Do you feel Rosie O'Donnells remarks were racist?

Question

No I'm not a big fan of Rosie, but after reading an article of what she said I really didn't find it offensive or racist, she was trying to make a joke, a bad one at that. I think America is becoming too sensitive that when someone makes a joke, everyone cries. Well anyway, she appologized and some organizations say it's not enough, then what is enough then, to kill her? Maybe so, but would that mean we gotta kill every comedian that makes a racial or ethnic joke including blacks who use the "N" word. I think some people are overly sensitive and that in turns ruins everyone elses life by having all these bans and everyone having to be so damn PC.

She used the term "Ching Chong" continously when talking about Danny DeVito.

Answer 1

It was a bad joke but not racist. What a bunch of whiners. Some people really need to get lives.

Answer 2

Hi there.

I asked a similar question. Here's my personal take on it being an Asian American (half Chinese)...

On the one hand, I get the context of her joke. It was more about Danny Devito than the Chinese language. She was making a point that Danny's drunk visit on the show became "international" news. She just happened to pick China or the Chinese News to support her point. I get it.

On the other hand, I grew up with people saying, "Ching Chong" to me and at that time, I found it COMPLETELY inappropriate and hurtful! When these people said it, they said it to be mean. They said it to poke fun.

I don't believe Rosie said it to be racist against Chinese people. I truly feel she meant to be funny...but accidentally hurt people in the process.

Answer 3

I can tell the most of the respondents to this question probably did not grow up with other children taunting them with words like "Ching chong." Those words mean something very different for Asian Americans who faced constant ridicule and cruel teasing by their classmates. I think those are words that wouldn't be used by a sensitive, culturally aware person. Just as certain words for African-Americans are considered deblase racial epithets, so are some for Asian Americans. I don't think it's a matter being PC, it's a matter of caring about someone period.

Outrage Grows Over Rosie O'Donnell's Asian Joke

TUESDAY DECEMBER 12, 2006 11:20 AM EST

By Cynthia Wang and Stephen M. Silverman

Members of the Asian-American community are expressing offense over remarks made by Rosie O'Donnell last week on The View.

Commenting on Dec. 5 about a visit to the ABC show by an inebriated Danny DeVito, O'Donnell said: "The fact is that it's news all over the world. That you know, you can imagine in China it's like: 'Ching chong. Danny DeVito, ching chong, chong, chong, chong. Drunk. The View. Ching chong.' "

O'Donnell wrote on her Web site on Friday, "It was not my intent to mock." On Sunday, she called the bit "comedy" and wrote, "I do many accents and probably will continue to. My mom in law impression offends some southerners. What can u do? I come in peace."

Over the weekend, O'Donnell's rep, Cindi Berger, said in a statement: "She's a comedian in addition to being a talk show co-host. I certainly hope that one day they will be able to grasp her humor."

But the explanation did not satisfy many, including New York City councilman John C. Liu, who sent a letter to View executive producer Barbara Walters.

Liu told FOXNews.com on Monday: "The 'ching-chong' bit is not a trivial matter. It really hits a raw nerve for many people in the community – many like myself, who grew up with these kinds of taunts. We all know that it never ends at the taunts."

He added, "It's just stupidity, and it's stupidity that justifies a response from someone who has been indignant herself when it comes to comments made by other people where she has perceived it as being negative against a particular community." (O'Donnell recently clashed with Kelly Ripa over what she considered a homophobic remark.)

On Monday, the group UNITY: Journalists of Color, which represents more than 10,000 journalists with partner organizations (the Asian American Journalists Association, the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and the Native American Journalists Association), issued a statement.

It reads, in part: "By allowing O'Donnell's cheap jab at Chinese Americans to go unchecked, the network is essentially condoning racial and ethnic slurs. It's a practice that should not be tolerated in today's diverse society. That's our view."

Answer 4

Her remarks were very racist, and her half-hearted apology seemed like it was forced by the producers. It's not an apology when the audience is laughing its way through the so called apology. Her claims that she didn't know the remarks were offensive is a load of crap, since mocking the language of any culture is offensive. I never liked her in the past, was slowly supporting her when she came out, but now I can't stand her even more aver this latest load of crap. With Bob Barker or not, I still will always the Price is Right at 10 am instead of the View.

Answer 5

Unfortunately, making fun of another person's language is often a secret way of discriminating against that person and group of people. All languages, we believe, are equally effective as forms of communication, so if people think that one language is better than another, it must not be because of the language itself, but because of the group of people it's associated with. I see discrimination of this type continually, especially here on Yahoo! Answers where people complain about Ebonics, "bad grammar" and so forth. This is why one linguist has called linguistic discrimination the last acceptable form of discrimination.

In addition, language and culture are often inseparable at times, so it might not be really possible to make fun of a language without also making fun of a culture.

Do I think that Rosie O'Donnell is a bad person? Not necessarily. But I do think that making fun of another's language is inappropriate.

Answer 6

Yes and no...

I think this a CLASSIC situation of how when you DISH IT youhave to be able to TAKE IT and she has set the atmosphere for her "words" and "opinions" to now be put under a major microscope, because she does it to other people (the whole kelly Rippa thing).

Bottom line, when you are in the public eye, you have to be careful and hold yourself accountable for making comments that COULD be offensive, even if they were not intended to be.

Answer 7

I agree with you that it was a bad joke. I saw the clip and think this is getting a little out of hand. But if people of that nationality are offend, we should take that into consideration.

Answer 8

I think it was unknowingly offensive. And I do think that her apology was sincere.
As for M. Roberts & his N word rant...THAT was racist & offensive. Everyone in the Laugh Factory was offended not just the African American people.

Answer 9

Comedians everywhere should be pissed off at you for grouping her in with them. I was waiting to talk to a DA one time when someone blurted out "all lawyers are assholes!" I looked at him and said "I am offended by that." He replies "so you're an attorney?" I said "no, I'm an asshole."

Answer 10

I dont think it was racest. i say ching chong all the time, people need to settle down