Limbaugh handicapped races in new Survivor series, suggested "African-American tribe" worst swimmers, Hispanics "will do things other people won't do"
On the August 23 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio program, Rush Limbaugh suggested that the competition in a new season of CBS' reality TV program Survivor, in which contestants are reportedly divided into competing "tribes" by ethnicity, "is not going to be fair if there's a lot of water events." In support of this assertion, he cited a March 2 HealthDay article reporting that "young blacks -- especially males -- are much more likely to drown in pools than whites."
During the program, Limbaugh suggested that "people at CBS" are "scratch[ing] their heads" and asking whether "the swimming portion" of the new Survivor competition is "going to be fair." When pressed by an African-American caller to identify "[w]hich team ... would be the worst swimmers and why," Limbaugh stated that "the white tribe would be the best swimmers" based on the performance of white athletes at "the Olympics." After apparently disconnecting or cutting the volume level of the caller, Limbaugh said: "[Y]ou're saying I'm being racist because I'm saying blacks can't swim." He further protested: "I mentioned the swimming comment only because it's not going to be fair if there is a lot of water competition in this. It just isn't. It is not a racial or racist comment at all."
In support of his assertion that his comments were "not ... racist," Limbaugh cited a March 2 HealthDay article reporting that "young blacks -- especially males -- are much more likely to drown in pools than whites." But the study on which the HealthDay article was based did not address the swimming abilities of African-Americans in general. HealthDay reported that "[r]esearchers don't know why black kids are at higher risk of drowning," that "[m]ost of the black [drowning] victims ... drowned in public pools," and that "[t]he study didn't examine whether the victims had taken swimming lessons or whether the pools were supervised by lifeguards." Additionally, the article noted that according to the study, "people from poorer families were more likely to drown" -- "regardless of race," and that one author of the study suggested "[f]uture research" will be done to "examine whether swimming instruction reduces the risk of drowning."
Regarding the new Survivor series, Limbaugh also stated that there "are many characteristics ... that you would think would give [the African-American tribe] the lead, and the heads up in terms of skill and athleticism and so forth." He also stated that "our early money" is on "the Hispanic tribe" -- which he said could include "a Cuban," "a Nicaraguan," or "a Mexican or two" -- provided they don't "start fighting for supremacy amongst themselves." Limbaugh added that Hispanics have "probably shown the most survival tactics," that they "have shown a remarkable ability to cross borders" and that they can "do it without water for a long time, they don't get apprehended, and they will do things other people won't do."
Limbaugh also asserted that "the Asian-American tribe" -- whom he called "the brainiacs of the bunch" -- "probably will outsmart everybody," but while "intelligence is one thing ... raw, native understanding of the land -- this is probably why the Native Americans were excluded, because they were at one with the land and they would probably have an unfair advantage."
He added that "the white tribe," "if it behaves as it historically has," will "bring along vials of diseases" and "will wind up oppressing" the other tribes by "deny[ing] them benefits" and "property," but will later "try to put [the other tribes] on some kind of benefit program." He further asserted that if CBS "allows ... cheating" and "oppression," "then of course the white tribe is going to win."
Limbaugh's statements about the swimming abilities of people of African descent recalled recent comments by Tramm Hudson, a Republican candidate for a Florida congressional seat who stated that "blacks are not the greatest swimmers or may not even know how to swim." Hudson has apologized for his comments, calling them "stupid."
From the August 23 edition of The Rush Limbaugh Show:
LIMBAUGH: The new Survivor is actually a race between races, ladies and gentlemen. It premieres on September 14th. They're going to pit four tribes of people against each other: the African-American tribe, the Asian-American tribe, the Hispanic tribe, and the white tribe. And they are going to actually have a battle of races on the next Survivor. They know that it's going to be controversial. They know it's going to -- and people at CBS, behind the scenes, who just have heard about this, sort of scratch their heads -- say, "What the hell are we doing? What are we going to do -- the swimming portion, how is that going to be fair?"
[...]
LIMBAUGH: All right. Back now to this Survivor story: A race between races. In just a couple of weeks, the new season of Survivor will take 20 castaways to the Cook Islands -- the middle of the Pacific Ocean. They will be split into four tribes and they will compete against each other. The four tribes are these: the African-American tribe, the Asian-American tribe, the Hispanic tribe, and the white tribe. Noticeably absent here -- the Native-American tribe. But I guess they had a full boat, so to speak, when they have -- when they have 20.
