The Barber Shop

These days, I'm watching them DVDs fast and furious.

My membership with my DVD library ends in Jan and I've got 20 coupons left. I'm anticipating a very busy 2005 so I'm trying to finish the 20 coupons by December.

There was a time when watching DVDs means a 100% focus, put-down-everything-else approach. Since then, I've learnt to live a little and adopt a more relaxed attitude.

These days, I can watch DVDs and be on the computer at the same time. However, I make sure these DVDs are less intellectually and artistically stimulating.

Whatever that means.

Yesterday, that meant borrowing The Barbershop, 15 Minutes and Along Came Polly. I also borrowed Super Size Me but I'm reserving that for a wholehearted viewing.

The Barbershop wasn't great. But it had its moments. I liked some of the lines in there, especially from Eddie, played by Cedric the Entertainer.

Black people have such cool names.

It was fun watching Eddie slaughter the sacred cows, and especially the reactions of the people around him.

Eddie
There are three things that Black people need
to tell the truth about.
Number one: Rodney King should've gotten his ass beat
for being drunk in a Honda
in a white part of Los Angeles.
Number two: O.J. did it!
And number three: Rosa Parks didn't do nuthin'
but sit her Black ass down!

The bit on Rosa Parks was hilarious.

Eddie wasn't only funny, he was wise as well.

Eddie
See, in my day, a barber was
more than just somebody
who sit around in a FUBU shirt
with his drawers hanging all out.
In my day, a barber was a counselor.
He was a fashion expert. A style coach. Pimp.
Just general all-around hustler.
But the problem with y'all cats today,
is that you got no skill.
No sense of history.
And then, with a straight face,
got the nerve to want to be somebody.
Want somebody to respect you.
But it takes respect to get respect.
Understand?

Care to comment on the last 8 lines?

More tomorrow.