Latino Wisdom...an oxymoron! Arizona ethnics classes underscore that...

The country is going crazy on this immigrant issue!

If you channel-surfed around the old boob tube like I did this afternoon - news alerts interrupting regular programs were an obvious sign that Americans are not only riled up about the illegal immigrant dilemma - but prone to respond in a knee-jerk reaction to the issues.

Sometimes with disastrous outcomes.

When a couple of men showed up at a Cinco de Mayo celebration at their school - wearing shirts emblazoned with the American Flag - school officials suspended the boys from class.

Huh?

Americans across the Nation responded in outrage!

“Suspending a boy from school for wearing the red, white, and blue,” one shook his head in disbelief.

In their defense, the teachers argued that the boys' in-your-face statement on a Mexican National holiday was insulting inappropriate behavior.

However, in the wake of strident vocal protests from parents and upstanding members of the community, the school board apologized and rescinded their prior decision on the matter.

Elsewhere, a Latino student hung a Mexican flag above the U.S. flag on school property in a stairwell, which caused a young while male to tear it down and toss it in the trash.

Meanwhile, teachers have not remained onlookers on the sidelines, either.

On a Fox talk show tonight, a video caught a teacher on stage at a rally, urging Revolution in a feverish high pitch.

Say what?

In Arizona, another controversy arose over a law that seeks to bar ethnic studies classes in Arizona State schools.

One scholar (of Hispanic descent) recalled her own school days.

“I was taught that this was the land of opportunity and an education in public schools could help realize an individual’s dreams,” she said in so many words.

“In this instance, they’re teaching oppression."

And the courses appear to focus entirely on Latinos.

What about Asians, Blacks, Native American Indians, and so forth and so?

The main text - Latino Wisdom - is a guide book that urges revolution and resentment towards natural-born Caucasian Citizens, with chapters on how to survive in the hostile environment that is allegedly America today.

All the arguments are based on spurious grounds.

For example, the authors argue that California was once the property of Mexicans - and for this reason - there must be a call for Latinos reclaim their land!

By force, if necessary!

Be careful what you eat at the local fast-food joint, eh?

At this juncture - in my estimation - Latino Wisdom is an oxymoron!

Toss the ungrateful bastards out on their a**es!

Footnote

On CNN News this morning (May 13th) a supporter of the Ethnic classes noted that the program is also available for other minority students.

http://www.thetattler.biz

Joaquin Phoenix...losing it? Rehab on the way...

At the glittering red carpet premiere of Che at Mann's Chinese a few weeks ago, it was obvious to the paparazzi on hand that something was out-of-whack with Joaquin Phoenix!

As the well-heeled elite exited sleek limos that purred at the curb and sauntered up the press gauntlet into the much-anticipated screening, one wild and woolley-looking dude was inclined to go against the natural flow and stroll down the carpet to a perch near the street.

Once recognized, the actor caused quite a stir!

When a couple of celebrity interviewers tossed a handful of questions his way, Phoenix was mum for a second or two.

Then, the controversial actor did something strange.

He clenched his hands and thrust them forward into the crowd to reveal two words scribbled on his unkempt fingers.

"Good Bye"

A buzz rippled through the press corps.

Had the off-beat actor gone mad?

Then, I personally spied Joaquin whip a flask out of his jacket pocket and guzzle down a huge gulp of the mysterious liquid inside.

One for the road?

Next day, on the heels of this odd-ball behaviour, news zipped around the Globe.

Phoenix was calling it quits to become a rap star!

And, at the tail end of February, the retired thespian made good on his promise.

He actually turned up at a low-key Vegas joint to utter a few catchy rap beats.

In tow, was Casey Affleck, who was filming the entire fiasco for a documentary he'll release on the nutso actor-turned-rapper later in the year.

But, if a tumultuous appearance this past weekend at another watering hole was any indication, his stab at incoherent fast-mumbling may not pan out as expected.

