Discussion: Racism - Part 2

[terry78]

Yeah, as much as I do enjoy watching him he crossed the line a la Kathy Griffin. It's like Trump has pretty much given everybody carte blanche to just go off the rails on both sides.

 

[TheCommissioner]

Yeah, as much as I do enjoy watching him he crossed the line a la Kathy Griffin. It's like Trump has pretty much given everybody carte blanche to just go off the rails on both sides.

and thats not good for anybody

 

[terry78]

lol, my parents always said you can't fight stupid with stupid.

 

[ouroboros]

Yeah, as much as I do enjoy watching him he crossed the line a la Kathy Griffin. It's like Trump has pretty much given everybody carte blanche to just go off the rails on both sides.

When I read about Maher today, it also reminded me of Griffin's controversy, particularly since this week the VIEW ladies asked (w/o really answering) the question, "Should her career come to an end because of this one infraction?" The career-ending cultural gaffe of Michael Richards was mentioned in passing.

I'll toss out the same question to the board. Should Maher or Griffin lose jobs, or even revenue, for having crossed the line? Isn't what they were doing essentially different from Richards losing his temper and uttering a racial slur? Weren't they both dealing in satire to some extent?

In other words, do we need two real bloody heads for these offenses, as counterpoint to the fake head used by Griffin?

 

[TheCommissioner]

that's a tough question for me to answer

as a black man, I think Maher did go too far...but I don't think he's losing his job for it, but I kind of think he should

he still performs standup regularly so he will still be "working", just not for HBO

 

[RockSP]

 

[ouroboros]

Is he a celebrity? Not recognizing him.

 

[RockSP]

^Ted Nugent.

 

[Matt]

When I read about Maher today, it also reminded me of Griffin's controversy, particularly since this week the VIEW ladies asked (w/o really answering) the question, "Should her career come to an end because of this one infraction?" The career-ending cultural gaffe of Michael Richards was mentioned in passing.

I'll toss out the same question to the board. Should Maher or Griffin lose jobs, or even revenue, for having crossed the line? Isn't what they were doing essentially different from Richards losing his temper and uttering a racial slur? Weren't they both dealing in satire to some extent?

In other words, do we need two real bloody heads for these offenses, as counterpoint to the fake head used by Griffin?

Words and actions have consequences. If you called someone at your place of employment the n-word, you would likely be fired. If you photoshopped an image of yourself decapitating a coworker you dislike and posted it around the office, you'd be fired. CNN and HBO are businesses. They choose who they want to associate with and what type of corporate culture they want to set. The words and actions of their employees have consequences. I see nothing wrong with that.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

^Ted Nugent.

Famous for crapping himself to avoid going to Vietnam. Literally.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I watched Bill Maher last night. His use of the N-word, while obviously unnecessary, was clearly a joke, one that had context. He shouldn't have done it, but these types of jokes aren't new for him.

 

[Matt]

I watched Bill Maher last night. His use of the N-word, while obviously unnecessary, was clearly a joke, one that had context. He shouldn't have done it, but these types of jokes aren't new for him.

I think the point is that it is a joke. I wouldn't assume to speak for the black community, nor can I say what type of impact hearing that word has on a person of color. But to hear the term "house n-----" thrown around so callously, as a joke . . . that in and of itself is offensive. This is a word that has been used to systematically demean and oppress. Plus to use it in the context of slavery makes it all the worse. What I am getting at is, to use it as a joke in and of itself is jarring. I could see why HBO would not want that type of humor on the airwaves or to be associated with Maher for it.

 

[TheCommissioner]

agreed, Matt

and Maher has been problematic, last night it came to a head

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I think the point is that it is a joke. I wouldn't assume to speak for the black community, nor can I say what type of impact hearing that word has on a person of color. But to hear the term "house n-----" thrown around so callously, as a joke . . . that in and of itself is offensive. This is a word that has been used to systematically demean and oppress. Plus to use it in the context of slavery makes it all the worse. What I am getting at is, to use it as a joke in and of itself is jarring. I could see why HBO would not want that type of humor on the airwaves or to be associated with Maher for it.

They can fire him if they like. I doubt they will, but that is their choice. But this isn't new from Maher, who has done arguably worse thing, and been kept around. So HBO should know what they were getting themselves into.

