Soul singer Donny Hathaway’s classic I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know comes alive in this club performance by “LA’s Best Latin Blues Band,” The Delgado Brothers. Smokin’ soulful stuff. If it take a little long to load, not to worry. It’s way worth it.
Cultura
It’s Not News to Us
Bill Santiago is in online hell, trying to type an estupid Ñ (video)
When you switch between Spanish and English, says comic Bill Santiago, it can sometimes be confusing if your eyes see one thing and your brain is thinking something else. Am I right, people? And don’t get me started on the email…
PochoCast #3: Alcaraz and Madrigal on tacos and art and identity
POCHO Jefe-in-Chief Lalo Alcaraz gets Migrant Editor Al Madrigal on Skype to talk about the art and death of Thomas Kinkade and the Pew Hispanic identity survey (Latino? Hispanic? Mexican?)
¡Ask A Mexican! Gustavo Arellano phones in to discuss his delicious new book Taco USA and producer Marcelo Ziperovich wonders if he’s a “white Hispanic” like you know who.
Oh! The laughs we had. Those were the days my friend, I thought they’d never end. Is this thing still on?
Photos: ‘Sleeping Mexican’ garden statues? What’s racist about that?
Arizona sure loves its Mexicans!
Taos-based author and photographer John Hamilton Farr went to Tucson on family business and was stunned by the “Sleeping Mexican” statues all around his mom’s old hood. He photographed these guys “within a two or three block radius of my mother’s old place…less than 10 minutes!”
He brought the statuary to the attention of official neighborhood Arizonians. Their reply? “What’s racist about that?”
People are asking the same question in San Antonio and Tucscon.
Nine big versions of Farr’s photos are below.
And can you answer the trick question: What’s racist about that?
Mas…Photos: ‘Sleeping Mexican’ garden statues? What’s racist about that?
Pocho Ocho U.S. military secret special operations
The minute we heard the United States Air Force had planned and carried out Operation Chimichanga, we knew there had to be more to the story. Our Pentagon sources confirmed the hunch: The inspiration for the “chimichanga” code name was the way the Tex-Mex fried-burrito-belly-busters incapacitated unwary diners every time. The brass hats’ hope was that secret teams in state-of-the-art aircraft could make the enemy moan just like fajita-fed TGIFridays customers on Cinco de Mayo.
There is more to the story — the pocho ocho secret Pentagon operations still in the planning stages:
8. Operation Don’t Drink the Water: Secret “wetback” forces from the Navy SEALS sneak into enemy territory and dose the water with “pedo-biotic” agents bioengineered to cause widespread “Montezuma’s Revenge.” This is expected to cause pandemic personal distress, lessen the enemy’s fighting capability and reduce water pressure.
7. Operation Hot Tamale: Inspired by the guetherman’s motto of “cool today, hot tamale,” stealthy airborne drones seed enemy skies with specially-formulated lard and masa pellets that trap your fat, screw your cholesterol and clot your veins.
Un chico makes his own arcade: Caine’s Arcade
This has got to be the most wondrous film about a small Latino businessman ever made. Caine Monroy, a nine-year-old from East L.A., built his own DIY arcade out of cardboard boxes from his dad’s car parts store. He charges a dollar for two plays, but you really ought to get the Superpass, which is a good deal. He has designed security features with 99 Cent Store calculators, and an ingenious ticket delivery system that you have to see to believe. The excellent and funny short film is by Nirvan Mullick, who was Caine’s first and only customer — for a little bit, anyhow.
Watch the movie and warm your corazon!
Help Caine’s Scholarship Fund:
Caine’s Arcade online:
‘Hey Vato!’ In the hood, a moment of self-reflection (NSFW video)
Hey Vato! stars “two puppet cholos who have discussions about everyday “hood” issues and question their ghetto instincts,” director Juan Rodriguez emails. In the first episode, the “struggle within” captures the boys’ attention. Chuy (on the left) is in the jersey and Smiley is wearing the Pendleton. Ralph Waldo Emerson is also involved. (NSFW language.)
Pocho Ocho ways Latinas deal with unwanted body hair
If you’re a Latina, then you know the dirty little secret: body hair everywhere. Maybe you didn’t grow up with hairy arms or legs, but once you approached 30 or had children, the secret caught up with you.
Hair on your arms, hair on your legs, hairy eyebrows, chin hair, toe and foot hair, moustaches, sideburns, hair on your breasts, even a female version of the treasure trail! Aye!
