Julia is inspired by Julia Child’s extraordinary life and her long-running television series, The French Chef, which pioneered the modern cooking show.  Through Julia’s life and her singular joie de vivre, the series explores a pivotal time in American history – the emergence of public television as a new social institution, feminism and the women’s movement, the nature of celebrity and America’s cultural evolution. At its heart, the series is a portrait of a loving marriage with a shifting power dynamic.

Stand out character Alice Naman, is a young black woman who is an Assistant Producer at WGBH public television and, is the reason in this series that Julia Child came to public television.

The amazing Brittany Bradford plays the role of Alice, and the African American Film Critics Association, which I am a proud member of, held a roundtable interview with her and below is a portion of our conversation.

AAFCA: What do you think the purpose of them making the character of Alice a black woman for the show?

Brittany: So, I think it’s a twofold question, right? So first with the purpose of it all, I remember when I got the audition, I was really excited about it because yeah, you don’t see this kind of representation at this time period. And also, the fact that this character is so young. I think if you see this character and she’s black, she’s already fully formed. You don’t actually get to see a young black woman who doesn’t really know or she’s coming into her own on TV. You don’t get to see the progression. So, I was really excited about it and when I talked to Chris Keyser, who’s the show runner, I asked him this question because of course I don’t want to be… I feel like there is a character out there and this person exists, but as an actor, you don’t want to be tokenized. You don’t want to have to come in just to be the black representation.

So, I said, why do you want this character to be black? Who is she to you? And he told me a story about a family friend who two people that were interracial couple that met at WGBH, a black producer and a white producer and said, no one knows the story of this black woman. And a lot of the times that we hear stories, it’s just who gets to tell it? So, it’s not like these people didn’t exist, right? Sometimes we make what seems improbable impossible, and that’s part of the issue that Alices in this generation were invisible. So. he really felt a personal responsibility to bring that story to the fore and I feel that, said that same thing.

AAFCA: What was really interesting dealing with the 1960s and dealing with Alice’s character, she’s really pushing Julia ahead, really giving her that strength and that confidence. And so, in that workplace, I was wondering, where does Alice find that strength? Because she’s seeing so many other women progress ahead, women and men, and as a person of color, she’s still at the sidelines.

Brittany: Absolutely. I mean, I think that was why I was really excited to have characters with Virginia, Alice’s mother, and I hope that if we get a season two, that you get to see even more of her family. Because you see with Alice, every time she’s in the office, she’s always set back. And it’s something that we all know as black women, right? It’s constantly hearing, “No, no, no, no.” And you still have to have some type of hope and optimism from somewhere deep down to say, I’m going to continue to go and wait or push or make my next, yes. So, I think that has been portrayed truthfully, but when you get to see Alice at home, you get to see where maybe she got some of the strength and then you find out that her father was a doctor. You find out that her mom was in college as well and if you think about a black woman going to school at that time. …So. she already has that energy as a human being. And then later you get to see in episode seven and eight when she starts to have a bit of a love interest, that’s a new part of her that opens up. I think it’s all there, it just, as we all know can fall… You feel to trapped and all of that kind of gets concaved in when you don’t get to express yourself fully in the workplace. So, it’s there, she just has to find the space to push it out, even when everyone is telling her to do the opposite.

AAFCA: I loved in Julia, the way the director of the series Julia it’s (racism) is not slapping you in the face. It’s just taking you on a rollercoaster. For instance, when they’re all going out and he tells Alice, go lock up. Or just the small things that in their minds, you can see why people really think… They’re not thinking. They’re just thinking that what they’re saying and doing is normal, but it hit me, it isn’t normal. This isn’t the way it’s supposed to be.

