Okay, I know that I'm a day late on this one, but it took a day to settle in and really piss me off about how sensitive a society we've become, including myself! For many of you who follow me on Facebook, you already know that I've ranted over ESPN's "Chink In The Armor" comment and FOX's rapist morning show host, Greg Kelly's comment about Jeremy Lin's eyes. Was I being too sensitive about it? At my first reaction, I didn't think that I was, but as people started to comment about what I wrote, I started to think that some of them might have been right and that maybe we have become too sensitive as a society. I mean, as far as ESPN goes, I know that the comment wasn't mean as malicious in anyway, but the word "chink" to many of us Asian-Americans, it really makes us cringe because many of us heard that word a lot used in a derrogatoy form. I really don't believe that the writer at the time meant to use it in that manner, but seeing the word, did cause an uproar in the Asian community. You know what though? Somebody mentioned Archie Bunker in one of the comments, and they were dead on with it. Back when Archie Bunker was on TV, he used every racial term in the book, and that show lasted 11 seasons. Would that show last on the air now? I'm thinking "No" because we've lost our sense of humor and have become too uptight as people. As for Greg Kelly's comment, he's just an a**hole, and his comment was totally racist, but did we really need to make a big stink about it?
At first, I felt "yes", we needed to make a big stink about it, but then I saw this story about one of my favorite comedians Billy Crystal, who did an amazing job as always hosting the Academy Awards this past Sunday. Apparently, in Billy's opening segment for the Oscar's, he did a part with Justin Bieber to help his "18 to 24" demographic, so he said, where he played himself and Sammy Davis Jr. This is where the trouble started! Hundreds took to Twitter to complain about Crystal performing as Sammy Davis Jr. in blackface. Um, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? The Sammy Davis Jr. imitation is a character that Billy Crystal has done for many, many years! And he's the best at it! He's even done the character in full makeup like he did on Sunday night! To me, what he did was not blackface and he shouldn't be held accountable for portraying a character! Ted Danson, on the otherhand, did perform in blackface many years ago, which also caused outrage, but rightfully so. Trust me, there was huge difference in Billy Crystal's and Ted Danson's makeup.
To those Twitter complainers, if you're going to get mad at Billy Crystal for portraying Sammy Davis Jr., who was a black man, in full makeup, then you might as well get mad at the Wayans brothers for portraying two white girls in makeup in the movie White Chicks. That's the same thing! Why is that okay? Two black guys in white makeup? Why is that considered funny as opposed to Billy Crystal portraying a black man? I see no difference, but now I'm reading that the Academy is catching some flack for it because of the complaints and Crystal might not be invited back to host ever again. Personally, I think that is just plain dumb because Billy Crystal, in all my years of watching The Oscars, is the best host they will ever have, and his opening monologues have become legendary!
We, as a society, really need to let some stuff go! Not everything is meant to be malicious or racist! America is a melting pot of nationalities, and we've suddenly learned to live and work together. In some regions of the country, they're a little behind with cultural diversity, but at the end of the day, the bottom line is, there are different nationalities all over the place, and there will be things said that are a little "off-color". Does it mean, we should be too sensitive and react like we're being attacked in a racist manner? No way! It's just words and no one is really getting hurt! Time to re-develop that sense of humor, America! Billy Crystal is a comedian! There was nothing racist about his acting like Sammy Davis Jr.! Unbelievable!
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