“I’m rooting for everybody Black”

- Issa Rae

All right folx – this is it! We’ve made it to the final post of The Celebrity Cookout: Black Icons + Me (*cue Boyz II Men’s End of the Road*). Thank you so much for sticking with me and supporting this week-long personal project. It was really special to spend the past couple of days engaging with some of my Black friends and sharing stories and memories that they held so dear, and I am incredibly grateful for being given the platform to spotlight some of their voices.

Earlier this week, during the Rough Cut reading of Michael Jackson and the Devil’s Book, an audience member shared that one of the things that they appreciated about the show was the BLACKNESS of it all. I agree - its one of my favorite things about this macabre fantasia that Terry has composed. The invitation this story offers us, as Black people, to be fully and authentically Black, fully and authentically ourselves, and the understanding that Blackness is anything, and everything, we want it to be.

Hearing stories from folx reflecting on impactful Black celebrities in their own lives, I could not help but notice that time and time again, a similar theme emerged: I love this person because they made me feel seen. The fact is that so often, for Black folx, the reason that our idols are our idols, is because they allow us to tap into a certain part of ourselves, because they allow us to see ourselves reflected back, because, as the overeager PA blurts out in Terry’s play, they “make us proud to be Black.”

This play makes me proud to be Black. These stories make me proud to be Black. Thank you for tuning in, and thank you to the folx featured in today’s post! We will be back in the new year with some more hot content for you, so keep close and stay tuned! 

Name: Peter A. Hometown: Mequon, WI

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? James Baldwin is the Black celebrity who has had the largest impact on me.

Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? As a Black gay man, Baldwin's identity lines up closely with my own. I remember the first time I read Giovanni's Room and then immediately after Notes on a Native Son. Both books felt like revelations. They profoundly articulated what I had been feeling as a Black queer in the United States.  A few years later I made a commitment to read all of his writings, and I happened to start this 'project' during a particularly difficult period.  His words and thoughts buoyed me during that time in a way no other writer has. 

What is an iconic moment of theirs that has stuck with you (or, as the kids would say, lives in your head, rent free)? There's an interview with Baldwin and Maya Angelou which if you haven't seen.... run don't walk to YouTube and check it out.  At one point she asks him about homosexuality and he starts talking about love.  Eventually he says, "All I know is that if I love you.... I love you.  And, if I love you and dodge it, I die." 

Name: Jarrett K. Hometown: Seale, AL 

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? Oprah Winfrey

Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? The diversity of her impact - journalism, media, entertainment, philanthropy, education, world politics!

What is an iconic moment of theirs that has stuck with you (or, as the kids would say, lives in your head, rent free)? YOU GET A CAR YOU GET A CAR YOU GET A CAR

Name: Meagan D. Hometown: Memphis, TN

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? Tupac. Beyoncé. Viola Davis. Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? Tupac – His love for young people + storytelling ability + activism Beyoncé – Her love for black people + need to give others opportunities + pushing the envelope artistically Viola Davis – Her love for artists/black stories + ability to articulate the importance of learning about humanity through art + activism

What is an iconic moment of theirs that has stuck with you (or, as the kids would say, lives in your head, rent free)? Tupac - “Dear Mama”, Brenda’s Got A Baby, and his iconic A Different World episode

Beyoncé –  Beychella and performing in the Super Bowl as Black Panthers Viola Davis – Any speech of hers ever ever! Specifically the one with the Harriet Tubman quote regarding opportunities. Triple Threat of Acting. She has done every media for acting: TV, film, theatre (on and off B’way and regional theatre)

Name: Chantel W. Hometown: Long Island, NY / Kansas City, MO

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? Beyoncé

Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? I grew up watching Beyoncé in Destiny’s Child. I distinctly remember hearing and watching the “No, No, No (pt. 2)” music video when it came out. I remember “Bills, Bills, Bills,” I remember “Jumpin’ Jumpin’,” I remember “Bug a Boo” – and when she went solo, I remember “Work It Out” and “Crazy in Love” and B-Day and everything I Am...Sasha Fierce. She basically spent the 2010’s turning herself into a true icon – it was a joy to watch.

