A Few Tips to Date after Joining an Interracial Dating Site

Interracial dating has gained popularity throughout the country and people are getting more open towards it, some find it a great way to find the love of their life and some find it exciting to date someone outside their race and acast. Most of the common dating website has a database of millions of active users but most of the people available there are not open to interracial relationships that’s the reason we suggest you specialty dating websites that can help you find the best dating partner as per your needs.

We appreciate that you have joined an interracial dating site to find your partner and if you haven’t joined yet then try the best interracial dating site – AfroRomance to find the most suitable partner for self, they have got the best database of singles looking for a relationship outside the religion and cast.

Studies suggest that around 83% of the women fantasize about being in the interracial relationship and more than 60% of the women have erotic fantasies about having a physical relationship with a person belonging to the different race. So guys, take it as a positive sign and make your interracial dating profile stronger to attract more women to date, here are some of our tips to strengthen your online dating game.

Be the true you on interracial dating site

Your profile is going to be your first impression, before having a conversation with you the person is going to accept you on the basis on your profile, here are some of the tips to create a compelling profile.

Honesty: interracial dating is quite different from the general dating game; people at interracial dating sites are more cautious and curious about your true behavior. Being honest with your expectation and your true nature is the best way to find love on interracial dating sites.

Purpose: people at interracial dating sites are looking for bit extra; they will be expecting to know the purpose of your life and purpose behind what brought you to try interracial dating.

The sense of humor: a good sense of humor is a guarantee that you are going to keep him/her happy and you are not a kind of person who stresses over every small thing.

Exchange your phone number if possible

If you like the behavior of the person you are talking to and if you are truly impressed with the things he do then don’t wait for the right moment to ask for contact. You can ask for the number just after 2-3 conversations, no one like to drag the communication over chat.

Do not set very high standards

Staying patient is the key to acquire success in an interracial relationship; you won't be getting an eligible partner on the very first day of enrolling yourself on the online dating platform. Instead of setting the high standard and discarding every profile on the basis on the first impression is a wrong idea, if you are serious about finding a suitable partner then get into the conversation with as many people as you can. Getting in a conversation will make you understand the general behavioral pattern or people from the different community and it will also make you understand their expectations.

Stay patient and open minded

Tighten-up your seat belts guys you are going to experience all new phase your life. You need to prepare yourself to stay patient and open-minded towards their culture and behavior, most of the time people don’t know how to talk and behave to someone unfamiliar to their community.

For the first few conversations; it is advised to stay away from indulging into a serious conversation about politics, stereotypes, culture, etc. instead of getting involved in serious communication you can talk about some interesting stuff like favorite movie, favorite marvel character, favorite music, last place you visited, hobbies, etc. In my case I prefer to have a rapid fire round, this gives me the idea about the general behavior patterns and preferences of a person.

Do not hesitate to ask your dating partner to meet you

If you had a healthy conversation with the person then there is nothing you should be waiting for, you can move ahead with asking him/her for a first casual date. There are some of the precautions that you should be taking before meeting someone for the first time:

• Always have your first date in public places, like meeting up for a casual coffee or lunch date.
• Its best advised to pre-plan everything and follow every precautionary measure.
• Let your closed one know about your first date and let them know about the place you are going to and the personal details of the person with whom you have planned a date.
• Leave if you feel uncomfortable. Period. At any point of date if you get the feeling like the person you are having a date is not right person then feel free to leave at any point.
• Keep some self-defense equipment like pepper spray or stun gun.

We appreciate your choice of choosing the online dating platform to find your dream date but your personal security is in your own hand and we advise every user to take some precautionary measures until you feel comfortable with the person.

2014: The Year Black Men (Collectively) Took An "L".

I refrained from commenting on yesterday's video in #StreetHarassment because something about the entire situation just didn't sit right with me. I still don't quite know what it is. This post is an attempt to figure it out, with your help.

Sorry, I can't ignore the racial politics at play in that video. Yes, the street harassment is unsightly and that's something that certainly needs to be addressed. I learned a thing or two from watching this, much of which makes having a daughter suddenly very scary.

But come on, there's definitely some selective editing going on. The creator of the video (a white guy) said there were plenty of white dudes who also catcalled her, but they had problems capturing the audio or some such nonsense. Really?

Ray Rice. Adrian Peterson. Jesse Matthew. Mike Brown. Random N-Words on a street corner calling women "Mami".

Darn near every viral media story that's "inspiring a national conversation on [insert cause that people have been discussing for years in the privacy of their own homes here]" this year has involved a black protagonist (or victim) in some way.

Brothers have been catching a serious "L" in 2014. January can't get here quick enough.

I can't help but think that there's some connecting of the dots here that's somewhat deliberate in nature. I'm waiting for the inevitable thinkpiece on this sometime soon. I have neither the energy, nor skill level required. Maybe ya'll can jumpstart this in the comments section.

Question: Am I being reverse-racially paranoid as usual, or is something more pervasive going on here?

Is There A Fine Line Between "Street Harassment" And Innocent Compliments?

I'm just gonna toss this one out there, as a social experiment. Because it's trending and because I'm interested in knowing what you guys see here. But mostly because the video is trending. Anyways, watch the whole thing first, then weigh in below.



Question: Was the woman being harassed or complimented? Ladies, have you experienced such treatment?

Ashy Or Classy?!? Ray Rice Halloween Costumes.

For the first time in my adult life, I'm actually dressing up for Halloween. I'm going as a Secret Service Agent, to provide security for my 2 year old, who is going as Princess Tiana. I know some of you are saying "why Secret Service Agent", and the answer is really simple: because it's the easiest costume ever. Put on a black suit, crisp white dress shirt, all black tie, and black shades. I might have to create an earpiece, but whatever. It's a simple, largely inoffensive costume.

Of course, for some people, simple and inoffensive isn't what Halloween's all about. Some people truly push the envelope, often with disastrous results.

Photos of people dressing up as Ray Rice for Halloween are drawing ire from social media.

Last month, Rice was cut from the Baltimore Ravens and suspended indefinitely from the NFL after video surfaced of the football player punching his now-wife Janay Rice unconscious in an elevator.

In one photo, a man wearing Rice's No. 27 Ravens jersey drags a blow-up doll by a leg. In another photo, a man in blackface wears a Rice jersey and poses next to a woman, who has a black eye. Kids are dressing up as Rice as well. In one instance, a boy carries a doll by the hair.

So yeah, this happened. Seriously, white folks, WTF?!?


