Why Were the Emmys Not ‘Racist’?
by John ZieglerI am no fan of awards shows. To me, it is one of the strongest proofs of the weakness of our society that the endeavor to which we give the most prominent and glamorous honors is that of movie and television “acting” (or, to paraphrase Jerry Seinfeld, “Saying what someone else told you to say”).
I also abhor false or frivolous claims of racism. Of course, according to the media, the end of this scourge was supposed to be of the many dividends of making Barack Obama President, but those of us on the right certainly know this has so far turned out to be one of many lies we were told during the 2008 campaign.
Why mention two concepts with apparently nothing in common except my antipathy for them? The reason is that as I found myself watching the Emmy broadcast (I wasn’t that into the football game and Entourage hadn’t started yet) when it suddenly occurred to me that, based on liberal Hollywood’s definition of racism, I was witnessing an event that was barely one notch above a meeting of the Ku Klux Klan.
This offensive truth first hit me when they showed the crowd via a wide shot from the Los Angeles stage. I hit pause on my DVR and a comprehensive scan of the audience revealed that it resembled a film newsreel from the early 60’s (appropriate, I guess, since Mad Men won best drama) with row after row of skin pigmentation-challenged faces. I literally haven’t seen such a Caucasian dominant crowd in LA since I attended the USC/Texas Rose Bowl a couple of years ago.
But it wasn’t just those in attendance who were lacking this century’s greatest virtue: diversity. The host was white. All of the presenters I saw were white. Those who were nominated were almost all white. And Caucasians completely dominated the winner’s circle. Heck, even the guy who used to play the “White Shadow” won one.
But the overt “racism” didn’t stop there. Tracy Morgan, arguably the most prominent black nominee, plays a character on 30 Rock that is easily among the most dangerously stereotyped black roles in modern television (I guess since the show’s two real stars, Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin, are hardcore liberals, this is not relevant). If that wasn’t enough, the black person who got by far the most attention during the telecast was Kayne West, and that was because he was being made fun of all night.
And yet despite the Nokia Theater being transformed into the liberal caricature of the Republican Convention (except with Tina Fey being honored instead of Sarah Palin), absolutely NOTHING has been said about this obvious and, based on what we have constantly been taught, horrifying development. I have Googled all sorts of combinations of the words “racism, black, white, and EMMY awards” and not even one mention of Al Sharpton or Jessie Jackson comes up.
At first glance this all may seem to be cause for celebration. Perhaps we really have turned a racial corner in this country and inequality of outcome is no longer seen as automatic proof of inequality of opportunity. Maybe it is even now okay for whites like me to beam in pride at my race’s ability to finally kick ass again in something “important” now that we have ceded even golf to the Cablinasians.
But I actually think there is something very seriously wrong going on here. What was showcased last night was less Hollywood’s “good old boy” network at work, and more the ramifications of over a decade now of massive fragmentation within the television media.
In the Golden Age of television (the 70’s and 80’s) there were only four or five channels and the networks were forced to broadcast. Now there are hundreds of channels and television has become all about narrowcasting to an economically preferred demographic (which, for the major networks, is apparently mostly made up of white people). So instead of Good Times, Sanford and Son, or The Jeffersons airing on major networks with big budgets and automatic mainstream audiences, the fragmentation has created a self-segregation phenomenon that is only surpassed by the dramatic racial disparity in religious worship. There is still plenty of “black” television programming; it is now just on channels that mostly only other black people watch.
To me this is a sad and dangerous development. Television used to be the ultimate uniter and now has become the definitive divider of our culture. The major networks used to create a de facto “team photo” of our nation which (after a slow start) eventually included everyone in the picture. Now, each race, gender, and age group has their own “team” and tends to watch programming that is built to only appeal to them. In short, we end up living in very different realities with almost nothing in common (this same ominous trend can of course be seen in news coverage with the advent of cable news networks with obvious political leanings).
While this modern reality has its advantages (HBO’s non-Bill Maher original programming and The Golf Channel immediately come to mind), there seems to be little doubt that it is a net loss to the strength of the fabric of our country. What is most surprising however is that no one seems to be noticing it, even when the evidence is as black and white as it was Emmy night.
[ed. note: In a scheduling reshuffle this piece accidentally published for a few minutes last week.]
Email this to a friend | Print |
Share on Facebook
| Tweet this
| 
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS
Got a Tip?
