Oscars So...

By Trevor A. Keveloh

Well... After a few weeks of talking about this with a very wide variety of people, I decided it was time to weigh in on this subject with the most appropriate way I personally can...A good ole blog.

#OscarsSoWhite is a cute and catchy #hashtag that got trending quickly and is still trending. With topics like these, I enjoy speaking with any and everyone I can just to get a better understanding of what people REALLY think based on the information given...And that my friends is where I am eventually going to try and make my mark on this. 

The three most "popular" people to initiate and vocalize their opinions of the Oscars this year are Spike Lee, Will Smith and Jada Smith. Spike Lee wrote and directed the film, "Chiraq." Will Smith was in the film, "Concussion." I will say this, I haven't seen either film so I cannot comment on their performances. I plan too soon. My opinion on this subject thus far is this. Ego (When I see these films, I COULD write another blog stating they got a snub.)

Both men are in separate films that they believe, in their heads and hearts, deserved an Oscar nod. They did not receive one. However good, bad, great or horrible these films are, I truly believe that the ego is what made them stand up and call for a bias within the academy.

So on the topic of the academy, I have to say that it's most likely like any conglomerate corporation where it's, "owned and run by a bunch of old white guys." The irony is, Hollywood is a place that is suppose to be very, open minded, liberal, steering away from old thoughts and steering into the direction of new thoughts, constantly, every day. It's a city of art, progression, and everything else pseudo-60's.

Apparently not if these guys and whoever else have jumped onto the bandwagon #OscarsSoWhite

My overall opinion has NOTHING to do with the Oscars, it has to do with the same exact fawkn recipe any and every issue begins with. The foundation. 

I am a working actor with my hands in on some writing and production projects at this time. Everyday I get sent dozens and up to hundreds of casting calls for actors and guess what, everyone, EVERYONE is looking for a particular "type" in virtually every casting call.

The initial issue begins with the vision of writers, directors, producers, casting directors and so on. How come more unattractive people aren't on the cover of magazines? How come all the A-List celebs have sex appeal, great teeth, hair, etc? How come if you are chubby and funny, you will NEVER be a leading man in a heart throbbing way? How come most casting calls looks for "Caucasian male, 6ft-6'2, 175lbs, nice body, nice teeth, VERY attractive?" 

It's because that's what we are programmed to like and look for, that's why. Every once in a while someone comes along and WOOES us with something other than looks or laugh, someone who breaks all barriers and is just outstanding at their craft. Someone who isn't a chubby funny guy or a hot chiseled guy.

But that's "every so often." I got into a great discussion with a friend who is Mexican and quite Liberal and I made the comment that people of other races outside of Caucasian need to "work harder," at making their films Oscar worthy. The quote was taken the wrong way (after a few Jameson's, A LOT of shit can be taken wrong) and what I meant was this. Caucasian people are the majority in most films because, well, its the majority of the race. If we keep focusing on race, we will never break out of that shell of thinking. When I told him other races needed to "work harder" as far as films go, I meant they actually HAVE to work harder, not "go work harder because the color of your skin." If you want to stand out from the rest, don't complain on social media about injustice, don't call for a race card. Go be active, go make a film that's fawkn KILLER and you see past the skin color,  make people forget you are Black, White, Mexican, Asian. Mid-Eastern, etc. Make a film that doesn't have the "token black guy that happens to me the police sergeant that yells all the time." Go against the grain. Stand out!

The Oscars are about film, which is my favorite art form. It should never ever ever be about color, ever. Maybe content, but never color. Art is art, it's beautiful, it's COLORFUL, it's hurtful and it's helpful. We all escape to some art form daily, weekly, monthly, etc. It should never be about color unless we are PHYSICALLY using that color to depict a feeling or trying to communicate something to the viewer. 

That's the only way color should be used in art...

Now jump over here to this...

My FAVORITE film of the year was, "Straight Outta Compton," mainly because that was the beginning of my era of music. That film was incredible in every capacity and I do think it got snubbed for a best picture nod because a film like, "Mad Max: Fury Road," got a nod. I have never been a big fan of action flicks unless they have a great storyline, which Mad Max did. However, SOC was just an incredible film and true depiction of the rise of the most innovative rap group in the history of music. Acting wise, those 4 guys were just outstanding. And that's where I felt it hurt itself. 4 great acting performances in a leading role. It was very difficult to chose the best out of those 4. But seeing all the Oscar nods for Mad Max, I can understand the frustration of some filmmakers. Then I jump over to Michael B. Jordan in "Creed." I loved the film, but before all this hoopla about the racism, I wasn't wooed out of my panties by Jordan's performance. The guy did an a great great job, but I just didn't buy quite a few of his scenes. Sly on the other hand, fawkn CRUSHED it, but it's not fair to compare those two. 

So what I'm trying to say here since I've gone on a few coffee induced tangents in this. The bottom end of Hollywood, the foundation, that is where things need to change, not the top with the ego-driven people who think their art is the best. If you want TRUE change, cast an unattractive man or woman in a leading role. Cast a black guy in a role a white guy was initially designed for. Take a chance on a new face going in for something. Instead of wanting a "Caucasian male, 25-30, 6ft-6'2, fit, VERY attractive," try casting some guy that can act that's... "30's, 5'9, 220, fangy teeth, attractive and blue eyes."

