Thursday, October 12, 2006

Operation Negro Search

Usually I leave topics like this to the expert, but I am curious as to the status of many people, cause celebres in thier own right.

There were those we had high expectations of SuperStar status, those that were fresh new faces, what was cool and what was hot. And then there were the elite that catapulted to iconic status during their tenure in a Jet Magazine/Ebony/Essence fueled era.

Narrow is NOT the gate. Wide is the gate to the many who have been ushered into our lives with great expectation, either as a "breakout" star, or "one to watch".

Here are some of my choices:

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After groundbreaking roles in the movie "Angel Dust", and his smoother than performance as Ricardo Tubbs in the critically acclaimed Miami Vice, Philip Michael Thomas was, indeed, our black man walking. With the coolest apparel to boot, coupled with a foray into the music would with his memorable album "Living the Book of My Life", he has a multitude of talents, including his support of the "Psychic Friends Network". With this litany of talent, our community needs you, Philip. Where you is?

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First introduced to us as the woman with the lustrous Jheri (or was is an "S" Curl) in the commercials that captured out heart and souls, Ola Ray catapulted to tight blue jean status with her co-starring role as the burgundy lip gloss infused date of Michael Jackson in the international smash video, "Thriller". We expected big thangs, big thangs, from a woman with equally big hair. Where did she run off to?

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This brothers descent into virtual oblivion is disturbing on so many levels it is impossible to list. You wonder why this picture is so small. Glad you asked. I can't FIND any pictures of Christopher Williams online right now other than small scale ones like this. Now Christopher Williams - he was ONE for the books. One of those universally fine brothers where even if you didn't like 'that' kind of brother, you thought that mutha fucka was phoine. With a beautiful voice to boot. By the time he was in New Jack City, I was officially hooked. Sidebar: It is true he used to weigh alot and lost weight as soon as he got out, has a baby by Stacey Dash, and is the one that knocked Halle Berry into next week. Please advise.

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We saw her as the ghettofabulous woman with a heart of Gold in "Jason's Lyric" the woman who was the confidant and friend of Nia Long's character in "Love Jones", the woman who hypnotized and seduced both Denzel and Samuel L. Jackson in "Devil in a Blue Dress" and "Eve's Bayou", respectively. She is the crazy, sexy, cool homey, lover, friend. However, based on reports of her mental status, she seems to be relishing in the crazy status more than anything at this point. Honeychild, I don't know where you are and what you are looking for; hopefully it's your mind because I heard you lost it a long time ago; come back to us soon.

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Although most of us couldn't get past the fact that his lips screamed and yearned for chap stick on the regular, we were all delighted at the prescence of a strong black man on television; one who exuded equal confidence, vulnerability, strength and weakness all in the form of a one hour period, Thursday Nights on Fox. He could get to be a bit much to look at if he wasn't edged up with his hair, but ultimately, we enjoyed his prescence, and a good time was had by all in the short span of the love affair we called "New York Undercover".

Now it's time to turn it over to y'all:
Who would you like to include in the Operation Negro Search?

21 comments:

A.u.n.t. Jackie said...

*yo soy la primera*

malik yoba is still around his lips are still kinda ashy, he has some kinda skin situation that he hasn't paid enough attention to in my opinion. He was in that show Thief last season on F/X it was a really great show actually, I hope it comes back.

I had heard that Lisa Nicole Carson had a break down of sorts. Rumor says that she was always crazy, she just became apart of the working crazies for a while.

You're on your own with the rest but I would like to find me some Phillip Michael Thomas, I'm surprised Michael Mann ain't brought him back from the dead to do a scene with Tom Cruise or something!

The Sarccastik Variable Why said...

oh lawd jeezus...i thought lisa nicole was the finest thing walkin....she had a sexiness about her like (my opinion) when she walk in the room...(my billy johnson stood up)...boy you went way back then....how 'bout the chick on miami vice?...the fine azz sista OH BOY!!! olivia brown or something like that...i thought she was RAW!!!!

P said...

At the Sarcastik:

You ARE, indeed, tawlking bout Miss Olivia Brown, who, put my scrawny 15 year old body to shame during that period. Man, talk about banging, and I ain't no brother but I was like DAYUM!!

The Wonderfulness Of Dr. Speed said...

Tracy Camilla Johns

P said...

I have often thought about her as well.

She went from She's Gotta Have it (to me, a top twenty best role played - ever), to being the object of G-Money, Nino Brown, and a litany of men (and some women's) desire as the "If I wuz you, I'd be checking for the pimples on the booty" stripper from New Jack City.

