You have the Power

Been noticing these ads recently. David Suzuki, one of the greatest Canadians, levitating fluorescent light bulbs. Intoning the sage words: “You have the Power”! Indeed. In the TV ad he appears on “Bob’s” doorstep just stopping by to change his porch light.

I can’t help it, but I don’t see David Suzuki in these ads, I see Mr. Miyagi.

(This isn’t, at least I believe, because I see all older asian people as looking alike either)

Remember Mr. Miyagi? The guy from the Karate Kid? Mr. “Wax on, Wax off, Daniel San”? Suzuki has become the wise and enlightened side kick just like Mr. Miyagi. It’s the famous minority as sidekick role, we get to help the white folk get smarter and then they go on to make the really BIG difference in the world. Try to picture Al Gore, and his inconvenient truth, levitating that light bulb… can’t do it? Yeah. Al’s going to make real change…

This leads me to think of Morgan Freeman, who has gotten quite the kick out of playing GOD in the recent “Almighty” series of comedies. While it’s nice to see a black man as God, somehow I don’t really see the role as all that different from his wise black sidekick role that he has perfected in movies like “The Shawshank Redemption”, “Million Dollar Baby” etc. In Western society, God is pretty much that wise sidekick, doling out the needed advice. He stays in his little box, gets out of the way, and lets the white man shine.

Morgan Freeman / God the sidekick

Hence I don’t see this black Hollywood God as anything to really cheer about. Same ole. Same ole. I don’t know if this line of thought portends worse news for those who believe in God, or for minorities and the fight for equality… Hmm… Maybe it just means that David Suzuki will play God in the next “Almighty” picture…