Towanda, Towanda, don’t get your weave wet!
Used in a sentence: “It was my first ever exposure to how African hair is different as my friends and I passed by the erstwhile Canyon River Rapids ride at Hersheypark and heard this exhortation: ‘Towanda, Towanda, don’t get your weave wet!’”
Why in the world would I bring this up? Because I saw Chris Rock’s “Good Hair” documentary this past weekend, [if I’m going to watch as much TV as I do, I have to be sure to balance the Celebrity Rehab 5 with a documentary or two …] and so now I know so much more than I did back then. Of course, bridging the gap (and teaching me about the kitchen on the neck) was the time I spent at TCF Bank when I first arrived in Chicago, becoming much more sensitive to the differences in hair grooming for those who answered the question “where you stay at?” with “the South Side” and for those who wouldn’t miss having spaghetti and greens both appear on their holiday meal list (those were some great potluck work events).
Ever since “Everybody Hates Chris” was on TV, I’ve been attuned to Mr. Rock’s humor and his ability to find the laughter in what unites us while clueing me in on things I’ve not known about his community. And this doc was no different – funny at times, but ultimately speaking to the message he wanted to pass on to his daughters as they deal with what makes them unique and the pressures they would face to look like "white folks".
When it’s all said and done, maybe it’s just some kind of “hair envy” manifesting itself in some strange way? Either way, I recommend the flick when you can catch it ...
TWO YEARS LATE, BUT READ THE REVIEW IF INTERESTED:
http://articles.cnn.com/2009-02-05/entertainment/rock.good.hair_1_chris-rock-show-bronner-bros-black-hair?_s=PM:SHOWBIZ
MIGHT IT MAKE THE LIST OF 50 DOCS TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE?:
http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2011/05/24/current-tv-launches-original-series-50-documentaries-to-see-before-you-die-premiering-on-monday-august-1-580105/20110524currenttv01/
OH NO -- THAT RIDE IS GONE!:
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2008/07/two_new_water_rides_to_replace.html
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