Sylvia's family spokesperson reportedly found O'Reilly comments "offensive to the black culture"
According to reports by several media outlets, a family spokesperson for Sylvia's restaurant in Harlem said that comments made by Fox News host Bill O'Reilly on the September 19 edition of his nationally syndicated radio program were "[o]ne of the worst stereotypes ever of our customers, of our people," "extremely insensitive," and "outrageous." Describing dinner with the Rev. Al Sharpton at the restaurant, O'Reilly said: "I couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia's restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City. It was exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks, primarily black patronship."
A September 25 Associated Press video included a clip of a member of the family that owns Sylvia's, Trenness Woods-Black, who said: "We know that Bill O'Reilly is very controversial, but that statement was not only offensive to the black culture, but it was extremely insensitive."
On the September 25 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, CNN correspondent Mary Snow reported: "[A] member of the family that owns Sylvia's restaurant tells us she feels O'Reilly's comments were, in her words, 'extremely insensitive and insulting to our race.' "
Snow noted: "O'Reilly's words were first brought to the media's attention by the liberal-leaning media watchdog group Media Matters. It's the same group that first noticed the controversial remarks made by Don Imus that cost him his job."
A September 26 New York Daily News article reported that Woods-Black said, "It is very insulting. ... O'Reilly's knowledge about the African-American community is limited and his statements are outrageous and unfortunate." The Daily News further reported that:
Media Matters spokesman Eric Burns said he expected O'Reilly to claim to have been victimized, describing it as "his automatic response to scrutiny of his ignorant comments." Sylvia's managers weren't too surprised, either.
"It's commonplace for O'Reilly. It's his position and overview of the world," said Kenneth Woods, Sylvia's grandson.
In an interview aired on the September 26 edition of CBS' The Early Show, CBS News correspondent Bianca Solorzano asked Woods-Black: "Do you feel that Bill O'Reilly's comments about his meal here are racist?" Woods-Black replied: "Definitely. One of the worst stereotypes ever of our customers, of our people."
From the September 25 Associated Press video:
WOODS-BLACK: We know that Bill O'Reilly is very controversial, but that statement was not only offensive to the black culture, but it was extremely insensitive.
From the 7 p.m. ET hour of the September 25 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:
WOLF BLITZER (host): Fox's Bill O'Reilly is riling up people with a remark he made about his visit to a primarily African-American restaurant. Let's go right to CNN's Mary Snow. She's in New York following this controversy.
Mary, what's it all about?
SNOW: Well, Wolf, the Fox News host went for dinner in Harlem recently with the Reverend Al Sharpton. It's his comments about that dinner that are generating criticism.
[begin video clip]
SNOW: Here's what Bill O'Reilly had to say about his recent dinner at Sylvia's, a famous restaurant in Harlem.
O'REILLY [audio clip]: And I couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia's restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City. I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks, primarily black patronship. It was the same, and that's really what this society's all about now here in the USA. There's no difference. There's no difference.
SNOW: Radio talk show host and CNN contributor Roland Martin says callers to his show see stereotypes in glaring neon lights.
MARTIN: What bothered me was when he says that he was surprised that there was no difference between Sylvia and someone else. Well, why would you be surprised? Have you not gone to a black restaurant before?
SNOW: CNN's Rick Sanchez reached O'Reilly by phone yesterday.
SANCHEZ: He said, look, to be fair now, this is what he says. He said, "This is totally -- it was a totally benign conversation. There was absolutely no racist intent. "
SNOW: O'Reilly also went on to talk about stereotypes of rappers, saying --
[begin audio clip]
O'REILLY: There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming "M-Fer, I want more iced tea."
JUAN WILLIAMS (NPR senior correspondent and Fox News contributor): Please.
O'REILLY: You know, I mean, everybody was -- it was like going into an Italian restaurant in an all-white suburb in the sense of people were sitting there, and they were ordering and having fun. And there wasn't any kind of craziness at all.
[end audio clip]
SNOW: O'Reilly's words were first brought to the media's attention by the liberal-leaning media watchdog group Media Matters. It's the same group that first noticed the controversial remarks made by Don Imus that cost him his job. Fox News' reaction, quote, "This is nothing more than left-wing outlets stirring up false racism accusation for ratings. It's sad."
[end video clip]
SNOW: Now, as for the restaurant that left such an impression on O'Reilly, a member of the family that owns Sylvia's restaurant tells us she feels O'Reilly's comments were, in her words, "extremely insensitive and insulting to our race." Wolf.
