Formation
Some shots from the recent anti Anti-Beyoncé protest which took place outside the NFL HQ on Park Ave.
Confused? You bet!
A total of three anti Beyoncé protestors turned up (one by one) upset at Beyoncé’s half-time Super Bowl performance which invoked . . . Black Power!
“Too political, it’s football, not the place for protest!” Protestor Ariel Kohane (pics 5 & 11) saw it all later on the tv news and felt duty bound to come along and protest. “Where is everyone?” he wanted to know. Asked about the offending lyrics, he couldn’t remember but was happy enough to google the information. He was a very patient man.
Black Panthers came out in support with T-Shirts. Interestingly enough, after turning from the protest and taking the shot of the American flag being folded (pic #4), a security guard from the nearby Bank of America threw his umbrella in front of my camera – no shots allowed! You are kidding me, you think I can’t take photos in a public space when behind me are film crews from all the networks?
After this I went to my local diner for some coffee, eggs and potatoes. Rosa, the waitress, asked what I’d been up to. I told her about the Beyoncé NFL performance protest.
“Bah,” she said, “it was no good, I didn’t like it!
Welcome to morning in New York!
I tell you Patti I can’t keep up with you. You are everywhere and these are some really great images 😀
Shucks Joe, not sure what to say! Thank you? Thank you!
🙂
I didn’t like it either .
Sounds like you had an interesting time, for sure;)!! Ahhhh the Big Apple🍎
You didn’t like it? That’s OK but I thought it was the highlight (with Bruno Mars!) of a dreary Super Bowl which soon enough sent me to bed. Greetings to you Kathy from NYC!
Oh let me redo.. I loved Bruno, I even liked Chris;) but SHE gotta go .
I stayed u way too late , . Take care Patti . One day I’ll take the train and meet up with you and … Joe 😉
Yes, Patti. Eggs, potato and coffee is the only way to go forward. We need a pro-potato revolution. It does not mean we are just only anti-MacDonalds.
No Gerard, McDonald’s has absolutely nothing to do with this I promise. More than one way to peel a potato!
Another day in the United States of Whatever. 🙂
Takes all kinds!
It’s amazing what gets certain people motivated to protest:
Janet Jackson’s NFL wardrobe malfunction years ago is still a subject of debate and concern for, at least, the media. Beyonce’s NFL halftime song and dance seems to be, so far, equally controversial.
While actively running for President; however, Donald Trump (reminding me of George Wallace) spews out racist comments about America’s Latino population and the uneducated, and repeatedly openly advocates discrimination against Muslims with a presumption that they’re all terrorists but people’s reactions to such comment, although clearly that of being offended, is low and makes Trump’s remarks seem like mere soundbites.
Boggles the mind.
The protestor in the pics above was disappointed with the low turn-out, he thought there would be thousands. Also, forgot to mention, this protestor works a volunteer for the Ted Cruz campaign.
With you on the election mind boggle and as scary as Donald Trump is Ted Cruz worries me more. Did you hear Sen. Lindsey Graham’s comments about the GOP?
No, I didn’t actually. What was it?
Here it is!
“My party’s gone batshit crazy!”
Why would anyone give a a shit about what Beyonce thinks anyway?
The NYPD did… 😛
Cardinal, you mean you don’t like Beyoncé?
And touché Franky though I’m not sure how much it bothered this lot of NYPD.
Brilliant sequence, Patti! What a day, ha ha. I’m amazed as many as three turned up…
I know . . . .
More details from an account in The Guardian if interested !
Brilliant!
Nice report. I don’t watch the Super Bowl, so I miss out on these cultural, political happenings. So much of what is busying and bothering people today is very foreign to me. Yet this is our world.:)
How good that you can come here and catch up on the things that really matter!
These vignettes say so much. Does Ariel what’s-his-name know what century we are in? Everyone in my household loved Beyonce’s performance!
Perhaps it’s more edifying to watch young white women bouncing up and down in a skimpy costumes cheering on the teams in princess hopes of living happily ever after. As you ask, what century is this? Beyoncé’s performance was the highlight of a dreary Super Bowl, glad you enjoyed it!
The phone in the phone picture is especially great.
Thank you Rabirius, means a lot!
Gotta love NYC. Great photos, and the rain soaked sidewalks just add another layer of attraction to these shots.
Thank you so much Angeline. Normally I find the rain to be a serious pain so always good to get something decent out of it.
Again, the narrative adds a lot Patti – not to remove anything from the photos, which are great. A hula hoop in the rain? Oh sure, if it brings attention. Love the cops, too – and all the messages, and messages within messages.
So pleased you enjoyed, thank you Lyn. It was such a messy morning in so many ways I felt duty bound to provide as decent a narrative as I could muster. As for the hula hoop guy, well he put a ring on it didn’t he!
Street theater, New York’s got plenty of it!
Your shots educate me in so many areas! Thanks.
