Sunday Reads: Part A
Posted: August 5, 2012 Filed under: morning reads | Tags: #NBCfail, Gabby Douglas, NBC 22 Comments »
Good Morning
Just a quick couple of links for you this morning, I will post a longer round-up a bit later.
Gabby Douglas wins the Gold Medal, and this is how NBC follows it up.
NBC Denies Any Racial Offense Was Meant By Olympic Monkey Promo | Mediaite
One of NBC’s new fall shows is Animal Practice, a show about doctors, animals, and the hilarious hijinks they will surely get into on a weekly basis. One of the stars of the show is a little monkey, and as a tie-in for its Olympics coverage, NBC is airing a promo for the show featuring the monkey as a gymnast. Last night, the promo aired right after Bob Costas remarked that gymnast Gabby Douglas winning the gold medal would inspire young African-American girls, and NBC is now apologizing and denying any offense was meant in airing the monkey ad.
Can you believe it!
NBC was planning on having the gymnastics-themed ad airing right after the gymnastics-heavy segment, according to the Associated Press. The AP deals how the situation unfolded.
“Much of America has fallen in love with Gabby Douglas,” Costas said. “Also safe to say that there are some young African-American girls out there who tonight are saying to themselves, ‘Hey, I’d like to try that, too.’”
Then NBC switched to the commercial with the small, widely grinning monkey on the rings. Blacks in the past have been disparagingly referred to as monkeys to the point where it is considered a common slur.
Video of the cut-away at the link up top.
NBC was then “forced” to apologize: Gabby Douglas: NBC forced to apologise after ad features a monkey doing gymnastics right AFTER victory | Mail Online
NBC has become the centre of a race storm after airing an ad featuring a monkey performing gymnastics, right after showing the performance of Gabby Douglas, the first African-American to win Olympic gold.
The network has since apologised for the advert’s poor timing, explaining: ‘No offense was intended.’
The controversy ignited as sportscaster Bob Costas wrapped his analysis of her incredible routine during the all-around competition last night.
Costas said: ‘There are some African American girls out there who tonight are saying to themselves: “Hey, I’d like to try that too.” More from London in a moment.’
Angry viewers lashed out at the network on social media platforms like Twitter, accusing them of racism.
‘Disgusted at NBC for showing Animal Practice with monkey right after Gabby wins her gold,’ one user posted.
Monkey business: The ad was for the upcoming NBC sitcom Animal PracticeRage: Angry viewers lashed out at the network on social media platforms like Twitter, accusing them of racism
Another called it ‘risky.’
In a statement to MailOnline, NBC Sports said: ‘Gabby Douglas’ gold medal performance last night was an historic and inspiring achievement.
‘This spot promoting ’Animal Practice,’ which has run three times previously, is one in a series with an Olympic theme which have been scheduled for maximum exposure. Certainly no offense was intended.’
The Daily Mail has those few tweets commenting on the commercial above, but I do not think they get at the heart of the matter. Buzzfeed had some with a little more bite.
Did NBC Just Air A Racist Commercial?
That post Gabby NBC monkey commercial is exactly why I don’t stand 4 the US national anthem. You didn’t have to be “conscious” to see that.
Gabby Douglas wins gold & then NBC puts on a commercial of monkey doing gymnastics. #unbelievable #racist #NBC #Olympics
RT @ka_Sh_mere: how #racist is #NBC … they show a monkey on the rings after Gabby wins the gold
RT @TheTimBritton: Anybody else notice that NBC just went racist? Showing a commercial of a monkey doing gymnastics right after the medal for Gabby? #NBCFAIL
@gabrielledoug- NBC what was that Monkey commercial after Gabby? we are not stupid
So Gabby wins gold and NBC’s first commercial has a monkey trying to do the rings, WTF.
RT @ka_Sh_mere: how #racist is #NBC … they show a monkey on the rings after Gabby wins the gold
RT @LlewelarkTGTY: Did anyone else notice that #NBC advertised the monkey doing the gymnastics right after Gabby took the Gold??? #petty #Olympics
NBC just showed an interview with Gabby Douglas and then cut right to an NBC promo commercial with a monkey doing gymnastics. WTF was that?