83 Comments
Apropos that the television industry (which derived its power and money from illusion) is a microcosm of liberal America in that they are the true racists, fooling minorities into thinking they have their backs when in fact they are only using racial division for political gain.
I grew up on TV of the 60s and 70s. I thought Greg Morris was by far the coolest member of the Mission Impossible team. I watched Bill Cosby before he had a family of 5, when he was just a gym teacher and basketball coach. I saw Lloyd Haines play a teacher in Room 222, Diahann Carroll play a nurse in Julia, Clarence Willams III play an undercover cop in Mod Squad, and Ted Lange play a hip bartender in Love Boat. Benson was the Governor (after he was the wise-ass butler on SOAP), George Jefferson made a killing in dry cleaning, and Tootie was the cute kid with braces on Facts of Life. And you know what, with the exception of the Jeffersons and Julia (which played up the race issue), I didn't see these actors and actresses as "black", I saw them as characters in the show.
It seems that "diversity" has brought us far more black stereotypes–pimps, drug lords, gang members–as well as angry doctors, bitchy "girlfriends", cross-dressing men, and characters with a built-in chip on their shoulder.
I miss the old days when black actors got roles because they were good actors, not because they were filling a diversity quotient.
It does not surprise me that you and I enjoy many of the same things and tend to think alike (see Entourage, The Golf Channel and non Bill Maher HBO programming.) I think one of the reasons there was no mention of racism at the emmys is that the term is more of a political tool now than anything else. Hence, you would never see such criticism of Hollywood since, ahem, they are liberals, a.k.a. "the good guys."
I do believe it actually is a good thing we have so much more diversity of programming. The very best stuff still brings a huge audience.
Of course it isn't racism, racism is defined by "liberals" Despite being a post-racial society, there are more forms of racism today and racism is on the rise, because the very definition of racism is fluid. If the defination of racism is more inclusive, including actions by conservatives, especially when criticizing a black man, then there is more racism. There has to be more racism. Never mind the fact black conservative criticize black "liberals", in the same manner as white conservatives. What I haven't figured out is why the Bill Maher's who chastise Pres Obama for not being far enough left, aren't racists. Except maybe by definition (remember, they get to define this stuff) left can't be racist. Just as they define "liberal" and "progressive", but ignore the word "statist"
"Racism" is the libtard chant when they know that the REAL Americans (the conservative ones) are winning in every argumentable category. If you're against the socialist/communist policies of Pres. Opompous….well then, YOU must be a racist!
Hey Mom! Look at me! Today I am a racist!
[...] News Sources wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptI am no fan of awards shows . To me, it is one of the strongest proofs of the weakness of our society that the endeavor to which we give the most prominent and glamorous honors is that of movie and television “acting” (or, to paraphrase Jerry Seinfeld, “Saying what someone else told you to say”). I also abhor false or frivolous claims of racism. Of course, according to the media, the end of this scourge was supposed to be of the many dividends of making Barack Obama President, but those [...]
Excellent article with great insight. I find it equally amazing that Tina Fey could make some snazzy coin off the back of someone she dislikes. Leave it to a Conservative politician to save the failing career of a one dimensional "comedian / actor".
Here is another segregation result of liberal diversity– schools. We have charter and public schools with only one ethnic minority by design. Sure, they cater to the new immigrants and have their curriculum reflect the Hmong, Somali, etc. holidays and not America's but does this help integration? I think not but progressives stress you must be proud of your heritage unless you are white.
I think mine, as well as of all decent people, love of "Cosby Show" was predicated on inherent desire to believe that all people are equal. Before "Cosby Show," and as the matter of fact, aftermath of it, African-Americans had been pictured either with good or bad ethnic humor or only in ethnic ambience. Cosby was first to show that Black families are not different from Whites: the same problems, the same joys. It was very uplifting and uniting.
[...] Read the original post: Why Were the Emmys Not ‘Racist’? [...]
Seems to me you're forgetting Jimmy "Dynomite!" Walker, Flip "Here Comes Da Judge" Wilson, Rerun & Company from "That's My Mama," etc. I don't have anything against these performers, I just think you've got your rose-colored glasses on if you think there weren't self-consciously black characters on the networks during that time period (or maybe I've misunderstood your point?).
They certainly weren't stereotypes (although Redd Foxx in Sanford & Son came distastefully close), but it was pretty hard to miss the fact that they were black–sometimes militantly so.