Shortly after the poet in-his-own-mind stumbled on stage, a heckler got his goat - at which point - he scurried into the audience to confront the red-neck interloper.

Allegedly, security dragged Phoenix back towards the stage, then tossed him out of the spotlight into the street.

Was that a rap - um - wrap?

News at 11!

Gladiator role best acting assignment to date

http://www.julianayrs.com

AFI FEST...Che! Joaquin Phoenix appears on star-studded red carpet. A show of force for Latino Community...

AFI FEST staff rolled out the red carpets, cordoned off the perimeters of the front entrance to Mann's Chinese Theatre, as black-suited security guards scouted the area for potential gate-crashers.

Shortly thereafter - sleek limos purred to the curb with their precious charges inside - a handful of celebrated actors ready to run the gauntlet past a frenzied gaggle of high-profile journalists and paparazzi on Safari and out for a kill.

Just about an hour earlier, the heavens opened up unexpectedly and a torrent of rain descended upon the city, heightened by streaks of lightning amid wild cracks of thunder.

I wondered, an auspicious sign from the Gods?

About an hour later, though, the skies cleared and I headed on up to the much-anticipated premiere of Che at Mann's Chinese Theatre.

When I heard the first shouts of the paparazzi at curbside one thing was evident.

It was showtime!

Up at my end of the carpet near the entrance to the Theatre, a reporter from People magazine scrutinized a sheet of "mug shots" I provided her so she could keep track of the Che stars as they paraded by.

Meanwhile, reporters from In Touch, US Weekly, and MTV jockeyed for their positions alongside me; after all, although all the press folks were given designated perches, face-space onto the carpet to facilitate interviews was still quite tight.

There was a strong turn-out by the Latino community , too.

Che - for those who were not aware of it - was filmed entirely in Spanish with English subtitles.

Understandably, the Latino press was there to show support and bask in the glory.

The creative end didn't disappoint either.

All the lead actors who starred in the two-part four hour (plus!) bio - not only showed up to tout the much-ballyhooed feature - but strike up idle chit-chat with the media.

For the most part, it was quite the fashion show, too.

The ladies tended to saunter by in smart simple cocktail dresses with tasteful elegant jewellery - while their counterparts, the peacocks of the species - showed off a definite flair for designer suits and well-coordinated ensembles that sparked a touch of romanticism.

At one juncture - Steven Soderbergh, Benicio del Toro, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Joaquin De Almeida - posed for a "cast" photograph mid-runway.

Joaquim De Almedia - who often plays the bad guy in commercial popcorn movies out-of-Hollywood - was cast in Che as a politician in the ambitious offering from Steven Soderbergh.

When I asked him how he liked playing those roles, he shrugged and smiled.

"That's the way they see me."

When I asked if there was a dream role he'd like to sink his teeth into, he noted that in Europe he has acted in over forty films playing a wide variety of characters.

"In one recent film, I'm quite a nice guy."

He's a charming fellow, unaffected by the trappings of Hollywood.

Fortunately, I screened Che last week - so I was able to ask a few intelligent questions of one of the original writers for Che biopic.

When I pointed out that I found the film a bit long, the articulate fellow was inclined to admit that the script originally started off quite modestly.

"It grew over time."

Gosh, I wonder why?

The tall elegant screenwriter's next project will be about a character by the name of David Livingstone who the Hollywood player appears to be fascinated with.

Although I was in an interview with a guest when Lou Diamond Phillips alighted next to me to chat with a reporter, I managed to overhear a funny story about celebrity he recalled for her.

Apparently, a woman once mistook the charismatic actor for the boxer, Oscar De La Hoya.

When the befuddled woman asked Phillips about his "moves" in the ring, he did not want to disappoint, so he played along.

Impromptu, he spun a yarn on the spot, which focused on his alleged strategies, and the "art" of boxing.




Jacqueline Bisset was so low-key on the carpet - that she nearly escaped my radar - as she strolled by with an unidentified man on her arm

Gorgeous, as ever!




