Howard Stern Is Incorrect About 'Precious' Star PDF Print E-mail
By Khristanda Cooper -- Black College Wire   

Howard Stern, a radio talk show host for Sirius XM Radio, is most notably known for his not so tactful remarks and quite controversial topics on his show The Howard Stern Show. However, no one expected his comments about on Precious film star Gabourey Sidibe.

On his March 8 show, Stern said, “There’s the most enormous, fat black chick I’ve ever seen. She is enormous. Everyone’s pretending she’s a part of show business and she’s never going to be in another movie. She should have gotten the Best Actress award because she’s never going to have another shot. What movie is she gonna be in.”
Khristanda Cooper

The audio was later played on ABCNews.com. Stern then went on to ridicule Oprah Winfrey saying that she lied to Sidibe about obtaining additional movie roles due to the fact that she is “too fat.” After Stern made his crass statements the airwaves lit up. Many believe that Stern was wrong for his statement and should apologize was for such racist comments.

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The Famuan
Khristanda Cooper
"I'm actually surprised somebody had the ‘cojones’ to say that," Jessica Simpson told E! "I just think that's really disrespectful.”

This leads me to wonder if Stern is able to spew such ignorance (at) Sidibe and get just a slap on the wrist from bloggers, fans and news anchors; should he lose his radio show just like Don Imus did for calling Rutgers University Women’s Basketball team some “nappy headed hoes and jiggaboos”?

Imus apologized, after he lost his radio show, so will Stern apologize?

Not likely. He later stated on his show that he only made the comments more or less because he was worried about her health due to the fact Sidibe is virtually the “poster-child” for America’s health care crisis.

Really? In all honestly, it is unlikely that was why he truly made those statements and I am sure nobody else does either.

Sidibe, as far as news sources and bloggers have noted, has not made any statements to or about Stern. However, her mother has. She said that Stern should “get a life” on Inside Edition.

As for the comments that she will never work in Hollywood again, well, that has been proven wrong. Sidibe will be starring in the Showtime dark comedy series The Big C, beginning in May this year. Stern’s comments sparked more “controversy” when according to Us Magazine, AcaiSupply.com offered her a one year supply of its product so that she could “reach her goal of someday winning an Oscar.” This then led the NAAFA, National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, to defend the actress.

This all reverts back to Stern and his comments. Freedom of Speech is one of America’s greatest achievements; but one should really think before they speak. Case in point, Howard Stern.

Khristanda Cooper writes for The Famuan, the Florida A&M University student newspaper, which originally published this article.

Articles in the Voices section represent the opinions of the individual writers and do not reflect the views of Black College Wire. 
Posted Mar. 19, 2010
 
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