Jason Toney

Dudes

"Money's all gone but you need some/Lover's on the phone but they got none" - Scissor Sisters, Music is the Victim [buy the album] A friend is making her debut as a singer doing back-up for a very new, very up and coming alt.country outfit called Jody Jones and the August Sons. We're at the M Bar, a place that when I'm driving towards it, I feel like I've been to far too often, but once inside, I feel as though it's not often enough. Trapped in a mini-mall, it's lush velvety interior is like an oasis from the grit and grime of lower Vine.

Big Screen

"What do I gotta do to make it work out?" - The Gossip, Fire/Sign [buy the album] Stereogum mentioned this movie. He notices Selma Blair and the names of the characters. I notice Tracey Ullman and find the very hilarious trailer. I usually don't like to follow the crowd and link to what everyone else is linking to but Anchorman is my favorite movie of the summer so far and this vid clip featuring Will Ferrell is the balls. "I will use this as a weapon to kill the devil horse if it gets near me." Register to vote, people. I love the character of Jason Bourne. I love the smartness of these films. I did not love the jumpy camera and quick cutting of the action scenes. It left me a little disengaged from the characters. That said, more Bourne, please. Perhaps my second favorite film of the summer (running neck and neck with I, Robot, which I'm secretly liking but not telling anybody) I wasn't planning on seeing it and I probably shouldn't even be telling you this -- if she knew I was putting her bizness out in the virtual street we probably wouldn't be cordial in the future -- but...(okay I'll sort of tell you after the jump)

Wrapped Up in Books: Book Drive

"Our aspirations, are wrapped up in books/Our inclinations, are hidden in looks" - Belle & Sebastian, Wrapped Up In Books [buy the album]

Michelle has started a book drive for public libraries through their Amazon.com wishlists. I've already helped the library in Kentucky she selected and am thinking about helping a school closer to home. I remember when Pamie started her book drive and it continues to be incredibly successful. Get Involved!

Idiot Box

"Let's just go on the roof, man, and stare at the sky" - !!!, When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Karazee [buy the album] It's like black tv news day over at tvtattle.com (and they probably don't even know it). Boondocks might actually see the light of day. I'm guessing BET was out of the question. And Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block is probably the best place for it. Especially now that TRIO might be going bye bye. The home of The N Word and Chuck D Weekend and concert films and more new york hipster pseudo-intellectualism (kind of like Paper) than you can shake a stick at might go away which is really sad. It's got the best programming sensibilities of any station on the cablesphere. And while the tattle notes that N.K.O.T.B. (Dirty Dawg!) are going to be on Bands Reunited, I'm stopped by this: ABC. Another Bad Creation? For Reals? That's the best news ever. What if I pitch Bands Incarcerated? Come on, New Edition can't be the only r&b band with a criminal in the midst. There's gotta be at least one cat from Troop or Hi-Five who is on lockdown. And if every negro from H-Town ain't on the run from the law these days then I don't know my criminal minded. Yewknee wants you to waste at least an hour of your day like I did. Am I the only one who was hot for Jenna Von Oy back when she was Sixx (hell, I was only Twelve) or is waiting for the day that 21 Jump Street is digitally remastered and put on DVD with commentary by The McQuaid Brothers? And finally, I'm really enjoying Rescue Me (which features not one single likeable character) but, once again I must ask, in this fictional New York City, where the black people at?

Picture Pages

"Stop (stop) I've been thinking of you. Look in my heart and let love keep us together" - Captain & Tennille, Love Will Keep Us Together [buy the album]

Now that I've won it off of ebay, I can't wait to find that rare accessory, Uncle Tom's Cabin, for her to live in. (found via LA Brain Terrain)

I'm just sayin', Christina can wear the hell out of some sneakers.

Mr. Obama is likely to be the third elected black U.S. senator since reconstruction but who was the first?

Am I My Brother's Keeper?

"Walk with me reminisce in my life" - Estelle, 1980 (courtesy of said the gramophone) 

That Estelle joint up there is the jam. THE JAM. You can talk about your Welcome Back's and your Lean Back's all you want, I'm going back to 1980 with Estelle. 

I lied yesterday. Bill Clinton was the magick. Barack Obama is the magick! Read the speech. I was listening on the radio as I drove home from work and had to pull into the grocery store parking lot and just sit and pay attention. Mr. Obama coupled with Howard Dean's real talks (not that convention stuff, let's Take Back America) was some inspiring, moving oratory. If Mr. Obama is the future of the party and Dean is driving the bus then maybe I can stick around for awhile. 

Lurch better come correct, though. Both the old blood and the new have been on point when they got their chances to speak this week. The real question for me is whether or not John Kerry can take this chance to really define himself, his party, and his Vision for America in real terms? The opportunity is right there for him. 

The Afro-Netizen was finally moved while blogging the convention. I think this kind of writing is what bloggers should be doing while at the DNC. Don't try to be journalists or the quirky web pundits or the bored with nothing to say. Be the everyman or woman who is getting to experience something first hand that few get the chance to. Blogs are about feelings and perspective and voice.

Weekend Notes and Blog Dispataches

"Relax yourself girl, cuz we got you now." - Rell, Real Love (Warriors 5) "Stay cool, motherfuckers, ya'll know the rules." - The Roots, Stay Cool [buy the album] 100 degree Mondays when the computers don't work right, meetings don't flow right, things don't go quite as planned, and at 10:10pm when you could be out rockin' your Mr. T tee at Avalon for 80s Night or singing Milli Vanilli at Barney's Beanery but instead you're in front of your computer with a fan blowing hot air in your face because it's sill one million degrees in The Valley and you still have work to do can blow up. Yahooey Kablooey! So let's do some Weekend Notes and Blog like dispatches and dream of happier times.

