I’m a Jinius

That’s right. I’m going to the Jay-Z/Mary-J concert tonight.The Messiah of Hip Hop (as he modestly anointed himself) and the Queen of Hip Hop Soul are performing on the same stage. If I knew anything about religion then I imagine this is like the street equivalent of the second coming. This shit is gonna be empanadas!

So in honor of tonight’s concert I give you the Jay-Z and Amil track that spawned the catchiest retort in hip hop.

I’ve been listening to Color Me Badd on my ipod because I am going through an early nineties boy band phase. I liked Color Me Badd as a child because each member was a celebrity look alike. There was the dude who looked like George Michael, the dude who looked like Richard Marx, the dude who looked like Kenny G, and the black guy.

I Wanna Sex You Up is probably their biggest hit and it is also their most elusive one. I never understood the line “Girl, you make me feel real good/We can do it till we both wake up!” Shouldn’t the line be: “We can do it till we both pass out”?????

Last night Fab and I had an email convo (the best kind of convo) and we were discussing the critical state of race in our culture–specifically on the MTV show The Hills– (yeah, we’re like the Cornel West of water cooler topics)–and how the show sucks because it’s another show that features an all white cast along with Sex and the City and Friends.

All three shows were set in metropolitan cities (is that redundant?) and all three shows only featured all white casts.

How you gonna be set in Manhattan and Los Angeles and not have any colored friends?

But Friends tried to diversify the cast by adding Aisha Tyler one season but in doing so they managed to hire THE MOST UNFUNNY BLACK WOMAN ON TELEVISION. I’m sorry, I’m sure she’s very smart (think she went to an ivy) and a worthwhile actress, but she’s not a good comedian.

And then that reminded me of last month’s Vanity Fair issue on women in comedy and how the issue was very white centric with the exceptions of Wanda Sykes and Maya Rudolph.

What about Mindy Kalig? Margaret Cho? Whoopi Goldberg? Mo’nique? THE JINIUS??? How did Chelsea Handler get on that list???

I also noticed that they failed to include one of my favorite SNL female actresses…

RACHEL DRATCH.

How did “I’m Harry Pottaaa” not make the list?

Please, please, bring back Rachel Dratch. If you’re going to continue to marginalize minority comedians and promote white comedians then at least bring Rachel Dratch to the forefront. She’s not just one of the funniest women but one of the funniest people on television. Hello, remember when she played the Cat Wrangler on the pilot episode of 30 Rock? (”Do you consider yourself cat competent?”)

Putting race and gender aside, lets just focus on the comedy. Rachel Dratch is funny. And I want to see her back on television.

I used to love this song. It sounds like a Timbaland track. And the choreography is SICK. They don’t make music videos like this anymore.

Lost. Season 4. Premiere. Holler!

My friend Fab emailed me a video clip of a Flight of the Conchords episode. I responded by saying that I thought the guy with the glasses was cute. This comment incited an email debate over who’s hot…or not.

me:
lol i didnt know u liked FOTC.

the guy in glasses is so cute!

i love making fun of french people!!

Fab:
Girl yes I love that show. I’ve caught up on the whole 1st season thanks to On Demand. Ok now I know you think the guy with the glasses is cute but you’ve been known to have strange taste in men. Instead of cute you should have said I’m oddly attracted to him. I’m going to lump him into that category of men called “Ji’s perfectly acceptable odd attractions but for some reason she calls them hot and is so mistaken in that belief”. This category includes Russel Crowe (as I like to say - Russel No!!), Owen Wilson & Tobey Maguire. Am I missing someone? Why do I want to add Will Wheaton. What the hell let me throw Lucas Haas in there. Is that you spell his name by the way? Like a haas avacado?

I’m oddly attracted to him too. But I have enough forethought not to call him hot. I love the faces that he makes and the fact that his name is Jermaine. Did you see the episode where he sings business time?

me:
Btw i do NOT think owen wilson is cute. LUKE wilson is the obvious hottie of the two brothers.

i didnt know white people from new zealand named their kids jermaine.

and youre one to talk in terms of weird taste in men. you will never let down marlon wayans. he’s not even the cute one of the wayans brothers!!!!

Fab:
Dude you did go through an Owen Wilson phase. This was pre Royal Tennenbaums. I remember being like umm Ji his nose is chewed up. Don’t play it off just be cause he tried to commit suicide.

And here is the video that instigated so much furor. What do you think, dear readers, is the guy in glasses cute or what?!?!

A profile on The Wire’s creator in this week’s New Yorker. Click here to read.