First, let me state that none of these individuals I have chosen the last few days are perfect in every way. Would I wear all of their ensembles? No! However, I think it is important to recognize those making an effort in our present day. Sure, I could post Cooper, Sinatra, and the Duke. However, then I would just be following in the footsteps of every other blog out there, and I have published these guys enough already.
With that said, today's pick is Fonzworth Bentley. I found it interesting that a couple commenter's mentioned him earlier in the week, as I had chosen him over the weekend as one of my choices. I remember Mr. Bentley first as the umbrella holder for P Diddy, and I thought, wow, he is very well dressed. Do I like all of his choices? No! But, he is influenced by the WASP/preppy style, and I think he qualifies as one of today's best dressed men. He is currently doing a show on VH-1 or MTV called G's to Gents. Congrats Mr. Bentley, WASP 101 salutes you!
23 comments:
Sir,
I don't actually know what to call it (masthead? banner head?), but the brown/beige coloring of the decorative panel at the top of your website is more appropriate to a Wild West/cowboy blog than to yours. The hunting-theme illustration is just fine, but not the colors.
Fonzworth Bently....yeah he looks pure bred
english stock....as does "Tony St Clair of
Tanqeuray"....Pathetic as usual Richard..
Just amazing. Your insistence in continuing
this blog ,is not a sign of a stable person
with genuine self respect.
Please get a life Richard ,for your own sake.
No , you don't have one Richard ,you're
trying to create one somehow through
this blog.
Well, you actually made a good choice here. One for four thus far, Richard. Unfortunate someone had to comment on it, yesterday. It looks as though you were simply following the herd. You maybe should have blocked that one.
Please look at your absolutely perfect postings for February 19, 2008 and June 19, 2008
and then tell us how this character deserves a place on this blog.
Very disturbing.
Are you trying to turn your readers into racists by posting photos of such offensive guys who think they are studs.
There
are
a good number of properly-dressed Black
men out there Why not show some of them instead?
Being someones man-bitch.....VERY Waspy indeed.
In response to the previous post, just because Fonzworth isn't of "English stock" doesn't mean that he can't act like a Gentleman. He is a class act and his show was created to make uneducated street guys into gentleman. Although he probably doesn't go by his real name, the man is a multi millionaire and frankly, I am envious of his wardrobe.
Precisely Anon @ 5:28 pm , he can ACT like
a gentlemen..."ACT"....
he can "look" like a gentlemen..
The street thug RAP community redressing
themselves does not gentlemen make.
They are the lowest of the low and might
as well dress like it if they want to be honest
with themselves.
YEAH, yell profanities into the camera of
thier "RAP " videos while telling me how
they deserve, DEMAND respect, glorifying
everything criminality stands for, thier whole
stinking debased culture IS nothing but
criminality and ego.
You don't dress Great Gatsby style
while saying how "STREET" you are at
the same time.
The idiot wants it both ways.
Carry the spirit of anti authority
establishment in your soul , yet
dress exactly like the class you despise
and claim are "holding you down".
Envious of his wardrobe 5:28 PM Anon?
You want to think of yourself as low
as him go right ahead.
Damn,
You just can’t catch a break! Richard isn’t saying that the man himself is a WASP. He is only saying that he has a WASP style about him. To those who are saying otherwise please do tell what this style is if Richard has gotten it wrong?
On the other hand, those who are spouting off about how Richard should have chosen some other black man to show, please tell us who your pick would have been?
I for one love Mr. Bentley’s style and like the other poster has said, envy his wardrobe. I wish I had just half the items he has.
“Fonzworth Bently....yeah he looks pure bred
english stock....as does "Tony St Clair of
Tanqeuray"....Pathetic as usual Richard..”
