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11-21-06 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
O.J. BOOK AND TV SPECIAL CANCELLED: News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch said the concept was even too much for him.
*Rupert Murdoch has spoken, and now no one will read the O.J.
Simpson book "If I Did It," or see the two-part TV special that was to promote it.at least not via his media outlets.
"I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project," said Murdoch, the chairman of News Corp, which owns both FOX and the book's publisher through HarperCollins, ReganBooks. "We are sorry for any pain that this has caused the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson."
Early Monday, when the book and TV special were still scheduled to run, nine FOX affiliates had decided not to air the interview because of the outbreak of criticism surrounding the subject matter.
Simpson's book, "If I Did It," was to be released Nov. 30 and feature the NFL veteran explaining in hypothetical terms how he would've killed his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. FOX was to air a two-part interview with Simpson on Nov. 27 and 29 (two of the final three nights of November sweeps) to create buzz around the project.
But news of the book and TV special were met with outrage, particularly among relatives of the victims.
"He destroyed my son and took from my family Ron's future and life.
And for that I'll hate him always and find him despicable," Fred Goldman told ABC last week.
Judith Regan, publisher of "If I Did It," was also roundly criticized for agreeing to publish the book and to interview Simpson for the TV special. As previously reported, Regan said she considered the book to be Simpson's confession.
O.J. was acquitted of the double murder in 1995, but was found liable for the killings two years later in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the Goldman family. He has yet to pay any of his $33.5 million judgment.
DENZEL WASHINGTON EXPERIENCES ‘DÉJÀ VU’
Latest film looks like another winner, again.
By Kenya M. Yarbrough
Baby, I swear it’s “Déjà Vu”. Haven’t we been here before with Denzel Washington in a blockbuster? The latest on the illustrious film repertoire of the Academy Award winner is the action/sci-fi/love story – everything audiences go to a movie for and all the reasons they love them. The film is about ATF agent Doug Carlin (Washington) who’s sent into a crime scene to recover evidence of a ferry bomb in New Orleans. Carlin travels back in time to save the lives of hundreds, including a woman whom he falls in love with during the process. The film delves into the concept that feelings of déjà vu, the illusion of having previously experienced something actually being encountered for the first time, might be “messages from the past or clues to the future” – an idea that Washington initially paused about.
“Tony [Scott] (director) and Jerry [Bruckheimer] (producer) had to somewhat convince me that this could work,” Washington admitted. “Tony wanted to steep this in facts about surveillance and what it’s capable of and pushing the envelope. A lot of what we did and what you see, they are capable of. We do have the technology.”
The film takes on a serious sense of reality with the space-time continuum concept. Washington explained that things that take place on screen are very plausible, thanks to Scott’s research for the film.
“Tony likes research,” Washington said of the helmer’s techniques. “He always tracks down guys who do the job. We did it with ‘Man On Fire,’ we did it with ‘Crimson Tide’ and we did it with ‘Déjà Vu.’ And Jerry found an ATF guy who had helped in figuring out the Oklahoma bombing and we used parts of his investigation in this film and applied it to our story. And things like, when he would get tired from working 20-30 hours at a time, he said if you brush your teeth, it’s like getting an hour of sleep. I added that to the film.”
In addition to the concept and research behind the film, Washington shared that bringing on “energetic” newcomer, Paula Patton, as his love interest in the film, rejuvenated the entire cast.
“Tony Scott said, ‘I got this girl, she hasn’t done anything, you don’t know her but she’s right for the part,’ and he was right. She has that quality that you want to care about her and you want to take care of her. It was refreshing and it is a reminder of what a privilege it is to be in this industry and to be able to do what you like and to be compensated in an amazing and ridiculous way for doing something that you want to do. And then there are those days where you don’t want to come out of your trailer, but then you meet this young person that’s all fresh and new and you’re thankful for what you got,” he said.
What makes critics quite fond of the film includes the elements Washington mentioned, but most realize that the box office draw is Washington himself. Still, the major star is quite humble about his star power and shrugged off his sex-symbol status.
“Being a sex symbol for all ages? I don’t know anything about that, but turning 50 made me realize that this is not the dress rehearsal. I was already in that mindset before that, but it really hit home to enjoy every day and try to lead a good life, a healthy life. Sex symbol? I don’t think about that; I don’t worry about that,” he said.