I’ve seen the culture around Latina body hair traverse everything from shame to denial to indifference to pride (I’m looking at you Frida Kahlo.)
But for the rest of us not so lucky to look good in a moustache, this hair must be dealt with. Here are the top eight ways this can go down:
Spring cholo fashion tips from Le Smoké light up Montebello
Le Smoké is celebrated for his ground-shaking declaration in 2006 that burgundy was the new red and periwinkle would not be considered blue. His list of do’s and don’t’s is always the highlight of the show.
Le Smoké, a 13-year Communications Sciences major at Unincorporated East Pocho City College and a 15-year veteran of the mean streets of Pocho Hills, a struggling suburb of Mission Pocho Viejo, uses the cutting edge of fashion rather than a prison shank to do his stabbing.
Mas…Spring cholo fashion tips from Le Smoké light up Montebello
Dear Latinas: You are not allowed to make fun of yourselves
In the future, Latinas like Sofia Vergara won’t be able to make fun of themselves on TV shows like SNL because it would be politically incorrect. Oh wait — that’s happening now!
Here’s a Philadelphia blogger’s unfocused anti-Sofia rant we find perplexing:
Mas…Dear Latinas: You are not allowed to make fun of yourselves
San Antonio’s Bombasta rocks the hood with ‘De la Calle’
People you know, situations you recognize, stuff you resemble, calles you cruise, stories you live — they’re all here in De la Calle, the super Spanglish new alt.cumbia video from San Antonio band Bombasta.
Alien: The Easter Edition (video)
The crew of the USS Chocstromo really should have seen this coming.
Disinformation Company: Doomsday 2012 Science or Superstition?
Yo what is up with all this Mayan Doomsday 2012 stuff? We need some disinformation and we need it now, and that’s why we turned to the Disinformation Company for this video. Like check it:
Disinformation Company producer Gary Baddeley, director Nimrod Erez and the Disinformation team contacted and arranged interviews with multiple experts, often obtaining speedy access due to more than ten years of working with them or colleagues in their fields!
Mas…Disinformation Company: Doomsday 2012 Science or Superstition?
Hamburguesas never looked so good! Salma Hayek for BurgerBoy
Don’t judge! She was young and she needed the money. Salma Hayek stars in a musical commercial for the now-defunct Mexican fast food chain BurgerBoy.
Lima, Peru: Why did you paint the wall? Because it was there (video)
Tajo Abierto by Decertor. Festival Latir Latino, realizado en las calles de Miraflores, Lima 2012. In other words, OK, like in Peru? It was this Latino Beat Festival. Right, yeah. Lima, Peru. And this dude painted this massive other dude all sideways and stuff on a wall. OK and he like video’d it. Sweet.
From Coldrank for Trayvon: ‘Black Man’ (music video)
Citing Malcom X, MLK and Michael Jackson, rapper Coldrank‘s Black Man explores, shall we say, discrepancies in society’s treatment of blacks killing blacks, blacks killing whites and whites killing blacks. And those that don’t learn from history, he reminds us, are doomed to repeat it. Directed by Joe Mexican.
Pocho Ocho new merit badges for Latina Girl Scouts
Latina girls are the key to growth for the Girl Scouts, and the organization needs to shift culturally to accommodate these new scouts.
How do you bring in a new crop of Latina scouts? How about some new Merit Badges?
8. Touting Trenzas.
It may be India María style or Frida Kahlo style, but any good Latina needs to know how to work the hair art. Whether it be one braid or two, a French braid or any other variety.
7. Masa Mashing.
Scouts need to know how to mash masa around between their hands in a variety of ways. Masa mashing can be the cultural equivalent of chopping, the manner in which masa is mashed alluding to unspoken or subtle feelings, including: anger, happiness, interest, nervousness, etc.
Chicano? Mexican? Cuban? Boricuan? Latino? Hispanic? What are you?
NBCLatino asked POCHO Jefe-in-Chief Lalo Alcaraz whether he’s a Chicano or Latino or Mexican or Hispanic.
Lalo was commenting on the Pew Hispanic Center survey everybody is talking about:
Nearly four decades after the United States government mandated the use of the terms “Hispanic” or “Latino” to categorize Americans who trace their roots to Spanish-speaking countries, a new nationwide survey of Hispanic adults finds that these terms still haven’t been fully embraced by Hispanics themselves. A majority (51%) say they most often identify themselves by their family’s country of origin; just 24% say they prefer a pan-ethnic label.