Why must someone be of “Pure English Stock” to wear these clothes? This is the part I just don’t get from some of you out there. Am I a poser for wearing these clothes? Should I only wear Rocker Wear, and Sean John because I am a black man? Are we still in an age where those who are not of good old English stock are not worthy? Hell, even the English think we American’s are a lot of ignorant bruts. Frankly its comments such as these from both blacks and whites here that had given me pause when I found this site. Most of America still have this ignorant thought that the WASP culture are nothing more then a group of wealthy white folk, who sit in their house on the hill thinking that they are better then the rest of America. I thought that this wasn’t a true statement until I started to hear from some here that claim to be true WASP. If this is indeed the WASP culture, then by all means I will discard any of the items I have purchased that are for you white folks only and patronize black only designers. But that in its self is ridiculous. I am being ask to not be who I am as a person for the sake of my skin tone, where is the right in this?
Americans are always saying that those who are here should assimilate, but when we do, we are now being told that we are still not good enough. Where does it end? Hate me for saying, hate me for thinking it, and even call me all sorts of things on this and other post, but the truth is the truth. Below is a list of things I should give up due to my skin color.
1. Polo, good luck on that one. I’ve gotten a taste of it, and I’m not letting go. But this is a white man’s sport.
2. Rodeo, again another white man’s sport.
3. Farming, as we know black people don’t farm. They live in the city, mostly ghettos and that’s where I’m guessing I should be as well since I’m not white.
4. While we are at it, I should give up my wife since she’s white.
5. My job, as most people who work in the legal field are white, or that’s how it should be.
6. My best friend, seeing how he’s white. Never mind we’ve known each other for years and we are like brothers.
7. My dog, I should have a Pit Bull or a Rot, and not a WASPY dog such as a Black Lab.
Sound ridiculous? Yes it does, doesn’t it? And Richard, I can take the heat, you may post what anyone says about this post.
This is not in defense of Richard or Mr. Bentley. This is defense of plain old common decency.
This is a joke right?
What about Andy from "The Office". He went to an Ivy League school.
A truly excellent representative of WASP fashion:
http://www.concreteloop.com/g_images/tianna/8822848.jpg
Richard,
I'm a black man who prefers WASP/Ivy/Prep style precisely to distance myself from such thugs.
Contrary to what Fonzworth preaches, you can't turn street criminals into gentlemen by changing their clothing.
The point "Poloist" is simply.....be yourself.
So if an individual is ,
Loud , and proud? Hate authority?
Love criminal culture? F the police?
Street raised and street bred and love it?
How many material things and goods
you can fit into one rap video and brag
about? Evalulate your self worth by not
only how many flashy possessions
you own but how much more freedom
it gives you to "brag".
Then you are A HYPOCRITE to
dress in a civilized manner
hence the ol' wolf in sheeps clothing
literally instead of metaphorically.
RAPPERS are losers no matter how rich,
no matter what style, no matter WHAT
basically.
Talk about a culture that is PROUD
of being shallow superficial and
down right lawless.
As if having riches or becoming
rich yeah....no yous down wit
HIGH SO-CIE-I-TY!!!
Not overlooking the "sin nature"
of all mankind including High Society
as well, but......
Here's the scene poloist....
Cary Grant ,Grace Kelly or the modern
day equivalents of...
Yes let's invite the well dressed
Hip Hop degenerates over for a luncheon
Cannnot wait to hear the vulgarities,
the criminal stories of rape robbing
and pillaging of their fond memories
of yesteryear , can't wait to hear
how they hate the man, it's the man's
fault, fight de power!!! DUHHH!!!!!
Can't wait to hear the ol' stories of
how many cops they took pleasure
in shooting at while of course you are
all perfect little ghetto angels aren't you?
Big bad evil cops ,there's no criminals
in de hood ,it's all a conspiracy....
Want to be a criminal? Then stay one.
Act like one, dress like one,
don't use this BS OF MULTICULTURALISM
TO EXCUSE A CULTURE THAT IS
CRIMINAL, we have to understand your
rage, your anger.......NO WE DON'T.
Washington......no need to get in a tiff.
Anon March 27, 2009 1:21 AM
You are a old fart.