Apparently she is a good baker and opened up some Pie Shoppe.

A.u.n.t. Jackie said...

Tracy Camilla is on a show now, like one of them Law & Orders if I'm not mistaken, she's playing an attorney if I'm not mistaken, she still looks good though.

now you got me thinking about who i haven't seen that might need to be excavated!!

Rashan Jamal said...

Whatever happened to Sinbad? Just kidding?

Can you put an APB out on Cuba Gooding Jr's Blackness?

But for serious, I know I always say this on your blog, but when the hell is Jodeci gonna drop another album? Where Devante and 'em at?

African girl, American world said...

I gotta go think about this one b4 I put some names in the ring.

Lisa Nicole Carson, girlfriend had it on lock for a minute...don't forget her Ally McBeal days...hope she's alright and comes back to us!

Wait..what about that li chile from Fresh?? That boy was excellent in that movie!!! And while we're on Fresh, can someone plaese give N'Bushe Wright a bomb ass dramtic role?? She's one of our greatest!

Anonymous said...

LOL @ a Pie Shoppe and skin situation.

Malik was on Girlfriends for a minute too. Where the heck are Boyz II Men?

A.u.n.t. Jackie said...

@ Chele Boys II Men were just on my show, Celebrity Duets. They're down to just 3 guys now cuz one of them has some kinda illness I can't spell but they can still sing and they're supposed to be coming out with a new album.

They sang end of the road and i teared up for real!

That Girl Tam said...

Yo...what happened to Grace Jones, Jerome from the Time and that nigga POONJAB from the movie Annie? Yo...remember those 7-Up commercials he did?

That Girl Tam said...

Speaking of the Time...what happened to Jessie Johnson? And where did Angela bury Rene? And how come ain't nobody heard shit from Shanice after she married Flex? And what happened to Traci Spencer? Yo...yall remember the "fisting" of Jane Kennedy?

That Girl Tam said...

Hey...think After 7 will ever get back together? Has anyone seen Taimak?

The Wonderfulness Of Dr. Speed said...

Jerome is still on tour with The Time, and still ripping up the stage. They will be coming to a venue near you very soon. Check their Yahoo! Group for a schedule. Jesse Johnson is recording and releasing rock albums every now and then to satisfy his contract.

As for Jane Kennedy, I was at a party last year that she was at. While the conversation was good, she is not the sex symbol she used to be. She appears to be content being a mother and lending her name to worthy causes.

African girl, American world said...

@Tam - Shanice just released a new album a couple of months ago..she's on myspace

john said...

I left two out. Zhane? The bald chicks. Where are they?

P said...

@ Glam: I figured you would have an 'in the know' answer re: Lisa Nicole. . .I have always liked her; but I always knew there was something, um, different(?) about her.

@ The Cas: We gone hafta dig up K-Ci (stay off the drugs) and Jo jo and the crew to drop you a CD.

@ Mwabi: Re: Nbushe Wright: So, so many of our actors and actresses (giancarlo esposito one of my lost treasures) have been lost in the shuffle.

@ Tam: fisting incident, what fisting incident? :P And wasn't Taimak the coolest think since the wheel. . .

@ Jaimie: Does anybody remember when erry-buddy thought Al B Sure and Christopher Williams were cousins?

@ Phil: Yeah, what DID happen to Jesse Powell. He WAS 100 pounds, soaking wet, and now he has disappeared into the oblivion.

@ Dr. Speed & Tam: I was totally entralled (and had a crush) on Jerome. Funny how we (at least me) thought that he was cooler than cool back then. Now I'm like this mofo didn't even play an instrument - he was just. . .Jerome.

@ Phil - I was always fascinated with Zhane. . .They were good looking chicks that could sing - that were VERY BALD. They were around during that whole whatever happened to era: B Angie B, Mc Breed, Today, etc, etc.

Anonymous said...

dammit i wish i would have come here before i posted this morning or i would have known not to bother looking for photos of Chris!! i couldn't find jack either... anyway hes in the play Man of Her Dreams that will be intown this weekend...

Anonymous said...

Al' B and Chris are cousins. just saw it today while looking for pics,

the light chick from Zhane is married to a guy i went to school with and just released and album
Shanice has a new album out that sucks so far. she tried to go the gospel route but i guess that didn't work out to well

1InTheSame said...

What happened to ol' girl that played the Kim character on Different World...What in the hell happened to Temptest Bledsoe

The Sarccastik Variable Why said...

yeah...tracy was fine...i was wondering what the hell happened to her...thank you...i knew i seen her before...she was dancing on new jack city...I THOUGHT SHE WAS RAW!!!!