MSNBC’s Toure, Who Said The N-Word On Air, Slams Paula Deen For Saying N-Word In Private

NewsBusters.org ^ | June 25, 2013 | Jeffrey Meyer

[Kaslin]

When the subject of race comes up, MSNBC has an odd habit of bringing on highly controversial guests with a history of racially insensitive comments to discuss race in America. Take for example the recent controversy surrounding chef Paula Deen whose contract with the Food Network was not renewed following revelations during a legal deposition that she had used the N-word in private conversation.

What better person for MSNBC to bring on to discuss Ms. Deen than its own N-word throwing host, who in August of 2012 chose to use the racial epithet on his show “The Cycle.” Appearing with fellow MSNBC host Thomas Roberts on June 25, Toure slammed Ms. Deen for what he called, “a representative now of an ideology that we thought was dead that we hoped was dead that some of us feared still existed in some people." [See video after jump. MP3 audio here.]

MSNBC’s Toure, Who Said The N-Word On Air, Slams Paula Deen For Saying N-Word In Private

Toure began his rant by ridiculously comparing Ms. Deen’s private commentary to accused murderer George Zimmerman:

The news you’ve already been reporting today. We had the Supreme Court talking about the Voting Rights Act and Justice Roberts conceding discrimination still exists. Right? And you just talked about the George Zimmerman trial, right? Where a young black man had somebody talking about black stereotypes and then he gets killed.

Toure didn’t stop there, claiming that, “She cannot be on a national stage because a national corporation cannot be associated with somebody who's feeling like that.” Really? This coming from a man who not only has used the N-word on air, but also questioned whether or not 9/11 was an inside job.  Toure has no basis to claim a company cannot employ an individual like Ms. Deen when NBC, owned by cable giant Comcast, continues to employ Toure who makes extreme comments on a regular basis.

No one is condoning Ms. Deen’s comments, but she made them in private, whereas Toure said the N-word on air, under the banner of MSNBC, which under his own definition, must mean MSNBC and its audience “continue to support...the empire, then you are saying racism does not matter to me.”

Toure, who suggested in a tweet yesterday that he hopes Justice Clarence Thomas doesn't celebrate many more birthdays -- is the last person MSNBC should use to be the arbiter of racial acceptance in America, and if he believes Ms. Deen has no place on television for her private comments then MSNBC should lead by example and not be “associated with somebody who's feeling like that.”

MSNBC

MSNBC Live

June 25, 2013

11:50 a.m. Eastern

THOMAS ROBERTS: So less than 24 hours before Paula Deen makes an appearance on the "Today" show to address the racism scandal, her sons are defending their mother against accusations that she used the "n" word in the past and suggest what they think is behind all these charges.

BOBBY DEEN: Neither one of our parents ever taught us to be bigoted towards any other person for any reason. I'm disgusted by the entire thing, because it began as extortion, and it has become character assassination.

ROBERTS: Alright, so obviously her reputation, her empire are both at stake here. Deen's contract with the food network, restaurants and cookbooks all worth an estimated $6.5 million a year but could she lose it all? We know that the Food Network has decided not renew her contract after June. Smithfield Foods is the latest company to cut their ties with Deen as their spokesperson just days after the Food Network again said it wasn't going forward with a new contract with her. Others like QVC are "reviewing" its deal with Deen while Sears, Target and Valentine Books are taking a wait-and-see approach. But at a restaurant in Savannah, Georgia she’s not short on support from fans and some are calling for a boycott of the Food Network for not renewing her contract. Joining me now, Toure, he’s co-host of MSNBC’s “The Cycle.” He’s also the author of who's afraid of post-blackness, what it means to be black now." So Toure it’s great to have you to talk about this. And as you know, she abruptly cancelled her "Today" show appearance last week. This is now going to be on the heels of releasing those two YouTube statements that didn't go over so well. How do you think she can redeem herself tomorrow? Obviously there’s been a lot of time and effort that’s been put in to her coming out tomorrow on the "Today" show.

TOURE: Well let me say this first. This story is not disconnected from what's going on. From the news you’ve already been reporting today. We had the Supreme Court talking about the Voting Rights Act and Justice Roberts conceding discrimination still exists. Right? And you just talked about the George Zimmerman trial, right? Where a young black man had somebody talking about black stereotypes and then he gets killed. Right? So these sorts of ideas we fear still exist in the world, still impact us. And when we see somebody come out and say, yes, these are things that I still believe in, that I still hold dear. This dream of a southern wedding, this traditional southern wedding. This is not stuff that makes Don Imus look bad, this is Trent Lott, stuff. This is really really ugly.

