HBO's Gumbel: Lack of Blacks Makes Olympics 'Look Like a GOP Convention'

Newsbusters.org ^ | 2/16/05 | David Pierre

[Airborne1986]

There were some eye-opening remarks from Bryant Gumbel on the most recent episode of HBO's Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel. According to a transcript posted by a television columnist named Seth Frelich, Gumbel said the following in his closing monologue last week (emphasis mine):

"Finally, tonight, the Winter Games. Count me among those who don’t care about them and won’t watch them ... Because they’re so trying ... Like, try not to be incredulous when someone attempts to link these games to those of the ancient Greeks who never heard of skating or skiing. So try not to laugh when someone says these are the world’s greatest athletes, despite a paucity of blacks that makes the Winter Games look like a GOP convention. Try not to point out that something’s not really a sport if a pseudo-athlete waits in what’s called a kiss-and-cry area, while some panel of subjective judges decides who won ... So if only to hasten the arrival of the day they’re done, when we can move on to March Madness — for God’s sake, let the games begin."

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

Or one of Bryant's blind dates.

-__-

[Semper Paratus]

Does he believe if you strap on skates to a Kenyan runner he'll become a speedskater?

[JeffersonRepublic.com]

"So what do the Summer Games look like?"

A welfare line. Oops! The knife cuts both ways Gumbel.

[SAMS]

Playing for the NY Rangers...goalie Kevin Weekes!!

[F.J. Mitchell]

Gumbell is a GD raciest!!!!!!!! Let a "D" replace the "G" in Gumball.........Gumbell and what have you got? A dumbell!!!!!

Take Gumbell with a dash of salt but the lime is on the house and everybody gets the worm.

[dmanLA]

Hey Gumbel! You're a racist!

[pookie18]

[101st-Eagle]

Gumbel is a moron. I have a vague recollection of Gumbel hosting the Olympic coverage during the Seoul Olympics in 1988. He had a Korean tailor brought on camera during the show so Gumbel could hassle him over some suits Gumble ordered but that were not yet delivered. Gumble even pulled out a wad of cash like the stereotypical ugly American. The media did not pick up on that either.

Hey Gumbel, maybe if swimming was a winter sport!... /sarc. Remember the incident where Letterman harmlessly yelled out of a window at Gumbel while cameras were rolling on the Today show. He went BALLISTIC. Then he held this childish grudge for some time.

[TRY ONE]

"Winter Games look like a GOP convention"

Facts:

% of Blacks in the USA: ~ 13%
% of Blacks at GOP Convention: ~ > 15%

% of Blacks as Gumbel's spouse: 0 % (100% White women)

[i.l.e.]

Well the winter sports venues just aren't the cup of tea that summer sports seem to be.

[LWalk18]

% of Blacks at GOP Convention: ~ > 15%

15% of the delegates at the GOP Convention were black? Where did you hear that?

[stocksthatgoup]

"So what do the Summer Games look like? An NAACP Convention?" Repetez si vous plait!

[texasmountainman]

Well said.

Gumbel wants to move on to "March Madness". Yeah right. He's probably irked that J.J. Reddick and Adam Morrison are the two best college BB players in the nation this year, despite their obvious racial inferiority.

[birbear]

This guy still has a show on TV?


I thought he was rendered irrelevant quite some time ago.

[GAB-1955]

"So what do the Summer Games look like? An NAACP Convention?"

You know better than that. The Summer Games tend to be games that don't involve hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment just to complete. That does mean you're not going to get too many Kenyans on the ski jump.

[GSWarrior]

Another I've noticed is that all the snow is white!

[Cliff Dweller]

Whether it will do any good or not I went to the HBO website and emailed a complaint over Gumbel's "Racist Attitude" and complained about his trashing the Winter Olympic events as "something other than true sports".

[CurlyBill]

Double Standard?

Did Gumbel ever bother to comment on the lack of diversity of Team USA in basketball during the 2004 Olympics in Athens???

[RobbyS]

You ever try to do what Nancy Kwan does? I agree that it is more like ballroom dancing or ballet, but both skaters and dancers are very athletic people.

[Buffettfan]

Calll HBO at #212-512-1208 and voice your concern about them employing a known racist. I have cancelled my HBO until they get rid of him.