It’s no secret that things are rough out there these days, and every day they seem to get even worse. The real secret lies in finding ways to cope and persevere.
I’ve developed several coping mechanisms, and one of them is getting some of my news from late night TV shows. Good humor is based on truth, and there’s a lot of truth, wit, and wisdom to be had these days thanks to talented comedians and writers.
Jordan Klepper from the Daily Show is an American treasure and his delivery of the Afroman court saga was one of the best pieces of news I’ve heard in a long time.
Afroman is a rap singer whose home was broken into, damaged, and ransacked by sheriffs. His family was traumatized, his home damaged, his money stolen. No charges were ever filed.
There were many ways he could have expressed his justifiable outrage at what the authorities did to him, but instead, he chose to turn the experience into art.
He wrote multiple songs about the incident and used footage of the raid from his home security cameras in music videos.
Afroman’s voice makes me think of cool breezes on warm days and you can hear his smile as he sings. It makes for a fun and uplifting experience.
My favorite song and video are Lemon Pound Cake. The sight of the twenty-somethings in the video singing at the top of their lungs about lemon pound cake gave me the best laugh I’ve had in more than a year.
The officers captured in the video were not amused. They sued Afroman and the case went to court. In March of 2026, Afroman won his suit and declared that the win wasn’t his, it was a victory for America and freedom of speech.
He’s right. As the brilliant and incredibly talented Marsh Family pointed out in their song Freedom of Speech, the right to free speech in America is under threat.
I clung to Afroman’s victory story and after singing the song and watching the video multiple times, there was nothing left to do but bake a lemon pound cake, a delicious and fitting tribute to Afroman and his glorious triumph.
Each new day continues to bring fresh outrages and challenges, and there are days when I find it hard to laugh and difficult to sing. On those days, I think about the courage and persistence of my fellow Americans, and in the case of the artists, musicians, writers, and performers, their talents and the way they uplift and sustain us. I think of Afroman and remind myself that sometimes when life hands you lemons, it’s good to make lemon pound cake.
Hang in there everyone, and thanks for reading.
Eileen Blake
