1 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Smith and welcome to Stephane. 2 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:18,599 Speaker 1: Never told you Protection of I Heart Radio. And today 3 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: it is time for another feminist movie Friday. I believe 4 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 1: this one's coming out on Friday? Is it? Okay? Are 5 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: we on time? We are all over the place, but 6 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 1: I think on this one we're on time. Yes. And 7 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:34,959 Speaker 1: we have teased about this one because today we are 8 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 1: talking about the twenty biographical drama film Marini's Black Bottom, 9 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:44,160 Speaker 1: based on August Wilson's two play of the same name. 10 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:46,960 Speaker 1: The movie was directed by George C. Wolf and written 11 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 1: by Ruben Santiago Hudson and stars by Ola Davis Chadwick 12 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: Boseman in his final film appearance. Which is why we 13 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,319 Speaker 1: kind of pushed this one off because we knew it 14 00:00:56,360 --> 00:01:00,120 Speaker 1: was going to be a bummer. It's sad. Well, I'm 15 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 1: not gonna lie, We're gonna get into it. But I 16 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 1: did not realize how sad the play, and I should 17 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: have because it was a realm and doing the realm 18 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 1: of like those sad plays where it never ends as 19 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: well as you want. But okay, yes, yes, it was 20 00:01:14,959 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 1: multiple ways, also starring Coleman Domingo, Glenn Turman, and Michael Potts, 21 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:23,400 Speaker 1: and it was produced by Denzel Washington, Todd Black, and 22 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 1: Dandy Wolf. It received a lot of praise, acclaim and 23 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 1: awards when it came out, including being named as one 24 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: of the top ten movies of by the American Film 25 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 1: Institute and five OSCAR nominations, including Best Actor for Bozeman, 26 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 1: Best Actress for Davis, and it won the Makeup and 27 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 1: Hair Styling and Costume Design Award of the Oscars. We 28 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 1: talked about that in our Women Achievements of twenty episode 29 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 1: It's All a Mess in My Head. It also received 30 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 1: nine in double A CP Image Award nominations. Bozeman and 31 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,559 Speaker 1: Davis also made history when they both want Best Actor 32 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: and Actress at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the first 33 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: time at black actors had won both categories in the 34 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 1: same year. So um and after watching this performance, I 35 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 1: didn't know originally when the Oscar stuff was happening and 36 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,839 Speaker 1: they had this This was a big controversial moment where 37 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: Bozeman had passed away and everybody was grieving, and the 38 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:25,800 Speaker 1: Oscars itself made it seem like they were going to 39 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: announce him as the OSCAR nominated winner, and it didn't 40 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: And it was very anticlimatic and everybody's like, really, dude, 41 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 1: which Anthony Hopkins had won, and he was asleep during 42 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 1: his award because at the time we was off, it 43 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: was pandemic. Not everyone was there. But I have to 44 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:47,919 Speaker 1: say I haven't seen Anthony Hopkins performance. He was robbed, 45 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: Bozeman was robbed his work in this film. I forgot 46 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 1: who he was, And so oftentimes I get caught up 47 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: in what I've seen in them. Originally so Black Panther 48 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 1: that is in the back of my head, but that 49 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 1: very like small talking but like big action person. But 50 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 1: he doesn't use a large voice in Black Panther, And 51 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 1: in this one he exuded everything, like everything resonated, and 52 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 1: I could not help but feel everything he was feeling, 53 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: the angst of it all, And I really was sad 54 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: that he did not. He should have won that award, 55 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: like no matter what, not for symplity, but for the 56 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: performance in itself was incredible, and I'm very sad by that. 57 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 1: I just went there. It was a phenomenal performance. It 58 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: was very like electrifying, and I think every article I 59 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: read mentioned like, Wow, what a what an amazing job 60 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 1: he did, and all of the performances were amazing, and 61 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: I was really impressed with I really loved that. I 62 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: loved the costuming, I love the hair. I read an 63 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 1: article right before this about Davis being very insistent on 64 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: capturing that look and how they were able to capture 65 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: that look of Mo Rainy, and I loved the music 66 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 1: of it. It was just so immediately kind of pulls 67 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: you in and it's just very very very important to 68 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 1: this story and important to this movie. And I absolutely 69 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: loved it. And the person in charge of the costume, 70 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:18,559 Speaker 1: uh and Roth was so meticulous. Even Davis was talking 71 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 1: about how during the giant tent saying, which we're gonna 72 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 1: talk a little bit about it had over a hundred extras. 73 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 1: Roth would go around per person and make sure whatever 74 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:30,719 Speaker 1: they were wearing was to the tea as that timing. 75 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 1: And she talked about how she was big into research 76 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: and refused to do anything before she researched all of 77 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,599 Speaker 1: that time period and all of this individual people, and 78 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 1: talked about the suits for the men, talked about the 79 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: dress for Morainey, like all of those things, and the 80 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:46,360 Speaker 1: two of them were really great and collaborating and yeah, 81 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: and that definitely needed awards. It also kind of like, man, 82 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 1: I was like, you had this fantasy about the twenties, 83 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: but we also know, yes, it was not a good 84 00:04:57,240 --> 00:04:59,359 Speaker 1: time to be a person of color in general, especially 85 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 1: black person. But the beginning and the change, and I 86 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:05,040 Speaker 1: didn't really think about the Great Migration, and I forgot 87 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:07,919 Speaker 1: about that. We had a comment like, you know, we 88 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 1: talked about studying the black history and what that looks like. 89 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 1: I know, we don't talk about the Great Migration and 90 00:05:13,279 --> 00:05:17,600 Speaker 1: what that was. And still the overall segregation and racism 91 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: that was happening, even though it's supposed to be a 92 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: better opportunity. And I really am glad that we got 93 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:26,600 Speaker 1: to see that perspective here. Um in best conversation, and 94 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: I will say, like watching there is a making of 95 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: so if you if you get to watch that, it's 96 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 1: on Netflix as well. Um, it's really great, Like it's 97 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 1: just like a twenty minute documentary about the process and 98 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 1: what they were doing. But the director was so adamant 99 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,279 Speaker 1: and all of these things and wanting to represent in 100 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 1: uh not only metaphorically but physically all of these different 101 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:54,360 Speaker 1: things that were happening and talking about you know, the 102 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 1: beginning scenes where you see them walking off the train 103 00:05:57,400 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 1: station and they're getting looks because they're a part of 104 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:02,040 Speaker 1: the out there in the part of the town where 105 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 1: black people weren't welcomed or once seen often there. But yeah, 106 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 1: really good. Yeah, and I'm going to ask you about 107 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 1: that because I did not get a chance to watch it, 108 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: so I want to hear more. Um And as you said, Samantha, 109 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:17,279 Speaker 1: these are both available on Netflix. If you have Netflix, 110 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:20,919 Speaker 1: you want to check it out. Highly recommend high they recommend. 