Tuesday, February 28, 2017

"Completely Colorblind"

Not entirely TV related, but I thought this was interesting in light of our readings/conversation today. Recently, a photo was discovered of Louisiana state legislature candidate Robbie Gatti in extremely caricaturized blackface make up. The photo was taken 15 years ago at a church party; Gatti says he was in costume as Tiger Woods and didn't know the racist history of blackface performance.

Here are two sections of his apology:

"I would never do this again," he said. "I have too many black pastors that are friends. I am completely colorblind. I don't have a racist bone in my body. In fact, I think some of those photos [from the party 15 years ago] were taken standing with African-American friends of mine, which is why I believe they are so tightly cropped."

"I dressed up as Tiger Woods," he said. "Woods was at the height of his success at the time. He was the number one golfer in the world. This was before his troubles [with infidelity became public]."

What do you make of this—both in terms of the apology (that seems to have been cobbled together from every other "white person caught being racist" apology from the past few years), as well as his emphasis on Woods' celebrity status as being an important element of the context?


1 comment:

  1. Obviously, it is completely fabricated to ensure his naïveté is a form of innocence. However, I can see through it. Especially when he said "This was before his troubles [with infidelity became public]" as if this is supposed to make his act of blackface complacent? Excuse me Mr. Gatti, don't skew your racist act by trying to shine on Woods' marital problems. #checkyourself

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