Kai Shappley Gets Rave Reviews In Netflix 'The Baby Sitters Club' Episode

I've always said about my chosen Austin resident niece Kai Shappley that the camera loves her and the feeling is mutual.   I always marvel at the fact this child hardly ever takes a bad photo.

A few months ago she took a trip to Vancouver, BC for which the purpose was unknown to those of us who love her until now. 

 I had been seeing Netflix promotions of their reboot of The Baby Sitters Club' when I signed in to watch my other fave shows and movies,  but didn't have any interest in watching it since the show is aimed at younger viewers.

The Baby Sitters Club is based on the series of books by author Ann M. Martin that were published between 1986-2000.   The books were previously adapted for an HBO series in 1990 and a 1995 feature film. 

That was until I received a message from her mom Kimberly to check out episode 4 of it.  I did, and there was Kai lighting up the screen playing Bailey.   

I so enjoyed the episode that Kai was featured in, I binge watched the rest of Season One.

The Baby Sitters Club handled the trans themed storyline with sensitivity.  The writers also used a great analogy to describe what it is like to be trans.   And of course, bravo on casting a trans child to play a trans child.

Her mom is also pleased and proud of her as well.   So is Aunt Monica.

As for our budding preteen thespian?    She's still focused on becoming an astrophysicist, but is starting to get interest from Hollywood.

I was happy to get to spend some time with Kai and her mom last year during the Equality Texas 30th anniversary dinner where she, like I did,  picked up an award for the work her now nine year old self has been doing to advance trans rights in the Lone Star State .

Kai has also picked up an award that I don't have on my shelf.   An Emmy for the Trans in America :Texas Strong Daresha Kyl directed documentary she and Kimberly were featured in.

Who knows?  She may have another one in her future.   

Ginuwine Is NOT Into You, India

And note to all you peeps bitching about it,  that doesn't make him transphobic.

If he has followed his comment to India up with anti-transgender rhetoric and ignorance like  Lil Duval did on The Breakfast Club radio show a few months ago, then we would have a legitimate case to complain about transphobia.

The Net it tripping and erroneously calling R&B singer Ginuwine transphobic because he stated to British television presenter India Willoughby that he wasn't into trans women, and resisted when she tried to kiss him.

Then there's also the problematic look of a TransBecky getting mad because the handsome brother isn't into her cougar behind.

Who you like sexually and are attracted to is a matter of personal preference.   Some people are down with interracial relationships, some prefer intraracial relationships.   Some people prefer same gender loving relationships, some don't.  .Some people are into dating and having an intimate relationship with trans people and others aren't.

Some folks like certain body types.  Some like skinny, thin framed people.  Some like them curvy and full figured.  Some like petite, some like tall.   Some like people with athletic builds.  Some want their partners in a certain age range.   Some want intelligent ones. . 

We trans women cover that wide range of feminine bodies and personalities.  When you encounter as a trans woman somebody who isn't into you, all you can do is just say 'Thanks for letting me know your dating preferences", and then move on to find someone who is open to dating trans people in a short or long term relationships. .

So naw India, I'm not on #TeamTrans on this one.    Ginuwine is not into you, so stop tripping. 

The fact he;s not into you doesn't make him a transphobe..

'Black America' Show In Development

Now this is a show I will watch if it finally makes it to the air.

For over a year now Will Packer and Aaron McGruder have been working with Amazon on developing an alternate history show set in our present day time in which the US Civil War ended with Black Americans not only getting their freedom, but getting the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama as reparations for their centuries of enslavement and the opportunity to shape their own destiny.

The three states form the nation of New Colonia, which has a contentious and at times violent relationship with its larger neighbor.   After 150 years of enduring coups, military incursions, assassinations and other assorted drama, a twenty year period of peace with the United States has resulted in New Colonia experiencing spectacular growth and poised to join the ranks of major industrialized world nations as the US is sliding into rapid decline. 

But despite their contentious history, their fates are still intertwined with each other, and it will be interesting to see how that plays out on the silver screen and thescripts that are yet to be developed.

Packer and McGruder are enlisting the help of historians to ensure the show is accurate, and are excited about the intriguing story telling prospects for Black America.

They describe series as a hourlong drama in the vein of The Man In The High Castle, another alternate history show that has found success.   Packer and McGruder also decided to announce that they were working on this show in response to the massive negativity that HBO's Confederate received.

We'll see if Black America makes it on the air and if it does

'Queen Sugar' Actor Comes Out As Trans Masculine

The critically acclaimed Ava DuVernay produced show Queen Sugar on OWN, debuted on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) on September 6 for a thirteen episode run and was renewed for a second season that started on June 20.

The show is garnering an ever increasing audience with its diverse and complex characters, is based on the 2014 debut novel of the same name by Natalie Baczile, and tells the story of a woman who unexpectedly inherits a struggling Louisiana sugar cane farm.

