I was going to just make Eddie Griffin's stupid ass my house Negro of the day. But then I had too much to say to squeeze it all into my side bar.
It seems that Eddie was dropping the "N" word a bit too much for the folks from "Black Enterprise Magazine, and Earl Graves himself came on stage after Mr. Coon got the hook. (You know Earl don't you? He is the guy with the funny side burns) Now all this begs the question: just why the hell did they invite this walking minstrel show to do a stand up routine? Didn't they see any of his movies? Sometimes I really have to wonder about black folks. Do you mean to tell me that they could not have found a G rated comic who also happened to be funny, to perform? Or couldn't they have gotten a singer or some shit? I am sure quite a few very good musical acts would have performed for less than what Eddie Griffin charged them.
I blame Eddie Griffin for being ignorant, but I also blame the folks at Black Enterprise for not being smart enough to get another act as well. It reminds me of what my Catholic friends at Vanilla-nova University did recently, when they hired a comic named Steve Trevino. According to the University, Mr Trevino was so raunchy and insensitive, that they had to cut his act short. So Vanilla-nova, like the folks at Black Enterprise, deserve to be called out for not thinking of their audience first.
And for the record, I don't even support this "N" word ban. You just can't ban a fucking word! Should we use it so indiscriminately? Of course not. But should an artist be able to use it in a song, a play, a movie, or whatever? Of course they should. (Well, as long as it's a black artist) So you ban the word, do you think some racist white folks won't be saying nigger around the dinner table to their kids? Give me a break. You cannot ban or bury a word. Let's just teach our kids to respect themselves and their race. If they are young men, to respect their women, that's a start. I promise you if we were bringing up this generation of kids the way we should be doing it, we would not need to be talking about banning the "N" word. They would be just as turned off by the word as we are. Let's stress proper education, so that they will have more words in their vocabulary than nigger this, and nigger that. Because we all know what the kids, and those so inclined to use the word, are saying about this "N" word ban right. "Yeah, those niggers are crazy. Talkin bout banning a damn word, they can kiss my black ass." That's what they are saying, and will continue to say until they know better.
Now unfortunately, Eddie Griffin is one of those Negroes, and thankfully the Black Enterprise people cut his performance short. But there is one thing I know that wasn't short, and that was Eddie's check. Because thanks to people like the folks at Black Enterprise, that "nigger" is rich.
Oh, and before I forget, a note about the Black Weblog Awards. I would like to thank every one of my field Negro friends who voted for me, and made it possible for this site to win the popular vote for best political/news blog.
This sounds corny, but everyone who comments on this site deserves that award. Because honestly, some of you are deeper, and much more eloquent than I could ever be.
So thanks for coming to my site, and giving it some real gravitas. Because you and I both know that my bullshit alone wouldn't cut it.
32 comments:
Eddie Griffin may as well be both Step & Fetchit all wrapped up in one.
OT: Love the choice for House Negro of the Day.
Mr. Christie should also be Lawn Jockey.
He's so ridiculous, and such a handkerchief head, it's painful.
Congratulations on your award. You deserve it!
I got a blow by blow from someone who attended this event. Not only did Eddie get the boot but, apparently, Erykah Badu was high or tore up or something. She didn't sing her classic songs and started singing some new song about "Annie ain't got no panties ..." The Graves family was so appalled they walked out on her performance.
Whosomever booked the acts probably got the ax! They need to know that all black folks don't mix.
qusan, report back to us when you see Erykah Badu when she isn't high.
Mr. Christie should also be Lawn Jockey.
He's so ridiculous, and such a handkerchief head, it's painful.
Good Lord! He's another one who I'd like to see get smashed in the head by an anvil.
Congrats on the award. They knew exactly what kind of person he was, but they probably booked his ass a year in advance before the word police was formed.
"qusan, report back to us when you see Erykah Badu when she isn't high." LOL!
qusan, thanks for the blow by blow. It's great to blog, because you get all these insights from people in the know.
Thanks blinders and ross,you guys are some of the posters I talk about that made people recognize the site.
And folks, please don't let me get started on Mr. Christie; that boy needs some healing:)
Congrats on your award Field. You damn sure deserved to get it. You are the reason that I started my blog. I wish more black men would put their fingers behind a keyboard and write down their thoughts instead of putting their fingers behind a trigger and killing another black man.
On your thoughts about "undercover brother" right on! as always.
congrats on the award! you came in late and STILL kicked butt. that's what i'm talking about. lol.
now, lol @ eddie being a walking minstrel show. that is so right on. i've never thought he was funny in any form or fashion. and his jokes are way over the top and much too raunchy.
i've been saying that for the longest that it is pretty impossible to ban a word. i'm with you, let's boost their vocabulary, give them other options besides the N word and show them the mentality that goes along with not wanting to say it and recognizing what it does when we say it. until then, it will just be a joke.
oh,and i won judge's pick for Best Fictional! yay! lol.