 

[Thundercrack85]

If you're gonna get fired for a joke at least have it be a good one.

 

[giveyourself12%]

When I read about Maher today, it also reminded me of Griffin's controversy, particularly since this week the VIEW ladies asked (w/o really answering) the question, "Should her career come to an end because of this one infraction?" The career-ending cultural gaffe of Michael Richards was mentioned in passing.

I'll toss out the same question to the board. Should Maher or Griffin lose jobs, or even revenue, for having crossed the line? Isn't what they were doing essentially different from Richards losing his temper and uttering a racial slur? Weren't they both dealing in satire to some extent?

In other words, do we need two real bloody heads for these offenses, as counterpoint to the fake head used by Griffin?

The difference between Michael Richards and Bill Maher was that both of those incidents happened in the spur of the moment while Griffin's stunt was planned. She's even heard talking about "not making it through this'" or words to that effect while setting up for the photoshoot, then pretended to be the victim of racist, sexist white men.

I think with that word ( n-word, as silly as it is to say or type n-w-o-r-d), it's often used to imply that a certain race of people are sub-human, even if rappers and comedians have attempted to use it in a way to lessen that
association, so it's always going to be inherently loaded and full of memories that we want to try to get away from no matter how you use it.

As to your point about losing their jobs, I think I would be satisfied with a a genuine apology...not bad acting like we got with Griffin.

 

[giveyourself12%]

Why do people want to make jokes about killing people they politically disagree with?

"I don't know, Steve...I think Sanders had this locked up until he got railroaded".

"You wanna die, Jeff?!"

It's weird.

 

[Sawyer]

I'm actually semi-surprised that Maher apologized. I expected him to give out a "stop being so sensitive, this is why libs lose" kind of thing.

 

[terry78]

It is kinda true, but yeah.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Bill Maher didn't want to open the floodgates cause there are millions of racist ready to say, "really? It's okay to say the n-word" and then run that s**t into the ground within minutes.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Also democrats don't need to say ignorant crap to win. They need to be honest and straight forward to the public about politics and the system.

That's what the politically incorrect Republicans pretend to do.

 

[terry78]

And it's hard to argue against it when they still win and get no consequences for it. People get rewarded for bad behavior constantly as much as we claim they don't.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Hillary lost because she was painted as a snake in the grass and Trump was "the guy who told it like it is".

I wish we had someone like Bill Maher who was also a great states men. Swing voters respect the rigged honesty.

We gotta drop the Tipper Gore soccer mom act. It totally declaws and defangs the left where they can't hold the mirror up to the GOP vampires.

 

[Laderlappen]

When I read about Maher today, it also reminded me of Griffin's controversy, particularly since this week the VIEW ladies asked (w/o really answering) the question, "Should her career come to an end because of this one infraction?" The career-ending cultural gaffe of Michael Richards was mentioned in passing.

I'll toss out the same question to the board. Should Maher or Griffin lose jobs, or even revenue, for having crossed the line? Isn't what they were doing essentially different from Richards losing his temper and uttering a racial slur? Weren't they both dealing in satire to some extent?

In other words, do we need two real bloody heads for these offenses, as counterpoint to the fake head used by Griffin?

We are seeing people from both sides call for people gettint fired whenever they f up or even just arguably f up. Griffin did a really stupid thing but I have no ill will to her personally and I don't think people should demand her to be fired. But I understand CNN's decision and I were in their shoes, I probably would have done the same thing.
Maher's situation is just silly. Are people really offended? How many comedians have not said the n word? South Park did an episode where it was said about 40 times and nobody cared. Does context not matter anymore?

 

[TheCommissioner]

We are seeing people from both sides call for people gettint fired whenever they f up or even just arguably f up. Griffin did a really stupid thing but I have no ill will to her personally and I don't think people should demand her to be fired. But I understand CNN's decision and I were in their shoes, I probably would have done the same thing.
Maher's situation is just silly. Are people really offended? How many comedians have not said the n word? South Park did an episode where it was said about 40 times and nobody cared. Does context not matter anymore?

Not in this situation

Maher f'd up, do I think he should be removed from HBO? unsure

if I was HBO, would I? Yes...and replace him with Hannibal Burress or Melissa Harris-Perry