Are All Racial Slurs Created Equal?

61. With words such as those it’s funny when it’s coming from someone of that same spectrum. It’s often very contradictory but the truth of the matter is, in no way shape or form should either of those words be used. If there suppose to be a “Comedian” there has to be a mass variety of jokes in which they can chose from. Today’s society is so driving on money and now there now putting a price on “Racial slurs”. There comedians they can always make back that $20 or even go to another comedy club. What these individual needs is a reality check. The truth of the matter is, this generation will never understand the “TRUE” meaning behind those words. There is so much pain and suffering that they can never comprehend, unless they have actually lived through it themselves.

Posted at 3:09PM on Dec 7th 2006 by Cherika

62. Okay...after reading all of the comments I have ONE question for those that the N word does bother.

Why does it bother you? What is the reason why?

The word nigger is of the latin origin (Niger) meaning black. It does not mean slavery, it is not a word derived from hatered. It was a commonly used term until very recently when someone decided that the word was offensive.

Posted at 3:17PM on Dec 7th 2006 by CL

63. Yes, I left La-La Land (as you prefer to call Puerto Rico) and while they are goin' through difficult times right now, I am working with the family business, adoption. My family knows I can help many people that don't understand English (or Americans that don't know Spanish) find the child they've been expecting their whole lives. I do something that is worthy. I help others. Unfortunately, narrow-minded people like you are part of the problem and cannot see the variety of ways that people like me can help this country.

Many of us have died for the United States since WW1, and still do, and we are not a state (yet). We'll see what president has the cojones to look at Puerto Rico's situation seriously. In the meantime, for those of you that don't know, you send to Puerto Rico approx. $40 billion/year. I hope that this little fact will make you think twice about who's on your side.

And about having tough skin, I bet you've never seen a Felix Trinidad or an Alex Sanchez's fight. To be 100 X 35 miles we have the skin, the looks and the talent to do anything we dream of! Yes I am an American and I am a Puerto Rican too! And I do love the United States of America...if not, I would not be living here!

Posted at 4:16PM on Dec 7th 2006 by whytegirl

64. And I forgot to add that Richards has admitted to wrongdoing, has apologized and is going through therapy right now. He has admitted he has issues. He does not have the stand-up comedian skills to take the heat and control the audience and shift things around when the audience is not that enthusiastic/cooperative/whatever you wanna call it.

This is a lesson for future talents to learn from, for current talents to FIX THEIR ACT and bring together a diversity of an audience that is already so divided when it comes to national/worldwide events. We don't need that crap in the comedy club. There's already enough going on in the world and people go to a comedy club to have a good time, not to see a comedian in a rant.

Posted at 4:20PM on Dec 7th 2006 by whytegirl

65. i think this is outrageous. this is not to be rude but black people use what happend back in the day to there advantages. LETS HAVE WHITE HISTORY MONTH AND A UNITED WHITE COLLEGE FUND! if we did that all fucking hell would break loose. the racial thing is just a bunch of bullshit if you ban it
PEOPLE WILL STILL SAY NIGGER AND ALL THAT JAZZ and the whole oh only black people should use it. if your so comfortable with yourself nigger would not offend you at all seriously grow the fuck up.

you call us white crackers
hillbillys
or whatever

so grow the fuck up your skin color is something you should be comfortable with stop using it as a get out of jail free card because oh the whole white and black thing what 30 years ago move the fuck on.

Posted at 9:14PM on Dec 11th 2006 by Michael

66. BORIS DONT FORGET SPEAR CHUNKERS, AND ALABAMA PORCH MONKEYS! :)

Posted at 5:10PM on Dec 7th 2006 by jWOODS

67. Don't forget about me either

Posted at 5:15PM on Dec 7th 2006 by WAGON BURNER

68. just my two cents...
I'm italian/black....and ANYTHING that is considered offensive should be avoided....but i'm just so tired of reading what ignorant people keep saying:

"black people say it to each other..." - black people say n*gga. two different things.and if you're not black...then what's the purpose of you saying it anyway?

"freedom of speech" - stop defending it like you don't know what the f*** the difference is. damn. people love playing stupid.

although comedy is an art, there is also something called censorship....if everything that ever came out of our mouths was allowed due to "freedom of speech" - then there would be no censors.

bottom line - the term N*GGER is NEVER used for comedic purposes when it comes out of the mouth in the context that it did. (unless its at a KKK Stand Up Nite.)

