THE OBENSON REPORT

PLEASE FORWARD TO OTHERS

EPISODE 23 - THE OBENSON REPORT PODCAST on Black Film / Black Cinema
Sponsored In Part by Act Now Foundation
Check out THE MAN WHO COULDN'T - the award-winning feature film from writer/director Brandon Wilson, now available at AMAZON.COM.

RECORDED MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH 2007
TRT 60 MINUTES

Hosted by Tambay A Obenson

TOPICS THAT WERE COVERED:

1. Film Review of CLAUDINE the 1974 film starring Diahann Carroll and James Earl Jones;
2. Reader/listener responses to my NPR EDITORIAL on a call for a black-owned film studio, and my responses to them.

OR

NOTE: The "Capable Tenth" black film fund. We've created it; now it's time for you to act accordingly! To make your contribution/donation, send your checks or money orders, payable to "ActNow Foundation Film Account," to ActNow Foundation, 138 South Oxford Street, Suite 1C, Brooklyn NY 11217. ActNow is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. All contributions are tax deductible. Listen to my "Capable Tenth" podcast to catch up if you don't know what I'm referring to.

To listen to any of my past greatest hits, go to http://www.obensonreport.com/ and scroll down to the PAST EPISODES header. There's some really good stuff there.

Thanks!

Tambay A Obenson
http://www.obensonresport.com/
www.tambayobenson.com

PLEASE FORWARD TO OTHERS

EPISODE 22 - THE OBENSON REPORT PODCAST on Black Film / Black Cinema
Sponsored In Part by Act Now Foundation
Check out THE MAN WHO COULDN'T - the award-winning feature film from writer/director Brandon Wilson, now available at AMAZON.COM.

RECORDED MONDAY, OCTOBER 29TH 2007
TRT 60 MINUTES

Hosted by Tambay A Obenson

TOPICS THAT WERE COVERED:

1. Tambay the haute couture model.
2. Premiere Magazine's annual list of the 50 most powerful/influential people in Hollywood. Where are the black people? Where are the black women?
3. Also, finishing up our top 5 lists of the films we've seen so far this year, with Brandon Wilson, writer/director of THE MAN WHO COULDN'T.

NOTE: The "Capable Tenth" black film fund. We've created it; now it's time for you to act accordingly! To make your contribution/donation, send your checks or money orders, payable to "ActNow Foundation Film Account," to ActNow Foundation, 138 South Oxford Street, Suite 1C, Brooklyn NY 11217. ActNow is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. All contributions are tax deductible. Listen to my "Capable Tenth" podcast to catch up if you don't know what I'm referring to.

To listen to any of my past greatest hits, go to http://www.obensonreport.com/ and scroll down to the PAST EPISODES header. There's some really good stuff there.

Thanks!

Tambay A Obenson
http://www.obensonresport.com/
http://www.tambayobenson.com/

PLEASE FORWARD TO OTHERS

EPISODE 21 - THE OBENSON REPORT PODCAST on Black Film / Black Cinema
Sponsored In Part by Act Now Foundation
Check out THE MAN WHO COULDN'T - the award-winning feature film from writer/director Brandon Wilson, now available at AMAZON.COM.

RECORDED MONDAY, OCTOBER 22TH 2007
TRT 60 MINUTES

Hosted by Tambay A Obenson

TOPICS THAT WERE COVERED:

- Writer/Director of THE MAN WHO COULDN'T, Brandon Wilson, joined me in giving our picks for the Top 5 films we've each seen so far this year, October 2007, going into the fall/winter award season.
- REMINDER: Capable Tenth Black Filmmaker Fund… have you made your contribution yet? See NOTE below for details…

Click on this link, LISTEN NOW, and you will be taken directly to the listening page. You can also find me on iTunes on your computer (search for "Obenson Report") in the podcast store section. Or go to www.obensonreport.com.

NOTE: The "Capable Tenth" black film fund. We've created it; now it's time for you to act accordingly! To make your contribution/donation, send your checks or money orders, payable to "ActNow Foundation Film Account," to ActNow Foundation, 138 South Oxford Street, Suite 1C, Brooklyn NY 11217. ActNow is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. All contributions are tax deductible. Listen to my "Capable Tenth" podcast to catch up if you don't know what I'm referring to.

