If at least one Caribbean wife has her way, a television series billed “Caribbean Wives of South Florida” will make its way into the homes of millions of Americans sooner than viewers can say “irie or yeh mon.”
The brainchild of Jamaican Maxine J. Tulloch, a pilot edition of her potential series is now being pitched to New Yorkers and could become a television reality.
With a spotlight on three Jamaicans, two Haitians and a Grenadian, six spouses – Kendra Parker (Jamaica), Carmel Moise (Haiti), Dale Forrester (Grenada), Bridgette Cadet-Young (Haiti), Jeneva Gordon (Jamaica) and Terryann Ramirez (Jamaica) represent the diversity of the region. Married to husbands with roots in Trinidad, Grenada and America, if financed, the women could join in television’s preponderance on featuring feuding married women who already represent numerous U.S. cities and states.
“As one of many ethnic groups in America, we are working to achieve respect, recognition, acknowledgement, credit and opportunities and we duly earn our positions in television entertainment,” Tulloch, the executive producer and creator stated.
“When Hollywood wants to cast and portray a Caribbean character, they train an American actor to play the part and mimic the accent, instead of hiring an authentic Caribbean actor.”
She said the practice persists because “Caribbean people remain invisible – we want recognition, respect and acceptance.”
“Caribbean people are talented in all areas of the arts, science, education, business, sports, military and government and should be recognized for such.”
According to Tulloch, the concept of the series will be to feature Caribbean wives living in South Florida and across the states. She cites aspects of focus to be on “raising families, balancing marriage, career and business and living the American Dream with a cultural difference trying to fit in.”
She added that “they’ve created innovative aesthetic expressions that have woven a complex tapestry of the diversity the Caribbean Diaspora represents and reflects.”
The one-hour pilot is complete and premiered at Hunter College where investors were invited to view and endorse.
“For Caribbean people, it’s their education, where they live, what they drive, while at the same time adapting much of the American culture and lifestyle, bringing some level of satisfaction and perspective to what they consider achievement,” she punctuated.
“They too can be included with the rich, famous, prominent, successful American women.”
According to the resident of America’s most southern state located closest to the Caribbean “Caribbean-American people remain invisible and under-represented in the television entertainment industry.”
She said her production will be different “because there is nothing like it – Hollywood wants the high drama, the fight, the ridiculous conflicts, shock behavior – we bring none of that to the production. Yes there are conflicts but they are played out differently, the Caribbean way, with class and dignity, our culture dictates how we behave and it is shown in our production – we are different, America has never seen the Caribbean in its true form. In this production we express the culture as best as possible. The kaleidoscope we reflect is forever changing.”
JAMAICA VOWS AFTER VISITING TOURISTS WILL “GET ALL RIGHT”
Let it not be understated that Jamaica’s braggadocio is lacking. With the government’s own promotional campaign engine selling the island to foreigners, its “One Love,” “Once You Go, You Know” television ads have been repeated as soundtracks to a Caribbean travelogue.
Now The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) has created another anthem launched as “Jamaica — Get All Right.” The new campaign aims to evoke the feeling of what it means to “get all right” in Jamaica. It’s a phrase often used to reinforce the relaxed, calm state of mind that can be experienced while visiting the island. An idiom spoken frequently to let people know that in Jamaica, “everything is all right,” the tag follows an image of an engineer playing a remix of Bob Marley’s classic “One Love” anthem. Performed by Jamaican musicians Bass Over Babylon, images of people across the island intercut the video to demonstrate how they Get All Right.
“The Jamaica Tourist Board’s vision is to convey Jamaica as more than a vacation location; a place where visitors feel a relaxed, undeniable bond to the destination,” John Lynch, Jamaica’s Director of Tourism said. “We want people to think of Jamaica as their home away from home; a place where they can ‘Get All Right.’
The official U.S. launch in Times Square on Nov. 12, also introduced the world’s largest recorded de-stress ball.
From 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., passersby were able to squeeze a giant, yellow ball which JTB representatives claimed would de-stress them before- after- or during the work day.
Trip giveaways and a performance by reggae artist Gyptian provided cool runnings during the chilly and snowy morning rush and throughout the afternoon drive-time period.
Catch You On The Inside!