So, you look at this and you say, "OK, here we are. We live in a society where we're not supposed to cause racial friction. We've been getting away from this, so we're all one, we're all the same." This is -- this is incredible. Now, we've got the Survivor series segregating contestants into tribes. Not even groups! We're calling them tribes. I don't know how many people still watch this show; I guess quite a few, because it's still on the air. You might cause riots on this show, or in the country as a result of this show. But here are the -- here are the tribes: the African-American tribe, the Asian-American tribe, the Hispanic tribe, and the white tribe. Now, of these four tribes, just off the top of your head, who do you think has the advantage? Who do you think here is going to win? Do you think it's going to be the white tribe? The Hispanic tribe? The African-American tribe? Or the Asian-American tribe? We've been looking at this here amongst ourselves, and our early money is going on the Hispanic tribe, providing they stay unified.
We don't know who makes up the -- I mean, we've got the names here of all these members of the tribes, but Hispanic encompasses a lot. You could have a Cuban in there. You could have a Nicaraguan. You could have a Mexican or two. You could have any number. And you know, if they start fighting for supremacy amongst themselves, that could lead to problems. But our early money is on them anyway, because these people have shown a remarkable ability, ladies and gentlemen, to cross borders, boundaries -- they get anywhere they want to go. They can do it without water for a long time. They don't get apprehended, and they will do things other people won't do. So, our money, early money, is on the Hispanics.
The white tribe, I have to tell you -- I don't have a whole lot of hope in the white tribe. The Asian -- the Asian-American tribe probably will outsmart everybody, but will that help them in the ultimate survival contest? Intelligence is one thing, but raw, native understanding of the land and so forth -- this is probably why the Native Americans were excluded, because they were at one with the land here, and they probably would have an unfair advantage.
The African-American tribe, tough to handicap on this one, because you just -- it's -- it's -- there are many characteristics here that you would think give them the lead and the heads up in terms of skill and athleticism and so forth. The Asians, as I say -- the brainiacs of the bunch. The Hispanic tribe -- they've probably shown the most survival characteristics of any -- What? What are you shaking your head about for? What are you -- well -- well, I don't know that CBS is going to let them get away with that. The -- we were talking about the white tribe. We're speculating among ourselves that if the white tribe behaves as it historically has, they will bring along vials of diseases; they will end up oppressing the other groups; they will deny them benefits; deny them their property, steal it from them, and you know, put them on some kind of a benefit program. The white tribe put everybody else on some kind of benefit program, but the benefit program, of course, will not be enough. There will be no education. The white tribe will not allow any health care.
[...]
CALLER: You just made it something right here. When you said, right before your first break, right before your break, you said, "Who has the disadvantage for swimming?" You know, how can you say any team has a disadvantage for swimming? Which team do you think would be the better swimmers? Which team do you think would be the worst swimmers and why?
LIMBAUGH: The best swimmers?
CALLER: Go ahead and say it.
LIMBAUGH: Uh.
CALLER: Say the word.
LIMBAUGH: If you would just let me answer the question I'd be happy to tell you. OK, who's gonna be the best swimmers in this group. Ah, put those African-Americans, Asian-American tribe, Hispanic, uh. Well, no, I'm -- looking at the Olympics, you'd have to say the white tribe would be the best swimmers.
CALLER: The Olympics. You're judging by world-class athletes?
LIMBAUGH: Yeah, you just look at the Olympics.
CALLER: Ha ha. Nice. Good one. You're looking at world-class athletes. I'm an African-American man. You know, mid age, you know. I'm 35 years old.
LIMBAUGH: Well, now, wait, wait a second, though. If the Hispanic tribe has a Cuban in it, those people swim 90 miles, you know, sometimes for freedom. So you know, you just never know. That's why you've got to watch the show.
CALLER: Right, well, I like the way you play around with that. And what you do is you tease the racism card throughout this nation right now. And of trying elevate it and say you know what --
LIMBAUGH: Look at this! I am playing the racism card! I'm telling you what a major network is doing in its prime-time schedule. They're pitting races against each other in this stupid Survivor format, and you tell me I'm being racist. [laughs]
[...]
LIMBAUGH: Now, I want to address one thing. I heard you, [caller]. You accused me in a sly way of being racist by making comments about who would win the swimming competition. I know what you're saying. You're saying I'm being racist, you're saying I'm being racist because I'm saying blacks can't swim. I have here a story, and I read this from HealthDay news. "One of the largest studies of its kind confirms that young blacks -- especially males -- are much more likely to drown in pools than whites. In fact, almost half of all recorded drowning deaths among people aged 5 to 24 are among blacks, according to the study in the American Journal of Public Opinion [sic: American Journal of Public Health]. Blacks are especially likely to drown in motel and hotel pools, while whites tend to drown in private pools." Now, I mentioned the swimming comment only because since this is known, this is not going to be fair if there is a lot of water competition in this. It just isn't. It is not a racial or racist comment at all. It's an example of how we're so tightly wound. And I am by no stretch am the first person to reference these studies and these facts.
