Does Art really imitate life...?

Okay, so we’re still in the getting to know each other phase. If you aren’t privileged enough to love me, because to know me is to love me, there is no possible way for you to know some really important things about me. Like for instance my sense of humor, know how incredibly intellectual I am and how I really am the best token black girl friend anyone could have.

I love the arts – all forms of them. I am a pianist, a cellist and I love all forms of music (except bluegrass but I’m trying to learn to love it). I was big into the theatrical arts when I was younger school plays, Shakespeare, and even took a stab at stand up comedy and burlesque. I spent quite a bit of time in Europe where I was able to see the great works of art in the Prado in Madrid, the Lourve in Paris, Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice and marveled the ruins in Greece. I’ve worked on the awards campaigns for a major studio and for years have been fortunate enough to enjoy some of the world’s greatest cinema….(Gosh do I sound bougie…anywho…)

All of this to say once again we’re in the getting to know each other phase so please pass no judgment when I also say that Reality TV is my guilty pleasure. My brothers have their sports, my mother her garden, my boyfriend his PS3 but me…it’s Reality TV baby.

Whether it’s real or not, fixed, scripted I don’t care…it’s USUALLY a good snapshot of Americana. Americans will do anything for a buck and 15 minutes in the limelight. Each show usually has a rainbow of contestants or at least a Token.

This season’s Bachelor got me thinking. Maybe it is because I hearted Jason Mesnick SO MUCH after last season’s Bachelorette. The show started out with the usual Token – who was dismissed early off like all of the Tokens are. Then a Bachelor/Bachelorette first! After the usual tear jerking finale, and yes I watched with my box of puffs plus, during the usually irrelevant ‘After the Rose’ episode my sweet sweet Jason dumped Melissa on National TV and choose the RUNNER UP.

As a sistah – I can safely say – had that Melissa been a ‘Monifah’ it would have been a very different show. But it also got me thinking…why has there never been a black Bachelor/Bachelorette? What does that really say? I know, I know there has been a lot of dialogue on how Barbie, the modeling world and the media as a whole have got to do better about making little black girls feel better about themselves.

Well…what about grown ass black women? I really don’t care that Barbie’s don’t hve my breasts, lips or hips or that the media still sees beautiful black women as tan or caramel color…(that’s a whole different blog and I’ve already gone all too long). I would feel better if there was a black bachelor/bachelorette. Chocolate black. I want…no need to know that in my gorgeous chocolate skin I could have 28 suitors of all races vying for my affection….

Too much to ask for?