To listen to any of my past greatest hits, go to www.obensonreport.com and scroll down to the PAST EPISODES header. There's some really good stuff there.

LINKS MENTIONED: Brandon Wilson's website - www.geniusbastard.com - for news, top 10 lists from yesteryear, and more...

Thanks!

Tambay A Obenson
www.obensonresport.com
www.tambayobenson.com

PLEASE FORWARD TO OTHERS

EPISODE 20 - THE OBENSON REPORT PODCAST on Black Film / Black Cinema
Sponsored In Part by Act Now Foundation

RECORDED MONDAY, OCTOBER 15TH 2007
TRT 60 MINUTES

Hosted by Tambay A Obenson

TOPICS THAT WERE COVERED:

- A note about the "sex-tape queens," reality-based TV shows, and how it all relates to the consumerist, materialistic, misogynistic society we currently live in; A review of Tyler Perry's WHY DID I GET MARRIED; Answering the questions, "Are black audiences ready, or can black audiences appreciate more so-called challenging, artistic, intellectual cinema?" Do box office results like those from Tyler Perry's films tell us anything in answering that question? How come certain kinds of films (notably those described as challenging and artistic) are not always marketed to black audiences, or don't play in theatres in black neighborhoods? Is it all about the money? How much does socialization play in how we respond to cinema? Was Frantz Fanon right when he said, "For the black man there is only one destiny... and it is white..." and how does all this help answer the initial question?

-$300 contributed so far to the Capable Tenth Black Filmmaker Fund… have you made your donation yet? See NOTE below for details…

Click on this link, THE OBENSON REPORT, and you will be taken directly to the listening page. You can also find me on iTunes on your computer (search for "Obenson Report") in the podcast store section. Or go to www.obensonreport.com.

NOTE: The "Capable Tenth" black film fund. We've created it; now it's time for you to act accordingly! To make your contribution/donation, send your checks or money orders, payable to "ActNow Foundation Film Account," to ActNow Foundation, 138 South Oxford Street, Suite 1C, Brooklyn NY 11217. ActNow is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. All contributions are tax deductible. Listen to my "Capable Tenth" podcast to catch up if you don't know what I'm referring to.

To listen to any of my past greatest hits, go to http://www.obensonreport.com/ and scroll down to the PAST EPISODES header. There's some really good stuff there.

Thanks!

Tambay A Obenson
http://www.obensonresport.com/
http://www.tambayobenson.com/

PLEASE FORWARD TO OTHERS

EPISODE 19 - THE OBENSON REPORT PODCAST on Black Film / Black Cinema
Sponsored In Part by Act Now Foundation

RECORDED MONDAY, OCTOBER 8TH 2007
TRT 60 MINUTES

Hosted by Tambay A Obenson

TOPICS THAT WERE COVERED:

- Another light day at the office (busy, busy, busy with much on my plate - just call me by my middle name, Amadioha, Igbo for “God of Thunder”); Who's going to the ABFF? Let me know and I’ll “hook you up”; Kudos to BETJ (find out why); Tambay is actually reading, but "suffering" for it; saw 3 films over the weekend - BANISHED (thumbs up), MICHAEL CLAYTON (thumbs sideways), THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (thumbs sideways); Question of the week: What was the last film you saw that generated some genuine emotion in you and stayed with you long after you saw it?; "Why Did I Get Married"; Biopics on Sammy Davis Jr (Andre 3000), Afeni Shakur and Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman); $300 contributed so far to the Capable Tenth Black Filmmaker Fund… have you made your donation yet? See below for details…

Click on this link, THE OBENSON REPORT, and you will be taken directly to the listening page.You can also find me on iTunes on your computer (search for "Obenson Report") in the podcast store section. Or go to www.obensonreport.com.

NOTE:The "Capable Tenth" black film fund. We've created it; now it's time for you to act accordingly! To make your contribution/donation, send your checks or money orders, payable to “ActNow Foundation Film Account,” to ActNow Foundation, 138 South Oxford Street, Suite 1C, Brooklyn NY 11217. ActNow is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. All contributions are tax deductible. Listen to my "Capable Tenth" podcast HERE to catch up if you don’t know what I’m referring to.

