“I just don’t know why this kid seems to be held to a different standard than anyone else,” Rosie O’Donnell says of the media’s treatment of Chris Brown, where said treatment includes reporting on his Good Morning America temper tantrum and not, it seems, his very public beating of onetime girlfriend Rihanna. Watching him get interviewed by Chick-fil-A lover Robin Roberts, Rosie says she felt “mildly angry” at the way the GMA host, uh, brought up his sordid past? “I totally think there is” a racial bias toward Brown, she continues. “I just don’t know why this kid gets held to a different standard than anyone else.” Um, maybe because he’s clearly a rageaholic with a violence problem?
Rosie is teetering on the edge of becoming the next Jodie Foster, who continues to defend the racist and anti-Semitic Mel Gibson. It was Roberts, a fellow lesbian, who performed her journalistic duty (how novel!) and repeatedly queried Brown about how his scandalized past could effect his career. But that, apparently, is racially targeting the singer according to Rosie.
How about Roberts re-interview Brown, and ask him about those gay sex rumors?
Cam
Is this a joke? Has the media not brought up Mel Gibson’s “Past Problems”??
Then again, Rosie probably doesn’t like anybody bringing up anybody’s life since she was basically outed by lesbian groups threatening to picket her show if she continued to go overboard playing straight.
Chris Brown is lucky that he isn’t in jail, he beat a woman in public. Gibson is lucky he isn’t in jail. I would say that they are both being given FAVORABLE treatment bias because they are celebs.
Polyboy
Of course there’s a double standard. Charlie Sheen is a drug using hotel destroying bastard with a history of woman beating who’s selling tickets to his crazy. No high nosed moralizing about him and he gets to have a career.
justiceontherocks
What did this thug (Brown) think they were going to ask him about on GMA? The tsunami? The Libyan no fly zone? And what is Rosie upset about? Did Robin turn her down? Thank goodness the world has such smart role models.
Shannon1981
Chris Brown and all the rest need to realize that if you do something as crazy as beating a woman in pubic, it will follow you around like a can tied to a dog’s tail until you die. End of story. IF you don’t want to be repeatedly asked about it, control your temper. And his latest stunt was breaking the glass at the GMA studios in his dressing room and raging out onto the street shirtless. That’s how well all that court ordered anger management is working out. Of course people are gonna talk about it.
james_from_cambridge
Rosie is either the world’s most visible contrarian or a flat-out loon. She always has to take a position that’s the opposite of whatever the conventional wisdom is. However, there’s no deep thought or an intelligent argument behind the positions she takes. She’s a bore.
justiceontherocks
@Polyboy: are you nuts? Charlie Sheen is a laughing stock and a pariah. Chris “beat her down” Brown has far more of a career now than Sheen. If you want to make a point about racism you’ll have to do a lot better than that.
kayla
Yes there is a double standard and there always will be. Black men need to realize this reality, they are the most despised group on the face of the Earth, black women are a relatively close second…If parents would really explain this to their young black sons, as well as explaining to them that it’s never going to change the world would be a much better place. Chris Brown obviously was foolish enough to think that his relative fame and fortune meant that he would be given a second chance…If he had been explained the realities of life from a very young age he would have known better. His career is over…that is the simple reality.
I am in no way excusing Chris’ conduct, I am completely and utterly anti-violence and felt he should have done some jail time. Just stating a fact. Black men are incredibly demonized and if this was widely acknowledged and told clearly to black young boys, not to be used as an excuse for failure but as an imperative for success, America would be a much better country.
Cam
@Polyboy: Said…
“Of course there’s a double standard. Charlie Sheen is a drug using hotel destroying bastard with a history of woman beating who’s selling tickets to his crazy. No high nosed moralizing about him and he gets to have a career.”
_____________________
Sheen GETS to have a career???
Sheen was fired, Chris Brown’s record company is still putting out his CD’s. So you might want to rethink your little rant.
No. 7 · kayla
I just LOVE all these excuses…he publiclly beat a woman to a pulp. If it had happened to you I seriously doubt you would be running around trying to do anything to excuse him for it.
kayla
@Cam: I am not excusing his behavior and stated at the time of the incident and still state now, that I felt that he should have done jail time and not just probation. But I really think if we were truly honest about race the world would be a much better place. Black people are generally despised by all other races and people should just face up to that reality. I think it would be a lot healthier if we just told the truth. I think we need a black leader with a realist philosophy to state to blacks that racism will never go away, so stop complaining about it and get on with life. Too many black celebrities really do believe that their fame and fortune gives them a pass, if they truly understood the realities of life and their place in the world they wouldn’t get into the mess that they do. Kanye West is a great example of this…He is completely delusional and was foolish enough to think that he could offend a young white woman in America and not be demonized…Again, America would be a healthier country if everyone just acknowledged the reality and moved on. It would also put fools like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson out of business because blacks would realize that they were on a fool’s errand. Black people would spend more time taking responsibility for their lives and not wasting time trying to be accepted by whites.