111 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 1: And I know that scene, the opening scene you're talking about, 112 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 1: I really loved and they were talking about it was 113 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:30,840 Speaker 1: something we've discussed a lot, is you know, not only 114 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:35,600 Speaker 1: showing this racial tension that was just you know, inherent 115 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: and the lives of black people, but also joy and 116 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 1: and the power of music. And that scene was a 117 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: good It had both of them kind of side by 118 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: side and it was really powerful. All right, So let's 119 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: go over the plot really quickly. The story follows influential 120 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:55,839 Speaker 1: blues singer Morainy, who's played by Davis and in particular 121 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 1: a dramatized studio session that took place in Chicago in 122 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 1: the nine in the summer very hot. Um Rainy a renowned, 123 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 1: strong willed woman and Georgia singer sometimes called the Mother Blues, 124 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: had recently been contracted by white producers, and she goes 125 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 1: to record at Paramounts Recording Studios in Chicago. One of 126 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: her producers expresses frustration when the talented and seasoned Georgia 127 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 1: Jazz band members Toledo Cutler and Slow Drag show up 128 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 1: on time and without Rainy. The trumpeter Levy Green, who 129 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: is played by Boseman, against the band's wishes, he has 130 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 1: shown the annoyed producers, Sturdy votes some of his own 131 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 1: compositions in the hopes of striking out on his own 132 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:42,679 Speaker 1: without Rainy. He's got kind of these like big ambitions 133 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 1: and hopes. And I think, like, if you've watched anything 134 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 1: kind of like Catillect records or dream Girls, which I've seen, 135 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 1: have you seen either one of those seen Dreamgirls? Yeah, 136 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 1: we know that during that time there was a lot 137 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 1: of misleading, and we're gonna talk about it more. But 138 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: this obvious that the elder musicians are like, don't do that. 139 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 1: You're giving it to the white man essentially, and it 140 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: kind of alludes to that. But he's thinking he's so big, 141 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 1: has so the big dreams and is so talented, it's 142 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 1: not going to be a problem. But so an hour late, 143 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: Rainy arrives with her friend Dussie May and her nephew Sylvester, 144 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:22,640 Speaker 1: and by the way, and that she talks about how 145 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: she makes her entrance when she walks out of the 146 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 1: hotel and everybody's looking and this is kind of that 147 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 1: rebellion and being like, y'all are going to look at 148 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 1: me anyway, so I'm making a show. Y'all are showing 149 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 1: disdain to me. I'm gonna show you disdain. And that's 150 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 1: kind of the persona that Davis saw and it was 151 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:41,839 Speaker 1: correct of what who Mo Rainey was. And so she 152 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:44,840 Speaker 1: did that so well, so well, I love it. So 153 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:47,599 Speaker 1: she wastes no time in clashing with Thirt evands that 154 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: so they've already worked together, apparently, and she knows how 155 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 1: to work them. With joy Uh and the manager Irvin, 156 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: issuing demands and refusing to record since her Coca cola 157 00:08:56,440 --> 00:09:00,120 Speaker 1: was not provided, which she requested. Instead, she threat is 158 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: to lead this and say that's fine, I'll leave here. 159 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: I can record anywhere else. I know what you are doing. 160 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 1: I'm not doing this. I can't believe y'all can't do this. 161 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,679 Speaker 1: This is also at the same time, she's all demanding 162 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: that Sylvester be on the record. This is her nephew. 163 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:15,640 Speaker 1: She had promised her sister that she would take care 164 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 1: of him. He's going to earn some money. Unfortunately, he 165 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 1: has a pronounced stutter, so it's kind of difficult for 166 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 1: him to do the opening lines. I do find it 167 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 1: interesting that a there's a lot, there's a bit of ableism. 168 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 1: I know we're gonna talk about it, because she's forcing 169 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 1: him to do something whether or not he can't or 170 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 1: her he can't. And then also the fact that I 171 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:39,200 Speaker 1: do love his attitude, So that's just attitude says I 172 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 1: can get it. Just leave me be like I can 173 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 1: get it. But everybody else is just kind of like 174 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 1: oh no, oh no. And I don't know. I think 175 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 1: we would have to look up. But you know, we 176 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 1: don't have the amazing They didn't have the amazing skills 177 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 1: and technology to edit because y'all, it takes me a 178 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:56,920 Speaker 1: long time to get us sentence together sometimes too. Let's 179 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 1: just be real honest, but thank god, superproducer Christina can 180 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: fix me in editing. But you know, so this is 181 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: costing money, like they were throwing away records upon records. Um, 182 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:11,680 Speaker 1: so this was a concern, but not only that because 183 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:15,319 Speaker 1: of this obviously there's multiple takes. Everybody is getting atovated. 184 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: It's really hot, and yeah, there's a lot of hiccups 185 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:22,200 Speaker 1: and getting to this point. Yes, yes, yes, yes, So 186 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 1: there's kind of like this boiling over of tensions. And 187 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: in a break between recording, Rainy tells Cutler that her 188 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:33,839 Speaker 1: white producers see her as quote, just a dog in 189 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: the alley, that they only use her for her voice. Um, 190 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 1: and this is part of her like which we're also 191 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 1: going to get into more, you know, asking for coke, 192 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 1: Like I'm making you all this money and you can't 193 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:47,720 Speaker 1: spend the money on a cocacola to get me that 194 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 1: I requested, like knowing, yeah you're worth and slow drag 195 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 1: walks in on dust. He may and a Levy having sex. 196 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:58,080 Speaker 1: So a lot of things. Yeah, and by the way, 197 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 1: at this point you should know does he is in 198 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 1: a romantic relationship with Mo Rainy And that's so that 199 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 1: the very first scene when we see Mo Rainy performing 200 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:10,720 Speaker 1: in the tense scene which we were talking about with 201 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 1: all the amazing costumes, kind of setting up how big 202 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 1: of a performer she really is, what kind of show 203 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 1: she really has? Like it's pretty phenomenal. We see that 204 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:21,760 Speaker 1: he's trying to he being Levy goes to the front center, 205 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 1: which he's not. He's just a backup band, but he 206 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: comes out to the front to show off his rumpeting skills. 207 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: But he's also like eye contact with Dustie May trying 208 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:34,199 Speaker 1: to like hit on her and everybody sees it. Row 209 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,560 Speaker 1: don't do that, um, but yes, they end up having sex. 210 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 1: There's this whole like weird exchange. Also good to note, 211 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:44,280 Speaker 1: like they do an amazing job in transitioning this to 212 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 1: film from being on stage play because it still feels 213 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:51,600 Speaker 1: absolutely like a play but still movie. So the way 214 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:53,959 Speaker 1: they have these transitions, the way they set it up, 215 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 1: you obviously know it was a play once upon a time, 216 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 1: just so put that there so at there's several takes 217 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 1: of the first track. The band finally nails it, Sylvester 218 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:06,840 Speaker 1: finally nails it, but it turns out things to equipment malfunction. 219 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:10,240 Speaker 1: The recording is so like his recording was off the 220 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: entire time because rats had eaten the cord and everyone's 221 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:15,960 Speaker 1: really not happy. So the band members point the finger 222 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:18,320 Speaker 1: at Levy accusing him of tripping over something while he 223 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:20,440 Speaker 1: was mooning over DESI may Yeah. There's a lot of 224 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 1: implications here, like, oh, you did this, and you did this, 225 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 1: and no one's really grasping what is happening. They yell 226 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:28,080 Speaker 1: at does he manage? He's like, what am I doing? 