Your author continues to see apologies rendered by actor Michael Richards, known for his role as the character Kramer in the popular television series Seinfeld. Nearly everyone is aware of his racially fueled rant he displayed while attempting to perform a standup comedy act at Los Angeles’ Laugh Factory comedy lounge.
Oddly enough Richards feels comfortable handholding with Reverends Jesse Jackson and his lapdog Al Sharpton (identified by the press as civil rights leaders) instead of directly addressing the hecklers that were subjected to his words. No sooner had your author opined about the link with Jackson and Sharpton, besides a moment of self promoting opportunism, the media machine provided the answer. Jackson is expected to meet with music, movie and television producers about banning the use of racial slurs. This only makes logical sense because in the past Jackson has attempted to muscle in on corporate America, Wall Street and more recently banking. Both he and Sharpton have previously thrown their hats in the political arena. Sharpton also made a name for himself for attempting to undermine New York City’s municipal government with multiple documented protests against the police. It should be noted that neither have held a legitimate job outside of molding Dr. Martin L. King’s legacy to fit in their pockets.
What Richards did on stage was awful, a shocking and maniacal display of hatred. However where were the two good reverends when Richard Pryor used the racial slur nigger How about Dave Chappelle and his wildly popular television program and career? Better yet when the actor Bill Cosby began his speaking engagements at colleges where he called for Black America to stand against the negative urban stereotypes of gun toting thugs and the complementary rap/hip-hop music? Jackson and Sharpton were nowhere to be found.
And now Jackson will try to steer the entertainment industry and influence their right to free speech. Your author makes no bones about it, the left will use free speech and the Constitution as it fits them. However, let the other side provide an alternative or differing opinion the criticisms and name calling will fall out of the sky like snowflakes. As a supposed member of the cloth where was Jackson when director Martin Scorsese released the film The Last Temptation of Christ? The film was scorched by Christians but Jackson was silent.
Now your author does not attend the movies on a regular basis. The product pushed by Hollywood often times doesn’t warrant access to his dollars. With that mentioned, your author cannot recall racial slurs being used to ad nausea but is aware of the lowering standards as it relates to network television. Now your author is well aware of hip-hop, once known as rap music, that is often littered with words such as nigger, ho (slang for whore), bitch, kill, bullets, guns, dope (meaning drugs and typically referring to crack cocaine), drive-by shootings and the glorification of the urban gangster lifestyle centered around the dangerous gangs known as The Crips and Bloods. How successful will Jackson be in attempting to influence these record labels? They make plenty in profits and your author doubts they will quickly allow these to be dismissed.
Another view to take when looking at the Richards’ comments and the entertainment business in general could be used as a civil rights scorecard for Jackson, Sharpton and others who make it a career to exploit. If figures such as Dr. Martin L. King and Medgar Evers died for the cause of equal rights and common respect as a human being then why has the Jackson machine let this country down? In other words why is Hollywood such a critical situation now if Jackson and company were supposed to be leaders following King, Evers and others? Jackson and others get an F for job performance and a D- for sincerity to their cause. Furthermore proof of their job failure can be cited when one considers the success of Oprah Winfrey, Jet Magazine founder John Johnson, the first Black American billionaire Robert Johnson or American philosopher and Stanford professor Thomas Sowell. Not once has your author heard or read that they chalked their success up to Team Jackson although most if not all will cite King. In fact it appears that the big media machine folks are the only ones taking Jackson, Sharpton and others dubbed as civil rights leaders by the press as modern day defenders of Black America.
Jackson, Sharpton and their ilk don’t care about Hollywood and whether or not racial derogatory statements are being used. Furthermore their lack of involvement with Cosby and others during their recent protests tells your author that they don’t care about the music industry either. No in all likelihood Jackson will try to become part of a ‘media consulting’ group, demand quotas, accept donations to whatever organization and basically become a nuisance. It will be the same song and dance he has performed since the 1970s when he realized he could profit under the guise of civil rights protests. He pulled the stunt with Denny’s Restaurants, Microsoft, Wal-Mart and countless other corporations. Al Sharpton will more than likely be the wardrobe and hair style consultant, which should prove to be entertaining!
Meteorology Humor
According to scientist James Lovelock we are all doomed. From a reuters story, Lovelock doesn’t believe a hot earth could support 500 million people and that the detrimental habits of mankind and industries producing carbon emissions have already impacted the globe’s climate. We are all doomed and global warming will be the nail in the coffin. Meanwhile as our planet is baking and the ice caps are melting, Calgary, Alberta is experiencing record low temperatures. Recent temperatures dropped to a bone chilling -31C, which surpassed the low of -27 C in 1896.