Gabby wins gold, Bob Costas gives a racially sensitive speech, then NBC airs an ad featuring a black skinned, gymnastics monkey #NBCfail
RT @LlewelarkTGTY: Did anyone else notice that #NBC advertised the monkey doing the gymnastics right after Gabby took the Gold??? #petty #Olympics
LMAO My bro & I just said that hahaha RT @ka_Sh_mere: how #racist is #NBC … they show a monkey on the rings after Gabby wins the gold
Lamont Lilly @LamontLilly 
RickSchell @RickSchell 
Reginald Denson @2kool_4skool_ 
j v n c x. @MacRunMiles 
Olivia @Jaeliv 
Crunchy G. Hopper @Crunchy_G 
Dustin Gray @DFUNK57 
David @Kingg_David 
Alexandria Alston @KristianKouture 
J M Sute @71LesPaul 
Mark Lorenz @Soodesune 
Jo. @ItsFlorenceJo 
Cory H @coreman2200 But this racist segue was not the only thing Gabby has to contend with. She got berated over and over by twits who posted tweets about her hair! Unfuckingbelievable!
African-American gymnast wins gold, but critics obsess over … her hair – Lean Forward
On Thursday, 16-year-old gymnastics phenomenon Gabby Douglas won Olympic gold for the U.S. But as Michael Eric Dyson noted on The Ed Show, all a small number of Twitter critics could focus on was the African-American athlete’s hair.
“Gabby Douglas, you made history w/your impeccable talent & hideous hair,” spewed @BReeMonroe.
Gabby, who is just 4-feet-11-inches tall and flipped and spun through the air in a way that’s less than conducive to keeping every hair perfectly in place, wore her hair in a slightly messy bun that was gelled back with hairclips.
“Congrats to Gabby Douglas on her gold metal (sic)! I wish I could say the same. about that hair! Omg horrible!” blared @shestaken.
“We, as a Black community gotta fix Gabby Douglas’s hair,” chimed in @sarocious.
Video at the link has a op-ed by Dyson, give it a looksee:
Dyson was appalled by the online disparagement of the pint-sized powerhouse, and chastised critics for their callous prioritization of aesthetics over athletic prowess.
“Gabby Douglas is an Olympic champion,” Dyson said.
“She’s being recognized on the world stage for her ability to outperform her completion in a sport,” he added. “And to get there, she had to break a sweat just like everyone else. That should be the focus.”
Fortunately, Gabby is taking it all in stride as a true champion:
She took to Twitter after she won gold, tweeting, “WOW such an AMAZING experience! Thank you all for your support, love and prayers love you all!!! #oncloud9 <3″
So for Gabby, this song is for you…
Ring your own bells, and keep doing it for yourself!
Sima
dakinikat
ecocatwoman
fiscalliberal
grayslady
mablue2
NW Luna
peggysue22
quixote
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
I’m prepared to be sent to the woodshed for admitting that I have not watched more than 10 minutes of the Summer Olympics.
However, I am willing to applaud these athletes who spend hours and years in training to display their “personal best” that highlights their abilities and talent with such determination.
Gabby Douglas proved her exceptional skills for a worldwide audience and should not have to suffer the slings and arrows of knucklheads who couldn’t hold a candle to her talent. Criticizing her hairstyle is beyond stupidity: she is a star!
I’ve watched some swimming and gymnastics, but primarily the soccer matches. I love the women’s soccer games. They play a purer form than the men’s teams.
I doubt that NBC would have aired that promo if Gabby were a male any more than they would refer to a young AA male as a “boy.” What NBC did was offensive as Imus referring to the Rutgers’ women’s basketball team as nappy headed hos. Sickening.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-j-jackson/olympics-2012_b_1736415.html?utm_hp_ref=2012-summer-olympics
Don’t read the comments but if you do, be prepared to roll you’re eyeballs.
Oh this is good! And you are right about the comments. I am going to put this in my Part B post, thanks for the links.
WTF? A gold medal and they have the asinine arrogance to complain about her hair? They wouldn’t do that with a male gymnast.
That ad of the monkey in the gym uniform on the rings is stupid in any context, IMNSHO. Do people think the ad would have been OK if it had followed another section of Olympics news & commentary? The ad scheduler didn’t know the commentator would say something about role models for AAs. The commentator didn’t know what ad would air next — though he likely knew some Olympics-theme ad would run. Someone would have needed to act with split-second reflexes to pull the ad and sub another.
The people in the “Black community” who criticized Gabby’s hair should be called out for their sexist slurs with just as much outrage as the inadvertent NBC ad schedule is getting.
agreed!
Luna, I’m with you. Some ad agency “wizard” was hired by an NBC exec to craft an Olympic tie-in with a new fall show. Apparently the capuchin is a regular on the show & the only non-human with hands. I doubt either the ad person or the exec had any interest in who might win the gold medal. Stupid ads designed to appeal to those in another demographic other than ours. Besides the show looks really lame to me – goofy people working in a vet’s office.
