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Vieira Raps Rev. for Racial "Double Standard"

Posted Apr 12th 2007 12:13PM by TMZ Staff

Meredith Vieira turned the tables on Rev. Al Sharpton this morning, blasting him for not doing enough to stop black rappers from using words like "ho" and "b**ch" in their lyrics while excoriating Don Imus for doing so. Snap!

Sharpton was on the "Today" show this morning to react to Imus' firing by MSNBC, and the Rev. repeated his contention that Imus' place on the "public" airwaves made him responsible -- and ultimately culpable -- for his "nappy-headed hos" remark. Vieira then challenged Sharpton, demanding to know why he didn't hold hip-hop and rap artists more responsible for "spreading the message" of demeaning and abusive language, and accusing Sharpton of perpetuating a "double standard."

The Rev. explained that his organization, National Action Network, was working to get more rappers with "positive messages" onto the airwaves, but acknowledged that those rappers weren't getting exposure.

Tags: Meredith vieira, MeredithVieira, Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev.AlSharpton, Vieira

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(Page 5 of 27) Previous 15 Comments | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

61. I love Imus!!! Good girl Meredith!!!! I feel bad for Imus... Imus is a great example for people young and old. This my friends, is a Humanitarian...God Bless You Imus. ...Now for sure I won't ever watch NBC. I hope there ratings go down, down, down... Gee, I don't see any other celebrity in the am talk shows doing anything to raise money for charity.. I hope Imus makes a million dollars for the children....Everyone who is an Imus fan... let's show our support by giving....

Posted at 1:30PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Elvis

62. Good for you Meredith. I had to listen a couple times to make sure I really heard "Reverand" Sharpton say, "You can't deal with them (rappers) and then allow guys like Imus to say that..." Excuse me, "REVERAND", THEY are NOT being dealt with. Imus is the only one who has to pay that price. IF you are TRULY offended by WHAT WAS SAID, what difference does it make WHO SPONSORED it? IF it was wrong for Imus, it IS WRONG for RAPPERS too. Utterly and completely hypocrytical and incredible. Thanks to Meredith for standing up to this lunacy.

Posted at 1:33PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Cat

63. So glad that Meredith had the "balls" to do such an excellent interview! I'm absolutely so sick of the double standard--- black rappers can call black women sickening names but white old men can't!

I wish the educated black women would stand up together and make a statement against the black rappers/music industry. I would have none of this!!!!!!

Posted at 1:31PM on Apr 12th 2007 by plantalittlesunshine

64. As usual he gave a "soft" answer to her double standard question.

Posted at 1:31PM on Apr 12th 2007 by LarryBirkhead

65. Good for Viera. A liberal with a spine.

Posted at 1:41PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Sean Bresnahan

66. #10 -

I agree with you that, in our history, blacks were treated like property. However, look at the facts please. The Emanicipation Proclamation was issued in 1863 or 143 years ago. The Civil War ended in 1865 or 141 years ago. Martin Luther King marched on Washington in 1963 or 43 years ago. I was there, standing with my parents who were active in the civil rights movement. But there is no one living in the United States today, who can honestly say they are legally being treated as a slave. It's been 141 years since slavery existed. There is no one alive who was a slave. A 1 year old slave in 1865, living to 100, would have died in 1965. If that slave had a child when they were fifty, that child would be 91. The problems we are experiencing today are not as a result of slavery, but are a result of the actions of people since the end of slavery and the end of the active civil rights movement. The movement now is not for equal rights, it's for better rights. I once worked with a young black girl who constantly complained about reparations for blacks from the companies that did business with slave owners in the "Old South". I'll tell you the same thing I told her, show me some proof of exactly how many pounds of cotton you picked and not only can you have my share, I'll pay you for what you did. Blacks, whites, jews, orientals, we are all what we make of ourselves. I was not offended by Imus, I laughed at a 60 year old manner trying to sound like "gangsta". His comment started out as a strange compliment about the players looked like real players not what he thought of as a girls team. It was offensive, but shouldn't have been more offensive to any one group.

Posted at 1:33PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Mary in Virginia

67. #13 says "they are not over the slavery thing". Every race of people, of every nationality, in every country in the world has been slave to some other race, nation, and/or country at some point in time. A lot of white people came to this country as indentured servents (slaves), brought here on the whim of their "employer" (owner). Black people do not have a monopoly on being abused and downtrodden. As long as they as a race use slavery as a excuse, they will always be dissatisfied. Get out and take responsibility for your own life and stop saying "Oh, boo hoo, we were slaves, stolen from our homes." And, oh yeah, that was 160 years ago.

Posted at 1:34PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Flower

68. I can't believe all the closet racists out there. First of all Rev's Sharpton and Jackson do not represent the black community. The first group to take a stand on this was the national association of black journalists NOT Sharpton or Jackson. Secondly, if sharpton or any other prominent african american had gone on a nationally syndicated radio show and called the women's world cup soccer team a bunch of ugly pale faced hoes white people would be up in arms. You all know this to be true-stop being hypocrites

Posted at 1:34PM on Apr 12th 2007 by geebee

69. WOULD BE INTERESTED TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT SONGS ARE DOWNLOADED TO THE GIRLS' BASKETBALL TEAMS I-PODS. THEN..AND ONLY THEN...SHOULD WE BE HAVING THIS LYNCH MOBBING OF DON IMUS. LET HIS GOOD DEEDS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. WHAT GOOD DEEDS TO THE GANGSTA RAP ARTISTS GIVE US? I'LL TELL YOU - GANGS, DRUGS, PROSTITUTION, ONLY C- R - I - M - E !!! AND I'M A LIBERAL FOLKS!

Posted at 1:51PM on Apr 12th 2007 by DOUBLED UP OVER DOUBLE STANDARD

70. I'm listening to the charity event on WFAN right now, which Imus has helped raise millions of dollars for cancer charities. The support for Imus is incredible. MSNBC jumped the gun and will pay the price.

Posted at 1:35PM on Apr 12th 2007 by JM

71. Way to go Meredith. You should have asked him about apologizing to those Duke Lacrosse players. He attacked them and now we hear nothing from him.

Posted at 2:34PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Tom

72. Al Sharpton should be put on the hot seat. He made a racist comment a few years ago against his on race, and as you can see nothing was done about it. I think the reasons there are racial problems in this country is because men like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton keep the racial card going. If they really feel so strongly why don't they move to another country that will treat them with the respect they think they are due. THey are both hypocrites and live for mistakes like this, to stir up more racial hate. Al Sharpton should be sued, by the lacrosse players families for his remarks. Hey Al, I thought Christians promoted forgiveness,not anger and bitterness.! You are the real loser!

Posted at 1:38PM on Apr 12th 2007 by in the know

73. i remember Tawana Brawly saying no one menipmates me!!I laughed!!!!

Posted at 1:38PM on Apr 12th 2007 by howard stern

74. I'd like to see some soft shoe and slap dap spoon work for my injoyment.

Posted at 1:39PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Sammy gots nothin on me

75. If I could i'd get Tony Soprano to take Al for a little boat ride and give him a pair of cement shoes. Let him sleep with the fishes, that would shut him the hell up!!!

Posted at 1:41PM on Apr 12th 2007 by Carmela Soprano

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