Hugs in Several Forms

I was glad to be part of the first Blacklight Comedy Show of 2020 hosted by Lois Thompson at the Brooklyn Moon.  Besides the hilarity, the host, the food, the drink, the good service, and the audience, my favorite part was the wonderful hugs.  I love real hugs (not the air kind or the pity kind) – the kind where you know there’s a heartbeat there.

I was recently sick again – not with Legionnaires, but my lungs do seem 

vulnerable to all sorts of stuff.  A friend was getting rid of a couch and looking to give it to a new owner.  It is a sectional and includes a chaise lounge.  It is higher quality furniture than the sofa I have or ever had.  So I excitedly said I’d want it.  However, she’s way out in Queens and I’m in the Bronx.  I asked my buddy who has a vehicle if he could make it happen.  Too big for his vehicle, too heavy to handle.  I was pouting about having to say no.  A free sectional couch of good quality from a very loving friend whose good vibes would come with it.  Ugh.  Then the woman with the couch decided to hire movers and treat me to the whole thing!  I have angels in my life.  Now the only obstacle was my crowded foyer which wouldn’t allow for big furniture to get in. I really didn’t want to miss out on such a generous offer due to my own shit.  So with the support of my buddy, I dug into an area that had been long neglected.  The dust was thick, and I didn’t wear a mask.  The next day I was sick.  But I had to keep going because I had only another day or two to clear the foyer.

The great part is finding things I couldn’t find for quite a while, throwing 

shit out, and feeling bigger than the mess.  Of course not everything got tossed.  Much still needs to be dealt with and is piled all over the rest of the apartment.  Lots of fun waiting for me. 

I got the couch in the apartment, but two of the three sections are 

standing on their side.  I still have to get more out of here in order to fully use and enjoy it.  Being sick didn’t help.  When I saw the doctor, she believed I had the flu.  I don’t think I did.  I think I had a lung infection.  She gave me meds for both, and I am feeling much improved, thank God/dess.  My buddy plans to help me make the livingroom livable for which I am grateful.  He’s got a lot on his plate right now.  As long as I have a place to sit, access to the computer and TV, and am not living with anyone’s hostility, I can wait.

If you like to plan ahead, mark March 20^th 8pm on your calendar for 

another terrific comedy show on City Island.  We will welcome the spring with much laughter.

 

Love to CGG-M ❤

Not A Biden Endorsement By Rhonda Hansome

Joe Biden's 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act changed the face of our society. It denied Pell Grants to prison inmates, funded billions for new prisons, incentivised longer sentences in general and established a 3 strikes provision that mandated life incarceration for violent felons with priors.

This "law" in practice super-charged our biased penal system. As a white supremacist tool Biden's law criminalized, convicted and impacted an entire generation.

And yes, Biden is often nostalgic about his work with Southern segregationist. I say all this to say,

 "This Is NOT A Joe Biden Endorsement."

This IS recognition of how easy it is to be bamboozled.  My attention was captured by a video of Biden in my twitter feed. The post quoted below is in the article at this link. 

Joe Biden did a speech proclaiming the “European' identity of America”. and he stated "Our culture is not imported from some African nation."

This sounds like something from an alt-right, klan rally.

Why should Black people support this or anything from the Democrats?#FBA pic.twitter.com/qo9aAWd8Iq

— Tariq Nasheed  (@tariqnasheed) January 2, 2020    

There were numerous replies. Some said the post was doctored. I googled the original video and saw that the clip was NOT doctored just presented OUT OF CONTEXT. The source video offered no comfort to an "alt-right, klan rally." It was in fact the exact opposite!

Biden was responding (in a detailed / long winded way) to a question about his work to PREVENT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN. The "rule of thumb" was the focus of his reply. That in early England after the death of so many women at the hands of their husbands, it was deemed a man could not  beat his wife with a stick thicker than his thumb.

The etymology may or may not be true, but Biden stated the tradition of  condoning violence against women, came from England - THAT EUROPEAN CULTURE! Not an African culture. Not an Asian culture. That European culture.