227 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:32,760 Speaker 1: But further again, investigation reveals it was damaged done by 228 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:36,319 Speaker 1: the rats. Cutler, who is a religious man, and that's 229 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:39,440 Speaker 1: part of the theme, is a religion, God and being saved, 230 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:42,679 Speaker 1: essentially tries to mediate because they all take a break. 231 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 1: So at this breaktop point, while they're waiting, the band 232 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 1: goes downstairs. It looks really like is an obvious statement 233 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 1: of where the backup band is in the dark room, 234 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: little given, little amenities, you're just here further background, you're 235 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: not the star. But they go down two tall and 236 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 1: then they start having a bigger discussion about religion. They 237 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 1: start talking about having a bigger discussion about um, the 238 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 1: crimes against black people and how to have a relationship 239 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:13,840 Speaker 1: with white people and in this supremacy at this time 240 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:17,440 Speaker 1: in the nineteen twenties. And then in this time, Cutler 241 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 1: tells the story of a black man getting stuck in 242 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:23,120 Speaker 1: a small town in Georgia, a group of white man 243 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:25,440 Speaker 1: take his bible, teared up and forced him to dance, 244 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 1: but uses the dance as saying he you are doing 245 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 1: something that's against God, so you can't have these things. 246 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: But before he could finish the story, Levy dismisses him, 247 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:37,199 Speaker 1: telling that if God existed, he'd care about black people, 248 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:39,560 Speaker 1: which isn't the case because at this point we've already 249 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 1: heard the story, really sad story of Levy's mom who 250 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 1: was traumatized and assaulted by a group of white men 251 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:49,200 Speaker 1: after his dad tried to buy property. So a lot 252 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 1: of these things. So him being told he was man 253 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: of the house, couldn't protect or tried and then got 254 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 1: stabbed because he tried. Um, so he's angry, he's in 255 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:58,840 Speaker 1: which he one of the first things he says, is 256 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 1: my mom called out to God, caught out to Jesus 257 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:04,680 Speaker 1: for mercy, and no one showed. If Jesus really cared 258 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 1: about you, he'll stop me from attacking you to Cutler 259 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:09,839 Speaker 1: with a like he had a knife, and they were 260 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 1: after they started fighting, so it was a whole big Again, 261 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,920 Speaker 1: these dialogues and monologues that Levy does is what I'm 262 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 1: talking about. That passion because these are the things that 263 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 1: you see. I don't know if you've ever in any 264 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:24,760 Speaker 1: audition for place. I'm sure you have, but you have 265 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: to have these monologues and these are it. And I 266 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 1: don't know if when anyone ever could HiT's the level 267 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 1: that he does, but it's phenomenal when they can stand 268 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:39,000 Speaker 1: alone like that and you're mesmerized like that. To me, 269 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: that's to me, award winning all of that to say, 270 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:44,640 Speaker 1: he does it, he does it well. He breaks your heart, 271 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 1: he makes you angry, and in my head as a person, 272 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 1: you and I have talked about religion, I was like, yea, anyway, 273 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 1: yeah that's seen if the camera like follows as he's 274 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,040 Speaker 1: having this monologue and he's going through all of these emotions, 275 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 1: so so mesmerizing and painful. But yeah, really excellent. Okay, 276 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 1: So the band finally finishes the recording session and after 277 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 1: they are wrapped, Rainy fires Levy. Uh, and they've kind 278 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:18,160 Speaker 1: of been at odds this whole time because he's had 279 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:21,040 Speaker 1: he said, like, I can improve your music. He's got 280 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: this thing with dust he may like kind of the 281 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 1: whole thing. Oh and he was really out of it 282 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:30,520 Speaker 1: that Sylvester not beyond the album. Ma Rainey believes that 283 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 1: his ambition and his recklessness and his attitude are harmful 284 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 1: for the band, so Levy goes to Sturdy Vaunt, the 285 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 1: white producer, but Sturdy Vont tells him he'll only buy 286 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:44,960 Speaker 1: the music, that there's no market for him for that music, 287 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 1: not gonna really make money. He offers him like nothing 288 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 1: for it. This leads Levy to have a mental breakdown 289 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: and he fatally stabs Toledo after Toledo accidentally stepped on 290 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 1: his his new shoes that he had bought at the 291 00:15:57,920 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 1: beginning of this movie. These kind of new fancy shoes, 292 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:04,560 Speaker 1: horrified color and slow drag leave as Levy cradles Toledo's body. 293 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 1: The film ends with an all white bands, presumably Paul 294 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 1: Whiteman's orchestra. From what I read recording Levy songs for 295 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 1: Dirty Bunch, Yeah yeah, yeah, that ending. I will say 296 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 1: again it felt very author Miller esk and I'm no again, 297 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: that's not I'm not trying to compare the two because 298 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:47,240 Speaker 1: it's not, but that that level of melancholy ending, But 299 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:49,960 Speaker 1: it rained true. I think there's an also conversation and 300 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:51,840 Speaker 1: we're going to talk about this in a minute. But 301 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:54,920 Speaker 1: the idea of finding black joy. I think that's a 302 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 1: big conversation in the black community today because more often 303 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 1: times that we have this need to see the sadness 304 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 1: and the torture of black communities and black people, which 305 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:06,360 Speaker 1: is kind of the whole slavery stories, Like Okay, at 306 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:09,879 Speaker 1: what point are we exploiting their pain? Um and and 307 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:12,119 Speaker 1: absolutely and in this kind of I was like, I 308 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 1: wonder what would we say about this play specifically, But 309 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 1: at the same time, because the ending for Levy that 310 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:22,120 Speaker 1: that was shocking to me, But again it felt very 311 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:24,879 Speaker 1: like you know, Arthur Miller esk in that level of 312 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 1: like just it just ends and you're like, what just happened? 313 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:31,280 Speaker 1: What just happened? But it's very like fifties, nine sixties 314 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:33,920 Speaker 1: like types of plays. So I wonder if that was 315 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:38,440 Speaker 1: kind of that mindset for August Wilson, because I'll never know. 316 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:43,399 Speaker 1: But the reality is, while we're celebrating one woman's success, 317 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:46,320 Speaker 1: but in the in the actual documentary are talking about 318 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 1: this is the end of her success, Like this is 319 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 1: kind of the end of the her giant career. So 320 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:56,439 Speaker 1: is it what or is this the dichotomy? And is 321 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 1: it that she's jaded and sot knows how to work 322 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:00,200 Speaker 1: the system, and that's how she's leaving. It is on 323 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:03,240 Speaker 1: a bang, And Levy came in so hopeful in thinking 324 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:05,879 Speaker 1: that all he needed was dreams and talent, which they 325 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:08,359 Speaker 1: do talk about the documentary, and that's the way it 326 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:11,159 Speaker 1: was portrayed. And then when he was so profoundly disappointed 327 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:14,679 Speaker 1: that he took his rage out on the wrong person, 328 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:17,719 Speaker 1: meaning right, it should be towards a white man, and 329 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:20,560 Speaker 1: because he did not have the ability to do so 330 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:23,400 Speaker 1: at that point in time, it was towards one of 331 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 1: his friends, essentially, and the trauma and the shock of 332 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:33,840 Speaker 1: it all. Yeah, but uh yeah, I mean I guess 333 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:36,440 Speaker 1: we should also I mentioned I want you to talk 334 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: about the documentary a second, Samantha, because that's a great 335 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: point now that you pointed out to me. I'm like, yeah, 336 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: this is definitely a play, Like I can see that. 337 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 1: It feels very much like a play, but we didn't 338 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:49,120 Speaker 1: mention in the plot. Like at the end, after the 339 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:52,440 Speaker 1: recording session is done, my Rainy is trying to leave 340 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 1: and the quote nicer white producer is like, you got 341 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:02,600 Speaker 1: to sign this contract. Act can't leave without signing this contract. 