It took a couple of days – but my back is right back to where it should be… “Working”…. *Thanks to a bunch of folks who shared their wisdom on such matters.

I’ve never completely gotten my head around the concept of “Tradition”. I like them… but have always figured it’s because I’m mildly obsessive compulsive and rut-prone.

Chad and Kevin’s families are out of state and mine self-destructed in 2000… This left us to our own devices to find our own traditions leading up to Xmas.

So… Every year now since 2001… We eat cookies, trim the tree and watch The Wiz.

The 1978 afro-adaptation of The Wizard of Oz doesn’t hold any particular special meaning to any of us – aside from what we’ve assigned it. We just happened to have it rented three years ago when we put up the tree – and had such a fun surreal time – we declared “tradition!”.

I first saw the Wiz on television when I was about nine years old – and at the time, (aside from Star Warsâ„¢), it was the most visually fantastic thing I had ever seen. My white-suburban parents of course weren’t terribly enthused – in fact, I vaguely remember hearing dismissals using words like “blasphemous” and “disrespectful”. This deepened my intrigue with the film as a boy.

Here it is twenty-some-odd years later, and the film is still a freaky feast for the eyes. But now we can enjoy mature and snarky analysis of the film as well:

Case in point: Diana Ross – for most of the film – looks so completely cracked outa her gourd and terrified that we’ve theorized that while shooting, the director must have deprived her food only to taunt her by sticking a ham sandwich and a handgun to her face, just out of frame.

A Pre-ethno-altered Michael Jackson.
Timelessly lovable Nipsy Russel.
Mabel King – perfecting the big bad mama – long before Queen Latifah.
and Lena Horne – who I still think is a white woman with a tan.

All great, if not creepily hopped-up, performances… The unapologetic sexuality and overt drug-use which was the 70’s, the decade that bore us.

What’s not to love about this film – and in our books it’s as timeless as, and preferable to, It’s a Wonderful Life.

So our tree is up and decorated – and we sealed the NetFlix envelope up bidding a fond farewell to Diana and friends… Till next year…

When I probably won’t blog about it again.