Whatever "parent" allowed their kid to dress up as Ray Rice, complete with an "abused Janay Palmer doll" needs to have CPS called to their house pronto. This sh*t is Ashy and damn near perverted.

Question: Ashy Or Classy? Are these costumes disgusting, or good ole' fashioned American fun?!?

Steve Harvey, Paula Deen, Racial Forgiveness, And Sold Souls.

Sorry, but due to time constraints, this post isn't gonna be nearly as awesome as its title might suggest. My bad. Anyways, Steve Harvey's got tailors to pay, and the people responsible for making Paula Deen a household name would like to get back to cashing checks. I now present to you: Great Moments In (Purchased) Racial Forgiveness.

In an episode of the Steve Harvey Show set to air on Thursday, October 2, Paula Deen will speak with Harvey about what many might consider to be her surprising involvement with the Steve Harvey Mentoring Camp.

The annual four day event, held in Dallas during Father’s Day weekend, was founded by Harvey to teach hundreds of fatherless young men about “personal responsibility, dream building and the importance of nutrition and physical fitness,” according to the organization’s official website.

he 67 year-old Deen is slated to bring her famous Southern-style cuisine and talented team of chefs to Harvey’s mentoring program in an effort to help those boys who have an interest in the culinary arts. Harvey, in a recently released clip from the upcoming show, says that “Paula and her team has agreed to take as many boys as I want to fly down to Savannah [Georgia] … and teach them culinary skills. That, to me, is how you get something from something.” A one-time staple of the Food Network, a June 2013 controversy surrounding Deen’s admitted use of the “the N-word” in the past caused the channel to decline renewing her contract.

In addition to the mentoring announcement, the interview with Harvey addresses the 2013 controversy, with the host saying, “I just know the good in her. That’s all I know. And it outweighs the bad by a landslide.” Acknowledging that there could be a backlash from critics and the blogosphere for working with a woman some might still consider a racist, Harvey also said, “Now, when you blog about me … can you please type, right after you get through typing, that I don’t give a damn. Just for me.”

I don't give a damn, Steve. There, you asked for it.

You really have to step back and admire Steve Harvey's hustle. I mean, think about this: this guy went from being the 3rd stringer on the King's Of Comedy Tour to a household name quicker than you can say "Bernie Mack died?" I don't know who his image consultant is, but I'd bet that person is bathing in 20 dollar bills. Rebranding Harvey, a man married more times that Zsa Zsa Gabor as a relationship guru was a stroke of genius. He's ridden that train to a couple of so-so rom coms, a daytime talk show, a national radio show, and a hosting gig for Family Feud. The man is everywhere, clearly because someone responsible for determining who gets to shine gave him the seal of approval.



When I watch pure f*ckery like this Paul Deen interview, I wonder what strings came attached to that approval.

This is not to say than Deen doesn't deserve a 2nd shot. This is America, a country where people can drunkenly run over a man and play football the following year, or urinate on a teen and still have a career as a recording artist. So yeah, as long as she can make other people mounds of cash, she deserves another shot.

I just don't know that Harvey needs to be the one giving it.

Question: Is Steve Harvey "The Ultimate Hustler" or what? Should Rebb'n Al and Jesse be concerned about him stealing their racial forgiveness business?

Did Stephen A. Smith Actually Say It Was Okay To Beat A Woman?!?

I'm not a big ESPN viewer, unless we're talking about live sports. The reasons are many, but most of them have to do with the network's tendency to over-sensationalize stories to the point of idiocy. In a lot of ways, ESPN's programming is like Fox News with sports subbed in for "politics". Most shows feature people yelling over each other disguised as a "debate", which seldom yields in any level of intelligent discourse. No show exemplifies this more than First Take, with Skip Bayless, Stephen A. Smith, and a black chick who sits between the two and seems to do little other than say "ummm hmmm" and occasionally nods her head.[1]

Smith is no stranger to controversy. A guy whose comments on non-sports topics often land him in hot water, Screamin' A. has made a good living off of toeing the line between political correctness and corporately acceptable ratchetness. But a comment he made about the Ray Rice incident last week lead to ESPN putting him in timeout.

ESPN suspended Stephen A. Smith for a week on Tuesday for comments that suggested women should avoid provoking men into assaulting them.

Smith raised the subject of provocation last Friday during a discussion on “First Take,” on ESPN2, about the two-game suspension received by Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice from the N.F.L. over allegations that he beat his fiancée, now his wife, in a casino elevator. Smith’s remarks led to a rebuke on Twitter from another ESPN star, Michelle Beadle.

In a recorded apology Monday, Smith said that he had failed to properly articulate his view and that he had not intended to say that domestic violence was a woman’s fault.

Smith will return to “First Take,” and to his afternoon ESPN Radio show in New York, next Wednesday.

Smith’s weeklong suspension is less severe than the 30 days imposed on Max Bretos, an ESPN anchor who used the term “chink in the armor” in reference to Jeremy Lin in 2012. In 2010, Tony Kornheiser was suspended two weeks for comments he made on radio about an outfit worn by Hannah Storm, a “SportsCenter” anchor.

Smith is a staple at ESPN and First Take's ratings are huge, so there's no way the channel was going to fire him Rob Parker-style unless he refused to apologize. Not one to go out like Anthony Cumia, Smith has now apologized more than Reuben Studdard. He is taking his one week suspension like a "G", and all will be back to normal next week. But I'm wondering what was so wrong about Smith's comments in the first place.

Let's have another listen.



I know it's trendy and fun to clown Stephen A. I mean, seriously, that hairline alone is reason enough. But uhhh, sorry if I'm missing the boat here, but what exactly did he say that was so controversial? At no point did he say it was okay to beat a woman. He went out of his way to say the exact opposite. He simply said that as a man with sisters whom he might have to defend at some point, he wants to make sure his sisters don't do anything to put themselves in such a situation in the first place. Can a woman provoke a man to the point where he defends himself/responds out of anger? Yes. Does that justify the man responding out of anger? No, not under any circumstances.

I may be wrong, but I believe that's all Smith is saying here. Don't provoke a man to the point of violence and there won't be any. That doesn't excuse Ray Rice or any other wifebeater, it simply says that domestic violence is (in some cases) a two way street. Don't dish it out if you don't want to end up in a scenario in which you might have to take it.

That's not in any way justifying a man hitting a woman. I will raise my sons to not ever put their hands on a woman. There's no justification for that at all. But as a man with a daughter, I'll also teach her the very same thing. Don't assume that every man you interact with has been instilled with the same values as your brothers.