I posted this link in Thursday night’s comments, but I guess no one saw it. It’s a commentary from Monique Fields about the AA objections to Gabby’s ponytail: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetorch/2012/08/02/157858684/if-gabbys-got-the-gold-why-flip-over-her-hair
I missed that link, thanks for putting it up again connie.
Morning, I will have the second part of this morning’s reads soon. I was just to tired to do a big post last night.
Good morning!
Because it would be malpractice not to speculate, Joe Cannon does a good job of it
Did Jon Huntsman tell Harry Reid about Mitt’s taxes?
What about someone in the McCain camp? Apparently when being vetted for veep Romney had no problem turning over his tax returns to the McCain campaign. Could there be a disaffected among those insiders who saw the returns? Haven’t most, if not all of them, been excluded from the current political insider group? Then again it could be a Seamus fan behind this whole thing.
Don’t forget we’ve been told that John Kerry is or was a Bain investor, he’s from Boston, and he’s been friendly with John McCain. He could have heard a lot of dirt on Romney through the grapevine in Boston or from Ted Kennedy even.
People really don’t like Mitt Romney as a person so it would be no surprise to discover that someone from within the McCain camp (Steve Schmidt?) would divulge what some of us pretty much suspect: he is definitley hiding something damaging.
Why else would you stonewall as he has when revealing his returns would put paid to the theory of covering up?
It would have to be someone who “knows”, who has seen those returns, so it may be the former McCain people who supposedly vetted him for VP.
Mitt doesn’t seem to have too many allies among the GOP leadership and is reliant upon his fat cat donators to carry him to victory unless you can count Ann Coulter who thinks that it is nobody’s business what Mittens does with his fortune.
But anyone that adamant about refusing to divulge those tax returns is doing so because it would cause him more harm than good to come clean.
Wish I could tell the IRS to take a walk since it is my right to “privacy” to withhold information but then again I am not MItt “Trust Me” Romney.
GOP strategist Ed Rollins: Romney should release more tax returns
Meanwhile over in Republican deny reality land:
RNC Chairman Calls Harry Reid A “Dirty Liar”
Not just your plain ol’ generic milli vanilli type liar but a “dirty” liar …
Keep it high minded there Preibus ol’ boy!! Bless his little heart!
I put this comment up on the other morning post, but I will copy it here too, cause I am so lazy today. I think that so many of the people involved have long time connections with each other…sort of like what we call here in Banjoland, the “good ole boy” network. They all know each other’s secrets, and if Reid is retiring…he may not feel as threatened about making statements like he is, and calling Romney out.
I don’t think it’s Steve Schmidt, because he has said several times that he did not see Romney’s tax returns. He also claims there was nothing in them that would have kept him from being VP–he apparently got that from someone who did see the returns?
It’s really ridiculous. At this point Romney looks like a loser. I doubt if he can get to 270 electoral votes. He should just take his chances and release the returns. The fact that he won’t show that he’s definitely hiding something really bad.
Thanks for talking about this. The thing is, I don’t think Kerry would be in a position to know about Mitt’s taxes. Talk of a “grapevine” is a bit amorphous, don’t you think? If such a grapevine had that info, we would have heard from it recently.
Jon Huntsman’s dad was in business with Robert Gay, director of Bain. It is very, very likely that Gay set up Romney’s tax shelters. The Gay family has always been famous for knowing about how to do stuff like that.
It’s important to establish motive for the source to blab to Harry Reid. In this case, we have motive a-plenty.
Huntsman and Romney got angry at each other during the primaries. Huntsman is on friendly terms with Reid; the elder Huntsman donated to Reid’s campaign. And Jon Huntsman the younger wants Reid to pressure Obama to name him (Huntsman) president of the World Bank.
Dana Bash of CNN strongly implied that the source is someone famous and credible.
I think Harry Reid’s source is Jon Huntsman.
Did you see Empty Wheel’s post on how she worked in Utah and Mormon’s love to gossip about if you should tithe post or pre taxes?
http://www.emptywheel.net/2012/08/04/when-one-mormon-accuses-another-mormon-of-not-paying-his-taxes/
I think it supports the Huntsman hypothesis or at least some other big time Mormon that knows Harry Reid.
HUntsman is good conjecture, considering what we know.
I agree with you all about Huntsman. I also think that so many of the people involved have long time connections with each other…sort of like what we call here in Banjoland, the “good ole boy” network. They all know each other’s secrets, and if Reid is retiring…he may not feel as threatened about making statements like he is, and calling Romney out.