Brittany: I want to say thank you for that other observation, because that was my observation of Alice as well. I knew Alice wasn’t going to have a lot of language until a little bit later in the series. So, to me it was important about what she’s seeing and what she’s noticing that other people aren’t. It was all about where her eyes go and what I didn’t realize was happening organically but I got to see it now that I saw the full season, was there’s actually a shot in the very first time you meet Alice, where she comes in and she has the clipboard and she’s kind of covering her chest when she comes into the space and it’s the first time she meets Julia. And one of the last scenes that I ever did with Sarah was her coming… It was in the same exact room and going into the space and saying, Hey… I don’t know if I can even talk about it because it’s the finale, but they have that moment of what will happen next? And the clipboard wasn’t here, it was down at my side and chest was open. And I was like, it’s so small, but to me that’s a huge thing in the trajectory of Alice, so that meant a lot.

https://youtu.be/2FKacCqFHyA

There is so much more to the AAFCA conversation with Brittany that I am sure you will want to see and hear.  We spoke about the food and recipes from Julia Childs cookbook to Alice’s relationship with her family. Visit https://aafca.aafcatvhonors.com/aafca-roundtables/ to view this and other roundtable conversations.

Until next time, keep your EYE to the sky!

Matt Mervis (photo by Rikk Carlson)

MLB

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

There was a flurry of roster moves and promotions throughout the system yesterday, beginning at the MLB level. The Cubs activated Wade Miley from the IL to make his first start of the season last night. The club also purchased the contract of utility man Ildemaro Vargas. To make room on the 40-man roster for Vargas the team designated Adrian Sampson for assignment. Michael Hermosillo (left quad) and Nick Madrigal (low back strain) were placed on the 10-day IL to make space on the active roster for Miley and Vargas.

AAA

Iowa 5, Omaha 2

Game Recap

Robel García blasted two home runs for the second time this season, John Hicks hit a solo shot, and Tyler Payne went 4-for-4 to lead the offense. Outside of those three Iowa didn’t threaten much.

Ro-Bomb sighting at Principal Park pic.twitter.com/F2sPrmwReL

May 11, 2022

Ro-Bomb #2 of the night for the lead! pic.twitter.com/I6U5UlKTVi

May 11, 2022

The five runs was plenty however, as Matt Swarmer dominated over five and two thirds innings of work. He got beat just once on a fastball, surrendering a two-run homer in the 4th. It was the only hit he allowed. His slider was devastating throughout as he punched out 10 batters.

Brandon Hughes and Erich Uelman didn’t ring as many guys up as Swarmer, but they did make quick work of the Omaha lineup over the final three and a third, allowing just one baserunner combined.

Top Performers

Robel García: 3-4, 2 HR (4, 5), 3 R, 3 RBI (.279)Tyler Payne: 4-4, RBI (.333)John Hicks: 1-4, HR (2), R, RBI (.152)Dixon Machado: 2-4, BB (.304)Nelson Velazquez: 1-3, R, BB (.273)Matt Swarmer: 5.3 IP, H, 2 R, 2 BB, 10 K (2.17)Brandon Hughes: 2.1 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, K (W, 1-0, 0.00)Erich Uelmen: IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, K (S, 2, 2.93)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Two well deserved promotions were announced yesterday for starter Cam Sanders and reliever Bryan Hudson. Sanders has been one of the most impressive arms in the system this year. He’s regularly worked in the 95-97 mph range while incorporating a five pitch mix. There are still consistency issues with his command but his arm and stuff is legit. It’s a good bet that we’ll see the son of former Cubs swingman Scott Sanders get a shot at filling a similar role in Chicago at some point in the second half of this season.

Hudson too is having a fine season. The tall lefty creates a lot of extension and deception to help his solid stuff play up. He is throwing more strikes and missing more bats than ever while maintaining the high ground ball rates he’s generated throughout his career. Cubs now have three lefties in Iowa (Hudson, Hughes, and Brendon Little) who should get added to the 40-man roster at some point this season or before the Rule 5 draft this offseason assuming they all stay healthy. It should be a fun battle throughout the season to see which of the three gets the first opportunity once roster spots open up in Chicago. Those three should provide the Cubs with good LHRP depth heading into next spring training alongside a hopefully healthy Brad Wieck, Justin Steele, and potentially Sean Newcomb if the club decides to hold onto him.

