Letters From Bobby

“I’m poor, black, I might even be ugly, but dear God, I’m here. I’m here.”

When Whoopi Goldberg declared those words in The Color Purple, she was surely on her way to getting the Oscar® nomination for Best Actress of 1985 that she so well deserved. Oprah Winfrey, a former local news reporter-turned-Chicago syndicated talk show host proved that no one can put a performer in a box when she earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her acting debut in the same film. Winfrey went after her role with a passion. Today, along with Tyler Perry, she presents Precious, a gritty film set in the mid 1980s and a story with elements that echo what Oprah attached to emotionally in “The Color Purple” — attached to in such a vigorous way that it’s all become part of our pop culture thanks to the broadcast icon being in our homes five days a week. That opening quote also applies to Precious.

A Black female is abused and regarded as ugly, there’s vile behavior from a Black man, there’s a kind-hearted lesbian, someone’s favorite color is purple, reading is fundamental and a Black female beaten down by life finds spiritual freedom in writing. I’m not writing this as a criticism, just pointing out that it should be no surprise that Oprah’s name is now in the credits. She’s been on this turf before — and with excellent results. She knows how to work it the same way Bette Davis knew how to work a staircase in just about every single one of her classic films. I’m glad she’s behind Precious. It’s one of the best films I’ve seen this year and her influence will get folks to experience the rivetting performances in it from young actress Gabourey Sidibe as the under-educated, physically abused and pregnant high schooler called “Precious” and Mo’Nique as her horrible mother. In fact, that’s how the girl’s home is shot. Like a house of horrors. It’s dark, creepy and claustrophobic. A monster was made in it. Her mom. Sidibe was born to play Precious. Vulgar and lovable, victimized and triumphant, unattractive and fabulous — she brings all the character’s vivid colors to life.

Today on WNBC, Andy Cohen, the hip gay lord and master executive of Bravo, was promoting his Bravo shows in his segment on the 5:00 light newscast. He also gave his short review of Precious. He loved it. I found this fascinating because Precious is exactly the kind of New Yorker who would be invisible to an upscale, privileged, handsome Manhattanite like Andy Cohen. If a real-life Precious, male or female, showed up at the Bravo studios with hopes of being a regular on one of its real estate or fashion shows, those hopes would be dashed. Trust me. I know. Andy Cohen is not going to send a Cosmopolitan to a male or female Precious in a club — unless that person is someone who knows Anna Wintour or Oprah. When I saw the film at a screening before it opened here in New York, I was one of the few Black folks in the audience. I sat directly behind three Caucasian couples who were all friends and all talking about whom they met and entertained at their summer homes a few months ago. All the Black folks onscreen and, I bet, just about all of us in that audience do not use “summer” as a verb. We have only one home and it’s a struggle to afford that one. There’s a scene in the movie involving a bucket of fried chicken that made me howl with laughter because it was so recognizably ghetto fabulous. The folks in front of me gasped at it. Director Lee Daniels had taken them to a world unfamiliar to them — and that’s good.

In my earlier review of “Precious,” a blog I called “Mariah Carey Beats Madonna,” I wrote that Daniels also directed Monster’s Ball. Wrong. My buddy, future hit indie filmmaker Hunter Altman, caught my mistake. Daniels produced it. Marc Forster directed it. As far as Oprah’s involvement with the promotion of Daniels’ new independent film, “Brava, Oprah.” However, I would like to see her give us other views of the African-American experience. Something not so “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” Winfrey’s other acting credits include Native Son — about racism, ignorance and a chauffeur working for Chicago white folks in the 1930s/40s…The Women of Brewster Place put her in the projects….she was a slave in Beloved. I’d like to see her switch it up as an actress/producer. Give us Black families in something like Robert Redford’s Ordinary People or Woody Allen’s Hannah and Her Sisters. Or even slap some new drag on Tyler Perry and give us a Black divorced dad so desperate to see his kids that he becomes a Mrs. Doubtfire.

Personally, I think Oprah will be squealing with glee in a few months. Next year, the nominees for the Best Picture Academy Award increases for five to ten. Precious is good enough to be one of the ten. Now scroll down and read how Mariah Carey did in it.