Shirley Q. Liquor Update:A Response to the Blade Editorial "GLAAD's New Act"

Just when I thought it was safe to close up shop for the weekend and get ready for the Oscars, the New York Blade, a gay newspaper, publishes an editorial entitled “GLAAD’s New Act,” questioning GLAAD’s recent statements regarding Shirley Q. Liquor.  And at the risk of never being published by the Blade again, I have something to say to them.

The problem as the Blade sees it, is that the mission of GLAAD is to see to the images of the LGBT community in the media.  After applauding GLAAD president Neil Giuliano for taking a stand against racism, in the very next paragraph they questioned though whether or not the Shirley Q. Liquor incident has risen to the level of visibility that warranted them to issue a statement in the first place.

So which is it? Either you’re happy they took a stand or you’re not is the way that I see it.

Regarding the strength or visibility as they referred to it of the campaign against Shirley Q. Liquor…

During the height of the Liquor campaign I went on the Michael Signorile Show on SiriusOutQ, this after doing a dozen or so national Black radio shows mind you, including the Bev Smith Show and the Al Sharpton Show.  And among my many pet peeves with this particular interview, including the fact that Michael said the “N” word on air and I had to tell him that as a white man that wasn’t advisable under any context, Michael said to me that because GLAAD issued a statement criticizing Liquor that it really launched the campaign.  I had to politely correct him and explain that the gay community, namely the more progressive white gay community, was just getting on board but that the Black media had been driving this campaign from day one with reports daily on American Urban Radio Network, XM station The Power 169, Radio One stations, BET.com, BlackAmericaWeb.com, and of course the Electronic Urban Report, Eurweb.com.  My point was that long before GLAAD decided to get involved and do the right thing, Blacks all over the country had been mobilized and were speaking up and out about the Liquor show. As a matter of fact, I give credit to the success of the show cancellations to the Black media and Black people for calling, faxing, and emailing the club’s.  That’s how the shows were shut down, not because of GLAAD’s press release.

My point regarding the Blade editorial questioning the visibility of the Liquor controversy is that it may not have been on their gaydar but it was front and center in Black America, a place many white gays don’t often go.  And had they taken the time to Google Shirley Q. Liquor’s name under News, they might have been able to see the various Black newspapers and Internet sites that reported on it before asking a question that in my opinion reeks of white superiority.

Regarding the mission of GLAAD…

The mission of GLAAD says that they are “dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.”

Last time I checked, gay did not mean white.  And while it’s hard to tell sometimes with what we see in the media, this is a point that must be driven home.

Do you know why GLAAD created a People of Color Media Program focusing, for the most part, on Spanish language media and as they put it, Communities of African Descent (i.e. Blacks)? 

Here’s a hint.

It wasn’t because they wanted to.  No.  It was because of the ferocious criticism they had been receiving (and continue to receive) from Latino and Black gays.  Not so much from the Latino’s anymore I suspect given the incredible amount of resources they have put into their Spanish language program, including the creation of separate media award categories to make sure that they are represented.  It’s the “Communities of African Descent” Program that’s very questionable these days…

But back to the question of why their People of Color Program was created.  GLAAD wanted to reach out and try to squelch a lot of the criticism it was facing from people like you and me.  They thought by doing this they could easily point to the resources from their over $10 million budget and say “hey, we’re doing something for you people.”

But it isn’t that easy.

A Communities of African Descent People of Color Program that in my opinion for the most part is dormant and invisible on all fronts, doesn’t mean that GLAAD can’t be asked to take up issues considered to be important to the people that they claim to represent, Black gays (i.e. Paris Hilton, Shirley Q. Liquor).

The same-gender loving community was absolutely warranted in their request for GLAAD to issue a statement.

Fact, Charles Knipp is a self described white gay man.

Fact, Knipp’s character Shirley Q. Liquor is a Black woman.

Fact, white gay men and women for the most part make up the majority of Knipp’s audiences all over the country.

Fact, this issue was being played out on the media, maybe not media GLAAD was aware of, but it was being talked about.

So let’s put it all together and see what we get.

White + gay + male + promoting negative stereotypes of Black women + media = GLAAD.

