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Open Letter To Governor Christie, The Senate and Assembly: Why Pay A Racist Speaker To Come To Rutgers?

By Thomas DeSeno

Imagine if Rutgers announced they paid $32,000 to have a singer show up in Black Face, slur some drawl, shuffle through a few soft shoe steps and sing “Mammy” to the uproarious delight of white students. I’m betting the lot of you would have your magic sound-bite generating machines set on “I abhor racism” and cranked into overdrive. Someone, somewhere, would fire Don Imus.

Well, Rutgers did just that when they booked Chilean actress “Snooki” to speak last night, to deliver the uplifting and not dangerous message that the student body at Rutgers isn’t partying hard enough. Yes – pass me a Bud and a hypodermic needle.

MTV’s “Jersey Shore” Show is not a reality show with cameras turned on people living their lives. It is a scripted show with paid actors pretending to be someone else, and it involves racism.

Jersey Shore wanted the public to think this show was about Italian kids. That’s why they painted the Italian flag on their house. That’s why they scripted them to talk about “Italian family values” (in between all the casual sex and punching people). That’s why they are filming in Italy.

Know what else the producers did the first season? Never once mentioned any of the actors’ last names. Ever. Why? Because half the actors aren’t Italian. Snooki is Chilean. Others have last names like Ortiz, Farley and Pivarnik. What part of Italy are they from? MTV hid that these kids weren’t Italian. Black Face.

And that’s why it’s racist. MTV took a racist stereotype of a knuckleheaded, sexually uncontrolled, violent criminal, called him a quintessentially Italian name (Guido) and said “let’s make a show!” Being unable to find Italian kids who act that way, they hired actors who aren’t Italian to fill the rolls. Making a show out of a racist stereotype and hiring actors of a different persuasion to play the stereotype means you can only call it one thing: Black Face. It matters not that this time it is Italian Face. Black folks didn’t act that why when Jolsen sang, and Italians don’t act like Snooki. It’s a stereotype.

Don’t let MTV argue the popularity of the show. Stepin Fetchit was popular. Will MTV bring that back?

And don’t argue that the money only came from the mandatory student fee account (as if that’s not bad enough) and wasn’t taxpayer funds. That’s the same foolish point Planned Parenthood makes when they say, “We don’t pay for abortions with tax dollars – we pay for other stuff.” Money is fungible. Support for one end of a business supports another.

So Governor Christie, paesano, do you have anything to say about this?

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Posted: April 1st, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Rutgers | Tags: , , | 18 Comments »

18 Comments on “Open Letter To Governor Christie, The Senate and Assembly: Why Pay A Racist Speaker To Come To Rutgers?”

  1. Warren said at 3:41 pm on April 1st, 2011:

    You GO Tommy! If I had the chance I would eminent domain her brain as an area-in-need-of-redevelopment!

  2. M. Ward said at 3:41 pm on April 1st, 2011:

    Perhaps this is because I’m a teenager, but….I don’t see anything wrong with the Jersey Shore.

    First off, after 5 minutes of research, I’ve deemed that she didn’t come to Rutgers to preach her ways of hard partying to a gullible and easily molded audience expecting an educational speech. The Rutgers University Programming Association has invited her for a ‘comedy show’ they are sponsoring. The format was planned to be like the show ‘Inside the Actor’s Studio’.

    The Daily Targum has this to say:

    ” “The focus is purely comedic entertainment,” said Kassee, a Livingston College senior. “It’s similar to last semester’s homecoming comedy show with Craig Robinson and Donald Glover or the comedy night that featured Ben Bailey.” ”

    I can assure you although the cast of the Jersey Shore are hard partiers I don’t believe that viewers see it as a correlation to them being italian.

    Snooki is indeed Chilean but was adopted by italian parents. From what I can tell she is proud of her adopted family’s heritage and is willing to take it on herself. I think that’s probably the farthest thing from racism.

    If Rutgers wants to use their money on Snooki for entertainment purposes then I say go for it. Using the Jersey Shore for political purposes is a little far fetched in this writer’s opinion.

  3. Freespeaker1976 said at 3:55 pm on April 1st, 2011:

    M. Ward,

    You are missing a few important points that a friend shared with me today:

    1) Snooki and cast are not exactly the role models our kids should have their eyes on, what with her arrest last summer. Just because “she didn’t come to preach” as you say, they are indeed examples of what not to be, people making money off of sleeze.

    2) It is NOT Rutger’s money. It is the parent’s money, you know; those that pay the tuition AND the Student Activity Fees. Bet you more than a buck; quite a few don’t want to see that money wasted on Snooki

    3) Finally, what does it say that Snooki can garner $32,000 as a fee while the well respected Commencement Speaker is only going to receive a $30,000 fee.

