Tom Jones, the celebrated Welsh singer, first captured audiences’ imaginations in the 1960s with a string of chart-topping hits including “2It’s Not Unusual”, “What’s New Pussycat?”, “Green, Green Grass of Home” and “Delilah”. With his powerful baritone and impressive vocal range, Jones earned acclaim for his ability to switch seamlessly from a deep, resonant tone to a smooth, melodic style, and received praise from critics such as AllMusic and The New York Times.
While he enjoyed popularity for several decades, Tom Jones’ image underwent a transformation in the mid-1970s. Once seen as a wholesome entertainer, he was increasingly viewed as a novelty sex symbol and his popularity seemed to wane. However, his career took a remarkable revival with his collaboration on Art of Noise’s cover of Prince’s “Kiss”. This pivotal moment marked the beginning of Jones’ reinvention into the beloved and respected figure he is today.
Discover the timeless appeal and extraordinary talent of Tom Jones. Watch the video below to witness his evolution from a ’60s icon to a revered and cherished figure in the music world.
Actress Quinta Brunson Is Upset With ‘No Black Characters’ On Friends
The conversation around diversity has been intensifying lately, making everyone think about its importance in all areas of life. One recent topic of discussion? The iconic 90s sitcom Friends.
Quinta Brunson, known for her role in Abbott Elementary, recently pointed out Friends for its lack of diversity. While hosting Saturday Night Live, Brunson used her monologue to highlight the absence of Black characters in the beloved show.
Brunson contrasted the diversity on Abbott Elementary, which features the lives of teachers in a predominantly Black, state-funded elementary school in Philadelphia, with the noticeable lack of diversity on Friends. The difference was strikingly evident.
With her well-known wit, she joked: “I wanted to be on SNL back in the day, but the audition process seemed long – so instead, I just created my own TV show, made sure it became really popular, won a bunch of Emmys, and then got asked to host. So much easier, so much easier.”
While the audience chuckled, the underlying point was clear. Brunson continued, “It’s a network sitcom like, say, Friends. Except, instead of being about a group of friends, it’s about a group of teachers. Instead of New York, it’s in Philadelphia, and instead of not having Black people, it does.”
Her playful commentary sparked serious reflection, even from Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman. Kauffman has publicly expressed embarrassment over the show’s lack of diversity and pledged $4 million to support African and African-American studies at a university.
“I’ve learned a lot in the last 20 years,” Kauffman admitted. “Admitting and accepting guilt is not easy. It’s painful looking at yourself in the mirror. I’m embarrassed that I didn’t know better 25 years ago.”
She added, “It took me a long time to begin to understand how I internalized systemic racism. I’ve been working really hard to become an ally, an anti-racist. And this seemed to me to be a way that I could participate in the conversation from a white woman’s perspective.”
The discussion around diversity is far from over, but it’s clear that the conversation has advanced—even for a cherished sitcom like Friends.
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