ROBERTS: But this is not an elected official. This is a lady that cooks butter sandwiches on the Food Network. She's not some type of ideological leader. She is a chef.

TOURE: Right, but she's a representative now of an ideology that we thought was dead that we hoped was dead that some of us feared still existed in some people. And she now becomes a symbol where if you continue to support the restaurants and the empire, then you are saying racism does not matter to me. Right? I only look at food and I would support somebody who would support those sort of things. Now look, there is an audience that will be defiant, that will say, I'm still going to those restaurants. I only want the food. I don't care what she thinks. All I care is what hits my plate. But she's no longer going to be able to be sort of ready for prime-time; she's a not-for-prime time player now. She cannot be on a national stage because a national corporation cannot be associated with somebody who's feeling like that.

ROBERTS: Well, unfortunately, because national corporations don't care about what she's saying around her kitchen table. They care about the fact that she's not worth dollar signs anymore. Whether or not her books are going to sell or the people are going to tune in for butter sandwiches to see her cook them up. That's true.

TOURE: But let me say one other thing. When her son’s say she didn't teach us these things -- well of course not. That's not how racism is passed down from generation to generation. It's not that she would sit in the kitchen and say hate black people--that's not how it goes. These messages come through in more implicate and subtle, nuanced ways. Now, not everybody who has a racist parent becomes racist but these messages come through in ways that they are not really alluding to.

[Resolute Conservative]

Really Paula, take your money and tell the media to get f___d. Retire. How many millions does it take?

[gov_bean_ counter]

MSNBC’s Toure, Who Said The N-Word On Air, Slams Paula Deen For Saying N-Word In Private

It's different though when you are down for the struggle, don't ya know...

[rhubarbk]

Toure is a way over-rated asshat with nothing to offer beyond his racist agenda blessed by our Dear Leader. He isn’t worth the pixels spent on him.

[Mr. Jeeves]

The word is private property, to be used only be credentialed members of the progressive elite as an intimate form of address that embraces, transforms, and mocks its racist usage by an earlier generation.

[windsorknot]

I just can't take a guy seriously that goes by the name Toure.

[Mears]

“Toure, who suggested in a tweet yesterday that he hopes Justice Clarence Thomas doesn’t celebrate many more birthdays -”

-

I can’t believe he’s getting away with something like this. It’s far more offensive to me than his use of the “n” word.

.

[wardaddy]

She could always claim

“But when I was a dogfart contract actress....they all said it to one another”

[rightwingintelligentsia]

There was some chick several years ago (Suzanne Malveaux, I think) who said she hoped Thomas’ wife fed him plenty of butter and eggs so that he’d have a heart attack.

[Dilbert San Diego]

What is a “Toure”?

Why does he go by one name? Is he a celebrity such as Elvis, Madonna, or Liberace, who is recognized by one name?

Why does a “Toure” get airtime on national TV? Because he’s liberal?

Why is it OK for a “Toure” to use the N word? Because he appears to be a member of an officially recognized grievance group?

[JamesP81]

Cannot make this stuff up...

[Maverick68]

Nobody’s truly offended anymore, they simply love the power that comes with pretending to be offended....simply tell them to get over it and move on....

[allendale]

Reflect for a minute on how the United states has descended into decadence. A character like Toure goes on national television, poses as a moral arbitrator and is taken seriously by a good percentage of the population. In fact he accurately reflects the values and sentiments of the curent President of the United States.

[clintonh8r]

That’s right. They don’t GAS what white people call them, but they like having it as a club to beat up guilt-ridden white liberals and we-want-to-please-everybody corporations.

[RginTN]

Guess only Robert ‘kkk’ Byrd is the only white person who can say the N word and be praised by leftists.

I’m so amused by leftists attacking Obama supporter Paula Dean.

[freedomson]

And the fake Rev. Sharpton is a genuine anti-Semite.

[Kaslin]

Re: A character like Toure goes on national television, poses as a moral arbitrator and is taken seriously by a good percentage of the population.

PMSNBC doesn't have that many viewers

[TexasCajun]

O-Tay Turde'