Popeater’s Rob Shuter is reporting that John Mayer won’t get a chance to issue a mea culpa on Oprah anytime soon. Shuter has a source who claims that Oprah wouldn’t give Mr. “David Duke” Dick a platform unless he’s ready to really admit he screwed up, and given the lame excuses we’ve heard from him I doubt that’s going to happen anytime soon. It’s unclear from this statement whether the source claims that Mayer actually approached Oprah (it doesn’t sound like it), if she’s explicitly said he’s not welcome, or if it’s just unlikely that the Mighty O would give him a platform since she’s such a friend to Mayer’s ex, Jennifer Aniston:
Whenever a celebrity does something stupid, they often end up begging for forgiveness on Oprah’s sofa — but not John Mayer. Apparently, he’s going to have to find someone else’s shoulder to cry on, because the talk show queen is refusing to have the attention-seeking singer on her set. Oh, Johnny-boy, you know you’ve done bad when Oprah won’t let you boost her show’s ratings!
“Oprah is the smartest person on TV and will not let John use her or her show to ask for forgiveness,” a TV insider tells me. “If John really wants to apologize for his racist and sexist comments, he should find somewhere else. The only way Oprah, who is a dear friend of Jennifer Aniston, would ever book him is if John were interested in having a much deeper conversation about race, women and fame.”
So, Mr. Mayer: Stop whining about being misunderstood and start thinking about the words you use — because it isn’t just Oprah who doesn’t want to listen to you anymore! And with your mouth, you should maybe consider Maury Povich or Jerry Springer before someone classy like Oprah.
[From Popeater]
Mayer hasn’t updated his Twitter much since the controversy over his really over-the-top, arguably racist Playboy interview. He apologized and then put up a couple more tweets, one with a link highlighting his charity work and another on a new digital music gadget from Toshiba. If Mayer has any kind of sense, and I doubt he does, he’ll stick to neutral posts on things he finds interesting or he’ll stop tweeting altogether. He just seems to get into trouble every time he opens his mouth or types a sentence.
Mayer e-mailed an apology to Holly Robinson Peele, who he name-dropped in the interview as an attractive African American woman, but she said it wasn’t enough and that she was “disgusted and offended” by his remarks. She initially was flattered, until she read the whole article and realized that he used the N word and compared his male part to a notorious white supremacist. She also said that “it’s time for him to really just drop the frat boy act” and “take responsibility for these hurtful comments.” Will Mayer reach out to leaders in the African American community in an attempt to 1. revamp his image and 2. maybe get some insight as to why he shouldn’t casually drop the N word and talk stupid sh*t about getting a “hood pass” and not dating black women? It would be a start.
what’s a hood pass? Is it a term he made up?
Lol! Go Holly! I wonder what Kerry Washington has to say about this mess..
I’m glad that folks are holding John’s feet to the fire.
This is the best news ever!!! How can that semi-man be on that reputable show? Am glad to hear this. Who is John Mayer to insult a black woman?
i don’t think anyone should get s hood pass.
talk about yourself and treat yourself the way you want the rest of the world to. if you call yourself an N, then the rest of us should be able to as well.
There are no free passes because you are black/jewish/german (whatever)
and on that note, let the hate begin!
I get what Obvious is saying. Why are there different rules for the N-word anyway? It’s all over black music. I truly don’t understand why a derogatory term is used by the black community at all.
i think john mayer should stop talking altogether. he’s boring, obnoxious and trite.
“talk about yourself and treat yourself the way you want the rest of the world to.”
that’s kind of a really good point…hmmm
Oprah is the smartest on TV. All she has to do is let it be know she won’t have him on (rightly so), and she gets great press for it!
Grrr, I really hate it when people do or say garbage like he did, and then say wait, I gave money to charity, forget everything else!
I agree Iggles, I’m glad people aren’t just dismissing this.
I just dont know why he thought it was ok to use it in the first place. Tell me what was going through his head at that time…where it was like “Sure make a racial slur!” Even if he truly is not a racist. That comment is not acceptable. He needs to learn what to discuss & what not too. Dont talk about your ex gf’s. Dont talk about dumping Jen Aniston. He clearly is a little more insecure then we think.
I can’t speak about the Black community and the use of the N-word, but I can say that it is a small percentage of African American people who use the word with impunity; for most African Americans, the word is so loaded that they don’t use it at all.
