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JOAN RIVERS CALLS MICHELLE OBAMA

JOAN RIVERS CALLS MICHELLE OBAMA "BLACKIE O": IS IT RACIST?

Siebra Muhammad · Saturday, January 22nd 2011 at 2:21PM · 751 views
Joan Rivers says she censored a joke out of her stand up routine in which she referred to First Lady Michelle Obama as "Blackie O" for fear of being labeled a racist.

Rivers revealed the controversial joke on Thursday morning's Howard Stern Show:

"I said she's got such style. We used to have Jackie O, now we have Blackie O."

Rivers said she didn't want to answer to cries of racism in today's volatile political environment, so she cut the joke.

"Isn't that what's wrong with this country?" Stern asked her of her self-censorship.

Rivers responded with a quick and emphatic "yes".

The 77-year-old comedian, who is best known for her insult comedy, said she thought the joke was "adorable" and a "compliment" to Michelle Obama because of her classic fashion sense.

Howard Stern Show co-host Robin Quivers who is African-American asked: "Where's the compliment in that?"

Stern confirmed that Joan Rivers comedic sensibilities were indeed as racist as she had feared and then one-upped her:

"Joan's working on a new joke about the Obamas. Something about boiling missionaries--in the Lincoln bedroom."

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Siebra Muhammad New Orleans, LA

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Comments (4)

Siebra Muhammad Saturday, January 22nd 2011 at 2:22PM

She didn't say what she meant, but she meant what she said...

Helen Lofton Sunday, January 23rd 2011 at 2:38AM

That was very clever of her. She just had to get the joke in somehow so she decided to tell why she decided not to use it(lol). It would have been better if she told him that in private, because She knows that people in the public's eye are held to a different standard of communication, since everythings they say becomes public knowledge.

ROBINSON IRMA Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM

@Siebra, I doubt if this is enough to revive River's career, espicially if she has to go around spreading gossip on her own self like this. lol (smile)

@Lula, it probably is no more offensive that calling you an IDIOT, right?...

ROBINSON IRMA Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM

Our First lady did say if they won the 2008 presidential race they would be the Tan Camelot' in the Whitehouse...and our First lady can make a sack look devine, can she not?!? "YOOOOO" She is all grace and beautiy...from hiking shorts to a ball room gound.
(smile)

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