Star Spangled Staggers

US politics from outside the beltway

Obama impersonator cut short at GOP bash

"He was born in Hawaii," he went on. "Or as the Tea Partiers like to call it, Kenya."

By Felicity Spector Published 19 June 2011 11:34

Oh dear. A comedian hired to entertain Republican activists at their Leadership Conference in New Orleans this weekend has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Obama impersonator Reggie Brown had to be escorted from the stage mid-way through his act after some jokes which were considered rather racially inappropriate.

Many delegates were left bewildered as Brown made fun of the President's family background: referring to his white mother and black father, he said that while Michelle Obama liked to celebrate the whole of Black History month -- her husband only celebrated half.

"He was born in Hawaii," he went on. "Or as the Tea Partiers like to call it, Kenya."

The routine went on to mock the leading Republican presidential hopefuls, including digs at Mitt Romney's Mormon faith, before he was cut short.

The party strategist and former communications director Doug Heye revealed his discomfort onTwitter:

Wonder why many minorities have problems with GOP? Our fault.

You can see Brown's truncated routine here

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Tags: Barack Obama

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14 comments

Tue, 2011-06-21 20:27 — matthew fox (not verified)

Is B I G G O T French or Spanish?

Mon, 2011-06-20 18:31 — JimmyRushmoore (not verified)

As someone else pointed out you're missing the point of this story. The GOP were lapping it up when he was mocking Obama and only stopped him when he started ripping the potential Republican candidates to pieces

Sun, 2011-06-19 12:12 — MatthewBlott

Where did my comment go?

Sun, 2011-06-19 12:13 — MatthewBlott

I think political correctness has its virtues and I'm glad we've moved away from the times when comedians freely used words like n*gger and p*ki without fear of redress. But having just watched the video posted above I have to say it wasn't really that bad and I think some really can be very pious when it comes to race.

Sun, 2011-06-19 12:18 — MatthewBlott

Okay, I understand where my comment went now. I had to put an asterisk in the words to make my point. The software that deals with the postings obviously doesn't allow certain words - even when the context in which I was using them was not racist but I was merely illustrating a point. Well, that is an excellent example of the point I was making - you can't even mention the racist language you wish to condemn!

Sun, 2011-06-19 12:47 — jie4v7i14

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W2gpRTcJh8
Pakkies? What is the fuss?

Mon, 2011-06-20 19:38 — matthew fox (not verified)

Poor Indu Pendent, avoids the whole issue of John Taylor, I wonder why?

The only thing I worry about is your economic illiteracy.

Unlike you, I don't shy away from the truth.

Sun, 2011-06-19 14:06 — praha7 (not verified)

Was this really about the Obama jokes?

Reggie Brown was stopped when he made fun of the Republican hopefuls.

Sun, 2011-06-19 14:34 — Indu Pendent (not verified)

Did the audience know where Kenya was?

In the UK, are white male dominated tight knit communities in labour heartlands (like King Authur Scargill and old mining) more racist than sunny tory surbiton white middlecalss suburbs? Perhaps both have moved on?

Sun, 2011-06-19 14:47 — matthew fox (not verified)

I think Indu Pendent is trying to create a smokescreen.

I take it he can't remember the case of John Taylor, who tried to be an MP in Cheltenham for the Conservative Party.

As a rule, Cheltenham has no connection to mining, whether that be coal, oil, gold, tin or diamond.

Mon, 2011-06-20 09:24 — Indu Pendent (not verified)

@matthew fox

Its worrying you shy away from recognising there are racist elements in all the political parties including Labour.

Thats how racism can grow.

Tue, 2011-06-21 15:06 — Indu Pendent (not verified)

@matthew fox

Its spelt "B I G G O T"

Go find out what it means, take it onboard then I dialogue with you.

Wed, 2011-06-22 15:56 — Jamie1

Republicans have no sense of humour. Reggie Brown is a useless comedian, but they laugh through any anti-Democrat joke, but then when he turns his decidedly poor comedic routine onto the Republicans, they boo him off-stage; nothing to do with racism at all, they just can't take criticism.