DISCUSSIONS FROM THE OTHERHOOD

In honor of World Fantasy Con 2022 we'll be discussing the world of fantasy and how Black people are and aren't portrayed in these worlds. What can we do to create a more expansive world of black fantasy beyond The Wiz and Wakanda? Join us in the OTHERhood to discuss how we create these new exciting worlds.

We know, it’s just a movie, or that when you close the book (or close the app), the monster is trapped inside, but… What is it that still makes us look over our shoulder after all these years? Join us as our crew splits up in the haunted house and we discuss our personal demons, and monsters and the things that give us a fright when they go bump in the night.

Have you ever watched a Television show or film and been dumfounded by inconsistencies, anachronisms and other gaffes that SOMEONE should have caught? Join us tonight in the OTHERhood where we'll recount our favorite and not so favorite blunders and we hope you'll share yours!

Happy Horror Days! It's the Season of the Witch! It's that time of year where we cuddle up in front of the big and small screens for two hours or over 8-16 episodes to delight in blood-curdling screams. Join us to share your favorites! What new films and shows have made their way onto your BEST of SEASON list, and which ones don't make the grade?

Without a doubt Star Trek has been one of our pop culture's most groundbreaking science fiction offerings with casts of dozens and multiple stable acting ensembles. However, it seems that Black males though present in the franchise since The Next Generation are often cast as aliens (Worf, Tuvok) or behind a mask/visor (Geordi). Compared with other nonblack characters do these individuals get short shrift in development or are these limitations endemic to these types of supporting characters? Join us as we decode the Star Trek Universe's use of the masked Black man, in tonight's discussion in the OTHERhood.

In Mr. Blandings Builds his Dream House we focus on the horrors of being hoodwinked into purchasing a money pit. In Imitation of Life we follow the tragic tale of a young Black woman who passes as white woman and the shame she feels associating with her mother. What we don't generally focus on is the fact that these stories ultimately deal with how the Anglo characters profit as a result of the labor or ideas of their household workers whose stations in life never change as a result of the accumulation of wealth. Join us to discuss these issues and how at the time no one appeared to be outraged.

The 2022 Emmy Awards have come and gone but the effects will be far reaching. So many new faces, but still so many old tropes. Are we seeing a shift in what we are enjoying as consumers of visual media or is this just an oasis in the entertainment desert?

In an age where we live for sound bytes, when the 24 hour news cycle provides little opportunity to reflect on the facts and opinions hurled our way, and where influencers, and scripted reality shows dictate trends and values, is this how/who we really are? Or is this the effect of our long-term attachment to the super profit machine that compels us to consume ever larger bytes leaving little time for digestion? Join us as we discuss the growing phenomena of binge-watching our lives.

How do these messed-up racist stereotypes find their way into the zeitgeist? We didn't all watch the same shows or read the same periodicals, right? But look no further than the nearest commercial or political ad, sometimes out of the corner of the eye. you catch a glimpse, Even when we don't openly acknowledge them, do these repetitive negative characterizations leave a mark? How do we combat the effect of these racist images?

https://www.ranker.com/list/racist-vintage-ads/erica-braverman?ref=collections_btm&l=2680236&collectionId=2299

One week in front of WorldCon 2022 (Chicon 8) and DragonCon 2022 we will be flooded with major and minor works of Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy that promise to thrill and amaze, but with improved investigatory techniques and more people willing to speak out, we are also inclined to be presented with information about our favorite authors, directors, artists and other creators that rub us the wrong way. How do we, in the information age balance our love of the genre works with our disappointment and sometimes contempt for the people that create them? Join us tonight to discuss your and our methods for surviving the cringy creator.