Janeane Garofalo is hostage to her own deranged opinions.
“I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Martin Luther King, Jr. What is racism? According to Webster, racism is a belief that some races are by nature superior to others. Racism is also discrimination based on such belief. The bitter fruit of racism is well documented: ethnic cleansing, slavery, deportation and even outright extermination (genocide), the defamation of entire people, hate crimes including torture and murder, cruel discrimination, separation, and segregation. Less severe, but no less offensive, are the prejudices, partiality, and unkind words that come from anyone who is a racist.…
Article comments
26 - Arch Conservative
"no one really thinks they were ALL racists, or anywhere near, not even ms. jg. however,"
You must have missed it when she said "they're all racists." What happened Zing...did you get lost in Olbermann's dreamy eyes while she was speaking?
Garofalo has a vendetta against the world because she had the misfortune to actually be born a heterosexual and that damn homely at the same time. I'm sure she's dabbled in pillow biting but it's not her natural tendency most lesbians likely find her as unappealing as most straight men. If only she could have been born with more of the "androgenous Maddow" look she might get a little lovin. But alas she is destined for the life of a lonely angry hag.
27 - zingzing
archie: "You must have missed it when she said "they're all racists.""
yeah, well, maybe i don't believe her. and maybe she doesn't believe herself.
christine: "Thanks zingzing, but do you really think the entire article is "deliberate and obvious exaggeration just for an effect"?"
no, and i didn't say that. i think garofalo's comments probably were, however.
28 - Christine Lakatos
OK ZingZing, I guess I misunderstood, sorry!
29 - Joanne Huspek
"Garofalo has a vendetta against the world because she had the misfortune to actually be born a heterosexual and that damn homely at the same time."
So you're saying her problem is that she needs to get laid?
Just kidding. I agree with Christine on much of her "opinion". I'm a disenfranchised one-time hippie liberal turned fiscal conservative. Both major parties and their cheerleaders make me want to vomit, or move to Australia. "Entertainers" like Garofalo are welcome to voice their opinion, and conversely so am I. That's what makes America, or made it in the past. But to me, her statements came off as brittle and she looked like a left-wing nut job.
30 - Clavos
...she looked like a left-wing nut job.
Probably (and I'm just guessing here) because she is one.
31 - Dave Nalle
Garofalo has a vendetta against the world because she had the misfortune to actually be born a heterosexual and that damn homely at the same time.
I always thought she was kind of cute, at least so long as she keeps her mouth shut.
Dave
32 - zingzing
put a cock in it, dave.
(it's a joke, see--i replaced the "r" with a "c" and it got all dirty!)
33 - Andy Marsh
I watch MSNBC just so I know all the lies Fox is telling me. How else would I know if Matthews, Olbermann and Maddow didn't tell me all the bad things that O'Reilly, Hannity and the evil Rupert Murdoch are doing!
Actually, I do watch MSNBC in the morning. I think Morning Joe is easily the best morning news program out there. And it is the only balanced news program on MSNBC.
it's kind of difficult to watch a news program that does nothing but spew hatred of the right and from 7PM until 11PM that's all MSNBC does Monday through Friday. News to them seems to only deal with what the right is doing.
And lastly I'll say that labelling Garafalo a comedienne is really stretching the definition!
34 - Baronius
"everyone around here seems to be fixated on race. just go see the articles about the new scotus appointment."
Not so, Zing. There would have been the same reaction if Sonya Sottermeyer talked about German superiority at an Ein Volk rally.
35 - Zedd
Christine,
I also am against everything being labeled as racist. Phantom racism occurs regularly and I abhor it. But from reading our article, its apparent that you don't really understand the depth of racism. The visceral response that was displayed was not about taxes. These folks are not scholars on the tax code. The level of anger that was expressed comes from something deeper. It's fear. Not a rational fear that comes from a real and present danger. It's a fear of calamity. Not higher taxes.
You cant really stamp out racism until you understand the depths at which it is ingrained into our world view as a nation.
I'm not sure if you are a perceptive person or not, but what I witnessed were people who were not making a commentary on policy. I think you missed it.
