Commentary
Commentary | The Untapped Power of Humor
Gil Scott-Heron was incorrect. The revolution will be televised. Because, apparently, pop culture is the only way to get through to people. This weekend, Tom Hanks was the guest host for Saturday Night Live. He played a Trump supporter in a skit called “Black Jeopardy” where he competed for prizes with black contestants, a black…
Commentary | The Prejudices of Patriotism
We have a funny relationship with patriotism in our country. Patriotism is about loyalty to and pride in our country. And, in many respects, nowhere does that get highlighted more than with the Olympics, where we salute gladiator-like battles every four years against other countries. Unfortunately, our competitors are allowed but one identity — American…
Commentary | Sing Along, Then Speak Up
I’m in the same boat as everyone else — I can’t figure America out. Despite the times I express criticism and discomfort, irritation and downright anger — I’m a proud American. Maybe it’s because I’m an opinion writer and a playwright and am a veteran content consumer (fancy way of saying I’ve watched a lot of TV…
Commentary | Harry Potter and the Democrats
I’m a big fan of the Harry Potter series. Not the movies, the books. I miss the pomp and circumstance of lining up outside the bookstore, at midnight, with my friends, making a party of it as we waited for the next story in the ongoing saga. For some folks, it’s sports or concerts,…
Commentary | What It Feels Like
I’m afraid of the fear. That’s the bottom line I have left over from the Republican National Convention last week in Cleveland, Ohio. (And, trust, I’ve got plenty to process next week about the fallout from the Democratic National Convention.) Not that my fear is new. Pretty much since the momentum that is Donald Trump…
Commentary | The Sky is Not Falling
The sky is not falling. It just seems that it is because we have an image and a video of a falling sky that shows up on our mobile devices. And on our favorite cable stations. Maybe our friends and family are even texting us, warning about the falling sky. Then there’s an abundance of…
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How Gus Saved My Job
It was early in my career at The Kansas City Star, really early, and I was in dire straits. I needed help. Lots of it. I was a newly-minted labor reporter at the newspaper, and my stern and demanding editors had sent me on one of my first out-of-town reporting trips — to Kentucky and…