Comic Rips Racism Claims After Obama Remark (Jackie Mason calls Obama a 'Scwhartza')

KVVU-TV ^ | March 16, 2009

[2ndDivisionVet]

Comic legend Jackie Mason is railing against accusations of racism following a performance in New York Thursday, where he referred to President Barack Obama as a "schwartza."

Celebrity gossip site TMZ.com confronted Mason with a camera on Friday over the flap. The celebrity gossip site reported that that the literal translation of "schwartza" in Yiddish is "black," but added that some say "it's a disparaging reference to African Americans, akin to the N-word."

Mason told a TMZ cameraman, "(I'm not going to answer) these stupid questions because you're trying to multiply me into a racist. I've called (people) a lot worse -- the Jews and the Italians -- I don't worry about what I call people and if it bothers you you're a moron. Everybody knows I'm a comedian and I don't dislike anybody."

Calling into question the jokes of black comedian Chris Rock, Mason, 77, suggested that he was the victim of double standards.

Mason said, "Why don't you ask him what he said about white people or the names he called George Bush … why don't you ask any black person? Why do you only ask white people? White people have no freedom of speech."

The exchange became more heated as the camera rolled on. Following some expletives, Mason said to the cameraman before closing his limousine door, "You're a lowlife trying to pretend I'm some kind of racist."

In a non-scientific poll of TMZ users, 76 percent of more than 20,000 votes sided with Mason.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Doesn't it mean "black" in Yiddish?

[Dallas59]

What about his “white” part? What’s “whitey” in Yiddish?

[Snurple]

Mason said, "Why don't you ask him what he said about white people or the names he called George Bush … why don't you ask any black person? Why do you only ask white people? White people have no freedom of speech."

That's the truth if ever there was any.

[EQAndyBuzz]

“Doesn’t it mean “black” in Yiddish?”

Yes. I always thought the term was Schvatzah.

[Badeye]

Yep.

[Niteranger68]

Give ‘em hell Jackie!

[pogo101]

I suppose any word can be said in a derogatory manner, but, as others already have noted, the word in question is the same as/ derived from the German adjective “schwartz”+ suffix. It’s being used as a noun here and simply means “one who is black.” Is “black” now racist?

[NoLibZone]

Shvooga or Shvatsa is n word in Yiddish.

schwartza just means the color- black

[freespirited]

Schwartz means black. Schwartza means black person, generally speaking with no insult intended.

Admittedly some people now attach a derogatory meaning to the word, thanks to PC. I am sure Jackie Mason, like all of my relatives his age, does not. It is merely a descriptive word in Yiddish.

[Kakaze]

Lord knows I’ve called Obama worse......daily.

[Condor51]

Doesn't it mean "black" in Yiddish?

Uh... yeah.
Its in the article you posted

the literal translation of "schwartza" in Yiddish is "black,"

it's right in the 2nd paragraph :-)

[SMARTY]

We’ll have to re write the dictionary right along with the history of the world for these clowns

[Doctor Raoul]

Eddie Murphy’s “Old Jew” used that word.

[a fool in paradise]

He should start talking about the Obameshuggener

List of English words of Yiddish origin

meshuggener : a crazy person (Yiddish משוגענער meshugener, a derivative of the above משוגע meshuge) (OED)

[Political Junkie Too]

So how does one say "black person" in Spanish, "negro persona?" Is that racist if a Hispanic calls a black person "negro?" Why should it be racist if a person of Mason's ethnicity says "Schwartza" if it's the same literal language translation, unless there is an agenda?

-PJ

[Snurple]

Thats OK though, he was a black guy acting like a jew.

[EggsAckley]

Jackie is a national treasure. May he live many many more years.

[Smedley]

Why try to argue with the same retards who thought the term “niggardly” was racist?

[ssaftler]

Jackie Mason has nailed it once again. And believe me, this mensch KNOWS discrimination and double-standards!

[Snurple]

Why try to argue with the same retards who thought the term “niggardly” was racist?

LMAO! They really did, I remember that.