Shaq's a dumb jock. I don't think he's a racist, and I don't think he's a bad person. Just stupid. He was gifted with his size and ability to excel in putting a leather bound sphere through a slightly bigger orange loop. He speaks and millions unfortunately listen because of his fame. Don't let it bother you.
Texas Stroke, if more people were as willing to discuss and understand as you have exhibited, this site would be a lot better. Props to you for your willingness to listen regardless of the argument.
We have discussed this in great length before and I'm sure will be discussed again in a new thread which keeps coming up. Can we move on for once? Last time, a Clutch Crew finally locked the thread at the request of Timing. Can I request the same thing that this thread be locked?
Look I saw this thread late and it's pretty much played out it's string, so I'll just say one thing. Racist or not. Good guy or not. shaq attacked a HOUSTONIAN. Those of you who attend Friday's game better let that chump have it! At least when the starters are announced. Stand by your boy Ming.
just to show what an ignorant monkey Shaq really is. Did you guys know that he was practicing how to say i'm sorry in Canotonese? Yao speaks Mandarin...what an a-hole
people who call shaq's comments offensive and racist are idiots, plain and simple. i am chinese, i speak mandarin fluently; i heard shaq's comments (months ago, btw, on The Best Damn Sports Show Period, i think, or some other sports show) and i kinda chuckled about it. the interviewer asked shaq to say something to yao ming in chinese, shaq responded with "Tell Yao I said (insert fake chinese here)". that is racist? pathetic. this wouldn't even be an issue if some idiot on some radio show hadn't dug that quote up and played it over and over again without it's original context and that writer for asian weekly hadn't heard it then. THAT WAS NOT RACISM. there is a huge difference in parodying mandarin and using the n word to a black person. We might as well condemn Mike Myers for faking an English accent in Austin Powers. Hell, he used to dress up as a Jewish woman in Coffee Talk on SNL, why aren't we condemning him for anti-semitism as well as sexism? Then of course he had his own numerous skits where he played a chinese man, faking a chinese accent as well as the chinese language. Where is the crucification there? god, i might as well sue Chris Tucker for Rush Hour II for his numerous jokes about asian people, not to mention his horrific attempts at imitating the chinese language. hell, black people should sue jackie chan for the same movie, since there were jokes in there about black people. sheesh, let it go.
My Take - Shaq & Racism PS: 1. I am not simple minded, an idiot or over sensitive. But I can accept someone saying that to me. 2. I like Shaq as an NBA player and from what I have heard he seemed like a personable, caring individual. 3. Shaq's comments were not on some local radio show delivered in nonsenisal jibberish. 4. The above three noted items have nothing to do with the racist subject being discussed.
So Chinaman , where u from originally. I m sure there are some dumbass blacks out there who dont mind being called "N". That doesnt make it right. If you grew up here, I sure missed the chance to slant my eyes and ching chong in front of you every day in school, assXXXX.
By the way, dont get upset about my last post. It was only a joke. 70% would find it funny, the other 30% probably wont. If I offended you, i WOULD LIKE to apologize.
I think that movie spelled out what a knucklehead Tucker's character was. I don't remember him trying to speak Chinese until the end though. I've said my peace. I don't think Shaq is a bigot and I think he's actually a good guy. He just loves the attention and this was a misguided way for him to get some (though, I don't think the negative effect was what he wanted). However, I have never heard "ching chong" used in a positive way.
the movies is a controlled environment, and a reflection of what we're like (and wannabee) in real life, Rush Hour II is real entertainment well done, and Shaq is not an entertainer in terms of a comedian (so his jokes are dry and schitty), but he can fairly handle roles as in his movie "STEEL"..... besides, Jackie Chan told Chris Tucker to SHUT UP OR I'LL b**** SLAP YOU BACK TO AFRICA..... the movie was Yin & Yang fairly good so no complaint about that......
