Spike Lee: "I'm Not Rich Rich"

UPDATE:
Apparently The Observer buys old New Yorker interviews, as this Spike Lee first appeared in last September's issue, and is now re-appearing for Lee's "Miracle at St Anna" UK release with no disclaimer that it is not original.

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Spike Lee gave a long interview to Britain's Sunday Observer, and explained to the reporter that despite a Manhattan townhouse, Martha's Vineyard home and kids in private school, he is not wealthy:

He told me he had always intended his kids to go, as he did, to state schools. "But my wife put the kibosh on that," he said. Lee balks at being described as wealthy. "It's not rich rich," he told me. "Rich is Spielberg. Lucas. Gates. Steve Jobs. Jay-Z! Bruce Springsteen. I'm not complaining. But that's money. Will Smith. Oprah Winfrey - that's a ton of money. Compared to them, I'm on welfare!"

The interview, which took place at intervals in 2008 before Barack Obama's election, also relays Lee's distaste for the Clintons and Cindy McCain:

"Who's going to be the vice-presidential pick?" Robin Burgess, the session co-ordinator and Blanchard's wife, asked.

"As long as it's not Hillary," Lee said.

"You know," Blanchard said in a wondering tone, "we got friends uptown who say they can't stand Michelle. I mean, what about McCain's wife?"

"Stepford wife," Lee muttered.

"I used to like Bill Clinton," Blanchard said.

Lee shook his head. "They showed their hand," he said.

Comments

[Xav7]

Spike is a joke .... especially ever since I exited a Manhattan theater MANY years ago after seeing one of his movies and he was sitting on the hood of a car right at the exit doors, begging for recognition and attention .... it was pathetic

[chicagoike]

A joke, I suggest you, Zav7 put down the mirror and blog again.

[GodfatherofSoul]

It was another black man. You just think we all look the same.

[nodirectionhome]

The militant midget speaks again ! Give it up, Spike this imagined black strife story is getting old. Its like Nicholson's character in THE DEPARTED said, What the black chappies never understood is they're not gonna give it to ya. You gotta take it !

[robXdion]

That's not what his character said. And we know you want to use the n-word so bad you can taste it. And Spike IS taking it. That's why you resenting him because the world knows who he is and what he stands for, but doesn't know who you are. Isn't that right "chappie"?

[Topfeeder]

How do you know what any poster WANTS to say? Are you psychic? Once again, you seem to be inserting your bias into others posts.

[dallashailee]

You cant even begin to understand the issues of Black America....so don't comment on them.

We have a black president, and regardless of how much many of the bigots of America want to claim he's not black...he is. As much as his presidency means to me....many people still look at black people as just "n's". Obama is a credit to his race. A phenom. Representing one out of millions. Most black people are on welfare, thieves, unintelligent, and lazy. Right? We just want you to give us everything....right? Well let me to you...if blacks waited for the government or white America to give us everything...we'd have died off many years ago.

[suuzie]

Good for you Spike, I think the Clintons showed their hand too and it was in spades.

[mollywood]

I'd like to see Spike make Clint's day!

[inluvwkeitholbermann]

weII boo-fcking-hooo, your multi-miIIions are not as much as oprah.......clint eastwood was right, he does need to "shut his face"

[Topfeeder]

It's all relative. To someone living in a homeless shelter those of us with homes, cars and computers are rich. To Spike Lee Warren Buffet is rich.

[c2mason]

Like most things, I'm sure this is taken out of context.

Because it simply doesn't make sense. Spike is aware he has more money than 95+% of other Americans. But in this instance he's comparing himself to people with more money, so that makes me wonder about the question he is answering.

What's important is his statements about the Clintons.

[ajm8127]

His perception of wealth is obviously _very_ skewed.

[rcampbell]

Hey, Spike, there are a lot of "not rich" pople out there, but you are not one of them.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Compared to 98% percent of the country, you're rich rich.

[fcsakes]

A talented man who happens to be a jerk.

[kitanonami]

I'll second that...

[CaptainHowdy]

Talented?