CNN capitalizes on Michael Richards incident
posted at 4:42 pm on December 12, 2006 by Ian
CNN host Paula Zahn is doing an hour long “in-depth” look at racism in America tonight at 8pm. Guests include Whoopi Goldberg and self-appointed leaders of the black community, Revs. Jackson and Sharpton. But, wait, there is an added special. Zahn will talk to ten-year-olds about racism. Here’s the presser:
In a special airing tonight at 8 p.m. (ET) anchor Paula Zahn devotes the full hour of Paula Zahn Now to explore racism in America with guests including Whoopi Goldberg, the Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, among others.
For “Skin-Deep: Racism in America,” Zahn will examine the Michael Richards incident and its repercussions. Zahn will profile the town of Vidor, Texas, reporting on racial tensions there. Also, Zahn talks to multicultural ten-year-olds about racism and reports on the results at the end of the special.
Delivering an in-depth look at the most pressing issues of the day, Paula Zahn Now offers a wealth of opinions and viewpoints nightly through interviews with key newsmakers, substantive debate and discussion, and analysis from experts in their field.
Blowback
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I guess this is why she refused to comment when she was on H&C a few weeks back.
RightWinged on December 12, 2006 at 4:47 PM
Isn’t that special
Wade on December 12, 2006 at 4:51 PM
Great, a wealthy white Yankee liberal goes off his rocker, so we all have to eat s***?
Mark V. on December 12, 2006 at 4:54 PM
Wouldn’t racism be dead if it wasn’t for Revs. Jackson and Sharpton keeping it well and alive?
Those two have to be the most racist and bigoted people, against members of their own race, I have ever seen. They act like a black man can’t ever be more than a slave, and has to have their help to be anything else. What a crock!
There are plenty of successful people from the community who have never had help from Revs. Jackson and/or Sharpton.
Those two men should be drug out in the street and torn limb from limb by the very people they claim to represent.
E L Frederick (Sniper One) on December 12, 2006 at 4:55 PM
Well, at least she didn’t get a panel of bigoted, race-baiting hucksters….
Oh well.
BacaDog on December 12, 2006 at 4:56 PM
Sounds like it was filmed in both Tinseltown and Hymietown.
Shy Guy on December 12, 2006 at 4:57 PM
Plumbing the depths of ratings hell. Sure, bring out two of the biggest racists on the planet to discuss the topic.
Must flee TV.
JammieWearingFool on December 12, 2006 at 4:58 PM
I wonder if she’ll interview Hashim Nzinga.
RedWinged Blackbird on December 12, 2006 at 4:58 PM
Bet she’ll hear what she wants to with that crew.
I’m feeling indignant already!
Scotsman on December 12, 2006 at 5:00 PM
Whoopi Goldberg….
Just trying to remember. Didn’t she defend Ted Danson in his blackface fiasco at a roast for her?
On another note, a wild guess -the “other” minority will not be represented nor spoken of. The “other” minority being Asian-Americans. Maybe after Rosie’s performance they’ll feel the need to put something in, but generally speaking Asian-Americans tend to be left out when people start talking minorities. Maybe I’m wrong and they’ll even include native Americans. Have to wait and see.
taznar on December 12, 2006 at 5:02 PM
Reckon Rosie’ll make a ‘special’ appearance?
tdau1997 on December 12, 2006 at 5:05 PM
Well at least it will be fair and balanced./
And being on cnn,it won’t be seen by very many…..
R D on December 12, 2006 at 5:06 PM
They should get Whoopi’s former boyfriend Ted Dansen to show up in black-face like he did at Whoopi’s b-day party years ago to talk about how awful racism, too.
Neo on December 12, 2006 at 5:17 PM
Guys, it’s okay. Ted Danson is allowed to do that, after all he is a Hollyweirdo.
Ian on December 12, 2006 at 5:21 PM
In college, I did a program where they brought US students and students from other countries together to talk about various current issues (political correctness/racism, immigration, the war in Iraq, etc). On my episode, they had a group of US kids speaking to a group of South African kids about political correctness and racism.
[An interesting side note: All of the American kids with the exception of yours truly were very pro-political correctness while all the South African kids were very against it which surprised most of the kids on the panel. The SA kids felt that it was better to have someone say what they were actually thinking rather than to make certain words taboo and have people speak sweetly but still think racist things.]
Anyhow, there was a girl on the panel that had a black father and a white mother. In the pre-interview, when all the US kids got together to discuss the issue, she mentioned that she and her brother were always getting crap from people. She told one story about how her brother, who has lighter skin but hair perfect for an afro (his prefered hair style) had gotten beat up so badly he ended up in the hospital because a group of teens felt he was ‘acting black’.