342 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:03,879 Speaker 1: And she's like no, no, no, no, I don't want 343 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:05,960 Speaker 1: to sign it. I don't want to sign it. Eventually 344 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 1: you just really pressures her into it, and she's I mean, 345 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:11,879 Speaker 1: she she it's not like she knows what she's doing, 346 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 1: but it's definitely that feeling of resignation of like, well, 347 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:20,879 Speaker 1: it's also a plot point and understanding that she knew 348 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: not too because it was the release forms, like that 349 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:26,439 Speaker 1: you can have it, but you can't release it her 350 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:29,359 Speaker 1: music without her permission, which I'm very surprised that they 351 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 1: had that during that time because they did so much 352 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:35,560 Speaker 1: to take advantage of the black community, black artist, which 353 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: was a big theme that she had been so jaded 354 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:43,640 Speaker 1: and so screwed over by the white people and her 355 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 1: giant conversations, and that is gorgeous Davis's performance, and that 356 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:50,720 Speaker 1: that she waited to the mid last minute because she 357 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 1: knew how many times that she would have to correct 358 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 1: them for not following her instructions or not listening or 359 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 1: not following her requests, including the Coca cola, which she 360 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:01,360 Speaker 1: just follow It was tired of them. It's like, fine, 361 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 1: I'll get my own, which we have that really uncomfortable 362 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 1: scene of the two young black men to her nephew 363 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 1: and the other musician walking into an all white store 364 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:14,879 Speaker 1: just having a stare off. But then also the fact 365 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:17,720 Speaker 1: that she demanded pay for her nephew and they were 366 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:20,080 Speaker 1: going to take it out of her check instead of 367 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 1: just paying them. They're like she was like, oh, hell no. Essentially, 368 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: I was like, no, this is if I wanted to 369 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:26,959 Speaker 1: pay him with my own money, I would have you 370 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 1: pay him. This was my demand. And because she had 371 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:32,399 Speaker 1: not signed that release for they came in pretty much 372 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 1: saying I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. And of course 373 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:38,919 Speaker 1: the producer dude was really skeevy throughout like that. He 374 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: is purposely that character. And to be fair, I feel 375 00:20:42,119 --> 00:20:45,159 Speaker 1: like that's realistic portrayal from the nineteen twenties and what 376 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,600 Speaker 1: we've known, what we know of today when it comes 377 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:51,199 Speaker 1: to and we see it. We see the practices of 378 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:57,639 Speaker 1: executive producers taking advantage of contracts and of musicians because 379 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:01,200 Speaker 1: of their ignorance of not knowing how to read a contract. 380 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:03,920 Speaker 1: We could say that about being podcasters, and we've talked 381 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:08,400 Speaker 1: about this having ownership. Not we are not oppressed like 382 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:13,400 Speaker 1: the black community, absolutely not, but just being in this field, 383 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:17,760 Speaker 1: you and I we have learned through others of the 384 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 1: mistake of the power of the contract and not being 385 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:24,320 Speaker 1: able to understand we need to negotiate from upfront, but 386 00:21:24,359 --> 00:21:26,800 Speaker 1: not being able to because we don't have name recogmation. 387 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:28,000 Speaker 1: And I think that's one of the things you and 388 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:30,520 Speaker 1: I've talked about many times, is how do we handle 389 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 1: this contract thing because we're not celebrities. Celebrities can demand things, 390 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:37,360 Speaker 1: which is like, great, you you get all this us 391 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 1: as like indie ish, Did I say that with quotes 392 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:45,760 Speaker 1: unknowns can't? We're just grateful to be here. And essentially 393 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:48,680 Speaker 1: that's kind of what happened with our predecessors. They were 394 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 1: so new to this field. They didn't know what this was, 395 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:54,080 Speaker 1: so they had this giant contract and instead of being 396 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:57,000 Speaker 1: able to renegotiate, they just got bought out. They were 397 00:21:57,040 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 1: suppressed and essentially controlled by those contracts. So we see 398 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 1: it today. So I can't imagine how awful it was 399 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:09,000 Speaker 1: for them, especially during the nineteen twenties, especially during segregation, 400 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 1: and not that that's not happening today, a little too reminiscent, 401 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:14,520 Speaker 1: I think to what was happening to them and how 402 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 1: often they would have taken advantage of and Ma Rainey 403 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:21,200 Speaker 1: understood that towards that end of their career and made 404 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:25,800 Speaker 1: sure to hold off so that she got everything she wanted, 405 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:29,600 Speaker 1: including we didn't talk about this, including them fixing her car. 406 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:32,200 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, that's right because she kind of and she's 407 00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:38,159 Speaker 1: in a car accident and she's like, no, right. So 408 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 1: what we see is they are trying to find the studio. 409 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:43,760 Speaker 1: They're late to get in there. They're like, oh, there 410 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:46,000 Speaker 1: it is a Sylvester slams on his brakes, he gets 411 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 1: hit from behind by another car. Is a white man. 412 00:22:50,119 --> 00:22:52,440 Speaker 1: There's a fight, and the police is trying to put 413 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:56,400 Speaker 1: everybody in the coal quote unquote Patty Wagon and the 414 00:22:56,520 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 1: producer his is actually her agent. Irvin is her agent 415 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 1: is able to smooth it out, and it's also getting 416 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:07,160 Speaker 1: her car fixed for her while she is recording. So yeah, 417 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:11,359 Speaker 1: get him. Yes, yes, we're going to talk about that 418 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:13,720 Speaker 1: more of it before that. I would love if you 419 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:16,359 Speaker 1: could go over kind of some of the high points 420 00:23:16,359 --> 00:23:20,439 Speaker 1: of the documentary, Samantha. Yeah. So, um, as I'm watching it, 421 00:23:20,480 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 1: of course, in Sel Washington, Viola Davis, um, all of 422 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 1: the other players are in there. Glenn Turman is actually 423 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:29,880 Speaker 1: the one that kind of narrates the entire thing, which 424 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 1: I was really glad to see. I love him. He's 425 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:35,160 Speaker 1: one of the bigger classical actors that I've seen throughout 426 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 1: a lot of times. It was on a really big 427 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 1: Criminal Minds episodes where they talk about racial segregation and 428 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,919 Speaker 1: him being growing up in a really racist state and 429 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:47,440 Speaker 1: what that looked like and finding vengeance and anger. Rightly so, 430 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:52,880 Speaker 1: but he's the one that actually narrates this entire documentary 431 00:23:53,040 --> 00:23:55,120 Speaker 1: and they go from point to point. It's really nice 432 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:57,640 Speaker 1: about what it is, whether it's about the music, whether 433 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:01,200 Speaker 1: it's about the characters, the historical contentext of why this 434 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:05,120 Speaker 1: play was so important when August Wilson wrote it, um 435 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:06,800 Speaker 1: the behind the scenes on how they filmed it, this 436 00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 1: is where I found out and Roth was so meticulous 437 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:13,919 Speaker 1: in her costuming, and I loved it. Denzel Washington, I 438 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 1: call it Denzel. I hope you don't mind it so 439 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 1: And he is absolutely that smooth executive producer who was like, 440 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:22,240 Speaker 1: I'm just glad I got to be a part of this. 441 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:24,760 Speaker 1: I'm just glad we got to bring this on, you know, 442 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:27,560 Speaker 1: Like all of those things. It was quite delightful having 443 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:29,680 Speaker 1: each of the actors talk about their characters and why 444 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 1: they felt it was so important. It was really beautiful 445 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 1: to see. Um. They also brought on a Monty Perry 446 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:38,760 Speaker 1: who is a scholar for race law literature in African 447 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:42,479 Speaker 1: American culture, and she really talked about the background of 448 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:45,040 Speaker 1: the nine in twenties and the blues and why blues 449 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:47,480 Speaker 1: was so important at that point in time and how 450 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:50,159 Speaker 1: that really brought music to where it is today in 451 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:52,560 Speaker 1: the US. And of course I'm a huge blues fan, 452 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:55,760 Speaker 1: so this made absolute sense and I loved everything about it. 453 00:24:56,440 --> 00:24:58,640 Speaker 1: Did I ever tell you about me going to see 454 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 1: the play Mahalia Jackson Son Mahalia Jackson who was a 455 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:04,280 Speaker 1: Black gospel singer and blue singer from way back when 456 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:07,880 Speaker 1: this is when I was in Oklahoma of all places, 457 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:10,480 Speaker 1: and uh, we went to see this play. It was 458 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 1: a phenomenal play, and the actress who did it was 459 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:14,840 Speaker 1: just kill the music because she was seeing it all 460 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:18,359 Speaker 1: the gospel songs. But it was very reminiscent to that 461 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:21,879 Speaker 1: to me, and that they were talking about just the 462 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:26,199 Speaker 1: black community, the the enslaved people really bringing music to 463 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:28,199 Speaker 1: where it is today and how important it is and 464 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:31,520 Speaker 1: how often it has been taken over by other non 465 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 1: black communities, and I include everyone in this that's not 466 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:38,239 Speaker 1: just white people, but how it's been taken over, and 467 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 1: she talks about the fact that how it translated to 468 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:45,639 Speaker 1: what it is today. Those are really great documentary on 469 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:48,439 Speaker 1: what it was. They talked about, of course Bozeman and 470 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:50,360 Speaker 1: how well he did in the performance, and they kind 471 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:52,199 Speaker 1: of gret up an homage to him. So this was 472 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:56,760 Speaker 1: filmed after his death, and it's just like, uh, I 473 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 1: really wish he was there to talk about the level 474 00:25:59,840 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 1: that he took it to for these characters. But yeah, 475 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:05,800 Speaker 1: it was really good. I think it was very short, 476 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:09,119 Speaker 1: like twenty minutes long. If that y'all should watch it, 477 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:12,000 Speaker 1: if you watch the Morainy because I think it's really great. 478 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:14,160 Speaker 1: We need to understand, as you and I have talked 479 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:17,160 Speaker 1: about before, the history of it all, this is a biography. 480 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:20,199 Speaker 1: This isn't about a woman UM who should have been 481 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:23,160 Speaker 1: known but wasn't really known. Bessie Smith came out around 482 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 1: the same time, which we hear her name come out 483 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:28,119 Speaker 1: UM around the same time, and she got She was 484 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:32,000 Speaker 1: bigger than Morainy. Their style wasn't too much the same, 485 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:34,119 Speaker 1: but they were doing blues UM and even to the 486 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:38,720 Speaker 1: one point they said that Morainy really influenced Bessie Smith's music. 487 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 1: We don't know that for sure. I think one context is, yes, 488 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 1: they definitely interacted and work together and may have been friends, 489 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:49,159 Speaker 1: but we don't know the context of that. But technically 490 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:54,600 Speaker 1: I believe Morainy was before Bessie Smith when it comes 491 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:57,719 Speaker 1: to the performance layer. But yeah, so it talks a 492 00:26:57,760 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 1: lot about that historical level as well. Of course, we have, yes, 493 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:06,080 Speaker 1: the conversations that Viola has about how she wanted to 494 00:27:06,119 --> 00:27:08,920 Speaker 1: look and why it was so important that she embodied 495 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:12,240 Speaker 1: Morainey the way it was, and that that it was 496 00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:16,000 Speaker 1: for her because she was a boss like and it 497 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 1: comes down to the fact that she understood how to 498 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:22,800 Speaker 1: play the game unfortunately that's what it's called at this 499 00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:26,240 Speaker 1: point in the end, and why it was so important 500 00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:30,120 Speaker 1: that she holds to that and why this one small 501 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 1: scene that we see because it's just one day, we're 502 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 1: seeing one day, why it was important. And then also 503 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:40,359 Speaker 1: just the trivia stuff. Wolf really took some uh like 504 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:43,479 Speaker 1: he definitely kept the Broadway portion to it um and 505 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 1: then the play portion to it. But he talked about 506 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:49,119 Speaker 1: the fact that he changed the seasons to summer because 507 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:51,840 Speaker 1: he wanted that the way you talked about how it 508 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:54,480 Speaker 1: was so important to see not only were they frustrated, 509 00:27:54,520 --> 00:27:57,280 Speaker 1: but they were hot there and like this type of scenario, 510 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:00,840 Speaker 1: Chicago's really ridiculously hot, and of what it looked like 511 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:03,120 Speaker 1: for them to be all in a sweltering room, everything 512 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:06,119 Speaker 1: bubbling over, including the weather and the tension. So he 513 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: did that on purpose. The scene in which we see 514 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:12,320 Speaker 1: Bozeman kicking the door thinking that he's opening the door 515 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:15,199 Speaker 1: for himself, but then getting a brick wall and he 516 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:17,760 Speaker 1: goes like that is absolutely metaphor to a lot of 517 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:21,399 Speaker 1: the black people today, thinking that you have an opportunity, 518 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:23,040 Speaker 1: that you have a heads up, thinking that this can 519 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:25,719 Speaker 1: tear you so far, but you have a wall, and 520 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:29,159 Speaker 1: that usually is systemic racism, whatever it is, but like 521 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:32,600 Speaker 1: it's it's definitely like it. If you get a chance 522 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:35,120 Speaker 1: after watching the movie, you should definitely watch that documentary. 523 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:38,400 Speaker 1: I think it's always good to see a perspective from 524 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:42,400 Speaker 1: Foam the Originators. So there you go. Yeah, well, thank 525 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:45,320 Speaker 1: you Samantha for that recap. Yeah, I was going to 526 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: mention that because it's so throughout there when they're in 527 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:50,280 Speaker 1: this kind of basement area that, as you say, is 528 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:54,920 Speaker 1: sort of like where they put the not the star performers, 529 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 1: and that's where a lot of these like intense conversations happen. 