(Oops, wrong msg) the movies is a controlled environment, and a reflection of what we're like (and wannabee) in real life, Rush Hour II is real entertainment well done, and Shaq is not an entertainer in terms of a comedian (so his jokes are dry and schitty), but he can fairly handle roles as in his movie "STEEL"..... besides, Jackie Chan told Chris Tucker to SHUT UP OR I'LL b**** SLAP YOU BACK TO AFRICA..... the movie was Yin & Yang fairly good so no complaint about that...... Austin Powers intelligently and artistically spoke that old English..... and done in reasonably good taste......
As I said before "Ignorance breeds Complacency". Who the f*ck r u to call me an idiot, ignorant fool! You obviously don't understand the issue and have no right to judge those that have endured these types of comments growing up or dealing with it today. You are chinese, obviously growing up/born in a country other than America. Yao also didn't understand the joke and the history behind it, so properly he stated he didn't understand it and let it go. Asian-AMERICANs that grew up with these types of comments understand their use in our society. You don't, so please STFU, and don't call us idiots you POS. At least some intelligent posters on this board admitted they didn't understand the issue and asked for clarifications/opinions. Your post was truly ignorant, and made the viewing public dumber for reading it. (from the Seattle Times) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/134613887_kell120.html O'Neal's act groups him with Lott, Rocker Steve Kelley / Times staff columnist Shaquille O'Neal can't get away with this. He can't shrug it off with his typically impish, "Gee, I was only kidding." A radio show recently aired audio of a television interview in which O'Neal made comments about Yao Ming, Houston Rockets rookie center, that were every bit as racist and stupid and ignorant as anything ever uttered by Trent Lott or John Rocker. Talking about Yao, something Shaq often does with derision, O'Neal said, "Tell Yao Ming, 'ching-chong-yang-wah-ah-soh.' " O'Neal thinks he's a 21st century Renaissance man. He isn't. He's tried to be a rap star. He isn't. He's tried to be a movie star. He isn't. He's tried to be a comedian. He's not funny. This week, Shaq thought he was apologizing. He wasn't. Instead he mocked a columnist for AsianWeek, who had the audacity to criticize O'Neal for those remarks. "I said it jokingly," O'Neal said, his apology sounding suspiciously Lott-like, "so this guy was just trying to stir something up that's not there. He's just somebody who doesn't have a sense of humor, like I do." But this wasn't funny. This was racist and O'Neal was implying, as Lott did, that if the audience isn't laughing at him, it's because they lack a sense of humor. He's saying, "Mocking Chinese people is funny. Don't you get it?" His comments are toxic and he doesn't realize it. Yao, a bright young man and a rising star, has heard similar comments in practically every arena in the league. The first time I saw Yao in Portland, a group of fans in back of me was yelling the same kinds of things at him. People around those fans were laughing. They didn't get it either. "I mean if I was the first one to do it and the only one to do it, I could see what they're talking about," O'Neal said. That makes it OK? It's as if O'Neal is saying that anybody who was offended by his remarks either is too sensitive, too shrill, or too stiff. He's blaming the listener for his ignorance. According to Shaq Daddy, it isn't racist if he wasn't the first to say it, and since he's not the only one, then what's the big deal? Hey, he wasn't trying to be original, so why all the fuss? This is another example, like Rocker's three years ago, where the apology is every bit as offensive as the original remark. O'Neal is excusing every racist remark ever made by anybody to any group, because it's been said before. "If I offended anybody, I apologize," O'Neal said. In other words, if you're that weak that you can't take a joke, then, well, O'Neal feels sorry for you. I believe O'Neal is threatened by Yao. Earlier this season, when he still was recuperating from surgery, O'Neal was asked if he would be ready for the Lakers' first game against Yao. "Who?" he said with a snicker. Fear or apprehension is the trigger for most racist remarks. Maybe mocking Yao is O'Neal's way of dealing with him. After he strafed just about every minority in the infamous Sports Illustrated article, Rocker unsuccessfully tried to apologize. To this day, I don't think he realizes what he did and doesn't understand why so many people were so mad. Rocker was suspended after the article. I don't think O'Neal should be suspended if he makes a more serious attempt at an apology. He needs to know he offended more than one "over-sensitive" Asian columnist. He needs to be educated. O'Neal needs to show some remorse. He must admit his remarks were wrong. He needs to promise he'll do better, that he'll think more about the consequences of such flip comments. He needs to make some gesture to Los Angeles' Chinese-American community that is real and not forced. I've always liked O'Neal and I sympathize with how difficult this season, recovering from his surgery, has been. I don't think his image should be forever tarnished, but it's up to him to repair it. There's nothing wrong with saying, "I was wrong." Shaquille O'Neal was wrong and shouldn't be allowed to get away with his Lott-like, non-apology apology.