The idea that somehow GLAAD strayed from it’s mission by criticizing Knipp’s Shirley Q. Liquor character is preposterous.  Like I said earlier, they should have been jumped on this bandwagon and spared us all a lot of late night blogging sessions.  And it's not only GLAAD, HRC, and the Task Force should have issued statements as well.

The editorial then goes on to say, “Knipp’s performances across the country, including New York City, have been met with outrage and protests, often resulting in shows being canceled. This is understandable since the Shirley Q. Liquor character is built on controversial images many consider racist and offensive. But it is possible for an artist or performer to use such loaded images and stereotypes to uncover truths.”

Let me help the Blade out here.

No, it is not possible for Charles Knipp, a white man, to help heal years of mistreatment and racism at the hands of his people by putting on a wig, speaking Ebonics, and in blackface.

Can’t get much clearer and concise than that, but I’ll try.

There is nothing remotely uplifting about Knipp’s act and I wish people would stop defending his character with the tired argument that he’s trying to heal the nation.

The only thing Knipp is trying to heal is the hole in his pocket from all of the money he makes off of degrading Black people.

To the Blade: What is uplifting and truthful about a woman with 19 kids, who doesn’t know who the father of her children is, and names them after sexually transmitted diseases like Gonorrhea?

Too hard for you, try this one.  What is uplifting about mocking a holiday that many Blacks celebrate and consider sacred?

What the Blade fails to realize is that all of the so-called gay organizations that claim to represent and work for all in the gay community are officially on notice.  They are on notice that they don’t set the agenda for us as Black gay folks, we set the agenda.

We had 20 years of them setting the agenda and what did we get?

Last year, we got a Black gay man still not buried after nearly a month of lying around the morgue even though his very life is the reason why some of these organizations are in existence today.

We got a 29-year-old Black man dead on his birthday after being brutally attacked in what was obviously a hate crime  His name was Michael Sandy, but sadly he wasn't from Laramie so his death went unnoticed by the so-called gay community.That’s what we got.

But not in 2007 and not on my watch.

Shirley Q. Liquor is just the beginning.  All of this putting our images on your website and marketing materials so that you look diverse, knowing good and damn well that you’re not, is over.

If you want to truly represent all of us, and since you refuse to give the Black gay organizations the chance to do it by out bidding them every time, then you will be held accountable.

The Shirley Q. Liquor controversy is a perfect example of accountability.  It may not have resonated with the white gay donors of GLAAD, but it resonated with the Black gay constituents of GLAAD which successfully lobbied GLAAD to issue a statement. 

Get over it and on to the next, because chances are there will be something else.

P.S. And don't worry, we're holding the Black civil rights groups accountable too.

Comments

[Vonquisha T'amale Jones]

So, Jasmyne used to "work" for GLAAD, until she was fired for looking for other work while on the job.

Then she pressured them to condemn a drag queen, and when they did, promptly bashed them again.

Evidently, there has been a backlash against taking a knee-jerk stand now that they have had a chance to review Cannick's anti-Semitic, anti-white and, quite frankly, "drunk and angry" blog entries.

I noticed that GLAAD took their "condemnation" of Shirley Q. Liquor off their front page on their website (www.glaad.org) and hidden it under "press releases."

Cannick says when she wakes up the first things she notices looking in the mirror are that she is Black, female and fat.

Tragic that her self-esteem issues manifest themselves so publicly.

In your recent issue you ran an article regarding cancelled shows of comedian Charles Knipp, a Southern GWM promoting "ugly racial stereotypes" while doing drag-comedy in blackface. As a person who loves smart humor I can tell you that Knipp is a performer and comedian ahead of his time. Your article, as I am sure you are aware, is the tip of a much larger, racially-sensitive iceberg and there is more to this discussion.

It seems to me that what's getting organizations such as GLAAD condemnation-happy is their short-sighted belief that Knipp's character Shirley Q. Liquor is simply hateful and racist. Snore. Having attended one of Knipp's 'underground' performances in San Jose last May I can tell you that his humor is anything but that and his performance has depth. If you know anything about Knipp, you would know that the same type of characters he portrays (and he does play other characters) are the same type of characters who raised and loved him. I would wager, for him, playing Shirley is like imitating his mother. His humor is coming from a very positive place, albeit historically rooted from a negative one. He would never get away with just doing blackface and I would encourage you to look further into his act to see what is really going on.

