Nashville: Obama Waffles not supposed to be racist, Tennessee-based makers say

[sabra]

Source: Chattanooga Times

Obama Waffles, an election-year novelty item some critics have labeled as racist, was not intended as anything but political satire, a spokeswoman for the product’s Franklin, Tenn.-based makers said.

“We are very surprised by the charges of racism for a product based simply on political satire,” said Noelle Federico of Nashville-based Gill Media Inc., which represents Obama Waffle creators Bob DeMoss and Mark Whitlock.

“It is quite unbelievable that people would attack a harmless box of waffles with such vehemence,” Ms. Federico said. “We are not making a statement about anything with this product, we are simply in the business of political satire.”

Mr. DeMoss and Mr. Whitlock were selling boxes of the waffle mix, which featured a caricature of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for $10 each at this weekend’s Voter Values Summit in Washington, D.C., according to The Associated Press. The summit’s organizers cut off sales of the waffle mix Saturday, the AP said.

...

Hamilton County Democratic Party Chairman John Bailes said the box “certainly has a racist kind of quality.”

The top flap of the Obama Waffles box depicts a caricature of Sen. Obama in a Muslim-like head scarf. A message on the box instructs readers to “point (the) box toward Mecca for tastier waffles.”

Read more: http://timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/16/nashville-obama-waffles-not-supposed-be-racist-ten/?local

[alcibiades_mystery]

1. Why are we even paying attention to these imbeciles

They're desperate to make this about race. they're marginalized, and we should ignore them in the same way we ignore the Klan. Get rid of this shit.

[Tampa Rob]

2. Riiiiight. And John McCain is a "maverick".

I really wonder how people like this sleep at night.

I guess the distorted caricature on the box doesn't evoke ANY racist feelings.

Christ on a stick.

TR

[sasquatch]

3. Why do I get a feeling that this will get really ugly?

:(

[Pete2069]

10. Because it will and no one will lift a finger to stop it.

If Hillary would have been our president or vice president
candidate , can you just see the lies , deceit and BS they
would spread 24/7.  There is nothing they will not do or say
to attack a democrat , but if you look at a republicans and
they do not like it you are deceitfully attack 24/8 bu them
and their corporate news propaganda machine....

You saw the video where a republican woman stoop up in one of
McCain's meeting and said "what will we do about the
b...h...

Anyone trying to say that the republicans are Christians ,
Americans or human being has quite a bit of explaining to
"PROVE" their case...

[Hugin]

4. I guess they'll see my not buying any of their products as satire as well.

We'll all have a good hearty laugh about it, I'm sure. :eyes:

[firedupdem]

5. Fucking liars! All of them! I let CNN know how I felt about it

yesterday as well. Lou Dobbs is a racist jerk and so are newt and mitch.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. DeMoss and Whitlock are so clueless they don't even know they're racists

It reminds me of when Evan Mecham, a dimwit who served briefly as governor of Arizona, wondered why every one got on his case for calling Black children "pickaninnies".

[daggahead]

7. This is something that ...

Michael "In the Closet" Medved is also doing, but with T-shirts.

Somebody asked why we even bother paying attention to this kind of crap? Well, because it matters when people are defaming Barack Obama.

[MrsBrady]

8. why don't we just put McCains picture on a box of white rice.

"McCain's Instant like White on Rice"...precooked!

it's over cooked and falling apart

[Hugin]

12. I would put a pic of whoever it was who came up with the Waffle Idea on a label...

Except they don't sell Horse's Ass in bulk anywhere.

[guitar man]

16. better yet

on a box of crackers, then we'll all claim it's not racist. ;)

[MrsBrady]

20. good one n /t

[apnu]

9. "not supposed to be racist" LOL. But they are, dummy.

Naturally, it would be a bunch of white guys from a previously secessionist state who don't get it.

[regularguy]

11. Isn't satire supposed to be clever or

reference reality is some way? Dumb fucks.

[pattmarty]

19. We're talking "Republican satire" here. You know.............

..........Ann Coulter, Michael Savage etc.

[leftist.]

35. Don't forget such funny items as ...

The Curious George asshat in Georgia, "Obama's baby mama", and those classically hilarious Purple Heart bandaids.

[Bob3]

13. And i've got a bridge in Alaska to sell you as well.

Morons.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

14. Yeah, sure.

And I am supposed to be 6'4", Darkly Handsome, independently wealthy and incredibly well-hung. :sarcasm:

[wysimdnwyg]

15. Sometimes I hate my state

I love Tennessee. I really do. But damn, sometimes it sure it hard not to hate it, too. I guess I'm lucky in that I live in one of two real Democratic strongholds (Memphis and Nashville), but having to work in THE GOP headquarters of the state (the very wealthy Williamson County) exposes me to the self-centered, arrogant, holier-than-thou bullshit espoused by the other side. At least I can get through most every day without having to put up with the racist crap that is much more prevelant in the eastern third of the state.

[ellie]

17. Please let these racist

fuckers have to explain themselves on a national stage where their racism is on display for all to see.