36 - Christine Lakatos
Wow, I go away for a while to write another piece for Blog Critics, Bill Maher and his movie Religulous, and find some interesting comments. Glad to see this is a topic worth visiting! Zedd, I did witness, as I stated in the article, there were racists at the tax event. But do you really think ALL of them were racists? Was it in the subconscious? My view on racism is that early on in my childhood I inherently knew it was wrong and stood up against it, even with my family and so-called friends. You state that it is in the fiber of our nation, so what can we do about it? Maybe I am naive, but I think things are improving, however, we have a long way to go to abolish this evil. You sound very pessimistic, is there no cure?
37 - Clavos
If racism were as ubiquitous as zedd alleges it is, Obama would not be sleeping in the WH.
38 - roger nowosielski
#37 -
Wrong! By your own admission, Obama garnered no more than 26 percent of the vote. I'll throw in another 14 percent for good measure. So it still leaves close to 60 percent who could be racists. The silent majority.
39 - Maurice
Well written article, Christine.
Since I don't watch TV anymore I had to look up Keith Olberman and discovered nobody watches his show. His ratings are dead last. I would post the link but I don't think links work here anymore? It is interesting to note that Keith and Janeane both have careers in the toilet and can only get attention by behaving badly.
40 - roger nowosielski
They do, Maurice - same HTML code as before.
41 - Maurice
What the hell!?!?
link
42 - Clavos
@ #38:
There's a major flaw in your response, Roger. It assumes everyone who did not vote for Obama is a racist, when nothing could be further from the truth.
An excellent example would be Maurice. What do you want to bet he didn't vote for Obama? I'm certain Maurice is not a racist.
Maurice:
Link code HTML tutorial
43 - Clavos
and then
When Link code HTML tutorial is your link text.
44 - Christine
Maurice, thanks for the comments and update on Keith and Janeane! I will have to check out the link! Wonder of Rachel Maddow is doing! Roger, was wondering how you do add links here on BC, I'm kind of new!
45 - Jeannie Danna
like this?
46 - roger nowosielski
#42,
I was only playing the numbers game (just as you do when you say time and again that Obama's base of support doesn't go beyond twenty six percent or something.) Heck, I even threw in fourteen percent for good measure - tell you what - let's make it fifty-fifty to satisfy the skeptics.
So where does it leaves us. Theoretically, half the country could conceivably be racist. The point really is that there is no difference between arguing for Obama's lack of support in general elections, on the one hand, and arguing that the majority of Americans are not racists - not on statistical grounds.
I'm not saying 'tis so, only that you have to provide a better reason to the contrary than the one you utilized when arguing for Obama's lack of popular support.
And insofar as assumptions are concerned, the argument you utilized assumed that those who did not vote for Obama did so because they were against him - which makes us even.
And if so, why? Is it, perhaps, that they're racists? I'm not saying that, mind you, only addressing the form of the argument.
47 - Andy Marsh
Why does Clavos have to provide a better example, no one seems to require that from the other side of hte argument.
Is it safe to say that every black person that ever protested against bush or clinton or the other bush or reagan or any of the other 40 some white presidents are all racists?
Oh wait, they're not racists, they're just oppressed. My bad! I'm starting to feel a little oppressed myself!
48 - Andy Marsh
Maurice, comment 39 - If you ever did watch him, you'd know why he's dead last. He doesn't report the news, he reports on Foxnews. He whines about talking heads on one other network. I would not be stretching the truth to say that Keith spends at least half of every show bitching about what FoxNews is doing. He has nothing to say about any other news channel.
He does this stupid little thing at the end of his show, "the worst people in the world" and on any given day at least two of them are from Fox.
49 - roger nowosielski
Andy,
All I'm saying here is that Clavos's "claim" that Obama commands no more than twenty six percent of the voting public is no different from his denying the claim that the remainder (namely, seventy four percent) is not racist - not if you consider the statistical argument alone. (And his argument, thus far, was only a numbers argument.)
As to "reverse-racism," sure it exists. Notice, however, that initially at least, Hillary was poised to receive a great bulk of the black vote until Bill Clinton's gaffe right after New Hampshire.
50 - Andy Marsh
I'm not sure if I like that term, reverse racism. Isn't racism, just racism?
Honestly, I've said this before. I have a cousin out in AZ that's married to a black guy. When I lived out there, Shelly and I were always together. We played golf at least twice a week.
One of my neighbors, a good ole boy from Arkansas asked me one day what I would do if one of my daughters dated outside her race. They were young then, about 13 and 9 I think and I honestly hadn't thought about it until he asked me. I called up my buddy and asked him the question. He said, outside their race? You mean like a pig or a horse or something?