It almost makes me think he's working from a checklist of all the stereotypes he can possibly think of.
They live it, eat it, breathe it, and sleep it.
It is who they really are. Why else would they think it funny?
This is who these angry talking heads are. Talking heads like Rush house mediocre, immature brains, and many are just plain, old fashioned racists through and through.
Not racist, HeadRush? No, it's not the same thing as saying the fat, out-of-shape, radio loud mouths probably won't win an athletic competition. That's a reasonable prediction. And it's not the same thing as saying that African Americans are more genetically susceptible to certain diseases than white people. Why? Because, ahem, your ridiculous stereotypes jsut aren't true; there's no evidence or statistical correlation. (I know, I know, that's just evil, liberal science talking.)
But I gotta admit, this "blacks are bad swimmers" is a new one on me. Have I been living in a cave? Where did this come from all of a sudden? First this nitwit invokes this previously unheard (by me) stereotype, and now HeadRush. What gives?
None of Liveliest Crib's comments above are meant to denigrate the overweight, and she apologizes if any offense were taken in her late night attempts to discredit the sick mind of Rush Limbaugh.
I grew up in the South, so this kind of racism isn't new to me; I probably even laughed at it myself...when I was 10.
I think the theory goes that it's too dangerous to swim in Africa...crocodiles, you know.
I've said it before...the Republican party has a strong undercurrent of racism; as they become more and more comfortable in their absolute power, they hide it less and less.
Don't you remember how just last year the righties were peddling their civil rights calender, which celebrated the "achievements" in diversity? Come on.
Do you ever get the feeling that this guy just doesn't care anymore? Say anything! Why not? Everybody knows I'm full of it. Just collect my paycheck and drown my sorrows in drugs or prostitutes.
Don't worry Rush, the black tribe will have extra bones in their legs, so they'll catch up in the running evens. That is, unless they trip over the passed-out-drunk Irish team. But we all know it's the Jews who will win. They own Hollywood anyway. Unless there is also a German team.
Oops, I forgot to mention I'm being sarcastic... I don't want to be quoted as a liberal anti-Semitic blog writer.
Rush, your producer is shaking his head because he knows you're shoving your foot so far into your mouth there will be no pulling it out.
Rush's logic is because there's a study and it might be statistically true then it's not racist. What a buffoon! Of course it's racist. It's an insensitive and yes I'll say it un-politically correct. What is the significance of making a remark like that? In this case to have an oppurtunity to point to a study that backs up his racist remark. It's racist because he meant it as an insult. So call yourself a racist Rush, at least have the balls to say your a racist. He might as well of said, "Ooh look everybody it's statistically true, the stereo type is reasoned therefore I will mock your inability to swim based on your race!" How is that not racist
Many if not most of these statistics, such as the assertion that blacks commit a disproportionate percentage of crimes, have NOT been properly controlled for other factors and are therefore extremely misleading. In that case, the truth is that crime rates are related to class, not race. It is terrible science or simply lying if someone suggests otherwise.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if ability to swim was also related to class. A pool is not something many lower-class families have.
Rush needs to chuck this backwards mindset, and get on board with today's hip new, positivestereotypes, such as "Puerto Ricans can teleport" and "The Chinese taste like candy."
Rush has sold his soul to serve the corporate fascists that are leading this world to hell,
that Survivor is doing that. I just heard about that today. Wow! Bold move.
I don't watch 'Survivor' BUT it must be popular cause it seems like it's been around forever. Did the producers FINALLY run out of ideas? MAYBE the P.C. police have gotten to me, cause I CRINGED when I read they divided the groups up into "tribes" according to race/ethnicity. What's with that?!?!
MMFA should have called the show's producers on THIS too--and made this thread about THEM & Rush.
I'm kind of SURPRISED posters [thus far] haven't also given this show a slap too...
** "OK, here we are. We live in a society where we're not supposed to cause racial friction. We've been getting away from this, so we're all one, we're all the same." This is -- this is incredible. Now, we've got the Survivor series segregating contestants into tribes. Not even groups! We're calling them tribes." --Rush Limbaugh**
One could suggest Limbaugh was TRYING to be humorous and was poking fun at the show...OR was giving it a jab. Of course he SHOULD have stopped there AND not indulged in stereotyping the contestants. I'm SURE he'll receive complaints and eventually apologize.
