on the black hand side

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency

Have you seen the new HBO series The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency? It's set in Botswana and is based on a series of well-known books of the same name. Jill Scott and Anika Noni Rose star in the television series.

Check out the official site on HBO. It's chock full of information on the books author, Alexander McCall Smith, as well as details on each episode and the cast.

Both Scott and Rose are wonderful in their roles and the other actors are also very good. It is refreshing to see black people in natural hairstyles and hear English spoken correctly and in whole sentences.

Here's the background of the show from their site:

About the Show:

As a young girl growing up in the African nation of Botswana, Precious Ramotswe was encouraged by her father to follow her dreams, no matter what. Now in her mid-30s, Precious is doing just that — by opening her country's first and only female-owned detective agency for the benefit of those who need help the most.

The first major film/TV project to be shot entirely on location in Botswana, 'The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' is based on the best-selling novels by Alexander McCall Smith and co-written and executive produced by Richard Curtis and the late Anthony Minghella.

Like McCall's novels, the series chronicles the adventures of Precious Ramotswe (Jill Scott), the cheerful, eminently sensible proprietor of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, located in the Kgale Hill Shopping Center on the outskirts of Gaborone. Aided by her efficient yet high-strung secretary Grace Makutsi (Anika Noni Rose), Precious investigates a variety of cases, helping townspeople solve mysteries in their lives, from missing children to philandering husbands to con-artist scams.

Precious Ramotswe exemplifies the courageous efforts by real-life Africans to improve the quality of their lives while preserving their culture. Though Precious brings a playful, even innocent, exuberance to her job, the "mysteries" she investigates are quite serious, and include child kidnapping, poverty, organized crime, health crises, spousal abandonment and infidelity — ongoing problems that confront many Africans (and Americans) today.

In the lead role of Precious Ramotswe is Jill Scott, the R&B singer/songwriter who has won three Grammy® Awards since 2005, branching out into acting with 2007's 'Hounddog' (her debut, as Big Mama Thornton) and 'Why Did I Get Married?' Other regulars include Anika Noni Rose ('Dreamgirls') as Precious' quirky secretary Grace, Lucian Msamati as her devoted suitor JLB, and Desmond Dube ('Hotel Rwanda') as her neighbor BK, a flamboyant hairdresser. Guest stars include David Oyelowo (HBO's 'Five Days' and 'As You Like It'), Idris Elba (HBO's 'The Wire' and 'Sometimes in April'), Colin Salmon ('Die Another Day'), and Tony® winner John Kani ('Final Solution').

The pilot (which debuted on the BBC in 2008) is the last film directed by Anthony Minghella ('Cold Mountain,' Best Director Oscar® for 'The English Patient'), who co-wrote its script with Richard Curtis (Oscar® nominee for 'Four Weddings and a Funeral,' Emmy® winner for HBO's 'The Girl in the Café'). The pilot was produced by the late Sydney Pollack (Oscar®-winning director of 'Out of Africa' and 'Tootsie'), Timothy Bricknell ('Cold Mountain') and Amy J. Moore.

Follow The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency on Twitter and FaceBook.

   

© 2009, on the black hand side, www.blackhandside.net

Vote for this blog for Best Pop Culture Blog and Best Blog About Stuff in the 2009 Bloggers Choice Awards.

Tyler Perry Opens New Studio in Atlanta

Tyler Perry opened his new studio in Atlanta with all the grandeur one would expect from him. Celebrities such as Will Smith, Oprah Winfrey, Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee and Cicely Tyson were among the star-studded guests.

Perry, who was once homeless, has achieved what no other black person has done in the U.S., he owns his own movie and television studios.

The grand opening was not without controversy. A small protest was staged by four writers who were fired from "House of Payne".

 

Related Link: Message from Tyler Perry (with event photos)

     

© 2008, on the black hand side, www.blackhandside.net

Vote for this blog for Best Pop Culture Blog and Best Blog About Stuff in the 2008 Bloggers Choice Awards.

   

 

The Obamas and DNC ‘08

Regardless of your political party affiliation, if you are black you had to feel a sense of pride in Barack Obama and his family during the Democratic National Convention in Denver. The event was first-class all the way, or at least the parts that were televised.

I know that pride is something that folks who are minorities understand. If you're not a minority that's not a put down at all, it's just something that you have to experience to know what I'm talking about.

How about Michelle Obama and their daughters? Her speech was on point. The little ones were too cute and not at all camera shy.

I'm looking forward to Obama becoming the next president of the United States not just my pride in his accomplishment as a black man but because he is the leader this nation needs.

And before I end this post, I must mention how great Beau Biden's introduction of his dad was. Biden's mom looked a little feisty herself. The Bidens make a great partnership with the Obamas. It's great to see diversity in Obama events as opposed to the McCain rallies. Now, don't get it twisted, McCain has been shown at several predominantly black events but his actual support among blacks is dismal.

Skimpy Prom Dress Leads to Arrest; Parents Should Have Been Arrested Also

Marche Taylor is a 17 year-old high school senior in Texas. On the night of her senior prom recently, she found herself in handcuffs and carted off to jail. Wow, that's not exactly the way anyone would want their prom to be remembered. What happened?

It seems that Miss Taylor was not allowed to enter the prom because her dress was inappropriate. She knew her dress was in violation of school rules but she tried to get in anyway.

School officials stood their grounds. Taylor became belligerent and demanded her money back. Eventually, police were called to quell the disturbance and off went Miss Taylor in handcuffs. How embarrassing.

When looking at Marche Taylor's 'custom designed' dress, one must wonder, where in the hell were her parents? She looked like a stripper. Surely, an adult in her life could have stopped her from degrading herself in that attire. When Taylor was handcuffed, the police should have picked up her parents and taken them to jail too.

Taylor was not arrested because of her dress; she was arrested for disturbing the peace. When she couldn't get in the prom and didn't get her money back, did she really think someone would have money on the spot to give her?

Taylor's incident should be a lesson to all high school kids in America. Enough with the ridiculous prom attire; our children should know what is and is not acceptable and appropriate. Acceptable according to whose standards? How about common decency.

Unfortunately, Miss Taylor has not learned that lesson from her experience. I do hope someone can reach her social conscience so she understands. In the meantime, she broke the rules and is not entitled to her money back. She really should be punished for arguing with the chaperone.

Prom Dresses and Accessories

Special Report on the Assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Don't miss tonight's CNN special report on the Martin Luther King assassination committed on April 4^, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. Eyewitness to Murder: The King Assassination is hosted by veteran journalist and CNN special correspondent Soledad O'Brien. It will air on CNN this evening at 9 PM ET.

It is strongly believed that James Earl Ray did not kill Rev. Dr. King. That is a belief shared b the King family and many others. This special is slated to cover the assassination as never before with documents and other information not made available to the masses until now.

Please watch it and feel free to post your views here. Thanks.

Has Damon Wayans lost his mind?

Damon Wayans was on The View recently and spoke of freedom of speech surrounding the Don Imus controversy referring to the women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos." See the video below.

Personally, nervous or otherwise, there was way too much laughter accompanying Wayans' comments. Sherri Sheppard changed the flow of the conversation but the damage was already done.

Last time I checked, I was black too. Contrary to what Wayans said I was not laughing, I found his comments highly offensive and insulting.

But you know what? Calling someone a nappy-headed ho may not be illegal such as yelling "FIRE" in a crowded room but I can also exercise my freedom by NOT watching Mr. Wayans' new sitcom on ABC-TV next season.

ROOTS 30th Anniversary

Labels: Alex Haley, Black Culture, Black History, Kunta Kinte, Television