Shannon1981
@kayla: I have plenty of white friends who accept me just fine. Furthermore, I’ve caught a whole lot more shit in my life for being gay than I have for being black…so….not sure why you’re pushing this angle. If everyone thought like you do, we’d still have segregation and my nieces wouldn’t be mixed. Sorry, but you come off like a racist and a fundie too much on here to gain much respect from me.
justiceontherocks
@kayla: As usual you make very good points. But I disagree with you on one of them. Black men may very well be the most despised people on earth, but I don’t think black women are a “relatively close” second. I have a white male perspective, and in my experience a lot of white males seem to respect black women. Granted some of that stems from sexual fantasies, but not all of it.
I’ve always thought that the extreme hatred of black men by whites was explainable only because the “legendary black penis” threatened the white male’s sexual confidence.
justiceontherocks
@Shannon1981: I think Kayla makes excellent points about black men, but from my white male perspective I agree with you Shannon about black women. There may be a lot of reasons for that but let’s face facts: black men threaten the sexual egos of white men.
kayla
@Shannon1981: Umm..I’m biracial, so I don’t know what your point is. I’m not saying that black people can’t be friends with white people. My dad is a white British guy and I love him dearly. What I’m stating is that racial hatred and bigotry is a reality of life that will NEVER end. And we just need to acknowledge it and move on. Black people are, in fact, the most despised racial group in the world. This is the reality. I am not pro segregation, but I do think that an over-emphasis on desegregation is very unhealthy. Some black people pathetically seem to get some sick validation from being in the company of whites and others. I think MLKjr. sort of missed the mark on that one…He could have done a lot more good if he had placed more emphasis on other things.Like education and financial knowhow. Desegregation has not been all good. It has taken upwardly mobile blacks out of the black community, leaving behind poor, uneducated blacks and the results speak for themselves. The positive influence of middle class blacks is gone from black neighborhoods. Instead these blacks have gone to the suburbs to become the side-kicks of whites. It’s all terribly unfortunate.
Shannon1981
@justiceontherocks: I am sure they do. TBH, I don’t spend a lot of time thinking of the dynamics between any demographic of man…so she could be right. But it seems she needs to realize that while, yes, not all whites will accept blacks, many do, and we have come a long way since the days of white and colored restrooms/water fountains. So, to that end, her segregationist attitude is appalling and borderline offensive IMP. No different from saying we should quit pushing to make straights give us our rights, and that the Latinos should just sit down and shut up and allow racial profiling and so on. No, we should NOT just accept things as the way they are. Nobody ever got anywhere without someone pushing for change. But, that seems to be a common line of thinking with fundies. Don’t question anything, it is the way it is, end of story, because we said so. I won’t accept that.
Shannon1981
@kayla: I think being biracial is some kind of achille’s heel for you, since you reference it so much on here. Believe me, we are all well aware of the fact by now. But I’ll never think desegregation is a bad thing. And ghetto people will be ghetto, but that doesn’t mean the educated blacks should let themselves be dragged down into that never ending circle of unwed welfare mothers, drug dealing/addiction, high school drop outs, gangs,etc. If people have the good sense to lift themselves out of that nonsense, what the hell is the problem?
kayla
@Shannon1981: I simply stated my bi-racialism to indicate that I am not anti-white or racist, after you wrote about your mixed nieces. I have no Achille’s heal, I’m just a realist when it comes to race and racial issues. So you just believe that these “ghetto blacks” are incorrigible and it’s in the best interest of other blacks to get as far away from them as possible? I think you are the one who is self loathing. The worst thing that happened to the black community was the brain drain that took place in black community’s after desegregation. During the worst years of the KKK in the 1920’s about 20% of black babies were born out of wedlock and the nuclear family was the norm, since desegregation that number has reached a tragic 70%…One can argue that desegregation has done greater harm than good for the majority of black Americans, though a few have been able to profit from the new political reality.
TheRealAdam
@Shannon1981: Kayla has problems, and race is certainly among them. I’ve seen enough of her absurd posts here to know the bitch has gone mad. She mentions she’s biracial in practically every discussion, like anyone cares.