530 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 1: There's this locked door that they keep Levy in particular, 531 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:05,720 Speaker 1: keeps like trying to open, and at the end he 532 00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:09,000 Speaker 1: finally like breaks it open at his rage and it's 533 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:13,200 Speaker 1: just a brick wall, which was a very I thought 534 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:17,040 Speaker 1: powerful metaphor of fighting and fighting and fighting to finally 535 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:19,560 Speaker 1: open this door and there's just another obstacle in your way. 536 00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:23,840 Speaker 1: It goes nowhere. I also wanted to touch on, as 537 00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:27,560 Speaker 1: you said that, like the music was so powerful and 538 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:31,800 Speaker 1: important in this movie and August Wilson that was very 539 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:34,320 Speaker 1: vocal about how much he loved blues and how much 540 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 1: it influenced his work and how impactful he thought it was. 541 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 1: And it's just almost a character in and of itself 542 00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:45,000 Speaker 1: in this movie. It was really beautiful, and I like 543 00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:47,840 Speaker 1: how they comment on it directly, like some I believe 544 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 1: my Rain even says like they call me the mother 545 00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:51,920 Speaker 1: of blues will probably not people been doing it forever, 546 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 1: but I'll accept if they call me that, like okay, yeah, yeah. 547 00:29:56,560 --> 00:29:59,360 Speaker 1: They have some amazing quotes about that One of my 548 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:02,520 Speaker 1: favorite line is when she says the Blues helps you 549 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:04,400 Speaker 1: get out of bed in the morning. So at this 550 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:07,360 Speaker 1: point she's talking about how they're sitting in silence and 551 00:30:07,360 --> 00:30:09,800 Speaker 1: how much she hates the silence, but even in silence, 552 00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:12,800 Speaker 1: there's music in her head, and then talking about why 553 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:16,160 Speaker 1: blues does this um, and it's just like, yeah, the 554 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:17,920 Speaker 1: Blues help you get out of bed in the morning, 555 00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:20,160 Speaker 1: you get up knowing you ay and alone, there's something 556 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:22,720 Speaker 1: else in the world, something's been added by that song. 557 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:25,680 Speaker 1: This be an empty world without the Blues, And I 558 00:30:25,760 --> 00:30:30,720 Speaker 1: was like, ye, like yeah, absolutely absolutely changed so much 559 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 1: of the conversation. And I was like, no, Okay, that's it, 560 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:38,000 Speaker 1: that's it, that's a less line. Yeah. Yeah, And I 561 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:41,640 Speaker 1: think um, as we've mentioned several times in this episode, 562 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:44,560 Speaker 1: the opening scene is it's one of the reasons it 563 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:49,240 Speaker 1: hits so hard is because there's this sort of implication 564 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:52,680 Speaker 1: of fear, and like these dogs ring from a train 565 00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:56,280 Speaker 1: and then the camera comes to this big tent and 566 00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:58,400 Speaker 1: there are all of these people gathered there and Ma 567 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:02,400 Speaker 1: Rainy is singing. And that's something we've discussed a lot, 568 00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:06,080 Speaker 1: is the power of music for people who have been 569 00:31:06,120 --> 00:31:10,560 Speaker 1: oppressed in finding that joy and finding that community in protesting. 570 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 1: That's something that you and I have been talking about 571 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:16,880 Speaker 1: a lot lately with these songs that were so powerful 572 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:21,280 Speaker 1: and touched on things that were so painful. Oh, it's 573 00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 1: so necessary, but in that way being able to to connect. 574 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:31,560 Speaker 1: And I know, as we've discussed, I think mar Rainy 575 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:35,320 Speaker 1: she in the in the materials I read before, that 576 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:38,600 Speaker 1: she preferred those live performances. She preferred to have those 577 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 1: connecting with people in that environment and away from kind 578 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:50,400 Speaker 1: of these white producers that are controlling her music and 579 00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:56,040 Speaker 1: where it goes. And that was just something she she valued. 580 00:31:56,080 --> 00:31:58,400 Speaker 1: So I feel like she was someone who both knew, 581 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:02,920 Speaker 1: like too how to work the system, um even if 582 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:06,480 Speaker 1: it was incredibly unfortunate, uh and and stacked a cancer, 583 00:32:06,560 --> 00:32:10,320 Speaker 1: but she also clearly had this passion for it and 584 00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:15,840 Speaker 1: this passion for writing and connecting in that way. Right, 585 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:18,840 Speaker 1: And I love that. I love the idea that Wilson 586 00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:21,600 Speaker 1: was so influenced by this music, So you see that 587 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:25,160 Speaker 1: kind of inspiration, that power of how it can impact 588 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:27,360 Speaker 1: people and then lead to other art early to all 589 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:31,080 Speaker 1: these other things. Right, he did an amazing job as 590 00:32:31,120 --> 00:32:34,080 Speaker 1: in fact, in that documentary they're talking about while August 591 00:32:34,080 --> 00:32:37,640 Speaker 1: Wilson was researching, like they found seven pictures of moul 592 00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:39,920 Speaker 1: Rainey while there was like hundreds of pictures of Bessie 593 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:43,800 Speaker 1: Smith and how he really dug deep to find this singer. 594 00:32:44,040 --> 00:32:46,720 Speaker 1: And I find that interesting too, because we do finally 595 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:50,320 Speaker 1: getting to a point that hopefully finally that we're talking 596 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:55,320 Speaker 1: about these amazing musicians that made this huge change, and um, 597 00:32:55,360 --> 00:32:57,600 Speaker 1: she is one of those, as well as Bessie Smith, 598 00:32:57,640 --> 00:32:59,880 Speaker 1: as well as who was known as Bessie Jackson. That 599 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:02,479 Speaker 1: was her stage name, but I think the real name 600 00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:05,239 Speaker 1: is Lucille Bogan Uh. And she was kind of like 601 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:08,280 Speaker 1: the queen of filth essentially, and kind of you see 602 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 1: that same level in Morainy. They all were not gonna 603 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:14,520 Speaker 1: play cut c. They are going to make it down 604 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:17,440 Speaker 1: and raunchy and dirty, but not in a way that 605 00:33:17,640 --> 00:33:19,640 Speaker 1: was so over the top, but enough to be like, 606 00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:22,440 Speaker 1: I am a woman who enjoys these things, get it, 607 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:25,640 Speaker 1: get it together, or don't. And they accepted it like 608 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:27,960 Speaker 1: they being the audience, they being the listener. If you 609 00:33:28,040 --> 00:33:31,880 Speaker 1: listen to the song of Black Bottom, you're like what 610 00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:35,720 Speaker 1: what whoa uh? You know, like it's very interesting but 611 00:33:35,800 --> 00:33:39,520 Speaker 1: both like those three really brought on a new set 612 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:43,560 Speaker 1: of style within the blues, within all of this, because 613 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:46,920 Speaker 1: it wasn't just you know, singing love songs anymore. It 614 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:49,760 Speaker 1: was just being fun and who they were and being 615 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:52,120 Speaker 1: sexy in themselves. And I think that was a whole 616 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:54,520 Speaker 1: different thing, and not only sexy in themselves, but it's 617 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:57,640 Speaker 1: loving themselves in a different manner. And I think that's 618 00:33:57,680 --> 00:33:59,880 Speaker 1: also a big key point that we don't talk enough 619 00:33:59,880 --> 00:34:02,640 Speaker 1: of out especially when it comes to black women who 620 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:06,440 Speaker 1: have become huge musicians. I think we can translate that 621 00:34:06,480 --> 00:34:09,160 Speaker 1: today to today's even rap if we will look at 622 00:34:09,440 --> 00:34:11,080 Speaker 1: what was happening at that point in time and just 623 00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:13,960 Speaker 1: pushing the boundaries, and they were loving it. People loved it. 624 00:34:14,040 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 1: People loved this music and also really felt again like 625 00:34:17,640 --> 00:34:23,080 Speaker 1: you said, connected to it. Yeah, yeah, just making me 626 00:34:23,080 --> 00:34:39,719 Speaker 1: want to go listen to some music. Also, we did 627 00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:41,680 Speaker 1: touch on this earlier, but wanted to mention this whole 628 00:34:41,680 --> 00:34:44,479 Speaker 1: idea of knowing what you're worth. That's something we've talked 629 00:34:44,480 --> 00:34:48,400 Speaker 1: about recently. It's an ongoing conversation, but especially you know 630 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:50,120 Speaker 1: at the time when this movie was set for a 631 00:34:50,120 --> 00:34:53,520 Speaker 1: black woman, and I think a lot of the things. 