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I am 52. When I hear the phrase, "Feets don't fail me now," I immediately think of it as the stock expression for frightened, bug-eyed black men from films of the 1930s and '40s. While it played on a racial stereotype, I thought it was just funny ethnic humor. It didn't make me think less of blacks. On the contrary, I thought the black performers were funny at what they did.

Berman is close to my age. I'm sure he knows the phrase best in the same way I do. And I'm also sure he is not a racist or bigot.

The salient point being made here is the double standard at work. If a known conservative had made the same remark, likewise in an innocent way, he would be excoriated in the media. There would be calls by "civil rights" groups for the guy to be suspended or fired.

(BTW, I never heard of that album from the 1970s, which apparently was playing on the '30s-'40s expression. I didn't listen to that band.)

I am 54. When I hear the phrase, "Feets don't fail me now," I immediately think of it as a great album from the '70s. In fact a google search of the phrase in quotes comes up with nearly 13,000 hits and the entire 1st page is all about the song.

governsleastgovernsbest ... Yes I agree with you. If Rush had said this he would have been hammered for it, but not by me as I wouldn't have seen it as racist. Come to think of it, if it wasn't for this thread I would have never thought it a racist phrase, now I'll have to double clutch and think before I'm in a black club and feel the urge to shout. "Feets don't fail me now!"

If I was the owner of the club, I'd buy me a drink and laugh knowing that I'm a bit more secure with my life as a black man than the politically correct crowd.