The Arsenio Hall Show Canceled

“The Arsenio Hall Show Canceled”

By Glenn Peppers                           May 30, 2014

Doggone it, I just heard that the Arsenio Hall Show has been canceled! That to me is so sad! I really hate to hear that! And as I sit here writing this article, I am remembering that just a few months ago, I had this eerie feeling from day one that this would happen to him, and soon. Mainly because Arsenio's late night show for some reason seemed sadly dated somehow to me!... So very 1990’s! It was clear that Hall had been away from late night television far too long! The many many wonderful guest that made his show shine years ago were and are either dead and gone, much older in age or just not hip anymore! Some of them even have their own talk shows (,. Queen Latifah) now days. 

NBC’s Jimmy Fallon came out of the starting gate RUNNING after taking over Jay Leno’s spot as host of the iconic, Tonight Show! The PR campaign to boost Jimmy Fallon was vast, and was a complete white wash, causing even David Letterman to recently announce his retirement from Late Night with David Letterman, up and coming next year, 2015! 

Arsenio's bad time slot (11pm), weak guest roster, and "not so hip, non-ass kicking band” just wasn't holding a younger crowd or audience like Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon! Then there was Conan O’Brian holding up the back end of the Late Night party train! I feel bad for Arsenio, because Arsenio Hall really is a great host and personality. He just didn't have that dazzling and amusing rabbit to pull out of his hat with the Rihanna/Bieber/Beyoncè/One Direction crowd! 

I think over his many years away the talk show spotlight, Arsenio planned on what he would do if he were to ever get his talk show back. I don’t think he thought that through well enough! In 20 years’s time, I think Hall missed his calling in acting, directing and mainly movies! I think Arsenio Hall really is quite funny on film! He was a scream in “Harlem Nights!” Arsenio also has great production skills. It just seemed to me that Arsenio just wanted his old show back, and the big wigs at Tribune and the Sinclair Broadcast Group said, “Awe hell, give the guy back his damned show!...” A whole whopping 20 years later! 

Bill Clinton on Arsenio Hall Show in 1992

A lot of stuff can change in 20 years, believe me! In that time, Bill Clinton (who played sax on his show before being elected President) has served as commander and chief, and has moved on to other things. Jennifer Lopez went from dancing as a “Fly Girl” on TV’s “In Living Color” to becoming an international singing, acting and media superstar.

Snoop Dog and all of Arsenio’s other West coast Compton, Hip Hop friends are much older too! Michael Jackson has passed on, and Liz Taylor is no longer with us, and Ice-T and Ice Cube occasionally play police officers on TV, and they both make movies and television appearences, while others like Paula Abdul have gone on to do other things like hosting American Idol, and other projects. I also find it disappointing Arsenio losing his show because Arsenio Hall has so much to offer entertainment wise, yet he's stuck in that 1990's, pumping his fist, “Woff Woffin” mode that has had its day ages ago! 

At one point, at the outset of his shows premiere, Arsenio didn’t look well at all. In fact he looked thin and gaunt and tired. I noticed at times as the season progressed, he looked a bit unsure of himself, very lack luster. Maybe it could’ve been me, but I felt strongly that the energy needed to pull off a great show every night like he did 20 years ago just wasn’t there anymore! Well, when you think about it, for that matter, who’s energy is still what it was twenty years ago? I know my energy isn’t!

There comes that time in one’s life when you just have to let go of the past and try something different! Arsenio Hall is tough! He’s been run over, and splattered by Hollywood’s corporate big wigs many times! Hollywood frequently ask multi talented guys like Arsenio Hall to jump through some pretty big hoops sometimes. Yet at the same time, this kind of thing has to also rest on ones own shoulders! That being said, a little bit of humbleness goes a long way! Though Arsenio keeps getting knocked down, one thing I’ll say for sure; he keeps getting back up on his feet! So in conclusion, I'm sure one day Arsenio Hall will one day land on his feet again!

Being somewhat of a comedian myself, I know that “Humor is pain, and pain is Humor!” Back that up with talent, and you’ve got mad determination, persistence, and desire! God bless Arsenio Hall!

Glenn Peppers

“Jumping the GUN?”

Does this picture really tell the whole story?

“Jumping  the  GUN?”

(You make the call)

By Glenn Peppers                                                                                                                    May 12, 2014

“Just because a man doesn't roll over like a dog for you doesn't mean that you have to shoot him down like a dog either!” 