632 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:55,600 Speaker 1: If you haven't seen the movie and you're just listening 633 00:34:55,640 --> 00:34:57,520 Speaker 1: to us talk about it, you might be like that 634 00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:01,320 Speaker 1: kind of sounds like a diva, but fear. But really 635 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:04,960 Speaker 1: she was just like, I'm gonna You're gonna make so 636 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:07,640 Speaker 1: much money from this. I've requested this. I know you 637 00:35:07,680 --> 00:35:10,040 Speaker 1: give it to a white artist, and now you're making 638 00:35:10,080 --> 00:35:13,239 Speaker 1: you feel like just by like asking for what I'm 639 00:35:13,239 --> 00:35:15,520 Speaker 1: worth it like not even that, but like the bare 640 00:35:15,560 --> 00:35:18,799 Speaker 1: minimum what I asked you for, and you're you feel 641 00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:22,800 Speaker 1: like I'm being a diva for it, Like a Coca 642 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:25,319 Speaker 1: cola on a hot day in a recording studio. You 643 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:29,480 Speaker 1: can't do right. I mean, essentially, this is also the 644 00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:32,560 Speaker 1: narrative we have when their weaponized language against black women, 645 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:35,759 Speaker 1: calling diva, calling them angry, all those things, because it's 646 00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:38,800 Speaker 1: kind of that narrative when it's an actuality. Ma Rainey 647 00:35:38,920 --> 00:35:41,600 Speaker 1: had to be stern to tell them what she wanted 648 00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:44,040 Speaker 1: and they weren't listening. So it got to the point 649 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:46,040 Speaker 1: that when you say the third of the fourth time, 650 00:35:46,120 --> 00:35:48,359 Speaker 1: you're starting to get angry. And I get that. I 651 00:35:48,400 --> 00:35:52,000 Speaker 1: get that completely because you are being ignored and by 652 00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:55,360 Speaker 1: the time either you slink away and let it be 653 00:35:55,760 --> 00:35:57,759 Speaker 1: or you fight for it. And that's where she was, 654 00:35:57,840 --> 00:36:00,880 Speaker 1: and I think that's absolutely the key, as in fact 655 00:36:00,920 --> 00:36:03,560 Speaker 1: she talks about I know when they leave here, they're 656 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:05,520 Speaker 1: going to talk all this trash about me. They're gonna 657 00:36:05,560 --> 00:36:07,880 Speaker 1: say all these things, call me all these names. But 658 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:10,080 Speaker 1: I don't care, Like I really want to get at 659 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:13,680 Speaker 1: that point where I don't care that you're trash talking 660 00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:16,520 Speaker 1: me because I finally stood up for myself, you know, 661 00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:18,640 Speaker 1: instead of caring about what you think about me. Where 662 00:36:18,640 --> 00:36:21,440 Speaker 1: we shouldn't be. And when it comes to more rainy, 663 00:36:21,520 --> 00:36:24,879 Speaker 1: she's already been there. She's already seen how much money 664 00:36:24,880 --> 00:36:27,040 Speaker 1: they're going to make off of her. She already knows 665 00:36:27,040 --> 00:36:29,400 Speaker 1: that they're trying to take advantage of her. So therefore 666 00:36:29,719 --> 00:36:32,719 Speaker 1: she's tired. And so when she asked for something and 667 00:36:32,760 --> 00:36:36,200 Speaker 1: you don't have it, and she has to repeat herself, yeah, 668 00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:43,520 Speaker 1: I'm angry. Yeah. I mean that's, as we discussed in a 669 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:45,840 Speaker 1: a recent episode, that can be hired to you know, 670 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:47,480 Speaker 1: know what you're worth and ask for what you're worth. 671 00:36:47,520 --> 00:36:50,399 Speaker 1: And we have been women, but especially women of color 672 00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:54,240 Speaker 1: and especially black women made that have that turned around 673 00:36:54,239 --> 00:36:56,560 Speaker 1: on us as we're being like, we're demanding too much 674 00:36:56,960 --> 00:36:59,319 Speaker 1: or like we can just get rid of you right now. 675 00:36:59,320 --> 00:37:04,200 Speaker 1: But she knew, like she knew her worth and I, yeah, 676 00:37:04,239 --> 00:37:06,759 Speaker 1: that's that's not easy, and I'm glad that she did. 677 00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:11,479 Speaker 1: Ye yes. But that also leads into our next theme 678 00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:15,000 Speaker 1: we wanted to discuss, which is appropriating black culture. I'm 679 00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:17,280 Speaker 1: not giving credit where credit is due or taking credit 680 00:37:17,800 --> 00:37:22,279 Speaker 1: for black culture, because that's definitely like the whole arc 681 00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:28,239 Speaker 1: of Levy's character is really hammering that point home that 682 00:37:28,280 --> 00:37:30,680 Speaker 1: he had this, he had this talent, and he had 683 00:37:30,719 --> 00:37:35,719 Speaker 1: these dreams and he I mean, I guess you could say, unfortunately, 684 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:38,640 Speaker 1: like even though he felt so at times he and 685 00:37:38,680 --> 00:37:42,879 Speaker 1: Marini clashed, he was just so so ambitious. I guess 686 00:37:42,920 --> 00:37:44,719 Speaker 1: he I don't know, I don't know if law side 687 00:37:44,719 --> 00:37:49,280 Speaker 1: is the right thing, but to have that just taken 688 00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:52,120 Speaker 1: at the end and have a white band play it 689 00:37:52,160 --> 00:37:54,520 Speaker 1: after he's told like, oh, this isn't worth anything, You're 690 00:37:54,560 --> 00:37:58,640 Speaker 1: never gonna make any money. Um, And we still unfortunately 691 00:37:58,640 --> 00:38:02,560 Speaker 1: see that today to right, And that's kind of the 692 00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:06,719 Speaker 1: whole conversation we've been having that's been like simmering in 693 00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:11,520 Speaker 1: my head about colonization and taking other people's culture. When 694 00:38:11,320 --> 00:38:15,640 Speaker 1: you talk about this is cultural appropriation. There's the bigger 695 00:38:15,880 --> 00:38:17,160 Speaker 1: and I know we're gonna have to come back to 696 00:38:17,239 --> 00:38:21,480 Speaker 1: eventually about appreciation versus appropriation and why there is a 697 00:38:21,520 --> 00:38:24,960 Speaker 1: distinct difference and why it's important to understand it. But 698 00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:28,640 Speaker 1: then also the fact of the matter that Levy's character 699 00:38:29,120 --> 00:38:31,600 Speaker 1: is so hopeful that he is the one that's going 700 00:38:31,680 --> 00:38:35,040 Speaker 1: to break this boundary, like he's going to go beyond 701 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:38,239 Speaker 1: this where you see the two different characters, so you 702 00:38:38,280 --> 00:38:40,839 Speaker 1: have the new and the older, in which Morainey has 703 00:38:40,920 --> 00:38:43,160 Speaker 1: already tried and she's tired and she knows how to 704 00:38:43,160 --> 00:38:44,719 Speaker 1: play the game. She's gonna get what she's worth and 705 00:38:44,719 --> 00:38:47,440 Speaker 1: she's gonna leave. As where Levy's coming in trying to 706 00:38:47,440 --> 00:38:49,040 Speaker 1: make his own and really thinking that he's going to 707 00:38:49,120 --> 00:38:51,360 Speaker 1: push that boundary. He's really thinking he's gonna cut that 708 00:38:51,400 --> 00:38:53,919 Speaker 1: red tape and really get to there because he has 709 00:38:53,960 --> 00:38:56,759 Speaker 1: the talent to do it, and then being disappointed when 710 00:38:56,800 --> 00:38:59,839 Speaker 1: the door slams in his face once again, and then 711 00:39:00,040 --> 00:39:02,879 Speaker 1: really being told you're not because he comes in, buy 712 00:39:03,000 --> 00:39:05,400 Speaker 1: some new shoes, really proud of it, tries to hit 713 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:07,640 Speaker 1: on some girls, really having a good day in these 714 00:39:07,719 --> 00:39:11,280 Speaker 1: performance seeing himself at the first time as writers being 715 00:39:11,320 --> 00:39:13,719 Speaker 1: told that he's his one style of music for one 716 00:39:13,760 --> 00:39:18,520 Speaker 1: of their songs is preferred over Morainey's getting on this 717 00:39:18,600 --> 00:39:23,880 Speaker 1: high and then so violently pushed down by white men 718 00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:28,040 Speaker 1: in the scenario, and then we also have the competition 719 00:39:28,160 --> 00:39:31,640 Speaker 1: is Morainy is fearful of change, He's fearful of than you, 720 00:39:31,920 --> 00:39:33,880 Speaker 1: which is kind of that conversation about her and Bessie 721 00:39:33,880 --> 00:39:37,600 Speaker 1: Smith about who who was who first, who started this first, 722 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:41,960 Speaker 1: and seeing him being a threat but in her age 723 00:39:42,280 --> 00:39:45,640 Speaker 1: knowing how to combat these threats as where Levy is 724 00:39:45,680 --> 00:39:49,480 Speaker 1: not able to handle criticism and or rejection, so because 725 00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:51,520 Speaker 1: he's so new to this. So there's so many things 726 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:54,400 Speaker 1: to that that we see in that as well, but 727 00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:58,120 Speaker 1: him unfortunately realizing what it looks like to be taken 728 00:39:58,160 --> 00:40:00,960 Speaker 1: advantage of and instead of being mentor than listening to 729 00:40:01,040 --> 00:40:03,880 Speaker 1: mo Rainey about how to do something or how to 730 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:08,360 Speaker 1: go about it, he doesn't and more Rainy doesn't invest 731 00:40:08,360 --> 00:40:11,600 Speaker 1: in that. And that's a whole different conversation in itself. Yes, 732 00:40:11,640 --> 00:40:14,920 Speaker 1: and cultural appropriation, like there's a whole thing happening about food. 733 00:40:14,960 --> 00:40:18,240 Speaker 1: We know this. We're having a constant conversation about music 734 00:40:18,400 --> 00:40:20,759 Speaker 1: that's never gonna go away, and about who's doing what 735 00:40:20,920 --> 00:40:23,399 Speaker 1: and why it's important to credit people and now we're 736 00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:25,879 Speaker 1: going to as a specific stop trying to steal people's music. 737 00:40:26,400 --> 00:40:29,160 Speaker 1: How about that? But even more so when it comes 738 00:40:29,160 --> 00:40:31,720 Speaker 1: to culture, we're talking about hairstyles, we're talking about food, 739 00:40:31,880 --> 00:40:34,880 Speaker 1: and it's not about you can't do it necessarily. I 740 00:40:34,960 --> 00:40:37,799 Speaker 1: mean we won't go into specific, but when it comes 741 00:40:37,840 --> 00:40:40,640 Speaker 1: to food that you can't do it, but don't try 742 00:40:40,640 --> 00:40:42,800 Speaker 1: to take credit for it as if he's just invented 743 00:40:42,840 --> 00:40:45,239 Speaker 1: the will yeah, and then make more money off of it, 744 00:40:46,200 --> 00:40:48,200 Speaker 1: and then who makes who's making money off of it 745 00:40:48,280 --> 00:40:50,279 Speaker 1: and pretending like it's there own. Like that's been a 746 00:40:50,280 --> 00:40:53,560 Speaker 1: big discussion right now. Kimchi is a big discussion. I 747 00:40:53,600 --> 00:40:57,960 Speaker 1: was like, wow, yeah, yeah, that is a huge That 748 00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:01,279 Speaker 1: is a huge topic. Um, go to return to that. 749 00:41:01,320 --> 00:41:03,359 Speaker 1: I also, I know we make this point a lot, 750 00:41:03,360 --> 00:41:04,880 Speaker 1: and you made it a little bit earlier Smith that, 751 00:41:04,960 --> 00:41:08,920 Speaker 1: but kind of this idea of turning marginalized people against 752 00:41:08,920 --> 00:41:11,600 Speaker 1: each other, I feel like that was that was part 753 00:41:11,640 --> 00:41:14,600 Speaker 1: of this. And then also as you say, like ma 754 00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:19,880 Speaker 1: Rainey was being dismissed by Levy and the white producer 755 00:41:19,920 --> 00:41:22,759 Speaker 1: and agent not so much the other band members, but 756 00:41:22,880 --> 00:41:25,879 Speaker 1: like she is the she has been in this game 757 00:41:25,920 --> 00:41:27,719 Speaker 1: and she knows what she's doing, and they're both kind 758 00:41:27,719 --> 00:41:31,879 Speaker 1: of like both parties are kind of like no, no, no, no, no, 759 00:41:32,320 --> 00:41:36,080 Speaker 1: She's keeping it, keeps having to say we're doing it 760 00:41:36,120 --> 00:41:39,640 Speaker 1: my way, Like I know this is I wrote this 761 00:41:39,800 --> 00:41:44,799 Speaker 1: music like don't come in here, right, which is also 762 00:41:44,840 --> 00:41:48,879 Speaker 1: a theme we see time and time again, right yeah, 763 00:41:48,960 --> 00:41:52,200 Speaker 1: and I think again it is that thing that she's 764 00:41:52,280 --> 00:41:56,600 Speaker 1: tired and she no longer gets anything, and therefore she's 765 00:41:56,680 --> 00:41:59,239 Speaker 1: just going to tell you stop it right right, right right, 766 00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:02,560 Speaker 1: But she's that was something else I took a note 767 00:42:02,600 --> 00:42:04,319 Speaker 1: of us. I just felt like she wasn't getting the 768 00:42:04,360 --> 00:42:08,799 Speaker 1: respect that she deserved. Um. And then also racial and 769 00:42:08,920 --> 00:42:15,239 Speaker 1: intergenerational trauma. The whole Levees story is like that in 770 00:42:15,280 --> 00:42:19,839 Speaker 1: a nutshell. It encompasses that's so beautifully and so so 771 00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:23,279 Speaker 1: painfully because you see those sides of him as being 772 00:42:23,360 --> 00:42:26,560 Speaker 1: like so so ambitious and so like I'm going to 773 00:42:26,680 --> 00:42:29,839 Speaker 1: break this, I'm going to rise above all these obstacles. 