Much like country music (traditionally white) and country music singers don’t represent all white people, let’s not twist this into trying to make rappers and rap music represent the views of all African Americans (ie. I hear the N-word in rap songs, so that must mean that all African Americans think the word is ok, so that must mean that I can begin saying that word- NO!)
While I’m not black, I am gay, and a similar things crops up in the gay community: the use of the word f*ggot. It’s an insulting word that some members of the gay community use to refer to themselves and others- it’s a subversion of power when a less powerful group “reclaims” an insult and tries to take away the power of the word. Again, I don’t use the word, and I’m insulted when it is used by anyone, but more so by those who aren’t gay.
It sucks that he’s ‘self-employed’.. I think a good measure of how bad a statement is is whether it would get you canned at work. Frankly, any compnay worth their salt would have fired Mr. Mayer for gross misconduct.
Oprah should not have Jen Aniston on her show either I’m sure that Aniston knew what this guy was like. they probably sat around talking about Z that way too since she could not get Brad back.
Dee: I really doubt that!! I dont think jennifer aniston is a racist just b/c her rude ex bf made a nasty comment. be serious!
I am serious,
and How can you be soo sure that she didn’t talk about it.
Dee: HOW CAN YOU BE SO SURE SHE DID TALK ABOUT IT. Grow up. Jen isnt in kindergarten!
I don’t think it’s too hard to understand the use of the N word by people who are black/African American.
That word was used like a sythe, cutting down individuals, families and an entire race generation after generation based solely on skin color -unchecked and unimpugned (worse yet, it was encouraged).
I see the way it’s used now by folks who are black/African American as a way of venting it out in various cathartic ways. Pride, anger, resentment, love and hate -all that and more.
It means entirely something else coming from the lips of a white American, as it always has.
Oh gee, finally something us white people are told we should not do, imagine that … and some don’t like it, don’t think it’s “fair” because people who are black can and do use the word.
Well, don’t stop there in the quest to understand (how discriminated you are as a white person shunned from using that word) -especially considering you did not and do not wear the scars of the American black experience.
I really don’t think he is racist. His band and his back-up singers are black, as is his opening act (amazing band – Micael Franti and Spearhead). They surely could get other work if they wanted to. They probably know him better than anyone else would. He is guilty of some truly awful failed attempts at edgy humour and wit (ha), and has no filter on the connection between brain and mouth. I’ve read the actual interview, and the overwhelming take-away is his immaturity. Somehow he thinks 32 is “young”, but dude, 18 is young. 32 is grown-up-land, whether he likes it or not. I think all of this firestorm is a nasty wake-up call to adulthood for him.
@ obvious get the hell outta here with that nonsense…not all black/african americans use that word…try to be an adult and realize that things that are popularized by main stream music does not represent an entire community. That was truly a dumb a** comment. And if you want to use the word feel free to, but be prepared for your a** to get kicked if you say it around the wrong person…black or white
Beck ,
You grow up ! you have no ideal what was said behind close doors. Aniston has known him for a while now. she had to know what he was like, but she didn’t care until it came back and bit her in the butt. If Oprah is smart like we think that she is, she will stay away from both of them.
i agree that this reflects poorly on aniston. the people you choose to associate with affect your reputation. she chose to be with him for a while, and not just once. it certainly doesn’t make her a racist or suggest she agrees with mayer on any of his crap, but it might say something about her judgment – at the very least, it should be embarrassing to her.
@ wee freckles:
“I really don’t think he is racist. His band and his back-up singers are black, as is his opening act (amazing band – Micael Franti and Spearhead). They surely could get other work if they wanted to. They probably know him better than anyone else would.”
Can we end the whole I have black friends, so I can’t be racist excuse???
Having a mother and female relatives doesn’t deter some men from engaging in misogynistic behavior! All rapists are born from women, yet they go on to rape and/or murder other women! Given this, it’s clear to see that having black friends doesn’t render Mayer incapable of racism.
Now, with regard to the other points. We have no idea how close he really is with his band members so it’s questionable whether they know him best.
Also, just because they didn’t quit doesn’t mean they condone Mayer’s actions or give him a pass. I’d like to think we would all quit on principle if our employers took actions we disagreed with. However, we are the middle of a recession. Black unemployment is at 17%. Who’s to say that didn’t cross their minds when considering to stay or go? I don’t know their reasons for not quitting, so I’m not going to judge them.