Pardon my language; I just didn’t come here to read about black nationalism. She should probably spend more of her time in black forums if she wants to discuss these issues, because they clearly have nothing to do with this story.
kayla
@TheRealAdam: I’m not a black nationalist…why can’t people have an honest discussion about race?
Shannon1981
@kayla: promoting segregation is absurd,especially coming from a biracial person.
@TheRealAdam: I won’t say she is mad,that is going a bit far. But definitely has hang ups to do with race and religion. I am grateful that a straight Christian wants to be an ally, but seriously, straight people arguing with gays on gay issues is ridiculous. Long way to go there.
Riker
I love how you falsely assert that blacks are the most hated race worldwide. In fact, especially in a historical context, that honor would likely go to Jews, or perhaps Romani (gypsies). Most of Europe honestly doesn’t care about black people and their persecution complex.
kayla
@Riker: Perhaps hate isn’t the correct word…maybe loathe makes more sense. I do agree that most Europeans don’t care about blacks, but when they are encountered it’s not usually good. I don’t have a persecution complex and I’m actually arguing against that attitude, by stating that blacks should move on from complaining about racism and deal with what I consider to be bigger issues facing the community.
kayla
…after thinking about it not loathing, but disdain, I think that’s the proper word…
Right Wingers Are Socioptahs (John From England)
@Riker:
You’re full of shit. I know many Jews and roam gypsies as friends AND in my neighborhood, who can get their foot through the frigging door and not be looked like they are a piece of shit like I have since I was a teen because of the colour of my skin.
Not only do I live in the UK but I’ve travelled around Europe and have many fireds who are european, plus I’ll also include an avid interest in actual ppolitics and social issues, especially within the EU.
A load of tosh. Who the HE’LL do you know that likes blacks? Are you retarded? Name me some black European figures that arent sports stars or musicians….
Prick.
@kayla:
Kayla, don’t backtrack-what you said is right.
What has happened is ‘political correctness’. Call someone a nigga in the UK and you will get slammed in the media-football pundits keep getting sacked for saying this-but holding about gypsies is okay. Why? Because the Romani gypsy REFUSE to integrate or make their ethnicity visible-google-and so they don’t lobby as much to make these laws done about them.
The Jews? Hell you try and insult a Jew in the UK or Europe where not only is Sarkozy the French president Jewish but in the UK most of the most powerful media and political pundits ar as well. You will see how acceptable that is.
kayla
@Right Wingers Are Socioptahs (John From England): I think one must acknowledge that Jews have been greatly persecuted throughout the centuries across Europe, culminating in the Holocaust, and that yes the Romani of Europe have to deal with prejudice…But I think the marked difference, is what I once read: Blacks are the truly great “other” among races. In other words there are only really blacks and non-blacks.
I think that Anti-Semitism, stems from religious mistrusts and xenophobia (in many instances a Jew simply had to convert to be accepted, though that is still oppression), and as you have stated the Gypsies of Europe choose not to assimilate and hold strongly to their itinerant traditions. But I truly believe disdain towards blacks has a completely different complexion than any other prejudice…I don’t think however, than one should get into the habit of comparing oppressive histories, all bigotry is wrong. We should just face the reality of our place in the world, stop trying to change the external world and instead concentrate on improving our own lives. Leave others to their own devices. As a Christian I believe in may ways the world is as God wills it. I certainly think unjust laws should be overturned but beyond that we should stop wasting time trying to end racism…it’s simply not a worthwhile cause.
Cam
@kayla: said…
“@Cam: I am not excusing his behavior and stated at the time of the incident and still state now, that I felt that he should have done jail time and not just probation. But I really think if we were truly honest about race the world would be a much better place. ”
_____________________________
Yes, that is true…HOWEVER, we aren’t talking about the entire world. We are talking about this particular incident. Chris Brown is still putting out music and wasn’t dumped from his record label. Charlie Sheen was fired. Mel Gibson has lost any chance of movies etc… So for Rosie to sit there and say Brown is being picked in is beyond disgusting.
TheRealAdam
So much silly black anger in this post. Blacks seem to have a martyr complex unlike anything I have ever seen, and the gay ones are especially tragic. You need to get on with it. If you walk into a “white” establishment or live in a predominantly white society and have negative glances thrown your way from whites, what difference does it make to you? Stop whining. If people don’t like you because of the color of your skin, that’s their business, not yours. If you weren’t so desperate for acceptance and approval from white people, maybe you wouldn’t be victimizing yourself so much in the first place.
