An Honest Conversation On Peacock's 'Bel-Air,' a Party At The DNC, and More

From Michelle Obama's electrifying DNC speech to my plea to stop the reboot era, here's what has been on my mind since Aug. 9, 2024.

Sep 10, 2024

Hello,

Welcome to The Diamond Report. I can’t even begin to describe my excitement for this newsletter to you all. It’s exciting and scary all at once, but somehow still feels just right.

I have one simple goal with my newsletter: write about everything that I want to talk about without limitations. I hope this is a safe space because I have a lot of thoughts. Some may be universal, while others… well, they are definitely hot takes. But, above all, I hope my writing makes you think and laugh, while potentially introducing you to something new.

Welcome to The Diamond Club and make sure to come back for more.

What’s The Scoop?

Party at the DNC

I just want to start out by saying one thing: I miss the Obamas.

From the moment our Forever First Lady Michelle Obama walked on the stage for her speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, I knew she wasn’t playing any games. Maybe it was the power suit matched with her powerful and humble stride? Or, her knotless braids styled in a low ponytail with her baby hairs snatched? Perhaps, it was the flawless, natural make-up look? Whatever it was, she commanded the room within seconds, instilling the need in everyone to get up and do something.

Check Out My Stories from the DNC:
Forever First Lady Michelle Obama's DNC Speech Inspires Hope and Perseverance - Kayla Grant, 21Ninety
Barack and Michelle Obama’s Top Moments of Black Love at The DNC - Kayla Grant, Black Love

For me, the DNC only reaffirmed that this is truly a pivotal moment in history. While I can honestly say that I am tired of living through “unprecedented times,” I’m both excited and scared for this one coming up in November.

It feels like that excitement is radiating throughout every person in the Democratic Party, and the four-day convention put every single emotion on full display. From the musical roll call and Kenan Thompson’s comedy skit to performances and guest host appearances, the DNC was a celebration. D-Nice and Lil Jon stealing the show was not in any way on my 2024 Bingo card. But, I enjoyed every second of it (except for New York’s song being “Empire State of Mind” … Let’s retire the song. Please).

You could feel the joy and happiness in the United Center through the television screen. It’s clear that we, as Americans, are at a crossroads. We could choose to re-elect the Republican nominee, despite all that we have seen and all that we have yet to see with Project 2025. Or, we could choose something different and take a chance on fighting for democracy and freedom.

Vice President Kamala Harris becoming president could change so many lives. If Harris takes that seat in the Oval Office, it would be bigger than her. It would completely shatter a glass ceiling, showing the next generation of women, especially minorities, that their wildest dreams are within reach. This election is a fight for that hope and the promise of a limitless future. This vote matters more than anything, and I can’t wait to cast mine in November.

God, Bless America — Only During The Olympics

I don’t know about anyone else, but when I was watching the Olympics this year I saw one thing: Black women being phenomenal. From Simone Biles to Sha’Carri Richardson, the Black women on Team USA clearly have undeniable talent. To make it even better, you can see the passion, the technique and the joy laced into everything they did.

*U.S. gymnasts Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles bow to gold medalist Rebeca Andrade of Brazil after the athletes comprise the first all-Black podium in Olympic gymnastics history at the 2024 Paris Games.* **Photo credit: Elsa/Getty Images**

To no one’s surprise, there was an attempt to dim the Black girl magic at the Olympics. The back and forth with gymnast Jordan Chiles and her rightful bronze medal was insane, to put it plainly. Despite the video proof that her team made the inquiry within the appropriate time frame, the committee still refused to recognize her achievement.

Stripping her of her Bronze medal was unjustified. But, in the wise words of Biles, Chiles is “still that girl,” and she will always be.

On My Soap Box: When Will We Exit The Reboot Era?

On Aug. 7, 2024, Deadline reported that a sequel to A Different World was in the works at Netflix. Then, only a few weeks later, the news broke that a reboot of Everybody Hates Chris, titled Everybody Still Hates Chris, is coming to television screens in September. Both of these projects joined the seemingly 50 million others slated for release.

While both of these projects do intrigue me and I will be watching, this current era of rewashing old television shows and making them “new,” is truly getting tiring. The list of reboots is already unbearably long. There’s Bel Air (Peacock), Good Times (Netflix), And Just Like That (Max), Presumed Innocent (Apple TV), Bad Boys For Life, Best Man: The Final Chapters, Mean Girls, and it goes on and on. Then, there’s the shows that are forthcoming, like the Twilight cartoon and the Martin reboot. And, the ones that were canceled, like How I Met Your Father (Hulu) and Gossip Girl (Max).

