Source: Shadowandact.com

Webseries have become the holy grail for black people in the film industry who are tired of sitting around waiting for opportunities to tell their stories, and we’re increasingly seeing even established actors and film producers jump on the trend. Aasha Davis of the critically acclaimed film “Pariah” has recently gotten into the game as the star of a new series on the drama that unfolds in the workplace, “The Unwritten Rules.”

The series was created by Kim Williams and is based on her book, 40 Hours and an Unwritten Rule: The Diary of a N***er, Negro, Colored, Black, African-American Woman. She says the webseries

“examines the comedic realities of being an African-American in a predominantly white workplace.”

Pretty much all of us have been there at some point or another so it shouldn’t be too hard to find a situation we can identify with. Aasha Davis, who plays the lead role of Racey Jones, says the series is both entertaining and expository, opening up a dialogue on issues we all know exists but only talk about amongst ourselves.

“The series immediately made me laugh because, it reminded me of stories that my sister would tell me about working in corporate offices and in the same turn it made me nervous because it was exposing those type of stories I only felt comfortable enough to discuss with someone like my sister. I’m really attracted to stories like the Unwritten Rules’ because they inspire interesting and sometimes difficult conversations.”

When I watch the trailer I can’t help but think of Awkward Black Girl because of Aasha’s sarcasm, although she has a slightly different style of delivery. So far, four episodes have aired, and a new one comes out every Wednesday. Check out a couple episodes here and tell us what you think.

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Colored denim has become a closet staple and with summer looming, NOW is the perfect time to embrace the trend. Whether you fancy pastel shades or neon hues, you’ll find a denim option that suits your colorful taste on our list. And no, we’re not just referring to jeans! Be prepared to color yourself inspired by denim pieces such as an edgy vest, adorable blouse, bright jacket and more!

It is not unusual to log onto the internet and see a news story, blog post or some other update about something ridiculous that Glenn Beck has said.

Beck says that Michelle Obama is behind the new bi-racial Superman. Everyone gets mad.  Glenn Beck says something about President Obama. Everyone is outraged.  Glenn Beck says that Hurricane Irene was a blessing. Now everyone wants to boycott and protest. I feel like Jane Brady from the Brady Bunch but instead of Marcia, Marcia, Marcia, it’s Beck, Beck, Beck.  If I had a magic wand, which could magically erase someone from the face of the planet, it would be him.  Because that’s how sick I am of hearing or reading about something controversial he has said to get under people’s skin.

But since I don’t have a magic wand, I do the next best thing and that is ignore him.  Well, at least I do my best. I can honestly say that I had never tuned in to an episode of the Glenn Beck Show when it was on Fox News. I can’t tell you where his syndicated radio show is located on my radio dial.  And I have certainly never read any of his books. Yet somehow I keep stumbling, mostly via news blogs and social networking sites, upon reports of Beck accusing black folks of reverse racism, twisting the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and crying like a baby. That’s what really makes me angry.

Like today comes the story of Beck’s latest gaffe in which he wondered out loud on his radio show, why African Americans don’t like being called  ”colored” considering that they do embrace the term in places like South Africa. He goes on to say:

“African American” was not made to do anything except try to create a super man. Oh don’t you dare feel bad about yourself! You’re African American!” No. You’re an American. Instead of building the country up and saying, “Lookit. We all have the right, here in this country… Look at what happened with Martin Luther King. That makes you an American. ‘Judge not by the color of your skin.”

He managed to fit 2 out of the 3 gaffes he is best known for into one brainless rant.  Not bad. In some ways, I can see why folks might find him endearing. He is a religious man and speaks with this folksy common man demure, which makes his questions and theories seems genuine.  Likewise he appeals to a certain angry demographic, particularly white males in middle America, who often fear being labeled ‘racist’, ‘intolerant’, and ‘hateful’ whenever they say something racist, intolerant and hateful.

But it’s more than that.  Beck’s shows tend to fuel and feed off of the paranoia that exist in the underbelly of society. Whether you agree with them or not, there is a huge market for people, who believe in the Bilderberg group, who have a fear of the New World Order and think that the United States government is working with the Rothschild family.  Many of these self-proclaimed Truthers have found a home with Beck, who gives as much weight to topics such as sterilization through drinking water, population control through FEMA camps and forced abortions through Obamacare as any mainstream news outlet.

What is most interesting about Beck is how he has seemed to swagger jack from Alex Jones, a self-proclaimed paleo conservative talk show host, whose Inside the Bohemian Grove documentary and support of the 9/11 truth movement help to mainstream, at least through the Internet, the conspiracy theorist movement.  But unlike Jones, who views everything and everyone in Washington with skepticism, Beck only seems to focus his “fears of a NWO” on only liberals and the Democratic Party. His targets are usually global-warming-believing scientists, grassroot community organizers and left-leaning intellectuals.  Those folks he calls closet socialists and communists, whose goals are to dismantle free-market capitalism and destroy the U.S. Constitution through government entitlements and illegal immigration.

And that’s what annoys me most about Beck. He has taken the fun – and the truth for those who really believe – out of conspiracy theories. By presenting a polarized stance to issues of the government and the economy, Beck mocks the very audience in which he is trying to appeal to.  Beck is like a half-truther – he views Blacks, the gay community, immigrants and socialist Democrats as the only source of evil, while completely ignoring the evil, which comes out of his own following. And if the man can’t even be true to his own said agenda, which is really about ratings, why should the rest of us take anything he says seriously?

Charing Ball is the author of the blog People, Places & Things.