Posts from — January 2012

I finally went to see “THE HELP” night before last and I was mesmerized. I left feeling altered, moved by the brilliant story, the brilliant acting and the scary fact that this was a story about life in the south only 40 years ago!

A good friend of mine used to tell me stories about her mom being a maid in the 1950’s and 60’s south and how her mother and her escaped to the north for fear of their lives. I have head that the migration of black Americans from the south to the north was a huge one, (over a million someone told me last night) and it’s easy to see why, not that there wasn’t prejudice in the north too, of course, but not like this!

I remember as a child traveling with my family from Jersey to Florida and sometimes across from Florida to California. In the deep south in the 70’s, it was best not to let anyone know we were Jewish. I recall a gas station that had signs above one of its restrooms with one word “colored.” Oh the sign had been removed of course but the fact that the wall had been painted with the sign on, left the non-painted imprint of the word. The message was, its illegal not to have this sign up,but we want to make damn sure you all see the imprint anyway. It imprinted on me all right. I was just relieved not to see another imprint that read “JEWS.”

I am thrilled that the HELP and its brilliant actresses, Viola Davis who is something of a goddess and the amazing Octavia Spencer. have been raking in the awards. These are two women Hollywood would not normally see fit to give starring roles too, because they don’t fit the normal Hollywood leading lady look or age or color, (some prejudices are still alive and well hmmm).

In a sea of big stars who are great but really honey don’t need any more recognition, it was wonderful to see two not-so-known actresses get up there on the podium and keep it real for all of us.

I think their SAG award acceptance speeches last night, humbled everyone in the audience, especially that of Viola Davis.

I hope Hollywood, doesn’t forget that audiences like to see real women, not just young women or pretty women or white women.

Fighting racism is an un-going battle and The Help Helps.

I have to admit Hillary Clinton has been looking pretty darn tired since she took the job as secretary of state, but lord who could wonder why since she’s been jetting around the planet trying to negotiate peace.

Hearing she wants to retire or at least take a nice long break, is a bit sad cause I like her being part of the action, but if ever there was cause to be pooped she’s earned her rest.

I still had a moment watching Obama give his State of the Union address when I wished it was Hillary standing up there. She would have made a great president.

But Obama, I have to say, is pretty darn good. He left me feeling hopeful and uplifted and charmed. I mostly appreciated his call to stop partisan bull-shit (not his words of course) and join together to get the job done.

I would like to stop hearing about the party of NO, republicans and the loosey goosey democrats and just start hear about what the hell they are doing to fix our economy.

Get rid of loopholes for the uber rich and give a break to the middle-class.
Who on earth could really argue with that and look the un-employed in the face?!

It’s going to take that and a lot more to really fix things.

I’d like to see clean energy be on the top of the list. Really in the end, if we destroy our planet it’s not going to really matter how much money anyone has. We’ll all be home less or floating around mars.

I don’t want to go to Mars. No two-play toilet paper there!

I watched the 90’th birthday salute of Betty White on NBC last night.

I was on the elliptical machine at the gym and got so entrenched in the Betty salute that I wound up staying on the machine for an hour and a half. My calves were burning by the time the credits rolled, so I guess I have to thank Betty for the great work out.

The reason I was so entrenched was because of the pure joy of watching this show.

One by, one, the great legendary faces of television comedy appeared; Carol Burnett, Carl Reiner, Mary Tyler Moore and the newer faces of comedy too Valerie Bertinelli and Tina Fey for example. Even Barack Obama made a tribute, but the stars tributes paled to the snippets of Betty’s illustrious career flashing on the screen.

This woman seems to be everything missing in today’s showbiz. She is classy, kind, elegant, lovely, appreciative and charming, yet not the least bit afraid to play the slut, or make fun of herself at every turn.

I do hope she lives to celebrate her hundredth and more as the world needs a Betty White.

I need a Betty White.

Perhaps the lesson from Betty is to simply follow her own example. Find something you love doing, with people you love doing it with and do it to the best of your ability with pride, joy and confidence.

If work is such a large part of our lives, let’s make it wonderland!

Happy birthday Betty and thank you.

Watching the republican debate with Dianne sawyer last week, was like a contest in which candidate would be the worst for gay rights, or rather for human rights.

“I support an amendment to the constitution defining marriage as between a man and a woman!” they proudly declared one after the other.

Decades ago these men would have probably just as proudly declared they supported a ban on interracial marriage.

Both are equally wrong!

I realize that readers of this site are gay, straight, democrat, republican, independent and don’t give a rat’s ass, but I think most folks who read rossi rant care at least a little about human rights.

To amend our constitution should only be done in great matters supporting human rights and the good of Americans, to make America even more for the people, for freedom for justice. Wouldn’t this amendment be about as far the opposite as opposite can be?

Yes I wanted Hillary not Obama and I don’t think the guy is perfect, nor have I thought any president was perfect except for Gwbush junya who was a perfect moron!!!

but at least I know Obama would not support such a travesty as banning the rights of 10% of the country to marry!

When I go to the polls I am going to vote for the person who does not want to vote away my rights as an American.

New York finally got its act together and passed gay marriage and the joy and the wonder and celebration took to the streets and still continues. Marriage equality should be federal. It’s time for America to be the land of the people.

Let freedom ring with rings!