774 00:42:30,360 --> 00:42:33,799 Speaker 1: And then he has that moment that's so raw, it's 775 00:42:33,840 --> 00:42:37,200 Speaker 1: so painful where he talks about this trauma he went 776 00:42:37,239 --> 00:42:38,719 Speaker 1: to and how it's still in his mind and how 777 00:42:38,760 --> 00:42:41,120 Speaker 1: it informs how he interacts with the world and how 778 00:42:41,320 --> 00:42:44,759 Speaker 1: he interacts with white people specifically, and how how he 779 00:42:44,800 --> 00:42:48,359 Speaker 1: thinks he can win this game by knowing that, which 780 00:42:48,360 --> 00:42:49,960 Speaker 1: I think he said something all I'm like smiling in 781 00:42:50,040 --> 00:42:53,359 Speaker 1: his face, saying yes sir and smiling in his face 782 00:42:54,000 --> 00:42:57,520 Speaker 1: and then seeing that how that ends up. But that's 783 00:42:57,520 --> 00:43:01,560 Speaker 1: just throughout and like even throughout the entire movie, there's 784 00:43:01,560 --> 00:43:03,000 Speaker 1: just like you said, like when they went to go 785 00:43:03,040 --> 00:43:05,000 Speaker 1: buy the code, there these moments of tension, like you 786 00:43:05,000 --> 00:43:11,239 Speaker 1: can never escape this kind of white supremacist structure, Like 787 00:43:11,280 --> 00:43:14,960 Speaker 1: even if you have like this good moment. I mean, 788 00:43:14,960 --> 00:43:17,239 Speaker 1: that's kind of the whole point with the Great Migration, 789 00:43:17,280 --> 00:43:20,879 Speaker 1: as they were told there's opportunities the North, except you, um, 790 00:43:20,960 --> 00:43:23,560 Speaker 1: you will find new ways. And for Morainy, and this 791 00:43:23,640 --> 00:43:25,440 Speaker 1: was part of the documentary when they were talking about it, 792 00:43:25,480 --> 00:43:27,400 Speaker 1: is that she knew how it worked in the South, 793 00:43:27,600 --> 00:43:29,640 Speaker 1: so she had her hub of people, and she knew 794 00:43:29,640 --> 00:43:32,920 Speaker 1: how to maintain and control that coming to an area 795 00:43:32,960 --> 00:43:35,520 Speaker 1: that says we're so welcoming, we're so open, and then 796 00:43:35,520 --> 00:43:37,719 Speaker 1: coming and oh no, these are new rules to play by. 797 00:43:37,760 --> 00:43:41,439 Speaker 1: But the supremacy is still here and trying to navigate that. 798 00:43:41,440 --> 00:43:44,279 Speaker 1: That was harder for her because and I thought about that, 799 00:43:44,360 --> 00:43:46,399 Speaker 1: I was like, yeah, that's absolutely true. In my own 800 00:43:46,440 --> 00:43:49,600 Speaker 1: small world, I knew one thing. I got into a 801 00:43:49,600 --> 00:43:52,600 Speaker 1: bigger world. Oh this is not how this works. What's happening. 802 00:43:52,840 --> 00:43:54,600 Speaker 1: I was good over here. I knew how to work 803 00:43:54,680 --> 00:43:58,000 Speaker 1: that system. I knew how to maintain in the system. 804 00:43:58,320 --> 00:44:00,279 Speaker 1: Now this is a new system, which you gave me 805 00:44:00,320 --> 00:44:03,640 Speaker 1: false hope, and it's not here, and I still have 806 00:44:03,680 --> 00:44:05,520 Speaker 1: to be on guard because if not, I'm going to 807 00:44:05,600 --> 00:44:08,000 Speaker 1: be righted over the coals somehow. And I think that 808 00:44:08,040 --> 00:44:11,160 Speaker 1: was another part of that conversation that we saw at 809 00:44:11,160 --> 00:44:13,160 Speaker 1: the beginning, when we talk about come to the come 810 00:44:13,200 --> 00:44:15,480 Speaker 1: to the North, come to Chicago, come to here, and 811 00:44:15,520 --> 00:44:18,280 Speaker 1: will help, will help you get a job. You're everybody 812 00:44:18,360 --> 00:44:21,719 Speaker 1: is welcome, and that's not true, right right, right right. 813 00:44:22,280 --> 00:44:25,160 Speaker 1: And then to wrap up here, I want to touch 814 00:44:25,200 --> 00:44:27,239 Speaker 1: on these two things very quickly because they weren't major 815 00:44:27,600 --> 00:44:29,759 Speaker 1: teams in it. But as you said, there was that 816 00:44:30,360 --> 00:44:34,360 Speaker 1: some like able issm around Silvester about his stutter. And 817 00:44:35,080 --> 00:44:37,480 Speaker 1: when Marini is first like he's going to do it, 818 00:44:37,520 --> 00:44:41,480 Speaker 1: he can do it. And Levy being like, he can't 819 00:44:41,520 --> 00:44:43,440 Speaker 1: do it. So you've got kind of those both angles 820 00:44:43,440 --> 00:44:47,439 Speaker 1: where I feel like more Rainy was pretty supportive, even 821 00:44:47,480 --> 00:44:49,400 Speaker 1: though yeah, there can be the angle of maybe he 822 00:44:49,440 --> 00:44:50,600 Speaker 1: didn't want to do it. Seemed to be like he 823 00:44:50,640 --> 00:44:51,880 Speaker 1: wanted to do it and she was like you can 824 00:44:51,920 --> 00:44:55,879 Speaker 1: do it then like right, but that's that's absolutely not 825 00:44:55,920 --> 00:44:59,480 Speaker 1: always the case, right, But yeah, And I think the 826 00:44:59,520 --> 00:45:01,680 Speaker 1: bigger pick or when I was talking about, is that 827 00:45:01,960 --> 00:45:04,720 Speaker 1: we often see in these movies, and not just these movies, 828 00:45:04,760 --> 00:45:07,719 Speaker 1: we often see in media in general, in any entertainment, 829 00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:11,200 Speaker 1: that there is that the disability is bad and to 830 00:45:11,480 --> 00:45:14,719 Speaker 1: overcome it is to win and that's the overall goal. 831 00:45:15,080 --> 00:45:16,960 Speaker 1: And that's not the truth. When we talk to people 832 00:45:17,080 --> 00:45:20,120 Speaker 1: in the disabled community when we see articles, that's not 833 00:45:20,160 --> 00:45:23,400 Speaker 1: the things. They're happy, they're happy. The reason they're unhappy 834 00:45:23,480 --> 00:45:28,040 Speaker 1: oftentimes is because we the ablest abled community would think, ah, 835 00:45:28,160 --> 00:45:31,440 Speaker 1: poor you and in realizing wait what but this is 836 00:45:31,440 --> 00:45:35,440 Speaker 1: not okay? Just accept them. There shouldn't be a problem. Okay, 837 00:45:35,520 --> 00:45:37,279 Speaker 1: they may have a stutter, but what does that. That 838 00:45:37,320 --> 00:45:40,600 Speaker 1: doesn't change anything, you know, like it really it doesn't 839 00:45:40,680 --> 00:45:43,200 Speaker 1: change who they are, and that doesn't have to be 840 00:45:43,280 --> 00:45:46,600 Speaker 1: quote unquote fix. Of course. I know once again, those 841 00:45:46,640 --> 00:45:48,880 Speaker 1: who are in the disabled community, do you want to 842 00:45:48,960 --> 00:45:52,520 Speaker 1: change that or or do something different from that, Then 843 00:45:52,560 --> 00:45:56,319 Speaker 1: that's fine, that's accepted however it needs to be. But 844 00:45:56,560 --> 00:45:59,040 Speaker 1: we can't. We have to get away from these tropes 845 00:45:59,120 --> 00:46:03,160 Speaker 1: that there's a better which is the ablest conversation, which 846 00:46:03,200 --> 00:46:06,279 Speaker 1: I mean again, it still was like, oh, I'm really 847 00:46:06,320 --> 00:46:10,200 Speaker 1: glad Mariiny loves her nephew to want to be patient 848 00:46:10,239 --> 00:46:12,840 Speaker 1: with him and work it out with him. But let's 849 00:46:12,920 --> 00:46:15,239 Speaker 1: let's just also recognize it's okay to have stutter. It's 850 00:46:15,280 --> 00:46:19,239 Speaker 1: not a big deal, right, yeah, yeah, yeah exactly. And 851 00:46:19,280 --> 00:46:25,680 Speaker 1: then also, so the first time I watched this, I thought, 852 00:46:26,480 --> 00:46:28,600 Speaker 1: Saba Reny comes in with Dusty May and they have 853 00:46:28,719 --> 00:46:31,920 Speaker 1: this moment. I was like, are they romantically involved? And 854 00:46:31,960 --> 00:46:35,160 Speaker 1: then I got confused throughout the rest. And then I 855 00:46:35,239 --> 00:46:37,920 Speaker 1: was researching mo Rainy and then they said she was queer. 856 00:46:38,040 --> 00:46:40,759 Speaker 1: So there was that element in there that I would 857 00:46:40,800 --> 00:46:43,040 Speaker 1: like to look more into because I think we should 858 00:46:43,080 --> 00:46:47,200 Speaker 1: come back and do kind of a biography. Um oh 859 00:46:47,320 --> 00:46:49,359 Speaker 1: yea something I think we should do. So I think 860 00:46:49,360 --> 00:46:51,560 Speaker 1: we should too. I think it'd be great with her 861 00:46:51,640 --> 00:46:54,160 Speaker 1: Bessie Smith and Bessie Jackson. I think we could just 862 00:46:54,200 --> 00:46:56,000 Speaker 1: do a Mahalia jack all of them. I want to 863 00:46:56,000 --> 00:46:58,360 Speaker 1: talk about all of them. But yeah, there is that 864 00:46:58,440 --> 00:47:01,719 Speaker 1: queer component in which we talked about. Of course, they 865 00:47:01,800 --> 00:47:05,360 Speaker 1: kind of overshouted it with the Levy storyline, which I 866 00:47:05,400 --> 00:47:07,759 Speaker 1: don't know if that was necessary other than to push 867 00:47:07,800 --> 00:47:11,160 Speaker 1: the plot along about how ambitious, overly ambitious he was 868 00:47:11,440 --> 00:47:14,520 Speaker 1: and really he thought he was untouchable, which is again 869 00:47:15,000 --> 00:47:18,319 Speaker 1: part of who his character was. H Poor Dusty may 870 00:47:18,440 --> 00:47:21,759 Speaker 1: just kind of gets thrown all about. But yeah, I 871 00:47:21,840 --> 00:47:25,359 Speaker 1: think the big question. So apparently the reason she got 872 00:47:25,400 --> 00:47:29,640 Speaker 1: her name Ma Rainey is that her and her ex 873 00:47:29,719 --> 00:47:33,319 Speaker 1: husband were Paul and Ma Rainey and they did uh 874 00:47:33,520 --> 00:47:37,480 Speaker 1: minstrel shows together, and then she kept the name Ma Rainey. 875 00:47:37,920 --> 00:47:42,120 Speaker 1: Obviously I don't know who Rainy whatever, And that's how 876 00:47:42,160 --> 00:47:46,000 Speaker 1: she kind of moved into her her stage name and 877 00:47:46,040 --> 00:47:50,840 Speaker 1: her character. Um. But when she left her husband realizing nah, 878 00:47:51,080 --> 00:47:54,319 Speaker 1: you are nothing to me. Not that that's why she left, 879 00:47:54,320 --> 00:47:57,600 Speaker 1: but like, it obviously fell apart, and then she ended up, yeah, 880 00:47:57,760 --> 00:48:00,120 Speaker 1: coming out as queer because she didn't hide it, you 881 00:48:00,120 --> 00:48:04,279 Speaker 1: really didn't. So that was kind of interesting to see. Yeah, 882 00:48:04,840 --> 00:48:06,440 Speaker 1: we'll have to we'll have to return to that. I 883 00:48:06,440 --> 00:48:10,080 Speaker 1: would love to do all musicians, all those musicians you mentioned. 884 00:48:10,080 --> 00:48:13,919 Speaker 1: That'd be fun. In the meantime, if you haven't watched 885 00:48:13,960 --> 00:48:18,040 Speaker 1: this movie the documentary you're on Netflix, go seek them out. 886 00:48:18,480 --> 00:48:22,320 Speaker 1: Really beautifully shot, usually acted. I loved the costuming was 887 00:48:22,400 --> 00:48:25,440 Speaker 1: so good, it was so so good, the music phenomenal. 888 00:48:26,239 --> 00:48:28,960 Speaker 1: Go check it out. And as always, if you have 889 00:48:29,000 --> 00:48:33,880 Speaker 1: a recommendation for our next movie, you should send it 890 00:48:33,880 --> 00:48:38,120 Speaker 1: to us. You can do so at our email, Stuff 891 00:48:38,200 --> 00:48:40,200 Speaker 1: Video Stuff at I Heart media dot com. You can 892 00:48:40,239 --> 00:48:42,200 Speaker 1: find us on Twitter at mom Stuff podcast, or on 893 00:48:42,239 --> 00:48:44,360 Speaker 1: Instagram and Stuff I Never Told You. Thanks. It's always 894 00:48:44,360 --> 00:48:46,799 Speaker 1: to our super producer, Christina. Thank you for making us 895 00:48:46,880 --> 00:48:52,120 Speaker 1: sound good. Christina, Thank you, Christina. Thanks to you for 896 00:48:52,280 --> 00:48:54,360 Speaker 1: listening Stuff I Never Told You his prediction of I 897 00:48:54,400 --> 00:48:56,560 Speaker 1: Heart Radio for more podcast on my Heart Radio, visit 898 00:48:56,600 --> 00:48:58,680 Speaker 1: you Heard you app Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen 899 00:48:58,719 --> 00:49:05,760 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows.