5642: Jumbo Jet Fliers.

From Newsweek, July 14, 2008.

5641: Dinner Is Served.

Just when you thought The Big Tent was becoming, well, flaccid, along comes Arthur Leggett…

Flaccid Promises and Chicken Dinners
When It Comes to Diversity, Madison Avenue Just Selling a Bill of Goods

By Arthur Leggett

Never have I been so quick to anger, yet so slow to fulminate against inequitable, unaccountable, exploitative taxation. Seldom do I pause before waging a war for inalienable rights, rather than live in apathetic comfort with human wrongs. Finally, after cogitating, the need to express my Achilles rage, against what’s wrong with the advertising industry, ignites me.

Driven by the need to meet quarterly goals, advertising agencies continue to send perverted messages to brainless herds. Being an advertising pied piper is a privilege, and privileges come with certain responsibilities. One responsibility is to leave the world a better place by not practicing multinational slavery. Another responsibility is to ensure equal participation in the advertising business processes from consumers whose tax assessments support the advertising industry. And, given the power of the advertising medium, monkey-see-monkey-do ad agencies should be held to the highest standards of excellence.

A few years ago, the New York City Commission on Human Rights (NYCCHR) subpoenaed senior advertising executives to have them answer for their woeful record on diversity hiring. Since then, we’ve all heard the Madison Avenue propaganda about the advertising industry rolling out the “inclusion” carpet, which amounts to little more than the gimmick of hiring meretricious barkers to scream, “Diversity welcomed!”

Advertising agencies don’t want to clear the diversity hurdle. Agencies benefit from the entrenched status quo. How do they? Consumers conspicuously gobble up consumer products without considering corporate hiring accountability.

Every so often, the discriminated class finds the chutzpah to confront employment disenfranchisement. During such times, big companies deploy tried and tested practices:

• Promise change.
• Complain about the lack of talent.
• Set up committees.
• Throw around a few political tchotchkes.
• Sponsor a few chicken dinners.
• Hire a diversity consultant.
• Hold hiring cattle calls.
• Hire a few custodians and mailmen.
• Propagate the progress made.
• Maintain the good-old-boy system.

If all fails, they start back at play one until they quiet the thunder. The open secret, whispered by senior executives in mahogany and leather corporate corridors, is that this thunder will easily pass.

It’s time to start a grassroots storm -- a storm with enough intensity and force to morph into a congressional hurricane. This is not a plea for quotas or tokenism, but one for equal participation.

It’s beneficial for advertising agencies to embrace the concept of equal participation. A hodgepodge of backgrounds helps cross-pollinate bigger and better ideas. And, the current U.S. demographic trends project that future consumer markets will be even more diverse.

At some point, senior advertising leadership has to consider the big picture. These myopic leaders should ask, “Are we hiring people who understand and can connect with a diverse population?”

Ironically, consumers subsidize advertising agencies’ hiring decisions. Every time consumers purchase products with hard-earned money, a message is sent to continue the status quo.

Unlike national elections with their sad 54% voter participation, consumer voting includes almost 100% of Americans. When you buy Tide or Coke, you cast a vote. Your vote sends a message of approval regarding the product, customer service and the outcomes of corporate hiring decisions.

Every product is “taxed” with an assessment rate to pay for advertising. Traditionally, this tax is around 1.5% to 5% of the suggested retail price. In 2007, more than $753 billion dollars were taxed from consumers.

Less than 1% of this tax was spent on hiring diverse employees, buying minority media or using minority talent in production. More than 10% of this tax was used to subsidize senior executives’ overpriced luxury skyboxes at NBA, NHL, MLB and NFL games and luxury golf outings.

Minorities over-index in most consumer-product categories; consequently they contribute a higher percentage to the advertising assessment tax. Despite their over-contribution, a paucity of diversity continues to permeate the advertising industry.

Why does the discriminated class continue to settle for flaccid promises and chicken dinners?

Don’t beg the industry to change.

Instead, stop buying products and using services from corporations that refuse to hold advertising agencies accountable for hiring outcomes. Change will only come when consumers change their spending behavior. Advertising agencies will change when the call to change is backed by political power, consequences and accountability.

Get MAD (Make A Difference): Write editors, the NYCCHR, advertising agency senior executives, national advertisers, the 435 U.S. representatives and the 100 U.S. senators. Call on the federal government to begin an investigation into the advertising industry plantation paradigm.

If not you, who?

[Arthur Leggett is the marketing director for a Chicago-based law firm. He previously worked at JWT Regional Advertising Force, the Cobalt Group and A. Eicoff.]

5640: Seeking 10-20 Minutes Of Venom.

This actual craigslist ad was apparently posted by a copywriter out to create the Great American Novel smearing the advertising industry. In typical lazy adperson fashion, the wannabe author is soliciting content. Then again, it might be the work of an account person, as the request is riddled with typos and he’s convinced people can accomplish the assignment in less than 30 minutes.

You hate the Ad business and can write a scathing essay why

Hello;

If you’ve been at an ad agency and experienced the blamestorming, puffery, layoffs, turn-n-burns, idea stealing, ego-maniacs, politics-ridden, overpaid, office sex, client horror stories, and just the general BS that makes up the internal world of the ad business, i want you to write about it for probably 10-20 minutes of just spewing--a half hour tops. I don’t want anything polished, spell checked or “heavy lifting.” I just want raw spilling, the sewage that is in your head about whats wrong with this business, why it should die, what should replace it, or whatever you got. Venom.

here’s why. I am writing a book on where advertising is going and i need sidebar evidence from people who are willing to be quoted or anonymously about why this industry deserves to be plowed and salted into the earth. So if you have significant rant and have been really inside an agency, I want to hear your experience that is really compelling (funny, insane, stupid, typical). If you want to do it, send me a quick note as where you’ve been and the general gist of the story. If you are interested, hit me back with a note and then we can do something. Since I’m a writer, I can clean it up if necessary, so this is not a “sweat the details” type of assignment, it’s one where i access the raw feeling of someone touched by this industry. I just need a paragraph--nothing long.

Everyone who gets into the book gets 100 bucks for their assignment--everyone. So divided by the half hour it will take, that’s 200/hr if your words make it in (and you will be listed as a contributor, thanked in the preface by name and all the glory that comes with that (sound of crickets). Anyway, spew, and send, that’s the deal—don’t even edit it. GO!

5639: Tastes Great. Filled With Pride—For Itself.

Miller Lite declares, “No Labels”—but still prominently displays its own label three times in the ad.

5638: Pride On Parade.

From The Associated Press…

Court case gives Calif. gay pride parade new meaning

SAN FRANCISCO — Given San Francisco’s sizable role in initiating the lawsuits that led California’s highest court to strike down the state's bans on same-sex marriage, the city’s 38th annual gay pride festival and parade is likely to draw huge crowds this weekend, tourism officials say.

“It’s really going to be a Pride like none other,” said Joe D'Alessandro, president of the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau. “I have never seen so many rainbow flags in this city, along Market Street, on shops, on homes. It’s really a situation where the people are celebrating and the city is in a very festive mood.”

With 259 marriage license appointments and 284 reservations for wedding ceremonies scheduled at the San Francisco county clerk’s office, Friday was on pace to be the city’s busiest day for weddings since gay marriage became legal earlier this month. There were 202 license appointments and 115 weddings performed on June 17, the first full day that gay and lesbian couples could get married in California.

Although City Hall will be closed over the weekend, organizers of the weekend’s official pride festivities are putting up a wedding pavilion across the street where couples can get information about tying the knot or celebrate newly sanctioned unions.

Gay rights advocates also plan to use the occasion to build support for their campaign to defeat a ballot initiative that would overturn the state Supreme Court’s decision by amending the California Constitution to again ban same-sex marriage.

The theme for Sunday’s pride parade — “United by Pride, Bound for Equality” — was selected before the state’s high court handed down its ruling on May 15. The celebrity grand marshals are Latin American entertainer Charo, singer Cyndi Lauper and Stuart Milk, the nephew of the slain San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk, who was one of the nation’s first openly gay elected officials.

The 2004 pride parade in San Francisco also had the air of a giant wedding reception. It was held four months after Mayor Gavin Newsom challenged the state’s marriage laws by directing local government workers to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples, but two months before the Supreme Court nullified the more than 4,000 unions certified during the city's experiment.

Tens of thousands from across the country typically flock to America’s gay Mecca for the festival, a virtual holiday in San Francisco. The parade traditionally opens with a blocks-long contingent of “Dykes on Bikes” — lesbians dressed in leather driving loud motorcycles.

While he said the parade will still celebrate “having a great time and living out loud,” D’Alessandro expects the mood to be more traditional this year than in years past.

“It’s not this subculture. It’s mainstream,” he said of the pro-marriage mood. “You can go to Macy’s to pick out your china, you can go to Shreve’s to pick out your rings, and you can go to the Four Seasons and pick out your reception room.”

Gay pride events were also planned for New York, Chicago, Seattle, Houston, Honolulu and other cities.

Overseas, extremists throwing rocks, bottles and gasoline bombs attacked the first ever gay pride parade in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia. Police in riot gear made about 60 arrests. No serious injuries were reported among the 150 or so marchers.

About 500 people marching in a gay pride parade in Brno, the second-largest city in the Czech Republic, were attacked by a group that threw eggs and shouted abusive slogans, said leading gay activist Jiri Hromada.

Revelers in Portugal carried a giant rainbow flag through the capital of Lisbon, thousands marched in Mexico City, and half a million danced through the streets of Paris to a soundtrack of disco mixes, choral music and accordion tunes.

In India, where homosexuality is illegal and taboo, gay activists were to hold demonstrations Sunday in the cities of New Delhi, Calcutta and Bangalore. About 3,000 gays marched through Jerusalem without incident on Thursday, protected by 2,000 police officers.

The parades commemorate the Stonewall uprising of 1969, a series of fights between gays and police in New York widely considered the beginning of the gay rights movement. The parades began the next year in 1970.

5637: Car Dealers And Adpeople—A Perfect Match.

This actual job listing for an Automotive Ad Agency Creative Director reads like the local car dealership hype the person will undoubtedly produce. The ideal candidate must create work as well as deliver voiceover copy—and have more hooks than bass pro shops! The clincher requirement: A master at innuendo.

We are a national full service Automotive Ad Agency looking for the right Creative Director. Can you concept, brand and retail while handling high volumes of TV, radio and newspaper ads on tight turnarounds? Better yet, are you a good voice talent that can deliver your words into the studio? This is a serious position for a busy ad agency. We have two radio production studios and two TV production studios in-house along with a full art department. We are looking for someone with the “gift,” the vision and ability to build a dealership’s brand equity while generating hooks and delivering dynamite retail. Someone who is good at concept and execution.

We are looking for someone with more hooks than bass pro shops! Someone who knows how to say you’re approved in over a hundred ways. Someone who can make words and phrasing dance to imply that all rebates, dealer cash and all manufacturer offers are available to anyone watching and listening, that the value of their trade is more than they originally paid for the vehicle. A master at innuendo. Someone who knows how to bring ups into the market and make our dealers’ offers stand out above all the rest.

To top it off you have to be able to do this while building the dealers brand equity.

Do your words have magic? Do they deliver, will our account executives and clients say, “That’s the stuff I like!”

Are you knowledgeable about manufacturer compliance requirements and know how to make this kind of creative work within these constraints?

We pride ourselves on our creative being unique, clever and engaging. Our work breaks through the clutter and is not standard car fare. Your range has to be from Audi to Volvo and everything in between, that means from Jag and Mercedes to Dodge, Chevy & Ford, to Toyota & Honda to Kia & Suzuki.

Do you have a killer TV and radio reel and a dynamite book? Send it to us so we can talk.

This is a management position and requires someone with the experience and knowledge to be able to communicate their ideas and concepts to account executives and coach them on how to present the campaigns to their clients.

