Friday, September 02, 2005
Kanye West Is Pissed
As an obviously nervous and confused Mike Myers looked on, Kanye West infuriated NBC executives, got himself taken off the air, and vented the anger of a growing number of Americans.
As this is written, I've just stepped away from my television after watching most of the first hour of NBC's "Concert for Hurricant Relief." The live event, being simulcast on NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC, features artists and celebrities speaking and performing to raise money for the American Red Cross. Most of the artists featured call the Gulf Coast region home.
Myers and West appeared on-screen together after the conclusion of one of many moving performances by Harry Connick, Jr. and Winton Marsalis. Myers spoke first, obviously reading his part of the script from a teleprompter in front of him. When West spoke, he completely abandoned the script and proceed to unleash a diatribe against himself and the federal government. He criticized himself for shopping and dining out before making a donation and promised to have his business manager make the largest donation his fortune can handle. He criticized the federal government, and President Bush especially, for a very slow response to the catastrophe.
Myers took over at the designated point in the script, resuming his reading. At West's second turn, he spoke words that are sure to be discussed for some time: "George Bush doens't care about Black people."
Immediately after West's statement, and as he began another, NBC staff suddenly switched to a shot of Chris Tucker. Tucker was obviously caught off guard by the sudden cue, but picked up at his place in the script.
It was then that I decided to break my relative silence on the matter. I will be posting a number of items tonight on the situation in Louisiana and Mississippi. Some will be positivie. Others will not.
I am also revising the Labor Day Picnic speech that I'm scheduled to give for a gathering of Texas Democrats on Monday. It just doesn't seem that we have anything to celebrate now.
As this is written, I've just stepped away from my television after watching most of the first hour of NBC's "Concert for Hurricant Relief." The live event, being simulcast on NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC, features artists and celebrities speaking and performing to raise money for the American Red Cross. Most of the artists featured call the Gulf Coast region home.
Myers and West appeared on-screen together after the conclusion of one of many moving performances by Harry Connick, Jr. and Winton Marsalis. Myers spoke first, obviously reading his part of the script from a teleprompter in front of him. When West spoke, he completely abandoned the script and proceed to unleash a diatribe against himself and the federal government. He criticized himself for shopping and dining out before making a donation and promised to have his business manager make the largest donation his fortune can handle. He criticized the federal government, and President Bush especially, for a very slow response to the catastrophe.
Myers took over at the designated point in the script, resuming his reading. At West's second turn, he spoke words that are sure to be discussed for some time: "George Bush doens't care about Black people."
Immediately after West's statement, and as he began another, NBC staff suddenly switched to a shot of Chris Tucker. Tucker was obviously caught off guard by the sudden cue, but picked up at his place in the script.
It was then that I decided to break my relative silence on the matter. I will be posting a number of items tonight on the situation in Louisiana and Mississippi. Some will be positivie. Others will not.
I am also revising the Labor Day Picnic speech that I'm scheduled to give for a gathering of Texas Democrats on Monday. It just doesn't seem that we have anything to celebrate now.