The video posted above greatly bothered me because this was a situation that in my eyes did not have to go down like that, at all! It also bothered me because this man, a newlywed husband at the time, Mr. Anthony Bruno reminds me of a good friend of mine. In fact, he looks a lot like him! My friend is also a big gentle giant who'll do anything in the world for you, especially if you just ask him nicely!

That whole situation leading up to Anthony Bruno being shot to death on his wedding night by an off duty police officer somewhat of an odd occurrence. Anthony Bruno and his wife were returning to the Marriott Hotel in Kansas City from their wedding reception byway of a taxi cab, when an argument ensued, causing the cab driver to throw money into Anthony Bruno’s wife Stephanie’s face over a dispute about the fair, and the dropping off an intoxicated cousin within the cab. The tossing of money back into wife Stephanie’s face by the cabbie caused Bruno to punch the cabbie in the face. 

Off duty police officer, Donald Hubbard was working security at the Marriott that night, ended up in a foot chase with Mr. Bruno as a result, and then shortly after the chase, a scuffle on the sidewalk took place that ended with Hubbard shooting Mr. Bruno twice in the chest area. Bruno died shortly after receiving these gunshot wounds at a nearby hospital. 

Now from my angle and view of things, this situation was mostly an incident steeped in pride, testosterone and this whole "You gonna do what I say or I’ll kick your ass!" thing some law enforcement officers have going on. Off duty officer, Hubbard had Mr. Bruno down, and it appeared to me that Mr. Bruno was managed. He was out of breathe, intoxicated and done with running and fighting with anyone at that point. Also from what I saw in the video, Mr. Bruno (laying partly on his back and side) was in a position to be questioned and talked down and his behavior de-elevated! This should have been Peace Maker time! Talk the drunk guy down, send the cabbie and the drunk cousin on their way. Let the newlyweds go to their hotel room, and call it a night! End of story! It least it should have been the end of the story!... But it wasn't! 

A Knee to the Head

On the video, I can hear Mr. Bruno saying to the officer, "Can't you be nice" as Bruno wasn't even putting up a fight at that point. But just because the man wouldn't roll over, the officer took great offense, and didn't even bother to ask Mr. Bruno, Sir what’s going on here? Let’s talk this thing out!” So with his pride broken, the officer then raised his body up into the air and came down with a knee onto Mr. Bruno's in the head, and then took him into a front faced, MMA style headlock, cutting off his air! And believe you-me, that choke hold is designed to do one specific thing... and that is cut off your air and bring you into a full submission by choking you out (as the term goes)! 

Front Face Choke Hold

In martial arts, and MMA fighting, when you've been put into this hold in a match, and you're not a strong or creatively skilled enough of a fighter, you will have to Tap Out (give up), or its lights out!... in other words, you’re unconscious for sure! In the street if this happens to you, you may easily die! 

So what is the most natural thing anyone does when they cannot breathe because they're airway is being choked off? Try and get that person off you so that you can breathe! The officer had the situation in control until he started in kneeing and rough-housing the man. 

Most anyone would protest to this kind of treatment... if they can live through it! Most people past their grade school fighting age years are not use to fighting or being physically managed at all! In fact, most people aren't even in any kind of physical condition to suffer that kind of trauma to their bodies, especially if they have health problems. So for the average adult’s body to be stressed to the point of being tremendously manhandled, and beaten within an inch of their life, this kind of action can take you completely out of your element of pain and tolerance, and you just might lose it and See RED! That groom was angry, and he was pissed. He had given up, and then all of a sudden, a knee to the head, and then a front face choke hold! Thus why he started hitting the officer! 

Sure Mr. Bruno shouldn’t have run from the officer in the first place. Police officers hate it when you run from them! It seems to make them even madder that you had the audacity to try and get away from them. Therefore, when they catch you, you’ve got an ass whipping coming! I personally don’t feel this is just cause to pummel someone sending them to the light at the end of the tunnel! 

In all actually, I couldn't blame Mr. Bruno for being angry! Sure he was intoxicated. Hell, it was the man’s wedding night. And he apparently did have a ride back to his hotel, that is until his cab driver insulted his bride. Which started the whole incident in the first place. I feel that entire situation could have been avoided, had Rambo the Cop not rushed in and felt that he had to immediately get physical and chop down this big man without finding out what actually went on, and judge the situation more accordingly from there! I worked in mental healthcare for a lot of years, and Physical Management through CPI (Crisis Prevention Intervention) was something we had to stay current on (license-wise) every year, given the type of clients we serviced. 

