Resisting a Slice of Assimilated Heaven

by Sam Drew/ReVieWsForTHeReVoLutioN

As a staff writer at POOR Magazine, I proudly claim the title of poverty scholar since I’ve suffered through low wage and no wage security jobs at some of the most prestigious buildings in the San Francisco Bay Area. This life experience informs and infuses my journalism. Not only do I report the news, but I use media to support the community. At POOR Magazine we are not just media voyeurs but media makers.

Sitting in a half empty movie theatre suffering through trailer after trailer of bombastic summer blockbuster films, my senses were suddenly awakened as I saw Don Cheadle on the screen decked out in polyester and plaid with his 1970’s style butterfly collar shirt open to his navel. "Oh, no” I thought to myself, “not another movie about a street smart Black man who says outrageous things and wiggles out of difficult situations by fooling uptight whites and saves the day by spreading peace, love and SOUL to America.”

If you’ve seen one of these movies you've seen them all. Eddie Murphy, Eddie Griffin, Chris Rock, Chris Tucker and the Wayans Brothers excel in this type of standard Hollywood fare. I almost gave up on this movie just by viewing the trailer. But something said give this movie a chance. Don Cheadle’s body of work has been stellar and Director Kasi Lemmons has shown a sensitive and powerful touch in movies like “Eve’s Bayou.” This is one of the few times the small voice in my head was right.

Don Cheadle portrays Ralph “Petey” Green an ex-con who becomes a mainstay on Washington D.C. radio during the turbulent 60’s. His tell it like it is disc jockey style makes him a hero to the average joe in chocolate city. He has no fear calling Motown’s head honcho Berry Gordy a pimp because of his exploitive contracts with young people. He routinely undresses crooked politicians over the radio without fear. It is his relationship with the community that turns him into a folk hero.

A watershed moment in the movie occurs when Petey gets his chance to perform on “The Tonight Show” in New York City. For Petey’s former radio director and now career advisor, The Tonight Show is a slice of assimilated heaven; a crossover dream realized.
Sitting across from Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon as a black man was almost entirely unheard of before than and to many signaled that the entire race had risen.

When Petey is about to perform his comedy routine he is hit with an epiphany. These well heeled white folks have come to laugh at me not with me. As he walks out on the Tonight Show, Petey also walks out on his career as a disc jockey. His personal demons catch up with him and his career comes to a grinding halt. There are ramifications for not falling in line with societies pressure to conform.

But what made Petey a hero to the average person was his willingness to take on power and privilege, yet remain true to his roots. For him to become mainstream would require him to turn his back on what made him popular to begin with.

I can totally identify with Petey’s dilemma. At POOR Magazine what separates us from the mainstream is the fact we embrace our disabilities and poverty and incorporate them in our journalism, poetry and books. To turn your back on this would be like turning your back on what makes you unique. This would be turning your back on your community. The motto at POOR Magazine is that not only do we report the news but we sup-port too. Through his unwillingness to change and conform to society’s wishes, Petey did just the same.