This film makes three for Washington teaming with Scott and with Bruckheimer and he heralds the tremendous success he’s had working with both of these Hollywood powerhouses.
“I like working with Tony and I hope to do more movies with him,” he said. “I must be the first person in the business to work with Tony Scott and Ridley Scott (American Gangster) in the same year. Obviously Tony and Jerry know what they’re doing and when they call me up and say they’ve got this idea and this is what they want to do, I listen.”
One idea of Scott’s was to film the movie in New Orleans. Even though Scott made the decision before the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the director was not satisfied with a substitute location. Washington squelched rumors that it was he who insisted the movie be shot in the ravaged town.
“Tony felt New Orleans was the place. I thought there was no reason to shy away from it, and yes, it was a good thing to spend money there and put people to work there, but fundamentally it was an artistic decision for the filmmaker. This is where he saw the film, so this is what we did. It wasn’t so much a statement, but I can’t speak for Tony,” Washington said.
Washington said he got the opportunity to roam around the city and hear stories and said that he was glad to be a part of bringing the industry back to the Big Easy and is proud of the work he did there, but said he’s already moved on to his next projects, Ridley Scott’s “American Gangster” coming Fall 2007 and a film he is directing called “The Great Debaters,” about a professor who inspires the debate team of a small Texas college to take on Harvard University in the 1935 national championships.
“I don’t look back,” Washington said about picking over his previous films. “For what? To reminisce? Maybe when I’m older. When people ask me what’s my favorite film that I’ve done, I always say, ‘My next one.’ I’m not interested in [looking back]. I just don’t. There are some pressures [in filming your next project], but then there’s relief when you look at a film. When I watched ‘Déjà Vu’ I thought, ‘Wow, that’s a good picture.’ I enjoyed it.”
“Déjà vu,” which also stars Val Kilmer, Jim Caviezel, and Erika Alexander, opens nationwide Wednesday, November 22.
SEINFELD'S KRAMER EXPOSED AS A RACIST: Actor Michael Richards barks n-word at black hecklers; apologizes on 'Letterman.' Not enough says activist Ali.
*Michael Richards, best known as the character Kramer on "Seinfeld,"
pulled a Mel Gibson and began spewing racist remarks and shouting the n-word at black audience members who dared to heckle him during his set Friday night at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood.
The 57-year-old comedian was caught off guard when two African American men in the audience shouted at him that he wasn't funny.
According to the video posted on TMZ.com, Richards snapped back:
"Shut up! Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f***in' fork up your a**!"
He then yelled: "You can talk! You can talk! You brave now mother f**er! Throw his a** out! He's a ni**er! He's a ni**er! He's a ni**er!...Look, there's a ni**er!"
An audience member on the video tape can be heard saying, "Oh my God"
in apparent shock. Richards then mocked the crowd's stunned groans by saying, "Oooh, Oooh. Alright, you see? This shocks you, it shocks you to see what's buried beneath your stupid mother f***ers."
A black man in the audience yelled back, "That's uncalled for!" which set off another tirade from Richards.
"It's uncalled for you to interrupt my a** you cheap mother f**ker!"
he yelled back. "You guys have been talkin' and talkin' and talkin'."
The video tape later shows Richards in a calmer state, telling the
audience: "They're gonna arrest me for calling a black man a ni**er?"
The black audience member continues: "That was uncalled for you f**king cracker-a** mother f***er!"
"Cracker a**? You callin' me cracker a** ni**er?" Richards responded.
As the two exchanged words, people are seen in the video tape heading for the exit, including the African American man shouting at Richards. His parting words were: "It's not funny! That's why you're a reject, never had no shows, never had no movies! 'Seinfeld,' that's it!"
Richards had no comeback for that. He mumbled a few more statements before leaving the stage in the middle of his act. The following night, Richards performed as if nothing happened the day before, reports TMZ.
TMZ.com has video footage of the entire incident. Watch it here:
http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?mode=1&pmmsid=1772645.
Los Angeles community activist Najee Ali and a number of other community groups held a protest outside of the Laugh Factory Monday and met with the venue's owner Jamie Masada as well as comedian Paul Rodriguez, who was at Richards' show and witnessed the incident.