AA

Tennessee 8, Montgomery 4

Game Recap

Homers and good pitching were the story in Tennessee as well.

Four different Smokies went deep in this one. Yonathan Perlaza continued his red hot week with a two-run shot in the 2nd. Luis Vazquez hit a solo homer in the 3rd. Then Chase Strumpf hit a three-run blast and Levi Jordan added another solo shot to conclude the Tennessee scoring in the 8th.

Since the Nelsons left, this guy has been on a tear the last week. He’s hitting over 500, has two Dingers in five RBI the last five games. pic.twitter.com/hvcbO6X3UY

May 10, 2022

Chase Strumpf three run dinger

and yes, their centerfield camera is that out of focus pic.twitter.com/m1hBdFEoLq

May 11, 2022

Brandon Leibrandt deliver four solid innings. He did give up a couple of homers himself, but he didn’t walk anyone so he managed to limit the damage. Dalton Stambaguh and the recently returned Wyatt Short each fired a pair of no-hit innings.

Top Performers

Yonathan Perlaza: 1-2, HR (3), 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB (.183)Chase Strumpf: 2-4, HR (6), 2 R, 3 RBI (.209)Luis Vazquez: 2-3, HR (1), R, RBI (.193)Levi Jordan: 2-4, HR (2), R, RBI (.333)Andy Weber: 2-4, R (.323)Dalton Stambaugh: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K (W, 2-0, 5.23)Wyatt Short: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 2 K (0.00)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Starters Max Bain and Chris Clarke received promotions to Tennessee. The two have been on really good runs of late in South Bend and as they are slightly older prospects it is good to see that they are ready for the challenge in AA. Bain is a fascinating undrafted free agent story. He was not in good shape coming out of college, but worked hard to lose a bunch of weight while dedicating himself to building his velo and learning all the latest info to help develop his repertoire.

He created a lot of buzz heading into last season, but was a bit his results were a bit of a disappointment mostly due to command and consistency issues. Hut he showed the good arm strength, and his secondaries would often flash. He just struggled to put it all together.

He worked hard again this offseason to become more flexible and his mechanics look far more fluid this year. The change has led to better command. Bain has also seemingly settled on a repertoire after doing a lot of experimenting with different grips and pitches last year. It’s put him solidly in the mix as a potential future big league starter or long man.

Unlike Bain, Clarke has always been a highly thought of pitcher, all the way back to his prep days and then again during his time at USC. Unfortunately, durability issues have plagued him for years and causing him to often bounce between starting and relief roles. Minor injuries have cropped up throughout his first couple of years in the Cubs org as well, but he’s stayed on the mound so far this spring and through the first month of the season. If he can finally get in a groove and carve out a consistent role as either a starter or reliever he’s got a chance to make the Majors down the road.

He’s not a pure power pitcher, relying a lot on his curveball and changing speeds. He’ll be Rule 5 eligible this winter, and figures to be one of the tougher roster decisions the Cubs will face so getting as much information as possible on him in AA the rest of this year makes sense.

A third arm received a promotion as well. The Cubs picked up reliever Nicholas Padilla in the Minor League portion of the Rule 5 draft last year, which is not typically somewhere you acquire prospects, but the team may just have uncovered one. He’s always had a decent arm, but he’s come into this year and his stuff is just popping a bit more than in previous years. It’s not likely more than a middle relief profile, but considering the method of acquisition it was a good job by the Cubs scouts to identify him.

Veteran Wyatt Short also rejoined the squad for a third (maybe fourth) go around. The lefty spent the early part of the year in EXST waiting for a spot to open up in Tennessee or Iowa.