@Carrie and Popcorny: THANK-YOU!
The problem that I have with the use of n-word as we see it has to do with dissemination. A quick look at the music charts proves that it’s not people like me who are buying rap, it’s very overwhelmingly young white men. Fine, whatever. But since we all tend to mimic, we absorb the content without understanding the context.
Now kids who are as far removed as one can be from the history of that word are hearing this stuff and a lot of it comes across as a badge of authenticity. And if these guys use that language so frequently, aren’t they taking the power of the word back? I don’t buy it, especially when corn-fed travesties of masculinity like John Mayer pick it up, ‘because the black man said it was okay’. Myriad people think that this is way we talk to each other, and feel for each other: in terms of swaggering gun play and passive, blank-eyed undifferentiated whoring. It makes us look stupid because no other historically-maligned group puts up with that–not to this extent.
It’s not reclaiming anything, it’s re-affirming and re-inscribing the same old shit as always, except this time, we’re beyond complicit. When do you hear our Jewish peers denigrate themselves this way in popular entertainment? What about Japanese, what about gay, what about any of our peer groups? You don’t. I mean, soupy as it sounds, we’re all family. You don’t talk about family that way.
And really, what’s reclaimed when you sign your name on Clive Davis’ line and ship out a veritable permission slip to use this kind of language to his demographic? Who’s really in charge?
Look, I’m a classical musician so I just don’t really listen a lot of stuff that was written in the last century. If it doesn’t have Debussy or Mendelssohn scrawled on the title page, I’m kind of at a loss. So I’m asking only semi-rhetorically about (generally) what kinds of black musicians are getting the most attention from the world at large? Is it Talib Kweli, Mos Def? Hell, I want the Furious Five back. Sure, we’ve heard of them, but they’re nowhere in the same realm as say, 50 Cent. Do we see a difference in lyrical/video content? What kind of image do they present? Why do you think that Vanilla Ice had to fabricate a whole new life story about himself?
I’m saying it again: It makes us look like fools to everyone else. I just have no patience for this modern day video chicken minstrelsy that pervades right now. How could anyone have not predicted that incidents such as this would be the result?
Ugh, nevermind. This thread is full of fail.
Carrie, Iggles, and Lena, I do not need to add anything else. You checked who needed to be checked. Kudos! Do some of these people think before they type?
I dont like this guy but funny enough this was the one time i thought he was being honest. So he doesnt like to date or sleep with black women -big deal. Many black women wont date white men. The fact that he went on to say his …. was a white supremiist was just stupid but i dont think he was trying to be racist. He just doesnt think before he speaks but he obviously wasnt trying to be racist – he is just not intelligent.
Obvious: “if you call yourself an N, then the rest of us should be able to as well.”
WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO? What’s the real problem here, that you’re upset about the hypocrisy of some black folks at using a word that has been deemed off limits to the rest of the world, or that you’re upset because you so desperately want to call every black person you see the N-word without fear of reprisal? If that word wouldn’t ever cross your lips naturally anyway, then why do you care about someone getting upset if it did? And if you really believe all black people use the word then you’re even dumber than your statement.
And @ Wee Freckles: “I get what Obvious is saying. Why are there different rules for the N-word anyway? It’s all over black music. I truly don’t understand why a derogatory term is used by the black community at all.”
Well maybe it’s not your place to understand, as you’ll obviously always be on the outside looking in. Who the hell are you to tell another group of people how they can and should conduct themselves, how they should address themselves and one another? It’s not possible for someone black to be racist against another black person by using such a word but the second it comes out of your mouth then yes, you are no better than someone like David Duke.
People who fret over why there are different “rules” — why do you care?? Again, if it’s not a term you would use anyway then shut the hell up about why you can’t say it without expecting a negative reaction. Are black people stepping on your right to express a racist term by reacting angrily if you were to say it? Are they impeding your right to free speech by not explaining to you why it’s not okay for you to say it? And for those of you who claim “if they can say it, why can’t we?” don’t be so stupid as to not realize that NOT ALL black people use this term! If you use it you offend an entire race, regardless of whether the individual members personally use the term themselves or not.
