Mom told me about girls skipping class to watch it).
Not mock worthy. Just...very surprising. Netflix doesn't stream Roots. If I recall correctly, it's 3 or 4 DVDs. Kindle offers the book.
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
I mean I bumped into James Earl Jones once near the Kennedy Center and we crossed the street and I (stupidly) told him that for a good chunk of my young life I thought HE was Alex Haley. He laughed.
And I think of James Earl Jones as Terence Mann from Field of Dreams.
I have never pretended to be versed in black TV/movie culture, but it's more due to lack of exposure as a kid in affluent white suburbia than complete indifference as an adult.
So, forgive my ignorance, bit you say these were major TV events. Where can I see them? Netflix? Hulu? The library? Apparently not knowing Roots is mockworthy (hi, @ttf!) but I'm legit curious.
If you asked me to name a "major TV event" pre-1998, all I would remember is, in reverse order: Princess Diana's funeral, the OJ verdict, the OJ car chase, the Dallas finale (because my mom watched), the Berlin Wall falling, and Luke and Laura's wedding on General Hospital (because Mom told me about girls skipping class to watch it).
I'm not mad at you, I promise lol. I'm just kind of, well Sou explained it well. It wasn't taught in school. It was just absorbed like Michael Jackson's hair catching on fire or Madonna rolling around in that wedding dress.
Apparently you can watch it on Amazon but you have to pay for it. I think it's worth it though.
If you were black and a SAG member in the 70's, your ass had a part in Roots.
Bet none of these fools know about The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman neither.
I mean seriously though, I'm not trying to dog anyone out but this isn't just history, it's effin pop culture. Do you know the Commodores? Ike and Tina? Flip Wilson? Josephine Baker? Langston Hughes? The Harlem Renaissance? Lena Horne?
This is why we have Black History month, people!!!
And see how well it's worked, btw. You guys all know Rosa Parks but don't know Geoffrey Holder.
This is also why TvOne exists.
I just saw Lionel Richie in concert last month and he sang Sail On. And Brick House. And Still. And THREE TIMES A LADY!!
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
I mean I bumped into James Earl Jones once near the Kennedy Center and we crossed the street and I (stupidly) told him that for a good chunk of my young life I thought HE was Alex Haley. He laughed.
And I think of James Earl Jones as Terence Mann from Field of Dreams.
You know. Baseball. Iowa. White people.
See, if you told me you had never heard of Field of Dreams, I would have mocked that too
If you were black and a SAG member in the 70's, your ass had a part in Roots.
Bet none of these fools know about The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman neither.
I mean seriously though, I'm not trying to dog anyone out but this isn't just history, it's effin pop culture. Do you know the Commodores? Ike and Tina? Flip Wilson? Josephine Baker? Langston Hughes? The Harlem Renaissance? Lena Horne?
This is why we have Black History month, people!!!
And see how well it's worked, btw. You guys all know Rosa Parks but don't know Geoffrey Holder.
This is also why TvOne exists.
I did read Langston Hughes in high school! And I definitely learned about the Harlem Renaissance.
As as for it being "just pop culture," there was a thread on MM where several posters said they couldn't name a Beatles song because it was white people's music. So I think no matter how popular or pervasive, it is possible for people to be unaware of certain parts if pop culture.
I mean I bumped into James Earl Jones once near the Kennedy Center and we crossed the street and I (stupidly) told him that for a good chunk of my young life I thought HE was Alex Haley. He laughed.
And I think of James Earl Jones as Terence Mann from Field of Dreams.
You know. Baseball. Iowa. White people.
THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW JAMES EARL JONES???
I feel like I would remiss if I didn't mention that Alex Haley also wrote for Playboy. No seriously, the articles, okay? I know people joke about reading playboy for the articles but there were a shitton of very well written articles in that magazine before it became a total skank factory. Haley interviewed MLK and a host of others for Playboy magazine.
If you were black and a SAG member in the 70's, your ass had a part in Roots.
Bet none of these fools know about The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman neither.
I mean seriously though, I'm not trying to dog anyone out but this isn't just history, it's effin pop culture. Do you know the Commodores? Ike and Tina? Flip Wilson? Josephine Baker? Langston Hughes? The Harlem Renaissance? Lena Horne?
This is why we have Black History month, people!!!
And see how well it's worked, btw. You guys all know Rosa Parks but don't know Geoffrey Holder.
This is also why TvOne exists.
I did read Langston Hughes in high school! And I definitely learned about the Harlem Renaissance.
As as for it being "just pop culture," there was a thread on MM where several posters said they couldn't name a Beatles song because it was white people's music. So I think no matter how popular or pervasive, it is possible for people to be unaware of certain parts if pop culture.
ok, you may or may not mean it that way, but you seriously cannot compare Roots to The Beatles. No.
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
I have never pretended to be versed in black TV/movie culture, but it's more due to lack of exposure as a kid in affluent white suburbia than complete indifference as an adult.
So, forgive my ignorance, bit you say these were major TV events. Where can I see them? Netflix? Hulu? The library? Apparently not knowing Roots is mockworthy (hi, @ttf!) but I'm legit curious.
If you asked me to name a "major TV event" pre-1998, all I would remember is, in reverse order: Princess Diana's funeral, the OJ verdict, the OJ car chase, the Dallas finale (because my mom watched), the Berlin Wall falling, and Luke and Laura's wedding on General Hospital (because Mom told me about girls skipping class to watch it).
I'm not mad at you, I promise lol. I'm just kind of, well Sou explained it well. It wasn't taught in school. It was just absorbed like Michael Jackson's hair catching on fire or Madonna rolling around in that wedding dress.
Apparently you can watch it on Amazon but you have to pay for it. I think it's worth it though.
If it makes you feel better, I have no idea about the bolded. I grew up without MTV and pretty disconnected from pop music. I was a senior in high school in 1999 and had never seen the "Thriller" dance. I caught shit from my friends for WEEKS when that information came out.
I played Exodus the Nintendo game as a kid. I was so sheltered.
I did read Langston Hughes in high school! And I definitely learned about the Harlem Renaissance.
As as for it being "just pop culture," there was a thread on MM where several posters said they couldn't name a Beatles song because it was white people's music. So I think no matter how popular or pervasive, it is possible for people to be unaware of certain parts if pop culture.
And I think of James Earl Jones as Terence Mann from Field of Dreams.
You know. Baseball. Iowa. White people.
THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW JAMES EARL JONES???
I feel like I would remiss if I didn't mention that Alex Haley also wrote for Playboy. No seriously, the articles, okay? I know people joke about reading playboy for the articles but there were a shitton of very well written articles in that magazine before it became a total skank factory. Haley interviewed MLK and a host of others for Playboy magazine.
Oh, we read Playboy articles (sans pictures) in journalism classes so I don't doubt you on that front one bit!