Althouse: "I’d like to feel sorry for NBC for coming under such a plainly false accusation of racial intent."

August 5, 2012

"I’d like to feel sorry for NBC for coming under such a plainly false accusation of racial intent."

"Except it’s what NBC does to others all the time, including when dealing with Mitt Romney...."

46 comments:

Jaq said...: I had a joke for four years now that Obama was little more than an organ grinder's monkey minus the fez. Working the country east to west and north to south, tin cup in hand for money, while the MSM provided the music, but I didn't because it would be perceived as racist.

I learned that comparing a president to a non human primate is racist from smirking chimp dot com.; 8/5/12, 8:02 AM
Jaq said...: BTW: how sick was it to even respond to this and let the haters define the story Gabby has created through talent, heart, and hard work.; 8/5/12, 8:04 AM
iqvoice said...: I don't know. When a black person says something is RACIST, then it must be RACIST, right?

I mean, isn't that what Maureen Dowd would call "absolute moral authority?"

I think the real issue at hand is not to determine guilt, (GUILTY!), but to assign the appropriate punishment.; 8/5/12, 8:08 AM
Hagar said...: I think it says something about those who drew the association.

However, NBC "hoist by its own petard" as it were. Think they will learn something from the experience?
Nah.; 8/5/12, 8:08 AM
Roger J. said...: Somehow i can't wrap my head around the sequence of advertising spots and events as racist. Now editing tapes for "news" (eg, George Zimmerman, and the black dude carrying a weapon in Arizona tea party gathering) gets much closer to the mark, but that, imo, isnt comparable to advertising slots. Oh well--guess I am out of touch.; 8/5/12, 8:08 AM
traditionalguy said...: The old NBC hacks have the Olympics monopoly. We had better get used to what that means.

The amazing thing is that Gabby Douglas herself is the most attractive and talented person that I have ever seen. She proves that skin color doesn't matter when her heart and her soul is beauty itself in a human form.

NBC is old time racist to the core. They really cannot stand seeing a Gabby Douglas destroying the race angle.; 8/5/12, 8:09 AM
rhhardin said...: I'd suggest not caring what black people think.; 8/5/12, 8:12 AM
Guildofcannonballs said...: The hateful bigoted racist Al Sharpton works for NBC.

QED.

Also, this once, this ONE TIME, I will let you in on my business: The interwebs are a rattlesnake to my mongooseness.; 8/5/12, 8:15 AM
Roger J. said...: rhhardin: question: is that what black people think? or is it what some white folks think that some black folks think--I know there were few twitter links indicating some adverse comments from apparently black folks, but I dont believe that is the entire black population.; 8/5/12, 8:16 AM
KCFleming said...: What with their flash mobs, knockout king, drive-bys, gang violence, incarceration rate, and abortion stats, I don't get the idea that blacks are frail flowers, undone by even the appearance of the wrong thing said.

But rather seem really really angry, continuously. All news and talk must be positive for them, or there will be hell to pay.

Islam acts the same way. Shame societies and all that. No sense of humor about oneself, etc.

NBC broke the lefty law of Superiority of Color, that even covers them.

So it is unwritten, so shall it be.; 8/5/12, 8:23 AM
Sorun said...: This really highlights who the real racists are, which is those who made the association: White and black racialists (aka liberals).; 8/5/12, 8:25 AM
Sorun said...: Can you imagine the NBC control room where the producer says, "Ok, we're airing the Gabby piece now, so no commercials that include monkeys, watermelon, or fried chicken."; 8/5/12, 8:28 AM
edutcher said...: Hagar's point is on the money.

This is standard fare for people like Al Sharpton and Jessuh Jackson, it's how they ran ran their shakedowns.

That it's being done to most Leftist of networks really is the icing on the cake. But the issue is with the parent company of the Peacock. GE has dictated a lot of the direction; 8/5/12, 8:38 AM
KCFleming said...: "What will not offend" is an impossible list to follow, changing as it does on the whims of the offended.

There were no funny standup comics under Stalin. Putin makes the same demands.

