At the risk of sounding like a bandwagoner, Jennifer Hudson really was my all time favorite American Idol contestant (pre-BShorty, naturally). Her rendition of the Manilow’s “Weekend in New England”? The tears never seemed to stop. Though my deep-seated fear of musicals kept me from ever seeing Dreamgirls, I’m sure she rocked it out, and I’m happy for all the success it’s given her. I just wish that with this rare second shot at fame and praise pouring in from almost every outlet imaginable, she’d be a little more discriminating about the direction of career.
Costarring in the Sex and the City film (which we can all agree is disgusting enough on its own) will certainly offer Hudson increased exposure – people won’t shut up about it and it hasn’t even begun filming – but is it really necessary for her to be cast as an assistant? Playing a gopher for the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker isn’t just a step backwards, it’s the 21st century equivalent to Scarlett O’Hara’s Mammy. Hattie McDaniel’s landmark Oscar win in 1940 for Gone with the Wind laid the groundwork for actresses like Hudson, so I would imagine the fact that busty black women are still being relegated to the same submissive side-kick roles nearly 70 years later has her spinning in her grave.
To make matters worse, a little googling reveals that Hudson is apparently a crazy MySpace exhibitionist – with five pages of unflattering webcam photos. Does she even have a publicist? Famous Jennifer Hudson isn’t at all how I had imagined it.