I wouldn't let the producers off the hook here though...what on earth were they thinking??
But the teams on Survivor have always been called "tribes". Rush is a bit out of the loop on that, too.
Yeah, this is in poor taste at best, damaging to the public at worst.
I can't take any of the so-called reality shows on television, and never liked Survivor. As I understand it (though I don't watch, and I could be wrong), the idea of the game is to bluff your opponents into believing that working with you is in their interests, and then double crossing them at the opportune moment. How nice, then, to divide everyone up by ethnicity. That's just what we need. Running commentary and gossip about how the blacks betrayed the whites, who might have had a chance if they stuck with the Nicaraguans, and such.
Sheesh.
The only "reality" show I tune into. First time it aired, I was loathe to get caught in the hype, but someone else in the house had it on and I got hooked against my intentions. The raw psychology of the contestants and their interactions interest me and the locations are stunning.
I just heard about the race divisions recently too and could not believe this new game set-up. Now I'm not surprised to hear about Rush and others spout ignorant stereotype "jokes", like they were waiting for this greenlight signal. (It does seem that GOP spokesperson Rush uses the show's premise to soften the "I grew up in Alabama and I understand and I know this from my own experiences that blacks aren't the best swimmers or may not even know how to swim," statement by Tramm Hudson, Repub running for Congress in FL. )
I think CBS is doing the racial divide (gender and generation has been done) to create a national buzz, then watch how they'll redivide the teams after one challenge.
I know that if I was an individual compelled to team up by ethniticity, it would feel weird to say the least.
I don't have a problem with the break down of the "tribes" by race on Survivor. They are always called tribes versus teams so there is no racial connotation there. Secondly there is nothing negative or divisive or inflammatory about this. The last time around they formed the tribes by sex and age. They use a different method each season. Shortly after, the tribes change up and merge. I think it's actually a good thing. They have to use some method to pick teams. This is the disconnect conservatives like Rush have with racism. And the same logic they use to claim opposition to Lieberman is anti-semetic. Speaking of race in terms that are derogatory or stereotypical is racist. Using race to choose teams on a television game show is not. Unless the show engages in deragotory remarks are stereotypes. Cons like to say liberals "use" race when it's convenient but the opposite is true. That being said I did hear a professor from a University comment on it and presumably she is a liberal and she was horrified at the prospect. She didn't say a whole lot so I don't know what she based it on. Perhaps she is afraid to even broach the subject and thinks it's innapropriate to even think about using race in this manner. I don't think it's that big a deal though.
Great job in EXPLAINING this from a different perspective. I've NEVER seen the program and didn't know the "set-up" of how PAST teams/tribes were arranged or how the show progressed each week. You've made THIS current "idea" sound a lot LESS incendiary.
Of course I think a LOT of us are like that professor you mentioned....the subject of Race can [often] be a touchy one, riddled with misunderstandings. Maybe that's WHY we sometimes overreact to anything that even gives the slightest of impressions of being controversial.
And at first I was a little taken bck. But I think that was more because of the thought they'd even try it. But after some thinking about it, it may actually provide a forum to talk about race in a healthy way.
I think this idea is awful. I don't think any forethought was given to how this would be perceived. If you put this to a poll I'd bet that like myself most AAs are not comfortable with having anything segregated into racial groups. However I don't watch Survivor so it isn't like they lost me as a viewer, but if I were a Survivor fan I would definitely sit this season out.
Limbaugh is a nut, plain and simple. He reflects the worst of America's past, yet the freak show goes on.
Oh, please, let true justice prevail -- pray that the cowardly, draft-dodging whale washes up on the shore of Martha's Vineyard, or Boca Raton.
Tim McVeigh, had his say, Eric Harris, and Dylan Klebold, at Columbine, and on to Andrew Kehoe.
AOG, with Michael Bray, KKK with Byron De La Beckwith, Michael F. Griffin and on to Luke Helder!
Mark Hofmann, Eric Krugel, James Charles Kopp and George Metesky, R0bert Jay Mathews, And David Lane!
E.R. Killen, Terry Nichols, Theo Kaczynski and Paul Jennings Hill, Eric Robert Rudolph And Rich Snell too!
And each one there, has one thing shared: they are white american terrorists, republicans one and all, they wept when they were denied.
Pat Robertsons', vision, Yes Pat Robertsons', vision.
If African-Americans can't swim, how do you explain Alison Terry and Keiko Price?