Chris Rock was able to, for a time, ignore the prohibition. But he's since fallen in line.

Where it leads me, at work, is to never ever discuss the offended groups. Ever. Not for good or bad. No remarks on appearance or background. Little non-work talk. Too easy for offense to be found.

I do notice young women reading the 50 Shades of Grey books and am tempted to claim harassment for porn being read at work.

But I'm not stupid.; 8/5/12, 8:39 AM
Roger J. said...: Pogo, as usual, makes a good point--heaven forfend a man reads some men's mag at work, but its OK for women to read 50 shades of grey. While I havent read a men's mag for 40 years, I assume in today's age they are pretty gamey--I assume 50 shades of grey is equally gamey. The issue, i think, is where they are being read, not the content.; 8/5/12, 8:44 AM
Paco Wové said...: Can you imagine the NBC control room where the producer says, "Ok, we're airing the Gabby piece now, so no commercials that include monkeys, watermelon, or fried chicken."

If it's offensive to run ad X immediately after clip Y, how many minutes of buffer time must separate them? Does it vary by genus and species of primate? "After this next piece, you can run the lemur ad, but the chimpanzee spot has to wait 45 minutes"?; 8/5/12, 8:46 AM
Mark O said...: My heart soars over the post racial America Obama has created. Is there anything that isn’t worse with him as President?; 8/5/12, 8:47 AM
coketown said...: This calls for an ape-in at NBC studios. I'll take any excuse to throw shit at Bob Costas. Oh, yeah, and I'm like so totally outraged about all this. I, too, associate tumbling apes with black people, and I, too, feel that shows other people are racist. Becoming liberal is the best thing that has ever happened to my ego.; 8/5/12, 8:54 AM
shiloh said...: Conservative sarcastic retorts re: their ad nauseam race fixation er Obama fetish w/Althouse leading her flock.

Lather, rinse, repeat ...; 8/5/12, 9:00 AM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: I do notice young women reading the 50 Shades of Grey books and am tempted to claim harassment for porn being read at work.

But I'm not stupid.

Why are they reading anything at work anyway? Report them for that.

I agree with rhhardin. Who cares what the blacks think about whether the positioning of a commercial is racially motivated. I'm sick of all of their whining, posturing, chest beating (ooops was that racist) and perceiving racism in every itty bitty innocent word or utterance.

F'em; 8/5/12, 9:00 AM
Roger J. said...: While I am not a particularly big fan of MLK Jr, I think his point about content of character versus color of skin are words to live by; 8/5/12, 9:13 AM
MayBee said...: I'm tired of celebrating the offended, as if it is a great achievement to find offense at something.

Gabby's victory is what should be celebrated. Why someone wanted to ruin her moment with faux outrage about an ad is beyond me.; 8/5/12, 9:17 AM
Tank said...: Roger

There is no reason to assume that MLK, who was a committed socialist and adulterer, would not have "evolved" into a supporter of reverse discrimination, quotas, and race based extortion (alla Jesse Jackson).; 8/5/12, 9:19 AM
jimspice said...: "Can you imagine the NBC control room where the producer says, 'Ok, we're airing the Gabby piece now, so no commercials that include monkeys, watermelon, or fried chicken.' "

No, I can't. But I can imagine somewhere along the line in the career or eduction of the person responsible for ad placement, a mentor might suggest "with the raw state that racial nerves are in these days, be sure to be aware of racial stereotypes and avoid placements that might invite criticism."

But I'm fairly certain this was entirely unintended. What about when the association is intended -- the so called "dog whistle." How does a political campaign go about instructing it's staff to undertake such an operation? Obviously, you can't put it on the record to use the word "foreign" a lot implying that Obama is foreign born or at least not like you and me. Do they they literally employ innuendo, nudge and wink a la Python? Do they just make sure tape is not rolling and say it blatantly out loud? Or is it a lead-by-example kind of thing, where its use arises organically following the example of the top of the ticket?; 8/5/12, 9:20 AM
President-Mom-Jeans said...: "Conservative sarcastic retorts re: their ad nauseam race fixation er Obama fetish w/Althouse leading her flock.

