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California Rodeo Clown Under Fire for "Racist Joke" About Michelle Obama ...
The San Luis Obisbo Tribune ^ | Monday, Sep. 17, 2012 | Julia Hickey

Posted on 09/17/2012 12:59:52 PM PDT by DogByte6RER

Rodeo clown was behind racist joke about Michelle Obama

Racist Rodeo Clown and Michelle Obama, Rodeo clown tells racist jokle about Michelle Obama

It was rodeo clown Mike Hayhurst of Barstow, not announcer Ed Kutz of Arroyo Grande, who made an offensive, racist joke about first lady Michelle Obama over the public-address system of the Creston Classic Rodeo, a rodeo board member confirmed Sunday.

Spectators initially believed and reported that Kutz made the comment Saturday. Both he and Hayhurst were on microphones at the same time.

Speaking Sunday on behalf of the rodeo’s nine-member board, Mike Barrett said the rodeo is not responsible for the joke and will ask Hayhurst for a letter addressing the issue and a public apology. The board will discuss at its next meeting whether it will fire Hayhurst, and it will review scripts for future performances by any clowns.

“We probably won’t be using his services in the future,” Barrett said of Hayhurst.

The joke, as told by Hayhurst, went like this: Playboy is offering Ann Romney $250,000 to pose in the magazine, and the White House is upset about it because National Geographic only offered Michelle Obama $50 to pose for them.

According to rodeo board member Tom Hansen, the joke fell flat.

“Creston didn’t find it funny. This isn’t the kind of thing we trade in,” Hansen said.

Hayhurst was not performing at the rodeo Sunday. He was taken to an area hospital Saturday evening for head injuries, Barrett said. He did not know whether the injuries were related to an incident at the rodeo Saturday in which a bull tossed Hayhurst into the air.

When reached on his cellphone Sunday and asked whether he wanted to apologize for the joke or explain his comment, Hayhurst said: “I cannot believe how insensitive you are. I am in the hospital.” He then uttered a vulgarity and hung up.

Hayhurst has performed at the Creston event for several years but is an independent contractor and not officially affiliated with the rodeo, Barrett said. According to Hayhurst’s website, prorodeoclown.com, he has performed as a rodeo clown since 1977. He was once a city police sergeant and is now a charter school administrator.

Kutz, who was erroneously identified as the one who made the comment in initial reports, declined to speak to The Tribune on Sunday.

At the rodeo Sunday, as organizers distanced themselves from the comment, several people in attendance said they were not offended by the joke and did not believe an apology was necessary.

A woman who refused to give her name but said she lives east of Creston said, “It’s called freedom of speech. I don’t think (Hayhurst) did anything out of the ordinary. ... Let’s not blow things out of proportion.”

Another man who lives in Creston, who also declined to be named, said, “It’s not racist at all. It’s a joke. If these people are offended by that, then they don’t need to come to our rodeo.”

But one woman, who also would not identify herself, said, “It’s offensive on many levels. It’s also offensive to women, and it’s not an appropriate comment for a public forum.”


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; Political Humor/Cartoons; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: 2012; 2012election; california; clown; flotus; joke; michelleobama; multicult; nationalgeographic; pc; racecard; racism; racist; rodeo; rodeoclown; thatsracist; whitehouse
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To: DogByte6RER

More like he’s in trouble for making fun of dear leader’s wife.


41 posted on 09/17/2012 1:25:05 PM PDT by RWB Patriot ("My ability is a value that must be purchased and I don't recognize anyone's need as a claim on me.")
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To: heartwood

Where was the racism?


42 posted on 09/17/2012 1:25:17 PM PDT by svcw (If one living cell on another planet is life, why isn't it life in the womb?)
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To: DogByte6RER

It’s mildly offensive, but still kind of funny.


43 posted on 09/17/2012 1:25:26 PM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
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To: heartwood

Those were the days. Some adolescent boys even resorted to looking through the Sears catalog women’s underwear section. NatGeo was infamous as material for adolescent boys. Of course, no one born after about 1970 remembers those days.


