Culture

Jackie Mason Racist to Call Obama Schwartza? Al Sharpton Responds

by Tina Kells | March 16, 2009 at 11:55 am

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Jackie Mason is fending off racist labeling after a comment he made about President Obama during a performance at Feinstein's at Loews Regency. In his show Mason called Obama a schwartza which is a Yiddish word meaning black.

Mason's use of the word schwartza (also spelled schvartze) has been called racist since the Yiddish meaning of the term is not just a simple descriptive. Mason has tried to brush off the comment as being lost on a cultural translation saying the he heard the term frequently as a child.

This is not the first time Jackie Mason has been involved in a scandal over his use of the Yiddish racial epithet. He can not claim an innocent ignorance of the deeper meaning of the word schwartza. In 1991 Mason faced similar criticism when he called former Mayor David Dinkins "a fancy schwartza with a mustache."

Commenting on the racist characterization of the President the usually outspoken Reverend Al Sharpton was surprisingly calm. Sharpton told reporters that he pitied Jackie Mason and didn't feel the need to get angry about the incident.

During his act Thursday night at Feinstein's at Loews Regency on the upper East Side, Mason, 72, caused some fans to boo and walk out when he called Obama a "schvartze," which is Yiddish for black.

"I'm an old Jew. I was raised in a Jewish family where 'schvartze' was used," an unapologetic Mason told TMZ.com Sunday night.

"It's not a demeaning word and I'm not going to defend myself." Mason then went on a rant about racism, saying, "If it's a racist society, the white people are the ones being persecuted because they have to defend themselves."

The Rev. Al Sharpton noted that in 1991 Mason apologized for calling former Mayor David Dinkins "a fancy schvartze with a mustache."

"At this stage in Jackie's life and career, he should get our prayers more than our responses," Sharpton said.

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Swan

at 15:31 on March 16th, 2009

Aged Jewish people use such Yiddish terms, not to insult, but to describe a person. Calling our President 'black' can hardly be an insult .. come on!

Had he called him a 'stupid black idiot' - well that would have an entirely different meaning altogether. It would be demeaning.

People need to lighten up a little, I don't see President Barack Obama sending the CIA out to silence Jackie Mason any time soon.

Mason is known as an 'edgy' comedian, just as George Carlin is - and both walk the line between comedy and reality - and sometimes that line (for them) is blurred.

I agree with nyctuber, it's pretty much a non-story.
~ Swan

duo

at 16:07 on March 16th, 2009

Hey, Swan. I am not familiar with the term Mason used, but from reading the post, I take it that the term is not merely descriptive of race, but that it possibly has the same meaning as phraseology you applied, "stupid black idiot."

Fred Miller

at 16:38 on March 16th, 2009

Jackie Mason makes fun of anyone and everyone including Jewish men and their mothers. After watching him for over 20 years I see that he's still often funny using the same old shtick. And he thrives on the controversy that he generates naturally.

Mason is a racist (not verified)

at 04:11 on March 17th, 2009

How many more excuses and roundabouts are you going to make for this man? Huh?

We all know it was racist and if you had any doubts, this tape is patent proof. Now go look in the mirror and ask yourself some real questions....about you.

Big Munky (not verified)

at 10:40 on March 17th, 2009

Would you all pay more attention to what's really going on in this world instead of wasting time trying to make a story over what a COMEDIAN said, and then the response by "Reverend" Sharpton (of all people to go to, anyone want to bring up Tawana Brawley?). Come on people, our country is going to crap, and you want to make a stir about this? Grow up, find something useful to complain about.