Wanted: A Meltingpot Magazine

Just the other day I was searching through my stacks of magazines, looking for some sample stories to show my students at Temple, when I came across my three issues of Suede magazine.

Does anyone remember Suede? If you never saw it, you can check out The Fashion Bomb's post about how great it was. Suede was supposed to be the little sister publication of Essence magazine but it was so much better than that. It was this gorgeous, lush, completely original magazine for women of color. It was fresh and unique and had a truly global and sophisticated but not pretentious voice. I actually served as the books editor, but my stint was short-lived because the magazine was shut down after only four issues, due to budget problems.

I was sooo sad when that happened and still haven't found a magazine where page after page I was enraptured. For a second, however, when I heard that Tyra Banks was debuting her own new 'magaline' (that's an online magazine, people) I thought maybe somebody had heard my prayers.

Not so much. Tyra's new magaline, which I think is called Tyra: Inside & Out seems to be a publication about, well, Tyra. Really, it's mostly about her and how she's going to help you, the reader, get beautiful, inside and out. But maybe I'm missing something.

What do you think of the new Trya magaline? Better yet, what do your read off the newsstand or on-line for your media fix of beauty, entertainment, fashion, pop culture and news with a meltingpot twist? Besides, the Meltingpot, of course:)

I'm listening.

Peace!

Three Really Hot Burning Questions from the Meltingpot

People, people, people. What a week it has been. Folks just acting a fool left and right. You know I have questions so here we go:

1. What is Alison Samuels smoking that has made her lose all sense of journalistic integrity? She already made people question her judgment in writing that irritating opinion piece about Zahara Jolie-Pitt's hair, but then she thought it prudent to write a follow-up piece defending the first ridiculous article. Some have suggested she's just looking for publicity in attacking one of the most famous celebrity families on the planet. Others say she is suffering from a severe case of self-hatred which she is projecting on poor Zahara. Either way, I want to know why we have to read about it in Newsweek?

2. And speaking of possible publicity stunts, is that what's behind Tyra Banks' decision to have her contestants on America's Next Top Model pose in blackface -- or better said in "mixed face" -- in some sugar cane fields in Hawaii for the show? If you hadn't heard about this latest hulabaloo in TV land, you can read about it on Yahoo news or check out Clutch magazine's take on the story. I don't know. It makes me uncomfortable on many levels, but does Tyra get a pass as a woman of color to play with "blackface?" Is this just fashion/art? And obviously we don't all have to agree, but are you okay with this? Would you be okay if this is precedent setting and fashion shoots and fashion shows in the future use White girls in face paint instead of real Mixed or Black models? Hmmm... I wonder.

3. So tomorrow is Halloween and the next day is Day of the Dead or rather Dia de los Muertos. I had the great pleasure of being invited to a Mexican friend's home one year to paint sugar skulls and participate in a traditional Day of the Dead celebration. But here's my question. In this month's Cookie magazine (may she rest in peace), they have an article about how to throw your own authentic Day of the Day celebration. Is that okay? I mean if Day of the Dead isn't part of your cultural heritage should you really be celebrating? I mean wouldn't that be like frying up the latkes in early December and celebrating Hannukah? Or ordering in Indian take-out for your own Diwali festival? I mean where do we draw the line people? Or am I reading this wrong? What do you think?

So dear readers, if you have some answers, let them rip.

Happy Halloween and remember to eat all that candy responsibly. Friends don't let friends eat the whole bag of Snickers...in one day.

Peace.