The campaigns you develop have to answer the needs and challenges of our dealers.

You also will be in charge of quality control, supervising all creative and production before it ever leaves the shop for presentation or being released to be trafficked.

We are looking for someone who is fun to be around, even after crushing deadlines, long hours and the occasional weekend. A great leader and team member to work with our Senior TV and Radio Producer, Art Director and Account Executives. Someone that we can brag to our clients about!

5636: Lube Job.

K-Y Brands is the pride, um, proud sponsor…

5635: For The Love Of Money (And Mini).

Mini news items in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Verne Troyer—aka Mini Me—is suing TMZ and a porn distributor over a sex video he made with a girlfriend. Troyer claims the video was stolen, and he’s demanding its return, along with $20 million for having the footage posted online. The online video will probably gross more loot than Troyer’s latest flick—The Love Guru with Mike Myers.

• The millionaire couple convicted of enslaving Indonesian housekeepers has been sentenced. The husband will serve 40 months in prison, while the wife received a whopping 11 years. They will also pay over $37,000 in fines. “I just want to say that I love my children very much,” said the wife. “I was brought to this Earth to help people who are in need.” Hopefully, she’ll be able to fulfill her destiny with fellow inmates.

• Anheuser-Busch plans to raise prices and cut jobs to become more valuable than the $65-per-share offered by InBev. The beer company will offer early retirement packages to employees. No word if the Clydesdales will be put out to pasture.

5634: Local Pride.

Serving, driving and bouncing with patronizing pride.

5633: Calling Out Rappers By Name.

From The Columbia Journalism Review…

Name-Dropping
Jay-Z? Shawn Carter? Mr. Z?

By Chris Faraone

The New York Times rarely refers to rock stars such as Alice Cooper, Moby, and Elton John by their birth names. With few exceptions, Vincent Furnier, Richard Melville Hall, and Reginald Dwight get free passes on their alter egos, as do the likes of American Idol icon Clay Aiken (Clayton Grissom) and anti-Christ superstar Marilyn Manson (Brian Warner). For some reason, though, the unofficial guideline that once compelled former Times critic Donal Henahan to make subsequent reference to Iggy Pop and Sid Vicious as Mr. Pop and Mr. Vicious (instead of Mr. [James] Osterberg and Mr. [Simon John] Beverly, or even Pop and Vicious) does not apply, apparently, to hip-hop artists. At the Times, the penalty for being a rapper is twofold: you are routinely called out on your birth name (no matter how nerdy and ironic it might be), and you rarely are addressed as “Mr.” This nominal double standard surfaces from time to time in hip-hop articles throughout the mainstream press, but due to the Times’s extensive urban-music coverage and its eternal struggle with honorific conformity, rap handles seem to inspire more copy dilemmas there.

Despite having sold several million discs and served as president of Def Jam Recordings under his alias, Jay-Z still gets pegged as Shawn Carter. The Times’s David M. Halbfinger and Jeff Leeds did so in reporting on the Brooklyn rap entrepreneur’s 2007 comeback, as did Los Angeles Times staff writer Richard Cromelin and the Boston Globe’s Sarah Rodman. No hip-hop artist is immune—Wu-Tang Clan ringleader RZA (Robert Diggs), Queens heavyweight 50 Cent (Curtis Jackson), and urban mogul Diddy (Sean Combs) are all routinely birth-named in the mainstream press.

Sam Sifton, the Times’s culture editor, says that while such decisions are handled on a case-by-case basis, rap artists often get special treatment. “There’s a big difference between [Houston rapper] Bun B and Tony Bennett,” Sifton says, referring to Bernard Freeman and Anthony Dominick Benedetto, respectively. “Tony Bennett took a stage name, which I think is a little different from taking an alias. Someone like Jay-Z can be Mr. Carter, certainly, or he can just be Jay-Z, but he’s never going to be Mr. Z.”

But is there a meaningful distinction between a “stage name” and an “alias”? That Sifton made an example of Jay-Z—rather than someone like, say, Ghostface Killah, whose chosen moniker is further outside the mainstream nomenclature—suggests that at the Times, at least, there is, and that rappers are in a class by themselves. Why else would Alicia Keys, a performer from beyond the rap realm—who took a stage name (or devised an alias) based on the instrument she plays—have never been outed as Alicia Augello-Cook? In Kelefa Sanneh’s October 5, 2003, Times CD roundup, Outkast rappers André 3000 (André Benjamin) and Big Boi (Antwan Patton) got name-dropped, while Erykah Badu’s birth name (Erica Wright) was never mentioned.

Even more confusing are articles that seem to follow no logic whatsoever: a December 3, 2006, Times profile on celebrity Sirius Radio hosts refers to rap personality Ludacris as Christopher Bridges (and as “Mr. Bridges” in subsequent references), but allows Eminem (Marshall Mathers), Snoop Dogg (Calvin Broadus), and Bob Dylan (Robert Zimmerman) to use their stage names. On second reference, though, Bob Dylan is “Mr. Dylan,” while Eminem remains Eminem; Snoop is only mentioned once, but judging by former Times treatments he would have been called “Snoop” or “Snoop Dogg” had his name come up again.

“If you look in our archives, which we famously refer to as our compendium of past errors, you’ll see plenty of examples of us looking ridiculous,” Sifton says. “One of the difficulties that the Times has in addressing contemporary culture, and certainly hip-hop culture, is that we risk looking stupid all the time.”

Since it doesn’t look like it will be abandoning honorifics any time soon, blanket uniformity might be the best bet for the Times to look less foolish, or at least more consistent. After all, if they can call Brian Warner “Mr. Manson,” then surely America’s finest newsrooms can honor Calvin Broadus as Mr. Dogg.

5632: Pride For Your Ride.

Take pride in your auto insurance…?

5631: Music Rights And Wrongs.

Banding together with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Mickey D’s might have to change its name to Mickey Devo’s. Seems the recording artists known as Devo are suing the fast feeder for copyright infringement. Mickey D’s created a series of Happy Meals figures with an “American Idol” theme, and the “New Wave Nigel” character bears an uncanny resemblance to Devo members—plus, the toy plays a tune similar to Devo’s “Doctor Detroit.” A Devo band member said, “We are in the midst of suing them. This New Wave Nigel doll that they’ve created is just a complete Devo rip-off, and the red hat is exactly the red hat that I designed, and it’s copyrighted and trademarked. They didn’t ask us anything. … We don’t like McDonald’s, and we don’t like ‘American Idol,’ so we’re doubly offended.” Guess this means they won’t be participating in the Big Mac Chant-Off.

• Otis Williams, the last surviving original Temptation, is suing a group for using the iconic name and performing nationwide. While the new group does feature a former Temptation, they don’t have the rights to the legendary name. “You got promoters trying to be nickel slick,” said Williams, who still performs with the real band. “It confuses our fans until they get there and … they are disappointed.” Guess some folks think all Temptations look alike.

5630: Logo Pride.

Make the logo bigger and more fabulous.

5629: No Longer Works Every Time.

From The Associated Press…

Malt liquor mural ads draw fire in Philadelphia

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

PHILADELPHIA — Graffiti-style malt liquor ads are drawing fire from parents and anti-blight advocates in a city known for its colorful murals.

The ads for Colt 45 malt liquor show comic book-style characters clutching bottles and cans of booze. “Works every time,” reads the slogan.

“I really wouldn’t want my daughter looking at it,” Jill Maguire said as she pushed a neighbor’s baby in a stroller near one of the ads. “She might think it’s cool.”

Jane Golden, the director of the city’s Mural Arts Program, said: “I just think it’s distasteful. I just think it’s the last thing we need.”

A spokesman for Mayor Michael Nutter said he would look into the matter.

One of the Colt 45 ads is painted on a building next to a bicycle shop in the working-class neighborhood of Fishtown, a gentrifying area that still has many struggling families.

The ad’s gray-and-white adult cartoon characters are shown holding golden cans and bottles of the malt liquor. In the corner, the small print reads, “Yo, enjoy our frosty malt beverages responsibly!”

A nonprofit anti-billboard group, the Society Created to Reduce Urban Blight, has complained to city regulators, saying the ads should be removed because they are in areas not zoned for advertising.

Mary Tracy, executive director of the group, said they are particularly offensive in a city known for murals of famous places and people, from Frank Sinatra to Malcolm X.

Nicole Seitz, the group’s program director, said the group knows of two painted Colt 45 ads in Fishtown, as well as about seven other similar ads for Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.

Messages left by The Associated Press with Pabst Brewing Co., which produces Colt 45 and Pabst Blue Ribbon, were not returned Wednesday.

Last year, ads for Colt 45 were removed from the sides of city transit buses in response to community concerns. Inner-city activists across the country have long decried ads for malt liquor, which is similar to regular beer but with an alcohol content as high as 8 percent.

A bicycle mechanic who works at a shop next to one of the latest Fishtown ads said he’s torn over it: He thinks it’s great artwork, but he’s opposed to the corporate presence.

“Big business is behind it all,” said George Thoms, 34, who says he doesn’t drink.

5628: On The Runway Or Catwalk?

At Air New Zealand, the ground crew has a strange sense of humor…

5627: Well, There You Go, Don Imus.

From The Chicago Tribune…

Don Imus’ offensive defense

By Clarence Page

For a guy who makes his living as a professional talker, the topic of race seems to leave Don Imus oddly tongue-tied.

In case you haven’t kept up, the pioneer “shock jock” has been broadcasting a new morning show on WABC-AM since last fall, months after he was fired from MSNBC and CBS Radio for proclaiming that the Rutgers University women’s basketball team looked like “nappy-headed hos.”

He returned to work with profuse on-air apologies and a pledge to foster an open dialogue on race relations on his new show. On Monday he fostered the sort of dialogue he had not counted on.

Or maybe he did. Listening to the on-air chatter that has stirred up another racial eruption, I had to wonder whether it was just another bonehead mistake or a brilliant publicity stunt.

On Monday’s show, sportscaster Warner Wolf was talking about how the Dallas Cowboys football player formerly known as Adam “Pacman” Jones no longer wants to be called “Pacman.” Jones is turning over a new leaf after having been suspended for a season and arrested six times.

Then Imus inexplicably injected race into the conversation:

“What color is he?” asked Imus.

“He’s African-American,” said Wolf, sounding a bit bemused.

“Well, there you go,” said Imus. “Now we know.”

Huh? That’s it? You might ask, “Now we know what?” Imus did not say. The omission left the rest of us to wonder whether Imus was expressing some sort of soft bigotry of criminal expectations in regard to black athletes.

It didn’t take all day for Rev. Al Sharpton to call the remarks “very disturbing” and say, “We are looking into this.” Sharpton led the campaign to have Imus fired last year from his national CBS Radio show and its simulcast on MSNBC.

Jones said he was upset by the remarks and would “pray” for the radio star.

But Imus insisted that those of us who heard something racist in his remarks heard him wrong. He said he actually was defending Jones, whom Imus thought was being picked on because of his race.

On his radio show the next day, Imus said he was trying to “make a sarcastic point” about the unfair treatment of blacks in the criminal justice system but had been misunderstood.

“What people should be outraged about is that they arrest blacks for no reason,” Imus said Tuesday. “I mean, there’s no reason to arrest this kid six times. Maybe he did something once, but everyone does something once.”

Calling the criticism “ridiculous,” Imus pointed out how his program’s cast is now more diverse than ever. It includes a black producer and two black co-hosts—one male and one female. Still, after his troubles last year, you might think he’d be extra careful about clarifying his sentiments the first time, especially on topics having anything to do with race, instead of letting his insinuations (“well, there you go; now we know”) hang heavily in the air.

Instead, he finds himself trying to explain why what he meant to say was different from what we may have heard him say.

