All posts containing the tag: "al sharpton"
Posted Oct 12th 2009 9:00AM by TMZ Staff
Al Sharpton is playing some serious defense for the St. Louis Rams -- The Rev has launched an all-out blitz to keep Rush Limbaugh from buying the NFL franchise.
In the wake of several reports that Limbaugh is serious about becoming an NFL owner, Sharpton fired off a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, begging the football honcho to reject Rush from the league.
In the letter, Sharpton tells Goodell, "Rush Limbaugh has been divisive and anti-NFL on several occasions with comments about NFL Players including Michael Vick and Donovan McNabb."
In 2003, Limbaugh famously argued that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was getting special treatment in the press because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed.
But in his letter, Sharpton brought up another Rush-centric controversy, adding that Rush's "recent statement that the NFL was beginning to look like a fight between the Crips and the Bloods without the weapons, was disturbing."
Sharpton's letter comes in the wake of public opposition from the head of the NFL Players Association, who also asked Goodell to reject Rush from the league.
Filed under: Talk Sports
Tags: al sharpton, AlSharpton, nfl, rush limbaugh, RushLimbaugh
Posted Sep 3rd 2009 9:59PM by TMZ Staff
UPDATE 8:10 PM PT: The Jackson family has arrived -- only an hour and ten minutes late.
Rest in peace, Michael Jackson.
UPDATE 8:00 PM PT: The Jackson family has still not arrived ... the service was scheduled to begin an hour ago. Some of the guests arrived around 6:30.
UPDATE: Lisa Marie Presley -- Michael's ex-wife -- just arrived. Corey Feldman is there too.
The star-studded crowd is arriving at Michael Jackson's funeral -- Liz Taylor, Barry Bonds, Macaulay Culkin, Mila Kunis, Chris Tucker, Al Sharpton and more...
Meanwhile, the family has still not left their Encino compound.
Does the fashionably late rule apply to a funeral?!
Filed under: Michael Jackson, Photo Galleries
Tags: al sharpton, AlSharpton, chris tucker, ChrisTucker, corey feldman, CoreyFeldman, elizabeth taylor, ElizabethTaylor
Posted Aug 7th 2009 2:03PM by TMZ Staff
Paula Abdul's scatterbrained quotables on the "American Idol" panel will be missed by many people -- but Reverend Al. Sharpton sure ain't one of 'em.
Filed under: Paparazzi Video, American Idol
Tags: al sharpton, AlSharpton, american idol, AmericanIdol, judge, paula abdul, PaulaAbdul
Posted Jul 5th 2009 1:00PM by TMZ Staff
Jesse Jackson, with Al Sharpton by his side, talked very solemnly to our photog last night about the overwhelming reaction to Michael Jackson's death.
BTW -- isn't it odd that Al Sharpton didn't say a word?
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: Al Sharpton, AlSharpton, Jesse Jackson, JesseJackson, Michael Jackson, MichaelJackson
Posted Jun 25th 2009 6:15PM by TMZ Staff
TMZ just received the following statement from Al Sharpton:
"A friend of Michael's for the last 35 years, I call on people around the world to pray for him and his family in the hour.
I have known Michael since we were both teens, worked with him, marched for him, hosted him at our House of Justice headquarters in New York, and we joined together to eulogize our mutual idol, James Brown.
I have known him at his high moments and his low moments and I know he would want us to pray for his family."
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: al sharpton, AlSharpton, dead, death, dies, michael jackson, MichaelJackson
Posted Mar 15th 2009 1:35PM by TMZ Staff
Comedian Jackie Mason used what some say is a racial epithet in describing President Barack Obama during his act Thursday night, infuriating at least several people in the crowd.
During a performance at Feinstein's at Loews Regency in NYC, Mason referred to Obama as a "schwartza" -- some say it's equivalent to the "N" word -- others say it's just part of the Yiddish culture and a literal translation of the word "Black."
We're told one person walked out fuming, "He's more offensive to the Jews than Madoff tonight."
We spoke with Mason by phone a few minutes ago, and he was outraged at the criticism, saying, "I'm not going to defend myself. Chris Rock has told a lot more jokes about whites than I have against Blacks. What about the demeaning words Blacks say about Jews?"