Mas…Chicano? Mexican? Cuban? Boricuan? Latino? Hispanic? What are you?
Pocho Ocho reasons Gustavo Arellano should win a Pulitzer Prize
POCHO amigo Gustavo Arellano, the ¡Ask A Mexican! guy who writes columns and books and edits OCWeekly.com, has a new book coming out soon: Taco USA — How Mexican Food Conquered America.
Despite his adamant refusal to bribe us for coverage, we still want to present Pocho Ocho reasons he should win a pinche Pulitzer:
8. The use of the inverted exclamation point in ¡Ask A Mexican! has forced gabachos across America to learn special key combinations to send him hateful email.
7. Consistently employing “SantAna” when referring to the Orange County City of Santa Ana has moved Carlos Santana out of the old-age home and into a long-term gig at the House of Blues on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip.
Mas…Pocho Ocho reasons Gustavo Arellano should win a Pulitzer Prize
The California Mission lost to history: Santa Zipporah de la Culpa
Founded on Passover 1799 by a youthful colony of Spanish Jews fleeing the persecution of their parents, at its height the mission comprised a thriving community of several hundred souls along the Los Angeles River, near present-day Boyle Heights.
Often overshadowed by its overachieving Catholic neighbors in San Gabriel and San Fernando, Mission Santa Zipporah was founded by the storied ‘Father’ Shmuel, the Jewish missionary sometimes known by his nickname, “Father Sarah.”
Mas…The California Mission lost to history: Santa Zipporah de la Culpa
Is guitarist and singer Omar Torrez the Latino Jimi Hendrix?
Omar Torrez sure can play! That’s why he toured with Tom Waits and played with others like the Buena Vista Social Club and Jethro Tull. The Los Angeles Times wrote: “Dare we dub him the Latin Hendrix?! The fastest fingers in the West, a massive talent poised to break out and kiss the sky.”
Omar Torrez describes his music as “equal parts rock, Latin, delta blues, atonal classical, and performance art.” His heritage is as diverse as his music, ranging from Spanish and Basque (via Mexico) to Norwegian, Native American and Russian roots.
We especially like his new release — a happy-go-lucky smile of a tune called Marina (play this loud!) which will have you chair-dancing in no time at all. Srsly.
Ladies: Is your guy a ‘Macho Man from Taco Land’? (music video)
Ladies: Does this song describe anyone you know? Or shall we ask again after tonight’s big game? Gary P. Nunn is a Texas singer/songwriter with a good eye for detail and a pointed wit.
‘Coonskin’ animated masterpiece by Ralph Bakshi explores racism
[NSFW. This is totally not safe for work. F word, N word etc.] We were very surprised to see it online and don’t know how long it will be available. Ralph Bakshi’s Coonskin is
… a subversive and satirical re-imagining of Disney’s Song Of The South with an urban spin, Ralph Bakshi’s incendiary masterpiece Coonskin exploits and eviscerates grotesque American racial stereotypes with a politically incorrect, profane and vicious sense of humor. — Dangerous Minds
Superhero Video: The Adventures of Paleta Man (Parts 1 & 2)
The Adventures of Paleta Man is the story of an ice cream man who becomes a superhero. And this video — hold on now — is an adaptation of a coloring book based on the Paleta Man screenplay by independent writer/filmmaker Paul Ramirez of Austin, TX. The video is best when played fullscreen. The plot:
Esteban Ruiz makes a living by selling ice cream. A good and hardworking man, Esteban enjoys his job, especially when it brings him closer to Margarita Morales, the woman he loves. But being a modest man makes Esteban an easy target. He has been bullied, and becomes frustrated by his inability to defend himself. His fate suddenly changes when he purchases an antique wooden box. The box contains a magical medallion that gives Esteban special abilities. With his newly acquired strength, he decides to help those in need and punish criminals. He calls himself Paleta Man. When a villain captures Margarita, Esteban will need all of his super powers.
Part 2 — Secret of the Gold Medallion — is below.
Mas…Superhero Video: The Adventures of Paleta Man (Parts 1 & 2)
L.A. group It’s Casual wants you to ‘Take the Red Line’
It’s easy being green when you Take the Red Line. Rock metal skaters It’s Casual recommend public transportation.