I loved Michael Jackson, I still love Michael Jackson - he was always around, especially as his lighter self. I remember when I first really watched the older music videos of him during his Thriller heyday and feeling like wow I kind of missed out on experiencing this live, in real life. And I remember when I realized that Beyoncé was the next coming of that, and how excellent of a performer she was, how hard she worked, her growth from 1998 through 2016 and just watching that was remarkable. It’s astounding. And she always tops herself, every single time. She is just so, excellent.

And so the impact for me has been that standard of excellence. Wanting to aspire to work as hard as she does and to put as much effort and care and discipline and excellence and dedication into a craft. I just think she’s fantastic.

 What is an iconic moment of theirs that has stuck with you (or, as the kids would say, lives in your head, rent free)?

I do remember the moment when she dropped Untitled. The drop of the century. I freaked the fuck out. I really did. Honestly, the performance she did at the VMA’s of all of Beyoncé was also definitely a top moment for me. The Super Bowl performance of Formation is definitely a top moment. And Homecoming. Honestly. Ugh. Watching that for the first time was such an experience. In my little studio apartment. Hella late. Screaming at my television. Because it was just so beautiful. And so Black. And so her. It was just her doing her entire legacy of music for white kids at Coachella that were stoned out of their minds. But also it was really not for them. It was for us. And every single Black person really saw themselves. The impact!

Name: Victor Musoni Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

 Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? My favorite Black celebrity/had a major impact on me is Stevie Wonder.

Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? Stevie Wonder is one of the first musicians I remember listening to as a youngin' and his music just has always made me feel at home. Also he can WRITE WRITE, so I love listening to his songs because of that as well. It transports me back to my mama's arms  

“Greatness is not this wonderful, esoteric, elusive, god-like feature that only the special among us will ever taste. It’s something that truly exists in all of us.” 

- Will Smith   Wow, here we are at the penultimate installment of The Celebrity Cookout: Black Icons + Me – the New Frontier Series’ multi-part journey into the beautiful and messy world of Black Celebrity! 

When I initially sent out this ask to friends and family for them to consider, I thought that maybe a couple of folx would respond and that I would be able to string together a couple of responses for a blog post that would hit on some of those ICONIC black celebrities that we all know and love. But the ways in which individuals showed up, and shared, TRULY SHARED, intimate stories about their relationships with Black celebrities has been truly beautiful be a part of. I am so thankful to everyone featured in today’s post, and everyone who has contributed and everyone who is reading this now. Thank you for participating in this exchange, and be sure to check back tomorrow for the final installment of The Celebrity Cookout.

Name: Gregory G. Hometown: Miami, FL

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? My favorite Black celebrity is Don Cheadle (his performance in Devil In A Blue Dress is unparalleled) but the celebrity that has had a biggest impact on me is Laurence Fishburne. Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? Watching Don Cheadle out act Denzel Washington and continue to evolve as an actor over the years has filled me with inspiration. He truly transforms for every part he tackles, and he is constantly showing up in the name of social justice (see him on SNL wearing a "Protect Trans Kids" shirt). As a "short" dark-skinned actor (I was 5'6 until my freshman year of college), it was inspiring to see someone who looked like me tackle serious stories before it became trendy (see: Hotel Rwanda).

What is an iconic moment of theirs that has stuck with you (or, as the kids would say, lives in your head, rent free)? Despite gushing about Don Cheadle, the moment with a Black celebrity that lives rent-free in my head and heart is when I saw my first Broadway show. It was "Thurgood" with Laurence Fishburne playing Thurgood Marshall in this wonderful one-man play. A friend acquired tickets for us and they were great tickets. It was a matinee and I was the only Black person in the audience (I noticed as I walked to my seat which was in the 4th row). In the middle of the show, Laurence looks out into the audience and sees me holding on to his every word with bated breathe and looked right at me. He stopped performing for a second, smiled, and nodded at me, and continued with the performance. To be acknowledged at that moment felt like the first time I was fully seen. It serves as a great reminder of the importance of telling Black stories: you never know who is watching and receiving the message that you see them.

