Imus' McGuirk on "young colored fellah" Obama "pretty much deckin' the old bag from New York"
On the March 16 edition of MSNBC's Imus in the Morning, executive producer Bernard McGuirk, performing as his character "Cardinal Egan," said that "the whole nation is talking about" reports of a "young colored fellah pretty much deckin' the old bag from New York and takin' away some of her money." McGuirk continued: "I'm speaking, of course, about [Sens.] Barack Obama [D-IL] and Hillary Clinton [D-NY]."
As New York's Newsday reported, on March 4, a 101-year old Queens woman was punched in the face and had her purse stolen by a mugger when she "was making her way with a walker to church." Newsday noted the police description of the alleged mugger: "a black man in his 30s, about 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds and wearing a winter jacket with a fur-lined hood."
The current archbishop for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York is Edward Cardinal Egan.
As Media Matters for America has noted, McGuirk has previously referred to Obama as having a "Jew-hating name" and has called Clinton a "bitch" and said, in reference to her March 4 speech in Selma, Alabama, that she "will have cornrows and gold teeth before this fight with Obama is over."
From the March 16 edition of MSNBC's Imus in the Morning:
EGAN: Well, Imus, the whole nation is talking about it -- stunned and shocked by it, indeed. You might've heard of it: This young colored fellah pretty much deckin' the old bag from New York and takin' away some of her money. I'm speaking, of course, about Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, bejeez. You satchel-faced bastard, ya, bejeez.
By the way, bozo, despite what that woman says, the only thing that Hillary Clinton has in common with the late great, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy -- God rest his soul -- is that they both enjoyed extramarital affairs with women, bejeez.
Har Har ! Let me try!
I heard about a scraggly tart fellating the President of the United States. Of course, I'm talking about Imus and George Bush! Man, I should be getting paid as much as McGuirk.
i mean if someone wants to wear a stupid hat and do a racist/sexist character as a SKIT, it shouldn't get posted on mmfa. SNL does this all the time. Remember the Phil Hartman skit making fun of this real bank commercial, he says, "and if colored people come in for a loan...we won't give it to them". I guess that should be on mmfa too!
Hey Col. Sanders stick to makin chicken
I disagree the difference is that the SNL skit, which must have been long ago since Phil Hartman has been dead what 9 or 10 years, was satirizing racism itself not someone in a racist manner. That is a pretty substantial difference
Solon, While I concede your point is a good one - this could also be viewed as satirizing racism as well.....just as Archie Bunker was used to show that bigotry and racism is rooted in ignorance.
Tommy, this is not satire, it happens all the time on this show. The fact that is is displayed on a mainstream media outlet is the most troubling.
Doris, I am not so sure.........his character Cardinal Egan comes off looking bad here by uttering such a racially charged comment - he is making fun of the Cardinal, not advancing a racial stereotype in his own words. Much like the character of A. Bunker showed the same ignorance and racism.
Now given this guy McGuirk's history, you may have a point.......but I am only speaking of this particular incident, not any others.
Not really, you would have to assume that McGuirk was hostile to characterizing Obama that way in the same way its easy to see that SNL was hostile to the FACT that redlining, a big issue ten or twelve years ago the Atlanta constitution won a Pulitzer exposing it, denied loans to black people. Are you SERIOUSLY suggesting that is true? No McGuirk was NOT satirizing racial politics he was slamming Obama in a racist manner.
Tommy,Until recently I watched The Imus show. I think I remember you saying you never watched the show. Bernie's really a very unpleasant fellow. These skits just give him a license to really act out. But if you watched the show regularly I think a guy like you would realize the truth. Bernie and Bo Dietal are the reasons I've stopped watching the show. I can't take them anymore. ..and this skit is very very mild compared to cardinal skits he has done in the past. Pure racist, sexist and crass crap.
Well said Lynn, crass is a nicer word than I would use.
Col,
When SNL does these type of skits there are making fun of the racist. Any rational person who watches SNL knows this.
I meant to say when they do these skits.
Lynn,
Admittedly I have never seen this guy McGuirk, or watched Imus' show, so I am certainly not an expert on his brand of satire or anything else......but just looking at this particular incident, I don't see why it cannot be viewed as making fun of the Cardinal and showing him in a very unflattering way with this racially charged comment. I could be wrong.