In Shaq's case, it's good to be a "brother." Congrats to him for being that. But, I'd rather be an over achiever than an affirmative action brother.
OK. since you guys don't want to stop discussing this, I am going to add some more stuff. Shaq misses the point about his ignorant remarks Commentary: Steve Dilbec January 13, 2003 He just doesn't get it. You hope one day he will, but there is certainly reason to wonder. Reason to fear it is only a matter of time before Shaquille O'Neal once again unloads another verbal plunder, that at best should embarrass him, and at worst, bring him shame. We've all seen O'Neal make outrageous comments before, but Friday was something even for someone with his unique history. His adolescent attempt at humor backfired. Shaquille O'Neal is not a racist. Anyone who knows him can safely say this, despite Friday's disturbing news that he made comments mocking the Chinese nationality of Houston Rockets center Yao Ming and has become friends with Louis Farrakhan, the anti-Semitic leader of the Nation of Islam. In addition to being a dominating superstar, O'Neal is so good-hearted, so playful, so generally likeable, that he is constantly allowed to get off easy when he makes what for most anyone else would be damning transgressions of common sense and basic maturity. More than six months ago O'Neal went on a Fox cable show, whose main demographic is someone mentally frozen in a frat party. When asked about Yao, O'Neal turned to the camera and said: "Tell Yao Ming, 'Ching-chong-yang-wah-ah-soh,' " and then launched into some pseudo-kung fu. It tells you something about who watches this show that this went under the radar until being picked up on a national radio show last month. That led to a column by Irwin Tang in AsianWeek, calling O'Neal a racist. "I have friends from every walk of life," O'Neal said. "I said it as a joke. It was a 70-30 joke. Seventy percent funny, 30 percent not funny." No, it was 100 percent not funny. "If I hurt anyone's feelings, I'm sorry," O'Neal said. If he hurt anyone's feelings? And if he didn't, then no big deal? "I'm not the first comedian to do that," O'Neal said. "You guys know I'm funny every now and then. The whole world knows I'm funny, every now and then. If I was the first one to ever do it, or the only one to do it, I could see what they're talking about. It's an old joke that's been done before." He just doesn't get it. Hey, O'Neal, you're not a comedian, you're an NBA superstar. Kids watch you, worship you, are influenced by you. "People who know me, know I'm not (racist)," O'Neal said. "It's this guy's (Tang's) opinion. It's not going to make me upset. It's not going to make me call him. It's not going to make me punch him in his face when I see him. He's just somebody who doesn't have a sense of humor like I do." That's all this is, just a difference of humor on an old joke. There's probably some people who still make watermelon jokes, too, but I don't think O'Neal would appreciate it. After he finished his apology before Friday's game, O'Neal walked away to the team lounge, turned back to reporters, and then made a couple of kung-fu moves. He just doesn't get it.
cmellon,I will reiterate that Shaq isn't a bigot, just an uneducated brother. He means no harm in his actions. He just doesn't know any better.
Whatever Shaq's intention is, the best thing for him is to stay silent for this matter. Coz everytime he gives reasons or he tries to explain, he just brings something even worse. I don't know what his apology is for. If he doesn't mean it, then don't say it. 1) He said he is not the first one to make this joke, so what's the big deal? This to me is more like his reasoning why he is right. So he should not apologize if he thinks he is right. 2) 70-30? I am not sure. Maybe only to him it's funny. And to people who think Asians can't play sports. To a neutral person, his statement is not funny. 3) He thinks Irwin Tang does not have a sense of humor like Shaq does. I guess Shaq still does not know that many people got offended by his remark. 4) Repeating kungfu moves to reporters after "apologizing" for his remark. No comment. What is he trying to do again here? Joking?
