Rosie Revisited
First Rosie was on Brian Lehrer. Then we blogged about it. Then she led a panel at WNYC. Then New York Magazine cornered her and blogged it. Here’s a clip from the New York Mag post: Perez got pretty slammed on the Brooklyn blogs for her comments. As much as I find Rosie Perez to…
First Rosie was on Brian Lehrer. Then we blogged about it. Then she led a panel at WNYC. Then New York Magazine cornered her and blogged it. Here’s a clip from the New York Mag post:
Perez got pretty slammed on the Brooklyn blogs for her comments. As much as I find Rosie Perez to be a decent actor, sexy and certainly part of NYC’s charm, I must say comments like these make me want to kick her in the shins, wrote one commenter on Brownstoner. We cornered Perez after the show, and she was happy to clear up what she worried was a hostile comment. What I really wanted to say was that, yes, I’m nostalgic for the past, but I’m also excited about the present and hopeful for the future,” she explained. “Things do change. Water always has to flow or else it becomes stale. But with change, you can bring along some of the good minerals that came from the top of the waterfall.” She said she’d read some of the blogs and seen the nasty comments. “I think it’s their guilt of being the gentrifiers. They don’t know how to take it,” she said. “But I had to look at myself and I realized it came off a little hostile, to be honest.
Her parting words? “Even if you’re in a bad mood, just give me a nod. We’ll do one better: Come to the Flea tomorrow, Rosie, and we’ll buy you a pupusa!
What's Your Take? Leave a Comment
Right you are, DIBS. Are there any Kanarsee around who want to defend their shady land dealings in the 1620s? In all fairness, the Kanarsee did not share the European notion of land ownership and had no idea they were selling “title” to Manhattan as we would understand the word. Here’s the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Minuit. All of which somehow, sort of, proves Biff’s point — we can get pretty crazy and turned around once we start with the turf arguments.
The people posting that this is an inappropriate forum to discuss these points of view should just refrain from posting. Very simple.
I don’t understand the term “white guilt.” Is this something psychiatrists made up?? It certainly isn’t part of Catholic Church type guilt.
“Gentrifier guilt” is even more perplexing. I’d like to hear that in Rosie’s accent for the full effect.
Brooklynista;
I’ll throw a question right back at you. Is there some nuance in Broklin’s post that you think we “regulars” are missing? I see a post that is loaded with nativism (somewhat hostile nativism, I might add) and ignorance. Are we wrong for calling him or her out on it?
Please advise as to what you think an appropriate response to Broklin’s post should have been.
quote:
what is it that appeals to you in trying to have this always loaded discussion in an anonymous forum?
to laugh at the same old tired argument of, life changes deal with it!!! sometimes certain changes SUCK. a lot. and strollers blocking soccer fields where people play IS annoying so i get her point. it’s as simple as that. but keep on going off about demons (or whatever that post above said). it’s quite entertaining watching people with white guilt justify their lifestyle and non tolerance of others.
*rob*
They were the Kanarsee Indians, Canarsie is a further butchering of the name.
Putnamdenizen, that was so well stated! I could not agree with you more. Whenever in mixed groups, I find the effort to have truly meaningful, honest and simultaneously civil discussions about race and class in person is difficult enough. But on internet discussions, it becomes down right impossible. Even the so-called “best” of these types of discussions are always lacking. I know I’ve never had my opinion changed by these discussions and, from the posts of those who regularly participate, I don’t see any change in their opinions as well. So, here’s a sincere, serious question for those who have responded to this thread (and others like it): what is it that appeals to you in trying to have this always loaded discussion in an anonymous forum?
What a big to-do about nothing.
In the words of Kelly Bensimon (RHNY), “You ever hear the saying ‘of mountains and molehills’?”
(yes, we all know she got the saying wrong but you get the drift)
“slopefarm is correct…why even interview her about this???”
Thanks, Dave. Does that mean I’m not one of the nutjobs you called out today? 😉
But my point is also Putnam’s. Why argue on a blog thread about what Rosie said? Like PD said, peace out.
BTW, Biff, the Canarsie band don’t deserve Brooklyn back the way they sold out their Manhattan brethren to the Dutch. Not that any of us deserve it, either.