Posted on 02/28/2014 8:39:43 AM PST by jimbo123
Spike Lee’s obscenity-filled tirade about the gentrification of inner-city neighborhoods — caught on tape and posted online in all its mother-effing glory — perfectly captured the bitterness, confusion and circular logic that sends most conversations about New York’s ever-changing neighborhoods down a blind alley.
Lee’s torrent of cussing and complaints mostly focused on how well-heeled white newcomers have allegedly ruined Fort Greene, where he grew up. Much of what he said was hilarious (“Have you seen Fort Greene Park in the morning? It’s like the mother-effing Westminster Dog Show!”). But some of it was downright offensive (“You can’t just come in the neighborhood and start bogarting and say, like you’re mother-effing Columbus and kill off the Native Americans.”)
It’s the sacred right of every New Yorker to bewail, blame and bemoan the arrival of the folks who arrive in the neighborhood five minutes after we do, but somebody has to call bull on Lee’s complaints about gentrification. This is a man who has made epic contributions to the phenomenon he finds so troubling. Start with Hatch House, Lee’s 9,000-square-foot palace on East 63rd Street — complete with internal courtyard — which he bought from artist Jasper Johns for $16 million in 2006 and recently put on the market with an asking price of $32 million. My friends in nearby Yorkville have been gnashing their teeth for years, complaining about how rents have risen to insane levels, thanks in part to owners buying and flipping high-end properties.
(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...
This was a good article thanks for posting it and thanks to the author for setting the record straight as to just who it was who gentrified Ft. Greene.
Spike ain’t authentic no mo.....
Spike, Do the Right thing.....
Spike Lee’s Upper East Side mansion hits market at $32 million
The Brooklyn-bred filmmaker bought the 9,000-square-foot townhouse from artist Jasper Johns in 2000 for $16 million. Also known as the Hatch House, the five-bedroom home on E. 63rd St. was designed by Frederick Sterner in 1916.
Does anybody pay any attention to that sawed off loudmouth? I watched a couple of his movies and can’t remember a thing about them that impressed me. I thought the only reason he was lauded was he was the first black director, sorta like the present resident of 1600 Penn. Ave. With all the names the resident has, how is his mailed addressed? Might end the birther debate once and for all if we knew how Soros addresses his check.
Good news is that Spike Lee is having to sell off his mansions to white folk because no one will give him money to make movies any more. So it’s clear he can’t afford the property taxes and maintenance charges any more because he doesn’t have any more money coming in.
Will he move back to Fort Greene after the downsizing?
I have always thought that Spike Lee was the same as the African who caught other Africans for the slaves traders. He cashes in on telling blacks that they should stay true to their victim status while he lives in multimillion dollar homes and his kids are limo’d back and forth to school.
Typical “rules for thee but not for me” liberal. Lee can buy houses in the neighborhood, renovate them and sell them for double the price in a couple years but if anyone else does, they are selling out to the White Man.
His latest movie flop:
Oldboy (2013 film)
Budget $30 million
Box office $4,861,022
Box office
The film grossed $850,000 in its first five days, one of the weakest Thanksgiving openings of all time, according to Variety. It opened in 17th place at the box office, and so far has received a worldwide gross of $4,861,022, making it a box office bomb.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldboy_(2013_film)
Spike, the turd with teeth.
Right, so for him it is OK that his property doubled in value in 14 years.
But for everybody else: stay in the ghetto and be picturesque for me.
Spike Lee: self-hating white liberal. Who knew?
Lee has cash flow problems.
Barbara Rutherford Hatch House 32’ Wide
Luxury Homes and Real Estate // New York City Real Estate // Homes for Sale // New York Townhouse
New York, NY, United States
$32,000,000
tax (annual): $65,304
http://www.sothebyshomes.com/nyc/sales/0019184
Nice house, unusual.
If I ever hit mega lotto I’d love to buy a house in manhattan, in Gramercy Park preferably. I’d love to hang out in the Park with the statue of Edwin Booth.
IIRC, Brooklyn was predominately a white borough long before Spike was there.
Spike Lee’s 15 minutes of fame is 16 minutes to long...
IIRC, Spike Lee was from a fairly comfortable professional family. He adopted the ghetto persona because it sold better. Kinda like Obama.
And what did the residents of Fort Greene generally look like before Spike Lee’s family and those that look like them moved in?
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