Modern comedy has changed, opening the doors for edgy, new comedians like Wanda Sikes, Sarah Silverman, Dave Chappelle, Amy and David Sedaris-- comedians who have build their careers on poking fun at the ignorance between social and racial niches without apology. Riddled with irony, Knipp has taken a historically offensive stereotype and has reintroduced it into modern language. To say he is being racist is both insular and insulting to his audience, an audience that, for the most part, is well aware of how ridiculous the stone age significance of blackface translates in today's understanding of race relations.

I am of the generation that is not amused by the Laurel and Hardy's of the world and want to laugh at something different, honest and thought-provoking. There is currently a responsible audience wanting to muse at all the things in our lives that has made our parents and their parents uneasy about finding humor in our long history of hate, pain and ignorance. For many of us it is time to laugh at racist portrayals of Black stereotypes because it is so ludicrous to think that anyone today would publicly portray a negative Black stereotype with any earnestness. We've come a long way from Al Jolson and Knipp's platform is funny because it is so awfully out of date…and yet not so. When it comes to racism, homophobia and all the other –isms and –obias, we've all got blood on our hands--Shirley Q. Liquor is a way for us to acknowledge that.

In closing, I would like to go on record as saying that I understand the historical significance blackface plays and the oppression it signifies. Some of us have deep scars from hate and will never be able to laugh at its icons. Knipp's humor is definitely not for everyone. If you don't have an appreciation for caviar, you might dismiss it as bait. For those of us who truly have the palette for Knipp's humor, we can enjoy its complexities. And if you would just prefer a different menu altogether, the good news is that Knipp's act is becoming increasingly difficult to come across. The bad news is that you might be missing the punch line.

[Donald]

Your actions are those of a coward and speak for themselves.

If someone had an opinion that I opposed, my decision to leave a challenging comment on their blog would definitely be backed up by my identity - my name and a way to directly interact with me to facilitate communication. Your anonymity simultaneously emphasizes the weakness of your argument and your cowardice.

Do you have a blog? No. Do you have an identity? Obviously not one that matters enough to you. Do you have any integrity? Not an iota. You are here - trying to utilize Jasmyne's blog for your own benefit instead of believing in yourself enough to be out in the open with your opinion.

So, you see, no accusation is necessary; you are a coward because you've shown yourself to be a coward.

Attacking Shirley Q. Liquor for trying to represent all black women makes about as much sense as attacking Homer Simpson for representing all white men. Homer is dumb, ignorant, foolish, bald and always does the wrong thing. This is for comic or satirical effect. It is not meant to be a slander against the white race.

If you had enough integrity and fairness to actually take the time to see the show, you would know that Shirley is a lot smarter and more resourceful than Homer.

Anyone who believes all black people are like Shirley is obviously an idiot, and trying to shut down the Shirley show is not going to change their minds. All it's doing is pissing off alot of smart people who do enjoy her particular brand of perverse satire and don't like to be told what to think and what to see.

Whenever anyone makes a point here that challenges what Jasmyne says, nobody counters the argument, they just start making personal attacks and screaming "racist." When someone doesn't agree with your point of view it doesn't automatically make them a racist. It's time to get real and stop the namecalling.

Oh, and before you accuse me of being a coward for posting anonymously, let me ask you this, would you post personal info on the blog of someone who post's people's contact info without their permission at the drop of a hat? Having a photo and a few words on a web page does not give you an identity or make you braver than anyone else.

[Randy]

and fyi, it's their, e before i before your criticize.

[Randy]

Decadence
the shirley was intentional...get a sense of humor.

[Cadence]

Randy, if you were a regular reader of this blog, you would know that jasmyne has taken on reggae artist and thier homophobia several times. She and other Black gay bloggers have been sucessful in having several shows shut down. Know what accomplishments, besides learning how to type on a computer, can you list?

[Donald]

Randy, you're yet another perfect example of integrity that's nullified by hypocrisy. You're trying to dupe people into thinking that you actually care about violence against black gay people while in the same breath you defend Charles Knipp and attempt to railroad Jasmyne into conforming to your issues.