    NOW do you see what’s wrong with the picture? If not, our next generation is surely lost.

  4. Curious said at 3:56 pm on April 1st, 2011:

    so its ok to blame Snookie et al for maligning italian-americans, but not ok for folks to protest that the Columbus re-enactment maligns native americans?

    I think theres some hypocrisy in there somewhere.

    Stereotypes for me, but not for thee?

  5. Wowser said at 4:02 pm on April 1st, 2011:

    Curious… I’m not sure what your liberal professors are teaching you at The Jewel By The Raritan but it misses the point; if there is one in your comment. The cast propagates a negative stereotype on Italians, just as MTV wants. Encouraging her by paying her more than a Nobel author is poor judgement.

  6. JerryW45 said at 4:40 pm on April 1st, 2011:

    What is really sad is that post is getting more comments than the redistricting articles by the Tea Party.

    Our country is surely in the crapper and yeah, I guess I am contributing to it by writing this comment. Think of it though, if we suck the oxygen out of the room by ignoring this nitwit Snooki, then we can really achieve something.

    DOWN WITH SNOOKIEITIS

  7. TR said at 4:47 pm on April 1st, 2011:

    Let me say I agree that the show is offensive and it is offensive that Rutgers is
    paying this……person to speak. if I were a oarent paying my Kids student activity fee I would sure complain.

    However I have to say I am tired of Tommys Italians are victims mantra. Get over it. You sound like all the other crybaby groups who have degrees in victomology.

  8. Justified Right said at 6:59 pm on April 1st, 2011:

    Dear TR,

    I have some ideas about websites allowing people to comment with pseudonymous names to hide their identity.

    First, I’m for it. Some folks work in industries who may penalize them for commentary, so they actually need to comment pseudonymously.

    However, those who do so should be forbidden from making personal attacks about others by name (crybaby, victim, etc.).

    Anyone wishing to do that should reveal themselves, so the fight is fair.

    Now, I do have this immediate reaction to challenge you to a bear knuckle brawl for your comments about me.

    But I know two things:

    First – you wouldn’t show.

    Second – My public display of violence as I twist your arm around your back and force you to call me uncle would only prove MTV’s point that we Italians are law breaking brutes, and I certainly wouldn’t want to let that come true.

    So you have me at a disadvantage.

    Call me more names, TR. Art will assign you the new nickname “Internet Toughguy,”

  9. TR said at 7:47 pm on April 1st, 2011:

    Tommy,

    I only do it to get you riled. Its so easy.

    I was hoping you would challenge me to a fight so I could say something like how Italian of you.
    Now you have gone and prempted me.
    So be satisfied that you ruined my fun.

    BTW, I did not call you a crybaby. I said you were starting to sound like one. So technically I have not called you any names.

    LOL

  10. TR said at 7:50 pm on April 1st, 2011:

    P.S.

    and I would too show up but I would wear one of those mexican wrestling masks.

  11. Freespeaker1976 said at 8:23 pm on April 1st, 2011:

    Ok guys, let’s put the testosterone away. You are stooping down the level of Snooki and Jersey Shore, which, ah; would be the gutter.

  12. Amerigo Vespucci said at 9:59 pm on April 1st, 2011:

    No one answered my question. Why is it ok to parody native Americans every October when “Christopher Coulmbus” comes ashore in Asbury Park, but not OK to parody Columbus’ modern descendants?

    Come on Mr. DeSeno, don’t you staunchly defend the Columbus landing every year?

    Isnt that hypocritical?

  13. momwillto said at 10:18 am on April 2nd, 2011:

    Too bad Rutgers isn’t in Monmouth County. Curley would know what to do!

  14. TR said at 1:07 pm on April 2nd, 2011:

    Exactly haow does a Columbus re-enactment malign native Americans?

  15. Justified Right said at 2:10 pm on April 2nd, 2011:

    Don’t worry Freespeaker TR and I are old friends. We’re just clowning.

    He knows I only challenge to fights now and then because we both know I wouldn’t pass the pre-fight physical.

  16. Justified Right said at 2:14 pm on April 2nd, 2011:

    First of all Amerigo, don’t call me Mr. De Seno. That makes me sound as old as Art Gallagher. Call me Tommy.

    Since Christopher Columbus was good to the Indians, certainly my supporting the Columbus Landing re-enactment in Asbury Park every year means I’m nice to the Indians too.

  17. Russ said at 4:36 pm on April 2nd, 2011:

    Take it easy Francis.

  18. Jordan said at 1:57 am on April 4th, 2011:

    Christie should pull Rutger’s state funding for this. Waste in Higher Education seems rampant in our state, look at those con artists over at Brookdale.