Incidentally, because I'm into comedy, I came across the stand-up routine of the son of a high school classmate of mine this morning on youtube and I'm sitting here just totally tripping off of both his resemblance to and yet distinct generational departure from his dad. I mean forget about how old this may or may not make both of us feel. This guy is a whole other person, totally separate from his father, a man who I knew in his youth. In fact, he is the same age now as his father was when I knew him in high school! WHAAAT????
And he's doing five and ten minute sets at the Comedy Cellar. I am so proud watching him and so in awe of the way in which he (unconsciously or not) represents so many of the qualities I remember in his dad. Great sense of humor, timing, dry wit, sarcasm, cultural references and irreverence.
It's weird!!!!!
I guess I should mention that the only reason I'm not naming names or posting links is because I had a bad falling out with his dad years ago and have no desire to reconnect so that's that.
There was a lot he shared with me about his son during the times when were still in communication with one another and I remember so much of it. I think that men have a very unique relationship to parenthood, particularly men of color which is not something discussed very often in popular media at all. My classmate had a lot of issues, both in his own life and with raising his son as a single father while he was still a very young man himself. But I think that he likes son. I know that he was scared for him. Every parent of a young black man is probably scared all the time for their sons. I know that he brought him up with a lot of the same Black Pride, know your history mentality that his own father instilled in him and I can see that in his routine as well. It's trippy! Can you understand that we were the age his son is now (15 or 16?) when were friends? What happened to the time?
I also know that my classmate has a daughter who is also the spitting image of him. He showed me a picture of her once. So cute! Oh God! I'm becoming that person who checks on the kids of my friends and ex friends! UGH! I also get teary eyed watching kids stumble around on the lawn at Bryant park during lunch. Guess I better pop out a baby soon. LOL!
...no seriously.
And he's doing five and ten minute sets at the Comedy Cellar. I am so proud watching him and so in awe of the way in which he (unconsciously or not) represents so many of the qualities I remember in his dad. Great sense of humor, timing, dry wit, sarcasm, cultural references and irreverence.
It's weird!!!!!
I guess I should mention that the only reason I'm not naming names or posting links is because I had a bad falling out with his dad years ago and have no desire to reconnect so that's that.
There was a lot he shared with me about his son during the times when were still in communication with one another and I remember so much of it. I think that men have a very unique relationship to parenthood, particularly men of color which is not something discussed very often in popular media at all. My classmate had a lot of issues, both in his own life and with raising his son as a single father while he was still a very young man himself. But I think that he likes son. I know that he was scared for him. Every parent of a young black man is probably scared all the time for their sons. I know that he brought him up with a lot of the same Black Pride, know your history mentality that his own father instilled in him and I can see that in his routine as well. It's trippy! Can you understand that we were the age his son is now (15 or 16?) when were friends? What happened to the time?
I also know that my classmate has a daughter who is also the spitting image of him. He showed me a picture of her once. So cute! Oh God! I'm becoming that person who checks on the kids of my friends and ex friends! UGH! I also get teary eyed watching kids stumble around on the lawn at Bryant park during lunch. Guess I better pop out a baby soon. LOL!
...no seriously.
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