Hey Tommy,
See my post above. This is pretty tame stuff for Bernie.
Lynn, I read that - this is why I don't waste my time with this stuff......enflaming people through disrespect and name calling is not my idea of good morning entertainment........I can barely get dressed on time!
Tommy
The main problem however as I said earlier is this racist, homphobic , religious bigotry is allowed on a mainstream media network. I have asked MMFA in an email to start a campaign to ask reputable journalists and Democratic and Republican politicians why they are appearing on a racist, homophobic, and bigoted show. Hopefully a campaign will be launched.
MMFA SMEAR #54040
Title SHOULD've read, "Imus' McGuirk AS character Cardinal Egan on..."
Hey Jerry Seinfeld as Jerry Seinfeld in Seinfeld didn't want to be outed as a gay, lets hold that against the real Jerry Seinfeld! Hey, Rambo in First Blood killed a bunch of people and cussed a lot, lets put Stallone on trial.
Whatever happened to liberal TOLERANCE for art expression? It's ok to paint a picture of Jesus being pooped all over but it isn't ok to do character acting and say things that are out of line with liberal ideology.
How about this then?
McGurk is an ignorant narrow-backed bog trotter.
so are you for being so intolerant of art.
My comment has nothing to do with art.
I'd suggest you get better info on the art you're commenting about too. It's inaccurate.
That would be 'piss Christ' Roy is talking about. It was a crucifix submerged in a jar of urine. To me it speaks to how the followers of Jesus have subverted the teachings of Jesus rather than an insult to Christianity. I understand the outrage over it. It's meaning is open to interpretation. McJerk's intent was pretty clearly a political smear and lacked artistic value.
That's what I was thinking he meant or possibly "The Holy Virgin Mary' by Chris Ofili.
But knowing the colonel, he might have been talking about true art like "Rambo".
I'm pretty sure Abu Ghraib was some of that newfangled performance art that lowbrows just don't get.
It's funny how conservatives railing about PC and free expression ends up revealing their own PC and hangups.
Col, this is the latest in the nasty , homophobic racist garbage this show produces.
Pathetic.
This is not art expression. It's capitalizing on a tragic event to racially smear a politician.
Because the examples you foist up are actual TV shows that are actually meant to be funny. Nowhere in the Seinfeld episode did Jerry make fun of gay people, or talk ill of them, but hey, that's not what this thread is about is it?
Do I need to say "read the mission statement" again? Because it appears that you have failed to do so. Here, let me repeat it for you:
Media Matters for America is a Web-based, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media.
http://mediamatters.org/about_us/
putting on a hat and talking with a funny accent while insulting people in a joking manner is HARDLY misinformation. the public does not think he is an anchorman/reporter trying to pass these insults off during a news report. It's a SKIT and people are LAUGHING in the background. Why don't we put up misinformation from SNL's Weekend Update too?
You really just do not get it do you?
Again, please review the mission statement of this website.
Conservative misinformation portrayed in the mainstream media.
Exactly, I never realized SNL was a mainstream news program.
ok ok so lets say i dont get it. i understand its in the medi a, but how is this conservative misinformation ?
how would you solve this problem? are show hosts no longer allowed to control their content...should we, say, ban all skits/jokes on a media show? If they do have a funny skit, is he only allowed to say certain jokes?
Please set my speech limitations so I am all clear on what I can say, thank you.
You can say pretty much anything you want in most public places, and on this forum you can say anything you want as long as it complies with MMFA's terms of use.
so if anything goes in the media, why is mmfa posting this?>
It's called talking back, Roy. Why are you trying to stifle my right to free speech?
There is no free speech issue here when will you guys begin to understand this? No one is saying he should be arrested we are using OUR free speech rights to criticise his racism which in NO WAY compromises free speech
According to the other links McGuirk often says this stuff out of character.
And here I thought MMFA only existed to complain about Republicans on tv.
How come Bill Donohue isn't lambasting Bernie for denigrating Catholics?
Bill Donohue?
See my comment about about McGurk.
Worrier, are you a jealous English bastard?
(And wouldn't McGuirk be a Scottish name?)
I grew up with some Irish McGuirks and seem to remember listening to this clown claim that he was Irish.
And to paraphrase Evil from yesterday, we Irish are a funky group , period.