Hahaha, you’re so funny!!! Thank you Gaynor!
I enjoyed this series Patti. You bring it all to life for me. I can remember being stopped from photographing shoes in a big NYC department store for my podiatrist friend with a shoe obsession. The (serious) store walker said it was a security issue and invoked 9/11. In a few minutes time I was out on the street and photographing complete strangers going about their business. You did well, not cowed! Cheers, Philippa
Don’t you just feel so sorry for Security workers, standing around all day waiting for something to happen then bingo we come along with cameras in and suddenly she/he has purpose. Plus he/she gets it in the neck from the supervisor if seen to be not doing the job properly and on and on it goes. Hope you enjoyed your time in the city Philippa!
Yes, you have humanised it for me Patti! It felt humiliating at the time and like a bit of an outrage soon after. Looks as though I have to get my reactions in better order. Are you kidding? – much better! Loved the city.
Love the “Hell no Bey won’t go” shot. And your capture of the “poser”…..priceless!
Thank you Annie and I can proudly say – I’ve got the T-Shirt!
I really love your work Patti…
That’s lovely to hear thank you Geert and you know I love your shots!
nice series 🙂
Thank you Joshi!
I am confused too. (And slightly concerned about the uptrend of the “colour” thing… On all sides… That will not ease tensions…)
And I definitely don’t understand the fuss about that “black panther.sort of thing. A show is a show. Never mind, thank you for your photos, though it was not your purpose, you gave a perfect rendition of a normal New York-New York day. Compete with drizzle. I could almost smell the food in the diner, easy, sunny side up? Do take a picture of the diner (if you haven’t yet) I almost felt I was “back” there. Have to schedule something. Haven’t been in two years. That’s too long. Take care.
Some people get spooked too easily . . . . when we know there are enough white men out there scaring the willikers out of us with opinions they wish to turn into facts.
Something so comforting about diners, plain and simple, I always have my eggs easy over. There are photos here somewhere. Glad you enjoyed the shots Brian and yes, hope you schedule a visit soon!
What I hear/read about France and Europe right does scare me no end. Increasingly concerned by the minute. 😦
I think I saw one. Pic. Of the diner. Lemme check. Yep. Nov 23. Great shot.
About the trip, we’re going the opposite direction. A brief jump to Frisco in July. Then Paris for a month (Yes! Frogland) 😉
Take care. And Spring will soon burst in the Park. 🙂
That folding of the flag images is superb, especially with the reflection of the other flag, too.
You know, I watched that performance, and I guess I’m not deep enough, but I never got the connection.
Thanks for taking us there, Patti
I dozed through the Coldplay bit, as bouncy as Chris Martin was, but when Beyoncé and her girl troopers stormed the pitch with that performance, WOW, super strong women!! And to be honest I understand your point about the connection and was surprised it became as political as it did, well, for five minutes that week anyway.
Glad you enjoyed the flag shot – taken during a long lull in the proceedings!
I don’t know anything about any of this and I totally don’t care. Great shots, though. Love those of the phone images. You are a better event photographer than most journalists, Patti. Seriously. So much more soul.
Absolutely love that you don’t care, thanks Julie!!!
I thought it was protesting for the presidential campaign 😀 Great photos story and well captured!
I’m sure there’s a campaign protest out there somewhere, thanks so much Indah!
Patti, you often take pictures at public events… how do you find out about such events so you go and cover them?
you always tell the stories so well 🙂
FB and Twitter are good places, depending on who / what organizations you follow, people you know plus daily newspapers online are always good sources. Plus, live here long enough and life almost takes on the air of a public event. Film sets are always accidental discoveries but when the Supreme Court announces the legality of gay marriage well you know there’s really only one place in town where all the action is going to be so you head on there. Thank you so much Alexandra for your kind words. It’s such a great way of getting know the city and if I were younger I’d be doing everything I could to make it a full-time paying job. Is it something you’re interested in doing???
thank you for your reply, Patti… damn, I wish you lived closer, you are so full of energy, so brave and so inspiring for me, truly… I could learn so much from you 🙂 I used to love going to events, taking pictures… but in the last couple of years I take care of the boyz alone and that, paired with two jobs, doesn’t leave much time at present… I would not do it for a full-time job, as it cannot pay bills in Bg, it’s just the way things are organized here… but I am still attracted to this type of photography… whenever I have some spare time on me, I’d love to go out take such shots, only I never learn about events on time
maybe I should start spending some time on the social media to find out about things and plan in advance… I need to figure out what works out for me… 🙂 thank you for the inspiration!!!
Hang in there Alexandra and keep taking your great pictures! Also, you won’t regret the time spent with your boys. The days might drag but the years fly by so quickly. Meanwhile keep an ear out for local events and news, protests, elections etc and keep having fun!
Love the fourth photo!
Thank you so much!
i love them all…the feeling of being there…i too appreciate your photography and your stories…smiles from Alberta Patti!