Um, no, I don't think so.

You do what you can do about the issues you care about and Jasmyne will continue to do what she can about the issues she cares about. That's how that works. You've made it obvious that you don't share the same issues, so why are you really here, commenting on Jasmyne's blog?

[Randy]

Look, Shirley Liquor got Ms Jasmyne some attention and she ain't about to drop it. You can applaud her for getting an unknown, unimportant comic more attention than they bargained for. Now, Jasmyne, please turn your clout and powers of media on http://killbattyman.blogspot.com/
and darling, if you defend this guy for any reason, you will shirley let us kknow just
how crazy you are. Go, take it on.....

[mark]

Good for you talking to them, the same ones who decry anything about Mr Knipp, seem to be unaware of their own bigotry, especially those who flock to your blog and spew insults. He has a right to his act, and his fans have a right to bust a gut at it, but, it sure would be nice if they would just own up to the fact that he and they are racists, and its no problem from me with it. I just don't like the hypocrisy they have, claiming to be color blind and only wanting a good laugh. The stuff Knipp spews isn't funny to me, but, then again his fans would laugh at a Holocaust act as well, or if some straight guy mocked AIDS victims so, their sense of humor is just odd to me. The only gripe I have is the fact that he has to do it in black face, that I just don't get, since he like most white gay men seem to have more issues with black men and women than society as a whole, no matter what they claim with their long winded posts here. And, its beyond funny that they claim to be able to speak for anyone, since they seem to have nothing but this board to come to about a second rate comic who can't make a living with his own face but with black paint smeared on it.

But, its all good, stand your ground and speak your mid, they want to do it, but, for some strange reason don't want you to do it as well. That's the one thing about the Internet that stinks, cowards who will post crap online, but would not dare say it to your face, especially the one coward who posts the same old tired trash about you and other black who are willing to call a bigot what he is, a bigot, since I've not seen one post of them that is at all polite, nor open to any sort of a rational discussion, but, then again, when you are dealing with racist, there is no such thing as rational, since they are white and they are always right and anyone of color should sit back and take their gibberish as fact.

And, thanks for the heads up that he did his act, good, do in behind closed door with the lights off in a secret location and with the KKK and white gay men in attendence even though thats a odd mix, well, not really judging from the posts here of his fans. Since thats how cowards do it,and without a single, real black face in the crowd, since thats the way he and his fans like it, no blacks allowed, just for the laughs right, and healing race relations, since no one really thinks he can do that with his act of his hateful, bigoted fans.

[Donald]

Oh, and I forgot another word: cowardice. Particularly applicable for people who don't even have the guts to stand behind what they believe and choose instead to litter this space with stupid anonymous comments inundated with the racism that its authors deny. Kinda reflects the lack of integrity and hypocrisy that's apparent when someone like Shirley Q. Liquor is propped up as somebody's version of a grassroots folk hero, don't you think?

And by the way, Rashawn Brazell's remains have still not been completely discovered - and may never be.

"..completely antagonistic to any hope of balanced discussion and harmony between the races."

Seriously, this is all still Jasmyne's fault? White folks' racism, lack of historical and personal perspective, and general sense of entitlement never, ever, ever, has no influence on this? Wow.

So hey Jasmyne, if you got it like that, can you hook a straight sister up? You know, flick yo' magic wand of black rage and put a jag in my driveway? Bonus points if you can manifest a Djimon Honsou clone sitting in the front passenger seat. Thanks! I'll be waiting.

Please don't insult the cows - I'm a vegetarian!

This protesting against drag queen comedy acts and cartoons reminds me of the Islamic fundamentalists going apeshit over the Danish cartoons. Which they never would have known about if some cleric hadn't decided to use them to whip up the mob anger to build the cleric's power base. Exactly the same principle operating here.

Next thing you know they'll be burning poor Shirley in effigy. Though that's one Mardi Gras float that might take a lot of stuffing!

Murder is murder, and what murder is not a hate crime? I think it's disgusting to try to turn someone's death, whether black or white, into a political cause. If you're worried about crime, join a neighborhood watch.

