Obama '08 Monkey T-Shirt - UPDATE

In Marietta, Ga, the owner of Mulligan's Bar and Grill is selling an Obama '08 t-shirt with the likeness of Curious George, the monkey, on it. The owner claims that the shirt was not meant to be seen as a racial reference. He said he did it because he saw a resemblance between Barack Obama and Curious George.

According to AJC.com,
Rick Blake, a spokesman for publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, which owns the Curious George image, said Wednesday that the company didn't authorize the use of the character's image, but hasn't been in touch with anybody selling or manufacturing the shirts.

"We find it offensive and obviously utterly out of keeping with the value Curious George represents," Blake said. "We're monitoring the situation and weighing our options with respect to legal action."

Marietta bar owner Mike Norman has said he got the T-shirts from someone in Arkansas. He started selling them at his bar -- known for the provocative, ultra-conservative political slogans often posted on signs out front -- in April but said he has no plans to mass market them.

Norman acknowledged the imagery's Jim Crow roots but said he sees nothing wrong with depicting a prominent African-American as a monkey. "We're not living in the (19)40's," he said. "Look at him . . . the hairline, the ears -- he looks just like Curious George."

You make the call. Discuss amongst yourselves.

Teen Arrested at Prom for Skimpy Dress

This girl was turned away from the prom and then arrested for actin' a fool because she couldn't get in with her "custom made" prom dress. Marche's mama needs to have her behind whupped for letting her walk out of the house with that on. She's the one who should have been arrested. Now that's all I have to say. (read the story here)

Jury Selection Underway in R. Kelly Trial

Aruh Kelly is finally about to get his day in court. Jury selection has begun and is expected to last about a week (source). The child molestation trial is expected to have many twists and turns. The alleged under aged girl in the video is now 23 years old and claims that she in not the one in the video. There is also another woman who is expected to testify that she was the third leg of a threesome that happened between Kelly and the (then) under aged girl.

Three jurors have already been selected: a baptist preacher's wife, a business executive, and a telecommunications worker [insert jokes here]. Potential jurors who were dismissed included a man in his 50s who prosecutors said clearly was awe-struck by Kelly's celebrity and a security guard who said Kelly would have "some explaining to do" if he was on the video.

This mess has been delayed for 6 years, so I seriously doubt that R. Kelly will be found guilty. Don't get me wrong, I'm all in favor of him going to jail. Out of all the celebrities who've been sentenced to jail recently, he should've BEEN gone. I'm not an attorney, but I just foresee too many hurdles to cross for the prosecution to put on a successful case: 1) six years have passed, everyone's memory is questionable 2) if you find an untainted jury, they will not be a jury of his peers 3) the girl says it's not her...how will they prove it is?

Personally, I wouldn't mind if they give him a few years just for GP. That will at least give us a break from him putting out songs like "Hair Braider" and "Trapped In the Closet". The only downside is he could use idle prison time to come up with worse songs that are more reflective of prison life like "Trapped in the Shower" "Hair Braider: the Commissary Remix" or "I Believe I'm a Guy".

Email me to order t-shirts.

Cops in Philly Caught on Video Beating Motorists

Several Philadelphia police officers, in a department under stress from the killing of another officer, are under investigation for using excessive force. (Read full story here)

The officers were videotaped kicking three shooting suspects and hitting them with blackjacks after pulling them from their car late Monday, WCAU-TV reported.

Police chased the car down just after 10 p.m. Monday. The men inside were suspected in a shooting. Police said the gunman ran away and was still on the loose Tuesday afternoon. The three later caught in the car were charged with aggravated assault.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said the other suspects also have priors, but he added that their criminal history has nothing to do with police arrest procedures.

"On the surface, it certainly does not look good in terms of the amount of force that was used. But we don't want to rush to judgment," Ramsey said.

Ramsey said he does not want to make any excuses for what appears to have happened on the tape. But he did want to remind everyone that many officers are emotionally drained and under a great deal of stress.

Hillary's D.C. Pastor Agrees with Rev. Jeremiah Wright

Apparently Hillary slept in one too many Sundays.

This is priceless. The pastor of the church that the Clintons attended while in the White House has issued a statement in support of the much maligned Rev. Jeremiah Wright. “Those of us who are white Americans would do well to listen carefully to Dr. Wright rather than to use a few of his quotes to polarize,” the Rev. Dean Snyder said in a statement posted on the Foundry United Methodist Church website. Now, let the church say Amen.

Now that Sen. Clinton has gone on record saying that he [Rev. Wright] would not have been her pastor, I wonder what her thoughts are on her own pastor agreeing with Rev. Wright. Will she denounce and reject him? Will she express regret over her tenure at Foundry UMC? Will she disassociate from Rev. Snyder?

You make the call. What do you think Hillary's response will be?