Name: Yolanda D. Hometown: Saginaw, MI

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? Whitney Houston

Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? Whitney was the very first singer who I loved. I would sing The Greatest Love of All to myself in preschool whenever our class got in trouble and had to put our heads down. I have heard every song a million times and I still marvel at her voice. I am freshly surprised by her loss all the time.

What is an iconic moment of theirs that has stuck with you (or, as the kids would say, lives in your head, rent free)?

The key changes in “I Have Nothing” (skip to 3:30)

Whitney in that wig and  gold dress in the Cinderella movie.      

“It’s not right, but it’s ok.”

Name: Korama D. Hometown: Los Angeles, CA 

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? Gabrielle Union

Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? First of all have you seen her? She’s stunning and clearly aging backwards like Benjamin Button. I saw a lot of myself in Gabrielle Union when she was doing teen movies in the 90s (She’s All That, 10 Things I Hate About You) because she was usually the sole Black character in a sea of white characters and I felt like that was my life attending a PWI and having mostly white friends. And it was such a wonderful thing to watch her still maintain “white famous” status while still doing unapologetically Black projects with great writing and nuance like Being Mary Jane. It felt like I didn’t have to choose, if that makes sense. Also her unwavering love and support for her daughter is a joy.

What is an iconic moment of theirs that has stuck with you (or, as the kids would say, lives in your head, rent free)? When she was in Bring it On and her character ripped up the check from Torrance’s dad’s company and said that they were going to make it on their own with help from their own community. YASSSS. (Check out that moment Korama is referencing here!)

Name: Aliyah F. Hometown: Milton, MA

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? Zandaya

Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? Her very existence as this young, Black girl, performing as a young Black girl is super inspiring.  And then she went on to break all of these records across the industry? She is doing a ton for representation and proving that it is possible.

What is an iconic moment of theirs that has stuck with you (or, as the kids would say, lives in your head, rent free)? Her Vogue cover. When she graced that cover as the youngest Black girl ever to appear on it? Iconic.

Name: Ahmad O. Hometown: Chicago, IL 

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? Kendrick Lamar

Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? As an avid hip-hop fan, I have so much respect for how seriously Kendrick takes his craft and how he’s used his art to empower and uplift black people, give black people a voice and tell our story. He’s truly a messenger using his platform for a greater purpose.

“We need to break boundaries, so every time I feel like, ‘Oh snap, oh my God, I don’t know how this is gonna be received,’ I also feel this validation, like, ‘All the greats, all my favorites have felt this.”

- Jordan Peele Welcome back to the second installment of The Celebrity Cookout: Black Icons + Me – the New Frontier Series’ multi-part journey into the beautiful and messy world of Black Celebrity! For those just joining us, in conversation with some of the central themes present in Terry Guest’s STUNNING new play, Michael Jackson and the Devil’s Book, I set out on a journey to hear directly from Black people about the Black celebrities who hold particularly impactful and meaningful presences in their lives.

Today is a pretty exciting day – it is the day of our Rough Cut reading, the first time a pubic audience will hear the play out loud! In honor of that, and in honor of the play development process, I wanted clue you in on some Black icons that were discussed as the play was being mapped out, but ultimately didn’t make it in this latest draft! Enjoy, and check back later this week for the next entry in this series!

Name: Brette R.