Eddie's been dropping the N'word for as long as he's been on the stage since his first days on Russell Simmons "Def Comedy Jam".
The NAACP's symbolic ban of the word was just that "Symbolic" because as an organization that has strayed far from what the founders intended back in 1909, they are hungrily feeding at the Corporate Trough, and when they brought in Bruce Gordon to head it up, whet the hell did they expect when Gordon started running the organization as a CEO and not a figure-head?
Black Enterprise knew damned well what they were getting. Just like the CBC did when they crawled into bed with Fox Network, and when they had R.Kelly performing at the CBC events in DC back in '05 - when he still had that child sex thing hanging over his head.
I got a free ticket to that event, and when I found out R.Kelly was headlining, I was screaming for my money back - even though I had a comp ticket (LOL).
This is always the response when any of these organizations bring in someone controversial, and then get "surprised" when said controversial individual brings the controversy with him. I wish they'd grow up, quit the money hustle and do what their original mission is.
And Congrats on winning the Blog Award, it was well-earned and deserved.
Congrats on winning field you deserve, in my blog travels I see your blog linked a lot more than any other blogger I know.
As for Mr. Griffin, you are right he has a long history of bieng who he is and the Graves (or their event planner) should have taken that into consideration.
And for the record, I don't even support this "N" word ban. You just can't ban a fucking word! Should we use it so indiscriminately? Of course not. But should an artist be able to use it in a song, a play, a movie, or whatever? Of course they should. (Well, as long as it's a black artist) So you ban the word, do you think some racist white folks won't be saying nigger around the dinner table to their kids? Give me a break. You cannot ban or bury a word. Let's just teach our kids to respect themselves and their race. If they are young men, to respect their women, that's a start. I promise you if we were bringing up this generation of kids the way we should be doing it, we would not need to be talking about banning the "N" word.
Hey field,
I had to come back and give a comment to this one because it cuts to the heart of the deficiency in our community. Your response to the banning is almost schizophrenic. You say that you're not for banning, but that we should use it with more discrimination? But anyone who needs to use it in a song, or a movie, or a play, or just anytime during the day should be able to use it so long as they are black. Since only blacks have the "right" to use the word.
The ban was not to stop its use, it was to highlight its use and misuse. No group can ban anything that the people don't want banned, drugs prove that. The ban was not to stop racist white people from using the word, it was to call attention to how many black people not only use the word but identify with its negativity.
You say if the kids were raised right we wouldn't need to ban the word, well how do you propose to do that? You know the numbers, you see the carnage everyday. It is easy to sit back and say we should be doing this or that, it is altogether different when dealing with the real world. One of our biggest obstacles is we are always confusing how things "should" be with how things "are".
I agree BE's invitation to Eddie Griffin to perform, Graves' pre-empting the performance, and 'word bans' illustrate (again) Buppies are lost. But what's the beef, FN, with Griffin?
" or just anytime during the day should be able to use it so long as they are black. Since only blacks have the "right" to use the word."
forgiven, where did I say; "or just anytime during the day"? I never said that. The gist of my argument is that we should be focusing on doing real things instead of a word. I think the people who want to ban the "N" word are not living in the real world.
But what's the beef, FN, with Griffin?" mib, where do I start?
Let's just say this; it's kind of like what that old Chief Justice said about pornography; "you know it when you see it". I am sorry,his body of work speaks volumes about him. Maybe I am wrong,but you know what they say about perception.
natural muze, CONGRATS! You deserve it.
dirty red, and Mark, thanks for the kind words. Mark, you have been in these fields from day one. And for that my brother, I am always grateful.
Peace.
This guy gives Eddie Griffin a bad name. I sure hate that he has my name. His mother should have named him after somebody else.
You're too modest.
I've said it before, I don't know where you get the time and energy to put such a great blog together. I've never read a blog quite like yours, it's opened my eyes and made me think a bit more for myself. I don't always agree with you but you always have something important to say, and you do it with passion, every day. You provide a great service for people you may not even be aware of. So take a minute and give yourself that pat on the back.
And please please please write an entry to expose this clown Fred Thompson.
thank you Field. :)
Thanks for the kind words anon.!
And all I have to say about old Fred is that if you think Bill Clinton was a womanizer, well then watch out ;)
Damn eddie, I forgot that you and this clown share a name. I sure hope his middle initial isn't G.