To the Anonymous poster that has replied to my post.
First to whoever said you are an old fart, I disagree. Why, for the simple fact that I agree with you to a slight point, so let’s takes a look your points below.
“The point "Poloist" is simply.....be yourself.” To this I totally agree.
“Love criminal culture? F the police?” I never implied this in any of my statements.
“Street raised and street bred and love it?” On this I have to disagree. Before we go any further, I would like to say that at the end of my post I did say that this was not in defense of Mr. Bentley, However I think you should read his Bio before making such a statement.
“How many material things and goods
you can fit into one rap video and brag
about?” Totally agree, 100%. As a matter of fact this is one of the reasons I am not a fan of Rap music. Yes, I do like R&B.
“Evalulate your self worth by not
only how many flashy possessions
you own but how much more freedom
it gives you to "brag".” Again agree, however, I think you were missing the point that I was trying to make with my post.
“Then you are A HYPOCRITE to
dress in a civilized manner
hence the ol' wolf in sheeps clothing
literally instead of metaphorically” Again agree, but again not on the topic I was raising.
“RAPPERS are losers no matter how rich,
no matter what style, no matter WHAT
basically.” Agree to a point. I say to a point because, they could have gone another direction to attain their wealth. Yes some, if not most did start down the wrong path, however eventually they took what they knew and made hits. Why anyone would want to hear it, or watch is beyond me. But we have to admit one thing; they have found a niche. I myself thought that it would die out when I was a young man back in the 80’s, however I was wrong.
“Talk about a culture that is PROUD
of being shallow superficial and
down right lawless.
As if having riches or becoming
rich yeah....no yous down wit
HIGH SO-CIE-I-TY!!!” Again, agree, but not on topic here. I again think that you are missing the point that I was making here. Which I will get into later in my post. Sorry I know, kind of long.
“Want to be a criminal? Then stay one.
Act like one, dress like one,
don't use this BS OF MULTICULTURALISM
TO EXCUSE A CULTURE THAT IS
CRIMINAL, we have to understand your
rage, your anger.......NO WE DON'T.” There were other parts that I was going to comment on, however, I thought I would skip to the end, and make my final comment.
Anonymous, I think that you are either misunderstanding something here, or you felt the need at the end of your post to elude to some sort of racism. For one, the language you used for so called “REAL” black men is offensive, however I am going to look past that.
Also, I am NOT a rap artist, I was not raised in the ghetto, and I am not filled with this so-called “Black Rage” that so many people want to claim. I say people, because it’s not only the white race that claims that there is this black rage, but black as well. I am also not asking you or any of your friends to invite Rap artist to any of your functions. The point that I am trying to raise is this. You are no better then the homeless man on the street, neither am I, or Richard, or the Queen herself. We are all people in god’s eyes, and no matter how many riches you or anyone else may have, you will have to answer for what you’ve done here on this earth. This includes these thugs, black, brown, white and yellow.
I am going to assume you are a Christian, or at least your post sounds of a man of faith, and I’m sure you know the verse, “Let he without sin cast the first stone”
You are stating that I am using the BS of multiculturalism to excuse a culture that is criminal, and this is an untruth. Also, because I am black, I share the same culture as a crack fiend, a thief, a murder, and a rapist? So, by your deduction, should I say that all whites are murders, thieves, and rapist? Our history is filled with what the white man has done not only in this country, but the world. However, I seem to be the one in this conversation wanting to move forward and learn from our history so that we do not repeat it. The question in my post was a simple one. Are the views of these so called WASP who visit here still in the days of old? We are the only people who matter?
AND I AM BEING WHO I AM MY BROTHER, I AM BEING WHO I AM. So I will continue at my job, playing polo, rodeoing, and so on. Why, because its who I am.
Well, just to clarify Poloist, was not addressing
you personally in the remarks no.
BUT - The Doctrine of Equality IS the biggest
BS doctrine there has ever been.