BLITZER: Mary Snow watching this story for us in New York. Mary, thanks very much.
From the September 26 New York Daily News article:
"I couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia's restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City. It was exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks [and has a] primarily black patronship," O'Reilly said. "There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, 'M-Fer, I want more iced tea!'"
"It was like going into an Italian restaurant in an all-white suburb in the sense of people [who] were sitting there, and they were ordering and having fun. And there wasn't any kind of craziness at all," he said.
O'Reilly was apparently trying to say that not all black people are into profane gangsta rap culture.
The comments, made in an hour-long show about race last Wednesday and then publicized by the liberal watchdog group Media Matters, prompted jeers, outrage and guffaws yesterday.
"It is very insulting," said restaurant manager Trenness Woods-Black, granddaughter of the famous Sylvia Woods.
"O'Reilly's knowledge about the African-American community is limited and his statements are outrageous and unfortunate."
The ever-obstinate O'Reilly insisted on "The O'Reilly Factor" last night his remarks were meant to show "there was no difference" between whites and blacks and "stereotypes are not true."
He branded CNN and Media Matters, which monitors "conservative misinformation in the U.S. media," as "smear merchants" for reporting the story.
CNN, he opined, is "out to destroy me and Fox News" to protect its ratings.
Bill Shine, Fox's senior vice president of programming, backed O'Reilly. "This is nothing more than left-wing outlets stirring up false racism accusations for ratings," Shine said.
Sharpton said he and O'Reilly have eaten together in Harlem before and he was surprised at the radio comments. "I understand he says he's been taken out of context. I'll be going on his show and I want to talk directly with him," Sharpton said.
During last Wednesday's show, O'Reilly decried rap music and hip-hop culture. He also said he'd been to a concert at Radio City Music Hall and noted that "the blacks were well-dressed."
"This is what white America doesn't know, particularly people who don't have a lot of interaction with black Americans. They think that the culture is dominated by Twista, Ludacris and Snoop Dogg," he said.
Media Matters spokesman Eric Burns said he expected O'Reilly to claim to have been victimized, describing it as "his automatic response to scrutiny of his ignorant comments." Sylvia's managers weren't too surprised, either.
"It's commonplace for O'Reilly. It's his position and overview of the world," said Kenneth Woods, Sylvia's grandson.
From the September 26 edition of CBS' The Early Show:
SOLORZANO: Sylvia's has been in Trenness Blacks-Woods' [sic] family for 45 years.
SOLORZANO: Do you feel that Bill O'Reilly's comments about his meal here are racist?
WOODS-BLACK: Definitely. One of the worst stereotypes ever of our customers, of our people.
[...]
SOLORZANO: As far as Blacks-Woods [sic] sees it --
SOLORZANO: If O'Reilly walks in here tomorrow and asks to be served --
WOODS-BLACK: Welcome to Sylvia's.
SOLORZANO: Bianca Solorzano, CBS News, New York.
Good, I was wondering if the family had made a public statement about the incident. The spokeswoman is very eloquent, gracious, and forgiving. Hear that Bill you're actually welcomed back to Sylvia's, I even bet the iced tea would be on the house.
But lynn, that isn't gonna stop his defenders from defending the indefensible. They've got the word of Juan Williams to represent the black point of view. They aren't interested in any other voice.
Unless of course they parrot the Juan Williams opinion...
Snoop, what is like not having leader? I've got them being shoved down my throat literally left and right. I mean good God, I speak for myself. If they really want to know what the consensus of AA opinion is on this matter I'd suggest a good old fashioned scientific poll.
You're right, Lynn. Honestly, what's so hard about going out to the streets and asking the everyday folk what they think? Bill has himself isolated in a bubble picking and choosing who's remarks he think represents the feelings of the whole. Bill could really rise above this if he were to go into harlem and ask the residents in person why his intentions weren't taken positively. But that requires guts.
Juan Williams is Fox's go-to-guy for all things black in America. I predicted even before O'Reilly aired his show last night that he would drag Williams into this and have Williams defend his comments. And sure enough Williams did EXACTLY that. I don't know how Williams can sleep at night when it's clear that he's only at Fox to be their lap dog.