Andy Weber is just beating the crap out of the baseball the past two weeks. This might be one in the more under reported stories in the system. He is hitting .341 with a .400 OBP in his last 10 games. Not to mention, an .815 OPS. He is 2/4 tonight pic.twitter.com/f0g9F5whIK

May 11, 2022

High-A

South Bend 9, Fort Wayne 7

Game Recap

South Bend found themselves down 7-1 heading into the bottom of the 6th yesterday. That’s no big deal for these comebacks kids though. This team has mounted a bunch of late inning rallies throughout the year, but this one might be the most satisfying.

There is no doubt it has been a trying first five weeks of the season for 19-year old Owen Caissie. There have been few bright moments for him so far, but hopefully yesterday’s big blast can serve as a launching off point for him. With the bases loaded and his team down six Caissie tapped into his plus raw power:

Eighth-ranked #Cubs prospect Owen Caissie slams his first homer of the year for the @SBCubs. pic.twitter.com/P3SMdm51UA

May 11, 2022

The grand slam still only brought the Cubs to within two with just three innings left. They would be held scoreless in the 7th, but thanks to Bailey Horn and Hunter Bigge’s work over the final three innings of the game the South Bend deficit would grow no larger. The team would draw within one in the 8th on an RBI single by Luis Verdugo.

This also set the stage for Matt Mervis in the 9th. He had already kicked off the South Bend scoring on the day with a solo homer in the 2nd and then added another RBI on a swinging bunt single in the 3rd, but the first baseman has regularly been right in the middle of the Cubs late inning fireworks and he came through yesterday once again. His second homer of the game was a dramatic walk off blast to complete the Cubs comeback. The club has now one seven straight games.

A MATT MERVIS WALK-OFF BOMB WINS IT!

The #SBCubs have won 7 in a row, and this @hoosierlottery home run was the dagger over Fort Wayne in the 9th.

The Comeback Cubs do it again! pic.twitter.com/LAekKDAEa5

May 11, 2022

The Comeback Cubs did it again! Re-live a wild game at @FourWindsField as we took down Fort Wayne 9-7.

FULL HIGHLIGHTS https://t.co/wCYYmSIhoi pic.twitter.com/hiVK1LfsZp

May 11, 2022

Top Performers

d

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Cole Roederer completed his rehab stint in Myrtle Beach and has rejoined South Bend. He was hitting the ball really well for the Pelicans. Good to see him back in South Bend and hopefully he can put together a few solid months and finish the year in AA.

In addition to Roederer, South Bend also received reliever Walker Powell up from Myrtle Beach.

Jose Albertos and Didier Vargas were activated from the IL and utility man Jake Slaughter was added to the roster from EXST.

Some potential bad news though for Ed Howard:

Oh no. Ed Howard leaves the game after a collision with the first baseman. He wasn’t able to put weight on his left leg

May 11, 2022

Low-A

Charlseton 7, Myrtle Beach 3

Game Recap

Not going to dive too deep into this one. A rare rough night for the Pelicans. Luke Little and Tyler Santana showed off their stuff (9 K) but were also wild in and out of the zone (7 H, 6 BB) through the first five innings. Johzan Oquendo and Jake Reindl did come into to deliver four shutout innings to give the Pelicans a fighting chance for a comeback.

Their effort was for naught though. The birds did draw eight free passes of their own, but couldn’t deliver a big inning as they managed just five hits on the night.

Top Performers

B.J. Murray Jr.: 1-3, HR (2), R, RBI, BB (.310)James Triantos: 1-3, 2 BB (.263)Johzan Oquendo: 2 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 5 K (4.91)Jake Reindl: 2 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 2 K (1.00)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

PCA takes advantage of a tiring Patrick Wicklander, connects on a 1st pitch FB, and extends his hitting streak to 15 games. pic.twitter.com/LXADaNeOSL

May 11, 2022

Preciado will be putting this pitch over the fence in 2023. Pretty swing, but a work in progress. A lot of potential! pic.twitter.com/C5hTF3ubeY

May 11, 2022

This is what we call a back foot slider pic.twitter.com/aTRHuf7Skh

May 10, 2022

Over everything!@BJMurray14 | #MBPelicans pic.twitter.com/WyHGk9siMt

May 11, 2022

One month to go. Thirty-one days from today. That’s when I join the club. The 70 Club. It’s not too difficult to become a member. You only have to stick around long enough. It’s not a great club. But, once you’re in it there’s only one way to lose your membership. I’m not ready for that, so The 70 Club here I come.