I think things are much better and much healthier today. There's not much "Us and Them" left on TV. For the most part, blacks on television have assimilated into the mainstream of society and no one thinks much about it any more.
It seems to me you're making an argument for the NEA and public television, John, if private enterprise and the profit motive tend to produce the fragmentation you decry.
Eh… it's like I have been saying and I will say until my last breath… The Liberals that cry racism are closet racists that are projecting their own fears and shortcomings onto other people… Yes, there is still racism in this country, but I believe that most of it comes from the liberals that would rather fill a "diversity" quota instead of chosing people based on their abilities and character.
Well we all know that "celebrities" are hypocrites. ie. THEY can be racist but how DARE the common people be also.
"There is still plenty of “black” television programming; it is now just on channels that mostly only other black people watch."
I noticed this happened with pop music, too. If you listen to a Casey Kasem Top 40 countdown from the 80s, you will hear R&B next to rock next to country cross-over next to hip-hop and back to rock. Dance music didn't have colors–when "Borderline" was released no one knew if Madonna was black or white until she went on TV.
Then Snoop Dawg and Garth Brooks re-polarized popular music on racial lines (for the record, I hate them both). Now there's 37 different Billboard charts…
Bravo. I like the idea of throwing rocks back at those who live in glass houses. More!
Remember that in the 70s we were much closer to the civil rights movement than we are today. Liberal Hollywood jumped on the bandwagon, after initial resistance, and engaged in "bold experiments" with shows featuring – even starring – black people. It was new, it was hip, it was cutting-edge. It was the thing to do. Remember there was also a spate of shows with a strong feminist element back then: MTM, Maude, One Day at a Time, Alice, etc. Hollywood was doing what it very often does: "reflecting society."
Today, these movements are just history to most people. Cutting-edge now is about breaking rules of propriety, challenging taboos, "pushing the envelope" of what used to be called "decency" and "decorum." I don't know why this is the case, other than the 60s/70s urge to change society running out of steam.
Re. your Tracy Morgan stereotyped character" comment: since his character is loosely based on Martin Lawrece (when he acted crazy offscreen) and Morgan himself (not much of a stretch from Tracy "Jordan" to "Morgan" when you think about it, what does it say about them as "real" people? Point well made otherwise…
Hollywood, guilty of racism, sexism, ageism, anti-unionism, excess profitism, anti-environmentalism, (I am sure there are more).
The definition of racism isn't fluid, one who judges others primarily based on race. What's fluid is the moderne liberal definition of racism.
Currently that would be any one who disagrees with them. Since they can't defend their ideology based upon facts, reason or logic, their goal is to cut off the debate before it begins. And every one knows racism is bad, so there fore, there's no reason to debate a racist. Ergo, who ever doesn't agree with them must be a racist, and conversation is over.
Don't let them get away with it. of course they will only scream louder and make even more coarse insults, but still, do not let them get away with it.
I'd love to strap a white lib to a polygraph and ask them if they think blacks are inferior to whites.
While I got-em, I'd ask if they'd have a problem if their child married an Af.Am.
If the definition of "post-racial" means color does not matter, then this should not be an issue. But the evidence of racism by liberal theology (yes, that word) is based in "quota system" concepts, count heads and the percentages are the evidence. So by the liberal religion the way to stop race from being an issue is to keep race being an issue.
And lefties complain about Christians believing in the non-logical, go figure.
A few years ago I occasionally flipped over to BET during commercial breaks on Fox News. Racist black so called comedians were continuously doing "white people" jokes. Although the jokes were not virulently racist – this shows just what hypocritical blacks think/tolerate. Imagine the screeching if white comedians did "black people" jokes on TV.
Blacks are, generally speaking, vastly more 'racial' than whites are and the race card is all too frequently used to try and intimidate or excuse appallling, corrupt or even criminal behaviour. Happily whites have largely moved on from the old hateful racist attitudes. Certainly any whites stupid enough to make 'racist' comments/quips get instantly hammered by hectoring liberal thought police and the racial spoils crowd.
There have been some superb black characters and puerto rican type characters on TV shows. NYPD Blue and HIll St Blues arguably being the best examples. The Cosby Show swiftly became just preachy repetitive junk. Just look at "black" shows and black movies, invariably we get little more than shallow, populist drivel with stereotypes and crude/sexist/violent plots and persona's to match. Most black hippety hop videos are as mindless and crude/aggressive/sexist as it gets.