Because they might not have been, and you don't want to find that out the hard way.

Question: Did Smith have a point, or was he just being a sexist, woman-hating blowhard?

[1] Seriously, what does she do? Anything?

Halle Berry Owes $16K/Month In Child Support. Stevie J Is $1M In Arrears.

As a guy married for nearly 13 years, I can tell you marriage is work. Mix in kids, and it damn near becomes a 2nd day job, albeit one with great benefits. The adage goes "it's cheaper to keep her", which is a nice way of telling men they're better off staying married than getting divorced and being forced to live in a van down by the river. Not that I need reminding, because I have plenty of family and friends who have had their futures wrecked by the dreaded combination of divorce and spousal support. Of course, you should contribute to the financial wellbeing of your kids, but what's a reasonable price?

Two celebrities are on separate ends of a dreaded court order, and I'm wondering if how people are judging both is due to the gender of the person involved.

Halle Berry has a hefty new expense. The Oscar-winning actress has to pay over $16,000 in child support each month to her ex, Gabriel Aubry, to provide for their 6-year-old daughter Nahla, the Los Angeles Superior Court ordered.

Berry's monthly bill will remain in effect until Nahla turns 19 or graduates high school, whichever occurs first, according to court documents obtained by CNN. The settlement came on May 30, at the end of lengthy child support legal battle.

The court also ordered Berry to pay $115,000 retroactively in child support, as well as to cover her ex-boyfriend's legal fees, which amount to $300,000. The "X-Men: Days of Future Past" star is fully responsible for Nahla's tuition, while both parents will divide health care costs.

In the words of that sage American hero Jax Teller, JESUS CHRIST!!!!

Not to be outdone, "reality TV star" Steebie Stevie J just got arrested for something quite heinous. Yes, even more heinous than acting like a moron on TV and marrying Joseline.

Reality-TV star and onetime hit producer Stevie J has been arrested after racking up what TMZ reports is a "million-dollar child support debt." According to the gossip site, the Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta star is currently in jail after he allegedly stopped paying a court-ordered $8,500 monthly child support payment in 2001.

According to a criminal complaint seen by TMZ, Stevie J fathered two children with his then live-in girlfriend in 1997 and 1998 and was initially ordered to pay $6,500 in child support in 1999. That amount was raised to $8,500 a few years later.

TMZ reports that Stevie J hasn't paid child support in some 13 years, bringing his estimated total back child support owed to $1,107,412!

Breh, how can you not pay child support for 13 years? How is that even possible, and why exactly is the children's mother (how old are these kids by now, 25?) just now trying to collect?

My theory is pretty simple: this guy probably had an agreement with the child's mother to give her whatever he could, off the grid, and she agreed. Years later, he's on reality to flossin' like he's a millionaire and she decides she wants a chunk. Turns out that chunk is well over a million dollars for two damn kids. Amazing.

I've heard it said before, and it bears repeating: if you've ever in such a position, establish child support via the courts immediately and pay. Under the table support doesn't count in the system, and should the recipient decide your under the table arrangement isn't sufficient, she can file and recieve money retroactively, which wouldn't take into account any of what you've already paid. Or if you're in Stevie's case and suddenly go from making Bad Boy money to No Money Mo Problems money, lawyer up, go to court and get your monthly obligation modified downward. Any black man who has spent hours of his formative years in a black barbershop would know this, as well as a million and one other legal tidbits. Life hacks, my arse.

As for Berry, well damn. $16k a month to a guy we weren't ever married to is bad enough, but I'm also wondering how she managed to lose custody in the first place. 9 times out of 10, the courts will deem the mother the optimal parent for a child unless she has some serious mental/substance abuse issues. I don't know much about Berry, but jeez, with the money she has, she must be really screwed up if the courts gave her daughter to the kid's father.

Either way, let this be a lesson for everyone: pull out!

Question: Thoughts? Opinions? Got a gruesome child support story of your own you wanna share?

Jay-Z's Sister-In-Law Beats Him Up In An Elevator, And A Few Other (Very) Random Odds & Ends.

Somedays, I have a bunch of pointless stories that don't deserve their own blog posts, but prolly bear mentioning anyway. This is such a day.

Beyonce's younger, far less talented sister beat up Jay-Z in an elevator.



Ouch. Jay-Z didn't retaliate. Clearly the man has matured.

The NFL drafted a gay guy. The gay guy kissed his boyfriend. The world was not happy.

Ann Coulter wrote something really stupid about the FLOTUS. A bunch of idiots on Fox News one-upped her.

Some idiot who owns a gun store down in Texas wrote something really dumb about Obama and Mexicans. #RealMerica

Donald Sterling says "the b*tch set me up" . Ahhh, the ole' dog ate my homework excuse for racism.

My team's down 3-1 in the NBA playoffs, which essentially means I'm one more loss away from no longer caring about the NBA playoffs.

Do Black Athletes Ever Have Fathers?!?

[Editor's Note: I am married. I have a daughter. I woman gave birth to me. I don't hate women. I don't hate single mothers. I don't hate women who have to go it alone because some man was too much of a b*tch to stick around and raise his own damn kids. This post isn't about any of that. It's about the media's obsession with perpetuating a stereotype of black men as absentee fathers. If you can't draw the distinction between the two, please close the browser right now because this is not the post for you.]

Yesterday, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant accepted the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award and gave a very emotional speech about his mother. You may have already seen this, but if not, here goes.



This was touching, I think any human being with a soul would concur. So was this poorly disguised Cadillac ad/tribute to his single mom by NFL QB prospect Teddy Bridegewater.



And yeah, who can forget Lebron James tribute to his mom a couple of years ago?



And of course, we spent the entire March Madness/April listening to the story of Shabazz Napier's mom, and seeing the camera cut to her every 4 seconds.



Showing Napier, and showing his Mom happened with such alarming frequency during UConn's run to the national title that it damn near bordered on creepy. And it made me wonder: What exactly is the media's fascination with showing black athletes raised by single mothers?

Is there some ulterior motive at play here? That level of adulation/obsession is seldom if ever displayed when black athletes have two parents, and it's darn near never given to white athletes, unless they happen to be the parents of a family of players (ie: The Zellers)[1].

What the hell is up with that? Is the whole "Momma we made it!" angle just a shopworn journalistic shortcut? Or is there something more devious at play here? When 50% of black kids (which is granted, not an ideal number) are being raised in households with two parents (married or otherwise) it's hard for me to believe they can't find more examples of kids whose fathers[2] were actively involved and instrumental in their achievements.

