Tessa Thompson and Lakeith Stanfield

By Dawn Washington

Sorry to Bother You is Spike Lee's Bamboozled, Jordan Peele's Get Out, and Childish Gambino's music video, This is America, with a little bit of Michael Jackson's Thriller sprinkled at the end. That said, there is a lot going on in the Boots Riley film about a Black man, Cassius Green (LaKeith Stanfield), who goes from broke to not woke. From political commentary showing up in Detroit’s (Tessa Thompson) earrings, to dubbed over-puppetry, to a TV/ reality show literally entitled "Get the Shit Kicked Out of You," this independent dark comedy is throwing the whole kitchen sink (or Coke can) at us in terms of messages. And then there are the equisapians...don't ask.

If chaotic, disturbing, artsy, and absurd satire is your thing, the film definitely has some highlights!

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By Dawn Washington

In catching up with an old friend from college who had just started a new job as a clinic director, I asked him what he would do if he was attracted to one of his employees. His response was, "Nothing, because of the MeToo movement." And as I took a moment to celebrate internally and hum that negro spiritual, "Look How Far We Done Come," he went on. "Men are afraid to approach women now." And he said it with an entitled disdain. I'll admit that I felt my eyes narrow and my lip tighten up because I know this dude wasn't sitting before me over our Cuban-style chicken and yuca complaining about the monumental shift that is happening for women. I just knew he wasn't tripping. After all, he is raising two girls of his own and equally important, 3 boys. If anyone needed to be woke on this matter, it was him.

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Nikki, Cardi & Beyonce

By Dawn Washington

Over the last month or so I've been taking in bits and pieces of what's happening in the cultural zeitgeist: Beyoncé and Coachella, Cardi B blowing up the spot, Nikki Minaj dropping her latest, Chun Li, and I got to thinking. What is the relationship between these three cultural moments and what do they mean?

Follow me.

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By Dawn Washington

Last year I made $43K. I often wonder if everyone went to their jobs tomorrow and did what I just did, that is, told everyone in the office how much they made, would there still be a wage gap in this country? In the American workplace, it is generally discouraged to discuss salary. I have learned in life that anything that is asked to be kept secret becomes an opportunity for lies, deceit, abuse, exploitation, etc. If inequity is shrouded in darkness, no one will challenge it. If everyone discussed their salaries openly, wouldn't management have to give an account for why Tom makes more than Tyrone and why Becky makes more than Brenda?

Secrets are also opportunities for shame.

William Catlett in 'Stages'

By Dawn Washington

While Issa Rae has been gloriously living her year(s) of yes and working the come up, I think we are all looking at our watches to see when we will finally get into Insecure Season 3. I don’t know about you, but it has felt like Cardi B’s foreva waiting for this joint. There has been a bone thrown to us here and here but no firm date as of yet.

Issa was doing her thing well before Insecure shot to fame and had a growing list of productions to her credit before HBO even knew her name. We just may need to roll with these until season 3 hits our screens.

Stages is one of her earlier productions.

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