Black Comedy on Life Support
Months ago, I warned that CBS firing Don Imus over racially insensitive comments would produce a butterfly effect which would ripple through black comedy…ultimately killing it.
First, Hot Ghetto Mess was so scared of losing more sponsors, it changed its name to We Got To Do Better and adopted a preachy, self-empowerment motif, destroying any redeeming comedic value.
Now, it’s Eddie Griffin.
According to TMZ, after Griffin did a Michael Richards impression, he asked:
“Why are some black leaders telling us to stop using the N word?” Griffin’s mike was promptly cut, and Black Enterprise owner/publisher Earl Graves stomped on stage and proclaimed, “We … will not allow our culture to go backwards … We will pay Mr. Griffin all that we owe him but we will not allow him to finish the show if that’s the way he’s going to talk.”
How can Eddie Griffin replace the $1.5 Million Ferrari he crashed in March if he can’t make a living as a comedian?
I give black comedy another 8 months before it goes the way of Polish jokes.
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September 6th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
The N word is a cultural identification term of historical significance and I will not cease to speak this word. Thr root of the word is Niger-as in the river near the area most of us who own this word came from in Africa. To even use the word you should be able to trace your roots back to the Middle Passage. It is close to the origin of the word Native American.
September 6th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
If only Eddie could’ve dropped the knowledge instead of dropping the mike…
September 10th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
I could have sworn the etymology of the N word comes from negro, Spanish for black, which easily became “negros” in the plural form. It takes little time for that to morph into the N word. Now, it seems to me an ignorant slave owner more likely will come by these terms from the Spanish slave traders (a large source of slaves http://amistad.mysticseaport.org/timeline/atlantic.slave.trade.html) than by considering the geographic features of Africa. Now, I’m a northern white (or rather Italian if one actually wants to talk heritage), so I don’t know if my opinion counts but to me the N word brings up visions of hate and racism. Although, I understand I can’t say anything about the usage of the derivative “nigga’” in the black community, which really has become part of the culture (for better or worse?).
November 4th, 2007 at 5:22 am
ashley tisdale lyrics…
I Googled for something completely different, but found your page…and have to say thanks. nice read….