A conservative comedian [yes, there are some], appears at a venue in a heavily-white suburb at a campaign event for a white candidate and tells his audience composed overwhelmingly of people of pallor they'd be embarrassed if they supported a black candidate and the white candidate won, saying "Oh no. I can't call him now. I had that black guy. What was I thinking?"
What are the odds the MSM would laugh it off?
But when Chris Rock does the equivalent on behalf of Barack Obama, the MSM raises nary an eyebrow. Rock appeared last night at an event for Barack Obama at Harlem's famed Apollo Theater and said:
"You'd be real embarrassed if he won and you wasn't down with it. You'd say, 'aw man, I can't call him now. I had that white lady. What was I thinking?'"
View video here.
So how did the Associated Press play it? Rather than focusing on Rock's statement, the headline of its article refers to incidents of anti-black racism: "Obama Deplores 'Jena Six,' Nooses." As for Chris Rock's line, the AP noted only that he "cracked up the audience with the evening's only direct reference to Hillary Rodham Clinton."
The Morning Joe crew was similarly unfazed. After playing the clip of Rock's line during the opening of today's show, either host Joe Scarborough or panelist Willie Geist [couldn't quite tell from the video] observed "that's funny." Perhaps experiencing a bit of a qualm, Scarborough added "kinda." But neither of the other panelists qualified their enthusiasm. "Chris Rock is a very funny man," said Willie Geist. "He's hilarious," enthused Mika Brzezinksi, erupting in the laughter caught in the screencap.
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Silly Mark....Don't you know nuttin'??
November 30, 2007 - 07:47 ET by OldSailor88It is impossible for a Democrat to be racist. They love everybody! Just ask Robert Byrd, David Duke, and Strom Thurmond.
Not that it matters
November 30, 2007 - 07:56 ET by sarcasmoSince I'm not a big fan of guilt by association, but IIRC Duke ran as a Republican against a Democrat crook named Edwards (thank God Louisiana had "strong" ballot access laws to "protect" those lucky voters from non-lizzard/non-wizzard choices, eh?).
JMR
Rally online with fans of Dr. Ron Paul.
Wasn't Thurmond a
November 30, 2007 - 08:42 ET by fosstenWasn't Thurmond a Republican as well? At least for the last 39 years of his career?
Forget 911, I dial 10MM.
Strom Thurmond
November 30, 2007 - 08:45 ET by Cool ArrowYeaqh, he spent his post-Dixiecrat years as a Republican with a Bill Clinton type secret.
All of you are correct.....
November 30, 2007 - 09:55 ET by OldSailor88But look beneath the surface. They were RINO at the end of their career just to win elections, but true DEMS in thier early career and in all of their actions.
Oh yeah.. Ms. Mika and
November 30, 2007 - 08:07 ET by rimskyOh yeah.. Ms. Mika and most of her MSM buddies know when it's kool to laugh off a racist remark. The Chris Rocks of the world can say anything! It's a shameless double standard.
}}---> I'm offended
November 30, 2007 - 08:36 ET by Cool ArrowAnd I object vehemently to Hillary's interracial marriage.
CA-
November 30, 2007 - 11:07 ET by drillanwrHeh!
It was a good line.
November 30, 2007 - 09:22 ET by CTGet over it, Chris Rock is funny.
There is a big difference between race humor and racism. Nothing good comes from playing the pc card.
}}---> Good line
November 30, 2007 - 09:33 ET by Cool ArrowSo Barack shouldn't be offended if Dennis Miller were to say "Don't vote for that black man"?
Like it or not, Rock is asking that race be a determinant of voting preference.
Don't fall into the PC trap.
November 30, 2007 - 09:51 ET by CTThat is not the same thing and apparently you cannot see the difference. Chris's line is a self deprecating joke inside the Black community on Black pride, it is not a racist pronouncement.
Dennis Miller would never say, "Don't vote for that black man" in the context you've selected because he is not a racist either.
}}---> CT
November 30, 2007 - 09:56 ET by Cool ArrowLet's see. . . Dennis Miller wouldn't say it because he's not a racist, and Chris Rock would say it because he's not a racist.
OK, got it.
Why o' why do people want
November 30, 2007 - 10:56 ET by balboaWhy o' why do people want to look for fairness and balance in comedy?
bal-
November 30, 2007 - 11:09 ET by drillanwrI actually look for "funny" in comedy ...
In very low supply these days.
OK drill
November 30, 2007 - 11:15 ET by Cool ArrowGuy is going throgh the checkout line with six kids in tow.
Checker asks him "All these your kids"?
Man says: "No, I work at a condom factory and these are customer complaints. So don't vote for that White Lady"
OK, I see it now.
lol
November 30, 2007 - 17:46 ET by well99That was good
I'm with ya'. Fav
November 30, 2007 - 11:18 ET by balboaI'm with ya'.