Here's where it really gets icky though (cue the angry comments!): I can't help but notice a serious double standard at play in all of these stories. Many (not all, but many) of the women in these stories had other children by other men (See the Bridgewater story) that they never married. These women are (rightfully!) hailed as saints who helped their children beat the odds and achieve their dreams, even if in some cases (ie: Lebron James' mother) those women weren't always present and had their own issues. It's hard for me to find any scenario in which a man who made poor judgement calls and had a sh*tload of kids by women he didn't commit to would be heralded in an equally favorable light. I've never, ever seen that. Not to get all Tommy Sotomayor on ya'll, but something about that double standard really, really rubs me the wrong way.

Anyways, just wanted you guys thoughts on this admittedly convoluted and ultimately trival observation.

Question: Does it seem as if the media promotes "raised by a single black mother" stories to advance some ulterior motive? Is that simply an easy journalistic trope, a reflection of where things are in society, or an underhanded way of advancing stereotypes about Black America?

[1] The Currys would obviously be the exception here, but even in that case 90% of the media attention is given to the mother. Albeit for entirely different reasons.

[2] The obvious exception: when the father was also an athlete. See also: The Currys, Glenn Robinson Jr, Tim Hardaway Jr. I almost see that as an equally shopworn journalistic shortcut.

Woman Told To Leave Planet Fitness Because She's Too Fit.

Although I visit the gym as often as my schedule allows, I'm not by any means a "lunk". I'm simply a 40 year old man trying to stave off Father Time (and to a lesser degree, genetics) and live as fruitful and healthy a life as reasonable possible. I've got plenty of gripes with my gym, which have been discussed at length here already. But one thing I think we can all agree on is that certain people there really annoy you. And for such annoyances, a thing called "earbuds" was invented. Let the chuuuuch say amen.

That said, some people like their gym experience to be d-bag free, which has lead to the growth of such franchises as Curves (for plus-sized women) and Planet Fitness, for people who simply find the real gym too intimidating. Both business are thriving, and both do so by essentially legally discriminating against certain types of unsavory customers. Planet Fitness' entire appeal is based on it being a gym that's not really a gym. And that policy seems to have recently backfired spectacularly.

A Bay Area woman was asked to cover up while working out at a Richmond gym, after staff members say she was intimidating people with her toned body.

Tiffany Austin said she was excited to get back in shape after recovering from a recent car accident. After her doctor told her it was time to start walking more, she took a tour of the Planet Fitness Gym in Richmond. On Monday she officially joined the gym and was looking forward to her first workout – but that workout lasted a quick 15 minutes.

Austin said things started out well. She hopped on a treadmill, set the speed to slow, put her earbuds in and started walking. She started to notice others staring at her, and quickly grew self-conscious but she kept on walking. That is until a staff-member stopped her.

According to Austin that staff member said, "excuse me we've had some complaints you're intimidating people with your toned body. So can you put on a shirt?”

Austin was wearing a tank that showed her stomach and capri-pants and says she didn't see anything wrong with the outfit. She says she was only told not to wear a string tank because of the dress code policy at the gym.

She agreed to wear the shirt, but while the first staff member went to get it she says she was approached by another staff member who also took issue with her body. Austin says at that point she had enough; she asked for a manager - asked for her money back and left.

Planet Fitness boasts 5 million members and a policy that bans what they call “gymtimidation.” Its website says members can get in shape without being, "subjected to the hardcore look-at-me-attitude that exists in too many gyms."

The franchise goes even further and has a “lunk alarm” in every gym which sends off a siren if someone drops a weight or breathes too hard or shows any behavior that staff members consider "lunk-like".

Look, I get it. Some people didn't like seeing this seemingly fit woman walk around in clothes that revealed her assets, and blew the whistle on her. The attire was supposedly banned in the contract the lady signed, and she felt disrespected because she was asked to cover up and asked for a refund.



She isn't suing, she has moved on. Some have suggested the woman was a target of racial discrimination, but knowing a little bit about Richmond, CA (former home of Master P), I'm betting the women who called foul on her were also black. You'll note that the woman herself didn't mention race at all. So kill that noise.

Still, I can't help but wonder what sort of message this sends. Planet Fitness' own commercials make fun of "lunks", but also feature women who are attired just like the lady above (see background at 22 second mark). Are we as a society so weakminded that we can't even manage to do something to improve ourselves in the presense of others who have already improved themselves? Whatever happened to putting on earbuds and looking straight ahead? How hard is that?

I have a boatload of complaints with my gym (most of which center around the waaay too small locker room) but I can live with them. I'll ride that out before I give a dollar to Planet Fitness.

Unless, of course, they've got larger locker rooms.

Question: Does this story make any sense to you? Should Planet Fitness be allowed to legally discriminate against certain types of customers? Where do you work out?

Meet Sasheer Zamata, The Sista SNL (Finally) Just Hired.

I guess we can finally stick a fork in this one. After years!!!! months of ignoring public pressure, most notably from its only two current black castmembers, Saturday Night Live finally did the right thing and hired a sista. She will join the cast in a few weeks, and yes, she is funny.

“Saturday Night Live” concluded its search for a black female cast member on Monday when it hired Sasheer Zamata, a young sketch comedian who has been performing in the New York area for the last four years.

The selection of Ms. Zamata came at the conclusion of what amounted to a midseason talent search by “S.N.L.,” which had been criticized for what was described as a glaring omission in the show’s cast.

Ms. Zamata will be what the show calls a “featured player,” the conventional post for new cast members. She is scheduled to make her first appearance on Jan. 18, the next new edition of the show. (It will be hosted by the singer Drake.) The news of Ms. Zamata’s hiring was first posted by the Deadline Hollywood website.

Ms. Zamata, who is 27, is from Indianapolis and attended the University of Virginia. She came to New York in 2009 and began working with the improvisational group Upright Citizens Brigade.

She has performed stand-up comedy in New York and around the country and has also appeared in online videos for sites like College Humor. She has appeared in sketches on the Comedy Central series “Inside Amy Schumer” and “Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell” on FX.

The addition of Ms. Zamata will bring the current cast of “S.N.L.” to 17 players, seven of them women.

If you're not familiar with Ms. Zamata's brand of comedy, get familiar. She's funny, versatile, can write as well as act, and I thinks she could be a breakout star on SNL if given good material. Again, that's a huge if.