Hometown: Portland, OR

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? Oprah Winfrey

Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? When people ask me what my religion is, I tell them that, "I believe in Oprah." Watching Oprah everyday after school, as she made all those white ladies cry, gave my chaotic upbringing a small semblance of stability.  At the time there were other black role models on TV, but my life didn't look like theirs. Growing up in an all white family in Portland, Oregon, my life was nothing like Moesha's or Rudy Huxtables. My life looked much more like The Oprah Show: one black girl surrounded by well meaning white ladies.

Growing up I've used Oprah's career and life as a guiding light for my own (minus the being a gazillionaire thing). I return to her books in times of trouble and tune into Super Soul Sundays for a pick-me-up. And despite myself, I'm more likely to buy a book if it has an Oprah's Book Club sticker on it. I don't know if I want to be such an Oprah-ite, nor if I should be. But fuck it, here we are.

What is an iconic moment of theirs that has stuck with you (or, as the kids would say, lives in your head, rent free)? Oprah basically invented viral moments. You get a car, Tom Cruise on the couch, come on! But the moment I keep coming back to is when I met her for the first time. I had a shoot with her and when she first came in, she was polite and professional, which was a huge disappointment. I wanted her to touch my hand and look into my eyes and tell me that I was special and worthy of love and all the pain I had been through was not my fault. Instead she just asked me where she was supposed to sit. But as soon as the camera turned on, she turned into OPRAH, and 5 minutes into that interview I was in tears. She was so Oprah, as Oprah as Oprah could be.

I think few people have the opportunity to see with such clarity what I saw in that moment: that the Oprah that I had loved and had had such an influence on me didn't actually exist in real life. She only exists in this cameras-on, mediated, television space. But knowing that doesn't make her any less impactful. Oprah as an icon, as a star, as a symbol absolutely exists and the influence she has had on me is very real.

Name: Nikki C.

Hometown: Cambridge, MA

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? Mariah Carey

Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? Her music has always resonated with me, from the very beginning. We are very close in age, and had similar experiences growing up and so her songs have always held a very special place for me.

What is an iconic moment of theirs that has stuck with you (or, as the kids would say, lives in your head, rent free)? When she released Butterfly. I think that was when she finally broke free from some of the craziness that was her life and finally became herself, not just the image of what people wanted her (and her music) to be.

Name: Chelsea S.

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? Rihanna

Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? She’s a singer, designer, business woman, and fellow Pisces. Truly the epitome of resilience and not putting yourself in a box. She also singlehandedly carries the Met Gala with her immaculate style.

What is an iconic moment of theirs that has stuck with you (or, as the kids would say, lives in your head, rent free)? Her 2018 Met Gala look. The theme: Heavenly Bodies. Rihanna looked every bit the co-chair in her pope-inspired gown and headdress. STUNNING!

Name: Michelle F.

Hometown: Milton, MA

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? Michelle Obama

Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? I think she is incredibly smart and articulate and handled the celebrity of being First Lady with class and grace while still being who she was.

What is an iconic moment of theirs that has stuck with you (or, as the kids would say, lives in your head, rent free)? Her speech during the 2016 Democratic National Convention – particularly her refrain “When they go low, we go high.” Also, I mean, her entire book! Come on!

Name: Karyn O.

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? It’s Beyoncé. Of course it’s Beyoncé.

Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? I have appreciated watching Beyoncé’s evolution from a girl group member to a celebrity who handles her fame on her own terms. 

In 1962, a fresh faced, 38-year-old James Baldwin penned an essay titled “The Creative Process” (read it here!) in which he laid out, in no uncertain terms, his views on the responsibility of the artist, a group of individuals he described as “historically despised while living and acclaimed when safely dead.”

Baldwin writes:

The precise role of the artist…is to illuminate that darkness, blaze roads through that vast forest, so that we will not, in all our doing, lose sight of its purpose, which is, after all, to make the world a more human dwelling place.

Indeed, artists have historically served as a guiding light in the darkness, an anchor in stormy seas, a phone charger when your battery is at 1%. Artists create, and in that act of creation, help us to make sense of the world around us and maybe, just maybe, not feel so alone.