Fav comedians, BTW:
Jim Gaffigan
Brian Regan
Jimmy Pardo
Maria Bamford
Jim Gaffigan
November 30, 2007 - 12:51 ET by drillanwrand those damn Hot Pockets jokes! LMAO!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jFFTwnYXI20
Bal
November 30, 2007 - 21:05 ET by well99Here is Fair and Balanced.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uj0mtxXEGE8
I forgot about that!!! That
November 30, 2007 - 22:21 ET by balboaI forgot about that!!! That is one of the funniest things ever on TV, IMO.
Yup
November 30, 2007 - 22:24 ET by well99I LMAO watching that.
This is on youtube
December 1, 2007 - 06:05 ET by well99Not Chris but funny....Beware of language
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH8b5ruc_-E
I remember Rock's comment
November 30, 2007 - 09:25 ET by BruzillaI remember Rock's comment about why there will never (quote: "I know... people say 'never say never'... well, I'm saying 'NEVER'") be a black vice president. The reason is that all the blacks will line up to shoot the president so the VP moves up. I think about that joke everytime I hear someone say that if Hillary got the nod that she would pick Obama as VP.
And as a bonus...
November 30, 2007 - 09:36 ET by c5thenIf Obama looses, you'll still be able to play the victim because the evil "whities" are keeping all y'all black folk down.
So it's a win/win sitiation.
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic. Let's get it back! Fred08.com
I don't see the point in
November 30, 2007 - 10:41 ET by LeonI don't see the point in seriously analyzing the statements of comedians. Their goal is to be funny. But as long as we're talking about Chris Rock, I thought this line was funny at the Obama event in Harlem.
“This is how [Bush] dealt with catastrophe. The fires in LA he was there the next day,” Rock said. “White people burning he was there. Black people drowning he don’t care… He was putting out the fires with Katrina water!”
So right Leon
November 30, 2007 - 17:32 ET by exLibYeah, remember that white comedian who started talking about black people the way black people talk about themsevles, ie; the way Chris Rock talks??????
Good thing for him no one was analzying what he said, NOT.....
As a side note, remember the joke about Bosnia and how Clinton didn't care about White Christians? Hillarious...
*sob* it's sooo hard being
November 30, 2007 - 17:40 ET by Leon*sob* it's sooo hard being white *sob* black people make fun of me for being nerdy and square *sob sob sob* they mock my dance moves *sob* they make fun of our womens small posterior! waaaaah waaaaaaah
Oh it's so hard to be a white man in America.
Actually Leon
November 30, 2007 - 17:51 ET by well99"*sob* it's sooo hard being white *sob* black people make fun of me for being nerdy and square *sob sob sob* they mock my dance moves *sob* they make fun of our womens small posterior! waaaaah waaaaaaah" That is a racist remark.Done make me call Reverend Al.
This kind of stuff is not
November 30, 2007 - 12:40 ET by RMRThis kind of stuff is not only funny but should be encouraged. Think of it for a minute. Whites supporting Clinton and blacks supporting Obama, should make for a "fun" battle within the Democratic party.
So we should laugh and whoop it up, and encourage more black comedians to make even more outrageous statements ( uh.. Jokes ) when campaigning for Obama.
I for one will love to see this escalate to the point where there is so much heat in the "big tent" that libs will be running over each other to get out.
Chris Rock does this all the time
November 30, 2007 - 16:34 ET by Reality CheckI don't know how many of you have seen Chris Rock's act, but he uses race a lot. He uses the 'N' word (as in "I love black people! HATE the N's!"). He's pretty much an equal-opportunity offender. Remember "George Bush Hates Midgets!" right after the whole Kanye West debacle?
One of the commenters above mentioned a bit where he talked about how no white President would ever pick a black Vice President because some black guy would shoot the President. He went on to say that he'd love to do it - go to prison, where all the tough brothers would tell him 'I want my kids to grow up to be just like you'...
and then be pardoned...
By the Black President!
You're right that there's a double standard... but ya know what? The guy's funny. I don't know which side of the aisle he's on, honestly... but I think if everybody could approach race with his light-heartedness, we'd probably all be a lot better off.
Reality Check
YES. Thank you.
November 30, 2007 - 16:38 ET by balboaYES. Thank you.
Actually, Rock made fun of the double-standard in a movie
November 30, 2007 - 17:40 ET by exLibThere's a movie Rock did, it's a remake of Heaven can Wait, which is remake of Mr. Jordan.
In it he's a Black Comedian (tough acting role) who dies and is put in a white business man's body.
He tries to do his "real" routine at black clubs despite the fact that he's a white guy. Needless to say it doesn't go over and in one scene (he's rapping DMX) he gets clocked by some "brutha's".
It's quite the social commentary in a movie.