I’m hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, and I had a quiet holiday myself. But it’s time to get back to work for me. For those that are into shopping I suggest my online store as an alternative to the manic lines and crowds that are rampant in this holiday season. I’m sure there is something for everyone. If not go to my survey and let me know what you might want. I’ll do my best to help you out. And thank you for the support in visiting my online store and doing the survey [by the way I can’t get any of the information if the survey continue button is not hit].
What is the weekend without the unusual news? There always seems to be an odd bit here or there and this weekend is no different. But this item is unique. Mostly because of where it takes place. Swinging is not a new even, though hardly a universally accepted idea. Online sites, clubs and restaurants (at least one in NYC) are hardly invisible. And vacation spots to resorts are wildly popular, across most of the world. Given the sexuality of most nations, this is no surprise. But considering the renown of Singapore as a prudish nation finding swingers there is eye-opening.
Yes those from Singapore rate more prudish than even the British, at least out in the open. But behind closed doors it seems that there is more than what was imagined. As some would say its not the open lively status found in Europe but its hardly staid. And it seems the trend is growing.
Now the real question I have is how did someone figure out that this needed reporting? And since this is a relatively new thing there, who was the first one to bring it up and start the sites, or clubs going? That had to be a very bold person I think. That couple would have to be quite the extroverts. I just find it amusing. Especially that first couple getting a few other people involved for the first time. I would imagine that some of the expressions would have been priceless.
Not much else going on in the wild and wacky news. More serious stuff to be posted shortly.
This is what I think, what do you think?
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Michael Richards at the Laugh Factory - 11.21.2006.3
Continued from Michael Richards ....
Mr. Richards may not be a racist, but he played the part well. That may be a harsh statement but it is the feeling he has evoked in me. I do believe that he feels sorry for the actions he has taken; he seems genuinely upset in the on-air apology. But it’s not enough. It’s not that he just did this meltdown. He went on-stage Saturday (a fact that is being severely downplayed) without apology. It wasn’t until the show appeared on the internet that he came out and apologized. Maybe he was advised to let it go and see if it would pass by, if so it was bad advice. He should have made a statement before the internet release, on Saturday when he took the stage, or early Monday as the news hit. He still needs to go to the Laugh Factory and apologize. All of this needs to be done by him, not with him and Mr. Seinfeld (who I understand is a good friend of his – and has done a decent job of standing by his friend as well as protecting the Seinfeld television show value).
There is no excuse for such words. For all the kids that think the N-word has no meaning or that they have taken control of it, listen to Mr. Richards’s use of it and tell me you still think that. The word has lost no power or meaning. In addition to couple this with a threat of a lynching brings up anger and rage like no White person can understand. Sympathize maybe, but understand no. And to say all of that was no accident. Perhaps Mr. Richards is no racist; I would like to think he wasn’t. But the words were chosen for their impact, meaning, and ability to inflict pain. It was his choice to use these words, and to make the threat and any sense of humor were not in them. Mr. Richards is correct when he said in his apology that there was rage and anger in his words. He needs to see someone about this because he opened a valve on that stage, and this is what poured out.
How dare he do this. He is a professional and knows better. Yes he may be a neophyte at stand-up and thin-skinned when it comes to dealing with a heckler. Yet he made the choice to go on that stage. He placed himself in a position to have to deal with that, no one else forced him to. I would have wanted to hit him had I been there. The lynching comment would have put me over the edge. Perhaps as some have said he was trying to use that as a skit, trying for humor, but few can pull of such a skit. There is a lot of pain attached to that thought. I don’t need a family tree made to know that some of my ancestors were lynched, for little to no reason, in a nation that at the time regarded them as little better than furniture. Were his family so easily discarded and disgraced for centuries I think he would be sure of the comedic potential of the joke before ever trying to broach it.
I had to stop for a while as my anger has been rising as I am writing this. While I do not use vulgar language on this site I wish I could think of an example that could convey the anger the N-word brings out in me. Especially when it is used to inflict pain. There is no equivalent for any other racial or ethnic group in English that I am aware of. It’s that bad, and thus his comments are that enraging. Perhaps the closest thing I know is in Russian, Ne Pizdi (it doesn’t translate into English, but say it to a Russian/Soviet Georgian and you will start a serious fight).
I think Mr. Richards has ruined his career, or severely limited his ability to succeed for quite some time. I don’t know what else to say. Time has not shed more light on this, nor provided a reason that makes sense to me. That may be sad, but the situation was far worse.
This is what I think, what do you think?
Mr. Richards may not be a racist, but he played the part well. That may be a harsh statement but it is the feeling he has evoked in me. I do believe that he feels sorry for the actions he has taken; he seems genuinely upset in the on-air apology. But it’s not enough. It’s not that he just did this meltdown. He went on-stage Saturday (a fact that is being severely downplayed) without apology. It wasn’t until the show appeared on the internet that he came out and apologized. Maybe he was advised to let it go and see if it would pass by, if so it was bad advice. He should have made a statement before the internet release, on Saturday when he took the stage, or early Monday as the news hit. He still needs to go to the Laugh Factory and apologize. All of this needs to be done by him, not with him and Mr. Seinfeld (who I understand is a good friend of his – and has done a decent job of standing by his friend as well as protecting the Seinfeld television show value).