Lather, rinse, repeat ..."

Shut up Guyblow, it's not conservatives who started this idiotic episode, but the race obsessed idiots of the left.; 8/5/12, 9:25 AM
Roger J. said...: Re Jimspices' analysis--agree entirely. The ad folks are out to make money, and they figured they would have a large audience share. On the political side? a separate question.

Agree: No offense intended. Just plain old ad revenue.; 8/5/12, 9:30 AM
Sorun said...: "with the raw state that racial nerves are in these days..."

Great job, Nobel laureate Obama!; 8/5/12, 9:30 AM
Michael K said...: "Conservative sarcastic retorts re: their ad nauseam race fixation er Obama fetish w/Althouse leading her flock"

Words from an idiot signifying nothing.

My brother-in-law commented that he always turns down invitations to go out for a drink or dinner from cabin attendants after a flight since another pilot was accused of harassment at such a venue. The guy didn't even recall an incident when the complaint was filed.

Take no chances in this lawyered up world.; 8/5/12, 9:56 AM
Rusty said...: MayBee said...
I'm tired of celebrating the offended, as if it is a great achievement to find offense at something.

Gabby's victory is what should be celebrated. Why someone wanted to ruin her moment with faux outrage about an ad is beyond me.

To be honest i didn't really see a connection between Ms. Douglas and the advert. I suppsoe it's possible if you squint real hard.
I wonder if black people know that the vast majority of white people don't actually think about them all the time?
And whats with those derogatory names they have for white people?Ofay. Honky. Cracker. If i don't know what those names mean, how can I be offended. It's funny being called a cracker. I'm what? A Saltine. Am I supposed to be offended?
Congratulations Ms Douglas. And despite what our president says, you did it on your own and you deserve whatever accolades come with your win. What a delightful young woman.; 8/5/12, 10:01 AM
Paco Wové said...: "with the raw state that racial nerves are in these days..."

"these days"? Have they gotten worse recently?; 8/5/12, 10:01 AM
campy said...: Please stop feeding the troll.; 8/5/12, 10:06 AM
Paco Wové said...: Which one?; 8/5/12, 10:14 AM
Joe Schmoe said...: This is funny to me. Not that poor Gabby has to put up with this after her crowning achievement, well deserved as it is, but that racial indoctrination apparently isn't being taught effectively to young media people.

We had the Jeremy Lin 'Chink in the Armor' episode a few months ago, and now this. Both, in my opinion, committed by young producers who really didn't realize what they were doing would appear very wrong.

I think most young people are pretty color-blind now, much to the consternation of the race baiters. Time to double down on political correctness in the classroom!; 8/5/12, 10:26 AM
Factory Yoyo said...: Quick test:

if a non-black had won that gold medal, and then the monkey ad ran, would anyone have noticed?

If not, then there's nothing to it.

Proximity is not causation.; 8/5/12, 10:37 AM
Carnifex said...: I can tell you for a fact that this was not intentional. NBC is more ham-handed than that when the go to impugn someone. Just look at any conservative they interview. Look at the Martin shootings. I could fill this page up with examples of NBC putting the boot to someone, and it is never subtle.

Does PETA cheer for NBC now that they are equating a capuchin with a gold medal gymnast?

I saw the ceremony, Costa's gushing bile, and the commercial live as it were. I didn't think anything of it at the time(but I'm pretty unsubtle). That NBC is being castigated for it now just makes it kharmic.

Again, the left has never,ever, heard the story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf.

Has this been hashtagged for the hoist on petard? It should be.; 8/5/12, 10:41 AM
Carnifex said...: @Mike K

Don't blame your B-in-law at all. Had to do some work at a house owned by 5 co-eds. Got there as they were finishing up b-fast and heading off to school. Only there were 4 of them. I didn't know there was another woman, (girl actually) in the place. She came trotting out later in her panties and tee shirt, announcing that she was gonna take a shower. I told her okay, I'll be back when there's no one home, and got the hell outta there. All it takes is 1 instance of a mis-interpretted glance and your career is ruined.; 8/5/12, 10:48 AM
David said...: Monkey see, Monkey do.