If he was looking for attention—and what entertainer isn’t?—he could hardly have dreamed up a more slippery way to do it. Even the remarks that he said he intended to say exposed some of our society’s deepest racial wounds.

For example, just as it is offensive to imply that blacks are more criminal than whites, it is also offensive to imply that blacks are arrested “for no reason,” if you don’t back up the assertion. If “there’s no reason to arrest this kid six times,” that, too, begs for an explanation. Otherwise, Imus seemed to be committing the same offense of which Sharpton is often accused: exploiting serious issues like race, crime and overpampered athletes and shedding more heat than light.

Ironically, if Imus wants to put his edgy humor to the cause of fostering a helpful dialogue on race, he needs to get serious. He could take some valuable tips from George Carlin, a master of the art of humor who died Sunday at age 71. The envelope-pushing Carlin will be sorely missed by those of us who appreciate humor that also makes you think. Whether you agreed with him or not, you knew where Carlin stood. Imus, by contrast, has a self-defeating habit of shooting from the lip—and firing blanks.

5626: Styling And Freestyling.

Losing style points with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Michael Jackson announced plans to launch a line of clothing. “It’s still in the developing stages, but it’s going to be big,” said an insider. “This will be a major comeback for Michael. He’s dedicating a lot of his time and money to this venture.” Let’s hope it’s not a line of kids’ clothing.

• Shaquille O’Neal let loose a rap criticizing Kobe Bryant, and it cost Shaq his badge. The NBA star’s special deputy badge from the Maricopa County Police Department will be revoked because officials were not pleased with the raunchy rhymes. “I want his two badges back,” said the sheriff. “Because if any one of my deputies did something like this, they’re fired. I don’t condone this type of racial conduct.” Um, how many of his deputies are +7-foot, 325-pound NBA centers?

5625: Say Cheesy.

Nikon: So easy a Kutcher could do it.

5624: Who Let The Dogs Out?

During this month, even pets show pride.

5623: Diverting Attention And Flights.

Rough landings in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Don Imus claims he was misunderstood, insisting his latest remarks were intended to “make a sarcastic point.” Imus said, “What people should be outraged about is that they arrest Blacks for no reason. I mean, there’s no reason to arrest [Adam Jones] six times. Maybe he did something once, but everyone does something once.” Um, Don, you’ve made racist remarks more than once.

• United Airlines announced plans to put 950 pilots on furlough. The airline said it had to take a “difficult, but necessary step to reduce the number of people we have to run our business.” The decision will no doubt reduce the number of customers they have to use their business.

5622: Go Away, Gilligan.

It’s No Boys Club Med.

5621: Y&R’s Diversity Efforts…?

From The New York Daily News…

Top advertising agency cuts ties to Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe

BY DAVE GOLDINER, DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

A New York advertising giant is severing all ties to its Zimbabwe affiliate after discovering links to strongman Robert Mugabe’s bloody election campaign.

Young & Rubicam said Monday it was stunned to hear that the managing director for Imago Y&R created jingles and ads for the brutal dictator.

The move came as opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai sought refuge in the Dutch Embassy from a tide of state-sponsored violence sweeping the African nation. The UN Security Council declared unanimously yesterday that that a free and fair run-off this Friday.

“We find it so abhorrent, and we want nothing to do with this,” said Aviva Ebstein, a spokeswoman for Y&R. “It is awful, and we feel we are taking a stand.”

Y&R is trying to dispose of an ownership stake in the Zimbabwe ad agency after discovering the Mugabe link last week. Zimbabwean newspapers say Imago Y&R made millions from Mugabe’s ruling party to create the feel-good campaign, even as militants went on a rampage to intimidate the opposition.

Dutch officials said Tsvangirai had taken refuge in the embassy in the capital of Harare on Sunday after pulling out of the election because of the deadly attacks.

Tsvangirai beat Mugabe in a controversial election on Mar. 29, but officials said he fell short of an absolute majority, forcing a runoff. Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe with an iron fist since independence in 1980, insists the vote will go ahead as planned on Friday.

Independent human rights groups say 85 people have died and tens of thousands have been displaced from their homes, most of them opposition supporters, by the recent weeks of violence.

5620: Mark Your Calendars For July 7, 2008.

Check out this ad that appeared in the Advertising Age classifieds. Let’s hope Ad Age dispatches a reporter to cover the event. Wonder if anyone will even show up. In lieu of attending the meeting, everyone is encouraged to email thoughts to the address listed in the message.

5619: Curses!

“The Curse” will make you look like a crack ho.

5618: He’s Baaaack. Don Imus Mouths Off Again.

Shock jock Don Imus sparked new controversy with another asinine remark, this time aimed at a male Black athlete.

While discussing NFL player Adam “Pacman” Jones, Imus and partner Warner Wolf presented the following exchange:

Wolf: “Defensive back Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones, recently signed by the Cowboys. Here’s a guy suspended all of 2007 following a shooting in a Vegas night club.”

Imus: “Well, stuff happens. You’re in a night club, for God’s sake. What do you think’s gonna happen in a night club? People are drinking and doing drugs, there are women there, and people have guns. So, there, go ahead.”

Wolf: “He’s also been arrested six times since being drafted by Tennessee in 2005.”

Imus: “What color is he?”

Wolf: “He’s African-American.”

Imus: “Well, there you go. Now we know.”

For anyone who questioned whether or not Imus is a racist, well, there you go. Now we know.

5617: The Other Side Of Change.

From The Washington Post…

Hate Groups’ Newest Target
White Supremacists Report an Increase in Visits to Their Web Sites

By Eli Saslow, Washington Post Staff Writer

Sen. Barack Obama’s historic victory in the Democratic primaries, celebrated in America and across much of the world as a symbol of racial progress and cultural unity, has also sparked an increase in racist and white supremacist activity, mainly on the Internet, according to leaders of hate groups and the organizations that track them.

Neo-Nazi, skinhead and segregationist groups have reported gains in numbers of visitors to their Web sites and in membership since the senator from Illinois secured the Democratic nomination June 3. His success has aroused a community of racists, experts said, concerned by the possibility of the country’s first black president.

