Some Say Obama Parody 'Insulting'

WMAQ-Chicago ^ | May 21, 2007 | NBC5 staff

[Baladas]

CHICAGO -- When former talk radio host Don Imus recently made racist remarks about the Rutgers women's basketball team on his radio show, he lost his job.

Now, some are wondering if radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has also gone too far, NBC5 reported on Monday.

Weeks before Imus controversy, Limbaugh began airing a song about Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who is running for the Democratic nomination for president. The song, a parody of the folk song "Puff The Magic Dragon," contains the line, "Barack, The Magic Negro." Some have begun to wonder if Limbaugh has been getting a free pass.

"It's insulting," said Michael Harrison, publishers of Talkers Magazine. "It's in bad taste, but it's legitimate political satire."

The voice on the song is a white political satirist imitating civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton.

"This is basically the radio equivalent of a black face minstrel show," said Paul Waldman of Media Matters for America. "You know, going back to 'Amos and Andy' and all of those kinds of racist shows."

Media watchdogs said there was no hue and cry to stop Limbaugh because he speaks to a niche audience who either expects this or was willing to let him slide, and that his target in this case is a public figure, not a college women's basketball team.

Obama said he doesn't listen to Limbaugh, but said being targeted is part of being a politician. In his broadcasts, Limbaugh suggest that the song is a parody based on a newspaper column about Obama written by journalist David Ehrenstein.

"The 'magic negro,'" was chiefly a term used when talking about films, in which you'd have black characters who would suddenly come out of nowhere and come to the rescue of white characters," Ehrenstein said. "I was just simply trying to get a conversation going. How it's gone is another question."

Waldman said Limbaugh has no excuse.

[mewzilla]

Obama The 'Magic Negro'-Senator Lends Himself to America's Idealized, Less Than Real Black Man

Funny, I don't recall anyone complaining about the LAT article...

[Thermalseeker]

Rush’s parody works because it’s true an it’s funnier than hell.

And the Left knows it. That's why they are trying so hard to hang Rush with it, even though the roots of the parody are of their own making.

Rush is doing nothing more than what he does best with this parody: illustrating the absurd by being absurd. (and I agree it's one of his funniest parodies yet)

[Sacajaweau]

I’ll never understand the Imus firing. I didn’t learn the word Hoe from the white folks I hang with. Guess the blacks have a monopoly on their language.

[Hardastarboard]

some are wondering

The mysterious "some" is the media's way of going after someone or something they don't like by attributing it to a faceless, nameless, imaginary group who is concerned about an "issue". It's a good device to use for the uncritical sheeple who read their crap. It only enrages me, since I know the real agenda.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

RE: Media Matters

smatter def: To study or approach superficially; dabble in. To prattle.

It's Media Smatters.

IMO it's no small thing that these single-purpose, simple-minded smattering clowns picked Don Imus first. The unintended consequence for them is in his name, I'm us.

All Americans had better keep that in mind.

No more cowering responses to the left's contumelies. Almost fifty years of giving in is enough!

Rush has detailed this over and over -- as is the wont of the leftist pukes they try to make the man the issue and not debate the substantive aspects.

[mewzilla]

I’ll never understand the Imus firing.

It's the free market. Which is fine by me. Imus can still spew his insults for free anywhere he likes.

This assault on Limbaugh, however, is a different kettle of fish. Not to mention the fact the free market's on Limbaugh's side. Earth to MMfA....

[alrea]

They had to try to get this wrong

intentional manipulation is nothing new.

[sergeantdave]

Some say the democrat party supported slavery. Some say the democrats invented Jim Crow segration. Some say the democrats are still racists.

[SoFloFreeper]

...yet another lame attempt to attack a conservative powerhouse: Limbaugh.

[don-o]

This is old! Old news is no news.

Yet, the Today show was supposed to do a piece on it yesterday. Did not hear if they went ahead with it...

[gitmo]

In his broadcasts, Limbaugh suggest that the song is a parody based on a newspaper column about Obama written by journalist David Ehrenstein.

Rush didn't "suggest" it was based on the LA Times article. Rush read the article on the air, and introduced his parody. The parody is a commentary on the article and on Obama's popularity based on ... what???

Ehrenstein's article was entitled, Obama the 'Magic Negro'. Rush also mentioned he had never heard the term 'Magic Negro' before this article.

Media watchdogs said there was no hue and cry to stop Limbaugh because he speaks to a niche audience

Funny, Rush's audience dwarfs each of the network news audiences and include a huge number of Democrats, yet it is a "niche market"

[LantzALot]

"Some Say ..."

Yeah, I just heard one of them say it the other day.
Doesn't mean they're right.

[Lord Basil]

When the topic arises with liberals, I tell them he has less experience than Dan Quayle.

[aruanan]

"This is basically the radio equivalent of a black face minstrel show," said Paul Waldman of Media Matters for America. "You know, going back to 'Amos and Andy' and all of those kinds of racist shows."

Oh, wait. Media Matters. Isn't that a front organization?

[Baladas]

Some say MediaMatters is a front group.

[deaconjim]

I agree, it is insulting. It was very well done, too.

[Laverne]

I was clicking through the stations last night, and Dan Abrhams (sitting in for the olberidiot) had a segment on this...I didn’t hang around to watch it, but stayed long enough to hear MSNBC say that Rush is getting a free pass, he has done stuff like this for a long time, he is a racist, yada yada yada. The had the guy from media matters on, along with John Fund. No one mentioned the LA times article (at least for the minute I stayed to watch it).

Typical hate speech, lies and sheer propaganda from NBC/MSNBC. Their “reporters” have gone down the tubes with their shill speech; the station needs to go off the air. Its a waste of time and energy....hate speech and lies from morning to night.

[Sue Perkick]

Generally parodies are insulting. Comedy is often at someone’s expense. Most people just get over it.

[x1stcav]

Waldman is ignorant.

Amos and Andy wasn’t racist. It was one of the best TV situtional comedies of all time. When I was a kid in the 50’s it was one of my favorite shows.

I’ll bet Mr. Waldman has never even seen a single episode.

[an amused spectator]

Oh, man - now that the famous political commentator Sumsay has spoken, we must act!

BTW, did you know that Sumsay is good friends with Katie Couric? She was ALWAYS quoting him on the TooGay Show when she was head cheerleader...