Mason added, "If it's a racist society, the white people are the ones being persecuted because they have to defend themselves." Mason called people like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson "professional racists."
Mason added, "I'm an old Jew. I was raised in a Jewish family where 'schwartza' was used. It's not a demeaning word and I'm not going to defend myself."
And there was this parting shot: "I'm more talented than Oprah Winfrey and look at how much she makes. I can't even make a living."
UPDATE: Rev. Al Sharpton just sent us this statement:
"At this stage in Jackie's life and career he should get our prayers more than our responses. It is sad that maybe he forgot he used the same term against Mayor David Dinkins when he was elected the first African-American Mayor of New York City and got in trouble for it. As for him attacking me, maybe he forgot that he has had me on his TV show and has taken me to dinner and commended me for forgiving a white male who tried to kill me by stabbing me while I was leading a non-violent march. I'm sure Jackie just forgot."
Filed under: Barack Obama, Exclusives
Tags: Al Sharpton, AlSharpton, Barack, Bernie Madoff, BernieMadoff, Chris Rock, ChrisRock, Feinsteins, Jackie Mason, jackie mason scwartza, JackieMason, JackieMasonScwartza, jesse jackson, JesseJackson, Jewish, Loews regency, LoewsRegency, madoff, new york city, NewYorkCity, nyc, Obama, oprah, Oprah Winfrey, OprahWinfrey, President Barack Obama, PresidentBarackObama, schwartza
Posted Feb 18th 2009 9:20AM by TMZ Staff
The Reverend Al Sharpton is putting the smack down on the New York Post, suggesting racism could be a factor in a political cartoon featured in this morning's edition.
The cartoon (by Sean Delonas) comes in the wake of yesterday's national news story about the cop who shot and killed a rampaging chimp in Connecticut. But the controversy in the comic comes from the dialogue between the two officers -- which reads, "Now they will have to find someone else to write the stimulus bill."
Before most of you woke up, Sharpton already fired off a statement saying, "The cartoon in today's New York Post is troubling at best given the historic racist attacks of African-Americans as being synonymous with monkeys. One has to question whether the cartoonist is making a less than casual reference to this when in the cartoon they have police saying after shooting a chimpanzee that "Now they will have to find someone else to write the stimulus bill."
"Being that the stimulus bill has been the first legislative victory of President Barack Obama (the first African American president) and has become synonymous with him it is not a reach to wonder are they inferring that a monkey wrote the last bill?"
Calls to the Post have not been returned.
UPDATE: The editor-in-chief of the NY Post just released this statement: "The cartoon is a clear parody of a current news event, to wit the shooting of a violent chimpanzee in Connecticut. It broadly mocks Washington's efforts to revive the economy. Again, Al Sharpton reveals himself as nothing more than a publicity opportunist."
Filed under: Celebrity Feuds, Politix
Tags: al sharpton, AlSharpton, comic, comic strip, ComicStrip, monkey, new york post, NewYorkPost, racial, racist, stimulus
Posted Aug 1st 2008 1:46PM by TMZ Staff
TMZ has learned Rev. Al Sharpton's daughter was rushed to the emergency room earlier this week after she was run over by a car outside her dad's NY office building -- and all on the day before her 22nd birthday!
According to Sharpton's spokesperson Rachel Noerdlinger, Dominique Sharpton was "hit by a car the day before yesterday while outside of National Action Network's headquarters in Harlem while walking with two co-workers. A car pulled into the gas station at full speed and she was pinned to the car. Her father rushed home and she is on crutches with several stitches but she is fine and grateful for the outpouring of support from around the country."
As far as we know, Imus has not been named a suspect ... yet.
Filed under: Breaking News, Nurse!
Tags: al sharpton, AlSharpton
Posted May 20th 2008 1:21PM by TMZ Staff
While political pundits debate whether the First Lady is fair game, Prince Von A-Hole reiterated his disdain for Michelle Obama -- and his fondness for Bush -- as in Laura.
And if you want to see the Prince scream at the top of his lungs outside the Ivy -- keep watching.
Filed under: Wacky & Weird
Tags: al sharpton, AlSharpton, michelle obama, MichelleObama, prince von anhalt, PrinceVonAnhalt
Posted May 10th 2008 9:34AM by TMZ Staff
The Rev. Al Sharpton may need to reach further into his pockets to pay his debts. A whopping 1.5 mil!