There are few really outstanding black actors. M Freeman, D Washington, S Poitier, James Earl Jones are the best four.. With L Fishburne and D Lindo and a few others of similar standing/ability very competently filling in many character roles. But the likes of C Rock and W Smith, M Lawrence etc are appalling and quiet talentless. I can't think of one black female actress of real depth/ability, capable of carrying a film like P Newman, C Eastwood, M Caine, B Willis, K Costner, De Niro, Pacino, T Hanks etc would. Its mainly female black singers using their fame to get parts based on their supposed bankability that end up on the silver screen. Whoopi Goldberg – the only "star" black female I can think of unprompted – is truly awful and thankfully has given up making such demanding classics as Sister Act and other dire so called comedies. ER swiftly became dreadful, ridiculously leftist and very preachy and the black wimmin and the white wimmin in ER were hardly on the level of K Hepburn, E Thompson or M Streep etc.
I watch little if any network TV today, so maybe I have missed out on up coming talent (of all colours). But the reason I have NOT watched network TV is because of the appalling unoriginality and glib/slickness of the oft repeated generic bollux they keep on spewing out.
I've always looked at actors as adults who get far too much money to play "Let's Pretend." On Emmy night, it was "Let's Pretend There's No Racism Even Though No Other Races Are In Attendance." GACK!
As John says, I, too, abhor award shows. I view those as just another trophy give-away for those who couldn't earn them during their school years.
The diversity movement has done nothing more than to tribalize America.
I grew up in Rhode Island and am not well traveled at all. I took a bus to California the summer after graduating from high school (1977) and spent about 3 weeks visiting a friend there. I lived in New Hampshire for 5 years and went to Raleigh NC on business a few times in the late 1980's. I've been to Florida on vacation, driving non-stop with a friend. Being white, I guess I never paid much attention to black people, or anyone much for that matter. I always knew racism was there, but I never really saw it myself. But I wouldn't because I'm white.
Then I took my grandmother to Washington DC in the mid 1990's. Nana was in her 80's by then and it was one place she longed to see. She could trace her roots back to the Mayflower and she always wanted to see The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution. So one July we took the train from Providence and went.
I learned two things: NEVER go to Washington DC on vacation in July, and Washington DC was the most segregated place I had ever seen. I was absolutely shocked at the blatant racist segregation in that city. This was around 1993-1995, so maybe a lot has changed in the last 15 years, but when I went there with my grandmother I could not believe what I saw.
Everyone below the "rank" of doorman was black. Every cab driver. Every maid. Every cafeteria worker. Every janitor. Everyone above the rank of doorman was white. Every doorman. Every clerk behind the counter of the hotel. Every waiter and waitress in sit down restaurants.
Washington DC is the only place I've ever seen such blatant discrimination.
H Berry is dreadful. She cannot act. She's just there for her looks, which are obviously fading now. She's as wooden as they come.
Award shows are worthless liberal backslapping fests – at least the Bush Derangement Syndrome is now ceasing.
White liberal racism is always hilarious to behold. Even more hilarious is that they simply don't get it … because they are always so "well intentioned" – even though white liberals are far more bigoted and exclusionary than white Hollywood conservatives.
Most white shows/comedians are junk as well (don't get me started on Friends and Dane Cook)…
With the exception of H Berry being good awful I would agree with everything you've said. She is no great talent mind you but I'd rather her than T Fey but none the less your comments are very insightful and unfortunately true. Liberals are killing the goose that laid the golden egg with their bigotry and arrogance. Their only true concerns are gay rights, because they own hollywood and abortions on demand.
I agree completely. White TV is mostly garbage too. But this thread was (to me) about blacks on TV, and their being ignored. My point was that there really are few if any blacks on TV that are worth watching. Who is Dane Cook?
I detest celebutards of all colours.
Flip Wilson was a comedian who did out-there comedy that my WWII vet, Republican dad howled at…not because Flip Wilson was black but because he was funny. Can't say the same about most black comedians these days…it's all rage and expletives and very little humor. Never cared for Fred Sandford, but I didn't like Archie Bunker either…both were played over the top to "make a point." Ironically, I'd never heard most of the ethnic slurs Archie tossed about until I watched All in the Family.