Ali said Masada agreed to the activists' demands of a formal apology from the Laugh Factory and a permanent ban on Richards until he also issues an apology.
In a press conference that followed their meeting, Masada apologized for the incident "in front of all the media," says Ali. "And everybody was there, 'Entertainment Tonight,' 'Extra,' everybody."
Early Monday, Richards taped a segment that aired last night on"Late Night with David Letterman" in which he apologized for his behavior at the
comedy club. But Ali says the apology is not enough.
"His apology is unacceptable at this point," Ali told EUR's Lee Bailey in a phone interview. "It's only the first step in the process of healing.
We're asking to meet with him and we feel he needs some racial sensitivity and anger management classes, and to support the programs that support racial conciliation."
"We want to do the same thing the Jews did to Mel Gibson," Ali continued. "They made him publicly apologize and to feel some pain, some contrition. And that's what black folks need to start doing."
CLEVELAND COUNCILMEN PROPOSE 'GERALD LEVERT LANE': Resolution was to be introduced Monday to honor late R&B singer.
*The Cleveland Plain-Dealer is reporting that two councilmen are pushing to have a street in Cleveland renamed for late singer Gerald Levert, who was born in Canton, yet raised in the city.
According to the paper, councilmen Kevin Conwell and Joe Cimperman were to introduce a resolution Monday to designate East 25th Street between Superior and St. Clair avenues as Gerald Levert Lane.
The particular street was selected because it is located near Cleveland's Radio One stations, which keep Levert's songs in steady rotation. Since Levert's passing, fans have come to the area to pay homage.
Gerald Levert died on Nov. 10 of a heart attack.
ISAIAH WASHINGTON DISCUSSES ON-SET BEATDOWN: Actor says the tabs blew it all out of proportion.
*People magazine caught up with "Grey's Anatomy" star Isaiah Washington Saturday night in Los Angeles and promptly asked him about his on-set fight last month with co-star Patrick "McDreamy" Dempsey.
The actor had already said all he wanted to say about the incident on an "Oprah Winfrey Show" segment that aired Friday.
"I lost my cool, but it wasn't coming out of a place of animus for Patrick or (costar) T.R. (Knight) or anyone. It was coming out of a place of trying to stay focused about the work," Washington told Winfrey, who visited the Grey's set for the interviews. "I've been working with these beautiful men for three years now, and we had an argument as brothers. It came about at a time and a place that was overwhelming for both of us."
The day after his "Oprah" appearance aired, People cornered him at the opening night party for the Skin + Bones: Parallel Practices in Fashion and Architecture exhibit at L.A.'s Museum of Contemporary Art.
Asked if everything is back to normal on the "Grey's Anatomy" set, Washington told the magazine: "Everything was good on the set four weeks ago." He added that he's invested money in a tabloid-magazine company "because they make so much money off of us."
The media coverage "was disappointing," he said, "but now I'm a shareholder. I'm a businessman."
TONI BRAXTON EXTENDS VEGAS RUN: Singer to keep working the Flamingo through August 2007.
*Those hoping to catch Toni Braxton's show in Las Vegas now have some extra time to get tickets before her run comes to an end.
Flamingo Las Vegas has announced that it will extend the live show, Toni Braxton: Revealed, through August 2007.
"Since Toni began her show at the Flamingo earlier this year, she has regularly moved audiences to laughter, tears and standing ovations,"
said Don Marrandino, president of Flamingo Las Vegas. "She is an exciting entertainer whose world stature has brought renewed energy and prestige to the same stage that has featured countless musical superstars over the past 60 years."
Braxton's show is described in a press release as "a sexy, entertaining and intimate evening with the woman who interprets the emotional essence of a song as no other artist can. Revealed is a full-scale musical production that draws upon Ms. Braxton's experience as an accomplished musician, singer and Broadway performer, complete with her incredible band, amazing costumes and talented dancers."
Tickets for Toni Braxton: Revealed can be purchased by phone at
702/733.3333 or 800/221.7299. Ticket prices are $69, $89 and $109 (including tax, plus handling fees). Showtime is 7:30 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday.