Its just too bad "Survivor" doesn't have a tribe for overweight, drug-addicted middle-aged white men . . . Rush would win the marathon-talking and pill-popping events HANDS DOWN.
make you a racist that you singled him out as white?
Did you find it funny?
I have no problem with it but I'm sure others on this board will be quick to point out your racist ways.
By the way, you left out champion doctor-shopper.
you lack the most fundamental understanding of race and racism.
I assume that you think you're alert and clever when you note that someone wrote "white."
And because you post and run, I won't bother to edify you, unless you'll commit to a dialogue. Do you wanna know what you're missing? Will you stand your ground or will you scurry off like a bun-bun?
...America's fastest male sprinter (swimming) is an African American named Cullen Jones -- just signed a $2 million contract with Nike -- largest contract ever awarded a swimming sprinter...
[link to www.latimes.com]
and Jason Sehorn played defensive back in the NFL.
You have to admit is very rare that you see world class black swimmers.
Sure, Leather, but that's not because of any innate biological capabilities of particular races. You can't honestly be arguing that Limbaugh has a legitimate point here, are you? Biologists and anthropologists have been telling us that racial categories are social constructs with no basis in biology for decades. There's more genetic variation within any self-identifying "race" than between them.
The study that Rush cites does NOT say that black people can't swim. Period. Read it yourself if you don't believe me. The study rightly suggests that there are rather obvious socio-economic reasons why drownings would be disproportionately distributed among racial and ethnic groups: disproportionate access to swimming lessons, publc pools vs. private pools, etc...
So yeah, you're right -- it's rare to see prominent African American swimmers. And what do you make of that? Do you think that's a reflection of the abilities of African Americans, or do you think that perhaps this has something to do with racism?
Using statistics and studies to discuss race in a deragatory manner is racist or race baiting. Even if the stats are accurate, that's not the point. Rush's comments were said to illustrate his opinion that one race is inferior to others, in this case when it comes to swimming. As someone else pointed out this may have more to do with class or other economic factors such as accesibility to swimming areas than it does with race. When one speaks of race in a negative way it's racism. When one talks about race ina constructive manner it is not. It's pretty simple. And you know what, I'm white and I call certain caucasions "crackers." That is definitely a racist remark I'll admit and when I use the term it is in a negative way so I am racist at times, towards my own race.
Sure, Rush is a racist and we all know he couldn't pass on the opportunity to throw some ethnic stereotypes around.
But, really, CBS wouldn't have organized the show this way if they didn't want people to ask these types of questions. That's the whole idea. If CBS didn't feel race had something to do with the ability to win the contest, then what's the point in pitting the races against each other? Will more white people watch if they can route for the white team? Will more white people watch if they can route AGAINST the black team? The whole premise (assuming that it's related to a ratings ploy) seems to promote segregation and competition among the races.
Of course, there have been game shows like "Sex Wars" and "Man vs. Beast," which have pitted man against woman and man against animal, respectively. No one seemed to raise any ethical concerns, of course, no one watched either.
Too bad there isn't an Indian tribe (dots not feathers.) Or he'd be saying they'd be a shoe in for any competition involving math or engineering.
Yet, believe it or not I can see how Rush is trying really hard as coming across as satirical. He fails however since he's such a stupid racist fat a**.
Whatever happened to the "good ol' days" when "Asians" were the peoples stereotyped as good at math and engineering? I guess it just goes to further show stereotypes are a joke.
since Rush ate all the contestants. Enjoy your priapism, Baby Huey. Keep a stiff upper lip.
Was he trying to be funny?
To provoke?
He's more a parody of Ann Coulter or Michelle Malkin than a genuine man.
Imagine an SNL cast member mouthing these lines pretending to be Rush. It would be funny because it's so over-the-top. Except, it's not over-the-top because he said them. I think rich white neocons have gotten away with so much for so long that they feel they're immune...and they seemingly are. They can plunge into stereotypes and it's okay. Tomorrow will just be another day...of hate.
"See, my friends, how the left-wing wackos have no sense of humor? I was KIDDING! It was a joke! I brought up the swimming because the wacko left is so crazy about this candidate in Flroida! I was acting foolish, to show how the left is so foolish! Aren't I clever? Ha, ha, ha..."
This is how they have it both ways. He thinks he gets to insulate himself from charges of racism because he is being outrageous, and some people may not get his "joke". So, ANYTHING he says is obviously misinterpreted as racist, because his detractors can't see when he's just joking.
BUT, he also gets to put this slime out there, and then laugh it off with a, "Hey, I was joking! I wasn't serious!"