Geez, you’d think people would be smart enough to figure this out in this day and age…if you don’t use the word in the first place then you shouldn’t care about why someone would get upset if you did.
let the downfall begin, so we won’t ever had to hear about this giant dbag ANYMORE, ANYWHERE.
Props to Oprah.
He gotta disappear.
Dee isn’t the one who paraded John Mayer all over the Academy Awards hanging on his arm, making out with him, telling Gayle King that she was soooo happy with John Mayer. Yes. That was Jennifer Aniston. Stupid is as stupid does and she did go back to him a couple of times. Oprah has lousy taste.
You people are way to sensitive. Oprah is not the almighty, who cares what she thinks or who she will have/not have on her show. These are just PEOPLE, people with a lot of money but PEOPLE none the less, none of you would freak out if your co-worker or neighbor said the same things the way you all are about John Mayer or Oprah. Let it go and get back to work.
For all of you who don’t understand why we use the N-word stop trying…it’s not something meant for you to understand. Move along…
I wasn’t making a generalization. I was stating a fact, treat yourself the way you want others to. And Have no personally ever used that word, I have no desire to because I too feel it is disrespectful, but I’m not understanding why it should be ok for one person to say it and not another. It’s going back to the whole “separate but equal thing”
Why lambast John Mayer (ugh i can’t believe i am defending him)for somethign that is said and becoming more relevant in music? Why shouldn’t we be hating on those who use the words in music? just because it’s set to a song it’s ok?
And thank you lena for automatically assuming that i’m racist or something because i don’t believe we should attack one person for using it when face it-he obviously doens’t know better it’s john freakin mayer for crying out loud.
And as a Jew, I hear all sorts of crap all the time. And I’m willing to tell people off for it. but if i’ve said something and then someone says something, that’s my own damn fault. i can’t get mad at them.
Dan, I think I love you….
@ Jo ‘Mama Besser’. I would like to second your sentiments.
Carrie/Popcorny:
Thank you so much for your posts. I CAN speak for myself as a part of the black community and say very clearly that I do NOT use that word AT ALL. I do not allow my friends of ANY RACE to use it around me. And while there are people who use it in a colloquial manner, its use in conversation started as a way to “take the term back”- hence its frequent appearance in rap music.
ANYONE talking about the way the N word (and I’m only giving it that euphemism because I want this comment posted) is used in black communities clearly has nothing to with said black community. There is no comparison with hearing that word from a black person and hearing it from a person of another race. I don’t like hearing that word at all, but when it comes out of the mouth of someone who has NEVER been called that word out of anger or hatred, IT CHANGES THE DEFINITION AND THE EMOTION OF THE WORD. And I find it especially ridiculous coming out of John Mayer’s toerag douche-bag mouth.
Here’s the thing. I don’t think Mayer’s racist. I think he’s fucking stupid. While there is the fact that he has performed and collaborated with black artists, that’s just one of those “I have black friends” excuses. I think he knows why what he said was wrong- after all, I sincerely doubt that he refers to David Ryan Harris (his black lead guitarist) as the “n word”- EVER. I think he would understand the hurt and disrespect that would cause. The problem is saying something so absurd, rude, and offensive in an attempt to be funny and get (even MORE) attention.
But I can promise he and his PR team this: Anyone who has ever been called that word in combination with a hateful connotation will NEVER buy a Mayer song again.
It’s a shame, I really used to like him.
I agree w/ @andrea…not saying Aniston agrees with Mayer’s ridiculousness, but she dated him, so it reflects on her somewhat…I can’t help but be slightly disappointed in her and Simpson for deciding to date him…
The overall tone I got from his interview was selfishness. He’s completely absorbed w/ himself he has no regard for other ppl. Such a big turn off…offends me just as much as his word choices
The sooner he fades from the public eye, the better. His music is bland and painfully corny, and his moronic, offensive ramblings prove that he’s completely useless on every possible level. Eff him.
@Jo Mama Besser
@glowkey
@LondonParis
AMEN!!! Thank you for your posts. This whole “black people do it, so why can’t we” argument is a strawman. It wasn’t that long ago that this term was used in mainstream movies, so white people, if they are so inclined are certainly free to use (and have liberally done so) this demeaning and disgusting term with impunity.