And today, in the 21st century, as the world burns (both literally and figuratively) – we have turned these artists into celebrities who we continue to look towards in times of uncertainty and despair. And certainly (and I cannot emphasize enough the true sincerity in my claim here) – it would be foolish to deny the artistry involved in the act of celebrity. It is a beautifully special skill to grab the spotlight, to hold our collective attention, and create iconography.

We’ve been thinking about this a lot during the development process of Michael Jackson and The Devil’s Book – specifically about how Black celebrities inhabit deeply sacred spaces in the lives of Black people. And all of that thinking has led to the genesis of this! A new, multi-part series that I am calling: The Celebrity Cookout: Black Icons + Me. The premise? What would it look like if I asked Black people of all different ages and backgrounds to reflect on the ways in which Black celebrities have impacted their lives by answering three, very simple questions. The result? A beautiful and diverse tapestry illustrating the richness of Black celebrity, iconography, and popular culture.

To kick off this series, I asked some members of our Rough Draft Reading to respond. Learn what playwright Terry and ensemble members Breon, Netta and Donovan had to say. And check back later this week to hear some incredible memories from some incredible Black people all across the country!

Name: Terry Guest

Hometown: Albany, GA

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? Whitney Elizabeth Houston.

Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? I remember looking at Whitney Houston when I was a child and thinking “She is the most beautiful person in the world. I hope to look like that one day.”

What is an iconic moment of theirs that has stuck with you (or, as the kids would say, lives in your head, rent free)? Of course the Diane Sawyer interview! That all white suit!

Name: Breon Arzell

Hometown: Detroit, MI 

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? As a child, Eddie Murphy. As an adult, Beyonce.

Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? Eddie Murphy was a Black character actor; everything I wanted to be. With Beyoncé, it's her work ethic, showmanship, attention to detail, and being a BOSS of all trades.

What is an iconic moment of theirs that has stuck with you (or, as the kids would say, lives in your head, rent free)? Coming to America. (full stop.) Like, WHAT? Who does that?! Surprise album drop. WHAT?! Again, WHO DOES THAT?! And I also appreciate the way she's been able to maintain privacy and craft her brand and image.

Name: Netta Walker

Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? My favorite Black celebrity is Barack Obama. But the most impactful Black celebrity isn’t just one person, it is The Temptations.

Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? Every one of The Temptations’ songs has strings attached to my childhood with my father. He loved them so much, and for that they played a major theme in my life. We’d watch Four Brothers reruns all the time so Papa Was A Rolling Stone always brings me back to those days. Him singing My Girl to me before bed, because I was his only girl (and his baby girl at that). Him chasing my mother around singing Aint to Proud to Beg. Ball of Confusion, Just My Imagination, I Wish It Would Rain, I Can’t Get Next To You - every single one of them has a bittersweet memory.

 What is an iconic moment of theirs that has stuck with you (or, as the kids would say, lives in your head, rent free)?

“AIN’T NOBODY COMIN TO SEE YOU OTIS”

Name: Donovan Session

Hometown: Tulsa, Oklahoma

Who is a Black celebrity that has had a major impact on your life? A Black celebrity that had a stronger impact in my life than realized was Miss J from America’s Next Top Model.

Can you talk a bit about what that impact has been? I grew up watching this androgynous gender-fluid GODDESS teaching these girls how to slay! I didn’t realize how much I was being influenced by their confidence and unapologetic nature throughout my life. They have remained glamorous and graceful for decades to come and they don’t receive the flowers that they deserve.

(L to R Hannah Hopkins, Nadya Naumaan, Jared Bellot, and Will Kiley)

Hello! My name is Hannah Hopkins, and I am the Dramaturg for Daria Miyeko Marinelli’s CROPT.

To me, dramaturgy is a collaborative process in support of the play: we’re figuring out how to ask new and better questions together in real time.