It's interesting that people were saying that the timing of the commercial was racist, not that the commercial itself is racist. Of course neither is, but it does seem to be an unwitting dose of NBC's own medicine.

I do not think it was mostly black people who objected. White liberal idiots largely.

Memo to idiots: Sometimes a monkey is just a monkey.; 8/5/12, 11:32 AM
Chip S. said...: how sick was it to even respond to this and let the haters define the story...

Very sick.

But Gabby will get the last laugh when she becomes the advertising darling of these Olympics.

All we have now is another unwanted view of the sick minds of those white "liberals" who wear the armor of Defenders of Helpless Blacks in order to cover over their deep racism.; 8/5/12, 12:06 PM
William said...: Gabby was referred to as the flying squirrel. Why are squirrel references less harmful than capuchin ones? Chimps and apes look kind of ugly and brutish. Those are the primates that racists commonly use while making insults. Capuchins look cute and intelligent. They are not the primate of choice for racists. Cant we give capuchins a pass on this race analogy thing? It's like cantalope melon vs watermelon and coq au vin vs fried chicken. The stereotype exists more in those who think there is an analogy than in the analogy itself.; 8/5/12, 12:11 PM
Synova said...: "Gabby was referred to as the flying squirrel. Why are squirrel references less harmful than capuchin ones?"

Seriously?

It's evolution, and you must know that.

The basis of this is firmly grounded in evolutionary *scientific* and eugenic theory that humans evolved from apes (and only an irrational god-botherer would dispute it) and the Scopes Monkey Trial, etc., and text books that taught eugenics and Margaret Sanger, etc., etc.

Enlightened and rational people of the last century did not doubt the science or the truth revealed by new scientific understanding of genetic inheritance of traits and the ongoing evolution of humanity.

And quite OBVIOUSLY white people were the most evolved, the highest order of humans. Science said so.

Other humans were closer to our predecessors, the apes, and you could tell by the flatter faces and savage lifestyles of everyone who wasn't European.

Have you never SEEN that illustration of progression from the little monkey to apes to human that is in every SCIENCE text book?

(But of course, no one at any point was actually comparing Gabby to a monkey. And comparing gymnasts to monkeys isn't racist. And those reflexively offended folks who made this an issue to talk about should be ashamed of themselves for putting this ahead of her fabulous accomplishment.); 8/5/12, 12:41 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: A son-of-a-bitch holiday, could, were you to advocate and make it so, a super fun doggie Holiday!; 8/5/12, 1:07 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Well, this whole thing is so incredibly stupid on many levels....

Forget the race angle. The placement of commercials in the commercial breaks is already pre programmed. The sponsors pay to play. The time slots are already selected and filled way ahead of time. The juxtaposition had nothing to do with the sports story about whatshername. It just happened.; 8/5/12, 1:38 PM
Revenant said...: with the raw state that racial nerves are in these days

Just because a subset of black Americans are extra-whiny these days is no reason for the rest of us to change our behavior.

They just need to grow the fuck up, that's all.; 8/5/12, 4:40 PM
Shanna said...: To be honest i didn't really see a connection between Ms. Douglas and the advert.

I didn't make the connection either because

1. I don't sit around thinking 'monkey' every time I see a black person for starters and
2. The monkey in the commercial was doing rings, which means he was male, so I don't why they would make the connection with the female gymnast in the first place. There was also a male gymnast who was white that the monkey was watching, just to make the point further.

This controversy is stupid. Can we not start just ignoring these people?

PS, Gabby is adorable!; 8/5/12, 8:16 PM
beamishboy said...: Yeah, it was just just an innocent mistake by NBC, but can you imagine their shock and outrage if Rush Limbaugh had done it?; 8/5/12, 8:33 PM
Christy said...: I don't remember the ad, but I did see Costas gushing about how this win would inspire black girls everywhere and I was offended. Patronizing, it was.; 8/5/12, 9:05 PM