July 17, 2020

"No, Joe Biden Didn’t Introduce Man in Blackface at 1985 Fundraiser."

Snopes explains. The video you're seeing — with captions like "Joe Biden participated in 'Black Face' skit in a unfunny way" — is Biden introducing a black singer.

The true story isn't particularly good for Biden, who said, quoted in the Washington Examiner (video at the link):
“Now, the next man I would like you to meet,” Biden said. “Now, y’all got to sit down for this. We’re going to have some important people coming out in a minute. But there is one more band member that I want you to meet: Ladies and gentlemen, our vocalist tonight, Michael Jackson. Michael, would you please stand?” Biden said, pointing his hand toward the singer, who smiled and took a bow. Biden added: “Soon to become Prince, as was just pointed out to me."
But it's not about blackface.
In fact, the singer was a D.C.-based performer named Jerome Powell. Looking back at Biden's joke this week, Powell, now 75, told the Washington Examiner it was "just a big mistake" because Powell was influenced by artists such as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Tony Bennett and was nothing like Jackson. "People know the difference. I mean, Michael Jackson and I were in two entirely different categories."...

Powell said that while Biden's comment was "a mistake on his side" because he shared no musical similarities with Jackson, he was not offended and did not feel Biden was racially insensitive. “I’m a very sensitive person, so my sensitivity would have kicked in when a statement like that was made. It didn’t. I would have commented or responded to it."
I wanted to find some video of Jerome Powell singing, but it's hard to look up this Jerome Powell, because Jerome Powell is also the name of the Chairman of the Federal Reserve.

31 comments:

wild chicken said...

Sounds like a stupid attempt at semiracist humor ("they all look alike") by the ever-stupud Joe Biden.

But I don't think it's timely now. Enough with the ancient history.




rhhardin said...

Who first accepted that there's anything wrong with blackface and why. There's been no discussion of it; it was just suddenly there.

Typical leftist move.

Mark said...

So Snopes drags up something that no one knew about only to demonstrate that for Biden all Black people look alike to him.

Mary Beth said...

Google "Jerome Powell singer". I don't see videos of him singing, but there are photos and links to audio of him singing. He sings Big Band music.

Jake said...

To Joe Biden, I’m sure all black people look alike.

Expat(ish) said...

Were any of the people there anywhere near confederate flags at any point in their lives?

-XC

Sebastian said...

"so my sensitivity would have kicked in when . . ."

. . . someone with the wrong politics had made the same comment.

Slightly OT: has Joe B done anything at all in over four decades in Washington that is admirable? I get that for progs he's just an ABT figurehead. But is there anything to be said in his favor?

Wince said...

The best part of the video is nobody is paying any attention to Biden as he yells his remarks above the din.

Dave Begley said...

Maybe all Black people look alike to Biden.

Leland said...

Here's one of Jerome Powell, the singer. I found it by searching YouTube for "Singer Jerome Powell -Chair". The -Chair takes out hits related to chair, I could have used -Fed. Still, I only found the one hit.

He does have a website: https://jeromepowellsinger.com/

Charlie said...

He was bad then, now he's a senile version of that same guy. Good job Dems!

hombre said...

What is the difference? Are we pretending that prominent Democrats will be held accountable for their transgressions? Who’s kidding who?

Gropey Joe the demented extorting grifter accountable? Hillary the Grifter accountable? Slick Willy accountable? Schiff the seditionist accountable? Right!

Fubar.N.Wass said...

Did you look here?

https://jeromepowellsinger.com/

Nonapod said...

Looking back at Biden's joke this week

For some reason it took a minute for me to properly parse that. The first time I read it I interpreted as Biden made some joke this week, rather than looking back at a joke that was told 35 years ago. I was thinking "What joke did Biden tell this week?".

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
n.n said...

Would it matter? Diversity is a politically congruent social transgression. Blackface is acceptable for leftists past and present.

Joe Smith said...

All blacks may not look alike but they do (or should) think alike. Or so I've been told.

How about the time Biden introduced a MO state senator and asked him to 'Stand up." You know, the guy in a wheelchair.