Up until that point, I don't think I had ever loked at it the way Shelly did. You know, we are all part of the HUMAN RACE. Aren't we?
I mean really, wouldn't reverse racism be like the total opposite of racism? Something like...I dunno...Harmony?
I don't think I've ever heard this question answered honestly. How many people voted for Obama for no other reason than the color of his skin? I'd bet the numbers are about equal. The same number that voted against him because of the color of his skin voted for him because of the color of his skin.
51 - roger nowosielski
I have no stake in the expression, Andy. And yes, racism is racism.
52 - Jordan Richardson
Andy,
The "worst person in the world" is shtick. That's why he does the stupid voices. Olbermann may dedicate some of his time (it isn't half the show, I watch him frequently) to FOX and the like, but FOX hits right back too. It's idiotic and immature, but I think FOX deserves the examination and criticism. Besides, he dedicates WAAAY more time to Rush (Mr. Bouncy-Bounce).
At least his show isn't a shout-a-thon that ends with the "host" having his guest's mic shut off.
Look, I get it: he's another liberal with an attitude and a bias. But at least he has a damn sense of humour, which is more than I can say for most of the other pundits.
53 - Andy Marsh
Jordan - I'd have never guessed that you watch MSNBC! I'd say his entire show is shtick! Actually, another word beginning with "sh" comes to mind...
...I got in a lot of trouble in 1st grade in catholic school writing that one on the playground blacktop. Funny thing was, when they asked me how I knew how to spell it, I was a proud little 6 year old. I told the nun, I sounded it out!
He has a sense of humor?...guess I'm just to stupid to get his jokes! I never seem to get Mahars' jokes either!
If you watch him frequently, how would you know what the other guys are talking about? Oh yeah, that's right, Keith keeps you informed!
54 - Clavos
All I'm saying here is that Clavos's "claim" that Obama commands no more than twenty six percent of the voting public is no different from his denying the claim that the remainder (namely, seventy four percent) is not racist - not if you consider the statistical argument alone. (And his argument, thus far, was only a numbers argument.)
I didn't claim that the 74% were not racist, I disputed your claim that they all ARE.
My claim, as you put it, is based on real, verifiable data.
Yours is pure speculation.
55 - roger nowosielski
I never claimed they are! And my inference as to the possibility they are is of no lesser value that your inference to the effect that Obama's base of support was no greater than that reflected by the popular vote.
But I'm yielding henceforth to a greater mind.
56 - Christine
Racism is racism...straight up! "According to Webster, racism is a belief that some races are by nature superior to others. Racism is also discrimination based on such belief."
57 - El Bicho
Maurice, Janeane just had a recurring role on the hit show 24 and recently voiced a character in a Pixar film. How exactly is her career in the toilet because the producers obviously disagree?
Also, while your link does show Keith had his worst ratings of 2009 in May nowhere does it state he is in dead last, which is probably because he is not if you bothered to check the nightly ratings.
Andy, if you don't think Keith doing an imitation of Ted Baxter when he talks as O'Reilly is funny, then I would have to agree with your self-assessment.
Also, it's easy for someone who watches Keith to know what the FOX guys say because they repeat the shows throughout the night or you can catch clips on the Internet. You know, that thing you are using right now to access this site.
58 - Maurice
Clavos #42
you are right - I did not vote for Obama. I almost always vote libertarian. If there is no Libertarian I vote against the incumbent. That is not to say I wasn't strongly drawn to Obama. I went to see him when he was here in Boise Idaho. He is a very good speaker. Something I always abhorred about George Bush.
My link snafu was related to a copy/paste error. I do wish BC still had the preview function.
59 - Clavos
I do wish BC still had the preview function.
You're not alone, Maurice. On this point at least, both sides of the aisle seem to agree.
60 - Maurice
Andy #48
as I stated I don't have a TV so I am unfamiliar with these people. I base all my info on the
61 - Maurice
TV ratings link
62 - El Bicho
Maurice, you may want to read what you are linking to because it in no way supports your assertion and posting it twice doesn't change that.
TVbytheNumbers shows ratings from Mon thru Wed of June and shows Olbermann only behind O'Reilly in cable news at 8pm all three nights.
Please explain how that's "in the toilet".
63 - Clavos
TVbytheNumbers shows ratings from Mon thru Wed of June and shows Olbermann only behind O'Reilly in cable news at 8pm all three nights.