A be-earlied Happy St. Paddy's Day to ya, broother.
Same to you, Rusty.
I'm going in for a drink right now to start the celebration early.
Aw, rub it in guys, I'm at work for 4 hours still.Even with that "O" and the apostrophe at the front of my name, they won't let me go early.Jealous english bastards.
I'm at work for 4 hours still.
And that means you can't drink - why?
"And that means you can't drink - why?"
Exactly......if your really Irish you'd be sleeping off your mid-day bash in your cubical by now.
See I'm refreshed and ready to go again :)
McCain, MacIain
I take offense at your insensitive stabs at the Irish. Such ethnic stereotypes should be removed from all public discourse.
Teach, you get so sensitive when you're drunk.
Hey, if we can't laugh at ourselves, who else will laugh at us/
Don't answer that.
BTW, Worrierking, thanks for the Bog-Trotter ref. My old man used to use that one.
I went back to school a few years ago to settle some credits, and in a comparative lit. class, was given an assignment involving the Langston Hughes' poem "Harlem", and a play about an Irish country hedge school (Brian Friel’s “Translations”).
It wasn't much of a paper, except that I got to title it "Harlem Bogtrotters". That made it worth it for me.
I can't help it, Teach. I'm a jealous English(-American) bastard.
Well Teach, I am sorry.
While I am not really Irish, my family only lived there for a few years before we came to the United States, I (as our Conservative friends are so fond of claiming) was only joking. I am just an entertainer. :)
We are better than John McCain's portion of the family who just came straight here (no stop to live in Ireland).
well, only beer. They locked up my poteen til 5.
We are indeed though I am half Welsh half Irish
Just like John Kerry who was on the show today did not say a word, they all suck up to Imus, its deplorable.
Doris,
For some unexplained reason Imus is the cool guy in DC. They all want to be his friend. I don't get it.
Also used the "F*GGOT" WORD
That should be reported as well, it was an ugly display of hate. This Bernie should NEVER be allowed to spew this type of hate on MSNBC.
Oh no, the "colonel" is mad at you MMFA, look out he may put you in the Brig!
No seriously now (I'm sorry, that still gives me a laugh) In the Seinfeld episode you are talking about I believe the exact phrase was "I'm not gay." "Not that there's anything wrong with it."
Its called civility. Don't you people understand it? You scream "PC" "PC" and rant at liberals and than wish for the "old days" before all this PC stuff.
Well back then it was called Civility or Respect (although its still called that today) for others. As we become a more educated and informed society does it do you any harm to treat others as you would like to be treated?
Diff -
They're just a-hankerin for dem good ol' dayz when they were free to use racial/ethnic/sexist slurs without being called out on it..
If they think it's funny to conflate a mugging to the early front-runners for the democratic presidential nominees then that's on them.
I'd take it that most reasonable people don't think that way. I also feel that there is some media manufactured spin going on with regards to Hillary v Obama. They want the red meat of conflict so very badly.
Exactly its not enough for them to have the RIGHT to be racist bores, they must be exempt from criticism for being racist and churlish. THEY arent doing anything wrong being racist knuckledraggers but WE are doing something wrong by CALLING them on being racist kuckledraggers.
Why on earth would anyone listen to these two piss-ants?
Iam a liberal democrat and I thought that was pretty funny, bejeez! I like Imus, hes on his own side.
Wow you think racism, religious bigotry and funny?
Doris, so you're the new Liberal Drone ver 1.5 beta eh? You are so human like! You simulate independent thought so well, tell your programmers there are a few bugs to work out though. You spew liberal talking point dribble far too often.
Col. is it possible you will ever be able to put together an educated sentence?
And YOU are conservative drone 1.0 Racism apparant, 2.0 applogize for racism using any weak and transparent excuse. Wait for 1.0. Be a bigot I dont care, just dont expect us to refrain from calling you on being a bigot. Its a moral imperative.
Sometimes I believe that all of these commentators will brush off any criticism about what they say with, "I said it to be funny," or "It's only a joke and lighten up." They don't understand that these "jokes" or "impressions" play on the ignorance that continues to swallow the United States. I believe that we need to stand up to this and if people tell us to "lighten up", tell them "no". Explain how that the people who should truly "lighten up" are the ones that continue to use sexist and racist comments for humor. It is time to say "enough is enough!" Thank you media matters for leaving MSNBC contacts. I encourage all to write to them.
