Author: Sara Dobosh

By Laura Crowley

Writer

Now in its second season, the mockumentary-style comedy “Modern Family” is gaining viewers and critical acclaim.  The 22-minute show has 12.1 million viewers.  The show has equally caught critics’ attention, as Time Magazine called it “the funniest sitcom pilot of the fall” and USA Today deemed it “the best of the bunch.”

The show centers around three “modern” families living in Los Angeles, Calif.  The first consists of Jay Pritchett, his Colombian wife Gloria Delgado Pritchett, distinctive for her looks and thick accent, and their son Manny.  The second family includes Jay’s son Mitchell Pritchett, his partner Cameron Tucker and their adopted Vietnamese daughter Lily, while the third family consists of Jay’s daughter Claire Dunphy, Claire’s husband Phil and their three kids.

Each episode depicts the lives of the three American families with regular filming as well as private interviews.  A recent episode, “Halloween,” centers on how each family celebrates Halloween.  Claire Dunphy is most involved in Halloween, as she claims it is “her” holiday and makes a haunted house, which receives no acclaim from her extended family as they are all busy with their own lives. Gloria Delgado Pritchett is too preoccupied with correcting her thick accent and sounding perfectly American. Cameron Tucker is too preoccupied with sharing his hatred for Halloween after an incident that happened to him trick-or-treating at age 10.

Variety magazine says Modern Family is “flitting among three storylines, it’s smart, nimble and best of all, funny, while actually making a point about the evolving nature of what constitutes ‘family.’”  According to the show, it seems America’s “modern family” can be considered fast-paced, sarcastic and unconventional.  Perhaps because of the suggestions it makes of today’s family, The New York Post thinks “it’s funny, it’s vicious, it’s politically incorrect.”

Critics seem most relieved that there is finally another good family sitcom on television.  “The Miami Herald” goes so far to say that it is the first good family sitcom in two decades: “For the first time since “Married … With Children” stood the genre on its head two decades ago, somebody has come up with a new take on the family sitcom, and the results are riotously funny.”

Even for those less interested in family dynamic, the show is worth seeing for its original wit and storylines.  Episodes air at 9 p.m. every Wednesday or can be viewed online at any time.

By Laura Crowley

Writer

A tradition for over 10 years at the University, the annual Kwanzaa dinner will take place Monday, Dec. 6 in the Terrace Room. The Black Student Union (BSU) is hosting the dinner to celebrate the holiday that runs from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1.

“Kwanzaa is an African-American and Pan-African holiday celebrated by millions throughout the world,” said Bryan Coleman ’11, vice president of the BSU. “Throughout the African community, Kwanzaa brings a cultural message which speaks to the best of what it means to be African and human in the fullest sense,” he said.

Even though it is traditionally an African and African-American holiday, “it is celebrated by everyone who pleases today,” Coleman said.

Coleman said the seven days of Kwanzaa should observe principles of “the best of African thought and practice in constant exchange with the world.”  These principles include unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

Jessica Hess, director of Multicultural Student Services, said that the dinner demonstrates to the community what the principles of Kwanzaa are. She said it also shows “how we should all aspire to live by following these principles.”

Nadia Sasso ’11, president of BSU, said that the celebration will consist of events such as a drumming introduction, a speaker who will discuss the importance of Kwanzaa, a libation ceremony, a universal African dance and a performance by actor Lamar K. Cheston on the meaning of Kwanzaa.  Students and faculty can also volunteer to share speeches and monologues to reflect on the celebration.

After the libation ceremony, a spiritual ritual in honor of an individual, attendees will have a chance to decide who they would tribute a libation to.   Maya Chase ’11 said libation is “a form of giving thanks and empowering our loved ones who have come before us and whose shoulders we stand on.”

Sasso said that “the person who they tribute should embody the principles or practice some of the Kwanzaa principles.”

Coleman said the food served is primarily from African-American cultures due to the roots of the celebration. The name “Kwanzaa” comes from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” which is Swahili for “first fruits of the harvest.”

This year “fried fish, fried chicken, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, red beans and rice, apple and peach cobbler and cornbread” will all be served, he said.

The colors of Kwanzaa are black, red and green, and students may dress accordingly.  There is space for 150 students to attend the event.  Tickets ($12 for students) are on sale today in the Elaine Langone Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

By Carolyn Williams

Writer

Over 100 individuals participated in the “Dancing Mind Challenge” on Nov. 20. The event, hosted by the Griot Institute for Africana Studies, the English department, Multicultural Student Services, the English Club, Library and IT, the University Press and the Bucknell University at Barnes and Noble bookstore was inspired by Toni Morrison’s essay “The Dancing Mind,” in which the Nobel Prize-winning author challenges her contemporaries to sit down, turn off their electronics and submerge themselves in eight hours of deep reading.

“People are more addicted than they think they are. Although technology is not inherently bad, we need to avoid cyber-dependency. Deep reading is good for the brain,” said Carmen Gillespie, professor of English and director of the Griot Institute.

Readers spent eight hours in the Bertrand Library, the bookstore, the Willard Smith library, the lobby of Dana Engineering building or in their own rooms. Coffee and desserts were available for the participants, but Gillespie said one thing she would change for a future repeat of the event would be “to provide more nutritious fare.” The use of audiobooks and whether or not they count for the challenge in the future will be considered since the audiobooks walk the fine line between technology and literature.

Time passed differently for each person involved.

“It’s interesting to observe one’s own perspective of time. After a while, most people get into a kind of a ‘zone’, but at the beginning it seems to have been tough,” Gillespie said.

“Being unplugged from my phone was actually surprisingly easy. Once I was into my book, I hardly noticed it was missing,” Kate Wilsterman ’14 said. “It’s funny because during a normal day, when I am busy I’m checking my phone every five minutes. It was great to be so focused for such an uninterrupted period of time.”

Students also said it was a good opportunity to do some reading they had missed while completing coursework.

“The Griot read-a-thon was a really great experience. Not only did it give me a break from all of my classwork, it also let me catch up on a lot of the reading I’ve been missing out on, textbooks aside,” Wilsterman said. “At college, you rarely have time to sit down and just read, but it’s something that is so great for relieving stress and just generally relaxing. I was able to enjoy what I was reading, rather than worrying about all the other things I ‘should’ be doing,” she said.

Overall, Gillespie said the project was a hit. She hopes to see the “Dancing Mind Challenge” become an annual event.