Bye-bye Ms. Jones!

Radio station pulls morning show

Natural disasters are not funny

I do not listen to New York radio stations. Most of them suck in my opinion. I remember Radio Free Hawaii days, back in high school, where the listener ruled the radio waves--regarding what got played. Even my namesake, Alice 97.3 (KLLC) in San Francisco is playing stuff I'd rather not hear. Thank god for my iPod and iTunes. I digress. Remember when Abercrombie&Fitch put out those t-shirts that got the Asian community in an uproar? I thought the shirts were funny and I even bought one. Many Asians found them offensive which I can understand if they were rickshaw runners perhaps, but they were tongue-in-cheek and were not meant to be offensive at all. It's a quick mind that can tell the difference in my opinion. This leads me to Hot 97 in New York, a hip-hop radio station. The station has been receiving many angry phone calls, e-mails, and letters complaining about last week's Morning Show airing of a song that makes fun of the tsunami that killed over 200,000 people in southeast Asia. In case you couldn't tell: not funny. I'm all for being irreverent and satires are our friends, but Miss Jones, the lead host for the morning show took it way too far by not only airing "Tsunami Song" but going into a tirade of Asian slurs. Miss Info went head to head with Miss Jones and made her feelings about the song very clear before it was played. From hiphopmusic.com I got this tidbit of what's on the now inaccessible mp3:

On this tape you hear them introducing the "Tsunami Song," then Miss Jones and co-host Todd Lynn launching into an abusive tirade against Miss Info when she voices her objection to it. Miss Jones finally tells Info she's only complaining because "you feel superior, probably because you're Asian."

Then, after Miss Info has said the song is offensive to Asians, co-host Todd Lynn informs her: "I'm gonna start shooting Asians." Yes, he really says that. It's at 3:37 on the mp3.

In case you didn't get it the first time, not only is this not funny, but Miss Jones and Todd Lynn demonstrated just how racist they are and unsympathetic to what is one of the largest natural disasters in modern history.

The station issued an on-air apology as well as a statement on their website. All morning show employees are donating one week's salary to the tsunami relief effort. Groups are calling for the termination of Miss Jones and the entire morning show. I like finding the humor in situations, but it's been one month since the earthquake and tsunami and I still don't see the humor. Heck, I still can't find the humor in Pompeii! Natural disasters just aren't that funny. However, Miss Jones and Todd Lynn think it is and haven't even issued personal apologies. Classy.

Chinese-American (and Queens resident) rap artist, Jin, put out this recording in response to "Tsunami Song."

There are two petitions out to Ennis Communications and Hot 97 requesting the end of the morning show. Not to mention letters to the FCC regarding this problem. Please show your displeasure by signing these petitions.

A sampling of the song's lyrics:

There was a time
When the sun was shining bright
So I went down to the beach to catch me a tan
Then the next thing I knew
A wave 20 feet high came and washed your whole country away
And all at once you could hear all the screaming Chinks
And no one was safe from the wave
There were Africans drowning
Little Chinamen swept way
You could hear God laughing "Swim You bitches, swim"
[Chorus]
So now you're screwed, it's a tsunami
You better run and better kiss your ass away
Go find your mommy
I just saw her float by, a tree right through her head, and now your children will be sold child slavery
[Repeat chorus]

Hot97 Morning Show website with staff profiles

Over and over

John Mayer's Benefit for Broadway performance was--what I would equate to--verbal masturbation. He performed a new song he's working on called Over and Over and I can't wait to hear the final version. His next album should be a welcome departure from his acoustic emo-music. Shenan rocked this birthday gift with two VIP passes to the after party where hordes of screaming and photo-taking teeny-boppers were chasing him between the three floors. I got as close as 10 feet until he was ushered away, down an elevator. At that point, I decided to just enjoy the free food. Jai Rodriguez from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy was there as well. Shenan and I cut out after John hopped into a large van with about 10 girls (I would venture to call them jailbait) and sped off east. We went to Carmine's and I was sung "happy birthday" by the talented male waitstaff.

Aurora was diagnosed with feline chin acne which is much better after her treatment. Her ringworm culture came back positive. That's right, I gave my cat ringworm--I'm the dirty one. She is in for 2 lime-sulphur dips and a month of oral antifungal treatment. I'm in for cleaning my house AGAIN using bleach and water. I think my bathroom will get the most cleaning (no more fostering cats in my house) and I'll need to launder my carpets, bedclothes, whatever she may have put herself on--nearly everything except the clothes in my closet. I'm going to be busy next week. Until then, I continue to volunteer at the cat shelter.

This weekend, Jano and I are hanging out in San Diego together. It will be my first trip to SD and I'm looking forward to seeing him. Anything is better than this cold weather. Especially since my cold is nearly gone now and I'm missing warm weather. Thank god it stopped raining out west.

My friend, Nik, had his car broken into in the Bronx while he was at the Bronx Zoo--he did not park in zoo parking. They took his CD player and CDs. He got some bad luck to start off the year. Someone needs to shower him with gifts to make it right. Karma, people, karma. Help my man, Nik, out. People are bad.

Japan is out, Galapagos Islands are in.

Behind

I'm very behind on posting photos, so there will be a slew when I come to it. I'm currently ill and writing this post wired on Robitussin and Dayquil: not a good mix as I was drugged on the Robitussin and I forgot I should wait until those drugs wore off before I took the Dayquil and now I am wide awake and my mind is buzzing. I have a certain clarity that would probably allow me to find the next largest prime number if I really wanted to. I'm trying to get better before my trip to San Diego this weekend to see Jano. And it turns out, I will miss Jenny and Lee in NYC this weekend; they are celebrating their one year wedding anniversary. Tonight, I am off to a Broadway benefit with John Mayer performing courtesy of Shenan (my birthday present).

I have imbibed more water today than on any single day in my entire life. I hope this expedites my recovery.

Support the Iraqi Police Dogs

This story has a special place in my heart for the poochies serving in Iraq. Apparently, the Iraqi bomb-sniffing police dogs don't have any food. The small unit of dogs has been surviving on table scraps and garbage; probably the worst thing you can feed a service dog. The Las Vegas Valley Humane Society is spear-heading a campaign to collect donations to buy and send pallets of dog food to Iraq. Please support the twelve German Shepherds and one Black Labrador Retriever by sending a donation.

The Humane Society is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization. So your donation will be tax deductible.

Send donations to:

Las Vegas Valley Humane Society
Funds For Dogs In Iraq
2250 E. Tropicana
Suite 19
Las Vegas, NV 89119

Make checks payable to the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society. The group asks that you indicate in a letter or on the check that you want your donation to go to the dogs in Iraq.

It's my birthday!

My friends are rock stars! So far, Jen baked me a chocolate covered marmalade cookie sandwich and Shenan, Alex, and Calvin sent me an enormous box of chocolate cookies from Payard. I'd give you guys each a kidney--if only I had four... extra. Aurora cuddled up to me while I watched King Arthur last night with her arm around my waist--too bad I couldn't take a picture of that. She woke me up this morning with delightful purring, lying her head next to mine. Tonight, sushi with Lauren followed by drinks at BondSt.