[Imani]

This was planned by a black man:

"After being criticized by residents of the nearby Model City neighborhood and community leaders, Miami Parks Director Ernest Burkeen, who is black, released a formal apology and announced the renaming of the talent show."

[Rakkasan1]

and for his next stunt he'll do the 'Stuntman' routine from
"Kentucky Fried Movie"...

[Revolting cat!]

[FierceKulak]

"Watermelon, back in the days, was a good food for African Americans, according to the Bible, but at the same time, it had an attachment with slavery and bondage ties," the Rev. Carl Johnson said.

LOL

[doodad]

I will never forget the time as a young college guy in Macon, Georgia we had a "bring what you can" poor student barbecue. We grilled hot dogs, drank Carling ($2.49 a six! Get a case!) and watermelon. Full and satiated we offered the remaining watermelon to two about 13 yr old black kids from the neighborhood as they walked by. At first they were enthusiastic and took the offered melon. Not 100 steps later we were met with honky #%^*(^ and other niceties as the watermelon was thrown back in the yard. And it was good melon, sigh.

[Sofa King]

"The show will now be called the "Funky Talent Show," according to Burkeen's written statement. The watermelon contest will still be part of the event."

Well, that's much better. In fact, let's call them "funkies" instead of "ghettos" now. That way even fewer people will be offended.

[thoughtomator]

In other news, hundreds of Frenchmen rioted in protest of the Brie Talent Show with the Cheese Eating Surrender Contest.

[southernnorthcarolina]

I, as a person of limey/kraut descent, am apparently "ghetto," if the neighborhood kids are to be believed.

Here's how it happened.

I have a Weimaraner whose favorite toy is an empty gallon milk jug. (If you want to buy $15 stuffed dog toys at PetsMart, fine, but a plastic jug of reasonably appropriate size for the breed makes a fine toy for the dog to carry around, bat around, and retrieve. Replace it, of course, when it starts getting chewed up.) Several months ago, when it was time to replace Atlas's milk jug, I realized I didn't have another one. But I did have a recently-emptied 1.75 liter jug of cheap Kentucky vodka (well, it was bound to happen sooner or later).

So I gave the empty plastic vodka bottle to Atlas, who proudly carried it to the street. The teenage daughter of my across-the-road neighbor, who was hanging out with some of her friends, saw him, and asked: "Is that a vodka bottle?" When I admitted that it was, she responded: "That is so ghetto!"

So, there you have it. I am so ghetto.

[doug from upland]

How did Elvis ever get away with the song?

[surely_you_jest]

I am a blonde, blue eyed white guy of Anglo-Saxon heritage, who grew up wealthy in the Miami of the 1950s. I'm an attorney, with family money, who did a career in the Air Force because I didn't need to make my fortune, and because I was brought up to believe that you put something back. I retired a few years ago, as a senior officer. I'm a little over 50 now, and haven't worked a day since. Nor do I intend to do so. Bear with me here; there is a point to this.

I love watermelon. I mean I LOVE watermelon. My wife thinks this is a PITA because she is the one who gets to deal with getting rid of the rinds every summer.

The last time I saw watermelon served up at a communty picnic was on the 4th of July at Seymour Johnson AFB, NC, in the mid 80s - a little over 20 years ago. The kids loved it. A fair number of the kids were black kids. I was wandering around taking photographs of everything, trying out a new camera, and as I looked through the view-finder, I spotted these kids eating the watermelon, having a great time as kids do, and I just couldn't take the picture. It looked like such a caricature that it literally made me cringe. So I passed. But I've never forgotten that moment.

I find it really hard to believe that if somebody with a background like mine would react that way some 20 years ago, that somebody, anybody, with a brain wouldn't react that way today. Unless they were trying to make a point. And a damned nasty one at that. Sheesh. What was this guy thinking?

[Vision]

I feel bad for black folks. I love watermelon and fried chicken. I think it'd be awful to have to deal with a stereotype before I indulge in some comfort food.

[solitas]

Other critics said that the watermelon eating contest is a painful reminder of racially insensitive stereotypes.

Dem idjits don' t'ink we white folk eats watermelon too? I do; granted, I've never stolen one...

[4mycountry]

"Watermelon, back in the days, was a good food for African Americans, according to the Bible, but at the same time, it had an attachment with slavery and bondage ties," the Rev. Carl Johnson said.

What??? o_O

[rabidralph]

I thought the term was Ghetto Fabulous.