Crystal's Sammy Davis impression draws criticism

Associated Press ^ | Feb. 27, 2012 | JAKE COYLE

[Free ThinkerNY]

Some are questioning Billy Crystal's impression of Sammy Davis Jr. in his opening number as Oscar host.

As part of Crystal's opening montage, he parodied Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris," going back in time to the 1920s. Then Crystal, performing as Davis in blackface, popped up and suggested they go kill Hitler.

[nickcarraway]

I hate when that happens.

[dsrtsage]

Nothing to see here, it’s OK, he’s a democrat

[Yaelle]

What was that go kill Hitler reference? Is it from the woody movie?

[tallyhoe]

As soon as they slammed the Republicans for super Tuesday we turned the channel!

[nickcarraway]

What did they say?

[NorthStarStateConservative]

They’re acting as though Billy Crystal was doing a minstrel show and not a legitimate impersonation. Eddie Murphy dresses up like an old Jewish guy in some of his routines, does that mean Eddie Murphy is Anti-Semetic?

[octex]

Crystal hasn’t been funny since the days when he was in the TV series “Soap”. ...Just another lib CA celeb now.

[fortheDeclaration]

Who watches this nonsense?

[muir_redwoods]

The major difference between the self-pleasuring of masturbation and the self-congratulations of the Oscars is that masturbators posses the decency to usually do it in private.

[SoFloFreeper]

yes, Billy Crystal is a racist—the evidence is clear. I mean, look at what happened when Ted Danson did black face. How disgusting. And we should also ban the film “The Jazz Singer”, even from historical venues. Perhaps he should be banned from ever participating in show biz again.

Oh, wait—Crystal is a liberal? Never mind. He gets a pass, just like Obama gets a pass for his racial campaigning.

[aruanan]

The major difference between the self-pleasuring of masturbation and the self-congratulations of the Oscars is that masturbators posses the decency to usually do it in private.

Or before Congress with the aid of a teleprompter.

[Bullish]

What’s a Billy Crystal?

[DemforBush]

It’s an interesting sign of the times that this routine that this routine, which Crystal has done many times in the past without issue, is suddenly no longer acceptable. Personally, I never even remotely considered the shtick to be “blackface” when he did his impressions of Sammy on SNL, etc. Not a fan of Crystal, but this is just plain silly.

BTW, it’s worth noting that Crystal was the replacement host after Eddie Murphy bowed out when Brett Ratner had to resign as producer of the Oscar ceremonies for making the crack about gays on Howard Stern’s show.

[wideminded]

IIRC Billy Crystal has been imitating Sammy Davis Jr. for years. I just checked and apparently he did this on numerous occasions on SNL in the 1980’s - in blackface. Perhaps part of the problem now is that many younger people don’t remember who Sammy Davis Jr. was.

[fr_freak]

Perhaps part of the problem now is that many younger people don’t remember who Sammy Davis Jr. was.

Probably true, but also part of the problem is the fact that the kids under 30, thanks to TV, movies, and public school, are now fully indoctrinated brownshirts in the service of political correctness.

[Postman]

Why watch that runny coalition of California cr?p in the first place? It would save you the effort of finding something good to watch elsewhere.

[Lady Lucky]

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1cq4r_sammy-davis-jr-the-birth-of-the-blu_music

Here’s some of what’s worth remembering of Sammy Davis Jr., who made it big when you needed talent for that.

[jersey117]

I never turned it on because I knew they would. I didn’t give them one second of ratings from my household.

[sodpoodle]

With Regret

Whitney Houston’s death, while a sad thing, was the direct result of very unwise life choices. It dominates the news.

Charlie Sheen is 45 and his story is all over the news because he is a substance abuser, an adulterer, sexually promiscuous and obnoxious.

Lindsay Lohan is 24 and her story is all over the news because she is a celebrity drug addict and thief.

Something as frivolous as Kim Kardashian’s stupid wedding [and short-lived marriage] was shoved down our throats, While........

Justin Allen 23
Brett Linley 29
Matthew Weikert 29
Justus Bartett 27
Dave Santos 21
Jesse Reed 26
Matthew Johnson 21
Zachary Fisher 24
Brandon King 23
Christopher Goeke 23
and Sheldon Tate 27...

Are all Marines that gave their lives last month for you. There is no media
for them; not even a mention of their names.

Honor THEM by sending this on.

I did, will you?

God bless you, Rest In Peace, and THANK YOU, TROOPS.