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"SNL" Creating Sambo-Obama?

Posted Mar 1st 2008 11:26AM by TMZ Staff

Either "SNL" came back from the writer's strike completely color blind or extremely one-sided. The show debuted their new Barack Obama character, which as a surprise to many -- is played by someone who isn't African-American.

A columnist at the ChicagoTribune.com has called out SNL on their choice to have Fred Armisen, who is Hispanic and Asian, portray Obama -- saying the show may be marginalizing African-American performers.

Perhaps "SNL" had their hands tied, because Kenan Thompson, the only African-American male on the cast, isn't exactly in the same weight class as Barack. Seriously, he played "Fat Albert."

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Tags: SNL

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91. I find it deliciously ironic that the only people who give a damn about this are the same weak, spineless, yellow liberals who comprise the only audience this bag of trash show still has. LULZ!

Posted at 6:43PM on Mar 1st 2008 by Mike

92. #6 - well said...
Enough with the race card issue already, people!

Posted at 5:17PM on Mar 1st 2008 by J A

93. Now I'm worried that if Obama is elected, we'll have at least 4 years of this crap. (All white people are racists).

Posted at 5:21PM on Mar 1st 2008 by guest02

94. Chicago Tribune...freaking liberal newspaper out of Chicago...exactly the type of trash William F Buckley was talking about when he made the famous quote;

"Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but than are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views"...

The Tribune has been looking the other way for a very long time about Obama. Get ready to learn the name Tony Rezko when Obama gets the nomination. He's a political crook out of Chicago about to go to Trial on Corruption charges with lots of sweetheart connections to Obama and his Wife.

Posted at 5:47PM on Mar 1st 2008 by Liberals arent so Open

95. I thought for sure, finally something for Tim Meadows to do on SNL, but then I realized he wasn't on the show anymore. They should hire him back!

Posted at 11:51AM on Mar 3rd 2008 by seanmach

96. BIG DEAL!!!!! GET A LIFE!!!!!!
Actors and actresses play different races all the time. GET OVER IT!

Posted at 6:27PM on Mar 1st 2008 by BeNice

97. obama is half white too. would you ask the question if it were the other was around?

Posted at 6:36PM on Mar 1st 2008 by lisalisa

98. This is such a non-story that it's hilarious that TMZ would even bother with it. What's the matter, TMZ; run out of britney pantyless stories to run?

Posted at 6:39PM on Mar 1st 2008 by Oh c'mon...

99. Hello.... it's called ACTING! Who the hell cares? Why does everything regarding race have to become an "issue"? I'm pretty sure "Peter Pan" is a MALE character and was played by a WOMAN for years and it was never an "issue"!

Posted at 6:46PM on Mar 1st 2008 by Mohawk Kitty

100. UNBELIEVABLE Barack IS ALREADY DISSING CAUCASIANS BY PRETENDING HE IS FULL ON AFRICAN AMERICAN.. ---SURE WHEN PRESSED HE SAYS HIS MOM IS WHITE AS SNOW.....EVERYONE KEEPS REFERRRING TO HIM AS THE POTENTIAL FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT BUT HE WOULD BE THE FIRST BI-RACIAL PRESIDENT .. ARMISEN IS BI-RACIAL... THIS IS SO MESSED UP.. IN MY OPINION BARACK SHOULD START CORRECTING PEOPLE WHEN THEY REFER TO HIM AS AFRICAN AMERICAN AND SAY, EXCUSE ME i AM BI-RACIAL... THAT WAY HE WOULD STOP DISSING CAUCASIANS AND MULATOS. HE WILL NEVER BE MY PRES.

Posted at 7:03PM on Mar 1st 2008 by rianna rose

101. SOMEONE SHOULD CALL OUT THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE FOR THEIR INSULTING INSINUATIONS TO THE BI-RACIAL POPULATION IN THIS COUNTRY. WE DON'T LIVE IN THE 50S WHEN THE "ONE DROP OF BLOOD" RULE MAKES YOU BLACK. NO ONE CALLS TIGER WOODS BLACK.. HE CALLS HIMSELF A CAUBLINASIAN AND BARACK LOOKS LESS AFRICAN AMERICAN THAN TIGER..

Posted at 7:15PM on Mar 1st 2008 by rianna rose

102. um...its SNL...thats exactly the point...the actors have to fit the character as much as possible, and the point is that its a parody, not for the race to match...theyre making fun of him not trying to copy him DUH

Posted at 7:14PM on Mar 1st 2008 by sappho

103. "The beautiful thing about Barack Obama and what's happening with this country is that Bush's reign of incompetence and war is a huge reason people are flocking to the man."

Hate for Hillary and the Clinton's is a larger factor, believe me. I voted for Barack in the primaries because I don't want another Clinton in the White House, but come November it's McCain all the way. Plus, you seriously don't think that all of Hillary's supporters will vote for Barack in the general election, do you? According to polls, at least 40% of Hillary's supporters will not vote for Barack in the fall. It's interesting, despite all the record breaking turnouts on the Democratic side and all the publicity and love from the media Barack is getting, he's still behind Senator John McClain in the polls. All I can say is I can't wait until the general election. The Dems and the media have been afraid to publish anything negative about Obama, because they're afraid everything will be seen as attacking the poor innocent black guy. But, Republicans aren't going to be that nice to him. Barack is going to have to say more than Yes We Can to win over McClain. There are some serious issues about Obama that need to come out and be discussed, and I'm not talking about his middle name or a picture of him in Kenya, both of which he seems to be ashamed of. Come November, it will be Barack who will crying to get votes.

Posted at 7:24PM on Mar 1st 2008 by sillyme

104. Oh Rianna Rose but he WILL be your president. He is not dissing white people when he doesn't correct them. I wonder if you even know any "bi-racial" people. When you see Halle Berry or Derek Jeter or Alicia Keyes or Carol Channing for that matter, what do you see? Do you SEE bi-racial? If you saw any of them on the street would you go up to them and conduct an ethnic interview and then lecture them on how they should self-identify? No you wouldn't is my guess. Barack is not pretending. He is not hiding from anything or anyone. He wrote his first book long before he ever thought of running for president. There are some details in the book (written around 1995) that are pretty raw. In the context of the sanitized biographies people put out before they run for president, his book is refreshing. People don't know how to go at Barack and I love it. He doesn't fit any known mold. People keep trying to apply old strategies to defeat him. It just makes him stronger and the attackers look stupid. Barack is on another level people. Your silly earth weapons won't work on this man. Race? No. Dirty politics? No Fear mongering? No. Rumors? No. Misinformation? No. We are entering a new time. Get with it or step aside.

Posted at 7:39PM on Mar 1st 2008 by simonesdad2008

105. OK sillyme. You seem reasonable. Let's say for a moment that your scenario 1.a vote against Hillary as opposed to a vote for Barack in the primary 2. vote for McCain in the national election. and 3. that disaffected Hillary supporters will NOT support Barack. It doesn't make sense. You're counting on a 3 part concerted national effort to elect John McCain. John McCain, right? We are not talking about Ronald Reagan or JFK or Thomas Jefferson. We are talking about John McCain here. I think Bush has f'ed up enough to the point that this country, despite all of it's racial baggage, is actually considering finally turning the page on it's shameful history regarding people of color in this country. Now when we are force feeding democracy down the throats of the unwilling, we can have a shred of credibility. A black or brown or bi-racial president would send the message around the world that we are finally practicing what we preach. "All men are created equal"

Posted at 8:16PM on Mar 1st 2008 by simonesdad2008

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