Commentary

LISTEN: Taraji P. Henson: ‘What Men Want’ Gets into Guys’ Heads

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Taraji P. Henson gives a noteworthy performance as Ali Davis, a sports agent working in a traditionally all-male world of sports as an agent, showing viewers what it’s like to hear voices that no one else hears.

Published

5 years ago

February 9, 2019

Oakland Post

By Shevry Lassiter, The Washington Informer

A pretty face, a sculpted body, a good cook, smart and financially stable are just some of the qualities women think men want. But if women had the ability to get in a man’s head and hear their thoughts, would more relationships thrive?

That question isn’t answered in the movie “What Men Want,” but it hilariously shows what might happen if a woman could read a man’s mind in the bedroom, boardroom, or while handling daily tasks.

Taraji P. Henson gives a noteworthy performance as Ali Davis, a sports agent working in a traditionally all-male world of sports as an agent, showing viewers what it’s like to hear voices that no one else hears.

Some will undoubtedly try to “mansplain” the movie or find the male-bashing theme. But it’s not that deep — it’s a comedy filled with comedic actors. Some known comics and others, who knew?

One such person is singer Erykah Badu, who plays a psychic named Sister. Badu is convincing, funny and realistic. See Erykah Badu in concert — the makeup is similarly Sister.

Tracy Morgan as Joe “Dolla” Barry walks on set with the funny. He is not the typical father whose son is headed to the big leagues — he is the dad that won’t go away.

Appearances by Grant Hill, Shaquille O’Neal and Lisa Leslie brought cheers.

“What Men Want,” according to Paramount, is a remake of the 2000 Nancy Meyers film “What Women Want” starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt, which had a mostly white cast outside of Loretta Devine.

The updated, inclusive version is sure to make its mark in the entertainment industry and might just surpass the $182 million box office success of the 2000 film.

Looking over the films produced by Will Packer, there’s no question he knows comedy. And as with 2017’s “Girls Trip,” women all over the country are gathering groups for a “ladies’ day out” with a trip to the movie theater.

The Washington Informer’s interview with Taraji P. Henson:

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”2″ gal_title=”What Men Want Red Carpet”]

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

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April 26, 2024

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The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

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April 19, 2024

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Commentary

Opinion: Surviving the Earthquake, an Eclipse and “Emil Amok.”

Last Friday, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook New York City, reported as the “biggest earthquake with an epicenter in the NYC area since 1884” when a 5.2 quake hit. A bit bigger. The last quake similar to Friday’s was a 4.9 in 1783.Alexander Hamilton felt it — 241 years ago. That’s why New Yorkers were freaking out on Friday. They were in the room where it happens.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

In New York City, the eclipse was about 90 percent visible. Good enough for me. Though a full solar eclipse is a celestial rarity, blockages of any sort aren’t generally celebrated. My one-man play is about growing up with the eclipsed history of American Filipinos and how I struggle to unblock all that.

By Emil Guillermo

I’m a Northern Californian in New York City for the next few weeks, doing my one-man show, “Emil Amok, Lost NPR Host, Wiley Filipino, Vegan Transdad.”

I must like performing in the wake of Mother Nature.

Alexander Hamilton felt it — 241 years ago.

That’s why New Yorkers were freaking out on Friday. They were in the room where it happens.

And it just doesn’t happen that often.

Beyonce singing country music happens more frequently.

When I felt New York shake last week, it reminded me of a time in a San Francisco TV newsroom when editors fretted about a lack of news an hour before showtime.

Then the office carpeting moved for a good ten seconds, and the news gods gave us our lead story.

On Friday when it happened in NYC, I noticed the lines in the carpeting in my room wiggling. But I thought it was from a raucous hotel worker vacuuming nearby.

I didn’t even think earthquake. In New York?

I just went about my business as if nothing had happened. After living near fault lines all my life, I was taking things for granted.

Considering the age of structures in New York, I should have been even more concerned about falling objects inside (shelves, stuff on walls) and outside buildings (signs, scaffolding), fire hazards from possible gas leaks, and then I should have looked for others on my floor and in the hotel lobby to confirm or aid or tell stories.

Of course, as a Californian who has lived through and covered quakes in the 4 to 6 magnitude range, I tried to calm down any traumatized New Yorker I encountered by taking full responsibility for bringing in the quake from the Bay Area.

I reassured them things would be all right, and then let them know that 4.8s are nothing.

And then I invited them to my consoling post-Earthquake performance of “Emil Amok, Lost NPR Host…”

It was the night of the eclipse.

ECLIPSING THE ECLIPSE

For example, did you know the first Filipinos actually arrived to what is now California in 1587? That’s 33 years before the Pilgrims arrived in America on the other coast, but few know the Filipino history which has been totally eclipsed.

I was in Battery Park sitting on a bench and there was a sense of community as people all came to look up. A young woman sitting next to me had a filter for a cell phone camera. We began talking and she let me use it. That filter enabled me to take a picture of the main event with my iPhone.

For helping me see, I invited her and her boyfriend to come see my show.

Coincidentally, she was from Plymouth, Massachusetts, near the rock that says the year the Pilgrims landed in 1620.

In my show she learned the truth. The Pilgrims were second.

History unblocked. But it took a solar eclipse.

Next one in 2044? We have a lot more unblocking to do.

If you’re in New York come see my show, Sat. April 13th, 5:20 pm Eastern; Fri. April 19, 8:10 pm Eastern; and Sun. April 21st 5:20 pm Eastern.

You can also livestream the show. Get tickets at www.amok.com/tickets

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He does a mini-talk show on YouTube.com/@emilamok1. He wishes all his readers a Happy Easter!