Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Isaiah and Charles: What was good for one should be good for the other
In January of last year I thought Jasmyne Cannick went too lightly on Isaiah Washington. At the time I thought his homophobia went too far and that he should have lost his gig on Grey's Anatomy. My feelings weren't strong enough at the time to write about it, but at the time I thought that her defense of his actions was wrong.
Now, over a year later, I realize that Jasmyne was right. Looking at events in a broader context is made possible, in part, by time (If you somehow missed the story you can be brought up to date here). A lot can happen in a little over a year. Since the original Grey's Anatomy brouhaha, Jasmyne has become a press secretary for a US Congresswoman (she gets politics), traveled to Sierra Leone with Washington (she certainly knows him better than I) and has introduced us to Shirley Q. Liquor, a racist, sexist pig from Los Angeles. It's impossible for me to look at the drag performer and wonder: How can we slam Washington and then condone behavior like white drag queen putting on Blackface and mocking Black woman? In a world like this it's easy to see why Jasmyne would come to Washington's defense.
Jasmyne says it best:
You can help! Contact Charles Knipp's booking agent and say 'Enough.'
Now, over a year later, I realize that Jasmyne was right. Looking at events in a broader context is made possible, in part, by time (If you somehow missed the story you can be brought up to date here). A lot can happen in a little over a year. Since the original Grey's Anatomy brouhaha, Jasmyne has become a press secretary for a US Congresswoman (she gets politics), traveled to Sierra Leone with Washington (she certainly knows him better than I) and has introduced us to Shirley Q. Liquor, a racist, sexist pig from Los Angeles. It's impossible for me to look at the drag performer and wonder: How can we slam Washington and then condone behavior like white drag queen putting on Blackface and mocking Black woman? In a world like this it's easy to see why Jasmyne would come to Washington's defense.
Jasmyne says it best:
And while Isaiah Washington was unable to escape the wrath of gay America, Charles Knipp’s blackface minstrel show continues to be rewarded by gay Americans to the tune of $90k annually.Jasmyne has nothing to be sorry for, but her apology is here.
Imus may have called Black women "nappy-headed ho's," but it’s Knipp who routinely tries to bring that image to life onstage as Shirley Q. Liquor when she tries to recollect the names of her "chirrun" with his skit "Who Is My Baby Daddy? Cheeto, Orangello, Chlamydia, and Kmartina...”
I blame gay America, from the political leaders to the club owners, for turning a blind eye to Knipp’s blatantly racist routines that in his words are performed mostly for “gay men, their moms and rednecks.” We are the reason that his racist act continues to go nearly undetected on the race radar.
You can help! Contact Charles Knipp's booking agent and say 'Enough.'
Diva Central Inc.
7510 W. Sunset Blvd, Suite 1445
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Phone:(323) 864-1933
DivasandDjs@aol.com
By: Michael Rogers
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