It reminds me of white people who use the "N" word, and then say, "Hey, Richard Pryor used it all the time! If I'm a racist, he is too!"
In both cases, the issue is INTENT. Was Rush trying to make a witty commentary about race, as Pryor, or Lenny Bruce, or even Dave Chappell do or did?
No. What he's trying to do is cover his butt for future outbursts of real racism. Like when he tells an African-American caller to take the bone out of his nose. Or says all composite criminal drawings look like Jesse Jackson. Or says Mexicans entering the US are unwilling to work.
The guy's slick, give him that. He knows how to feed the hicks the red meat they crave while making them feel morally superior.
Only now, Rush, there's a problem or two:
First you've been quoting Democrats out of context for years (you've actually been bested at this by your protege, Sean Hannity, but I'll admit you are still quite good at it). Well, you're going to get a taste of your own medicine now, my friend. You are now on record with this sewage, and print does not allow you the luxury of saying, "But I was joking!" As the Bard said, you may find yourself soon being "hoist by your own petard."
Second, you are encumbered by the fact that you are astonishingly unfunny. I mean, really, really lame. Cricket-chirp inducingly bad.
If you are trying to make a joke, this is just about the worst joke you could imagine. When Pryor or Chappell do racial material, it's at least funny enough that even those who don't care for their humor get the joke.
Your joke here is on the Ann Coulter level of lameness (Justice Stevens-rat poison-creme broule lame). What's so funny about this? You're applying the racism of a FL or VA Republican to Survivor? That's supposed to be funny?
You can't claim you're not a racist because you made racist statements ironically. Especially when you're so lame. And you're not protected from your inevitable future racist slurs.
I'm not even gonna comment on Rush's moronic statements.
Two things though:
1. I find it interesting that CBS is doing this mostly because in previous seasons there haven't even been enough blacks or hispanics to form half a tribe. The max they've managed to have is 2 blacks in each season, and one or two hispanics. If this means they are finally getting more minorities on the show, good for them. Maybe they needed to get a bigger potential viewership demographic.
2. Quote: the study suggested "[f]uture research" will be done to "examine whether swimming instruction reduces the risk of drowning."
Ah... gee, I wonder if you're less likely to drown if you can swim... hmmm... An investigation is surely money well spent!
He is a racist, that's like calling me a Southern hillbilly -- just a fact. So, I have my own cultural baggage to deal with.
Still I am dumbfounded by what CBS is doing. "Everyone" on the Right bemoans the failings of our culture. Yet a major US corporation and at least one Right wing squaker thinks we should produce or handicap the 21st century version of the 1936 Berlin Olympics or the Schmelling v. Louis fight. I don't care who competes against one another. Black, White, Asian but to create a show for the explicit purpose of racial contest -- in this day and age -- I am dumbfounded. Why is not all of America livid? We are proving the rest of the world that sees us as backwards and inbred correct with this gem. Where are the protests and the indignation that appeared when Janet Jackson's boob was made public? I much rather watch Janet's moment on a loop for an hour than the cultural garbage this designed to be.
Bad job MMFA, the real story is not the crackpot (I know it is Oxy not crack) -- he gets way too much time here anyway -- it is the programming and television executives who came up with this farce. AND, God forbid, the public if it gets any ratings. Is American Idol destorying them in the ratings?
think about it, this Survivor thing isn't portraying racial sterotypes or in a deragatory manner. The las time they chose by age and sex. The tribes change members all the time. Unless they do something drastically different I suspect within the first 3 or 4 episodes the races will merge.
You can't blame him. Rush is obviously high.
I hope he just gets fired and we never have to hear from him again. The new stereotype will be White Fat Neo-Con Talk show hosts can't maintain a job, because they are dumb*sses.
He can join Malkin, Savage and O'Reilly in the Wingnut Tribe. I bet they'd last fifteen minutes stranded on a island. Hell, they wouldn't last 10 minutes in the suburbs
O'Reilly, Savage and Mr. Limbaugh missed their opportunity to play "Survivor" in the jungles of South East Asia during the late sixties and early seventies.
If they had played, they'd have learned quite a bit about survival, brotherhood and being able to depend on the guy beside you regardless of his skin color or religious or political views. No one left the show a racist that's for damn sure.
...the King!
What a great comment! Yes, as we must never forget the sacrifices of America's troops, we must never forget the cowardice of neocon pundits and leaders.