There is no excuse for such words. For all the kids that think the N-word has no meaning or that they have taken control of it, listen to Mr. Richards’s use of it and tell me you still think that. The word has lost no power or meaning. In addition to couple this with a threat of a lynching brings up anger and rage like no White person can understand. Sympathize maybe, but understand no. And to say all of that was no accident. Perhaps Mr. Richards is no racist; I would like to think he wasn’t. But the words were chosen for their impact, meaning, and ability to inflict pain. It was his choice to use these words, and to make the threat and any sense of humor were not in them. Mr. Richards is correct when he said in his apology that there was rage and anger in his words. He needs to see someone about this because he opened a valve on that stage, and this is what poured out.
How dare he do this. He is a professional and knows better. Yes he may be a neophyte at stand-up and thin-skinned when it comes to dealing with a heckler. Yet he made the choice to go on that stage. He placed himself in a position to have to deal with that, no one else forced him to. I would have wanted to hit him had I been there. The lynching comment would have put me over the edge. Perhaps as some have said he was trying to use that as a skit, trying for humor, but few can pull of such a skit. There is a lot of pain attached to that thought. I don’t need a family tree made to know that some of my ancestors were lynched, for little to no reason, in a nation that at the time regarded them as little better than furniture. Were his family so easily discarded and disgraced for centuries I think he would be sure of the comedic potential of the joke before ever trying to broach it.
I had to stop for a while as my anger has been rising as I am writing this. While I do not use vulgar language on this site I wish I could think of an example that could convey the anger the N-word brings out in me. Especially when it is used to inflict pain. There is no equivalent for any other racial or ethnic group in English that I am aware of. It’s that bad, and thus his comments are that enraging. Perhaps the closest thing I know is in Russian, Ne Pizdi (it doesn’t translate into English, but say it to a Russian/Soviet Georgian and you will start a serious fight).
I think Mr. Richards has ruined his career, or severely limited his ability to succeed for quite some time. I don’t know what else to say. Time has not shed more light on this, nor provided a reason that makes sense to me. That may be sad, but the situation was far worse.
This is what I think, what do you think?
Michael Richards - 11.21.2006.2
I wanted to wait a while before speaking about the Mr. Michael Richards incident at the Laugh Factory last Friday. There were a few things I wanted to hear about and understand before forming a comment. Obviously when I heard via the media that Mr. Richards had made a tirade, using the n-word and other equally derogatory words, I was incensed. But I wanted to hear more, to get a full understanding, because we all know the media is hardly above sensationalizing a story, and slow to admit a mistake or retract a commentary. [See my comments about a Fox News comment at Letter to Fox News on Duke rape case news - 10.30.2006.1]
So as I worked today, I had the news on (like usual) and heard as things developed. I did not see the apology on the David Letterman Show last night. I have not heard Mr. Jerry Seinfeld’s comments. But I have heard the comments of Mr. Richards, and portions of his apology.
The news of this came out Monday, the show it happened on was Friday, and Mr. Richards performed another show on Saturday. I have not heard of him apologizing on stage Saturday for the previous meltdown. Mr. Richards was being heckled harshly while doing a stand-up routine. He is not a professional stand-up comedian, nor is he seasoned at it. In trying to go after the hecklers Mr. Richards lost it and hurled racial epitaphs including the N-word and a reference to being a klansman lynching a Black American. As he continued this barrage, the crowd which included many Latinos/Hispanics and African Americans became insulted and walked out. The owner of the Laugh Factory gave everyone a refund of their money, which was the first time he has done so in 20 years (according to his comments on Fox News with Mr. Neil Cavuto A 5:00 pm). According to the owner, speaking with Mr. Richards afterwards Mr. Richards wanted to go on-stage and apologize, he had tears and felt badly on what happened, and was told not to go out as right then it an apology would not be received well.
Those are the facts that I have been able to discern in various media so far.
I do not condone the actions of Mr. Michael Richards. I do not accept the excuse that Mr. Richards is inexperienced at stand-up comedy and had little practice dealing with hecklers. While Mr. Seinfeld’s belief of Mr. Richards not being a racist may be true, it is no excuse. I agree with Mr. Paul Rodriguez and many others in denouncing the manner in which Mr. Richards acted.
To be continued in part 2....
So as I worked today, I had the news on (like usual) and heard as things developed. I did not see the apology on the David Letterman Show last night. I have not heard Mr. Jerry Seinfeld’s comments. But I have heard the comments of Mr. Richards, and portions of his apology.
The news of this came out Monday, the show it happened on was Friday, and Mr. Richards performed another show on Saturday. I have not heard of him apologizing on stage Saturday for the previous meltdown. Mr. Richards was being heckled harshly while doing a stand-up routine. He is not a professional stand-up comedian, nor is he seasoned at it. In trying to go after the hecklers Mr. Richards lost it and hurled racial epitaphs including the N-word and a reference to being a klansman lynching a Black American. As he continued this barrage, the crowd which included many Latinos/Hispanics and African Americans became insulted and walked out. The owner of the Laugh Factory gave everyone a refund of their money, which was the first time he has done so in 20 years (according to his comments on Fox News with Mr. Neil Cavuto A 5:00 pm). According to the owner, speaking with Mr. Richards afterwards Mr. Richards wanted to go on-stage and apologize, he had tears and felt badly on what happened, and was told not to go out as right then it an apology would not be received well.
Those are the facts that I have been able to discern in various media so far.
I do not condone the actions of Mr. Michael Richards. I do not accept the excuse that Mr. Richards is inexperienced at stand-up comedy and had little practice dealing with hecklers. While Mr. Seinfeld’s belief of Mr. Richards not being a racist may be true, it is no excuse. I agree with Mr. Paul Rodriguez and many others in denouncing the manner in which Mr. Richards acted.
To be continued in part 2....
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