Queen Sugar was nominated for five NAACP Image Awards, and won the Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Writing In A Dramatic Series one.

One of the characters on this show, Antoine 'Toine' Wilkins, recently debuted as the high school friend of major character Ralph Angel Bordelon, played by Kofi Siriboe.

Ralph protected Toine from the bullies during their high school days, and Toine feels a sense of loyalty to him as a result.  We'll see how this plays out during the rest of the Queen Sugar season two.

Toine is a trans masculine cop, and you know I and a whole lot of trans people inside and outside of Hollywood have complained about cis actors playing trans roles.

Interestingly enough, Brian Michael Smith, the actor who plays Toine, has recently come out as trans masculine.   Tiq Milan interviews him here.  

Smith has been performing since childhood, but acting professionally for five years.   He has played cisgender roles prior to this announcement.  He was also in this Toyota commercial featuring Eli Manning.  He's also appeared on the shows Detour, Girls, Blue Bloods and Law and Order : SVU

Smith is hoping not only to bring more authentic trans characters to life on screen and stage, he also wants to play a wide variety of trans and cisgender roles.

Have another show I need to watch and support when I have time to do so.

Must See Trans TV Alert- 'Modern Family' Trans Episode To Feature Trans Child Actor

You may wish to set your DVR's for this upcoming ABC Modern Family episode Wednesday at 8 PM CDT.   It's going to feature a historic first in an open trans child actor playing a trans role.

In this episode entitled 'A Stereotypical Day', same sex parents Cam and Mitchell allow their cis daughter Lily to invite her trans masculine classmate Tom over for a play date.  Their pride at raising a daughter in Lily who is open minded and accepting quickly turns when they overhear Lily unwittingly insult her trans friend.

How do Cam and Mitchell handle the situation?  You'll have to tune in and watch Modern Family tomorrow on your local ABC station.

Tom is played by 8 year old Jackson Millarker who is from Atlanta,  While we have had a few shows in the last few years that have featured adult trans actors playing trans roles, this is the first time we have had an out trans child actor playing a trans child.

This is a BFD for trans kind and all the trans kids out there who finally get to see someone like themselves on a television show, and I couldn't be happier to see it.

Now if Hollywood would just stop casting cis male actors in trans feminine roles.  

Precious 'Says Yes To The Dress' Tomorrow

The clock is ticking toward the wedding of Precious Davis and Myles Brady this summer at the Rockefeller Chapel on the University of Chicago campus.   The couple has been engaged since last February and their much anticipated wedding has a intimate guest list of 200 people.

She'll be selecting her wedding dress in front of millions of television viewers.

The clock is also ticking toward the historic broadcast of  Say Yes To The Dress: Atlanta,  Precious will become the first trans bride ever featured on the show, and has an unlimited budget to select a wedding dress for her and Myles' upcoming wedding.

I'm anxious to see it along with everyone else in Trans World since we haven't had many opportunities for Black trans people to get positive media coverage like this, and reality TV shows have been hit or miss when they cover our lives and issues.

If you wish to watch or DVR this episode of Say Yes To The Dress: Atlanta featuring the #TransObamas, it will be broadcast on TLC at 8 PM CST Friday.

Precious Davis On 'Say Yes To The Dress' In January

One of the things we'll be looking forward to in 2016 is the wedding of one of our fave couples in Precious Davis and Myles Brady.   I've known this was going to happen for a while, but now we have confirmation of the air date for this show.

Precious will appear on the TLC show Say Yes To The Dress, which chronicles her effort to find the perfect wedding dress for her upcoming nuptials with Myles.

The show will be broadcast on January 15 at 8:00 PM CST on TLC, a few days before the Creating Change she's one of the co-chairs for kicks off in Chicago on January 20.

Looking forward to seeing the show and seeing what fab dress if any she picks for her upcoming wedding.

Hey, can we get a screening of that Say Yes To The Dress episode during #CC16 as well?

'I Am Jazz' Renewed By TLC For Second Season

I have much love for Jazz Jennings and her family, and was pleased to hear that Jazz for the second straight year was named by TIME magazine as one of its 30 Most Influential Teens.

In other news about our fave trans feminine teen, TLC has finally decided to renew the I Am Jazz reality TV series for another season.

The show will get eight more episodes, and features now 15 year old Jazz trying to balance school, her family, athletics and her activist life and also features members of her amazing family.

Earlier this week, after the SPLC certified hate group the Liberty Counsel bullied a Wisconsin school district into cancelling a reading of her children's book entitled I Am Jazz, the town of Mount Horeb, WI responded with two well attended readings in support of the trans feminine child and her family.

And in an open letter concerning the situation, she wrote:

‘My book can help, I think, but I know from my own experience that it is adults like my parents and (Principal Rachael Johnson) who can make sure that transgender children are treated fairly at school and given the same opportunities to succeed in life.‘I have been sharing my story for almost a decade because I don’t want anyone else to feel alone or scared.’

