Posted on 09/17/2012 12:59:52 PM PDT by DogByte6RER
Rodeo clown was behind racist joke 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 rodeos 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 wont 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 didnt find it funny. This isnt 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 Hayhursts 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, Its called freedom of speech. I dont think (Hayhurst) did anything out of the ordinary. ... Lets not blow things out of proportion.
Another man who lives in Creston, who also declined to be named, said, Its not racist at all. Its a joke. If these people are offended by that, then they dont need to come to our rodeo.
But one woman, who also would not identify herself, said, Its offensive on many levels. Its also offensive to women, and its not an appropriate comment for a public forum.
More like he’s in trouble for making fun of dear leader’s wife.
Where was the racism?
It’s mildly offensive, but still kind of funny.
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.
Lame joke, all other matters aside, it’s not really funny
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.
Why so much for Michelle?
One need not make up jokes about mo. Just transcribe the things she says and the jokes write themselves.
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?
I think Maher’s “jokes” about Sarah Palin and Trig are far more offensive and Prez took $1MM donation from him.
It was all about the size, not the race.
That’s an insult to gorillas!!!
Doesn’t National Geographic have standards?
Everything spewed from Maher’s mouth is offensive to me.
He’s one guy I would love to pimp slap.
LOL. That didn’t take long. Thank you for omitting Mooshelle’s body.
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.
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.
“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!!!
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