We felt it was important to share this play now because in this moment, we have the opportunity and obligation to confront the violence that has always already been just beyond the surface of what we desire and take for granted. 

My role will help this new play by finding, facilitating, and supporting ways to connect critical voices and ways of knowing to the world(s) of CROPT 

Hello! My name is Nadya Naumaan, and I am the Dramaturg for Being Julia Roberts.

To me, dramaturgy is

  being a play detective - serve the truth of the play..    

We felt it was important to share this play now because

 Islamophobia still exists in the US. Also levity is important and we love Julia Roberts. Can these things exist in a play together? Only Abbas knows.

My role will help this new play by

 providing research, listening, and providing endless enthusiasm.  

Hello! My name is Jared (he/him),  and I am the Dramaturg for Michael Jackson and the Devil's Book by Terry Guest! 

To me, dramaturgy is getting to have lots of really good conversations and getting to ask a lot of really good questions (not expecting an answer in return). 

We felt it was important to share this play now because Black lives and Black stories and Black myths and Black people matter now. And always. 

My role will help this new play by helping to facilitate the journey of the creative team through lots of ambiguity and uncertainty. And serving as the biggest cheerleader/sounding board/hype man to the my INCREDIBLY TALENTED AND INCREDIBLY BRILLIANT collaborators, Terry and Wardell. 

Hello! My name is  Will Kiley,  and I am the Dramaturg for  P_A_N_G_E_A  by Calamity West. 

To me, dramaturgy is bridging the rehearsal room and the outside public, advocating for the playwright and director’s intentions, crafting questions that help either open or close the play. 

We felt it was important to share this play now because the tempo of 2020 is causing us to reevaluate our senses of self while shaking up our histories and dreams. 

“I don’t know that I have ever found any satisfactory answers of my own. But every time I ask it, the question is refined…questioning as ritual, questioning as exploration rather than the search for certainty.” - Ta-Nehisi Coates

“Hee Hee” - Michael Jackson

Any worthwhile artistic journey begins with a worthwhile question. Or, a worthwhile series of questions.

For me, the first thing I do whenever I begin work on a new project is sit down and ask myself, “Jared, what is this play about?”

It is a question that is both incredibly straightforward and deeply complex, but by beginning to answer it, I am able to give myself a lens with which to begin to analyze the text. As someone who deeply despises the anxiety that comes with not knowing, (which, for those wondering, yes, does make working as dramaturg, a role that fully lives in a world of ambiguity, a truly nerve-wracking journey) figuring out this question helps me to stay anchored and do the necessary work of unpacking the world of the play. It is a win-win situation for both my sanity and the artistic process. When Terry Guest first introduced his ideas around his new play, Michael Jackson and the Devil’s Book, to director Wardell Julius Clark and I, he answered my question before I even had to ask. “This play is not a biography about Michael Jackson.” Terry explained. “This play is not about Michael Jackson the man at all.”

“But wait!” You might be thinking to yourself. “This play isn’t about Michael Jackson? But isn’t his name in the title? Isn’t he a character in the play? Didn’t you start this very blog post quoting his iconic “Hee Hee” vocal riff? If MICHAEL JACKSON and the Devil’s Book isn’t about Michael Jackson, then what is it about?” Don’t get it twisted; this play is 100% about that little Black boy born in Gary, Indiana on August 29, 1958 (on the night of a full moon whose birth chat has a Virgo sun, Pisces Moon and Pisces Ascendant placement for the astrologically curious of the bunch). This play is 100% about the boundary and taboo-breaking career of one of the most iconic and significant Black superstars to have ever lived. This play is, 100%, without a doubt about Michael Jackson, The King of Pop, the most awarded artist in the history of music. But more than that, Michael Jackson and The Devil’s Book is a play about Black people. And selective Black exceptionalism. And how Black people have followed the story of Michael Jackson, with all of its ups and downs, for the past 50 years.