Urban Thought Collective

PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS WITH … MAURICE JAMAL
Maurice Jamal, director of the upcoming series “Friends and Lovers,” premieres at Outfest on July 13. Tickets available now at www.outfest.org.

In 5 words or less, what do you think about…

George Bush?
Thank God he’s going.

Bill Clinton?
Thank God he’s gone.

Malcolm X?
Personal hero that I wish I could have met.

Oprah?
Soon to be my baby’s mama, whether she knows it or not.

What is your favorite tune to sing in the shower?
“Gonna Make You Sweat,” by C&C Music Factory.

What is your favorite American city?
It is a toss up between my hometown of San Francisco and my adopted home of New York. San Francisco is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Hands down it has the best food around; there are more restaurants per capita than any other town. New York is amazing. There is no place like it. The energy and vibrancy is unmatched, especially in the summer.

What do you think about the war in Iraq?
I don’t even know if we should be calling it a war. I remember growing up and it was so clear cut in the movies. Nazi’s bad, we are good. Now, it feels like we went in, overthrew some folks and started policing their country. Now, the repercussions will last for generations. The thought of us just hanging out and cleaning up over there is upsetting. The country has to move away from that sort of foreign policy. We seem to occupy places (i.e. Korea) that simply do not want us there.

Tell us about your tattoos.
I don’t have any and I’m upset by that! I’ve always wanted them. I used to be about 60 pounds heavier than I am now, so I kept thinking that when I lost weight, the tats would look bad. Now, I think I want to get angels wings across my shoulder blades.

What do you think about interracial relationships?
For black and brown people it is still an issue. It’s about culture and pride. But I think in this day and age when there is a possibility that we’ll have a black president, and gay people can get married, it is time to move on. We have to be careful when we get over selective about who we decide to allow ourselves to love and be loved by. It is about what makes you happiest and who makes you more of yourself. If you can say yes to both of those questions, then that is the person you should be dating.

Who was your celebrity crush growing up?
Brooke Shields. I bought a big poster of her, put it in my room and illuminated it with a big red light. My mom was livid, demanding me to “get that white girl off your wall!” We had a big discussion, and I won that fight.

Who is your celebrity crush now?
There is something about DeWayne “The Rock” Johnson. Not only is he physically beautiful, but his energy and smile is very sexy. When he talks about his family and his love for them, he is even sexier.

What song or artist would people be surprised to know you dig?
I’m a huge Frank Sinatra fan.

What is your favorite scene in a film?
“Superman” from 1977. Lois Lane has died after an earthquake. Superman is holding her body in his arms and he screams “No!!!” He is so loud that it rattles the entire state of California. There was something so utterly romantic about that.

What is on your Tivo right now?
My favorite show right now is “So You Think You Can Dance.” It really is talent, kids doing their best and I love seeing people push themselves to physical limits. I also have ‘Star Trek,” and several cooking shows.

Name one book that you consider a must read.
“B-Boy Blues,” by James Earl Hardy. I’m adapting and directing the screenplay soon.

What frightens you?
Every now and then I have a fear that the work that I’m doing is not important enough. It’s not healthy, but it does fuel me to be better. The state of the world used to frighten me as well. Now I feel some change happening. With the Obama candidacy, people are not always able to articulate what the change is; they just know its something. Something different because the old ways are not working.

What is your favorite article of clothing?
Right now it’s a purple leather “man bag” that says “white boy.” I just moved to West Hollywood, and I get a kick out of walking down the street with that on my bag.

Shout out the website for a cause/issue that’s close to your heart.
Black AIDS Institute, at http://www.blackaids.org/. Black people are good for award shows. We’re there to tell people how fabulous they are. But AIDS isn’t sexy, so we don’t talk about it. We need to do more for people that need help and hands. This disease is the # 1 killer of black women between the ages of 18-24, and that’s a big deal. As a community we refuse to talk about it. For a moment it seemed like it would make it to the forefront, but then it became about an obsession with “the down low.” Folks would read the salacious books and watch the shows, but not do anything. We need to address why we as a community are so at risk, why so many are having frequent unprotected sex.

Also, please visit : www.myspace.com/mauricejamal and www.myspace.com/friendsandloverstv.