White people, like everyone else, are under no obligation to accommodate or even like you just because you’re black. If they don’t like you because you have dark skin, that’s their prerogative. Everyone is entitled to their own prejudices. If you don’t like it, too bad, you can’t do shit about it. Find people who respect and love you for you and STFU already.
All of the above holds true for gays in straight society, as well.
kayla
@TheRealAdam: My sentiments exactly. That’s why I think desegregation wasn’t the a panacea for anything. I think racism is as much a fact of life as death. It is never going to end…It’s the most basic human instinct, outside of sex of course.
Cam
@kayla:
Well I think that the recent GOP party has pretty much staked their jobs on finding excuses for people to hate ANYBODY1.
Lonnie
Okay, the fool who posted this article lost me when he says the bitch on GMA is doing her “journalistic duty”. Only a complete fucking idiot and pop culture whore uses that phrase in reference to the American media, especially a TV rag like GMA. Dismissed.
Let’s see. Maybe Rosie is right. After all, a white guy gets away with raping women and is rewarded by quarterbacking in this year’s Superbowl. A black guy fights dogs and is sent to prison for a few years. Hey, when you’re gay, i guess you’re allowed to have a different standard for right and wrong.
Racism will not end so long as racists insist it will never end.
kayla
@Cam: @Cam: I’m not excusing it, I just realize that there is nothing I can do about it. As I stated discriminatory laws should be overturned, but beyond that I really think it’s counter productive for blacks to waste time and energy trying to combat racism. I don’t think it will ever end. It is simply the way the world works.
Tommy
In a way Rosie is right although what Chis Brown did was very offensive. Look in our own community. Boy George who was convicted of handcuffing someone to a wall and beating them with a chain is given glowing coverage by the gay press and never ever asked about the details of his crime. Everyone says he’s served his time and no one should bother him with questions about the crime. He’s hailed as a gay role model and hero.
But I don’t think the difference is just racial. It has a lot to do with the fact the victim was Rihanna, a much loved and also famous celebrity with tons of fans. Boy George and Charlie Sheen assaulted unknown people and/or sex workers so people overlook it.
If there was a white celebrity who beat up Lady Gaga, Katy Perry or Britney Spears, the media would be all over him too.
Jeff
Yea, but it’s okay for Charlie Sheen to advocate drugs, BEAT his wife, and put his children in danger? Just admit it’s a race thing..
justiceontherocks
@Jeff: no dice bigot. Charlie Sheen has gotten 10 times the abuse for his behavior that Brown did. Admit it.
kayla
@justiceontherocks: If you believe that you’re truly delusional. Certainly Charlie has gotten a lot of Media attention, but the tone has been one of making fun of his actions and laughing at his antics…Not of condemning him. SNL is doing skits about him and people are paying good money to see him unleash his torpedoes of truth…The phrase “winning” is being printed on t-shirts…This is my very point, racism is written in our DNA…We should all acknowledge this fact and move on…Trying to combat it is futile.
justiceontherocks
@kayla: I believe that and I’m far from delusional. The 2 situations are entirely different. People laugh at Sheen’s delusional ramblings, not his abuse of women. Sheen lost his job and is untouchable. If anything he’s been hit harder and Chris Brown.
jacknasty
I hate the faulty logic of defending Chris Brown because he is “judged more harshly” or “treated to a different standard”.
1) Charlie Sheen was fired from the highest paying acting job on TV
2) Even if Charlie Sheen wasn’t judged/punished how does letting one person get away with their offenses mean that everybody should?
3) Specifically with the violence against women thing: I have much more sympathy for somebody like Rhianna, who by all accounts is a pretty innocent victim, than for somebody like Brooke Muller who is/was a drug addict and continued to live (and drink and get high with) another drug addict with a criminal past.
Tori
@TheRealAdam: What!?!?!?!??!?!!??! Dude your racsist ass kills me.
TheRealAdam
@Tori: Yes, my buttocks have caused many fatalities. I blame all those leg presses at the gym.
Jeffree
@Tori: You smell trollish.
TheRealAdam is right. He has more intelligence in his left quad than you do in in your entire brain.
The educational system failed you, Tori. Try beauty school. We need more manicurists these days and you won’t be expected to engage in deep conversations.
TheRealAdam
@Jeffree: [img]http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSQBw_FW_pFhXBz2Nvl3SDCl8oOqucVnc7ZLlnBRoRp14CMXJd7zg[/img]