At least Olbermann has a lot of company. All the cable news shows are behind O'Reilly.
64 - Clavos
That's why they all gun for him.
"It's lonely at the top."
65 - Christine
OK, what's all the bickering about? Keith Olbermann? Olbermann just countdowns how many people he hates! I don't know how they can classify that as news! They should call it "Odium with Keith Olbermann", included with a "hate scale", so we can see how he really feels!
66 - Bliffle
Amazing that anyone cares about Oreilly or Olberman. Amazing.
67 - Jordan Richardson
Olbermann just countdowns how many people he hates!
Let's talk about hate, just for a second.
Explain to me how you can consider Keith Olbermann's "obnoxious" rants more obnoxious and more hate-filled than the following remarks and rants from the FOX and Co. crowd:
If I'm the president of the United States, I walk right into Union Square, I set up my little presidential podium, and I say, 'Listen, citizens of San Francisco, if you vote against military recruiting, you're not going to get another nickel in federal funds. Fine. You want to be your own country? Go right ahead. And if Al Qaeda comes in here and blows you up, we're not going to do anything about it. We're going to say, look, every other place in America is off limits to you, except San Francisco. You want to blow up the Coit Tower? Go ahead.' Bill-O, November 2005.
Shut up! Bill-O, countless times.
Then there's the time Bill-O threatened a boycott against "Canada" and another one against "France" and another one against Pepsi. And let's no forget that he supported his "France" boycott by saying it was "working" after quoting a fictional publication to a guest.
When I see a 9/11 victim family on television, or whatever, I'm just like, 'Oh shut up' I'm so sick of them because they're always complaining. Glenn Beck, 2005.
I think there is a handful of people who hate America. Unfortunately for them, a lot of them are losing their homes in a forest fire today. Glenn Beck on the California fires in 2007.
Can you let your son's body become the same temperature as your son's head before you turn this into a political campaign against the president? Could you do that? Glenn Beck on Michael Berg, the father of murdered Nick Berg (who was beheaded in Iraq)
You pinhead. You think we would actually be sitting here and saying "well, look at the way she was dressed?" If she were Joan McCain, stop it. You self-centered self-righteous socialist out of control dangerous man-hating bitch. Shut your mouth. We might have bought into this crap in the 1960s because too many people were doing LSD. We're not on LSD anymore -- we need to start making sense. Glenn Beck in March of 2008.
I'll tell you who should be tortured and killed at Guantanamo: every filthy Democrat in the U.S. Congress. Sean Hannity, June 15 2005
Shall I go on? Can anyone supply me one quotation or excerpt from Olbermann or Maddow that even comes close to the aforementioned sleaze in terms of obnoxiousness and hatred? Christine? Your call...
68 - Clavos
Which is exactly why Olbermann and Maddow lose the ratings race to O'Reilly.
"No one in this world, so far as I know...has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people."
H.L. Mencken, 1926
They all work that truth -- O'Reilly, Imus, Limbaugh, Olbermann, Beck, Maddow, ad nauseam.
And nobody works it better than Obama.
69 - Dave Nalle
Jordan, I'm not following you here. Isn't Bill O'Reilly some sort of democrat? I'd always assumed he was based on his positions.
Dave
70 - Christine
Jordan, I only mentioned Olbermann and it is obvious by his format, WTF moment, the Worst Person in the World, the bouncing Limbaugh, and making fun (in a mean and degrading way) of regular people that he doesn't like. Plus take at look at who he chooses on his show (all with the same agenda), and how much time he spends on bashing and competing with FOX news. Add in his double standards and his bitter tone. Does that promote love? Is that even news at all?
Side Note, I do like Chris Matthews and Anderson Cooper.
That being said, I never stated that the right doesn't have its hate-mongers. Both the left and the right have their share and it's really sad and pathetic. Where's the news in all of it? News has become competing Opinions Shows.
71 - Baronius
"Liberals read almost exclusively liberal blogs, but conservatives tend to read both", according to an Ohio State study. The article goes through pains to assure the reader that conservatives aren't more open-minded, though. Admittedly, this is a small study, but the results are interesting.
72 - Christine
Thanks for the info, Baronius. I heard that today on Glenn Beck.
73 - El Bicho
I read the article. It was conducted on college students over a five-minute period. Not really a thorough study.