The truly odd thing here is that Zamata's hiring flies completely in the face of SNL Head Lorne Michaels' prior assertion that SNL simply couldn't find any black women that met their criteria. While I'll admit I hadn't heard of Ms. Zamata before now, it's insane for Michaels to make his statement given the fact that Ms. Zamata was a member of UCB (which is essentially SNL's talent incubator) and has been in New York for damn near 5 years. Seriously, how hard would it have been to find this clearly qualified woman? Black women can run Ivy League universities and Fortune 500 companies, but you can't find one who can read jokes off a cue card? Really?

In a strange way, this whole story is eerily reminiscent of the very same excuses we hear when corporations don't hire people of color. If you value something, you invest the time and energy in cultivating it. Any company that wants black talent simply needs to go where it exists. In this case, Zamata was in all the right places and had all the right contacts. SNL clearly didn't hire her (or anyone else similarly qualified) because they simply didn't want to.

So props to Jay Pharoah for putting his neck on the line and going public with his (then) controversial comments about SNL. And props to Keenan Thompson, whose "they aren't ready" comment was taken waaaay out of context, for also weighing in on the matter and refusing to dress up as a woman anymore. Those guys both put their necks on the line to make this happen, and that, probably more than any other factor, is why SNL is finally balancing out their roster a bit. Too bad they pissed away 5 perfectly good years of Michelle Obama sketches in the interim. But I digress.

I'm sure plenty of people are now gonna complain that SNL needs to hire a Hispanic woman, an Asian male, and a bisexual Eastern European hermaphrodite. And on all accounts (does that 3rd one exist?) I would agree. Michaels doesn't really care about ratings, and he doesn't have to because the show is an American institution and will air as long as it wants. But if Michaels cares about comedy, he'd realize that a more diverse cast (and writing room) gives the show more limitless comedic potential. Which could presumably mean a better show and better ratings. So there's that.

In any event, congrats to Mr. Zamata, whose celebration might be shortlived. Let's face it: 75% of America is convinced she was only hired because she's black. Not because she had the exact same (or better) pedigree as the rest of the current cast. The minute she flubs a cue card, the criticism is on the way. To succeed, she's gonna need to be the Lebron James of sketch comedy.

And in a strange way, those of us who work daily in a workplace in which we haven't traditionally succeeded know exactly how that feels.

Best of luck, Ms. Zamata. Something tells me you'll do just fine.

Question: Did SNL bow to public pressure or merely hire someone qualified for the job in the first damn place? Do you see any parallels between this story and the affirmative action battle that goes on in corporations every day?

The Polar Vortex Has Taken Over.

It's cold out there. How cold is it?!?

Americans in two dozen states from the Midwest to the Southeast and Northeast are shivering this week courtesy of a distorted polar vortex. The rush of cold air it's sending southward is the biggest visitor from the North Pole since Santa Claus. The gifts it brings, however, are chilling and generally unwelcome. Much of the United States has plunged into a deep freeze from record low temperatures.

The polar vortex, as it sounds, is circulation of strong, upper-level winds that normally surround the northern pole in a counterclockwise direction -- a polar low-pressure system. These winds tend to keep the bitter cold air locked in the Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is not a single storm. On occasion, this vortex can become distorted and dip much farther south than you would normally find it, allowing cold air to spill southward.

The upper-level winds that make up the polar vortex change in intensity from time to time. When those winds decrease significantly, it can allow the vortex to become distorted, and the result is a jet stream that plunges deep into southern latitudes, bringing the cold, dense Arctic air spilling down with it. This oscillation is known as the Arctic Oscillation and it can switch from a positive phase to negative phase a few times per year. This oscillation -- namely the negative phase where the polar winds are weaker -- tends to lead to major cold air outbreaks in one or more regions of the planet.

The polar vortex can lead to major cold air outbreaks in any portion of the Northern Hemisphere -- North America, Europe and Asia. This will lead to cold snaps in multiple locations, though not always.

Polar Vortex would make an awesome SyFy flick. Eff' a Snarknado.

It was 45 degrees in suburban DC when I woke up yesterday. Today, it's 9. Nine!

Sadly, it's not cold enough to try this.



#Science

Question: How cold is it where you live? Do you despise people who complain about how cold it is in the winter, or is that just met?

What I Learned Over A Month (Or So) As A Non-Black Anoymous Internet Commenter.

A month (or so) ago, I changed my ubiquitous avatar from a cartoonish approximation of my handsome real life visage, to a race neutral cartoonish approximation of a guy holding an American Flag. I also ditched my screen name, making it something fairly generic ("A/B") as well.

[Editor's Note: This piece likely has a million and one grammatic and spelling errors. I'm not proofreading it, nor fixing them. Mostly because I'm lazy. And also, because #science. Don't let that deter you.]

The point of this was to see if my opinions would be responded to more readily if people weren't initially forming their rebuttal with my race in mind. It was a social experiment of sorts, but it was also an acknowledgement that I get tired of being accused of being an unemployed welfare moocher with 6 illegitimate kids by people who don't know me when I'm merely trying to debate the finer points of the Afforable Care Act with some stranger on Mediaite.

There's no denying that people are more apt to repond in a different manner online that when in person. And there's likewise no doubt that people are going to form opinions of you based on ther sole appearance related item (an avatar) that you typically present online. Heck, people respond based on their (perceived) level of safety.

Tell em, Louis CK.[1]



After doing this for a month, I changed my avatar and screen name back today. I wish I could present you guys a more scientific analysis of what I learned via this little experiement, but it's close to the holidays, and I'm lazy and whatnot, so this will have to suffice.

People (Initially) Treated Me Much Better And Didn't Just (Initially) Outright Dismiss My Opinion - To be certain, I didn't change the nature of my typical comment on any of the sites I typically weigh in on. I don't usually identify myself as black when I comment either, unless the subject calls for that, and I never did so during this month. Not once in my generic avi experiment was I accused of being on The Welfare or getting SNAP benefits. Being a "liberal" and an ObamaBot, sure. But nothing racial. Ever. And I found fellow commenters far more likely to engage in debate, rather than just dismissing me. Hmmmmmm.

I Never Got "Outed" - You'd think people would just click on my profile, see the link to my site, and figure out I was a black guy. Didn't happen. I'm not shocked either, because most people don't have that kinda time.

I'm Not Surprised By Any Of This, Nor Do I Really Think It's A Problem. - There is racism in America. That's a fact, despite whatever Fox News might suggest. It just is what it is, and I don't think it's going away anytime soon. To police their comment boards, a lot of news sites are now requiring comments to be posted via Facebook accounts, in an attempt to limiting trolls and anonymous comments. The thought is that if people have to put their real name and face beside what they're saying they'll likely be more considerate and thus more civil.[2] As a guy who has made his name via a largely anonymous online persona, you might guess where I fall on this topic.

