The "N" Word on Network Television
I was on the phone with a friend last night and he said, "Do you know who Dick Cavett is?" I perked up and responded, "I do, and I've been meaning to blog about him." I knew the seemingly random but cosmically governed mention of Dick's name meant I could no longer procrastinate this blog.
My friend, Jesse Joyce had just returned from performing in The Great American Comedy Festival where he met 71-year-old Cavett who had a brief career as a comedian but was better known for his eponymous television talk show, which aired on different networks between 1968 - 1996. Jesse sang the praises of Cavett the one-time comedian and made not-so-modest mention of the fact that Dick complimented his performance once he got off stage. I, on the other hand, gave Dick accolades because of a YouTube clip I came across a few weeks back.
I usually run to YouTube when an old music video comes to mind and I want to see it, and for no good reason one day I was searching for the video to the John Lennon song "Woman." Among the many options that came up for "Woman" was also a lesser-known Lennon song entitled "Woman is the Nigger of the World." When I looked further into that song, overwhelmed by curiosity, I came across a clip of John and Yoko appearing on the Dick Cavett Show to discuss and sing the song.
As a skinny white woman, what I just wrote terrifies me. My fingers trembled as I typed the N word. Outside the context of the song I can't bring myself to write it. But, as Dick Cavett and John Lennon would agree, that shouldn't be the case. In a country where the First Amendment on the books is freedom of speech there is not a single word in the English language that I should be afraid to say. Please don't misinterpret, I have no desire to use the word regularly or in its degrading context, however, I should be able to say it as an example and have people know that I'm not corrupt. I should be able to recite the song title without fingers coming at me from all sides and the collective sound of the child's noise, "Ooooooooooooooo." But I am not, and because I am not, the word retains its power. The more afraid we are to use a word the more control that word has.
One upon a time there was a skinny man whiter than I (by whiter I mean British) who appeared on network television and said the N word uncensored no less than fifteen times, and there was a talk show host who allowed him to do it. The word was plenty offensive at the time, and the singer needed it to be. You see he was trying to make a point. He didn't like the way the women of the world were being treated so he came up with an offensive analogy to get people's attention. While on the show he acknowledged the word's offensiveness and tried to give it a new definition. He opened the dialog.
The saddest part of this story is there is not a chance in Hell that a segment such as this would air on any network station today. None whatsoever. And this message would be lost. In fact, I'm sure messages like this are lost everyday because we are afraid of our own shadows. So Jane Fonda says the word cunt on the Today Show. So what. She didn't call Meredith a cunt. She was referring to Eve Ensler's Obie-Award winning play The Vagina Monologues. And for anyone who hasn't seen or read the play, that's exactly what the "Cunt" monologue is about -- reclaiming the word so it can't hurt anymore. Taking it back. Giving it a new definition.
In 2008 Meredith Vieira apologized after the on-air slip on behalf of Jane Fonda and the Today Show for the use of the inappropriate word. In 1972 Dick Cavett made his apology before the show -- telling the people who would be offended to look away -- and then aired the clip.
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Samara, I'm with you. Your detractors simply can't understand normal thinking...
Well. You've walked the fine line and walked it well. We cannot say the kike word or the jew word or the n - word, though people of those respective groups can use them if they wish. My husband's black friends all refer to themselves with the n word. But yes, using the v word or the c word in its appropriate context removes the hatred from the word.
I see it a long way off before we can use the n word or other terms that deride a person's heritage. If I use the c word or the v word in its appropriate context it still does not give anyone license to use either of those terms as derision.
Many of you have missed the entire point of this post.
The author is trying to point out how we allow people to use labels to demean and enslave groups of people.
N*****, C***, can we add Fag to that list? How many others?
Have we dumbed our society down so much that we can't interpret the meaning of a word....or appreciate that sometimes you need to listen to more than just the sounds, and really hear what people are saying.
It never ceases to amaze me how white members of the media like Samara O'Shea always complain how they will be unfairly treated about using the “n" word. Pity poor white people like Samara O'Shea. Many of these white journalist and media types work in predominantly white environments that are NOT racially diverse, and are that way intentional. We never hear any complains about that situation, just white peoples first amendment right to call people n*gg*r who they don’t work with or live around. One thing you will never hear Samara O'Shea complain about, is her inability call someone Jewish a slur, and believe me, there are plenty of them out there. Jewish individuals have had and continue to have a great deal of influence in both entertainment and news mainstream media. Strange how white people like Samara O'She never complain about not being able to call people derogatory names that look like her (white) but champion calling slurs at people who don’t.
Not at any point in the above blog do I lament the fact that I can't call someone the N word. I don't wish to do that at all. I stated that clearly: "Please don't misinterpret, I have no desire to use the word regularly or in its degrading context, however, I should be able to say it as an example and have people know that I'm not corrupt."