The issue is NOT why black people use the “n-word”. The issue is why YOU (hypothetical white person using the internet) use it, and continue to use it knowing the horrible roots of the term. This is a continued fixation on black people’s motives and thinking, constantly challenging black people as abnormal compared to the white/mainstream society.
I personally do not use this term and very strenuously object when people use it in my presence. I don’t support artists that use this language and as a black woman, I don’t support artists that demean women in their videos or music either.
Mayer is free to be as smart or as stupid as he likes, and Oprah is free to blackball him from her program – if it hurts him, that is the consequence of angering someone who has more media clout than you. If this story is to be believed, Oprah is doing what I do, and it ain’t a bad thing!
Oprah?
That’s the fat/skinny/fat/skinny, childless, parterless, former crack using, rich dude that dishes advice, but who’s own life seams pretty lonely, miserable, unfulfilled right?
Again a huuuuuge deal in the U.S and in one ear, out the other for the rest of the world.
Just like black face.
Just like Mel Gibson.
But hell Paris can say the n word and still get in anywhere.
Different rules for different people.
Hypocricy on every level.
I Robot way of thinking.
Are you all Communist all of a sudden?
No freedom of speech, no individuality, no right to be different, to speak your mind.
By all means your music filled with filth, N, bitch, ho, pimp. that needs no cleanup?
Find me a song of Mayers like that?
Come here John Boy, we’ll have you man.
We are still a free country and accept nerdiness, non-political correctness, genius, whatever and however it comes. the minority groups, stuff them, the majority will back you babe.
We have meaningful lives and don’t hang people for making a comment in jest.
We get humor and better still we aloow it x
I would LOVE to see Mayer dropped off in the middle of South Central LA at midnight — let’s see what kind of “hood pass” he really has.
By 12:08 am, he’d look like a turkey after Thanksgiving dinner.
Black people don’t use that word. A small proportion of African Americans (a bigger vocal one in entertainement) use it but i have yet to hear an African or a an Afropean use it, including in the local language of his/her country.
I heard it once in my entire life and as soon as the girl said it during a course in college, and insist at repeating it on purpose in front of a African student who kept on saying to her that she shouldn’t use as it is very offensive and it should be replaced by ‘Black’ or ‘African’, the studenther slap her hard in the face and she cried.
I also know that it is beyond derogative in Africa where colonies and its abuses are still longered in vivid memories (50 years or less from now)and who ever utter it, wether you are Black, White or whatever will be beaten hard.
It’s is linked to colonialism and it was used to name second rated citizen in a sociatey where you were graded according the color of the skin, not to mention the apartheid both in south africa and the belgian congo. It was usually coupled with the adjective ‘dirty’.
So again, decent people should never use it. The overwhelmong African diaspora all over the world absolutely nevr use it, ever.
It’s just a shame that those rap videos with the N word but also the B*tch word is so advertised all over the world and more and more changing the perception of words, making it right to disrecspect Blacks and women in general.
Noone should ever be called the N word and no woman should ever be referred as a b*tch.
Period !
“Holly Robinson Peele” – Her named is misspelled. It’s Holly Robinson Peete (with a T).
@ obvious you ARE making generalizations and you ARE NOT stating any facts… The entire black community does not speak for me…..SHOCKING isn’t it? Sit down and take a deep breath because I know you will have some trouble digesting this brand new realization that one person does not speak for another, one group does not speak for another, one country does not speak for an entire country, etc…
Now allow me to drop some wisdom on you or anyone else that thinks like you. YOUR words were “if you call yourself an N, then the rest of us should be able to as well.” YOU said US…which includes you does it not? Now I being the educated woman that I am, can conclude from your comment that yourself along with every other white person, (since you took it upon yourself to speak for them) want to run around and freely call black people the N word…but I would be generalizing from that comment right??? Because obviously not ALL white people want to use that word right??? And you are not their spokesperson correct?? See what I did there, I created a generalization. A+ for me. You did that very thing with your 1st comment. I don’t call myself the N word and neither do members of my family nor do any of my friends, so why would I want anyone freely running saying that word like it’s okay? You don’t even realize what the hell you typed. You want people to be able to get away with using the N word because of what some ignorant a** rappers say in their music???? seriously??? that’s your argument??? And where in my post did I state that you are racist? Now read what i just typed again and OPEN your mind and let it sink in…Only Lena speaks for Lena, get it now?