Everyone needs to stop playing dumb....there are still racists out there....I live in NYC - in the least populated borough - with the largest Italian populatiSo on and I can attest that white people here still use N*GGER and mean it.
So there's no doubt in my mind that the same people who are looking at this whole situation and saying that people need to lighten up are probably racist them selves in one way or another.
Just listening to those caller clips makes me realize it even more.

Posted at 7:53PM on Dec 7th 2006 by b

69. That is why I love America. No matter if you are a Christian, Jew, Muslim, gay or straight or anything else….we have the right to believe how we choose and to have the freedom of speech to say it. You may not like our point of view but I show tolerance for opposing views. I may not agree with the activity , lifestyle or what they say but I respect they have the right to believe it and say it. That is what tolerance is about. Even if a gay person does not agree with my position, should I be attacked because they don’t like what I have to say? I don’t attack them and I show tolerance for opposing views. Tolerance DOES NOT equate agreement.

Posted at 10:21PM on Dec 7th 2006 by carrie

70. Dear TMZ.com

The story is not just what this guy said during his act on stage at the Comedy Factory but more on how none of the staff from the comedy factory went up to this table of hecklers to ask them to stop talking or their out. I belive every comedy club has rules and one of them is "If any one disrupts the show they will be asked to leave. In the video I saw no one from the Comedy Factory staff go to that table. I belive if they would of acted quikely to the table of hecklers that none of this would of happened. I should know this for I own two comedy clubs and we have tight rules about this kind of conduct during any of our shows.

Posted at 11:15PM on Dec 7th 2006 by Tony

71. The word is "n*gger", as long as we refer to it as "the N-word" it will remain taboo. The more that it is used without hate behind it the less offensive it will be.

Posted at 4:17AM on Dec 8th 2006 by Jesse Curry

72. lets have a white history month and a united white college fund oh yeah if we did that we would be racist. black people still use that we hung them and had them for slaves as a excuse really grow the fuck up. and stop thinking because of the past you should be so privlidged. really half the white people in america talk black and act black if you can say nigger we can say nigger don't use words if you can't handle them. just like you call us white trash. honkeys hillbillys really take your one wayed bullshit and shove it up your ass for real. if your so proud of you etnicity why the lack of self confidence in your skin color.

no judgement intended but this is just out of hand.

you are not special because you are black
we are not special because we are white
grow the fuck up words are words.

Posted at 9:14PM on Dec 11th 2006 by Michael

73. I know many people have stated, "Sticks and stones may break my bones..." but I personally feel "nigger" is a painful word when stated by non blacks because of the historical context in which the word was (and still is) used.

All of the people that are also stating, this is a back lash from being too PC and what about other words. What sense does it make to use any of these words i.e., nigger, spic, kike, etc. in the first place?

The above mentioned words are typically used in an angry context and are meant to typically cause some degree of hurt to the intended victim.

I think language is very powerful and in some cases it can cause hurt.

For all that say, "What about freedom of speech?", it may seem as if we have freedom of speech (in America) but in many cases (not just because of the PC movement) we do not have true freedom of speech.

Posted at 4:49PM on Dec 8th 2006 by lookbackandsee

74. Why is it OK for black people to use the N&^%$# word, and it's ok but not for any one else???

Posted at 9:03PM on Dec 9th 2006 by George Wheelan

75. Either all offensive words are done away with or they can be used without being sued or snubbed. Comedians are funny when they use them the right way. When they use them in anger or in a hateful tone then they are wrong. We should all get a sense of humor. And a lot of the time the comedians are just saying what we all think anyway. You can insult people with a smile and they do not take it so personally, but when you don't smile it looks too real. Then again some people are just looking to be offended. If they are banning racial slurs then they should ban them all... And even the press is afraid to spell out the word nigger. But there are movies and books out there with that title and they are made and written by blacks. And don't get me started on music. Face it we live in the land of the offended and the past mistakes, but if someone is offended they are all happy again when you pay them in a non racist color GREEN!!!

Posted at 5:26PM on Dec 10th 2006 by SteveP