Me too. I expected Juan to come the rescue. I understand Juan wrote a book with pretty scathing assessments of Jackson and Sharpton. I wonder why he came along; maybe Bill brought him along for protection or maybe to translate the Ebonics that Bill probably thought they spoke at Sylvia’s. :)
Juan Williams will become America's favorite black man -- next to Bill Cosby -- after this because he dares "give tough love to those lazy Negroes with a victimhood complex." His attack against Sharpton and Jackson was very hackneyed, and was something stolen straight from Thomas Sowell's playbook. Only Williams has the liberal garb because of NPR.
I guess one good thing will come out of this: Brit Hume won't be as patronizing to Williams this Sunday since Williams took up for Bill-O. He was obedient yestarday when taking up for O'Reilly so he doesn't deserve any lashings this week.
Do you mean different black people have different opinions?!? Hey, that's just like white people!!
Can't believe it can you? And guess what? Some of us can't dance, not me but some of us. I always sucked at sports though and I was always the last to get picked for soft ball, and I never could run all that fast.
Gawd, tell me about it! I'm a strawny 6ft1 black man and can't play basketball if my life depends on it! So much for blacks being good in sports truism. ;)
I just want to play my bass like Marcus Miller. Being white, I got some grooven to learn
I'll have to look up Mr. Miller NoRoToR. 34 years beatin on those cables myself. Its been very satisfying. Luck with your groove.
I suppose I'm every conservative's image of a white longhaired hippyfreak. Got a few creative jone's. A technical job and a few wild hobbies.
I go with the majority Bill's a well paid idiot. He doth protest like a m-f-.
Hey, don't feel bad, preston. I can't jump either. It sucks being white.
Hey Lynn & Preston,
At least you guys have things you're supposed to excel at, well at least according to those stereotypes out there.
What are 6ft White guys supposed to be really good at?
Seems I've got zero expectations ;-)
racism? J/k......
Hellooo, White man's burden Jeter you must excel at ruling the world. :)
LOL, I was going to say exactly that to Jeter.
Rule the world eh?
Lynn, I think I can handle that...
I would like some help though...are you interested?
It would be a much nicer world under our reign :-)
Why thanks Jeter, but I'm certain that I would be immediately assassinated, AA and RINO wouldn't have it, and I’d have to keep an eye on Tommy too. :)
Six foot, four inch white guys are good at lookin' out for you.
As a white guy with World Domination Aspiration Syndrome, I'd like to point out how tremendously respectful the African American posters are being. It's really great. It's like visiting any other message board on the internets.
That was funny Marv. I give you the Colbert Award for that one. ;)
I'm so proud. Not once did you say "M-Fer."
Oh dear. My little 3 year old daughter dances to anything by shaking her 'booty' and gettin all funky. (In her own words.) Should I be concerned? Maybe I should get her into some Riverdance classes or buy a banjo or something?
..just make sure she doesn't end up like Britney a world famous booty shaker.
Yikes! Brittney? Riverdance here we come! Maybe ballet? I'm actually thinking Judo. If she likes it.
I'd like to live in an America where any woman could flip any man on his ear if she needed to. Guys like Bill O'Reilly would have the good sense to keep their loofas to themselves.
Just don't let her sign a contract with R. Kelly.
Sun
When my daughter was little she could do all the routines in the Michael Jackson videos and she took karate as a kid and man she was kicking much boy butt for a while. :) She was such a tomboy, but she grew up to be quite the lady, and I'm sure your little one will too.
A lady who can kick butt. I'll take that.
no banjos....... scarry vision there.
This river don't go to Raintree boy.
Good thing!
> No banjos...
Eh. It's not as though he threatened to give her accordion lessons.
Oh please no. I think accordians and bag pipes where invented just to give me a headache.
Being Irish, I represent that, lynn...
Well Snoop, I'm pleasantly surprised you could see through the fog of whiskey and Guinness to type that. I said PLEASANTLY surprised so it's ok.
Well sundog, If I'm gonna be stereotyped, I'm gonna do my best to live up to that standard! <hic!>
You think that's bad Snoop, I'm Irish (mom's side) and I had a Saphire martini tonight. You know what that means? I'm drinking the booze of the oppressors!
Sorry Snoop, but there is this one nerve in my brain that goes haywire whenever I hear that note that is only reachable via accordian or bag pipes.
Then you can't come to my funeral. I arranged bagpipers to play amazing grace while I'm creamated. I'm getting a good deal because they will play for the whole time I'm being creamated. I've got so much alcohol in my blood I will burn for three days! ;)
I must give thanks to all of you for the previous posts. From the sports challenged Lynn & Preston to the bass challenged Noroto & Eweston to the height enhanced Jeter adding in Sundog's booty shaking 3 year old daughter to Snoopy's bagpiper whiskey drinking. That was the funniest exchange I've seen all day. I'm still wiping tears from my eyes.