@ Aussie Mama, what the HELL are you talking/babbling about???
@nnn, I agree about the N word. I don’t about “bitch”. I call everyone-including guys- a bitch, whether it’s as an insult, a greeting, instead of their name (I’m hungover and can’t think of the proper term), or a term of endearment.
I’m also gay, so I will use poof or fag, but never poofter or faggot. I don’t know why, but while I’ve heard the shorter words used by other gays, I’ve only ever heard the longer words used as an insult.
lol @ Aspie…I was thinking the same thing, I don’t even know where to being with her comment.
I agree with EB. The issue really isn’t about black people using the term. The issue is why on earth white people would want to use it. Claiming that they should be able to just because black people do is a logical fallacy. The word means something entirely different coming from any white person’s mouth, it doesn’t matter if they are not racist. Don’t say it and don’t concern yourselves with black people who say it.
I doubt that Mayer is a racist by any stretch of the imagination. I believe he was trying to be clever and witty but failed miserably.
Oh get over it already. A white person says something about black people and it’s the end of the world but black people can say things about whites all day long and it’s ok? Black people want to be called “African Americans”?? Have you ever known one single black person that wants to live in Africa or that has even been there? NO!! I’m white but by family came here from Europe so am I European American? NO!!!
@ Laura – being African myself I know MANY black people who want to go to Africa and shockingly, visit as well (Did you know President Obama visited Ghana recently?)
You obviously don’t know any black people, so are ill equipped to comment on what black folk may or may not think or wish. Maybe you should just talk about your European background, as you are most knowledgeable about that.
@ Laura…what the hell are you talking about? Black people do not sit around and talk about white people all day long…just WTF with that statement, it’s beyond stupid. YOU FAIL.
And don’t come in here with that why do all blacks want to be called African Amercian bullsh** argument when you are not even educated on what it means, because SOME do and SOME don’t, I know it’s shocking, take a seat. Blacks in America (the ones that are generations in) do not have knowledge of what part of Africa they are from (that little slavery thing messed that up) so some prefer to be called African American because they at least know they are descendants from people of Africa because unfortunately we do not have the luxury of knowing which country in Africa our ancestors hailed from, so if some people want to call themselves African American or if they want to call themselves Black, they have every right to. And to answer your dumb a** question, no you wouldn’t go around calling yourself European American because you know your family’s roots don’t you, what country they hailed from? You are just so uneducated about the basics of American history it’s outstanding. Now go read American History 101 and learn something.
Is there an actual Oprah source on this quote? Seems vague. If this did come from her, then she is smart because she is all but inviting him to come on the show and that would be an interesting roast. Give him a month, when he hasn’t tweeted for a bit and people have stopped talking about him and I think he might be up for the ‘challenge’ of talking about himself again.
Leave Aniston out of it. She is too busy enjoying the beast with two backs with Gerard Butler who is her sexual and intellectual equal – as quoted in today’s tabloid rag of choice. *insert winky smiley face thing here to show that this is meant in humor and that I don’t seriously want to get into the Aniston debate*
Dan, I wouldn’t speak to that neighbor or coworker again for making such racist and misogynistic comments. If these statements were made openly at work I would file a complaint. If they were said out loud in the apartments outdoor common areas I would notify management. In those instances it is called harassment. Your lack of knowledge in this area means you’re just a civil rights defendant waiting to happen.
Word to Jo Mama Besser.
u think hes bad? he got nothing on two of my exes…
Oh well, there’s always Tyra…
Okay I’m mixed and I think this whole John Mayer stuff is crap. He used the word in the right context. Has it ever dawned on you dumb people that maybe the reason why the word is still being used as an insult is because YOU WON’T SEE IT FOR THE WORD IT IS VS. THE PAST? Do your damn research. The word wasn’t insulting until AFTER it’s existence! If you keep attaching the social definition and not the actual definition to the word, then you deserved to be insulted imo. Grow the hell up and let that ish go. Either used the word like he did (in the right context) or write to Obama (or whoever your leader may be) to get the word out of the human language. It’s that damn simple. Stop being dramatic by putting your bias and emotional baggage onto someone else’s words and just learn to read it for what it means.
Now with that said, read it again. Feel free to let me know why I should be insulted he used the n word when he used it properly and not in a racist matter. I swear, sometimes ppl let anger make a damn fool out of themselves.