[Overseas]

18. Cuz golly, no one remembers Aunt Jemima Pancakes. //nt

[NashVegas]

21. This Was Entirely Predictable

The minute McCain announced Palin.

Lipstick on a pig? Don't think for a fucking minute Obama didn't know he was provoking the McCain campaign - he just happened to do so in a wonderfully coy manner and they fell for it. Now, it's Republicans' turn to play asshole and try to distract us from real issues while the economy tanks.

More




Activists at a conservative political forum snapped up boxes of waffle mix depicting Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama as a racial stereotype on its front and wearing Arab-like headdress on its top flap.

Values Voter Summit organizers cut off sales of Obama Waffles boxes on Saturday, saying they had not realized the boxes displayed "offensive material." The summit and the exhibit hall where the boxes were sold had been open since Thursday afternoon.

The box was meant as political satire, said Mark Whitlock and Bob DeMoss, two writers from Franklin, Tenn., who created the mix. They sold it for $10 a box from a rented booth at the summit sponsored by the lobbying arm of the Family Research Council.

...

Asked if he considered the pictures of Obama on the box to be racial stereotypes, Whitlock said: "We had some people mention that to us, but you think of Newman's Own or Emeril's — there are tons and tons of personality-branded food products on the market. So we've taken that model and, using political satire, have highlighted his policies, his position changes."


http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080914/NEWS0206/809140356/1009/NEWS02&GID=ymZSsIGKje0kpNjgYnU/Da0iaTix1nTTKGI4PYXt3co%3D

[mitchum]

22. Well, I guess they will have no problem with my new product "Stupid Crackers"

hey, it's political satire

[timeoutofjoint]

23. This reminds me of the NewYoker cover a while back.--yes, political satire.

[Gormy Cuss]

36. New Yorker cover was satire poking fun at the stupidity of some characterizations by detractors.

The waffle mix portrays him as a black caricature on the front of the box, a muslim on the flap, and in a sombrero on the back. None of it is done is the spirit of satire.

[ThoughtCriminal]

24. I can remember when there were people who said that about

Lawn Jockies. What??? No!!!!
:eyes:

[Dhalgren]

25. I'm SHOCKED that Republicans would act in a racist way!

SHOCKED, I tell you! No one could have guessed that Republicans would behave in a racist way!

It is going to get worse...

[WriteDown]

26. Didn't Doonesbury....

Use a waffle as one of its characters. I'm fairly sure that the waffle has been used as a political jab for years. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt here. Especially for Nashville which is like a little Seattle in the mountains these days.

[yardwork]

34. Did you see the caricatures of Obama on the waffle packages? They were racist.

Old-fashioned, nasty, no-holds barred racial stereotypes.

Doonesbury portrayed Bill Clinton as a waffle. Not as a caricature on a package of waffle mix.

[Tanuki]

27. More at this link:

http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctpolitics/2008/09/vendors_asked_t.html

The article says that the "Books-a-Million" chain is planning to carry this vile product. I hope they will reconsider, or they will have a lot to answer for.

[LiberalHeart]

32. Books-A-Million says they've canceled the idea of carrying them -- but why?

Is it because bunches of people called and emailed and visited stores to protest? One of the first DUers to call Saturday was told they did have the product for sale. Soon after, they couldn't say for sure one way or the other. And now they're saying they changed their mind.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

28. Yes

And they also have a line of bedsheets with eye holes cut in them.

[benld74]

29. And for an Extra $10, get Condelezza's face on an Aunt Jemima bottle!!!

[bethajones]

30. Dems overreact?

This is classic:

"Brett Hale, vice chairman of the Hamilton County Republican Party, said he had heard about the novelty item but had not seen pictures. He said critics are overreacting.

“People are reading into things so much nowadays,” he said. “It’s too bad we have to be so politically correct.”"

Have they not been crying "sexism" over EVERYTHING said about Palin? I don't get it...

[sudopod]

31. Taking down Obamawaffles.com online store (for fun and profit*)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3998056

[timeoutofjoint]

33. Aunt Jemima was not originally black but was the stage name of Tess Gardella, an

i did some research on Aunt Jemina--last YouTube is great.


Aunt Jemima was not originally black but was the stage name of Tess Gardella, an Italian American immigrant, who performed in blackface during the minstrel era. Gardella starred in the stage production of "Show Boat" in 1927/29 playing the part of "Queenie" the black cook. In the program for the musical, Gardella did not get credit under her real name but under the name "Aunt Jemima" the name she used when performing in blackface. You can see Gardella in this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6G7E5RQ9QA


Later, in the 1936 movie, Gardella was replaced by Hattie McDaniel, seen here in the same role (Queenie):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vndFZZVcsKI

The name "Aunt Jemima" was then appropriated to sell pancakes and a black woman, Anna Robinson, was used as a model:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUw-EpBv__o

[OakCliffDem]

37. Now that's funny

The waffle mix is not funny, but Noelle Federico's deigning it is funny.