“I haven’t seen this much anger in a long, long time,” said Billy Roper, a 36-year-old who runs a group called White Revolution in Russellville, Ark. “Nothing has awakened normally complacent white Americans more than the prospect of America having an overtly nonwhite president.”

Such groups have historically inflated their influence for self-promotion and as an intimidation technique, and they refused to provide exact membership numbers or open their meetings to a reporter. Leaders acknowledged that their numbers remain very small—“the flat-globe society still has more people than us,” Roper said. But experts said their claims reveal more than hyperbole this time.

“The truth is, we’re finding an explosion in these kinds of hateful sentiments on the Net, and it’s a growing problem,” said Deborah Lauter, civil rights director for the Anti-Defamation League, which monitors hate group activity. “There are probably thousands of Web sites that do this now. I couldn’t even tell you how many are out there because it’s growing so fast.”

Neo-Nazi and white power groups acknowledge that they have little ability to derail Obama’s candidacy, so instead some have decided to take advantage of its potential. White-power leaders who once feared Obama’s campaign have come to regard it as a recruiting tool. The groups now portray his candidacy as a vehicle to disenfranchise whites and polarize America.

[Read the full story here.]

5616: Do All White People Look Alike?

This quiz seems to imply the notion, as only the legally blind would struggle figuring out the correct answer.

5615: Clothes-Minded.

Coming out of the wardrobe closet…?

5614: Ugly Beauties.

Beauty and the beast—you figure which is which—in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Naomi Campbell apologized for assaulting security guards at London’s Heathrow Airport in April, but she’s not backing down from her beef with British Airways, accusing the airline of racism. “I was called a racial name on that flight,” claimed Campbell, insisting that her nasty behavior “was part of my reaction.” British Airways countered, “We are proud of our diversity. We fly to 90 different countries around the world and employ a multi-nationality work force. We have strict policies concerning dignity at work and have long-standing training programs on diversity and inclusion.” Looks like they’re playing the corporate diversity card.

• A three-legged, one-eyed, semi-balding dog from Florida won the title of World’s Ugliest Dog in a contest. No word if he’ll be making an appearance in Dove advertising.

5613: Throwing The Book At Fathers.

From The New York Daily News…

Promoting responsible fatherhood

By Bill Cosby and Dr. Alvin F. Poussaint

Last week, Sen. Barack Obama spoke out at a black church in Chicago about the importance of father involvement with children and families. He knows that many men, including the poor, are struggling with the challenges of a new model of fatherhood, one in which they play a greater role in child rearing.

Obama is right to shine a spotlight on these critical questions. Now, we must broaden the conversation to make sure we give every father the opportunities and the tools to be a good dad.

Men benefit from the satisfaction of being involved with their little ones. But many obstacles remain.

Some men complain that mothers shut them out. How do we change that? If the father has been cruel or indifferent to the mother or to the child, how can we ask the mother to give the man a second chance? It’s never easy for anyone involved. Still, if a mother has a difficult—but not violent—relationship with the baby’s father, it is important to get counseling to help them work through their issues for the sake of the child. Parents should not use the children to manipulate each other. There are counselors in churches, health centers and community agencies who can help parents learn to work together.

If the father is physically abusive and refuses to change, the mother has no choice but to shut him out. And the father should honor any legal restraining orders until he gets his act together and convinces the authorities that he has. In the meantime, for her children’s sake, the mother should try to find “substitute” fathers among relatives and community organizations.

The fact that a father is unemployed or underemployed should not disqualify him as a parent in the mother’s eyes. These men can play an important role in the home. If fathers take on more child care and household responsibilities, it lessens the burden on mothers. By participating in the life of the family, men can help relieve the stress that is frequently found in low-income families, as well as strengthen their children’s development.

Children who spend time with their fathers will develop closer family relationships and will benefit from the individual attention as they share in day-to-day activities. Kids feel hurt and abandoned when fathers are not part of their lives.

Finding ways to enable fathers to connect with their kids is crucial. As should be obvious by now, men often have to overcome some very real hurdles to bond with their children. These include child support difficulties, custody battles, incarceration, lack of education and unemployment.

5612: Think Outside The Gun.

Adfreak noted 50 Cent is pissed off at Taco Bell. The fast food joint’s president publicly asked the rapper to switch his name to 79 Cent, 89 Cent or 99 Cent for a day to promote the Taco Bell value menu—all in exchange for a $10,000 charitable donation. “This is a sleazy and ill-conceived publicity stunt by Taco Bell’s president, Greg Creed, whose disingenuous offer was leaked to the press before it was even presented to 50 Cent’s agent…” said a rep for the rapper. Fiddy added, “When my legal team is finished with them, Taco Bell is going to have a new corporate slogan: ‘We messed with the bull and got the horns!’”

Not sure why Taco Bell is interested in hooking up with Fiddy anyway. Maybe the fast feeder is unhappy with the rap performances of its drive-thru wiggers. Also, Taco Bell should be relieved a judge recently ordered Fiddy to surrender all his guns.

5611: Location, Location, Location.

Places of pride.

5610: Community And Wedding Services.

Serving up the news in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Naomi Campbell pleaded guilty to charges stemming from assaulting security at London’s Heathrow Airport on April 3. She’ll pay a $4,600 fine and serve 200 hours of community service. Wonder if cleaning airport toilets would be deemed cruel and unusual punishment.

• Employees at the San Diego County Clerk’s Office had been raising religious objections to performing same-sex marriages, and now their bosses have ordered them to do their jobs or face reassignment. Guess you could call the instructions straight talk.

• Ellen DeGeneres announced plans to marry Portia de Rossi. “Yes, we have set a wedding date,” said DeGeneres. “How do I feel about it? I obviously feel like it’s long overdue. I think someday people will look back on this like women not having the right to vote and segregation and anything else that seems ridiculous that we don’t all have the same rights.” No word if the guest list will include employees at the San Diego County Clerk’s Office.