The moderators were all excited about this story and told her she HAD to tell it on the air. They planned to have it lead off a segment and expected to spend quite a long time speaking about it.
When we were actually filming, the girl began to tell her story, but, this time, included one more detail. The teens that beat her brother up for acting black were black. He hadn’t been beat up by racist whites but by racist blacks.
She finished her story. There was a pregnant pause. Then the moderator immediately moved on to the next topic.
These programs on racism are so biased that they aren’t worth the electricity spent recording them.
JadeNYU on December 12, 2006 at 5:26 PM
Why would anyone want to be included? I’m a Transylvanian-American woman, I hate hyphenated-American anything and I don’t want to be included! I know it doesn’t fall into racism – just trying to make a point.
I’m an independent and proud American and don’t need Jesse/Al/Whoopi or Paula’s help.
Paula/CNN just need help with their ratings…a balanced panel was never considered…Focus will be once again on low expectations. That’s the travesty of politics and the Media.
Entelechy on December 12, 2006 at 5:27 PM
Great, the usual suspects along with some Whoopi. Nothing like an elitist interviewing some self-appointed minority leaders on the topic of racism.
Let me guess: racism in America is out of control; minorities are in the worst shape they have been in since the 1950s; the administration has set race relations back decades, and so on and so on.
As someone who happens to be of Hispanic descent, this elistist liberal programming makes me sick. If someone doesn’t like me just because I happen to be of Hispanic descent, that’s their problem, not mine. Sharpton and Jackson don’t speak for me. They make their living off creating racial tension.
Rick on December 12, 2006 at 5:34 PM
The news networks have turned the Michael Richards situation into a cash cow. First, this past week FoxNews did a 3 day run on Hannity and Colmes about that nut who wants to “kill all White people” to compare it with Richards and now this from CNN. The network that had nothing to say when the nut profiled on FoxNews first made his remarks a year ago.
CNN also made some poll they performed the top story on their web site today. The news story on the web site implied the Whites are racist angle, while saying nothing about racists of other races.
Race bait, race bait, sprinkle it around…
IndependentConserv on December 12, 2006 at 5:36 PM
I agree with IndependentConserv, theree will be no denouncing of the nut who wanted to kill all whites or the fact that he was met with applause after his statement.
There will alo be no mention of the 12 black Racists who brutally beat three innocent white girls while yelling racial slurs.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1747488/posts
Bearhopi on December 12, 2006 at 5:41 PM
Calling Pablo, calling Pablo…
Entelechy on December 12, 2006 at 5:42 PM
So another New York liberal is coming down to Texas to gawk at us racist rednecks. Guess i’ll have to go get a confederate flag and a couple of blackface lawn jockeys. Don’t want to disapoint the libs.
Scot on December 12, 2006 at 5:43 PM
I’m sure she will show how safe it is for a white person to walk through a black neighborhood after about 8pm. For that matter, how a black person walking through a black neighborhood after midnight? The biggest problem facing black americans, is other black americans. Black on black crime is probably 10 times that of white on black. This is nothing more than a typical hate whitey hit piece.
roninacreage on December 12, 2006 at 6:01 PM
Oh crap, that’s right. I didn’t even notice they were going to Vidor.
What the hell about racism in L.A.? Doesn’t the Richards incident prove that there’s racism in L.A.? Has Richards ever even been to Texas?
Mark V. on December 12, 2006 at 6:09 PM
I am afraid to admit this… but I am watching VH1. They are in the second hour of a 3 hour racism review: “Race-O-Roma”.
Episodes include: “Dude, Where’s My Ghetto Pass?”, “Blackaphobia”, and “In Race We Lust”.
Why Why Why!!! I haven’t seen a commercial for Paula Zahn’s show yet, but I expect to see a tie in.
Apparently this is “International Human Rights Week”. Iran is having a Holocaust Denial conference. Paula – who knows what that is about.
All I would like is to have one week where I do not have to hear “nigger” on my TV while “mother fucker” is bleeped out.
I AM BEGINNING TO REALLY HATE LIBERALS
Agrippa2k on December 12, 2006 at 6:14 PM
I am afraid to admit this… but I am watching VH1. They are in the second hour of a 3 hour racism review: “Race-O-Roma”.
Episodes include: “Dude, Where’s My Ghetto Pass?”, “Blackaphobia”, and “In Race We Lust”.
Why Why Why!!! I haven’t seen a commercial for Paula Zahn’s show yet, but I expect to see a tie in.
Apparently this is “International Human Rights Week”. Iran is having a Holocaust Denial conference. Paula – who knows what that is about.
All I would like is to have one week where I do not have to hear “ni**er” on my TV while “mother fu**er” is bleeped out.