I think there's still a lot of "Us and Them". The joke about Friends was how come six young professionals never came in contact with a black person in New York City? The "black comedies" seem pretty devoid of white characters. I prefer my characters color-neutral (could be played by a white, Native American, black, Hispanic, Asian, or human-speaking Martian). A little backstory is fine, but when it's all about rage from growing up in the 'Hood, talk about "my people" (whoever they are), and such, it detracts from the storytelling and puts an unnecessary spotlight on the ethnicity of the character.
T Fey is a smug, intellectually dishonest feminazi. Palin made some very naive mistakes and she was pounded for them – disproportionately. I voted for Palin but NOT McLiar. Palin is kind a lightweight but at least she is genuine and was disgustingly hounded out of office by leftist scumbags abusing the gotcha system of ethics complaints.
Berry really is appalling. And her very predictable racial bollux at the oscars was quite repugnant.
This excellent article raises many important issues which I hope other writers here will tackle. I have long thought that Leftist obsession with racism was a manifestation of the inner workings of their own minds projected onto others. Perhaps the election of the post-racial president has allowed the mask to slip and we will see them in their true colours as the heirs to their segregationist forebears.
Over here in England, it is actually remarkable how almost all the multiculturalists live in exclusively white areas. The liberal elite is encamped in the most leafy affluent parts of London where very few ethnic minorities live. Indeed, travelling through these parts is like taking a trip in a time machine back to England of 50 or more years ago. Yet these privileged people are the most ardent in imposing mass immigration on the poorer parts of the country where its effects are disproportionately felt then branding anyone as racist who complains.
It's absolutely true that White Liberalism is based entirely on the superiority complex of those white liberals involved. Just look at all the lame Hollywood Films (and TV movies) where the educated white liberal goes to the "ghetto" school to "educate and civilize” those black savages. "Thank you white Massa!" It was already so much of a cliché back in 1967 that it was turned on it's head with "To Sir With Love," but white liberals aren't smart enough to see the irony – or get the joke.
When a black man or woman rejects the mantra that blacks "owe" white liberals, then liberal racism rears its ugly head. Take Clarence Thomas; "If it wasn't for us white liberals, you would have never had an education, you ungrateful Boy!"
Look at the way the liberal press shills for and worships Obama. It's as if their entire plan was to "give the black kid a chance."
(more)
(con't)
As for liberal commentators, Maureen Dowd called Obama "Boy" and Bill Maher said Michelle Obama was "Hoein in the garden." These thoughts come from deep in THEIR minds, but they cover up by "pretending" they are channeling Republicans. Nonsense!
Liberals see blacks as nothing more than modern slaves. As long as their warm bodies keep them in power by pulling the lever for Democrat, blacks will remain "in their place" and never realize their full potential as equal citizens. Vote Republican – “REAL" change you can believe in!
Gail Fisher as Peggy. Mannix. oh, and Toby.
You know, back when Grey's Anatomy was still watchable (i.e., the first season or two), they got a lot of attention for their racially diverse cast. It was so funny to me that until it was pointed out to me repeatedly in the press, I hadn't even noticed. It didn't occur to me that it was supposed to be something special, because I didn't see the black and Asian doctors, I just saw the doctors.
I think, if certain political parties and their minions would stop pointing things like that out all the time, it'd do wonders for the "racial divide" in this country. Having spent most of my life in what is arguably the most conservative state in the union, a state that is often named as being full of racists, I can honestly say that I've only ever met two people in my entire life that I would consider racist. It's just not something that's very common in the mainstream of this country anymore.
Hilarious to read all you white people talking about "racism."
Have you taken the "Facebook" poll on whether or not Obama should be killed?
My opinion – There are African American (all Black) TV stations (with very few caucasian) and African American beauty pagents (all Black) but Black females still participate and win regular old pagents too. Also, its very clear to all unless your blind that ALL other TV stations they too have Black programs and plenty of Black actors working on all programs. TV stations have many black faces. However I do find it interesting that I do not see an all caucasian network. Why? Doesnt equal really mean equal?
Just my opinion….
consider yourself lucky if you haven't come across the "comedy" of Stain Cook…
I wasn't even aware there was a Facebook poll on whether or not Obama should be killed. The fact that you are, and that you're using it to attack people who said nothing at all about Obama, or anything at all hateful about black people, says much more about you than it does about us.
And what makes you think we're all white people? There are a lot of black, Hispanic and Asian conservatives too, you know. Isn't that judging people based on the color you think their skin is? Wouldn't that be classified as racist by your liberal friends?