THE GAME CLAIMS POLICE SET HIM UP: Rapper says his arrest for impersonating a cop was a 'ploy.'
*During an appearance on CBS' "The Late Show with David Letterman,"
The Game addressed his recent arrest in New York for impersonating a police officer.
As previously reported, the Compton rapper was taken into custody Thursday after allegedly telling a cab driver that he was an undercover cop and persuading him to run a series of red lights.
The Game, whose real name is Jayceon Taylor, told Letterman that he is constantly singled out by the NYPD and the whole ordeal was a set up.
"This is a ploy by the hip-hop police to humiliate me because they harass and follow me every single time I come to New York," said The Game.
"I was in town this week to work and promote my new album, 'The Doctor's Advocate.' I never impersonated anyone, especially and absolutely never a police officer."
MURPHY MENTIONS DIVORCE DURING 'OPRAH' SHOW: Actor says he used divorce pain to drive his 'Dreamgirls' character.
*During an appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that aired Monday, Eddie Murphy said the raw feelings surrounding his difficult divorce from wife Nicole actually helped his performance in the film "Dreamgirls."
"It was real emotional," Murphy said. "So it was really good because I had all that going on and that's going on under your skin; you get on the set and when you're acting ... (it took) me to a different place emotionally."
Murphy, who appeared on "Oprah" with his "Dreamgirls" co-stars Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles, Jennifer Hudson and Anika Noni Rose, mentioned his divorce when responding to Foxx's comment about Murphy's ability to transition into the character of James "Thunder" Early, then revert to his quiet disposition when the director yelled cut.
"I don't want to make it seem like I was, you know, all Joe Actor ..."
Murphy said. "I was going through a big divorce, so between shots I was like, `damn.'"
"Dreamgirls" opens nationwide on Christmas day.
SHERYL LEE RALPH, THE ORIGINAL DEENA JONES, SPEAKS: Actress asked about Beyonce taking over her role.
*Gossip columnist Cindy Adams caught up with the woman who originated the role of "Dreamgirls" character Deena Jones on Broadway.
Beyonce may play her in the film, opening on Dec. 25, but it was Sheryl Lee Ralph who is most identified with the role of Deena among folks of a certain age.
"The film opens Christmas Day, which makes it exactly 25 years and five days after our Michael Bennett landmark musical rang up the curtain,"
Ralph told Adams. "We opened Dec. 20, 1981. That night was the greatest rush of excitement you can imagine. Like your wedding, prom, 16th birthday all rolled into one. I knew then my life would never be the same.
"I played this role 1,247 performances. Six years of my life doing this show. It was the best of times, the worst of times. Best because we were the toast of the town. Worst because it was when the mystery disease AIDS began wiping out the talent on Broadway."
Adams asked if Ralph had seen the film yet. She replied: "No. Seen absolutely nothing. Haven't even been invited to a screening. Nobody ever reached out to me. I guess that's just showbiz. I always said I wanted someday to do the movie, but they told me then, 'By the time Hollywood gets it hands on this it'll be too late for you to do the role.'
Ralph's thoughts on how Beyonce will fare?
"Wonderful," she replied. "What can I say but 'wonderful.' She'll be different from me. Understand, our creative process was different. We were two years in workshops, hashing it out, creating it out of improvisations like 'A Chorus Line.' The show paid homage to the Supremes but wasn't based on it. Yes, my role paid homage to Diana Ross. In the '60s, everybody paid homage to Diana Ross.
"Of the other ladies in it, Loretta Devine and I have kept a deep friendship. She was at my wedding. I'm not in touch with Jennifer Holliday.
Don't even know where she is."
ANGELA BASSETT, COURTNEY B. VANCE WRITE A BOOK: Married couple recounts their own personal love story.
*In January, Angela Bassett and her husband Courtney B. Vance will release a nonfiction romance book that details their real-life love story.
Co-written with Hilary Beard, "Friends: A Love Story" features separate recollections of the actors on their humble beginnings, past relationships and the busy careers that ultimately led their paths to cross.
"Told in alternating he said, she said chapters, the book takes a realistic but entertaining look at how friends can live parallel love lives and experience the typical male-female misunderstandings on their way to discovering and falling in love with each other," according to publisher Kimani Press.