Check Out This Story (written by my good friend):
Martin (And Every Other Beloved 90s TV Show) Doesn’t Need A Reboot - Giana Levy, R29 Unbothered

The burning questions on my mind are when will it end and where’s the creativity and the originality? Somewhere along the way, I think Hollywood lost the plot and started leaning too heavy on nostalgia. While some of these reboots hit the mark and do a great job at continuing or reinventing the original story, the majority unfortunately do not.

I miss the days where every show and movie wasn’t refurbished. It’s great to relive these moments, but I want something new. It seems like Hollywood is trading fresh, innovative ideas for quick money grabs. More often than not, these reboots add a stain on the original content and diminish its legacy.

From The Pages To The Big (Or Little) Screen: “Queenie” by Candice Carty-Williams

It was the beginning of the pandemic when I started my book club. I presented the idea to my godmother and mother, and we decided that it was the perfect time to spend our free time exploring new literary worlds.

To this day, that book club is still going strong. Four years later, membership tripled — now proudly consisting of 10 members, thank you very much — and we read 23 books together. Some were really good, while others … not so much (*cough* Sister Souljah’s Life After Death, yes I am looking at you *cough*). But, the book that started it all was Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams. And, in a full circle moment, a few months after the book club’s official four year anniversary, an eight-episode series premiered on Hulu, bringing the pages to the small screen.

One thing that bookworms all can agree on is that the book is always better than the live adaption. From dystopian novels to thought-provoking fiction, the sentiment constantly is proven. Despite having the blueprint, the book-to-movie translations almost always fall short. But, somehow, Onyx Collective’s rendition of this book that follows 25-year-old British-American Queenie Jenkins in the midst of a quarter-life crisis defied all odds. In fact, I would say that I enjoyed the series more than the book.

The show explained the points that I didn’t understand originally (i.e. why Queenie seemed to exclusively date White men). It addressed some of the weird plot points changing them for the better and flushed out others that didn’t go deep enough.

In this era in my life, I think the show also spoke to me in a way that the book didn’t because I understand her more. With the exclusion of the cringy plot points, I was able to identify with Queenie Jenkins’ feeling like everything in her world is crumbling. Perhaps, this is why I like the show more.

In any circumstance, I genuinely believe the television adaption of Queenie defied all odds and gave me a deeper appreciation for the novel.

Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ / 5

Hot Take Hollywood: Is Bel-Air Actually A Good Show?

Now, I wasn’t going to write about this, but this last season completely went off the rails. I was skeptical about the show from the beginning. I knew it was either going to be really great … or really bad.

Ahead of season one, all I kept hearing was “this is nothing like the original.” So, naturally, I went in with an open mind. For three seasons, I tried to give it the benefit of the doubt. However, after watching the last two episodes of Season 3, I can affirmatively say this show is a hot mess. It’s clear that the writer’s room lacks direction and they can’t decide if they want it to be like the original or something different.

The relationships between the characters are never fully flushed out. The individual storylines are all over the place. The acting is oftentimes hard to look at with circumstances that are very silly and blown out of proportion. With all of these clear and prevalent issues, I wonder why are we subjecting ourselves to this madness? The only logical explanation to me is that we are deprived of quality, original, diverse content.

Bel-Air showcases the lives of affluent Black excellence, which is appealing because it’s not something people see often. But, the cost of that diversity is underdeveloped characters and relationships, barely flushed out storylines, and unserious dramatic moments.

Unfortunately, with all of that being said, I’ll tune into another season because I started this story and have to finish it. However, my expectations since season one have continuously dropped and now they are extremely low.

Check Out This Story (written by my good friend):
GU Jams: Exploring The Artistry Of Jabari Banks - Kenyatta Victoria, Essence GU

And The Award Goes To …

Movie of the Month: Daughters

Daughters is a documentary on Netflix that closely follows the lives of four young girls who have the opportunity of a lifetime to connect with their incarcerated fathers at a father-daughter dance. Spanning over eight years, the documentary sheds a light on the emotional toll of a father’s absence and the power of father-daughter bonds.

Show of the Month: Queenie (Hulu)

Book of the Month: Mad Love by Wendy Walker (audible original/exclusive)

“Mad Love” is an interactive murder mystery book on Audible with a full cast, and trust me, it’s like watching prime time television.

Song of the Month: Birds of the Feather by Billie Eilish

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