That's My Sister!

"Young liars I said Thank you for taking my hands and burying them deep in the world's wet womb where no one can heed their commands where no one can heed their commands except young liars" - TV on the Radio, Young Liars (Live at Gate City Noise) [Buy the album] It finally happened. Sometime in the past few months, as we've spent more time together, my sister, who is twelve years younger, and I transitioned from our abnormal, but expected, uncle/niece style relationship into a truer sibling thang. As I drove towards our lunch destination in Studio City earlier today and we talked about things it popped into my head, "Wow, we're friends." Now, I'm sure part of it has to do with the fact that as she gets ever older (she's 17 now), some of my friend circles seem to be getting younger and that she swallows whole my abridged tales of my Hollywood exploits as if I was the audio version of US Weekly but it also has to do with her maturation. And I couldn't be happier. We sat down at Mexicali and talked about the great things in her week -- auditioning for a role on a tv show, being mentored by a serious casting television show casting agency -- and the bad -- not being able to go take her driver's license exam, fighting with our parents over her crazed and rash desire to get emancipated so she could work as an adult. I listened and offered advice. We discussed politics (She has to read Chris Mathews' Hardball for AP Government this fall, I'm still slowly getting through Fanatics & Fools) and cracked jokes. We've hardly ever done that before. Truthfully, we've both been raised as only children. I went away to college before she was in the first grade and spent every summer in DC, I lived at home for only 6 months after returning after school and then set about making my place in the world which, for many reasons, hasn't always meant I've been the most available brother and son. I've worried that we might be like my dad and his siblings, rarely interacting or seeing each other. I didn't want that. I don't want that. Now I don't have to worry about that anymore. We trust and respect each other. We're friends. We're siblings. We're family. Even though she's crazy, I'll claim her with pride. Especially if you see her on TV soon playing the spunky bisexual girl on a corny series set on the islands. The entourage starts with family first. Get in line behind the brotha.

Mad Ism

"Kick it wit' me I can mold yo life, you lookin' good girl show you right/Dre told me you tha proto type, I can make you a celebrity overnight" - Twista, Overnight Celebrity [buy the album] Cody's spinnin' club bangers and, of course, I'm dancing. I kept it easy as my dance partner did several versions of the same move, hitting none of the beats as she smiled and fumbled around, ever a threat to bump into those around us. She leaned over and whispered in my ear, "I know you're thinkin' to yourself that this white girl can't dance." Yup. Exactly. But that doesn't matter, ma, I can dance enough for the both of us. We're at Vermont. I've been here before. It's a LA kind of birthday party. Expensive drinks, sexy clothes, nose candy in the bathroom, excess everywhere you turn. After drinks and laughs and conversations I've tired of, I'm in my own world on the dance floor. Dancing with no one, everyone, the world. I was all set to break it down to the breakadawn when I glanced up and saw her. I'm sure the smile on my face was ridiculous. We locked eyes for a moment and pointed, I cocked my cap to the side and made my way to the table. We hugged like we'd known each other forever even though we've only hung out once before. I took her hand and brought her back with me to center stage. She's the partner I've been waiting for. Her hips rocked in the same time as mine. We mouthed the words to every song. I hugged her again as she said, "I like you so much I don't even know what to do." Her friend joined us and hugged me as well. "I've been thinking about you all week. I've been watching your show. You know, Ja totally reminds me of you." "You know why," I asked. She looked at me. "Cuz we both got that ism." She laughed. I raised an eyebrow, kicked a hemp shelltop back and returned my attention to her. We all retired to the Mondrian and continued our night of decadence. Spin the bottle, making out in the bathroom, political discussions, emailing dirty limericks to Oz, doorbell ditching with European tourists, drinking copious amouts of red bull and vodka, all while alternating between The Grey Album and Get Rich or Die Tryin' on the stereo. In between, she and I sat side by side on the bed clowning people while discussing her current love/hate relationship with the culture of celebrity. She wore my hat despite my warnings that it was sweaty. We promised to make plans to hang out soon. And, at some point, I became a little smitten. I don't even care that she's just 23, has a boyfriend, and is going to be trouble. There's something about Marilyn.

Dinner & a Movie

"Everybody is a Star" - The Roots, Star/Pointro [buy the album] Sometimes you have to go big. Sometimes you have to spend 200 bones on a meal and drinks. Sometimes you have to see last year's funny movie to remind you how much you laughed at this year's funny movie. Sometimes you have to be sexy and flirtatious and overt. Sometimes you have to wonder aloud if a certain kind of underwear smells like candy. Sometimes you have to ogle the table next to you. Sometimes you have to give a wry smile to the waitress, the hostess, and the bartender. Sometimes you have to lick whip cream and caramel sauce off your spoon privately but seductively for the sole purpose of exciting your senses and no one elses. Sometimes you've got to drink someone else's malibu and pineapple like it's a shot. Sometimes you have to dance to The Roots in the middle of a club by yourself. Sometimes you have to name drop. Sometimes you have to wear the right jacket on a hot ass evening despite the fact that you will sweat your face off. Sometimes you have to treat yourself special. Sometimes you have to go to Cinespace on a Thursday night with good friends. And remember that, especially in LA, everybody is a star.