Denzel Washington: The Only Angry Black Man America Likes

With the box office success of "Safe House," Denzel Washington has cemented his place as the only angry black man America likes.

Just think for a minute how many movies centered around an angry black man violently taking matters into his own hands were actually successful at the box office.  Yeah, not many.

It's about as common as finding someone who actually watches "NCIS" or eats Good & Plenty.

But Washington movies such as "Man on Fire," "American Gangster," and "Training Day" were.  

Mainstream America paid good money to see these films in the theater.  It's not like they just watched them on TV.

Some people might argue that Washington isn't the only black actor that pulls this off because Samuel L. Jackson's whole career is based on being the angry black man, but Jackson doesn't carry movies.  

It's more like there's a movie and it features Jackson. "Shaft" doesn't count because it's based on an existing blaxploitation franchise.

Will Smith makes big movies although he's more of a goofy violent guy that cracks jokes than an angry black man.  He consciously stays away from projects that would portray him as one

Washington's feat is even more impressive when you consider there's still a whole demographic of people that specifically fear a violent angry black man.

What makes Washington so special then?  I'd like to think it's because he's not doing it for you, although it's not.

The key is that America trusts him.   The reason Washington can get away with these roles is that he's built up enough good will in his career that people don't see him as inherently threatening.

Sure Washington is ruthless in a movie, but in real life the public knows he's a good guy so it's okay.

Bottom line,  he's like the Dos Equis character of The Most Interesting Man in the World for the angry black man.

It's not often America watches films with angry black men but when they do, they prefer Denzel Washington.

Fleet Foxes Sing

If you ever find yourself thinking, this song would sound a lot better if the Fleet Foxes were singing it then you're in luck.

Fleet Foxes Sing blog takes popular songs and covers them in the style of the Fleet Foxes.

It's not actually the Fleet Foxes covering these songs, but it sounds so much like them that the group had to assure people it wasn't.

Instead it's the work of a New York-based music technology worker who The Guardian interviewed recently.

Regardless, it's amusing to hear upbeat pop songs such as Katy Perry's "Firework," Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance Somebody," and Katrina and the Waves "I'm Walking on Sunshine" transformed into depressing songs.

My favorite cover has to be Rick Astley's "Never Going to Give You Up" as the Fleet Foxes version makes it sound like the ultimate creepy stalker song penned by someone who's mentally unstable instead of a harmless pop song.

This guy knows what I'm talking about.

Does Anybody Like Bugles?

Bugles are another one of those food products that makes me wonder why they still exist and who eats them.  They're the Rolos of snack food.

Allegedly there are people that like them, but I've never met one.  Even a friend who puts them out at his annual party says that he gets them more out of family tradition than actually enjoying them.

Judging by how full they usually stay, I don't think other people have a strong affinity for them either.

Bugles are like the Switzerland of snack food because they're neutral .  Nobody really says, "I love Bugles" or "I really hate Bugles." Instead most people agree they're just okay.

It's probably because Bugles don't exactly taste awful, but they don't taste good.  If anything, the taste is kind of forgettable.

The most emotion Bugles elicit are phases such as "Wow, I didn't know they still sell Bugles. Weird," and "Why is there a six year old box/bag of Bugles in the back of the cabinet?"

When the most popular use for your product involves people putting them on their fingers and pretending they have long witch nails,  then it's fundamentally failed as a snack food.