Ok, col., and other defenders of this "joke". Here is the litmus test. Do feeble 101 year old women think its funny or not? Does the Egan think its funny? Do young urban african americans think its funny? Does Senator Obama or Clinton think its funny? IF two or more say yes then I would say, okay, I think it is awful but , hey, considering fee speech and tolerance, I'll go along and not complain.
so a joke is only a joke if EVERYONE laughs and NO ONE is offended, is that it? Wow that's a pretty high bar you've set there! I guess Chris Rock better hang up his mic because about 20% of his jokes offend me and about 50% of them in "Bring The Pain" offended black people.
I think Imus' colorful show is racist like Robert Crumb. Like abstraktly useing racism to raise the topic in a humorous fashion. Yea Imus sits a lil to the right but alot of times what he says reflects the publics ideology.
Oldhacks, you don't owe me any favors, but I'm going to ask one, very seriously; Please don't ever mention Imus and R. Crumb in the same post, ever again. Thank you.
I do not know why anyone would make an issue of this. This is supposed to be satire, and certainly should not be lumped together with journalistic contents that are intentionally skewed or misleading.
Sure whats the issue with spewing racist nonsense all over the airwaves and NO IT ISNT SATIRE. This has already been explained it would only be SATIRE if they guy was HOSTLE to the message he was giving it was NOT about racism it was about Obama thefore it WAS NOT SATIRE.
Doris and everyone who agrees with her - Usually Bernie's Cardinal Egan material is pretty offensive, but that was actually funny! No, it probably wouldn't be that funny to the 101 year-old woman, but the only reason you care about the 101 year-old woman is because you heard about her on TV/radio or read about her in the paper. Guess what - a lot of bad things happened to a lot of people that day that you never heard about. By your logic, all humor referring to something bad that might have happened to someone should be banned - Whoops! we just banned 80% of all humor. Now I'm offended!
Here is the deal on Bernard. He's been doing the exact same thing since he got out of college and took this job with Imus. Classic case of right place at the right time. So, he has been doing an "intern level" radio gig for over 20 years. Since he's been there so long, he's been bumped to "Executive Producer" along the way. WOW, now he oversees the guy who answers the phones, rather than picking up the two callers Imus gets a show by himself. The other thing he does is book guests. As you can tell Imus has the same "guests" on all the time. So he calls the same folks every few weeks and "books" them at certain time in the show. WOW, Bernard how far you have come. And for his brilliant comedy skills, I've known funnier guys in High School and not as as uhm, stupid. So let's not waste too much energy on Bernard the "intern".
Speaking of jokes. This is a little off topic, but I wanted to share...
http://fakegaynews.com/index.php/2007/03/lgbt-label-adds-s-for-straight/
For those of you who don't know LGBT stands for Lesbian, Gay Bi-sexual and Transgender.
Thanks, ADMcCain- off topic but pretty funny. I'm always amazed that the most anti-gay people are the most oblivious to the gay people around them.
Whenever estimates are brought up concerning the percentage of the population that's gay, conservatives tend to just freak- "that's ridiculous! It can't be more than 1 or 2%" I think it's because they don't count the "straights".
I use to waich Imus kind of regular until one morning this jerk****
was speaking of Mrs Shirley Chislom the first black woman to run for
president she had just died and he was referencing her name to
seimen which I thought and still feel very insulted by.
The guest on the show he has shows where this guy Imus is about.
For a person who said that years ago he was strung out on drugs
I wonder what type of people he hung out with? That would be very
telling.
Sorry, I don't understand what is wrong with this language.
>Newsday noted the police description of the alleged mugger: "a black man in his 30s, about 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds and wearing a winter jacket with a fur-lined hood."<
Is it untrue?
There was no problem with that language (description of the mugger), I think it was noted to show a basis for Imus'(McGuirk's) comments, and his feeble attempt at an Obama joke.
This Imus sidekick has been making these type of anti-Clinton remarks for years, where has MMA been? For some reason, racist comments and diatribes on Imus go overlooked because the likes of Senators McCain, Lieberman, Kerry and Dodd regularly suck up to this self-promoting, private jet flying do gooder!