All in all, this results of this experiment weren't really suprising. I long assumed people lobbed racist comments at me because I was black, and that was essentially confirmed. And I don't really know if my life's any better for wear with that bit of information.

Question: What are your thoughts on this topic? Do you also find people online respond to you based on assumptions formed via your avatar/screen name?

[1] Speaking of appearance-based stereotypes, I slept on this guy for the longest because I assumed I wouldn't find his style of comedy very relatable. I was completely wrong. I don't know if I agree with the "genius" label many people fling at him, but seriously, this dude is absolutely hilarious.

[2] See the comedy clip again, just for reinforcement of this concept.

Crude Rap Lyrics, Read By Middle Schoolers.

This video is going viral, so I'm goin' it. And I (sorta) get the point here. They're basically trying to slut shame black people into not using the N-Word. That tactic is okay, because I think it's a sign of ignorance and shouldn't be used by anyone.



But seriously, given all the recent debates about who should be able to use the word (and considering who still purchases 75% of rap music), shouldn't there be at least one white kid in this video? Isn't that at least some small part of the problem?

For the record, I don't use the word nigger. I do love ignorant assed rap music though, and I take every possible safeguard to ensure my kids don't even know such music exists. My 5 year old couldn't pick Beyonce out of a police lineup, but he loves Laurie Berkner and the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack. #parenting

My point is, I don't think this video is effective beyond the initial shock of hearing a little girl say "I love bad bitches that's my fuckin problem". Would the sort of parent who lets their kid listen to non-radio cuts of 2 Chainz re-evaluate their place in life after watching this? Prolly not.

And again, where the hell the white kids at!?!?

Question: What do you think? As a parent, how (if at all) do you monitor what your kids listen to?

What If Santa Claus (And Jesus) Was Black?!?

I don't even know how to adequately describe this idiocy, courtesy of (who else?) Fox News. There's whitewashing, and then there's WHITEWASHING!!!! For people who profess to know everything about the Bible, you'd think they'd have a slightly better understanding of what the bible actually says about Jesus' appearance, and how the predominant image of Jesus we all have accepted as "Jesus" came into existence.



Eff' a Santa Claus. We know that was based on St. Nick and whatnot. I'm not nearly as concerned about that.

Whatever, why try to make sense of nonsense. "Jesus JUST IS WHITE", says Megyn Kelly. And Megyn Kelly has a law degree and sits in a leg chair. Take her word as the proverbial gospel. Or don't. Whatever.

Question: What are your thoughts on this? Amateur theologians, here's your time to shine. Go for it.

What's Up With Michelle Obama?!?

Bonus Beats from the prior post.

The photographer who snapped the picture of President Barack Obama taking a “selfie” at the memorial for former South African President Nelson Mandela said Wednesday that there was nothing wrong with what the president did, and it seemed “perfectly natural” because of the festive atmosphere at the service.

“For me, the behavior of these leaders in snapping a selfie seems perfectly natural,” AFP photographer Roberto Schmidt wrote in a blog post.

Obama, who was photographed grinning for the selfie with British Prime Minister David Cameron and Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt during the memorial service Tuesday, has been slammed by some on the right for what they consider inappropriate behavior during a memorial service. Rush Limbaugh, for instance, said Tuesday that Obama was “thinking about himself.”

But Schmidt dismissed these attacks and said he didn’t think about the impact his own photo would have.

“At the time, I thought the world leaders were simply acting like human beings, like me and you,” the photographer wrote, describing the huge crowd as celebratory, rather than mournful. “I see nothing to complain about and probably would have done the same in their place.”

He also sought to dispel social media commentary that first lady Michelle Obama “seemed to be rather peeved” with Thorning-Schmidt because of her expression and glaring eyes in the photo.

“Photos can lie,” the photographer wrote, who noted first lady Michelle Obama was joking herself moments earlier with the leaders and others around her. “Her stern look was captured by chance.”

Cameron also addressed the selfie on Wednesday, saying it was initiated by Thorning-Schmidt.

“When a member of the Kinnock family asked me for a photograph, I thought it was only polite to say yes,” Cameron said, as quoted by Huffington Post, which notes the Danish prime minister is the daughter-in-law of former U.K. Labour leader, Neil Kinnock.

More pics, along with some commentary that I largely agree with.



So yeah, move right along. Nothing to see here. Actually...

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz walked out of the memorial service for Nelson Mandela during Cuban President Raul Castro’s speech, according to reports.

“Sen. Cruz very much hopes that Castro learns the lessons of Nelson Mandela,” said a Cruz spokeswoman, as quoted by ABC News. “For decades, Castro has wrongly imprisoned and tortured countless innocents. Just as Mandela was released after 27 years in prison, Castro should finally release his political prisoners. He should hold free elections, and once and for all, set the Cuban people free.”

The Texas senator, who is of Cuban descent, was part of a congressional delegation that traveled to South Africa for the memorial service on Tuesday.

Staging a "walkout" in advance, and having your staff send out a press release explaing that "walkout". Classy. Gotta hand it to Ted Cruz. The man can never resist an opportunity to make everything (even a memorial service!) about himself.

Annoying Bluetooth Cell Phone Guy... Coming Soon To A Flight Near You.

I love flying, and I do it frequently. One of the things I really enjoy about air travel is the solitude. Sure, you have people sitting all around you. But if you're like me, you can tune them out with a strategically deployed set of noise cancelling headphones. Sometimes I feel like the idle chatter, but more times than not, I'd just rather not be bothered. Between bootleg movies, video games, naps, and the infamous SkyMall, there's more than enough to keep me preoccupied without engaging in a banal episode of "So who are you and why exactly are you flying in first class?" The FAA's recent decision to allow approved electronic devices for the duration of the flight just made the whole thing even better.

This latest major development in the world of air travel though... because Annoying Bluebooth D-Bag is coming soon to a cabin near you.

The nation’s top telecom regulator is planning to propose allowing passengers to make cellphone calls and use their data plans while on an airliner, officials said Thursday.

The proposed rule change by the Federal Communications Commission would overturn the current ban on using cellphones’ wireless features in mid-flight. Commissioners are set to discuss the rule change in their December meeting.

Last month, the Federal Aviation Administration approved the use of tablets and other electronic devices on airliners from gate to gate, but cellular service use was still restricted.