Hilarity ensued: https://youtu.be/Rkr-lePr7jA

JohnAnnArbor said...

Biden, in a speech in the South, once made a big deal about how Delaware was a slave state, as if that was a positive.

Not a good look. No idea if there's video.

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

Charlie said...

He was bad then, now he's a senile version of that same guy. Good job Dems!

He's been in the Senate all these years courtesy of MBNA and never really had to campaign. He's not senile, he's authentically dumb.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

These days, Biden would introduce Obama as Michael Jackson.

Joe Smith said...

"He's not senile, he's authentically dumb."

Should he get elected, I do believe Biden would be our dumbest, lowest IQ president.

I think the collective IQ of the senate rose quite a few points when Biden left.

Hirono now holds the title of dumbest senator, and she would be odds-on favorite for dumbest congressional member but still has strong competition from Barbara Lee, Maxine Waters, Eric Swallwell, and the guy that was worried about Guam tipping over.

Gk1 said...

"Snope says" boy I have to go back to the 2001 when I bothered to check with them on anything. Shouldn't they be checking parody sites like the Babylon Bee for "accuracy?

wild chicken said...

Who first accepted that there's anything wrong with blackface"

NAACP over a hundred years ago. And probable DuBois before that.

Just nobody paid them any mind.

Yancey Ward said...

That was just weird. It looks like Biden was trying to make a joke, but it isn't impossible that Biden really thought that was Jackson.

Static Ping said...

Biden is well established as an empty suit who regularly says dumb things, makes insensitive comments, says mean-spirited things, lies, plagarizes, performs various levels of inappropriate touching, changes his positions on issues so regularly that he does not appear to have any principles at all, makes things up, claims the actions of others as his own, denies responsibility for his own actions, and consistently supports some of the worst possible policy decisions in the history of the republic. He's pretty terrible by American politician standards. Oddly, this works for him so there is no reason to change. This incident is pretty typical of him. The only real difference now from back then is his mental decline so now he alternates between all of the above and not knowing where he is.

n.n said...

Snope... Shouldn't they be checking parody sites like the Babylon Bee for "accuracy?

More like NYT, WaPo, CNN, NPR, et al.

n.n said...

All blacks may not look alike but they do (or should) think alike. Or so I've been told.

Yes, diversity dogma dictates that we exercise liberal license to indulge color judgments (e.g. color blocs).

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

Joe Smith said...

Should he get elected, I do believe Biden would be our dumbest, lowest IQ president.

I think the collective IQ of the senate rose quite a few points when Biden left.

Hirono now holds the title of dumbest senator, and she would be odds-on favorite for dumbest congressional member but still has strong competition from Barbara Lee, Maxine Waters, Eric Swallwell, and the guy that was worried about Guam tipping over.


I take that back. Joe isn't dumb, he's arrogant. That's what all this is. He's never had to seriously campaign and he thinks he can just go out and bullshit everyone into voting for him. Just like his father selling some shmuck a used clunker that's going to drop the trannie a block from the car lot.

Hirono is disgusting because she seems to be willfully stupid.

Sammy Finkelman said...

Who first accepted that there's anything wrong with blackface"

NAACP over a hundred years ago. And probable DuBois before that.

Just nobody paid them any mind


No, tey hired black actors. It has not been used by Hollywood since the l Jolson;s movie I think, except for special scenes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_entertainers_who_performed_in_blackface

They;re counting Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins. although that was supposed to be just coal dust.

gilbar said...

someone asked...
I get that for progs he's just an ABT figurehead. But is there anything to be said in his favor?

SURE!
A) he's not as OBVIOUSLY Socialist as Bernie
B) he's never been a DA, or a Cop
C) if you know Very little, about Anything; and you see his picture... He looks like a human
D) since he's Completely Malleable; the powers that be find him acceptable

So, Nothing Positive that he IS ; but Plenty of things that he IS NOT

n.n said...

They;re counting Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins. although that was supposed to be just coal dust.

Chimney sweeps, coal miners, etc. in blackface. Counting twice and thrice, then conflating conditions to spread social contagion.