If there's racism in a community's police force or judicial system, the community right there has to voice their feelings ... not somebody a thousand miles a way who doesn't even know what happened or what the circumstances were.

Everything is black or white, black or white, and black is good and white is bad. That is called fundamentalism.

BTW, a little bird told me, and this is an unconfirmed rumor, mind you, that Shirley made appearances in both New Orleans and Hartford. But you didn't hear it from me ...

[studiotodd]

His name was MATTHEW Shepard, not Michael. But since he wasn't black I guess it doesn't make any difference to you, does it? You continue to prove yourself to be a divisive ignorant racist cow.

[Andrea]

Jasmyne I want to commend you once again for your excellent work. And the work to all the black actvists straight and gay that spoke out against the hypocrisy and bigotry of GLAAD and Shirley Q Liquor. Your hard work has NOT gone unnoticed. However, I can't believe what I read in NY BLADE. I can't get angry or even surprised. Its really incredible the ignorance, racism, and bigotry of the white gay community. And its important this incident. It has really opened my eyes. There is no ONE gay community. Its basically the white gay community and the black gay community. And its IMPORTANT US BLACK GAYS to do our own thing. And to hold these white gay racists accountable. I am glad that Shirley Q Liquor got what she deserved. And the hypocrisy of GLAAD knows no boundaries. GLAAD shows their racist true colours once again. GLAAD is a white gay organization we all know that. But this incident really demonstrated how RACIST GLAAD and the white gay media truly ARE.

Knipp does another character in his shows called Betty Butterfield, who is a poor uneducated "white trash" woman.

http://www.mmmhellooo.com/

Jasmyne has not said one word of protest about this equally "negative" stereotype. And yet she's ranting that GLAAD is biased toward whites.

Double standard? No standard? Anybody see the hypocrisy?

Still ranting about Shirley Q. Liquor, hmm? Can someone please explain how a private show - a show that INTENTIONALLY AND DELIBERATELY tried to shun publicity - that was scheduled to take place in a single gay bar in L.A. for one night only, qualifies as "media" in any sane sense of the word?

Jasmyne is trying to be slick by saying the show "was being played out in the media" - but the fact is SHE HERSELF TURNED IT INTO A MEDIA CIRCUS by ranting about it in her blog and making a nationwide stink with everyone she could think of. So I think Jasmyne is the "media" agent here - she is certainly the one who singlehandled publicized the Shirley Q. Liquor show.

So, from GLAAD's mission statement it follows that GLAAD should have CONDEMNED JASMYNE for publicizing Shirley Q. Liquor in the media and raising Knipp's performance fees from $3,000 to $10,000.

After following the rants here for a few weeks, I could have told GLAAD that kowtowing to Jasmyne over Shirley Q. Liquor would get them absolutely nowhere with her. Jasmyne could present GLAAD a laundry list of demands, they could continue to grovel and kiss her ass on each one, and she would still spit on them, as she's doing in this latest ramble.

The vindictiveness, childish stubbornness and moral superiority she expresses in her rants are completely antagonistic to any hope of balanced discussion and harmony between the races.

And please stop trying to pretend that no one's moving fast enough for you. We all know this whole thing has only been going on for a few weeks. It's like, you publish something in your blog, and everybody's supposed to jump? Get over yourself.

[Donald]

Two years after parts of his horrifically dismembered body were found near the tracks of a Brooklyn subway station, Gothamist STILL depicts Rashawn Brazell as a cartoon caricature of the trash bag that contained his partial remains.

http://www.gothamist.com/archives/2005/02/18/body_parts_found_in_subway.php

Accountability is the perfect word to describe what is need from GLAAD; hypocrisy is another that more accurately describes what we've received. If Rashawn was white, GLAAD would not allow him to be depicted in the media in such an utterly inhumane and disrespectful manner without a response. How does GLAAD ever expect to render its mission with any integrity when the very same racism that manifests itself in scenarios like this is reflected within its own agendas, board meetings and award ceremonies?

[Queer Kid of Color]

And this is exactly why I look up to you.

[Queer Kid of Color]

And this is exactly why I look up to you.

[Queer Kid of Color]

And this is exactly why I look up to.