CBS has truly outdone themselves. This is positively hysterical! Survivor is trying to bring national pride to the "black box." (That's what televisions were called at one time....) My only problem is there will not be a "commie-homosexual-junkie" team. (See George Carlin for information for the junkies!) Let the games commense. Finally, a network with some competitive guts!!!
believe that CBS has not done their homework? Does anyone know if the exec's at CBS did not have discussions with leaders of various ethnic groups to get their input? What we have here is a failure to communicate. So Rush fills the gap. He communicates to those he can get angry. Here is a man that denounces an entire religion as "fascists" but complains when a TV show, that's right, a TV show plays games with ethnic groups. Before long, Mel Gibson will be blamed for this. I believe that this is a forerunner of the upcoming elections and Rush will eventually label all Liberals as non-swimmers showing that the Cons are better people. Stupid logic but this is the Rush Hour. Where is Jimmy the Greek and the LA Dodgers executive when you need them?
...or like Allen, Burns and Tramm - he's just appealing to his base.
To be fair, Tucker had Neil Boortz and Bernie Ward on last night. In discussing the Survivor story, they ALL were making jokes about race generalizations. The transcript isn't up on Tucker's sight yet.
Racism is alive and well in America. And it apparently gets laughs now.
ok I cant believe I'm trying to defend this idiot but, it does sound like what he sai is to be taken with a pinch of salt. Call it poor humor (humor I definately do not agree with) if you will.
But it's not the first of such comments to be made recently, and it's harder to brush off the recent comment (made at the Christian Coalition forum by Tramm Hudson) that "Blacks cant swim" as "humor". Tramm Hudson is running for a seat in the senate, not getting his jollies off on a radio show.
[link to video.google.com]
I dont agree with the viewpoint of either. But at least I feel Limbaugh can shrug this off as humor in bad taste.
I suspect he was trying to make a ha-ha, but when a man has made himself wealthy out of white pride, it doesn't work as humor. As I noted in an earlier post, if an SNL cast member said the same words, it would work as parody, but Rush can't parody himself. He doesn't have the requisite intellectual perspective and psychic distance for his words to function as humor.
Would it be funny if a member of the Aryan Brotherhood donned a sheet and burned a cross? Nah. The Aryan Brother has always worn a metaphysical sheet and burned metaphysical crosses, but if a brother, like Dave Chappelle, dons a sheet and burns a cross on his own lawn, that's funny.
Rush can't play a racist in jest 'cause he is a racist.
I want to see this fat drug addicted white piece of lard swim 10 laps in a public pool. I know 50 black guys who could wipe his ass clean in a swimming competition. Is he up for it?
get canned by ESPN for claiming Donovan McNabb was only successful because the powers that be in the NFL wanted to see a black QB succeed?
I believe he said that the media had been desirous of a succesful black quarterback. Implying that Donovan McNabb wasn't talented and the only reason they were talking about him was because of a liberal media bias. Never mind that Donovan McNabb IS one of the best QBs playing right now, or that he was the last great athlete to play for Syracuse University, outside of Carmelo Anthony of course.
Wouldn't need to swim 90 miles to Key West if Rush just offered his whale-sized carcass as a raft...
I did think his comment on the "white tribe" bringing vials of diseases to sabotage the other teams was a little funny, though...
Limbaugh's comments here aren't racist at all. They're not even serious. The entire time he was speaking on this issue, he was incredulous that CBS and Survivor would go so far as to put something as incredibly and blatantly racist on the show. The entire discussion, including his discussion with the caller was tongue-in-cheek. He was merely "demonstrating absurdity by being absurd" as he calls it. An objective listening to the clip by someone who has listened to the show before would demonstrate that this entire section was pure sarcasm. Its unfortunate that the transcript doesn't convey these facts. The remarks that reinforce hackneyed and easily disproven stereotypes should convince even the most unobjective observer. Hispanics being "willing to do things that others won't do" (common argument in the illegal immigration debate), blacks not being good swimmers (laughably old stereotype), etc.
Limbaugh's point, frankly is valid - those who are angered by his statements should be more angered by the gimmick that the Survivor producers are doing. There is absolutely nothing to be gained in pitting races against each other. Wrong conclusions will inevitably follow, no matter what the outcome.
...but no.
Rush's lame attempt at humor has two goals: first, to insulate himself from racism charges by claiming that people don't get his "jokes," and don't understand he's just "being absurd." That way, when he says something genuinely racist ("The NAACP should have riot rehearsal. They should get a liquor store and practice robberies."), he can claim it wasn't genuine racism - it's just that people don't "get the joke."
Second, he gets to put racist rhetoric out on the airwaves. Doesn't matter how he justifies it - it's there. And he's not mocking the racists; he's mocking those who have no tolerance for racism.