I forgot to add World Domination Aspiration Syndrome Marv ;-)
Oh gawrsh Pearl. I spend too much time here already, don't make me like ya'll too much and stuff.
I wish I could quit you Media Matters!
If this is my forbidden love, I probably do deserve all the mockery I get from the trolls.
Okay, Media Matters, we got the point now. I don't care for O'Reilly but posting five topics about this issue will not make O'Reilly apologize. It's really a futile effort.
Yeah, this should go away like oh, say the betrayus ad. All we need now is a resolution from the senate and all will be well again. ;)
You do make a good point. I just hate the type of publicity it's giving O'Reilly. If nothing else this issue will only increase his ratings.
Not necessarily Preston. What it does increase is the visibility of Media Matters and other sites like this. Keep in mind the uneven playing field we're talking about here. This is a website compared to a billion dollar beast of a network. For Media Matters to focus on this for a while might be annoying for some of us regulars. But they're not just here for our entertainment.
This is a pretty twisted guy who does real damage in our society and like the rightwing he represents, gets away with way too much. He's enriched himself by taking on the mantle of moral authority for the rest of us.
There is no equivalent on the left of a FOX network even if they like to pretend there is. The internet is providing some small relief from what has been a fairly unified wall of propaganda. I'd rather talk about lots of other things and MM often provides that opportunity. I love the site for that but they do have a job to do here, even if it's a bit unseemly.
Sundog, that's why I have a lot of respect for you, because you always make convincing arguments. Thanks for that. If anything good comes out of this is that pundits will start to realize how Media Matters is a force to reckon with.
Good observation.
http://www.olbermannwatch.com/archives/2007/09/ratings_ploy.php#more
"The Factor" has more viewers than ALL other cable news shows COMBINED.
http://insidecable.blogsome.com/2007/08/16/wednesdays-numbers-68/
What the heck.............?http://insidecable.blogsome.com/2007/09/25/mondays-numbers-72/#more-7309
Yeah that reminds me Hitlers speeches were pretty popular too
You have a point, meanwhile the media continues to lie about Iraq, Bush and the 08 campaign but OReilly is the most important story of the day .
I cant wait for tonight when Al Sharpton defends OReilly. Why would Sharpton even have dinner with this racist?
If sharpton has a brain in his head he could use the interview tonight to discuss why the delivery is why we have problems in Jena.
Asking Sharpton to use his brain is the impossible. He could fall off the planet and most people would see a sunny day.
Ha ha, "Birds of a feather HANG together".....
Ouch Bill. You gonna smear Sylvia's as far left smear group, too?
I have traveled the world, I have taken the pill, sped down the worm hole through the matrix and beyond. In all my travels I have yet to find the prism in which the progressives see the world. I conclude as Savage has.....its genetic. It is like the man who lost his memory, convincing him of that fact is impossible.
It really isnt our fault that you arent bright enough to understand logic and higher brain function. Perhaps YOUR challenged state is what is genetic
Maybe if you weren't taking so many freaky pills in worm holes that would help? At least we progressives would prefer to help you get treatment for your drug problems rather than just throw you in jail like Rush wants to do. When he's not taking freaky pills in his worm h0le that is.
Please go back to your worm hole.
If one were to ONLY get information from this site one would not have a clue as to what was said in context. The audio made available here was cut and spliced. The transcripts are not contextual either. The "family" spokes person would only be offended if he/she were "gangsta" rappers or part of the black/ white rap sub-culture. Here is what O'Reilly really said in context and in total. The restaurant owners should give O'Reilly a free dinner for all the nice things he said about the them and the free advertisement he gave them.
http://www.billoreilly.com/blog?action=viewBlog&blogID=-514007249730622364
MMFA...your in a hole....stop digging.
please go back to your worm hole.
The only way you would NOT find what O'falafel said racist is if YOU are either a moron or a racist yourself
I take that back you could be BOTH
I see you've got all three synapses firing today.
Thanks King, I was wondering what that "snapping" noise was.
I know with me whenever I hear the snapping sound, smoke comes out of my ears.
Off topic, but kind of related, anyone read Bob Herbert's NYT piece today?
He doesn't sound too happy considering the recent turn of events..