44 posted on 09/17/2012 1:25:26 PM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: DogByte6RER

Lame joke, all other matters aside, it’s not really funny


45 posted on 09/17/2012 1:26:41 PM PDT by muir_redwoods (Hopey changey Low emission unicorns and a crap sandwich)
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To: New Jersey Realist

I remember when I was a boy, that Playboy showed the breasts of white women, but never black women....what’s your point?

If there had been tribes with naked, or topless, white women in some GEOGRAPHIC location, I’m sure the magazine would have featured them at some point.


46 posted on 09/17/2012 1:30:24 PM PDT by FrankR (They will become our ultimate masters the day we surrender the 2nd Amendment.)
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To: MeganC
It is not racist per say but was in bad taste
and I always wonder what are people thinking did he not think he would get smacked for saying that. Come on people we are dealing with the thinned skinned Obama regime like it or not you have to watch what you say or it will be used against you. If I said all the things I think about Mr and Mrs Obama I would be in the gulag.
47 posted on 09/17/2012 1:30:24 PM PDT by funfan
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To: DogByte6RER

Why so much for Michelle?


48 posted on 09/17/2012 1:30:27 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: smokingfrog

One need not make up jokes about mo. Just transcribe the things she says and the jokes write themselves.


49 posted on 09/17/2012 1:30:34 PM PDT by MestaMachine (obama kills and bo stinks)
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To: DogByte6RER

50 posted on 09/17/2012 1:30:34 PM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet - Mater tua caligas exercitus gerit ;-{)
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To: DogByte6RER

The joke is they offered her $50 instead her do it for free. Black woman in Africa have been in NatGeo countless tines in the past. Have any of them ever been paid? Has a FLOTUS ever been paid for her picture appearing in any magazine?


51 posted on 09/17/2012 1:31:41 PM PDT by South40 ("Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance." - Barack Hussein Obama - Cairo, Egypt, June 4, 2009.)
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To: History Repeats

I think Maher’s “jokes” about Sarah Palin and Trig are far more offensive and Prez took $1MM donation from him.


52 posted on 09/17/2012 1:32:19 PM PDT by sanjuanbob
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To: New Jersey Realist
Remembering those pictures I'd suggest that maybe that was because, in comparison, white women didn't actually have breasts ~ and may I call your attention to the fact they never showed any asian women's breasts either~!

It was all about the size, not the race.

53 posted on 09/17/2012 1:33:13 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: DogByte6RER

That’s an insult to gorillas!!!


54 posted on 09/17/2012 1:34:12 PM PDT by dalereed
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To: DogByte6RER

Doesn’t National Geographic have standards?


55 posted on 09/17/2012 1:37:17 PM PDT by bray (If you vote for a communist what does that make you?)
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To: sanjuanbob

Everything spewed from Maher’s mouth is offensive to me.

He’s one guy I would love to pimp slap.


56 posted on 09/17/2012 1:37:17 PM PDT by History Repeats (Drink plenty of TEA, but avoid the Koolaid.)
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To: JoeProBono

LOL. That didn’t take long. Thank you for omitting Mooshelle’s body.


57 posted on 09/17/2012 1:38:05 PM PDT by matt1234 (As Obama sowed in the Arab Spring, so he is reaping in the Arab Fall.)
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To: DogByte6RER

Mild in comparison to the Liza and Rastus jokes. Still, it does convey a racial stereotype insulting to Blacks and all that does is give ammunition to the Obamaites.


58 posted on 09/17/2012 1:39:53 PM PDT by JimSEA
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To: MeganC

Back in the day the only place where adolescent boys could titter (pun intended) over forbidden sights were the articles in National Geographic showing photos of topless native women and girls, usually Africans or Micronesians who would look right at home in a Natural History museum Stone Age Life diorama. Photo shopping a bone in her nose might be thought in equally bad taste.


59 posted on 09/17/2012 1:41:05 PM PDT by katana (Just my opinions)
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To: funfan

“Come on people we are dealing with the thinned skinned Obama regime like it or not you have to watch what you say or it will be used against you. “

I don’t give a rats ass what anyone thinks or says about me!!!


60 posted on 09/17/2012 1:41:05 PM PDT by dalereed
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