I AM BEGINNING TO REALLY HATE LIBERALS
Agrippa2k on December 12, 2006 at 6:16 PM
Funny when I submitted my comment it did not post. Perhaps because I spelled out “ni**er” or was it “mother fu**er”?
Now that I think about it I am mad at the FCC – specifically Powell. Why is “ni**er” still permitted on television?
The brilliant Micheal Malkin has a book on this subject. Lefty racism. I still need to read it. But after seeing her talk about it I know she gets it.
Agrippa2k on December 12, 2006 at 6:20 PM
this program can also be called
“Rich Race Hustlers demand more money and guilt from the rest of us”
Defector01 on December 12, 2006 at 6:28 PM
key newsmakers — Whoopie “Who?” Goldberg
substantive debate and discussion — among 10 year olds
and analysis from experts in their field — Michael Richards and Al “Tawana Bradley” Sharpton
Oh, yeah — I smell an Emmy.
Claire on December 12, 2006 at 6:36 PM
She was hot 20 years ago.
right2bright on December 12, 2006 at 6:44 PM
Good post Ian.
I actually miss http://www.ExposetheLeft.com.
angryamerican on December 12, 2006 at 7:00 PM
Agrippa2k,
Be advised that the comments system has a language filter, profane words cause it to be sent to a moderator queue, where one of the good folks here will decide whether the comment can post or not. Apparently your first version of the post ended up getting allowed, unfortunately. You referred to not wishing to hear certain words, I’d rather not read them.
Oh, and the boss’s name is Michelle, not Micheal.
About Zahn, Goldberg, the non-reverends, and getting hard-hitting analysis from 10-year olds, I have nothing to say.
Freelancer on December 12, 2006 at 7:07 PM
I am so pleased to see and hear so many on this site who see through all the bull$h*t that is being shoved down our throats regarding Racism.
No one speaking up here is blind or duped by the systems programming & brainwashing efforts!
Right on!!!!!!!
Bearhopi on December 12, 2006 at 7:32 PM
I hope someone will critique the interview(s) and compare and contrast with Michelle and Robert Spencer’s little chat.
I already know who will win.
Zorro on December 12, 2006 at 7:32 PM
It’s still white America’s fault. Duh…like I didn’t see that coming.
SouthernGent on December 12, 2006 at 8:17 PM
What’s the problem here? If you’re going to do a show about racism, it’s perfectly natural to have a panel of racists. David Duke is busy in Iran denying the Holocaust, but Paula managed to wrangle the second and third most preeminent racists in America.
Well done, CNN!
Pablo on December 12, 2006 at 10:56 PM
Pablo, you left out the 3rd one but your logic is flawless. I knew why I was calling you on December 12, 2006 at 5:42 PM on this thread.
Entelechy on December 13, 2006 at 12:18 AM
I could have sworn Duke was in England.
Shy Guy on December 13, 2006 at 2:21 AM
Right. Welcome to Vidor,TX. Where one sheriff’s actions or a crooked informant’s lies three years ago can end up classifying an entire town as racist. There ain’t no more racism in Vidor, TX than there is in Hollywood, CA or CNN Headquarters, Atlanta, GA. Feel free to look in the mirror, Paula, when you look for racism in America. The rest of us will look inside our own hearts and remember what the Good Lord and our Momma’s taught us about the golden rule.
There ain’t a racist bone in my body. But there sure is a prejudiced bone. I hate every swingin’ dick that thinks America is what is wrong with the world. That includes anyone who thinks Allah says it is OK to separate my head from my neck because they ain’t happy with the way I worship my God. And I’m not ashamed to be labeled prejudiced or racist for that point of view.
You got to stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything. Don’t let the Vidor doorknob hit you square in the ass on your way out, Paula.
Subsunk
Subsunk on December 13, 2006 at 8:37 AM
Entelechy, :-)
I wouldn’t put Whoopi that high on the racist food chain, though. She’s more your run of the mill Hollywood moonbat than a race baiting hater.
Shy Guy, that must have been a phone interview. Duke was in Iran yesterday. From the No Parasan link:
The conference was Monday and Tuesday.
Pablo on December 13, 2006 at 8:48 AM
Pablo, as No Pasaran implied, Duke was at least in England – on the BBC to be specific – in spirit.
Shy Guy on December 13, 2006 at 9:47 AM
My condolences to England, and particularly for those living amongst the portion of the populace that enjoyed the piece.
Pablo on December 13, 2006 at 9:53 AM
anybody compare Paula’s rating numbers from her time with FOX and that with her current ratings????
WELL ???? WELL ????
THOUGHT SO ! ! ! …hahahaha
oldelpasoan on December 13, 2006 at 12:00 PM