I guess there is just no way to put this delicately. I think everything potentially is fodder for humor. Period. Blame it on my upbringing, tainted from that very first season of SNL.
Raise yo hand if you remember the operatically trained Garrett Morris singing “I gonna get me a gun and shoot all the whiteys I see” on SNL.
That said … it has been an interesting week for racial content. This morning on my local news talk KRLD, the two hosts Ernie and Jay were describing the aftermath of a racial joke distributed on the Internet via YouTube, compliments of Dallas Cowboys player Martellus Bennett.
The video features what Bennett calls Black Olympics — with such stereotypical spoofs as KoolAid chugging, fried chicken eating, etc., etc. Poor taste? Certainly. Sophomoric, silly, racial … definitely … But in my opinion — no foul. Refer back to line one of this blog.
Quickly, on Dallas talk radio, callers dialed in to support the African American humorist, pointing out the age-old double standard a la “White Men Can’t Jump.” (I will be kind and not mention that our president has a really, really weak jump shot …)
Elsewhere in DC … probably nowhere is race, farce and reverse discrimination a bigger issue than in the Supreme Court nomination hearings this week, centered around Sotomayor and her tainted view of the world. If I were SNL … I would have a field day with her preposterous nomination … Picture the Judge attempting to chew gum and rule at the same time, tumbling and breaking an ankle. I digress …
As for me … this week I sent out a shout out to Hispanic comedians Cheech and Chong for Cheech’s birthday. And I circulated a link to their racial spoof — “Mexican Americans.”
See video: Cheech Laughs At One’s Own Self
All in good fun. Yes we “can all get along” … If first we learn to laugh at ourselves.
Here, share a laugh on me and my foolishness.
Before any of this recent new racial stuff came to light, I was faced with my own little race crisis of sorts, innocent though it was is. Funny too! I was already considering blogging about it …
Flash back to my PR career. I was representing a company that did “fake bakes” or “tan in a can” or whatever you want to call it. This company had state-of-the-art tanning booths and a seemingly more healthful spray-on alternative. This particular pigment provider had the additional clout of being associated with one of the most well known cheerleading groups on the planet. I ain’t gonna lie, it was a sweet gig … I know … digress …
Anyway, for the tanning company, I was charged with contacting reporters in the spring and evangelizing the benefits of a nice bold tan, which my client could provide. We wanted what was called ink and coverage, back in the days before viral media.
One day, I contacted a reporter on the health beat for CNN. Ha … I guess I was spending all my loose change on tanning products, because I didn’t have CNN. Therefore, I broke rule #1 of media relations. I had not watched this reporter on the tube, before contacting her. Nevertheless, if I could convince this reporter to write about my tanning client, it would be a major coup!
In my defense, as preparation, I read a few transcripts of the reporter’s work prior to calling her. I traded e-mails as well. When first we talked our conversations were quite cordial, and she was interested in this potential story angle — particularly the spray on product, which is said to be less wear/tear on the skin, so to speak.
I had a “really big fish, nibbling.” The CNN reporter was close to buying off on the idea.
I just knew I could push her over the edge. I said, “Kat, I know you will like this service. Let’s have you try it out. I can get you a membership to go to any or all of the locations and you can try it out.” We even discussed setting up a spray booth there in the studio.
If she tried the spray, I promised her she would no longer have to wear as much make up for the cameras, when she went into the newscast studio. And I assured her she would look awesome in all the light, bright Spring fashions.
Funny thing about TV reporters and anchors and such. They all develop what we call this Midwestern accent … which is pretty much no accent at all. When I talked to Kat, I couldn’t detect anything. She could have been from Jersey or East L.A. or Dallas for that matter. I simply couldn’t get a read on her.
Understatement! Because after I suggested that I could make Kat at least 5 shades darker, the phone line was silent.
Finally … she laughed and informed me that she is in fact of African American persuasion.
Color me embarrassed! Totally innocent … no harm done and we both had a good laugh about it. I am sure I looked as if I had fallen asleep in the old tanning bed.
I wonder if Kat remembers me eating crow that day.
She was very kind, and we laughed it off. So … that was then. This is now. I was reminded of my former association with Kat Carney of CNN because … WOW … I saw her on a late-night infomercial, just the other night! I mean … Kat Carney is an awesome byline … one of those names you cannot forget.
I think I saw her on some work out, physical fitness product video. Later, I Googled her and saw that she continues a great career … complete with some ups and downs … and she has made the best of her challenges. She was a good sport back then. She is an inspiration now.
And whatever she is doing … working out, dieting, tanning … I don’t know … “but she look marvelous!”
Know what I sayin?