WHO takes Facebook polls seriously? who would even mention a 'Facebook' poll?
i looked for the poll on Facebook on whether or not Obama should be killed…couldn't find it. i DID see one for "which Entourage character do you resemble most"? and one for "do you think David Ehrenstein is cool"?
Hilarious, but the only people who talk about hurting Obama are white LIBERALS, especially the MSNBC crowd. The Secret Service should be aware of this attempt at misdirection and keep an eye on ALL Leftist Groups. Like Lee Harvey Oswald, a Marxist will be the one who tries something, and like JFK, the media will attempt to cover for him and blame the right.
Once a Libtard runs out of words, they yell racist so you will stop asking questions.
Two crucial truths must be recognized in any free society. Inequality is the natural state of affairs in the real world. For the most part, people and other life forms gravitate to their own ethnic, scoial, economic, and political kind. Only authoritarian or totalitarian societies and Governments can end those universal states.
The Emmies and fragmentation of TV programming/viewership illustrates those universal truths.
I am glad to see collectivism fail, and nowhere is that clearer than the recent trend to ridicule and ignore the cudgel of conformity that "racist" and "racism" have become in this age of Political Correctness (Chairman
Mao's conduct and thought control program in the "Cultural Revolution).
Liberty by definition is "unequal", and requires "freedom of association".
I agree with everything you say, Heather, except the Madonna comment. Borderline is strictly white bread bubblegum and there is no mistaking Madonna's ethnicity (even if she is from Michigan and NOT England).____On the other hand, Rick Astley…
I agree with everything you say, Heather, except the Madonna comment. Borderline is strictly white bread bubblegum and there is no mistaking Madonna's ethnicity (even if she is from Michigan and NOT England).
On the other hand, Rick Astley…
"REAL Americans" voted for the most liberal Presidential candidate in the history of the United States after over a year of debating in "every argumentable (sic) category". If you are think that the majority of Americans favor the kind of "social conservatism" (or massive police state) that the Christian Taliban brought to the Republican Party then you are deluding yourself.
Most people in America, including myself, claim to be fiscal conservatives, but there are more and more people that are liberal or libertarian (less government interference) in our social lives. Republicans aren't winning that battle. In fact, the Republican Party is basically dead with only 23% of Americans identifying themselves as Republicans. Many people that used to proudly call themselves Republicans have jumped shipped in embarrassment at the party that doubled the national debt in the last 8 years. Now they call themselves "Independents" so they don't seem hypocritical at their tea parties when they protest budget deficits (since they were conspicuously absent over the last eight years).
Of course using words like "libtard" to refer to anyone that doesn't support Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, or Glenn Beck (none of whom have passed a single course in college) isn't helping the Republicans to endear themselves to independents.
I can think of a great black actress: Cicely Tyson. Whoopi Goldberg "pales" in comparison.
Why those questions? Do you think White Republicans would perform better under the same test?
Or do you believe that all white people, regardless of political affiliation and what they publicly profess, just automatically know they are superior to blacks? And all white folks "have a problem" when their kids marry blacks?
When Halle Berry gave her self-indulgent "Thanks to me, the door is now open for other black actresses," acceptance speech, I just wanted to scream:
"No, Halle, thanks to Bert Williams, Ethel Waters, Hattie McDaniel, Dorothy Dandridge, Diahann Carroll, and Diana Ross, the door has already been opened. You just walked through it, you ungrateful little snot!"
I don't think many people believe that we live in a completely post-racial society. There exist large populations of very racist folks. Even in my extended family, I have relatives that own a number of apartment buildings. They have told me on a number of occasions that they refuse to rent to any black person. They won't even check their credit, jobs, or references. I saw lots of e-mails of Obama turning the White House into a watermelon patch with buckets of KFC all around.
Here in my small Midwestern town, at the local bar/pool hall, they even use coded language to joke about any black person that walks in. They call them "Canadians" or "Mondays" and then laugh and say stuff like "Don't you hate Mondays, George?" or "I can't stand Canadians".
I don't think we (or any other country) will ever be "post-racial" in that race will never be a consideration when applying for credit, getting an apartment, getting a job, or anything else.
There was a TV show in the 70s that ran for five seasons. It had characters of all colors, all sizes, and it was (and still is) one of the funniest shows in existence. Nobody cared about the color of somebody else's skin. Everybody did their job as well as they could – or couldn't. There was only one "race" joke that I remember being used – and it was in reference to Paul Williams, fer crying out loud.