But, a star that caught everyone's eye - and caused a buzz to ripple through the crowd - was Joaquin Phoenix.

Suddenly, and without warning, he waltzed out of the dark recesses of the theatre - sort-of going upstream against the flow of celebrities heading the other way - and proceeded to take a drag on a cigarette.


At first, the Gladiator star wasn't recognizable!

If anything, he was "wild and woolly" in appearance.

The image he gave off - in the ubiquitous over-sized gold-tinted shades - was that of a reclusive rock star.

Then, oh my gosh, I spied the actor take a surreptitious swig from a flask, he casually spirited up from the inside of his jacket pocket.

HO2 or something with a little more kick to it?

Maybe those revelations about quitting the business are true.

Is the life of a superstar actor a strain for the psyche, do 'ya think?

News at 11!


Joaquin Phoenix & Gwyneth Paltrow star in "Two Lovers" at AFI Fest

Che...bloated two-part 4 hour bio (!) a bit of a yawn! Soderbergh needs to trim fat...

If you're going to catch "CHE" - which is being unveiled this week at the AFI Film Fest - the best place to catch the much-heralded release by controversial director - Steven Soderbergh - is where the press slipped in to view it today.

Michael Hall's plush little theatre on Wilshire in Beverly Hills is comfy enough to soften the mind-numbing ramblings of what ended up being an interminably-long film.


It's doubtful I would have held out 'til the end, had I attended a preview at a regular movie house with cramped seating and poor screening facilities.


I arrived early, so I was able to snatch up one of the big comfy easy chairs at the back.

Even still, Che is a four-hour plus celluloid offering that is tough to sit through for the most-patient of film buffs.

If I was required to take a gander at one more close-up shot of a military boot, ticking clock, or soldier standing around in the jungle engaging in idle chit-chat, I would have screamed bloody murder.

Get me outta here!

Albeit, there was a half-hour intermission, but the big screen bio amounts to a bloated overly-long tribute to Soderbergh's ego and an exercise in excess.

Yes, there is a taut little film with the potential to impact somewhere, but it's trussed up inside a lot of marbled fat!

The film starts off slow. Continues, slowly. Then, slowly ends at the close of the first two-hour segment without having accomplished a heck of a lot.

Except to cause me to doze off a couple of moments here and there in the dark.

But - the 2nd part of the ambitious bio grips - jolts the audience out of a deep slumber - and turns down an entertaining path.

Thankfully!

Of course, Benicio Del Toro is fascinating to marvel at from beyond the footlights, as always.

His performance is worth the price of admission alone.


Out-of-the blue, Matt Damon (gee, I think that was him) sauntered into a scene for about two minutes or so, then vanished into thin air.

Duh!

What was that all about?


Frankly, the most appealing aspect of the film for me, was the highly stylized approach that Soderbergh took at various junctures as the film unfolded on the silver screen.

Even still, Che was uneven on those occasions, too.

Maps that were color-fed onto the screen on at least two occasions - to spoon-feed and educate the filmgoer about regions affected by the revolution - didn't gel for me.

At times, I was inclined to pinch myself.

Had I been magically transported back to a boring geography class of yesterday?

But - black & white shots of a fifties-era Cuba and intriguing camera-work which strategically layered scintillating images throughout the big budget fiasco - appealed to my artistic sensibilities now and then.

At times, the soundtrack stirred the emotions, and added an undercurrent of drama.

But, after awhile, the score became an obvious tip-off.

Whenever a particular strain of music was obsequiously ushered in - the audience was keen to the fact by now - that something downright intriguing was about to happen right before their eyes.

Golly!

Perk up, get ready!

Thoroughly well-acted, well photographed, and well - ill-conceived.


I just betcha that if Soderbergh withdrew to the edit bay - and trimmed about forty-eight minutes of fat - he might have a dynamite little art-house film on his hands.

Til then, the release smacks of a ceremonial barge floating down the river, aimlessly.


No doubt, Che will be a big yawn, to many.