If approved, the new guidelines would let airlines install special equipment to relay wireless signals from the plane to the ground, likely by way of satellite. A similar system already exists in Europe. Last week, the European Commission approved passengers’ use of 3G and 4G data from airplanes.

Cellphone use would still be restricted during takeoffs and landings.

Let's talk about how terrible an idea this is.

People Like Sleeping On Planes - Pretty damn self explanatory. And pretty hard to do with some jerk sitting next to you talking the whole time.

Most Cell Phones Don't Work That High In The Sky - If you've ever accidentally forgotten to put your device in Airplane Mode (wow, that's gonna be an outdated concept soon) then you already know you're gonna see "No Signal" on your phone.

This Is A Grand HuStle, Obviously - How long before some airline comes up with a "quiet cabin" or a "silent phone-free flight" and charges a premium for the convenience?

Here's hoping the FCC uses a little common sense and keeps this not-so-bright idea grounded.

Question: Is this a good idea or a turrible one?

What Are Your Favorite North American Cities To Visit?!?

I travel extensively for my Day Job. I don't always enjoy this, but one perk is the ability to see a lot of places on someone else's dime. I think I've been the every "major" US city with the exception of Cincinnati and Columbus, OH. I'm not sure where I got the idea for this post, but participate anyway. No grand social experiment here, just curious about a few things:

1) What's your favorite North American city? We're not talking international here.[1]

2) What's the city/place you dislike visiting the most?

3) Where's a place you'd love to go, but haven't yet?

4) Name a city that's really, really overrated.

5) Name a city that's kinda slept on.

6) What's the sh*ttiest place you've visited?!?

Mine are pretty straightforward:

1) The Entire Bay Area - I suppose I'd pick San Francisco, simply because it's so beautiful. But Oakland, Berkeley and the rest of the East Bay are also nice. So yeah, the whole Yay Area. Runners Up: Toronto, New Orleans, Austin.

2) Boston - I just don't like that place. The people are rude as sh*t, they cannot drive, the weather sucks, and everything's overpriced. Runners Up: Orlando, Houston, Los Angeles.

3) Vancouver - It just seems like such a beautiful place. Combine San Francisco and Seattle. Throw in some mountains. And so many movies are filmed there. I have no idea of the culture or local vibe, but this is a place I'd probably just visit to take photos. Runners Up: Albequerque, Madison, Anywhere in Vermont.

4) Miami - Lovely if you have money to blow. Otherwise, not so much. Okay, who am I kidding? Miami is awesome! If you're 21 and unmarried. Otherwise, what's the point? I'd take Ft. Lauderdale anyday. Runners Up: Charlotte, Austin (yes, twice!), Las Vegas.

5) Memphis - Other than New Orleans, I don't think there's a city with as much unique local culture. This place is just lovely and laid back. Great food and live music. Nice weather and an easy to navigate downtown. Runners Up: Portland, Hartford, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City (yes, really), Harrisburg, .

6) Camden, NJ - No disrespect to my Jersey peoples, but this sh*t was just depressing. It looks like a city where people used to live. When you cross that bridge from Philly, you better lock your doors and roll up the windows. I'm sure half of ya'll were expecting me to say Detroit. I'm not. #MercyRule Runners Up: Newark, Tallahassee, Topeka..

Tell me yours in the comments section.

Question: Answer any of the questions above.

[1] You probably noticed DC was missing from this list. That's because it (and NC) is home.

About My New .AVI And Racist Commenters...

While I love AB.com (duh!) and love interacting with you guys here, I spend time elsewhere on the interwebs. I love a variety of sites like Mediaite, The Atlantic, Salon, Slate, The Fox Nation, BreitBart, and The National Review, mostly because I love occasional trolling and these sites have some dimwitted people more than willing to feed me.

That prior sentence was only partially true: sometimes I like attempting to engage people with opposing viewpoints. Not because I'm trying to impose my opinion on them, but because I genuinely want to know what makes people tick. Some websites (like this one) are pretty reasonable places for people to actually debate topics without things descending into name calling. Mostly because I don't write the sort of content that draws morons, and also because you guys are pretty darn good at self policing. Take a bow.

Every site isn't as civil as this one, of course. Many of the sites I named above are little more than SEO machines troll bait disguised as intellectual discussion. And more times than not, my geniune inquiries on these sites results in someone hurling some racist, ignorant drivel at me without even paying any attention to what I actually typed.

This drivel almost always seems to mention the words "Obama", "welfare", "liberal", "ghetto", "moocher", "plantation", "Africa", "below-average intelligence" "hood", "goverment check", and sometimes the dreaded "N-word". It's almost as if people can't deal with any substantive rebuttal of their own opinions without resorting to time tested racial slurs, overt and otherwise. And yes, I already know this is the sign of a feeble minded person who doesn't deserve a reply. No need to remind me.

That said, I suspect 90% of these replies are knee-jerk reactions to my Disqus profile name (AverageBro) and my accompanying avatar (the handsome cartoon version of the real-life handsomer me). This of course makes me wonder if people would respond without resorting to name-calling if they didn't have a basis on which to form said name-calling.

In short, if people didn't know I was black, would they automatically resort to name-calling? Would I just judged by the content of my comment, rather than the color of my jpeg?

So to that effect, I'm going to momentarily genericize my Disqus profile just to perform my own social experiment. Maybe I'll do a followup post in awhile. Until then, don't be thrown off. My new screen name is "A/B" and my new avi is that little guy holding the American flag. And if ya' don't know, now ya' know...

I'd be interested in knowing your Avi Adventures as well.

Question: Do you find people respond a certain way based on your screen name/avi? Do they make certain assumptions based on this? How/why did you choose your avi/name?

Jay Z, Barney's, Shop & Frisk, And Black Peoples' Perpetual Search For A Savior.

I love Black people. A lot. I'm married to one, and I've created three more of them. So yeah, we're cool and whatnot. But if there's one thing about us that really annoys me, it's our insistence on holding a handful of relatively well off people responsible for the "saving" all 44,456,009 of us when something goes wrong. You'll recall the backlash Oprah Winfrey took when she donated money to start a school for girls in Africa. Folks complained about pro-athletes who didn't jump on the Jena Six bandwagon and boycott the state of Louisiana. Dr. Dre gave millions to USC, but didn't give sh*t to Morris Brown. Reverend Al Sharpton (and at one point Jesse Jackson) is expected to fly into town and launch a Million Aggrieved Black Persons march everytime some kid gets yelled at by a white teacher. And how come nobody famous broke Trayvon Martin's parents off with a lil' somethin'?

