Adios Lou Dobbs!

"Now's the time...to say good-bye..." (in the words of Keith Olbermann) to the worst person in the world. Lou Dobbs resigned from CNN November 11th citing differences with CNN about his future with the network. Long known amongst Latino/as as the anti-immigrant host of his own hate-based "news" show, Dobbs then appeared as a guest on November 18's Jon Stewart Show.  In a hilarious introduction of Dobbs, Stewart had a Mariachi band welcome Dobbs to the show:

Oh Jon Stewart is my hero! Adios Dobbs!

Fiesta Latina at the White House!

Jimmy Smits, Marc Anthony, George Lopez, Sonya Sotomayor, Nydia Velasquez, Los Lobos, Pete Escovedo, Sheila E., Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez, Eva Longoria Parker, Thalia, Jose Feliciano - it was the who's who of Latina/o star power all gathered for one very special night - The White House Music Series Fiesta Latina.

While Smits, Longoria Parker and George Lopez hosted the event, the other great artists performed outside the White House in front of the First Family and other political figures. The hour long concert debuted on PBS on October 15th, 2009. The best part of this great musical showcase was Thalia asking President Obama to dance wit her! She thanked Michelle Obama for allowing it. He shook his shoulders briefly and quickly sat down. Well at least his brief dance made up for his udder butchering of the performers names during his welcome. With as many Latino/as on his staff, Obama should be reminded that saying Latino names need not be said with a forced accent. It would have been totally acceptable for him to say the names in his regular speech - not forcing himself to roll r's or accent syllables. This was however, a great showcase of Latin stars! Nothing beats seeing Marc Anthony, shirt opened half-way down with the White House in the background...classic!

Lopez Tonight! It's About Time...Gilbert!

It's about time...Chicanos on late night! George Lopez's new late night talk show premiered November 9th on TBS with guests Eva Longoria Parker, Kobe Bryant and Carlos Santana. George's unique setup - outside on the WB lot - gave the show an interesting backdrop. "GLo" is the logo for the show's main background and George's band is the band from the "This Is It" Michael Jackson tour. George did the usual jokes about his family in the first episode, but as the week progressed he moved into current events. The third episode had the largest number of viewers at 2 million! Of the 2 million 33% were Latino and 24% African Americans - he also took the ratings having the youngest crowd of all the late night shows. 

The later episodes included guest appearances from Queen Latifah, Slash, Charlie Sheen, Larry David, Jamie Foxx and Marc Anthony. The guests are really making the show worth watching as George works out the kinks such as the delivery of some of the jokes and some of the awkward skits.

Regardless of what needs to be worked out, this is George Lopez! With his own show! And trust me, I will be supporting because he's the only host that can call stupid people what they deserved to be called - cabrones!

Latino In America Part II

The final installment of CNN's "Latino in America" aired October 22nd, 2009. This segment focused on the immigration debate as well as the changes various cities are experience with the growth of the Latino immigrant community.  This segment was much more honest and critical of the anti-immigrant sentiment in America. The show follows a girl named "Marta" who was housed in a child immigrant detainment center in Florida. The young girl crossed the Rio Grande by herself and was caught by immigration. The various trials that she faces with her pro bono attorney are heart wrenching.  

The most powerful of the segments is most definitely the story about the Shenadoah, Pennsylvania killing.  A group of white teenage football players in this small town outside of Wilkes-Barre beat up and killed a Mexican immigrant one night outside his home. The boys were acquitted.  A local civil rights activist talked about the facade that the town exhibits every year during its cultural parade, however, it is clear by the acquittal and the town's siding with the teenagers that, indeed, racism is alive.  

While the other segments including the "Latino Mayberry" and the interview with Cuban Senator Mel Martinez were interesting, it was the shocking segments like that of the Pennsylvania town that really put the problems facing Latinos in the US into the mainstream consciousness. 

I think Soledad O'Brien and the CNN producers did a wonderful job showing the various faces of Latinidad in the US.