Congrats again, Jazz, and continued success for you!  Looking forward to the next time I get to spend a little quality time with you and your family.

,

'Nikki's American Dream' Premieres Tomorrow On YouTube

I've known Nikki was working on this reality show project for at least a year and had completed 9 episodes of it, but it's finally ready and debuting on YouTube tomorrow.

Nikki's American Dream is focused on the life of Nikki Araguz Loyd,as she lives, loves, runs a business  raises a family and fights for her own and the Texas trans community's marriage rights.

The brainchild behind Nikki's American Dream is Lightning Strikes Entertainment, a content creation and branded entertainment company. 

"From the first moment I saw Nikki, I knew she was something special and a force to be reckoned with. She is a symbol of the kind of groundbreaking content Lightning Strikes Entertainment creates," says creative director Federico Traeger.

Here's a sneak peek trailer of it    




Nikki's American Dream premieres tomorrow at 11 AM EDT/10 AM CDT. and you can subscribe to see it at this link.  .   

Looks Like SNL Was Paying Attention To The Criticism

One of the major reasons I stopped watching NBC's Saturday Night Live long ago (except for the recent show in which Kerry Washington was the host of course) is not only because it ceased being humorous to me, but I don't see people who represent my ethnic heritage significantly represented as members of the cast.

And yeah, I go way back to the SNL original cast in the 70's. 
.   
Rumors are flying there was a recent double secret audition held in Los Angeles for Black women only to address that problem   11-25 Black comediennes were auditioned for spots in either next season's SNL or one will be added in January, depending on what you hear or read, and yeah it's sorely needed.

Black women have a long, distinguished history in standup comedy starting with Jackie 'Moms' Mabley and continuing through to the present day with people like Marsha Warfield, Whoopi Goldberg, Kim Coles, Kim Wayans and one of the few who actually made it onto SNL in Maya Rudolph. 

It mystifies me when In Living Color proved that Black comedians not only are funny, but can get ratings from mainstream audiences, that SNL didn't do so a long time ago.  It's a travesty that you can count the number of Black women on one hand that SNL has had on their show in its nearly 40 year history, and hope they are on the road to expeditiously correcting that. 

By the way, may also help immensely if you diversify your team of SNL writers while you're at it.

Loving VH1's 'Hit The Floor'

While I'm impatiently waiting for the third season of VH1's Single Ladies to appear on my TV set did get to watch the opening show of a new VH1 series called Hit The Floor that broadcast its pilot episode on May 27.

Two of the names you'll recognize in the cast are Dean Cain and Kimberly Elise in this cast of new actors. 

Hit The Floor follows the story of Ahsha Hayes, a recent college grad played by Taylour Paige who has followed in the footsteps of her mother Sloane (Kimberly Elise) and become a member of the Devil Girls, the fictional Los Angeles Devils basketball team cheerleading squad after trying out against her mother's wishes. 

Sloane Hayes was a member of the original squad and knows all too well the tempting, cutthroat and treacherous world that awaits her naive daughter.

Dean Cain plays Pete Davenport, the former All-Star Devils player and recent divorcee who is in his first season as coach of the team.   He runs into Sloane when she shows up to support Ahsha at her final tryout, who drops the news on Davenport at the end of the pilot episode that he is Ahsha's father.

Then toss into this mix Jelena Howard (played by Logan Browning) who is a four year acknowledged star member of the team, the tyrannical captain of the Devil Girls and girlfriend of Devils star baller Terrence Wall. 

She's feeling very threatened by Ahsha joining the squad and her obvious star quality and is also battling Olivia Vincent, the OG Devil Girl who now serves as the manager of the squad for control of it.   

Olivia was once friends with Sloane during their time as Devil Girls before Olivia's machinations to turn the squad into a multimillion dollar enterprise caused a major rift in their friendship. 

Raquel Saldana (Valery Ortiz) is a four year member of the Devil Girls who is cut from the squad after she speaks up in defense of Ahsha who she befriended at the tryouts and incurs the wrath of Jelena.  She also dealing with the bullying deadbeat dad of her 4 year old son Miguel, who is the manager for half of the Devils players.     

There also Kyle Hart, (Katherine Bailess) a stripper who auditions for the squad and is a bright observant woman who isn't scared to fight for what she wants.  She uses her formidable sex appeal with lecherous Devils owner Oscar Kincade in a bid to get a spot on the Devil Girls. 

The show even has Twitter and Facebook pages for you to follow your fave characters and all the action of Hit The Floor.

So yep, y'all know how much I enjoy watching a good scripted show and Hit The Floor has many of the elements I love in terms of plot twists and lots of drama.  I'll definitely be hitting the couch to watch it on Mondays at 8 PM Central time