However,
This is "WASP 101". Unless Richard does not
mind theological discussion.
Here's where we differ always and forever
Poloist. Humanity is NOT EQUAL.
Mr Homeless man.....homeless because
of his choices? Homeless because he
"sowed to the wind and reaped the whirlwind"
well then you better believe those who
didn't take his path are BETTER than him.
"Christianity" is hated because it IS a message
of the greatest inequality there has ever been
ending with some of us receiving at the
judgement seat the biggest ,grandest,
humiliating ,neverending FU straight from
God he could ever come up with, a hot
time in the old town tonight for an eternity.
This complete asinine belief that God wants
us to drop all judgement were all equal
embrace your "brother" blah.blah,blah...
The majority of humanity is immature.
The Bible instructions assume that all the
way through no matter if you read it in
faith or not. Judge not for the average dope
is one thing. Common sense says judge
the living hell out of your fellow man on
a daily basis if you have any smarts what
so ever. I think "God" expects a person
to understand certain things without having to
spell out EVERY LITTLE DETAIL.
Should've never written the damn thing
in the first place.The most misinterpreted
argued ,misunderstood ,taken out of context
bantered about ,book there has ever been.
Now as far as is the WASP stereotype true,
alive and well even today ? You better
believe it. WASP "snobbery" you wonder about
is justified in its origins.
It was a rejection of uncivilized company,
a rejection of those were not to the manor
born as far as the old WASP standards were/are.
Sure you can find a mature friend in any
class of people you reject but its just plain
easier for birds of a feather to flock together.
Soon as I welcome you in......how are we
supposed to say ,just you now, please don't
bring any of your family or friends along
as you well know it'd be like oil and water.
The WASP community "infamous" for being
exclusionary in thier coming of age in
America ,becoming the ruling class at one
point, KNEW EXACTLY what they were doing
in being exclusionary.They already knew the
habits ,behavior, and cultures that they
didn't get along with in Europe before coming
here.
EMOTION......E - MOTION. The Engilsh culture
the American WASP culture says emotion
takes a backseat, even two or three rows
back to your intelligence. Think first ALWAYS.
If you are objective enough Poloist you will
see WASP rejection is to all whose culture
says just the opposite.
EMOTION FIRST. Forms the entire damn
culture. Sorry to be so blunt but practically
every minority culture is emotion first.
When making fun of English Culture
why is it "stuffy" ,"stiff" and related words
always applied?
Because its thinking first. Always.
This shapes the ENTIRE PSYCHE of the
Amercian WASP culture.
You want a shortcut to understanding
the seemingly complex "WAY OF THE WASP"
Poloist?
That is it in a nutshell. Make the application
of Thinking before Emotion in all
your personal study into what makes
a WASP , a WASP and you have
your answer.
Those who believe Emotion first ,lead with
your feelings and not your head can NEVER
have harmony with those that don't.
Not rejecting emotion as part of the overall
human psyche just its proper placement
thereof.
No the stereotype is not sitting on the hill
thinking "better than those people",
more of a case of having unwavering standards
and principles and if if it turns out an entire
class of people and or race don't agree with,
oh well. Finally why be envious of the WASP
style and culture to begin with to the point
of being insulted if one is not accepted into it?
What's in it for you?.....Food for thought.
Anonymous March 28, 2009 12:09 AM
As I do not have the time for a rebuttal, I will do so as soon as I am able. Busy day today, but I find some of what you have said again to be agreeable, only slight. I will touch on those points when I return.
I however, do want to say that I am glad that we are having this conversation "intelligently" even though I can't be sure but I think you tried to insult me by telling me I have the intellect of a pea, with the whole third row comment or I may have misunderstood.
At any rate, believe me there is a rebuttal coming.
Anonymous, if you have looked for my rebuttal, I want to apologize for its delay.
I think I will keep this one short this time. It’s late, and as stated before, I have had a very busy day.
