WWBA-AM (820) morning man Mark Larsen, who is white, dressed in blackface makeup at the start of his show. Joined by the station’s news director Roger Schulman, Larsen joked about caking on the cosmetics, using a number of racially influenced comments in the process. Fans could watch the whole process go down via an in-studio Webcam.
“This gives me that Uncle Tom feel,” said Larsen, who also joked about changing his name to Marcus Washington Larsen. “Are you sure this comes off? Because I don’t feel like running for president.”
Before Tuesday’s election, Larsen talked about seeing a long line of Black people waiting to vote at a Tampa Bay area polling place, saying they “looked like the line for takeout at Big Tim’s Barbecue” in St. Petersburg.
Villagers, what say u? Will we ever make it to the mountaintop?
12 comments:
Hmmmm, smells like a trap. It's obviously offensive; certainly he realizes that, and he's pushing it further and further while publicizing his own antics.
This "feels" like a guy fishing for a reaction. He probably wants us to blow him up so he can play the victim. Claiming that the uppity negroes are trying to 'rob' him of his free speech rights. All the while he builds his audience as a voice for the disappointed "Joe the Plumber" crowd.
We should feed him to the progressive left crowd (Huffington, Kos, etc....) That would give him the scorn he deserves but still deny him the racial victimhood status he wants to claim...
I agree. This just looks like a publicity stunt. this guy is probably better ignored than engaged.
Hello there!
Racism is alive and well in this country IN SPITE of the fact that a mulatto was elected to the presidency on November 4th.
Classism is alive and well.
I am happy that Obama is president since the other option was a nearly-senile, unstable person....still....black people seem to pretend that because a mulatto was allowed in the big house by white people that we don't have a battle that we STILL MUST address in this nation.
In slavery, the house negroes received special privileges and keys to the house...the overall status for the black population HAD NOT CHANGED just because house negroes were permitted to live INSIDE the house by the owners of the house.
We still have a battle.
Peace, blessings and DUNAMIS!
Lisa
Kevin - Great analysis. It should be interesting to see if MSM or white progressives respond to incidents like this one down in Tampa. I hope that Joe the Plumber goes the way of the 'pet rock'...just another fad.
Esquire - Point well-taken.
Lisa - Quite jarring to refer to our incoming president as "the mulatto", howeve, your cautious stance on the state of race relations in America is valid in many respects. However, in other respects, it must be stated that we are entering into a new realm of experience for everyone. There has *never* been a Black man in charge of the White House in over 230 years. In and of itself, that will make for a different mindset for many people ... Black, white and otherwise...
I am outraged by the behavior of this radio station, and intend to make others aware of it, and write a letter to the station. Ignoring it is not the solution, for in doing so we allow ignorance and hatred to continue. Whether it was done to get ratings or not it was done at our expense. Complacency is a disease that has spread like a cancer in our community. We shake our heads in silence, but do nothing. If the radio station had ridiculed Asians, Arab Americans or any other culture, I wonder how loud the cries of outrage would be. This is quite frankly just unacceptable!
I agree that these idiots want publicity and want to provide a place where other idiots feel comfy in their fears of the new president. It's got to be really scary since it's apparent that so many whites are tired of racism. I also agree that we should let the station know that it's not acceptable.
Well we knew just because he was elected doesnt mean we would get a rainbow from sea to sea.
These tricksters are something else. He's trying to pretend that he's doing it as some sort of tribute. Like Black people appreciate being mocked with historical symbols of denigration.
It's his way of back dooring in an insulting, then covering himself with the pretense of it being a tribute.
pitiful people!
And I think he shouldn't be fed to anybody; just ignored all together.
Words For Hire & Jackie - I tend to agree with you. I think we need to shine our light on roaches that do things to diminish our culture and our people. Wearing Blackface as he did is insulting. He should be punished...
Mike - It would have been nice to have at least a week of goodwill. This jerk couldn't even wait a day...
Yobachi - I agree that his actions were insulting. I'm not in favor of ignoring insults ... especially when they are on the public airwaves. I think he should pay a price via his advertisers and his bosses at the station...
I can appreciate the other points of view, but I respectfully disagree.
It's not being complacent. It's not allowing your opponent to bait you into making a move that serves their interest (something that Obama did masterfully in his rise to the presidency). Do as you please, but I refuse to allow some no name idiot to dampen my spirits.
Sorry, but this just looks like a blatant publicity stunt to drive up ratings for a show and DJ I have never heard of. This guy is a nobody and his opinion just doesn't matter to me at all. His stunt barely even registered a blip on the national radar.
Yes, there are people that need to be called out and exposed. But giving this guy attention will give him what he really wants, ratings.
I'm just not going to make this guy famous.
Esquire - Your perspective is well-taken. I wonder how things turned out for the guy. Was he suspended or punished in any manner by his station management?
These idiots-publicity stunt or not- shame themselves and their entire race. Is this 2008? I keep feeling like I've fallen asleep and woke up in the 40s or 50s. I doubt they will be reprimanded for their actions, but one day they will have to face their consequences.
In regard to some of the follow up comments:
I keep asking myself this question, "As we were being sent to earth as babies, was there some kind of form that we filled out wherein we could choose our own race upon our arrival?" If so, I must have forgotten that step during the transition process. I thought we were born what we were born...period...for a reason beyond our own limited realm of thinking.
I do agree that we have not truly elected our first black president...he is biracial...but it is a huge and positive step in that direction. There are still a lot of caucasions who are more likely to accept Barack Obama than they would a man who has two African American parents. Sadly, that is the thought process of many Americans still today.
Personally, when I see the picture of the Obama family that you posted here, my heart wells with pride and my eyes fill with tears. It's inspiring.
I worked 20 hours at our local board of elections on election day here in Ohio, and I was thrilled that Obama won Ohio. I think many obstacles were overcome on November 4th, but I think we have a lot more to go.
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