That is the point I was trying to make. I just don't want to fear for my life if I wish to say the N word in reference—perhaps referring to the John Lennon song or maybe a lyric line in a modern-day rap song.
This comment of yours I find especially interesting: "Strange how white people like Samara O'Shea never complain about not being able to call people derogatory names that look like her (white) but champion calling slurs at people who don"t." Because I make a clear case above for the reigns to be loosened on the word cunt. I am a woman, and that word is derogatory directly toward me. However, I choose not to be offended by it when it is presented in an inoffensive context as it was by Jane Fonda on the Today Show.
Samara
You're comparing apples to oranges. You can not compare a sexist term like c*nt to the word n*gg*r that's why I ignored the compasion. I noticed during this past democratic primary white women were trying to draw comparison to their life as a white woman, who have benefited from 100s of years of racism in this country, to black Americans real struggle of oppression.
If you were to go to these network offices in 2008 and look around you would be hard press to find a black person is working there, let along one making decisions. But there are plenty of white women there. Obviously sexism isn't hitting white women as hard as racism has hit black people. You can afford to loosen the reigns on the word c*nt.
You want black people to accept YOUR right to use the word n*gg*r in a "inoffensive context". Whatever that "inoffensive context" is, I'm sure black people will not be the ones in these corporate offices to make that determination. You say “I don’t want to fear for my life if I wish to say the N word in reference”. That's ironic because black people especially black men have feared for there lives for hundreds of years if they looked at white women the wrong way let alone said something in an "inoffensive context".
I don’t approve of black rappers and comedians use of the word either. But make no mistake, the people in those corporate offices in the music and entertainment industry who are giving these opportunities to blacks to use the”N” word are not black.
I like how you want to be able to use the word and not fear for your life. I mean why wouldn't I as a black man not want a woman who'd imply one of the more notorious stereotypes of blacks (violent, irrational beings) to use one of the more loaded words in our lexicon? I question how exposed you are to black people if you think the issue is so black and white. Did you consider that maybe different black people have different opinions on the word? Did you consider that maybe people who aren't ok with nigger aren't ok with it coming from anyone? Do you realize that the word can have a duality? For me the word is only offensive in a specific context and believe it or not I don't fly in a blind rage and start attacking white women for uttering the word.
Maybe before you lobby to use the word in a context that isn't offensive you should start to get a grasp on your own racism or maybe you could, I don't know actually interact with black people. Get to know the diversity of us so you don't make such dreadfully tone deaf responses. And this is such a problem of privilege, of those who don't bother to interact with black people. I know I keep coming back to this point but it seems such a major problem.
I think if a racial group expresses discomfort and offense regarding the use of the word, others should respect that.
There are fighting words. Since I'm a coward, I get out of the room when somebody says the n word. I also avoid people who say the n word. I figure there is no reason to use it since NYC outlawed the word & the NAACP burried it.
Seems to me that being named "Nigger of the world" did women as much good as the people who were originally named "nigger".
The problem with being able, theoretically, to use any word is that all to often people go for the easiest word at their disposal. Of course, usage and comprehension tend towards mutual exclusivity for some strange reason.
I'm not saying that people shouldn't be concerned about offending others with harsh language (the way Americans act no one these days has a right to be offended about anything anyway) but many white people out there need to stop acting like being labeled a racist is the end of the world for them. Because in this country "African-American", "Latino", "non-white" is still going to bring much harsher critique, criticism, and a harder time overall from American society than simply being white and labeled a racist.
My issue is there are a lot of whites these days who take liberty with the word and engage in racist behavior/comments in the name of satire, humor, journalism, etc and when many are called out on it they'll hide behind complaints of "political correctness"/reverse racism or something along those lines, and mainstream society for the most part will give them the benefit of the doubt time and time again. Or they'll say how "Racism isn't a problem anymore" in some kind of warped justification.
Despite the fear many people in this country have of being labeled a racist, and I blame this on sensationalized media events such as Dog the Bounty Hunter, Imus, Michael Richards, etc; that fear for the most part is unfounded. Most Americans these days don't see racism in anything unless there are white robes and rope involved. The "N Word" is one that most Americans are quite familiar with, especially behind closed doors, even though many will act shocked to hear it in public or in diverse company.
The facade, the phony politeness, the condescending excuses, and being talked down to about racism from individuals who have not only never been on the receiving end of racism but wouldn't know racism if it smacked them in the face is beyond irritating. The only thing they can do to make it worse is talk about how "colorblind" they are. Like there's such a thing in American society.
Most Americans are white. Of course "most Americans" don't see racism is anything short of white robes and a rope.
You also know what most Americans have? Menstrual cycles.
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