I’m not sure if you are saying that WASP has little to no emotions, or whites as a whole. Also, I think this is where we are missing the connection. I am not only speaking about WASP culture, but whites in general.
So with that, I am going to go off your last paragraph. Believe me I had lots more to say, but I’m starting to see that this is getting pointless.
“No the stereotype is not sitting on the hill
thinking "better than those people",
more of a case of having unwavering standards
and principles and if it turns out an entire
class of people and or race don't agree with,
oh well. Finally why be envious of the WASP
style and culture to begin with to the point
of being insulted if one is not accepted into it?
What's in it for you?.....Food for thought.”
Per what you have written before this paragraph lead me to believe this is a “yes” in your answer. You do feel that you are better then others, even whites because they do not share this rather odd view that emotions should come second. Honestly, the way this was written one could deduce that you have no emotions at all. If there are no emotions, there is no humanity, but only an empty shell of what is to be a human being. Emotions are apart of ones soul. Do you not feel sadness, happiness, or even anger? If you were provoked, would you not defend yourself? Yes, I would agree that there are times for fight or flight, and that my friend is using your head.
I think the problem you are having is that you seem to have locked yourself away from the rest of the world, and have failed to see its many changes. It’s a new day my friend and its about time that you and those who think like you step into the A.M. If not I feel sorrow for those of you who are going to be left behind like the dried bones of an old dinosaur. You and your way of thinking is a dying bread, and the world is getting smaller and smaller with the passing of time.
Who says I’m envious of the WASP culture? What I am insulted by is the bigotry that the WASP culture invokes. “Well this nigger thinks he’s as good as us because he can afford this and that.” And that’s what I have the problem with. Or not even just men of color, you don’t even like your own kind. It’s not just minorities who do not think before they act. Who runs on emotions alone? I know several white men, some of them with WASPY names who do some of the dumbest things all because of emotions.
So in closing, my point is this. I’ve said this before on this blog. My grandfather was a hard working Navy man. But because of the color of his skin, he was offered only labor work when he returned home from WW11. He swore that he would never work with his hands after he worked in a cotton field for less then an hour, and he never did again. He went on to receive several degrees, and became a businessman, real estate to be exact. You would look down on this man, and say that he is still less then. No, not because of the color of his skin, but because he had the nerve to be emotional enough to want something better. To this, you would call “Nouevau Riche”, and would say it as though it was some sort of sin. He wasn’t a flashy man. He did not have a diamond incrusted Rolex, gold teeth in his mouth, or rings on all his fingers. He helped the poor in his area, wore a Timex during the week, and a Hamilton on Sundays, which I’m wearing to this very day. He was a soft-spoken man, with a big heart. However, to you because he was black, he could not help the burst of emotions he had in him because it was in his breeding. Never mind the fact that, I never not once in my life time ever heard the man yell at anyone, curse at anyone, or even raise his voice at anyone in anger. And he was a man of “unwavering standards.” Hum, it must have been that white blood in him. And you know I wonder how he got that white blood in him in the first place?
I'm sure that Fonzworth's wardrobe is worth more money than any of ours, and if you saw it you would be in awe. I think this is what Richard is referring to, not the man's (terrible) music.
Would you expect anything less from an Atlanta boy? Enough said.
I am a big fan of his video's ...Bentley has appeared in several music videos, such as Usher's "Yeah", P. Diddy's "D.I.D.D.Y." and "I Need A Girl (Part Two)", Slum Village's "Selfish", OutKast's "The Way You Move" and "Roses", as well as UGK and Outkast's "International Player's Anthem". He made a brief appearance in the music video for "Grammy Family", by West, DJ Khaled, John Legend and Consequence.
In August 2006, Bentley was featured in Sprite's Sublymonal campaign.
Although his debut album, C.O.L.O.U.R.S., was originally scheduled to be released in 2007,[3] it was released via iTunes on April 26, 2011.[4]
He was also featured, playing the violin in the "Yes We Can" music video in support of Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.
It's not all about looks with him, he is very talented and smart too.
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