Hey Hollywood, you might be surprised if you open yourself up to new things!

The Story of Roosevelt Collins (unfinished)

By Trevor A. Keveloh

O, o, what a story this is my dear friends, ladies and gentlemen, people of all ages (kind of, not really, more so like mature without an age discrimination; fuck could be said) here we have a wonderful, fabulous, sexy and sweet story about none other than Roosevelt Collins. 

Who's Roosevelt Collins you ask?

Well, let me tell you where and how the story begins. 

Roosevelt Collins, or as we call him, Roose, is a tale, a story, an epic journey about the life of a man who was once seductive, classy a true gentleman and ladies man, who fell victim to the whores of life, the addictions of hate and greed, the awfulness of being a shitbag, but then who eventually saw the light and began to erase his inner demons and find the light again.

Roose was born into a nice family, a large family, with many siblings ranging older and younger. Roose was special because in his home, he was the only child with blue eyes. When he was born, his mother and father looked at him, deep into his eyes and knew he was special and not the special where he needs help putting his shoes on, but the special where he would change peoples lives forever.

We are going to start this tale when Roose was 17. He was in school and had a revelation about life, women, the world around him, work and even the most prolific way to eat and enjoy movie theater popcorn.  His epiphany was based on the morals he had for himself and the people around him. He fought for what he thought was right, was good, was positive and denounced anything that was hurtful, that was harmful, that negatively effected people. He took that knowledge, that change, that charisma and he used it in the best possible ways, especially with women.

He was known to woo them with love, affection, flowers, gifts, pure sincere honesty. Whether it was a lady of the night, a random bang during a vacation, a girl he laid with for a while or even a steady fuck or eventual girlfriend, he wooed them with everything and anything they wanted in their time together. Roose was always a gentleman in some way or another and this ultimately laid groundwork for what would eventually be a destruction of his life.

Roose spent the next several years as a nomad traveling from city to city, town to town and wooing women of all races, colors, creeds and hairstyles. When Roose was in the desert he came across a group of men who were more like savages than gentleman. The problem was they all looked more than just appealing to women, they acted appealing, they came off like true gentlemen, but they were all savagely whorebags who preyed on late night activities to seduce these women. Roose fell under their spell and his life changed. 

Roose spent the next several years as a savage and became destructive towards himself and others. His attitude had changed for the worse thinking that any and every time he would go out gallivanting thru the night, he wanted to lay with a hussy and leave before she woke. He no longer wooed women, he no longer kissed them deeply and passionately, he no longer left "it" in them to feel the explosion. The attitude that he became was one that left women wanting more, but not from him. He left a not to lasting impression in all of these women, a sexual adventure to say the least, but morally just shitty. 

Then one day he met a girl that would change it all.

Her name was Delilah and she was the most beautiful, elegant, intense woman he had ever laid eyes on. She and long thick flowing brown hair that would move like a prize pony anytime she walked. She had the most imperfectly perfect body he had ever seen, she dressed as if she was always going somewhere important and had the courage and confidence of a queen. He saw her and HAD to talk to her and did. He approached her with a walk, talk, step and halfy. 

She denied him because she knew he was kind of a fuckhead and he knew that.

Roose felt as if this was "the one," and he did everything in his power to try and convince her that he was no longer like that and wanted to change, be a better man, not so slimy and shit. So instead of working to try and win the heart of Delilah, he worked on himself. He began pushing tin, he began meditating, praying, speaking with the Gods, he began to be reborn, minus all the gooey placenta and shit. He began to learn about himself internally rather than externally and decided that he would leave for a "Hajj to purity." 

Roose took a boat to a giant island off the coast that was a highly populated place for people that were both spiritual and kind of fucked up. It was where lost souls went to lose themselves and then gain themselves. It was a place of absolutely no judgement at all and if you were ever caught judging, you would be banned from the "Isle of Truth," for good, shipped off to the mainland. 

Roose became one with them. He learned more about himself in that time that he had ever in his entire life. He shook the hands of godlike men, he kissed the foreheads of newborn babies, he learned to play the harmonica and would preform 5 nights a week for the locals. Roose started to become not the man he once was, but the man that he always wanted to be. The women of the Isle feel deeply in love with him, but Roose was unable to bring himself to inserting his TOOL into them, he couldn't, he was saving himself for Delilah and didn't want the comfort of the women to tarnish his focus and goals. Sometimes too much vagina can do that to a man.So he kept his baby batter, his heart, his mind and his spirit intact and continued to fix, recreate and rebuild himself.

After he felt the time was right, he took a boat back to the mainland and scoured the land for Delilah. After months and months of searching for her, he found her, in a home, with a husband and family. He looked through her window and saw how happy she was, running around chasing 4 shitty little brats and cooked for a husband who treated her well, not that great, but enough for her to forget about Roose, to a certain degree. Roose watched and a tear drop, one single teardrop rolled down his cheek, onto his hand, slithering like a worm during a storm, onto his shoe and to the ground. He looked at the teardrop and began to cry. He sobbed, he fell to his knees and asked the Gods, "why, why me, why her, why HIM?" 

Roose felt awakened after that. Something woke up a part of him that he had never known. He had a discovery that was larger than life, this was more than an epiphany, this was the most incredible life changing event he could ever imagine. Roose knew what he had to do. So he set out to cross the land alone to start over.

To Be Continued...