Government records obtained by the AP suggest that the Rev and his business entities owe nearly $1.5 million in overdue taxes and associated penalties.
The U.S. attorney is investigating his nonprofit group. Sharpton's lawyers and the staff of his nonprofit group, dispute the size of the debt under investigation and have been negotiating with the federal government. The group has also been trying to pay off tens of thousands of dollars it owes for failing to properly maintain workers compensation and unemployment insurance.
The Wesley Snipes school of tax evasion may have another graduate!
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Tags: al sharpton, AlSharpton
Posted Dec 27th 2007 2:16PM by TMZ Staff
He might be a rabble-rouser of the first order, but when Rev. Al Sharpton gets his morning joe, he's all peace and love, man.
TMZ spotted the Rev. getting revved up with a little Starbucks on the Upper West Side, and when he flashed a genuine peace sign at the bidding of one photog, he took pains to make sure it was interpreted properly: "Don't say it was a gang sign," he cautioned.
Let's see: Starbucks + Upper West Side + Al Sharpton? Not adding up to gang territory, exactly.
Filed under: Paparazzi Video, Wacky & Weird
Tags: Al Sharpton, AlSharpton
Posted Oct 31st 2007 6:14PM by TMZ Staff
TMZ has learned that Dog the Bounty Hunter has already contacted Rev. Al Sharpton, hoping to explain the racist telephone call Dog made to his son.
We're told The Rev, who is currently preaching in Daytona Beach, Fla., and hasn't heard the tape, is considering having a dialog with Chapman, but will not make his decision until he has a chance to listen.
UPDATE: TMZ has received the following statement from The Rev:
"Reverend Al Sharpton's National Action Network and the organization's Decency Initiative are unequivocally against the use of the "N" word in any context. While people have the freedom to express themselves in any matter in private, when those private conversations become public, it becomes our responsibility to state, as we always have, that we condemn the use of this word as racist and derogatory. Dog the Bounty Hunter has reached out to Reverend Sharpton who is traveling to promote his March on the U.S. Justice Department on November 16th against Hate Crimes and Racial Attacks and therefore Rev. Sharpton has not had a chance to hear the audio of the remarks. However, until he does hear the audio, National Action Network maintains that is against the use of the "N" word."
Story developing ...
Filed under: TV, Meltdowns
Tags: al sharpton, AlSharpton, dog chapman, dog the bounty hunter, DogChapman, DogTheBountyHunter, reverand, the rev, TheRev
Posted Jul 19th 2007 12:17PM by TMZ Staff
Justin Timberlake celebrated the opening of his new Manhattan restaurant with young Hollywood pals like Lance Bass, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Seth Green and ... Rev. Al Sharpton?! Robo say what?!
With no entertainment websites to falsely accuse of racism, the good Reverend got his BBQ on at JT's Southern Hospitality on the Upper East Side. Saucy!
Nice to see Al enjoying the Memphis-style hoedown!
Filed under: Hot Bodies
Tags: Al Sharpton, AlSharpton, Justin Timberlake, JustinTimberlake
Posted Jul 14th 2007 3:04AM by TMZ Staff
Happy birthday Jessica Simp... Oh my God! Check out those hot chicks next door!
If Dave Navarro ever asks you to hang at his pad, just decline. Check out the video to see why.
Click here... it's not over yet
Filed under: Celebs Caught on Tape
Tags: al sharpton, AlSharpton, dave navarro, DaveNavarro, harvey levin, HarveyLevin, jessica simpson, JessicaSimpson, nick lachey, NickLachey
Posted Jul 10th 2007 2:02PM by TMZ Staff
The Reverend Al Sharpton and our very own Harvey Levin went head-to-head over RobohoGate.
TMZ used the word "Roboho" two weeks ago in a humorous fashion review to describe an outfit Beyonce wore in performance at the BET Awards. In a statement to TMZ, The Rev said the use of the word was racist and misogynistic. TMZ respectfully disagreed.
Listen to both arguments -- and vote!
Filed under: Celebrity Feuds, Beyonce Knowles
Tags: al sharpton, AlSharpton, harvey levin, HarveyLevin