Since the start of 2022, I have been dreading the upcoming day. But, as we get closer to it, it doesn’t seem to be that bad. I guess I’ve made peace with it. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen many of my former high school and college classmates become club members. They seem to be accepting if not exactly jazzed about it. But again, what choice do they actually have, right?

Maybe as we get closer to June 11, 2022, I’ll feel differently. I’m sure there will be some apprehension. But I doubt I’ll be doing what I did on my fortieth birthday, which was hiding out all day in my bedroom…although I reserve the right to do that. However, it’s more likely the day will be spent in celebration. There also will be plenty of gratitude because so many didn’t get the chance to reach this milestone. They didn’t get the opportunity to join the club.

And so let the countdown begin. 31….30…29…28.. Hey!! Can’t we slow this down just a bit?

Related Post: We don’t round up to 70

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If you heard some unexplained cheering on the evening of May 10, that was my voice. I was reading the post by my fellow ChicagoNow blogger, The Amused Curmudgeon, headlined ‘Airing My Gripes About Arrantly-Erring On-Air Language.”

I was delighted to see “overturned meanings,” “the unlikeable like” and other pet peeves among my fellow writer’s catches. Since I could not manage to comment directly on the post — a problem worth its own post someday — a reply here seems to be in order.

Do people not realize that learning the language isn’t just for passing tests? It’s for communicating. Once I’ve learned something, I enjoy talking to someone else who has learned it. I’m confident that The Amused Curmudgeon and I would have a lovely conversation and enjoy one another’s vocabulary.

But with some words, I find myself thinking of the French tourists I used to meet when I worked at museums — the ones who would be so relieved to hear a sentence they could understand.

One of my favorite furies, to use William Safire’s variation on “pet peeve,” is hearing sloppy pronunciation in a radio chat, then having the sloppy person say “Oh, you know!” No, I don’t. Being specific, in this case, is being pacific — using exact diction pacifies (calms) your audience.

Midwestern accents are not the easiest to understand, even for natives. Another word that leaves me peeved is what you might call the U.S. word for a looking-glass, a mirror. An insignificant one, a mere mirror, would be hard for many Illinoisans to talk about — most of us do not take care to put the correct two syllables into “mirror.”

Being careful with your speech can have the sense of taking care of the language. Like the Curmudgeon himself, I enjoy thinking of my teachers — and two of my stronger ones were my parents. My father, who taught physics, would still be amazed over our family’s dinners by students who asked “Does spelling count on the test (or in the lab notebook, as the day went)?”

“It will count if you want me to understand what you’re writing!” Dad would say — in class, and again at the dinner table.

Meanwhile, my mother taught home economics when I was younger, changing to child development when I was in high school. Her influence on my speech was more in the “Be ladylike” vein — speak clearly, explain things well, be kind.

When it comes to the latter two items, I must gently disagree with The Amused Curmudgeon’s use of adjectives at the beginning of sentences. His “sadly” and “mournfully” look to me more like stage directions — he’s setting the tone for the next comment. But usage has evolved (no, devolved) to the point that “I sadly observe” or “I mournfully report” does not fit the voice of many writers.

I am glad, for his sake, that the curmudgeon was not riding on the bus I rode last week, on which a fellow rider used “the unlikeable like” every three or four words: “She was, like, saying what she thought was, like, important or something.” Since I didn’t hear a reply, I take it she was on a phone. My own voice stayed silent, but I was very tempted to tell her that I did not like hers one bit. Luckily for us both, my mother’s training held.

So The Amused Curmudgeon’s writing voice is a clear one, and I commend it to your attention if you’re looking to expand your reading on ChicagoNow.

To the curmudgeon himself, I can only add my thanks.