Author: MJ VanDevere

MJ VanDevere is a doctoral candidate at a predominately white elite institution in the South who uses humor to combat racism, sexism, and all the other –isms that seek to diminish her greatness. She is a self-proclaimed “stand-up snob” who does not have a favorite comedian, so please don’t ask unless you have several hours to spare. Some of her favorite movies include, Life, Dead Presidents, and Happy Feet. If, she could only do one thing for the rest of her life, it would definitely be laugh, and maybe write. Adulting is her greatest work in progress.

2 Dope Queens: Everythang Ain’t For Errybody

I want to preface this review with the declaration that I always enjoy seeing Black women shine. But if I am being honest, which is something I always aspire to be, I am not a fan of the podcast turned HBO special 2 Dope Queens. The show is the creation

The Chi: Who You Know Is What You Know

The following recap contains spoilers from season one of The Chi. Proceed at your own risk. In Lena Waithe’s The Chi, relationships are the primary currency. We watch them grow, invert, and blow up. We suck our teeth, laugh, and get straight up pissed at the results of each bond,

REVIEW: Marlon Wayans: ‘Woke-ish’

Full disclosure. Over the last few years, I have become quite the stand-up snob. In my humble opinion, not everyone does it well. To be fair, it is probably the most difficult form of comedy to master. On the other hand, as a little girl I had a crush on

Review: ’A Wrinkle In Time’ Is A Love Song For Little Girls Everywhere

The following review contains light spoilers. Proceed at your own risk. A love song for the little girls of color dealing with issues of self-esteem brought on by loss and family trauma, A Wrinkle in Time uses the metaphor of meditation to promote acceptance, self-love, and strength. While the original

A Little Too Grown For ‘Grown-ish’?

The following review contains spoilers from season 1 of Grown-ish. Proceed at your own risk. Just as its title suggests, Grown-ish is not for the fully grown. So in order for me, a woman whose college days are a little over a decade behind her, to understand the significance of

Review: Katt Williams, “Great America”

On a stage designed to emulate the oval office, complete with flags, stone lions, and two portraits of the comedian, Katt comes out wearing a black suit covered in intricate gold designs with the sneakers to match. I appreciate his use of props and music, as it is not something

Rock Shakes It Up With New Special – Tamborine

Chris Rock remains the king of metaphor. In his latest special, Tamborine, Rock immediately launches into masterfully dark, twisted, and absurd solutions to American injustices. In one of his most notable bits, Rock tasks the alleged democracy of the United States to enact equality in all aspects of American life

Black Lightning – Lynn Needs A Life

High school principal by day, superhero by night, Jefferson Pierce is the caring, stoic leader of a safe haven of a school in a troubled area. Plagued with gang violence, drugs, and sex trafficking, Freeland symbolizes the struggles faced by many communities in our contemporary society. It is mainly through

Atlanta Season 2, Episode 1 Recap: “You don’t even have a mirror to look at yourself in”

The following review is a collaborative effort between Jaro’s lead writers MJ VanDevere and Ayanna Winters. In the season premiere of Atlanta, the crew has returned with an entirely new concept. Titled ‘Robbin’ Season,’ it’s fairly uncommon for an individual season to have its own name. But Atlanta is anything

Black Panther And The Revolutionary Nature of Radical Love

Erik Killmonger is not a villain and Black Panther is not just a superhero movie; it’s an Afrofuturistic exploration of pain and pride that both bridges and complicates the black persons and peoples of the Diaspora. It is a contemporary artistic expression of Pan-Africanism that challenges us to consider/reconcile/accept the

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