"Friends: A Love Story" also includes personal photos that chronicle the couple's experiences, along with exclusive family photos of their young twins.
Kimani Press states; "This compelling memoir offers a rare peek into their lives, which have previously been private, and offers the reader valuable lessons for relationships and life."
RICK FOX DENIES RELATIONSHIP WITH SHARON STONE: NBA vet says they're 'just friends.'
*Although Rick Fox has been photographed around Tinsel Town with actress Sharon Stone on his arm, the former NBA star is denying rumors the two are an item.
"I wouldn't say we're dating. We're just friends," he explains to People magazine.
Adding fuel to the rumors were reports of the two allegedly snuggling at various night clubs around Los Angeles.
"I think we all should be so lucky and fortunate to be in a romance with Sharon Stone," Fox, 37, told People at the seventh annual Make-a-Wish Foundation Wish Night gala on Friday in Beverly Hills.
"We've been friends for a number of years and continue to enjoy each other's company when we get together. She's quite the busy woman. We share the same agent, we share a best friend. I've got to say I enjoy her company.
As for romance defined by Hollywood standards, that would be reaching."
Fox shares a 6-year-old daughter, Sasha, with ex-wife Vanessa Williams, and a 14-year-old son, Kyle, with college sweetheart Kari Hillsman. The former Laker star said he has met Stone's children, sons Roan, 6, Laird, 1, and Quinn, 6 months.
"The last time we spent any time with our kids together was at a Globetrotters game at the Staples Center," he said.
As for dating, Fox said: "I'm trying to get this dating thing right, but I'm trying to find someone in my life that I can settle down and have a romance with."
BOYZ II MEN GET 'AWAY' WITH UNCLE KRACKER: Artist taps group to sing on new
album.
*The group Boyz II Men is among a number of artists recruited by Uncle Kracker to sing on his upcoming album, "Happy Hour," due February or March from Atlantic Records.
According to Billboard, the unlikely pairing gives life to "The One that Got Away," a track Uncle Kracker says "sounds like some old Jackson 5.
It's kind of like a modern throwback record, really, which was kind of fun to dig into."
Kracker, whose real name Matt Shafer, says he hooked up with Boyz II Men for the song after teaming with them to record a new version of his signature tune, "Follow Me," "not for the album, just to have fun with," he explains.
Boyz II Men traveled down to Nashville to record with Uncle Kracker at the Sound Kitchen studios.
ITTY BITTY BITS: VH1 to air UK Music Hall of Fame; Ford covers King; Lionel wants Clooney; Hilton primps before Jay-Z; J-Ho makes film debut.
*Prince fans here in the States will be able to see the artist's induction into the 2006 UK Music Hall Of Fame thanks to VH1, which will broadcast the Nov. 14th ceremony on Saturday Nov. 25 at 9 p.m. Prince was inducted into the Hall by Beyonce. Other inductees included James Brown, Led Zeppelin, Rod Stewart, Brian Wilson, Bon Jovi, Dusty Springfield and the so-called "5th Beatle," George Martin. Joss Stone and Patti LaBelle paid a musical tribute to Dusty Springfield, while Corinne Bailey Rae took part in an all-star performance in honor of the Beatles.
*Model and TV personality Melyssa Ford, a.k.a. the black Jessica Rabbit, graces the cover of King magazine for its December '06/January '07 issue, which hits newsstands today. An interview with the former video vixen is "slated to chronicle the trials and tribulations of [her] rise to success with adversity consistently knocking at her door," states a press release. Ford, however, will be one of five cover options for the new issue.
In celebration of its 5th anniversary, King features five different celebs representing the magazine's highest-grossing covers since it launched in 2001. The other covers feature R&B star Mya, rapper Trina, video model Buffie the Body and actress Reagan Gomez-Preston.
*Nicole Richie's daddy wants her to calm down by hooking up with Hollywood's most famous bachelor, George Clooney. Contact Music quotes singer Lionel Richie as saying: "George would be a good influence on Nicole.
He's a dependable fatherly kind of guy. Plus he owns a house in Italy that I almost bought and I'd love to see inside it."