The original post has since been deleted, but it's damage has been done. I now suspect EVERYTHING EVER POSTED by this person I followed on YouTube and Twitter. With all the negative he could have said about Joe Biden why choose something so blatantly false?

How many posts have YOU liked or reposted WITHOUT researching the source. Social media + laziness = DEATH.

Rhonda Hansome is a comedian, director, actor, storyteller. You can support Rhonda as an artist via PayPal.  Follow Rhonda on FB, Twitter & IG. Tell your friends to Save The Date!  8 PM Fri. Mar. 6th Rhonda Hansome & Friends at Tribeca Performing Arts Center.

2019 Into 2020

A good, healthy 2020 to us.  

December 18, 2019 was the premiere showing of the first two episodes of 

Mob Mentality.  It was shown as one feature film.  I’m in two scenes.  Media was there.  Open bar, food, much of the cast. 

The premiere was a first for me.  I was more glammed up than most of you have seen me.  Here’s a one-minute capture of the event.  I’m in for about 2 seconds while being interviewed.

https://www.facebook.com/mobmentalitytheseries/videos/822668244843254/?t=26

During the interview, I was asked about the most exciting thing I did in 

the film.  In Mob Mentality, I play a mob wife.  So in quickly thinking about what my character has done so far, I said, “Lusting over the lead.”  I believe he misunderstood what I meant (or I wasn’t clear enough).  I think, based on his facial expression, that he thought I gave a ‘dumb broad’ kind of answer.  I think he thought that I, Mindy, was lusting over the lead.  No, my character was, and it was a first for me to do on camera.  But there was no time to clear that up.  So the reporter may have thought I was a dingbat.  To be clear, the lead, Jack Spiegs, is a very handsome man.  But I don’t usually feel lust over younger men.  I don’t think I ever have. 

I am glad I went.  In some ways, it was a struggle.  I had found out one of 

my aunts had passed away.  I was having other troubles that I won’t share here.  Plus I’m so broke that even carfare is a strain at times.  So there I was all fancy shmancy, and I wanted to look and feel happy and celebratory.  My insides made it a challenge.  On the train ride, I kept trying to will happy times in my head.  I’m not good at faking; it’s not my aim to be good at faking.  So I really tried hard to connect with good feelings deep inside.  By the time I arrived, I had succeeded enough to enjoy myself while I was there. 

I also want to share that my 12/28/2019 Winter Comedy Show at The 

Artist on City Island went very well.  All the comics brought it.  I hadn’t been worried about that.  I like my taste and had faith in the comics.  My concerns were more about getting audience to come out to City Island in the winter.  Not only did they attend the show, they were very generous when the hat was passed around.  I felt so grateful. 

The next day I was paid for a proofreading job I did for a friend.  By 

12/31, I was able to pay December’s rent.  Whew.

***

On the 1^st day of the new year, I was so glad to be part of the Alternative New Year’s Day Spoken Word Extravaganza.  It’s an annual tradition in its 26^th year.  Nine hours, many readers, 3 minutes each.  I so enjoyed reading to such an attentive and appreciative audience.  I was only able to stay for two hours this time.  We get to hear some new people and some people we’ve enjoyed hearing at these events over time.  I am glad when I start the year off this way. 

Apparently, I missed a poet who shared his new year poem that someone 

felt so excited about that she shared it via email to other poets she knows.  I was one she sent it to, and it was just what I needed.  The main message was to make this year better than last year.  That has been helping me each day.  He discouraged huge unrealistic goals; just better than last year.  That seemed approachable to me.  So far, it’s been helpful.  The poet’s name is Jee Leong Koh.  He’s on Facebook.

A comedy pal of mine recommended me to be booked in a show.  That felt 

so good.  Plus she and I seem to have gotten to know each other better recently.  I value that. 

The price is right.  The line-up is great.  Come on over.

Love to CGG-M always.

Rest in peace, Aunt Lorraine.