urban blight
I remember when The Real World used to deal with serious social issues. The first season touched upon a variety of “hot button” topics, such as prejudice, politics, religion and sexuality. In one memorable episode, Julie makes a connection with a young woman living in a “Reagan-Ville” filled with homeless people. Julie later stays the night in this makeshift community. The situation affects Julie deeply and the rest of the loft mates are impressed with Julie’s openness to the situation. It is easy to mock this show with a contrived plot line that connects a southern belle with an urban transient. But I remember being struck by this ingenue and her willingness to leave her comfort zone and enter this scary subculture. I was reminded of this program when I discovered this relic. With the advent of summer, I have noticed a plethora of unfortunates roaming the streets of NYC. Although I sympathize with their plight, they also frighten me. I guess I have a “There but by the grace of God goes me” moment whenever I encounter these gypsy creatures. I have had many housing emergencies in this city that could have been a recipe for a dwelling disaster. Thankfully, I have always landed on my feet. Or in a furnished room. Still, I do feel a shiver of panic whenever I cross paths with the homeless. I remember my uncle telling me that was his greatest fear when he was a kid. Perhaps, that is what lead him to start a career as a civil servant with job security! It goes beyond being stripped of your shelter, your pride takes a tumble as you become marginalized in society. Not to mention the difficulty in maintaining personal hygiene! In any case, the next video is one of my favorite tracks about the poor person in a state of flux. If you can look past the 80’s cheese, you will discover a strong melody and a profound message. EBN OZN even manage to inject a little levity into the sad situation with a star turn by legendary comedienne Imogene Coco. This ancient act tried to bridge the gap between European art rock and old school hip hip which resulted in a multi-racial melting pot sound. Only in New York, kids!
