Long Island Newspaper Gets Only The "Sexist And Racist" Part Of "Making A Sexist And Racist Joke" Right
A Smithtown, N.Y., newspaper is under fire for publishing a photo spread comparing Barack and Michelle Obama to Fred Sanford and "Aunt Esther" from the '70s sitcom Sanford & Son. The Smithtown Messenger spread was entitled "Before And After," and in it pictures of recent Presidents and their spouses on Inauguration Day were compared with current photos. But the "After" photo for the Obamas is not some sort of Photoshop Aging Filter wonder; instead it's a shot of Fred and Esther seemingly about to come to blows. A scan inside.
In the wake of much fury regarding this ham-handed attempt at lulz, the paper released a statement:
"The publisher of the Smithtown Messenger regret [sic!] any offense taken by our readers at the photographic political satire depicting the current and past presidents on the editorial page in the April 29th, 2010 issue. While we have grave disagreement with the policies of the current Administration, we hold the office of President of the United States in great respect."
Oh, so is this another "we respect the office of the President, but that doesn't mean we have to be nice to his wife (or him as a person since we only respect the office not the man)" sort of thing? Fantastic. The '90s really are back. (Does this mean that it's a sign of slight progress that Hillary Clinton was spared the stock-photo swapping?)
[Scan via]
Yes.
Wait… why are there so many questions in the post?!?
That's an awfully big stretch for them to defend that as "political satire." What is remotely "political" about that joke? The attempt at humor doesn't derive from anything the Obamas have done politically. The joke is just, "Hey, the president and first lady are black. And remember these other two funny black funny from television?" The weakest, lamest "this thing looks like that thing" in the world.
That's about as feel good an apology as …while I am gravely disappointed in the size of your penis, I hold the design of the male anatomy in great respect
I really hate "I'm sorry your feelings got hurt" apologies. They're worse than the actual offense usually.
"I'm sorry you don't find racism hilarious"
Actually, if you consider the five earnest before/afters as the set-up and then the naked racism as the punchline, then there some semblance of a joke in there.
And yet they left out the before and after of JFK and Jackie O. If you're going to be this tasteless, why not be THAT tasteless too?
Obligatory, "There are racists on the east coast?" comment.
Just flat out Long Island racism, something I encountered regularly when I had the misfortune to work there for several years in the 90s.
I know where the confusion is coming from: we're all assuming their "grave disagreements" with the policies of the Obama Administration have to do with the effect of said policies on the country, when in fact they're just really concerned about what 4 to 8 years in the White House will do to the Obamas' marriage. Go ahead, blame them for caring too much!
Long Island is like the the apartment over the garage out back where we keep Joel Rifkin, Howard Stern, Joey Buttafuoco, Amy Fisher, Lindsay Lohan, Kayla Gerdes,…etc.
I recommnend you remove the apartments carpeting and put in tile.
The joke doesn't even make sense. One could maintain internal logic while maintaining the sexism and racism by using a photo of George and Louise Jefferson.
Also: this photo for the Reagan "after."
@ Mary Hanes, that's not caring about caring too much about their marriage. Who are they to assume that their marriage isn't going to work? It is flat out racism & stereotype & only a person w/ the same ignorance can find an excuse for this….