*Speaking of Nicole, her homie Paris Hilton was caught on camera Saturday applying makeup in an "everyone-look-at-me" kind of way during Jay-Z's Hangar Tour stop at Tao in Las Vegas. As Jigga performed such songs as "99 Problems" and "Big Pimpin'," TMZ cameras capture the celebutante with her back to the rapper as she checked herself in the mirror several times throughout the show. See it here:
http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?mode=1&pmmsid=1772753.
*Move over Tyra Banxxx.a new porn star has emerged to impersonate yet another famous celebrity diva. A triple-X film spoofing the career of Jennifer Lopez will star actress Jasmine Byrne, known to her fans as J-Ho.
According to the New York Post, the "J-H Jenny on the C**k" star says of her character: "I always loved . . . J.Lo, doing her singing and acting and . . . I jumped at the chance to do it."
SPORTS BEAT: Mayweather vs. De La Hoya; McNabb out for the season.
*On May 5, 2007, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Oscar De La Hoya are scheduled to step into the boxing ring in what could be one of the sport's richest bouts, reports the Associated Press. Mayweather will move up in weight for the fight, which will be for De La Hoya's 154-pound title and will be held either in Las Vegas or Los Angeles. De La Hoya previously said the fight would be the last in a pro career that began after he was the only U.S. boxer to win a gold medal in the 1992 Olympics.
*Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb is out for the rest of the season after tearing a ligament in his right knee during a 31-13 loss to visiting Tennessee on Sunday. This is the third time in five years McNabb has suffered a season-ending injury. The QB had to be carted off the field and taken to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. "That's normally an eight-month-to-a-year injury," Eagles Coach Andy Reid said, "so he's done for the year."
THE MO'KELLY REPORT: Kramer is Not Important to Our "Family"
*Emotion is like the unmarried, bitter, aging female “best friend” that every woman has or the immoral, playboy/bad influence male “best friend” that every man has. Each will co-sign with any negative emotion you offer up, egging you on to act with imprudence.
Why?
Emotion consistently vetoes the congress of intellectual reason and requires no evidence of WMDs to go to war at a moment’s notice. Emotion can be the first and last word in shaping ones actions if caution and common sense are on their lunch breaks.
Let’s be wise in how we address the Michael Richards incident.
http://www.tmz.com/2006/11/20/kramers-racist-tirade-caught-on-tape/
The emotional response internally (how we feel) and the emotional nature OF our “response” (our subsequent actions) to Richards’ tirade are likely similar in nature…unproductive.
It’s difficult at best to respond unemotionally to the use of arguably the most incendiary word ever known. The word, –gger, historically has been the #1 weapon to incite fear IN African-Americans, indicate hatred OF African-Americans and incriminate TO the world, those same African-Americans.
It was arguably the first polemic ever written, the first fight song ever sung and first lesson in hatred ever taught to children in this country.
“Eenie Meeny Miny Moe…catch a –gger by his toe.”
- A Counting Out Song (Rudyard Kipling)
Or how about…
“Two little –ggers, lyin' in bed
One of 'em sick, an' de odder mos' dead.
Call for de doctor an' de doctor said,
‘Feed dem darkies on shortenin' bread’
Mammy's little baby loves
Shortenin', shortenin',
Mammy's little baby love shortenin' bread.”
When Mo’Kelly hears the word “-gger”…distinct imagery comes to mind. Emmett Till’s open casket corpse or Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith dangling lifeless from a tree in the infamous “Strange Fruit” photo usually are on memory speed dial.
There is no supposed comedic context, no haphazard double-standard of hypocrisy as to when or to whom is given license to use –gger for Mo’Kelly. Some things are black and white as they say…pun intended.
The connection between the word, its history and American history are inextricably linked as all African-Americans are also inextricably linked. It’s why we may refer to each other as “Brotha” and “Sista” or “fam” with deference to our likely shared origination points in West Africa during the slave trade. We are truly family in many respects. It’s why we walk down the street and instinctively acknowledge and nod our head at one-another as we pass. Some refer to it as the “secret handshake;” a grip that only Black people know and can use with those we’ve never been introduced.
There is…no, check that. There USED to be a sense of camaraderie, a sense of family that bound all African-Americans together spiritually while simultaneously unshackling us physically.
