First Michael Richards, and then some US radio guy I've never heard of. They publicly make racist remarks, and then when they're called on it say (entre autres) "I'm not a racist."
But you know what? If you're not racist, those thoughts don't even occur to you. Really. They just aren't in your active vocabulary. When your brain reaches for something to say, even in anger, they aren't in the pool of things to choose from.
7 comments:
I don't completely agree.
Both Richards and Imus were trying to be funny. They are (allegedly) entertainers. A lot of humor is technically racist, sexist, anti-religion, etc. Not all jokes are good jokes, not all material meant to be funny is funny at all.
I'm not sure why there is such uproar when a comedian who is trying to be edgy or irreverent says something not particularly funny and not respectful. Or why anyone is offended when a "shock jock" says something shocking.
Richards didn't sound like he was trying to be funny to me. His delivery etc. sounded like anger/rage to me. This other guy who I keep wanting to call Emu, I don't know anything about him, I was just struck by the similarity to the Richards situation.
But just because someone is deliberately trying to be offensive for...whatever their reason is (I haven't figured that out yet) doesn't mean it's not offensive. That's like when a kid is bullied and the grownups say "He's just trying to get a reaction," completely disregarding the fact that the victim is being assaulted/harassed/etc.
I think Richards was trying to be outrageous, same as Imus. Despite their subsequent and politically correct apologies, I think both comments were intentional and part of an act. I think that makes them inconsistently funny comedians, not necessarily racists.
As for "doesn't mean it's not offensive," that's kind of the point. It's meant to be offensive. South Park (especially) and Family Guy and many comics are deliberately offensive. The whole point of their show/act is to be offensive and insulting and shocking. You don't see Trey Parker and Matt Stone fired for being deliberately offensive. You don't see about 90 percent of rappers, black or white, losing their recording contracts for being deliberately offensive.
I think this is different than the playground bully. No one asks the bully to assault or harass anyone.
Richards, Imus, South Park, rappers, are just giving the audience what is expected of them. Richards was pretty much a non-entity after Seinfeld. A lot of people didn't know who Imus was before last week. They both have received a lot of attention now, which is exactly what they want. When they don't get noticed, that's when they're in trouble.
"Richards didn't sound like he was trying to be funny to me. His delivery etc. sounded like anger/rage to me."
You're right. He was not trying to be funny. It was not part of his routine, if you recall.
"Richards, Imus, South Park, rappers, are just giving the audience what is expected of them. Richards was pretty much a non-entity after Seinfeld."
Big difference here, tho. Richards melted down to a heckler. Imus was doing his usual shtick.
"A lot of people didn't know who Imus was before last week."
He's incredibly famous. I understand that may not be the case in Canada, but he's one of the most famous names in radio. He's probably the only radio personality whose face I could instantly recognize, and I don't even listen to the radio. His voice is also instantly recognizable to tens of millions of people.
He's way past the "shock jock" mode. He's just Imus, and he's racist.
Hi again, I just wanted to pass on this excellent column about public racist remarks, public apologies, and such.
Regarding Michael Richards, I thought from about the first time I saw it that his rant was pre-conceived and staged. I think cellphone guy was there to record it and send it to TMZ from the get-go. He barely has the remark out and he says "you see, this shocks you!" That is what he was trying to do. It was a bit. "Oh, Michael Richards, that crazy racist, did you see how he went off?" It was a "no-publicity is bad publicity" stunt and it worked pretty well from that perspective. Believe what you want, I think it was a "bit" and part of his act.
As for Imus, you really think he's racist? Racism has to contain purposeful malice. I don't think Imus thinks or cares enough about women's basketball to have malice toward the Rutgers team. He is an entertainer who is sometimes serious but also quite often uses offensive phrasing that is seemingly racist, sexist, etc. He's no different than Howard Stern or Chris Rock or Sarah Silverman or just about any rap star you care to name. CBS Radio and MSNBC and Imus' advertisers surely knew that long ago. They used to make money off this persona and now they bend to political correctness and fire him. The NY Times piece posted is correct: they are all hypocrites. Imus is just the latest guy to be made an example by the PC police. It's absurd.
Just wanted to share the best take I've seen on the topic and then I'll let it go:
Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star is absolutely spot on, IMO.
http://www.kansascity.com/182/story/66339.html
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