To listen to any of my past greatest hits, go to http://www.talkshoe.com/and scroll down to the PAST EPISODES header. There's some really good stuff there.

Thanks!

Tambay A Obenson
www.obensonresport.com
www.tambayobenson.com

RECORDED MONDAY, OCTOBER 1ST 2007
TRT 60 MINUTES

Hosted by Tambay A Obenson

TOPICS THAT WERE COVERED:

Simply click on this link, THE OBENSON REPORT, and you will be taken directly to the listening page.

The "Capable Tenth" black film fund. We've created it; now it's time for you to act accordingly! To make your contribution/donation, send your checks or money orders, payable to “ActNow Foundation Film Account,”
to ActNow Foundation, 138 South Oxford Street, Suite 1C, Brooklyn NY 11217. ActNow is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. All contributions are tax deductible. Listen to my "Capable Tenth" podcast HERE to catch up if you don’t know what I’m referring to.

To listen to any of my past greatest hits, go to http://www.talkshoe.com/ and scroll down to the PAST EPISODES header. There's some really good stuff there.

You can also open up iTunes on your computer and search for "Obenson Report" in the podcast store section.

Thanks!

Tambay A Obenson
www.obensonresport.com
www.tambayobenson.com

Thanks to Sydney for this :o)

TAO

RECORDED MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH 2007
TRT 60 MINUTES

Hosted by Tambay A Obenson

TOPICS THAT WERE COVERED:

Simply click on this link, THE OBENSON REPORT, and you will be taken directly to the listening page.

To listen to any of my past greatest hits, go to http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/tscmd/tc/31034 and scroll down to the PAST EPISODES header. There's some really good stuff there.

You can also open up iTunes on your computer and search for "Obenson Report" in the podcast store section.

Thanks!

Tambay A Obenson
http://www.obensonresport.com/
http://www.tambayobenson.com/

I make films but I also distribute films by others. Here's one that I just finally was able to get listed on Amazon.com, titled, THE MAN WHO COULDN'T.

You can read more about the film on the film's profile page HERE.

I should have a trailer up shortly.
But for now you can see one at:
www.themanwhocouldnt.com

This is the second film I've distributed... those of you familiar with the film distribution process will truly understand and appreciate this feat, given just how difficult it is for any film to make its way onto the shelves of any retailer, especially considering that I'm a one-man army here. So, I guess I'm patting myself on the back for being able to get 2 films out - MY OWN, and now this one - THE MAN WHO COULDN'T, written and directed by BRANDON WILSON

Please support true indie black cinema, especially film that's counter to the crumbs of shit that the studios dish out to us once every 3 months! Our survival depends greatly on you - those who we do what we do for.

Pick up THE MAN WHO COULDN'T and my film, BEAUTIFUL THINGS (which you can find info and clips for on my page) today!

You'll be glad you did!

TAO

On April 8th and 9th 2006, 30 queer, transgender and straight women of color gathered at a brownstone in Brooklyn; and for the next 2 days, a music video was made... this is that music video!

You can reach Hanifah HERE, or check out the profile for the documentary HERE.

TAO

Hosted by Tambay A Obenson

TOPICS THAT WERE COVERED:
1. TWO BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS: Tambay launches a new festival, the New York Black Film Festival... and creates a $2000 annual fund to finance short films, starting in 2008.
2. Protests outside of BET CEO's Washington, DC home.
3. ANF Thursday night screening recap. A "Black Night In London!"
4. Also movement/collective power - 2 simple things YOU can do.
5. Lastly the "Capable Tenth" redux. Where do we stand?

ARE YOU IN? I am!

To Listen, simply click on this link, THE OBENSON REPORT, and you will be taken directly to the listening page.

To listen to any of my past greatest hits, go to http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/tscmd/tc/31034 and scroll down to the PAST EPISODES header. There's some really good stuff there. You can also open up iTunes on your computer and search for Obenson Report in the podcast store section.

Links referenced in podcast - The Invisible Cinema Blogspot, Low Budget TV, The Enough Is Enough Campaign.

Thanks!