With this in mind, one realizes from where the supposed argument of “who” is “allowed” to say “-gger” originates. Nobody from “outside” the family should dare think of “disrespecting” the family as a whole or any of its members. The caveat is that as family we are responsible for loving, providing for and protecting one-another first and foremost.
But…
(And you knew there was a ‘but’ coming)
We aren’t family anymore.
We do not love, protect or provide for one-another. We’ll shoot each other over an Allen Iverson jersey or for making eye-contact in a menacing manner at the movies while simultaneously calling each other ‘-gga.’ We’ll call our women every imaginable derogatory name and at the same time revel in the fact we’ve coined the term “babymama.” We’ll argue tooth and nail how a woman is “good enough” to birth our progeny but not “good enough” to make a promise with before God...assuming we even still believe in Him. We’ll lampoon and lambaste Dr. Bill Cosby for his message while losing sight of the fact that he is in the family and speaks out of love.
My emotional and intellectual responses to Michael Richards are the same as if it were David Chappelle on stage or Damon Wayans attempting to merchandise “-gga.” There is no line of demarcation differentiating between hatred and self-hatred. It’s all “hatred” when you come down to it, be it in the Willie Lynch letter, on BET or amongst the fields of Jamestown, VA back in 1607.
Whether Michael Richards calls you a ‘–gger’ at a comedy club or your best friend calls you ‘-gga’ upon seeing at the same club…it’s all the same.
“-gger” and “-gga” are fraternal twins born from the same mother centuries ago.
That said; it’s moments like these which require particular unemotional attention to detail. These moments are opportunities to elucidate the point that the N-word has no place in this society, neither with a ‘gger’ nor a ‘gga’ pronunciation. The spelling/orator arguments are distinctions without a difference, further stalling our advancement. To argue otherwise speaks to an unmatched ignorance.
We know that Richards’ remarks were hateful, remarkably unfunny and given the lynching reference, in lock-step with all of the aforementioned referenced racist imagery. We know all of this to be true and it isn’t subject to debate. This isn’t about comedic license or political correctness. Let’s advance the discussion.
We know that Richards has and will continue to apologize profusely but this shouldn’t be about an apology or whether his behavior was aberrant in nature. Let’s advance the discussion.
What we don’t know, is whether Richards’ insults will be the necessary reminder that the N-word and its associated hatred are never more than an emotional outburst away. We don’t know why we as African-Americans in light of this fact continue to argue the merits of –gga or likewise how –tches is supposedly not pejorative in association with Black women. We don’t know why we’re unified in our anger in regards to the disrespect of African-Americans by those outside our house, yet blissfully indifferent when disrespected by those inside.
It’s probably because…we’re just not family anymore. And when we’re not family, we exist without the respect, love and protection that “family” affords. When you’re not family, you’re susceptible to George Orwellian “double-speak” and engage in red herring discussions as to who “can” and how “should” the N-word should be used instead of using plain old common sense. It is counterproductive and counterintuitive to collective Black love to even have such ridiculous conversation anymore. In fact, because we are not family and have not been for quite some time, we’ve lost perspective on our own history.
Many comedians today will tell you they use the N-word “in the spirit” of Richard Pryor, but dismiss Pryor’s post-African Epiphany in 1979; one in which he expressed his regret for EVER using the word.
When we in our house love our women and children enough to praise and raise them respectively, those outside won’t dare disrespect us in such a manner. There’s a reason why Mel Gibson continues to go through more hell than Michael Richards ever will. It has not to do with the supposed Jewish control of media. Jews simply will not stand for such behavior, inside or outside of their family and that is admirable.
If our use of “-gga” wasn’t so perverse and pervasive, then our anger, our likely emotional response would THEN be justified and just what the doctor ordered. We could “go there” with “Kramer” as Jews did with Mel Gibson and not worry about any perceived double-standard. But we’ve abrogated the moral high ground and wallowed in abject moral depravity for far too long. Intellectual honesty demands that we check Richards with a quickness; but also check ourselves. Because, that’s what real families do…check themselves and take care of home…first.
Stop using the word fam.
Hatred is hatred…be it imposed or self-imposed. It’s all unacceptable.
And Michael Richards…congratulations on bringing what was left of your career to a dubious and pitiful end. You’re done.
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