California’s new official poetry man is Juan Felipe Herrera (video)
Gov. Jerry Brown has sworn in UC Riverside professor Juan Felipe Herrera as California’s Poet Laureate — the first Chicano to get the honor. In this video, Herrera reads his poem 187 reasons Mexicanos can’t cross the border. The poem illustrates the difference between Jerry Brown’s California and Jan Brewer’s Hate State of Arizona, where Mexican-American Studies are outlawed. Cali isn’t perfect, but at least we know where we came from.
La Chata’s Music Box: The Lions rock the roar reggae-style
OK OK so yes I know I was bound to feature a reggae band, but what do you expect from La Chata? The Lions feature members of Hepcat,The Expanders, Orgone, Fitz & The Tantrums, Big Daddy Kane, Tone Loc, Raphael Saadiq, Poncho Sanchez and the list goes on.
Mas…La Chata’s Music Box: The Lions rock the roar reggae-style
Laurel and Hardy are El Gordo y El Flaco in ‘El Flaco Va Al Dentista’
Is Will Ferrell — currently starring in Casa de Mi Padre — the first Anglo comic actor to make a Spanish-language comedy without knowing a word of Spanish?
No guey! As you can see in this old movie clip, black and white jailbirds Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel AKA El Gordo y El Flaco visited the Dentista and delivered their lines phonetically from a script 60 or more years ago. If you don’t know about Ferrell’s movie, you can peep the trailer below — it’s in Spanish AND color!
Mas…Laurel and Hardy are El Gordo y El Flaco in ‘El Flaco Va Al Dentista’
My Bottom Line: ‘Casa De Mi Padre’ is (1) Funny and (2) Not racist
Over the weekend I went with two guys to see Will Ferrell’s latest film, Casa De Mi Padre. The film stars several Mexican actors and was produced by a Latino production house.
If you want the bottom line, here it is: I went into the movie with low expectations, but was surprised that it was funny, not racist, and well done.
In the film, Ferrell speaks entirely in Spanish, and I have to give him props for doing so well and not stooping to the level of “look at the funny white guy who can’t speak Spanish” jokes. As a matter fact, the movie was surprisingly devoid of the kinds of jokes where gringos make fun of Mexicans via brownfacing, or doing bad imitations of Mexicans.
Mas…My Bottom Line: ‘Casa De Mi Padre’ is (1) Funny and (2) Not racist
Tia Lencha’s Cocina: Make all your beans come true
Hi. Is Tia Lencha here. Sorry I haven been on the blogue. I don’t like to complains, but I have a son, and varicose veins. But I have to tell you about when I was making a pot of beans and I remember the time when I help my hijo make his dream come true.
It was summer and I was still with mijo’s father. Mijo and I stayed at home during the vacations from school. Mijo say he was bore being at the house, so I say, “why don’t we make a project?”
Mijo, who was six year old, say, “Can we make something?”
Oh! So cute! I say, “Yes, mijo, what do you want to make?”
He thought for a little bit and say, “I want to make the perfect pedo.”
Dear Abuelita: Is my girlfriend really a virgin? And why no sex now?
Dear Abuelita:
I am a 20-year-old Latino man. My girlfriend will not have sex with me until we get married and she insists she’s a virgin. I’m not sure she’s telling the truth. Is there any way to tell if she’s a virgin or not?
Crazy with Celibacy
Dear Crazy with Celibacy:
Ever hear of “something old, something new, something borrowed and some things are turning blue?” Listen, loco, there is only one sign you should be looking for and it’s an EXIT sign. Head for the hills, better yet, head to where buffalo girls roam and don’t come home until you’ve got your color back. That is unless…
Mas…Dear Abuelita: Is my girlfriend really a virgin? And why no sex now?
Punk pioneer Alice ‘Bag’ Velasquez tells all in ‘Violence Girl’ (videos)
 |
 |
Alicia Velasquez AKA “Alice Bag” — music scene pioneer in first-wave L.A. punk band The Bags — went on the road this winter to promote her autobiography Violence Girl. After a record store appearance, she answered a few questions for Punk Globe magazine.
Here’s the interview and the “trailer” for her book. Yes, books have trailers. And check out The Bags performance video and the vintage gurl-punk Cholitas footage — all below.
Mas…Punk pioneer Alice ‘Bag’ Velasquez tells all in ‘Violence Girl’ (videos)