Tambay A Obenson
www.obensonresport.com
www.tambayobenson.com

EPISODE 15 - The Obenson Report On Black Film / Black Cinema Sponsored In Part By Act Now Foundation

Recorded THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 13TH 2007, 11PM

Hosted by Tambay A Obenson

TOPICS COVERED:

- YAEC (Yet Another Existential Crisis) - So much going on... what to do?

Simply click on this link, THE OBENSON REPORT, and you will be taken directly to the listening page.

To listen to any of my past greatest hits, go to http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/tscmd/tc/31034 and scroll down to the PAST EPISODES header. There's some really good stuff there.

You can also open up iTunes on your computer and search for Obenson Report in the podcast store section.

Thanks!

Tambay A Obenson www.obensonresport.com www.tambayobenson.com

For those not in-the-know, I've talked about Naomi Klein a few times on my podcast, and even used audio clips of speeches she's given... you can listen to my rant HERE to catch up.

EPISODE 14 - The Obenson
Report On Black Film / Black Cinema

Sponsored In Part By Act Now Foundation

Recorded MONDAY SEPTEMBER 10TH 2007, 9PM @ BLOGTALKRADIO.COM

Hosted by Tambay A Obenson

TOPICS COVERED:

- A rather light day today! Joined by co-hosts Shirley Bruno & Deesha Philyaw. Discussion topics: Halle Berry's recent baby news, Eddie Griffin's N-word tirade, films we're looking forward to seeing this fall/winter, Oprah supports Obama and more...!

Simply click on this link, THE OBENSON REPORT, and you will be taken directly to the listening page.

To listen to any of my past greatest hits, go to http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/tscmd/tc/31034 and scroll down to the PAST EPISODES header. There's some really good stuff there.

You can also open up iTunes on your computer and search for Obenson Report in the podcast store section.

Thanks!

Tambay A Obenson
www.obensonresport.com
www.tambayobenson.com

EPISODE 13 - The Obenson Report
Sponsored In Part By Act Now Foundation

THE OBENSON REPORT PODCAST @ BLOGTALKRADIO.COM
RECORDED SEPTEMBER 3^RD 2007

Hosted by Tambay A Obenson

TOPICS COVERED:

- Box Office Roundup! 9 Months Into The Year 2007, 400+ Films Released In Total Theatrically, Where Does "Black Cinema" Stand In Relation To The Rest? What "Black Films" Made The Cut? What "Black Films" Didn't? What Gems Did You Miss? Plus, Tyler Perry, The One-Man Wrecking Crew, And More… And as always, connections to my repeated discourse on our unacknowledged and untapped collective/movement power.

ARE YOU IN? I am!

Simply click on this link, THE OBENSON REPORT, and you will be taken directly to the listening page.

To listen to any of my past greatest hits, go to http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/tscmd/tc/31034 and scroll down to the PAST EPISODES header. There's some really good stuff there.

You can also open up iTunes on your computer and search for Obenson Report in the podcast store section.

Thanks!

Tambay A Obenson
www.obensonresport.com
www.tambayobenson.com

I've never really been fond of events whose titles begin with "The State Of..."

For example, "The State Of Black America," as you will see in the clips below. The phrase is too simplistic and broad, and implies something monolithic, which, for obvious reasons, could be a problem.

However, I understand and appreciate Tavis Smiley's core intent in organizing an event such as this one, but yet I often wonder if gatherings of this type truly inspire any real action or produce any palpable long term results; or if it's all nothing more than vacuous pomp and circumstance.

Regardless, I've been re-watching segments from this C-Span aired bit of TV history, which was broadcast earlier this year, and found the following clips worth sharing.

If you've been listening to The Obenson Report, my black cinema / black film podcast (shame on you if you haven't), you'll hear some similarities between what these folks are saying and many of the things that I've said, and continue to say, whether broadly or specifically, for the last 3 months!

EPISODE 12 - The Obenson Report
Sponsored In Part By Act Now Foundation

THE OBENSON REPORT PODCAST on Black Film / Black Cinema @ BLOGTALKRADIO.COM
RECORDED THURSDAY, AUGUST 30TH, 2007
TRT 28 Minutes

Hosted by Tambay A Obenson

TOPICS THAT WERE COVERED:

- Weekly Rant:

1.) Remembering Katrina
2.) "Mumblecore Mania" What About OUR Film Movement? My Letter To Filmmaker Magazine & Their Response.