I've always found this "pick a savior, as long as he/she is famous" line of reasoning faulty. It presumes that the person being asked to take a stand not only cares about said stand, but is actually capable of taking said stand. Just because someone can rap doesn't mean they're literate on issues as complex as racial disparities in public school funding. When you take someone (black/white/or other) and try to shoehorn them into making a social statement when they probably can't even spell "social statement", you end up with bewilidering scenes like this.[1]

No celebrity personifies this "please save us" mentality quite like Jay Z. His rags to riches ascension from the projects to household name has been told (and embellished) ad nauseum. He's the rare rapper who can get away with calling his own wife a b*tch in a song, and skirt charges of sexism.[2] He allows himself to be used as the smiling public face of emminent domain, yet can spin it by claiming he "owns the team", when he owned about as much of the Nets as I own Sirius XM. He's a walking, talking contridiction. Actually, that's untrue. He's a business, man. Not a businessman. Expecting him to be about anything more than money is unrealistic.

So forgive me if I can't get on board with the petition asking the Jigga Man to sever his relationship with Barney's, after the retailer was accused of using Shop & Frisk tactics to harass a couple of young black customers last week.

Jay-Z — under increasing pressure to back out of a collaboration with the luxury store Barneys New York after it was accused of racially profiling two black customers — said Saturday he's being unfairly "demonized" for just waiting to hear all of the facts.

The rap mogul made his first statement about the controversy in a posting on his website. He has come under fire for remaining silent as news surfaced this week that two young black people said they were profiled by Barneys after they purchased expensive items from their Manhattan store.

An online petition and Twitter messages from fans have been circulating this week, calling on the star to bow out of his upcoming partnership with Barneys for the holiday season, which will have the store selling items by top designers, inspired by Jay-Z, with some of the proceeds going to his charity. He is also working with the store to create its artistic holiday window display.

But Jay-Z — whose real name is Shawn Carter — defended himself, saying that he hasn't spoken about it because he's still trying to figure out exactly what happened.

"I move and speak based on facts and not emotion," the statement said. "I haven't made any comments because I am waiting on facts and the outcome of a meeting between community leaders and Barneys. Why am I being demonized, denounced and thrown on the cover of a newspaper for not speaking immediately?" he said, referring to local newspaper headlines.

The two Barneys customers, Trayon Christian and Kayla Phillips, said this week they were detained by police after making expensive purchases.

Christian sued Barneys, saying he was accused of fraud after using his debit card to buy a $349 Ferragamo belt in April. Philips filed a notice of claim saying she would sue after she was stopped by detectives outside the store when she bought a $2,500 Celine handbag in February.

As the criticism grew, Barneys said Thursday it had retained a civil rights expert to help review its procedures. The CEO of Barneys, Mark Lee, offered his "sincere regret and deepest apologies." Kirsten John Foy, an official with the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network, said he would meet with Barneys officials on Tuesday to discuss the racial profiling allegations.

Jay Z also dismissed reports that he would profit from the collaboration. He said he's "not making a dime" from working with Barneys. Instead, his Shawn Carter Foundation, which provides college scholarships to economically challenged students, will get 25 percent of all sales from the collaboration.

"This money is going to help individuals facing socio-economic hardships to help further their education at institutions of higher learning," he said. "My idea was born out of creativity and charity... not profit."

He also said that "making a decision prematurely to pull out of this project wouldn't hurt Barneys or Shawn Carter but all the people that stand a chance at higher education," he said. "I have been working with my team ever since the situation was brought to my attention to get to the bottom of these incidents and at the same time find a solution that doesn't harm all those that stand to benefit from this collaboration."

There are so many things wrong with this story. Where should I begin?

1) Jay Z thinks he's "being demonized, denounced and thrown on the cover of a newspaper for not speaking immediately?" Jigga please. You're being asked to be held accountable for the actions of the people you got in bed with. Whether fair or unfair (or downright misplaced), this is what sometimes happens when you're the sole, smiling black face attached to a multibillion dollar corporation. Deal with it.

2) Jay Z says he's "not making a dime" and doesn't want to stop his Barney's promotion because it would cut off funds that would otherwise be going to charity. Seriously? A guy who raps about watches he can't spell and most of his listeners couldn't afford is suddenly worried about a few hundred thousand dollars? Really? We don't believe you. Cut the damn check out of your own pocket. It's just a tax writeoff anyway.

3) "I move and speak based on facts and not emotion" has to be the biggest crock of Jigga Nonsense I've heard since American Gangster. In other words, unless these kids have proof that they were profiled, he's gonna side with the people who are paying him. And make no mistake: whether with actual cash or social currency, Barney's is paying Jay Z. If you think he's doing this out of the kindness of his heart, you prolly actually liked American Gangster.

4) "I have been working with my team ever since the situation was brought to my attention to get to the bottom of these incidents and at the same time find a solution that doesn't harm all those that stand to benefit from this collaboration." = I had a weedcarrier Memphis Bleek Google this to see what he could find out. He didn't find anything, so I just sent him to pickup my Outback to-go order instead.

5) In response to the claims, {read between the lines here) Barney's called Reverend Al and cut a check to the National Action Network. Damnit that man is great at extortion! He is the Michael Jordan of recordin' Extortion!

The most ironic part of this entire story is that the two poor saps who were (allegedly) profiled as they bought those overpriced belts and bags probably got the idea from a Jay Z song.

Just so nobody is mistaken, I don't think a petition to get Jay Z to end his relationship with Barney's is a good idea. Mostly because Jay Z isn't the sort of artist who gives two sh*ts if you get profiled at Barney's. Also because Jay Z is an ass who only cares about getting paid. And even if he wasn't that kinda guy, a better solution is to simply not give good money to people who don't respect you.

Which would also include one Shawn Corey Carter.

Question: Should Jay Z be more socially conscious and tell Barneys he is one of their 99 Problems? Shouldn't the National Action Network give some of that shakedown money to the actual victims of this sad episode? Are there better ways of telling Barney's "F*ck You!" than the ones I suggested?

[1] Seriously, do you think Kanye had any idea what "Occupy Wall Street" was all about? Did 90% of the Occupiers even understand what "Occupy Wall Street" was all about? I haven't seen a black man who looked more clueless about his surroundings since... well... since I watched RGIII vs the Broncos yesterday. Seriously, Robert, get your sh*t together.

[2] "Bad b*tch... H-Town.."