'Today’ Show to Report Rush Limbaugh’s ‘Barack the ‘Magic Negro’’ Parody

Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh reported on air and at his website Friday that NBC’s “Today” show is going to do a segment Monday regarding his musical parody “Barack the ‘Magic Negro’” (audio available here, subscription required):

Now, this first aired on March 21st. This is May 18th. By the time they get around to doing their profile, it will be two months old as a story./>

Interesting point. After all, Obama himself shrugged this whole thing off as just "entertainment" weeks ago.

Regardless, Rush continued:

In these two months, I have spent countless minutes on this program explaining the genesis of the parody. I have gone line by line translating and explaining it, demonstrating that everything in it is based on fact and words that were uttered by liberals. In this period of time, Barack Obama has laughed it off and called it dumb. In this period of time, Al Sharpton responded. Just this week we had the audio sound bite where Sharpton was asked about it and said (paraphrased), "Limbaugh has the right to do this. He's attacking individuals. He's not going after gender or race entirely. He's attacking an individual," and so forth. It's all based on Sharpton's admitted jealousy of Obama's being lauded and loved and being called "clean and articulate" by Joe Biden.

Clearly, Limbaugh believes that “Today” will misrepresent the genesis of this parody, and accuse him, in this post-Imus era, of being racist. As such, Limbaugh has posted at his website everything one needs to know about this song here. />

For example, will Matt or Meredith mention that the whole thing was precipitated by a column in the Los Angeles Times by David Ehrenstein entitled “Obama the ‘Magic Negro’” (emphasis added):

AS EVERY CARBON-BASED life form on this planet surely knows, Barack Obama, the junior Democratic senator from Illinois, is running for president. Since making his announcement, there has been no end of commentary about him in all quarters — musing over his charisma and the prospect he offers of being the first African American to be elected to the White House.

But it's clear that Obama also is running for an equally important unelected office, in the province of the popular imagination — the "Magic Negro."

The Magic Negro is a figure of postmodern folk culture, coined by snarky 20th century sociologists, to explain a cultural figure who emerged in the wake of Brown vs. Board of Education. "He has no past, he simply appears one day to help the white protagonist," reads the description on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_Negro .

What’s the likelihood that this article will even be addressed Monday? Next to zero, correct?

Well, as Rush concluded, this is going to be fun.

For those that haven’t heard the song, it comes in minute three of the following audio link (subscription required). The lyrics are as follows:

SHARPTON IMPRESSIONIST PAUL SHANKLIN:

Barack the Magic Negro lives in D.C.
The L.A. Times, they called him that
‘Cause he’s not authentic like me. 

Yeah, the guy from the L.A. paperSaid he makes guilty whites feel good
They’ll vote for him, and not for me
‘Cause he’s not from the hood.
 
See, real black men, like Snoop Dog,
Or me, or Farrakhan
Have talked the talk, and walked the walk.
Not come in late and won!
 
Refrain:
Oh, Barack the Magic Negro, lives in D.C.
The L.A. Times, they called him that
‘Cause he’s black, but not authentically.
 
(repeat Refrain)
 
Some say Barack’s "articulate"
And bright and new and "clean"
The media sure loves this guy,
A white interloper’s dream!
 
But, when you vote for president,
Watch out, and don’t be fooled!
Don’t vote the Magic Negro in
‘Cause... (music stops, Sharpton rants, music returns)
 
(background vocalists repeat refrain & finish song)