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Fox News: "...and let's hope the magic negro does a good job"

by Jane Boursaw, posted Jan 3rd 2009 1:11PM

Fox News Magic NegroIf you happened to be watching Fox News' 3-hour UParty 2009 New Year's Eve special, you might have caught a glimpse of some unbelievable words scrolling across the bottom of the screen. " ... and let's hope the magic negro does a good job. " Wait ... what the ... ?!

The ticker usually contains news bites from Fox itself, so those particular words might have garnered a little shock. As it turns out, though, it's all very innocent. Well, sort of. It was actually a text message from a viewer that said, "Happy New Year and let's hope the magic negro does a good job. Love, Jen and John C."

Fox News VP of programming, Suzanne Scott, explains it this way: "We received tens of thousands of text message submissions during our New Years Eve special, and this particular viewer submission was inadvertently cleared for air. At FOX we recognize our error as opposed to networks who allow their hosts to utter crude vulgarities to the public."

Of course, she's referring to the giant gaffe by Kathy Griffin on CNN's New Year's special.

Anyway, as for how the "magic negro" text got through, an insider told TVNewser that a couple of screeners were on duty in the control room that night, and somehow let the text get through. Hmmm ... perhaps nipping at the bubbly back there ...?

I don't know for sure, but I believe the words hark back to a Rush Limbaugh parody of "Puff the Magic Dragon," only sung as "Barack the Magic Negro." Discuss.

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Talan

Here"s a song worth hearing. "I'm A Big Man I'm A Republican". Here's one back for the Republicans http://todd-alan.net/im-a-big-man-im-a-republican.htm

January 05 2009 at 8:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
A.S

That was a bad idea on Fox's part. Unless they wanted controversy. Who knows?

January 04 2009 at 4:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
maestro610

Ugh... We have freedom of speech in America... so any idiot should be allowed to say any stupid moronic idiotic thing they want on television in my opinion.

Saying that we live in this puritanical society that wants to call out certain kinds of language and hide the fact that human beings have reproductive organs.

Fox News is the champion of that and for them to then allow this type statement is both hypocritical and typical of their reporting. "Poor judgement" like calling Michelle Obama a 'baby mama' during the campaign or even when Mark Foley somehow became for several minutes on live television a 'Democrat' and not a Republican during the Congressional Page Scandal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTGVFn5sYW8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ve5NEOTDXM

I would suggest that there are several other 'mistakes' of this type that could be rattled off but lets get to the crux of the matter. In America you have the right of the 1st Amendment to say whatever you want. You can air something racist on television if you want... just own up to it. The idea that it's somehow "funny" and people need to "get over it"... is restrictive of their first amendment rights to then bash you for saying it. It works both ways and to suggest that people who are offended are somehow diminishing your right to be a racist is unfair...

So ladies and gentlemen if you don't like the fact that the next president of these United States is an african american based purely on his race feel free to say so. Just don't be surprised when someone calls you out on it.

January 04 2009 at 2:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to maestro610's comment
Franklin

ROFL. Another kool-aid drinker who just KNOWS that Fox "did all this on purpose". OMG, they're out to get you!

So what you're really saying is CNN makes mistakes, but Fox News is evil perfected orchestrating an almost subliminal campaign against anything that's not far-right. Foil hats on, people!

Good God, this really is the Daily KOS.

January 05 2009 at 10:38 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ricky19

love how i got voted down for stating the truth. but like that guy said Negro isn't the N word in any which way or form even ask a person who speaks spanish what it means.

January 04 2009 at 10:40 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lam

Why do people question whether something is offensive or not? There was a time when the US public called Japanese, 'Japs'... Asians, 'Orientals'... Chinese, 'Chinaman'... Italians, 'Dago'...etc.

Do you find these offensive? No? Then you probably haven't been called one of these. I'm not black, but I can understand why the sentiment can be offensive, especially when used by white people.

January 04 2009 at 5:49 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
3 replies to Lam's comment
Sy

Is Negro a racist word now? Really???

BTW, a columnist from the LA Times started all this. Stop blaming the right for everything.

January 04 2009 at 2:56 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jordan

Why are some of the comments grayed out? Because they disagree with the anti-Fox News bias on this site. Is that why the comments are flagged?

January 04 2009 at 2:56 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Jordan's comment
Andrew

See the little thumbs up or thumbs down icons on the comments? Enough users have taken their time to push the thumbs down icon to warrant the system to gray them out a little.

January 04 2009 at 6:22 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
No1Dad

I'm all for a good a scandal but come on, so someone calls Obama a "negro" on the bottom scroll?? Is that really the best people can come up with? That is some pretty weak kool-aid.

January 04 2009 at 2:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Richard Espy

You guys need to watch some Paul Mooney.

January 04 2009 at 1:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
malren

Just another Fox bash from the hipster cool kidz at Daily Kos....I mean TV Squad. Sorry. I get confused sometimes.

January 03 2009 at 10:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to malren's comment
Franklin

It's an easy mistake to make since there's really no difference. Maybe one day we can all be as cool, eh?

God I hope not!

January 05 2009 at 10:28 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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