5609: NAACProgressive

From The Chicago Tribune…

The changing NAACP

A sign of changing times: The new president of America’s oldest and largest civil rights organization wasn’t alive in the 1960s. Benjamin Todd Jealous, 35, is the youngest president and CEO in the 99-year history of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Take that as a nod by the NAACP that its agenda, and that of other civil rights organizations, is changing. Laws to safeguard rights have long been in place. The focus now is on creating economic opportunity for African-Americans.

Jealous takes the leadership of the NAACP at a tough time for the organization. Its membership and funding have declined. It has struggled to get attention.

He replaces Bruce Gordon, a former Verizon executive whose business experience offered the promise of new fundraising connections and an updated agenda. Gordon expanded the NAACP’s mission to social services such as pregnancy counseling, mentoring programs and the teaching of entrepreneurial and financial skills, but he resigned over disputes with the NAACP board after just 19 months on the job.

Jealous has a broad, impressive background: He’s a former Rhodes scholar and director of Amnesty International USA’s Domestic Human Rights Program, and president of the San Francisco-based Rosenberg Foundation, which finances social justice organizations. He was executive director for three years of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, an organization of black-owned community newspapers.

His mother, who is black, was among those who desegregated Baltimore’s Western High School in the 1950s. His father, who is white, participated in sit-ins to desegregate Baltimore lunch counters. His family has stayed active in the NAACP.

All that would seem to give him a solid sense of the historic importance of the NAACP.

And the knowledge that dynamic organizations realize history is just that … history.

5608: Loving Or Hating Love Guru.

From USA TODAY…

Hindus divided on whether to laugh or cry at ‘Love Guru’

By David Briggs, Religion News Service

First there was Apu, the stereotypical convenience store owner parodied on The Simpsons. Then there was Kumar, the brilliant stoner-slacker of the Harold and Kumar films.

Now the latest character to test the good humor of Indian Americans is Mike Myers’ The Love Guru, a narcissistic, sucker-punching spiritual leader whose goals in life are to meet girls and appear on Oprah. The film opened Friday (June 20) in theaters nationwide.

Enough is enough, some Hindu activists are saying. Lampooning a guru — a revered spiritual teacher in Hindu tradition — crosses the line from acceptable social satire to mockery of a minority religious culture little understood by Americans, they say.

Some Hindu groups have asked Paramount Pictures for an apology and to work with them on a study guide on Hinduism for moviegoers. Rajan Zed, a Hindu chaplain from Nevada and a leader of the protest movement, said “the problem is that cinema is a powerful medium, and people who are not well-versed in Hinduism … they get misinformed. They start stereotyping Hinduism.”

The movie pokes fun at egotistical spiritual leaders who fool gullible people with nonsensical jargon, said Vijaya Emani, immediate past president of the Federation of India Community Associations, based in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

Her advice to Hindu protesters after seeing the film: “Lighten up.”

But Deepak Sarma, an associate professor of religious studies at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, expressed concern that the film could fuel “a kind of jingoistic Americanism” that makes fun of those who are different among unsophisticated audiences.

“The amount of damage that’s going to be done for the understanding of Hinduism in America is tremendous,” said Sarma, editor of Hinduism: A Reader, who also screened the film.

The Washington-based Hindu American Foundation had taken a wait-and-see approach and after a screening in Minneapolis on Thursday, board members found it “vulgar, crude … and tasteless” but nonetheless few screeners thought it “anti-Hindu or mean-spirited.”

And for its part, the U.S. branch on the Hare Krishna movement dismissed the idea of a boycott and said the movie should remind all religious people to “take the time to laugh (even at ourselves) once in a while.”

Despite the great diversity within Hinduism, a guru is generally considered a spiritual teacher who leads disciples to a state of higher consciousness. Students are encouraged to treat their guides with humble reverence.

“The guru tradition is so much of a core tradition of Hinduism that this movie tends to denigrate it so the core of Hinduism is being attacked,” said Surinder Bhardwaj, a professor emeritus at Kent State University.

In the movie, Myers portrays the Indian-trained “Guru Pitka,” who oversees a self-help empire built on books such as If You’re Happy and You Know It, Think Again. Much of the humor seems to be aimed at 8-year-olds, with scores of attempts to elicit laughs based on bodily functions. Yet, from his long beard and saffron robe to his title as guru, Myers’ character evokes comparisons to Hindu guides.

Zed, the Nevada activist, said he tried to work with the film studio before the movie’s release but was rebuffed. He said he understands the importance of artistic freedom, but particularly when addressing matters of faith, “with the freedom comes the responsibility also.”

Virginia Lam, a spokeswoman for Paramount said the new film is in the same spirit as Myers’ Austin Powers films.

“No one could confuse, or has confused, this film as intending to tackle serious issues surrounding faith and religion — just as no one confused Austin Powers as being a commentary on globalism and trans-Atlantic relations,” Lam said in a statement.

While some advocate a boycott, and others advise critics to get a sense of humor, still others see the controversy as an opportunity to explain Hinduism to a larger population.

Sometimes, it takes perceived provocations such as the depiction of Jews in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ or the portrayal of a guru in Myers’ new movie to address topics such as Jewish-Christian relations and Hinduism, said Brent Plate, an associate professor of religion and the visual arts at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth.

“In a strange way,” he said, “in retrospect, they get us talking about these issues.”

5607: Measuring Up.

The ruler only measures about 6 inches in its flaccid state.

5606: Friday Fast Notes.

TGIF with a MultiCultClassics Monologue….

• Happy belated Juneteenth to anyone celebrating.

• Senator Barack Obama apologized to two Muslim women who were denied seats near him during a campaign stop in Detroit. Campaign volunteers had told the women to remove their headscarves or exit the rally. “I spoke with [one of the women], and expressed my deepest apologies for the incident that occurred with volunteers at the event in Detroit,” stated Obama. “The actions of these volunteers were unacceptable and in no way reflect any policy of my campaign. Our campaign is about bringing people together, and I’m grateful that [the woman] accepted our apology and I hope…any who were offended accept my apology as well.” You know before this is all over, Obama and McCain will have issued more apologies than Charlie Sheen, Don Imus, Isaiah Washington, Mel Gibson and Michael Richards combined.