It's very slick, but it's also very transparent. Holly above put it best: "Rush can't play a racist in jest 'cause he is a racist."
Racist , that is all I am going to say.
I remember a worm eating contest won by a white southerner. When a rumor that McDonalds was grinding up worns in their burger meat the black folks stopped eating there first and came back last.
The WW2 jungle survival training included eating things like grubs anb bugs. All those guys were white,, except for the Navajo code talkers.
I used to have a tree in my front yard. Etomologist Euel Gibbons, a white person came to dinner and ate it.
The most delux Japanese fair: "Things" swimming around in water and a cup of sauce. Take chop sticks, fork a thing, snip off it's head and tail, dip it in the sauce and then quickly into the mouth so it wiggles down the throat. That's as fresh as humanly possible short of just swolling it.
People eat a lot of things I wouldn't eat and those people come in all sizes, shapes and descriptions. The Doner party survivors ate the ones that didn't too by the way and they were white. When Indians came to help guide them down the mountain they tried to eat them. Maybe the blacks and Mexicans should keep an eye out.
100 years from now there will be an American race that is none of the above. It'll be healthier, stronger, quicker, smarter and a lot of things individual races are not by themselves. Case in point, Tiger Woods.
Rush, the GOP needs to find something to attract votes besides race. It's a dead issue. Someone ate it.
Why not go all the way and ascribe racially stereotypic prizes for each tribe?
If the white tribe wins, they get rhythm, the black tribe gets Cadillacs with rims, the Hispanics, green cards, and all the Asians get operations to open up those squinty little eyes.
Really, this is so ridiculous and backwards an idea, I can only laugh at it and walk away.
These guys come up with the damndest stereotypes. Blacks are somehow physically incapable of being strong swimmers huh? I'll confess I'm a weak swimmer but my brother swam like a fish and one of my best friends spent all of high school on the swim team and worked every summer at one of the city's municipal pools as a life guard. These stereotypes are never ending. I was watching a documentary a few years back about the continued patterns of segregation. The show highlighted a racially changing community right outside of Chicago. The neighborhood was historically White, Blue collar, although higher paid skilled workers like plumbers, carpenters, and electricians. Well the new people moving in the area and purchasing the houses from these high paid blue collared folk were highly educated professional Blacks. One White guy they interviewed was very disappointed, it seemed that all his friends in the neighborhood had sold their houses but his was still on the market because he said that Black people liked big houses and his house was too small. I remember thinking damn there is one I've never heard. Leatherhelmet what do you know about Blacks only liking big houses. Do you have a study about that?
Who is a better survivor than who amongst melting pot contestants of America should not be determined by a fixed TV show. Just look around. He with the most toys, wins. It has nothing to do with surviving in the wilds of some far off country. How rediculous!
Awesome post. Well done.
is a Limbaugh catch phrase his listeners are all too familiar with? He does this every so often when he finds something absurd, partially for publicity and you just gave him a lot. His point being you’re more upset with his absurd shtick than with absurd premise of this CBS show.
He’s baiting you with the racist stereotypes, but note that he includes (what conservatives would refer to as) several liberal stereotypes of whites/conservatives (denying the others health care, educational benefits, welfare, etc. etc). An angry caller was chosen or setup by Limbaugh's caller screener to hammer home the point.
And Limbaugh's listeners are rolling on the floor laughing out load not because it's true but because they know that Limbaugh was baiting you.
You cannot win calling these shows, a talk show host handles hundreds of calls each week, and their call screeners are looking for callers that will make themselves look ridiculous too the target audience.
To a talk show host there is no such thing as bad publicity and for the next few weeks he'll be laughing about this segment and your reaction.
I think his comments were funny. Not because they were true. But because they expose him for what he is. I hope he makes a million more comments like that.
I swear, one day, he'll slip up and use the n-word. I can't wait. Then we'll laugh as he tries to get out of that pickle.
He's not a stupid man. He knows he's wrong. He's just getting bolder and bolder. At some point, he'll paint himself into a corner. He thinks he can get away with anything at this point, and those are the people who usually go down.
I mean, why are we even trying to prove him wrong with anecdotes and such? Why are we even angry? It's like being mad at a bee for stinging someone. We know he's a bigot. It's always been obvious. We know he's full of it.
He's working us like a bad-guy pro wrestler.
I too was shocked that CBS is doing this. That bothers me a lot more than Rush's comments. I hope no one watches. In fact, the whole reality show thing is just a Roman Circus to begin with.