It was The Muppet Show.
Jaynie, I'm surprised that you didn't offer a hacksaw to those poor people who were 'chained' to their work areas. Get a grip already! I lived in the area for 10 years in the 80s and 90s, and those folks are doing just fine. I would even go on to say that our Federal gov't spend billions a year on DC residents to 'placate' them as you would call it. The per capita spending in DC is much greater than any other area in the country. Open your eyes please!
No Ehrenstein is a schmuck! 98% agree!
When we took our first trip to Martha's Vineyard, I noticed it was almost completely white, it's awash with liberal folks and celebrities. In Los Angeles, the libs live in segregated white areas (the few they have). The upper west side of New York is no mixed group either. But the article is right on, John. If Rev. Wright's 'church' is any indication, we have a substantial portion of a racial group so filled with contempt for whites, it's unnerving. Why white celebritwits took no notice to ol' Barry's place of worship escapes me.
Hmmmmm….if television were meant to be the great "uniter" of our culture, than our culture isn't worth saving.
I actually know of non-racists emmy's- the ones handed to the engineers! I didn't know about those emmy's, awarded in Las Vegas, until my dad won two emmy's for his engineering work on hgtv. He was, btw, a brilliant CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRAT!!!! (love the irony).
The reason I wasn't watching the Emmy's, since I also wasn't interested in the football game or that other show, is that I can get along perfectly well without watching any TV at all. But on principle, I agree. We would be a little better off if there were still a lot of people with congenital melanin deficiency syndrome watching Sanford and Son. We would also be better off if BET hadn't homogenized what Langston Hughes's Jesse B. Semple character called "Fifty eleven different kinds of Negroes in the U.S.A." into one way to "be black." I suggest that Fox channels demand a show on BET starring Alan Keyes, so more conservatives would watch, and Michael Moore gets a show on Fox sandwiched right after Sean Hannity. We keep this up, and we'll have the audience splattered across every channel. By the way, an older woman I know, who has a high epidermal melanin concentration, just loves a show I call Graceless Nancy, featuring a woman who strikes me as most likely the love child of Howard Stern and Phyllis Diller. By the way, where does Stern fit in on the liberal / conservative axis of evil anyway? Foul mouthed, so not a family values man, racist at times, but surely a "do your own thing" exponent in a big way.
I think I recently read something about the NAACP complaining about the "whiteness" of the Emmys?? On FoxNews.com
Well, having lived in DC for a couple of years 2000-2002, and still having friends I go back to visit, I would have to note that the level of pride and confidence among African Americans is relatively high there, because the entire middle level of the federal government is staffed by people with dark skin color. I don't mean janitors, I mean the people who run the departments and scrutinize the credit card usage and analyze reports. As far as I observed, there might be African Americans supervising building maintenance, but the guys mopping the floor were more likely from Guatemala. And frankly, there haven't been many people who choose to think of themselves as "white" in that town at all, outside of the government buildings in the daytime. I heard there were one or two "white" wards, but I'll be darned if I know where they are. No doubt it was hard to find good white help with those numbers. Things are changing though. Efforts to gentrify neighborhoods closest to the government buildings are raising property values through the roof, displacing the more impoverished residents into Prince George's County, MD, where what was the highest income county with an African American majority is now, in the areas near DC, becoming "the new ghetto," while some newly renovated DC neighborhoods are inhabited by "white" people. But no, the people who can afford those newly renovated buildings are not working as maids, whatever their color.
Some lefties ARE Christian. I think it was Michael Novak who paused in the middle of an essay on the pagan left attacking the Christian right, to note that there is also a pagan right and a Christian left. But let's be real about the definition of "post racial." If we were "post racial" we would not even be discussing this. It would not even be a question. The very term race would be so quaint and archaic that nobody would know what you are talking about. Getting to be "post racial" is like getting over the flue. Every day your symptoms are less and less, but you still notice them and measure how you are doing. Then three days after you get over it, you realize you've been well for a while, but can't say exactly when it ended.
Some lefties ARE Christian. I think it was Michael Novak who paused in the middle of an essay on the pagan left attacking the Christian right, to note that there is also a pagan right and a Christian left. But let's be real about the definition of "post racial." If we were "post racial" we would not even be discussing this. It would not even be a question. The very term race would be so quaint and archaic that nobody would know what you are talking about. Getting to be "post racial" is like getting over the flu. Every day your symptoms are less and less, but you still notice them and measure how you are doing. Then three days after you get over it, you realize you've been well for a while, but can't say exactly when it ended.