If you want to check it out - here's the link
Bob Herbert, kinda pissed off
Thanks for the link, good article
David Brock, CEO of the Soros-funded Media Matters for al Qaeda, once said Anita Hill, an African-American, was a "little bit nutty, a little bit sl*tty."
Media Matters should fire Brock.
So lame.
It's not lame. Would discredited journalist Brock have said the same thing about a white woman?
I guess the moonbats can't see Brock's hypocrisy.
Kevin as a black woman I sure do appreciate you sticking up for us black women but I gotta ask you WHERE WERE YOU back when Brock was saying those things?
Should I assume that you were standing there telling that he as sooo wrong in saying those things about Anita right?
Pearlene:
Where were you? And why are you on discredited journalist Brock's side now?
The reason your quote is so lame is that it is appropos of nothing. It isn't racist unless you think Brock was suggesting all black women are sl*ts. That is a hard sell.
It is a personal attack and pretty reprehensible, but he also apologized for it, which is another difference. I am sure you can find a better example than that.
I guess a MORON like you forgot about the appology he made in his book and attempted to make in person. I guess when you are as stupid as Kevin insulting one black person is the same as insulting ALL black people but then when a moron like Kevin is as obsessed with dissing a site like this he has to take whatever weak attempt at a point he can get.
Uh Kevin, what exactly does calling her 'nutty and sl*tty' have to do with her being black?
I'm not kidding Kevin, what is the relationship? I don't see Brock saying anything about her race. What exactly are you trying to say? If you don't understand the issues here, maybe you shouldn't be throwing stupid insults around.
You go Boy!!!!!
Kevin is a liar for continuing with the long debunked Soros funded BS. So I dont know why we should take anything he says seriously. He is however right about what Brock said. He failed to mention the public and profuse appology in his BOOK. When O'falafel makes such an appology he should get back to us.
He does seem to assume that if someone called Hill "nutty and sl*tty" he was referring to her being black. Funny how these guys reveal their creepy underbellies by opening their mouths. And quite fitting when he's here defending Loofa Boy.
It's not debunked, moron. Soros' funding of Media Matters for al Qaeda is well-documented. I'm shocked that you take David Brock's word on this, especially since he is a discredited journalist.
No it isnt you are a liar and a fool. Just because you are a Moronocon doesnt mean YOU get to define reality. Cough up WHEN Soros wrote MMFA a check and remember he can do that any time he wants. I dont know which is worse with you. Your LYING or your abject STUPIDITY
If it is well documented, then prove it.
Here's what Media Matters for al Qaeda left out, as reported by AP:
"At one point on the radio show, Williams mentioned that too many people see little else in black culture beyond profane rap. 'That's right,' O'Reilly said. 'There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, 'M.F.-er, I want more iced tea.'"
Of course, what would one expect from discredited journalist David Brock and his financial backer George Soros?
Your AP quote doesn't seem to match the Williams-O'Reilly transcripts.
Also note that Williams says "Please..." after O'Reilley's M-Fer remark, as if O'Reilly has gone too far, and he objects.
O'Reilly cuts him off with" You know ,I mean, everybody was......"
WILLIAMS: Oh, and it's just so awful. It's just so awful because, I mean, it's literally the sewer come to the surface, and now people take it that the sewer is the whole story --
O'REILLY: That's right. That's right. There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, "M-Fer, I want more iced tea."
WILLIAMS: Please --
O'REILLY: You know, I mean, everybody was -- it was like going into an Italian restaurant in an all-white suburb in the sense of people were sitting there, and they were ordering and having fun. And there wasn't any kind of craziness at all.
You've been absent for awhile. Go sit in the corner, bad doggy! :)
What someone would expect from as ignorant a Moronocon as Kev is that this doesnt change the context. Apparantly he was saying LIKE HIM too many people are afflicted with racist preconceptions. Then again expecting actual THOUGHT from kevin is like expecting golden eggs from caterpillers. So many Moronocons so few brain cells. Kev you do KNOW you are a moron right?
Here's what Media Matters for al Qaeda left out, as reported by AP: Of course, what would one expect from discredited journalist David Brock and his financial backer George Soros?
kev.....no need for the personal attacks, thank you. Trolls MUST hold themselves to higher standards.
The REVrend JACKson and Megaphone Sharpton have done less to put racism behind us than Bill O'Reilly. All they're good for is stirring up controversy and exploiting racial issues to make their bank accounts bigger. (i guess Jackson does need the money for his baby's momma) Don't bother to reply to this, I get stupider by the moment reading this website :)
Exposed Again. Shame on all of you.