People are always going to say that word as long as it’s in rap music. I saw 4 young Aussie boys on the train yesterday going to school and were all sharing one Ipod… They were rapping along with the music quietly amongst themselves and the N word came out of all of their mouths. All of us that heard them gave them daggers (evil looks) but how can we be mad at them when they are only reciting lyrics? Are they meant to just leave that word out of the song? One of them was of Aboriginal decent so does that give him a “hood pass” but not the other 3 little white boys?
And while I’m at it. Why do women let their men talk call them ho’s and bitches? I would not tolerate it from ANYONE!
Back to the actual topic. I dont think his comments were meant to be racist. They were just dumb. He just should of shut up.
I’ll be honest here. I am not attracted to every race of humans. Im just not. It does not mean that I have any hate in my heart or think less of these beautiful people. Im attracted to brunette women with the darkest brown eyes and long hair. Every girl I have gone out with looks similar. I have never dated any blondes or red heads for that matter but by no means do I consider myself rasist so I kinda get what he was trying to say. It just wasn’t funny.
Last time i checked the N word in english or french is still a derogatory word in the dictionary so is “b*tch”.
So if anyone feel insulted by it, it is his/her prerogative. If someone doesn’t it’s his/her too. Different sensitivities, different perceptions.
I really don’t understand people who want to standardize other people’s perceptions and feelings according to theirs and think that their truth is the only one valid. They are the ones who want to dismiss or belittle other people’s feelings like they have no right feeling differently than them.
People are different, with different sensitivities, with different histories and will react to controversial matters, let it be racial sensitives subjects, nudity, ect differently.
I personnally would never use that word to anyone and i can understand that we may feel insulted eventhough i personnally would have accept his going to Oprah to apologize not only for this but also for the way he disrespect his ex lovers..
@ everybody,
There’s way too much anger in this thread over a dumbass’ idiot remarks. While I like John Mayer’s songs, he is truly IDIOTIC. I did what freckles suggested, and read the rest of the interview- he’s a tool! I don’t think he’s necessarily racist, I think he just made a truly stupid, inappropriate, and insensitive remark in an attempt to be funny. He recently compared Jessica Simpson to “sexual napalm” – again, tool! That being said, I don’t agree that Jennifer Aniston should now be marked as a racist for having dated John Mayer. If anything, criticize her for dating the guy in the first place, when he really is dumb enough to make racist/sexist/insert-the-special-population-because-I’m-sure-he’s-offended-them remarks all the time (my source- every single interview I’ve ever read of his).
Isn’t welcomED on Oprah. WelcomED.
Re: the “I have black friends, etc…” remarks – would you rather be judged on the way you deal with people on a daily basis, or one off-the-cuff moment of verbal stupidity?
Then again, John Mayer IS a douche and this is a rather handy stick to beat him with.
sami is the only one on this thread with an ounce of sense.
love and be loved, everyone.
@ kylie, I kind of get what you are saying, however…just because the words are being used in lyrics doesn’t make it okay, and someone on the train should’ve let the young men know that…it’s a hurtful word, no one should use it simple as that. I really don’t understand people’s mentality with this whole well it’s in the music argument…so what…it’s doesn’t make it right.
I agree old drunk! Aniston said she loved the way Mayer thought thoughts, and that they adored one another. I wonder what thoughts amused her so much? You could say that she’s just naive, but then, she’s 41 and has been around the block many, many times. She comes off as a complete dumbass dating this tool. I can’t believe women actually look up to her!
And, I doubt Mayer cares about Oprah anyways. Oprah’s audience is mostly women in their 30s and on. By dissing Mayer, Orpah actually upped his cool factor a teeny bit–but not that it matters, because he’s still an epic douche.
Leeeeeave John Mayer Aloooooone.
Chris Crocker!!!
Process and move on people, why give yourselves an anurism over something that does not matter!
Applause to Sami, glad to see not everybody has lost the plot x
I am sooooo sick of both Oprah and John Mayer! I cannot wait for Oprah’s early retirement and John Mayer to crawl into a hole!
Finally I loosened the front closure of this bra, freeing its contents. I held each heavy object in a hand. Breasts. One of the noticeable physical features that separate male from female in most species. I squeezed them, kneaded them, and caressed them.