ARE YOU IN? I am!

Simply click on this link, THE OBENSON REPORT, and you will be taken directly to the listening page.

To listen to previous episodes, go to http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/tscmd/tc/31034 and scroll down to the PAST EPISODES header.

You can also open up iTunes on your computer and search for Obenson Report in the podcast store section.

Thanks!

Tambay A Obenson
www.obensonresport.com
www.tambayobenson.com

I stumbled across this little "gem of a film" and just couldn't resist sharing with you all! I thought it especially fitting to add onto this blog post, given the subject matter... reasons should be obvious :o)

Here's the synopsis as listed on IMDB: The Brown family has a most troublesome neighbor in the shape of curmudgeonly Ol' Man Amos, whose grumpy declaration that they are "welfare collecting vagrants" inspires his efforts to make them move off their land and out of his life. Determined to stick around, the Browns are nonetheless faced with a seemingly insurmountable pile of unpaid bills that may prove to be the downfall of their home ownership. Pursuing characteristically untraditional means of raising capital, the Browns decide to enter the Watermelon Juice Afro Sheen contest, which awards $10,000.

Sounds like a winner doesn't it? I usually wouldn't even bother giving trite shit like this more than a sucking of my teeth, but the title grabbed me, and the fact that Toby/Kunta Kinte (AKA John Amos) had anything to do with it, much less a major player (he stars in it, his son directs it, his daughter produced it, and all 3 collaborated on the script) got my attention. Yeah, he's done some other shitty stuff like "My Baby's Daddy," and "Player's Club," but his overall resume, while not extraordinary, is chuck-full of decent fare, including an Emmy nomination.

No, I haven't seen the film, nor do I plan to ever see it... but... um... I'll talk about it anyway as if I have seen it, because I probably have, just under any myriad of already existing titles.

But if anyone is bold enough to rent this and actually watch it, please do come back and let us know your thoughts. Who knows, maybe it's some incredibly smart, biting, satirical piece of filmmaking that's a must see for all of us watermelon eaters.

I doubt it...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The right way to eat a watermelon, by Ralph Waldo Emerson "Petey" Greene

Don Cheadle stars in a film about the man, currently in theatres, called TALK TO ME, which I saw, didn't like and panned... not because of the title character, rather it just wasn't a well made film. If I didn't know who this man was, and I just happened to come across this video clip, I would probably cringe myself into an epileptic seizure. But, given that I do know who he is, and I am familiar with much of the goodwill the man would go on to do before he died of cancer in 1984, I still cringe (it's practically an innate reaction now), but just not as much :o)

On this journey that I am currently on towards inproved self-awareness, I wonder why I react this way to such imagery... I am fully aware of the historical significance of "the act," but then I wonder if Petey Greene does have a point... not only in reference to how you eat your watermelon, but an even more profound interpretation would be, how you choose to define yourself and your blackness... whether under the scrutiny (real or perceived) of white America, or independent of that, from within your core.

In the African countries where I grew up, many traditional meals are eaten sans cutlery... in fact, it's often considered an insult to a household if a visitor opts to eat a specific dish with cutlery (a somewhat different take on the "acting white" notion common in the States), instead of in the customary fashion - with hands... what the western world would call "primitive," and even "savage."

So how do YOU eat your watermelon (both literally and metaphorically)? The supposed instinctive, so-called "primal" way that he eats it, or the way you've been "trained" to eat it? Or has our "training" been so effective that any talk of "the way we were" is practically pointless?

"There is a fact: White men consider themselves superior to black men. There is another fact: Black men want to prove to white men, at all costs, the richness of their thought, the equal value of their intellect…. For the black man there is only one destiny. And it is white... The analysis I am undertaking is psychological… It is apparent to me that the effect disalienation of the black man entails an immediate recognition of social and economic realities. If there is an inferiority complex it is the outcome of a double process: Primarily, economic; subsequently, the internalization of this inferiority." Frantz Fanon

Good stuff! I love it... Wish I had thought of this...