[governsleastgovernsbest]

Sorry, guys, but you're wrong.

The expression goes back way further than Little Feat. It was a classic racial stereotype of the frightened black man, a bug-eyed Stepin Fetchit type, who, scared of something, wanted to run away and hoped that his feet wouldn't fail him. And that is exactly the sense in which Berman, old enough to be well-acquainted with the phrase's history, used it.

http://members.aol.com/jeff1070/amos.html

[saquin]

And that is exactly the sense in which Berman, old enough to be well-acquainted with the phrase's history, used it.

While the Stepin Fetchit-type racist character may have been the origin of the phrase I don't think anyone in 2005 uses it in that context at all.

[scott says]

C'mon---
Berman is a knucklehead and wasn't making a racial slur- he was trying to be hip and was referring to this song---

[JellyJam]

No, sorry, you're wrong. True, that phrase has a long history. But, I'd bet a steak dinner that Berman was referring to the Little Feat album.

[hinckley buzzard]

It was a classic racial stereotype of the frightened black man, a bug-eyed Stepin Fetchit type

I think I heard Buckwheat say it on The Little Rascals. Maybe not. No question it had a racial origin, however.

[albee]

"Sorry, guys, but you're wrong. The expression goes back way further than Little Feat. It was a classic racial stereotype of the frightened black man, a bug-eyed Stepin Fetchit type, who, scared of something, wanted to run away and hoped that his feet wouldn't fail him. And that is exactly the sense in which Berman, old enough to be well-acquainted with the phrase's history, used it."

BINGO!!!

We have a winner!

I remember as a kid (prior to PC) watching a movie where Stepin Fetchit was scared and wanted to get away quickly and used the phrase, "Feets, don't fails me now!"

[packrat35]

Birmingham Brown (Mantan Mooreland) said this is several Charlie Chan films also.