[...] Open thread: Obama on ObamaCare — even better the 800th time around John Ziegler, Big Hollywood: Why Were the Emmys Not ‘Racist’? Zena Crenshaw, Big Government: ACORN Scandal: Will Harshbarger Intervention Make or Break the [...]
@Liberal_Loather
Actually, I enjoyed the Cosby Show because it was funny and reflected the middle class neighborhood I grew up in. On top of that, the show's characters had friends and colleagues who weren't Black, which also was realistic.
These qualities explain why the Cosby Show was the most popular series among ALL Americans during the height of its popularity. The show also paved the way for NBC's ratings bonanza, Must See TV.
Angela Bassett is another great Black actress. She deserved the Oscar nod for "What's Love Got to Do With It?"
Talented black actresses exist, but steer clear of stereotypical roles dreamed up by White liberals.
I still remember Halle Berry when accepting her oscar a few years back and declaring this represents a bit of a break through for black actors. She thanked the commitee that chose her and the support from the folks in the industry how they were becoming color blind, the very same ones that found no black screen actors worthy of such an award and basically kept them from winning any in the past. White Libs giving mostly other white libs awards and black libs apparently praising them for it.
p { margin: 0; }
I agree. She's also 3 times more gorgeous than Halle Berry.
I really can't stand Tina Fey after she did that SNL skit about Palin. The sad part is I watched a street interview( forget what show) that went around asking liberals who voted for Obama about Sarah Palin. Most liberals thought Sarah Palin actually said what Tina Fey said in her skit. It was a very sad day. Tina Fey should jump off a bridge..
Exactly NoMo. If the definiton of racism is hating the Unaccomplished One's policies, then we are all racists. Don't let invective from the left end debate. Keep fighting for our nation & for our world.
No sim, I don't believe any of that is the case. Libs see racism everywhere through projection. They are racist, so how could you not be one? The same way cheap people think everyone else is cheap!!!!!!!
You certainly encounter many low lifes in your little town. I live in the NYC metro area with eighteen million people, and the only racism I encounter here is anti white. Oh, except for the black hatred of asians. And the black / latino cross hatreds.Ghettos (no matter the race of the inhabitants) are full of idiots, and idiots often spew racial nonsense. Travel a little. Most people are just people. Get used to it.
Here's the Seinfeld bit that John mentioned in his original post:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsoEJquVrDw
If I didn't know better, I would think Jerry belongs on Big Hollywood. More likely, however, is that he just really dislikes actors.
Yes Fred, it was funny for a few years, but LL is right. It became preachy after the black criticism of Cosby "acting white" reared it's ugly head. Oh and LL, I've never heard of Cook either. And my tv is on twelve hours a day. Marketing failure?
That's a nice Red Herring you brought to the discussion little Davy.
Your Facebook factoid is completely irrelevant to the discussion.
I know what you mean. When did we learn to pretend, kindergarden? My 5 & 8 year old nieces are better actresses than most coming out of Hollywood!
And Berry's only half black!
My wife and I (both white) were big fans of Everybody Hates Chris (which started out on the WB and was transferred to the CW). We noticed at least two things that relate to John's point:
1. When we would watch the commercials, we were surprised at how unfamiliar we were with the products and how most of the actors were black. It was definitely a much different environment than standard "white" tv.
2. Almost all of the other shows on the network that were advertised had predominately black casts.
We definitely felt like we were visiting someone else's neighborhood.
Your right I forgot about that.
I was born in the '80s and it's amazing to me that 85% of the country watched "Roots" when it was on TV. I don't think there's anything anymore that 85% of the country – or even, say, 45% of the country – watches. (Thought "Roots" was great, by the way.)
>>Once a Libtard runs out of words, they yell racist so you will stop asking questions.
doing a little projection there aren't you, mr. smellyfingers?
This is just one example of liberalism's balkanization of our entire society. As H.L. Mencken said, "The urge to save humanity is always a false front for the urge to rule it." One very good way to rule a people is to first dis-unite them and convince people that you are the only one able to unite them once again. That is the only point, that I see, in Obama's attempt to "fundamentally transform" America; tear it down and rebuild it- in his image, with all of us acting as his submissive sheep.
You must be logged in to post a comment.