?uestlove Apologizes for “Dumb” Japanese Remarks
By Lora Neng
WWW.STREETGANGS.COM STAFF WRITER
December 27, 2013
Struggling to tread the line of safe racial humor, ?uestlove formally apologized for insensitive remarks made while touring Japan. Nevermind that he deferred to his friends of Asian descent; it appears impossible to make a joke about another race without being branded a racist.
Reversing the “L” and “R” in the caption of a decorated clock train, he tagged his manager on Instagram, “Hey @dawnenglehart is it racist for me to write the Sour Tlain? #chipanesedownunder2013.” Englehart responded, “Nah you’re in The Loots. You’re … Arrowed;” while Padma Lakshmi chimed in, “Hahahaha ha! You ruys clack me lup.”
Englehart later allegedly commented, “It’s not lacist if it’s taloo;” Lakshmi: “and I get a yellow pass anyway.”
“i *thought* that comparison was funny-cute … and clearly i thought wrong,” wrote ?uestlove after an unsurprising outcry. “I’m a human being and dumber yet, i’m a public figure […] given that black culture consistently finds itself at the butt end of so many offensive “outsider” jokes, I should be way, way more sensitive (after all, who’s zooming who). I for one, should never allow my cultural bias to take precedence over my ‘examined life’ (clunkers be damned). i know the whole kinder and gentler thing reeks of a self serving political correctness, but eff it, it’s ‘all me’.”
It is funny that 1 person can ruin a funny comment and label someone a racist. Most people who read this are on the same page and take it in stride. I make fun of my best friends gwock all of the time. He is japanese american and im irish white american. Our third leg is the son of mexican immigrants. Talk about being the butt of jokes. Everyone needs to step back and laugh when needed. Btw all three of us call our sidearms gwocks now.