Even CNN basically asked Black Enterprise "What the hell did you expect from Eddie Griffin?" and their defense was he sent them a clean version of the same stand up bit, then did the dirty one without their knowing beforehand. *Sniff sniff* What's that? Kinda smells like...bullcrap.
You might have one the Judges' Vote too, if you weren't such a Grammar Jew. I'm just sayin' ;)
Congratulations, Field! You're blog is the meeting place for all of us.
Eddie Griffin. This is why OUR Eddie G. Griffin, the ex-Panther, Civil Rights activist and bible school teacher, uses his middle initial "G", so that no one will confuse him with the other guy who goes by the same name!
Here's a provacative piece for you! Clintonism, Iraq, Polling and Pragmatism
Congrats on the award!!!
"that "nigger" is rich." Maybe I'm just ignorant but when I saw the "nigger" & was like what. Why not nigga? I see a clear divide between the 2, am I alone?
Bygbaby
"You might have one the Judges' Vote too, if you weren't such a Grammar Jew. I'm just sayin' ;)"
You Grammar Nazis I swear :)
And no, if I was F. Scott Fitzgerald, I wouldn't have won the Judges vote. Not with a handle like field Negro :)
Thanks Francis, and I will check out that link.
"nigger" and "nigga". Difference? Mmmmm, I gotta think about that one Bygbaby.
Field,
Congratulations!!! You deserve it.
Yeah, we comment here. But you put in all the hard work. Commenting here is easy because of the work you do.
In fact, the workyou do here has inspired me to start laboring again on my health an wellness blog. I got side tracked because of my job. But I know I must get back on track. It's a lot of work that must be done for our people. And we can't get it done by making excuses, being lazy, being busy doing things that don't matter, or by avoiding reality.
Field, to be quite honest, you make me want to even blog about social/political issues. I don't know, but may be soon, I will start a social/political blog. But don't hold me to it though.
Brotha, you have a good one.
Angie Braden
Angie, you have to put it down my sister, you have too much to say.
Let me know when you launch :)
And thanks for getting a brotha's back ;)
I have to wonder what the hell Black Enterprise magazine was thinking when they asked Eddie Griffin to do stand-up at their event. You would think that BE would know that when they hired "The Undercover Brother", they wouldn't be getting Dick Gregory.
By the way Field, congratulations on your Black Weblog Award. Since I like to supplement my pop culture diet with more serious matters, I always make your blog one of my first stops. Also, thank you for including my link in the "Blogs I Am Feeling" section of your sidebar.
Congrats on the award, Field. You are a must-stop for me nearly everyday.
-Caged Lion
"Grammar Jew"
In all seriousness, I would suggest that we don't ever see use of the word Jew in this manner on this blog. It's very derogatory...seriously. The manner in which it was used as some sort of 'joke' is pretty offensive. There's really no other explanation for using the word jew there than to denote that jew means 'stingy' or worse.
Good take here: http://averagebro.blogspot.com/2007/09/eddie-griffin-vs-earl-graves-n-words.html
So there is obviously some confusion going on in society over the word nigger/nigga/n***a, etc. Like many other words, power is only granted by others. Case in point the comment above about the "grammar jew/grammar nazi" joke. Some would stay tasteless, some would say inspired, some would say insipid, and others don't even notice. Welcome to the human society - a place where we can actually be concerned with the meanings of words/jokes, and a little less with who's got a gun. I hope to live there one day myself.
Sorry, I'm rambling. I meant to say that some people really need to be put on blast for bringing in talent that ain't what you're "expecting." There's the Eddie Griffin thing (had NO ONE googled him?), and 2 weekends ago there was the same type of thing at Temple University (rated #1 by the '08 Princeton Review for diversity) who brought Tracy Morgan (he of the DUI history & SNL performances) for the opening of campus. The man was so derogatory, so base, that I walked out about half-way through his show, and couldn't believe that someone wasn't fired over his comments. Better even was his opening act, who took a moment to ask "where all the black men at?" cause he "only saw 6 on his way in, and he brought 2 of them with him." Unless the man was blind, he must have thought he was at our sister school to the north, Vanilla-Nova (I copped that, it ain't original).
Lastly (I promise), back when I first made my transition to the 215, I used to ball at various open gyms around the city. I'm up in Germantown one evening, and gettin hassled by these rugrats 'cause I'm the only white guy in the gym. I hadn't even noticed (honest!) until they were pointing it out. So, I get two more games in, and then we're closing things out with a prayer circle (gym was at my buddies church) and this guy I've been talkin' smack with all night comes up and, as we break, says "you got some game, my eminem nigga." How should I have responded? Nevermind...I said thanks, gave him some dap and chuckled a bit as I walked out the door.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the word really IS used in all types of ways.
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