I know for a fact this training (CPI) is available to law enforcement (as well as other forms of martial arts and street fighting techniques). CPI is taught to healthcare workers, security people, and social workers, etc. in just about any place of employment or workplace where you just may have to use force in order to physically manage someone. Or as a means to subdue or take them down without hurting them or yourself. Not to mention, I've studied and fought using various martial arts styles for well over forty years. Believe me, this situation did not have to happen the way that it did! 

Glenn Peppers

“Hopelessness” (The Rot of the Soul Begets Crime)

“Hopelessness”

(The Rot of the Soul Begets Crime)

By Glenn Peppers

5-5-14

Of all the terrible, terrible things written and spoken of in the news media here of late. It is more than evident that this world is completely losing its moral fiber, and whatever scruples it has left that once made this country a great place to be apart of, at one time. I blame part of this on how -- over time, various peoples have been systemically punished, shunned, displaced, minus’ed out; factored out, devalued and diminished simply because of who they are. Bringing about this dreadful sense of despair and hopelessness among many!  

As a result, a great many people in this world are angry! Some are hungry. Most are basically broken people who are, addicted, defeated and dejected. At the same time, many more are really quite talented, and creative, yet have no real vehicle or outlet for their skills and desires to make a decent living from their skill sets. Leaving one, hopelessly frustrated! 

There are scores of people in this world who feel they have nothing left to lose by doing whatever it takes, or whatever comes to mind as a reaction to the pain. Even if that action or reaction is crime or murder!

I am noticing more and more that people these days do not value human life anymore! How can they, when no one seems to values theirs... at all? What has the fruit of their own labor and cries in their hearts ever begotten them in value? What has living and being without ever shown them besides pain, resentment and disappointment? 

I’ve watched as folks have come to a place where they willingly have dispel the ways of the creator, and tossed to the four winds common sense, and a peaceful disposition; opting to succumb to darkness, anger and spiteful primal actions, and reactions to an unfair life; caring not what happens to themselves, or anyone else! 

I feel that this decline in humanity and in things gentle and well meaning will only continue to get worse, as humankind continues to turn its back on the common man and woman, as well as on the laws of the universe that God has set in place to govern, benefit and judge the actions of mankind! Let us pray, one and all!

Glenn Peppers

"Music, Queen of my Creative Soul"

Music, The Queen of my Creative Soul!

By Glenn Peppers                                         

5-3-14

No wonder so many people want to destroy our music! Music... REAL Music soothes the soul. It enlightens, and enriches the mind! I pray that all of you will always have that one perfect song in your heart to sing. One that makes you feel good inside.

A song that reminds you of good times with friends and family, your whole life through. May you always be surrounded by music that challenges your mind, like that of America's true Art music styles, Jazz, Swing and Classical! May your music be as real to you, and tell a story as well as any Blue Grass and Country Music composition!

May Folk Music always inspire you, and be the musical background of your beliefs, cause and your mantra! I wish you fond memories of the days of great 1950's and 60's Rock Music; and 1970's Acid Rock, and the 1980's Heavy Metal and Punk music styles, along with the 1990's Grunge sound! I declare that Forever On will live Funk Music! "Make my Funk the "P" Funk! I want to get Funked up!" Please excuse my unabashed Parliament Funkadelic moment I just had!

May Gospel music always inspire and give you hope, and remind you that music is that little bit of heaven gifted down to us mortals, to remind us just how sweet heaven and The Lord thy God is. A reminder we need daily in this cold cold world that we live in! 

It feels good to know that the many great Ballads of our time makes your heart sing, and that 1950's Rock-a-Billy pulls your heart strings! I declare Soul and R&B Music shall Live on Forever, unscathed, and untampered despite sampling, song stealing and pirating. May the sound of Latin and Salsa Music always swing with drums and guitars as if Tito Puente himself is sitting right there in your living room with his Band and all his Timbales.  

If you sing, SING the damn Song as if you mean it! If you Play an Instrument, Jam on it ‘til your fingers bleed! If you Dance, Step in the name of Love! But by all means, Keep a Beautiful Song in your Heart! 

Above all my many keen senses and emotions, and life long passions onto art and inspiration; Music, you are the Queen of my Creative Soul!

Glenn Peppers