When an established, distinguished, WELL respected black journalist like Juan Williams basically tells every one of you straight to your face that the discussions nor the comments of O'Reilly were racist the first thing I see is he is now labeled as some type of Uncle Tom.
What I see is a bunch of left wing radical nazi slime artists that are so full of hate you can not even accept the true facts of the issue even when they come direct from the horses mouth.
I know this, if Juan Williams would have said the opposite you would have been holding him up in praise as some type of martyr for being subjected to these awful hideous statements by O'Reilly. He would have been your hero.
Black leaders are coming out on behalf of O'Reilly everywhere. I guess by tomorrow you will have all them labeled as Uncle Toms.
I just revel in the fact that America is finally waking up and discovering your world of lies, deceits, and character assassination attempts. You guys ever wonder why 78% of America call you left wing loons, wackos, and numbnuts? Because of mean spirited cold hearted un-American haters like yourselves that make attempts to ruin good people just because you don't agree with their politics. For exactly what you are trying to do to O'Reilly.
But again it looks like you FAILED. O'Reilly may not be the most cordial person in the world but his common sense approach to the issues is usually right on and that obviously just doesn't jive with your world of lies, hate, and deceit.
You people need to get over yourselves - none of you are that important to the other 78% of us. Although you make for great entertainment. LOL
Anyway if I had to score this one: O'Reilly 10+ Media Matters 0
Media Matters EXPOSED as liars, cheaters, dishonest, cold hearted, character assassinating nazis by Bill O'Reilly.
Fin, your post is so sad and dumb it's hard to know how to even talk to you. Is your helmet too tight? I guess the funniest thing is your 78% number. I'm gonna say that 90% of people in the whole world think you're a poo poo head. That's about where your political dialogue is living. You should feel very proud. The funny thing about that number is that it's almost perfectly backwards. Bush's approval ratings are lodged so firmly in the low thirty to high twenty percentile range that it almost seems like you just reversed reality to make a taunt at people you're too simple to understand. But thanks for playing. Try not to eat the playdoh or crayons, they're icky for your tummy. Say high to Rush for us.
After reading the full transcript of O'Reilly's comments, it's clear to me that he was saying black culture and gangsta rap culture aren't synonymous. Kind of sad that he felt the need to say that, but racist? The point he was making is the opposite of racism. He was railing against stereotypes. Juan Williams was right. This has turned into a smear. I'm all for going after O'Reilly, but do it when he deserves it, for Pete's sake.
JUAN WILLIAMS: It's rank dishonesty, and the troubling thing is that if I hadn't participated in the discussion, if I was just tuning into CNN, or listening to MSNBC, and heard that, oh, Bill O'Reilly said he went to Sylvia's restaurant in Harlem and they weren't using M-F and all this kind of stuff, I'd say, "Oh, my God. What is he thinking? Where's that coming from? Why did he say something like that?" Not understanding that that discussion, Bill O'Reilly, you know, I'm telling you, it's just, it's so frustrating. They want to shut you up. They want to shut up anybody who has an honest discussion about race.... And now they take this discussion and somehow turn it on its head. I'm really appalled. And I say that as someone, you know, who's, I mean, I just can't believe that this is going on. It's outrageous because the discussion we had was about how too often the images on TV are these rappers glorifying drugs, glorifying violence, degrading women.... Here's my complaint. They're trying to shut up anybody who's having an honest thought about race relations in this country, and wants to speak honestly about the damage being done by the likes of these rappers or these comedians who use the N-word, and all of that. You know what? They're willing to celebrate Snoop Dogg, or Twista, or any of these guys who go out there and present these minstrel show images of black people. ... When you said you went up to Sylvia's, you said you went in there, the place was a normal restaurant, healthy discussion, people were pleased, and, in fact, they celebrated the fact that here is Bill O'Reilly with Al Sharpton -- Oh, my gosh, two celebrities are in the house. And then you said everything settled down like a normal restaurant, ethnic like an Italian restaurant.
Been dealt with already. After a dishonest attack on imaginary people celebrating rappers HE doesnt like he launches into how suprised HE was that a black restaurant was like other restaurants and how black patrons acted like actual adults who understand the concept of decorum. NOTHING Juan said changes that context ONE BIT. Juan did what he was PAID to do. Cover Billys butt. He did NOT explain why the patronizing racist BS was acceptable just ranted a bit. Ya got nothin then again you NEVER do.