5605: Gay Sex Sells.

Sorry, gentlemen. Gay model not included with purchase.

5604: You Have One Racist Message.

Checking voicemail with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Charlie Sheen is catching heat for a voicemail message to ex-wife Denise Richards. In the voicemail, Sheen called Richards a “fucking [N-word],” even though she isn’t Black. Sheen issued an apology that read, “I deeply apologize by my choice of words to all I have obviously offended; especially to Tony Todd, an African-American, who was my best man at my first two weddings.” Hey, some of Sheen’s best men are Black.

• 50 Cent is going to court to keep his ex-girlfriend from proclaiming the rapper was responsible for the recent fire that gutted his Long Island house. “There comes a point where you can no longer sit on your hands and listen to her spread these falsehoods,” said the rapper’s lawyer. “Besides hurting his reputation, they have a damaging impact on their son.” Note to Fiddy: Don’t ask Charlie Sheen to leave voicemails for you.

• Some women are complaining the iPhone is sexist, as its touchscreen technology doesn’t work well for people with long fingernails. Steve Jobs will probably invent iNails—press-on nails with built-in iPhones.

• Circuit City announced its 1Q loss is bigger than expected, with an 11 percent sales drop at established stores. “We continued to see improvement in many of our operating performance measures,” said the retailer’s CEO. “We are rebuilding our selling culture and focusing on creating a good first and last impression with the customer.” As opposed to the existing bad first and last impressions?

5603: Vogue Adds Color.

From The New York Times…

Conspicuous by Their Presence

By CATHY HORYN

RACIAL prejudice in the fashion industry has long persisted because of tokenism and lookism. “We already have our black girl,” says a designer to a fashion-show casting agent, declining to see others. Or: “She doesn’t have the right look.” Laziness, paranoia and pedantry may also have something to do with the failure to hire black models for shows and magazine features in any meaningful number, but, hey, that’s just a guess.

A decade ago the thing to deplore was the stereotyping of black models by dressing them in African-inspired clothes (or the Asian girls in kimonos). This at least gave work to minority models, but it also encouraged a Western view of African culture of the many-bangles-many-beads variety.

O.K., so fashion ain’t deep. It looks into a mirror and sees … itself. The irony in fashion is that it loves change but it can’t actually change anything. It can only reflect a change in the air. But what changes fashion? What would finally move American designers to include more black models on their runways? That 30 percent of the country is nonwhite? That black women spend $20 billion a year on clothes? That an African-American is the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic Party?

The answer is the individual eye.

In fashion, one of the most influential eyes belongs to the photographer Steven Meisel. His pictures have caught an America basking in the earnest, self-reflected glow of celebrity and money. He has taken innumerable risks, especially with “Sex,” the 1992 volume he did with Madonna, that have paid off with a career that allows him to do whatever he wants.

And he has almost lovingly photographed some of the world’s beautiful women, tapping into their psyches, connecting with them on a human level, while transforming them into fashion deities.

As the model Veronica Webb, who first worked with Mr. Meisel 20 years ago, said: “Steven knows every single tic, every talent that every girl has. He just pulls it out of them.”

For the July issue of Italian Vogue, Mr. Meisel has photographed only black models. In a reverse of the general pattern of fashion magazines, all the faces are black, and all the feature topics are related to black women in the arts and entertainment. Mr. Meisel was given roughly 100 pages for his pictures. The issue will be on European newsstands next Thursday and in the United States soon after.

Under its editor, Franca Sozzani, Italian Vogue has gained a reputation for being more about art and ideas than commerce. Ms. Sozzani also doesn’t mind controversy.

[Read the full story—with multimedia slide show—here.]

5602: Cruising With Avis.

Avis’ free music selection undoubtedly includes complete collections from Celine Dion, Cher and the Village People.

5601: Quick Hits And Hitler.

Bumping and grinding in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Why does everyone think it’s so cool and amusing to fist bump with the Obamas?

• ESPN columnist Jemele Hill sparked controversy—and landed a suspension—for using a Hitler reference in a recent perspective. Hill wrote that rooting “for the Celtics is like saying Hitler was a victim. It’s like hoping Gorbachev would get to the blinking red button before Reagan.” ESPN responded by stating, “Both Jemele and ESPN.com apologize. The column, as originally posted, made some absolutely unacceptable comparisons. We’ve spoken with Jemele, and she understands that she exercised poor judgment. She’s been relieved of her responsibilities for a period of time to reflect on the impact of her words. Within hours of its posting on Saturday evening, the inappropriate references were removed from the site, but our system of checks and balances failed Jemele and our readers and we are addressing that as well.” Additionally, Hill issued an apology that read, “I deeply regret the comment I made in a column Saturday. In expressing my passion for the NBA and my hometown of Detroit I showed very poor judgment in the words that I used. I pride myself on an understanding of, and appreciation for, diversity—and there is no excuse for the appalling lack of sensitivity in my comments. It in no way reflects the person I am. I apologize to all of my readers and I thank them for holding me accountable. This has been an important lesson for me and illustrates that, like many people, I still have a lot of growing and learning to do.” The semi-ironic part is that Hill was pretty vocal when shock jock Don Imus made his infamous comments about the Rutgers women’s basketball team.

5600: Maryland Milestone.

From The Associated Press…

Maryland elects 1st black woman to Congress

By STEPHEN MANNING | Associated Press Writer

LANHAM, Md. - Democratic lawyer and nonprofit executive Donna Edwards won a special election Tuesday to become Maryland's first black woman elected to Congress.

Edwards beat Republican Peter James in the race to serve the remainder of former U.S. Rep. Albert Wynn's term in Maryland’s 4th District. Wynn left office May 31 to take a lobbying job after losing to Edwards in February’s Democratic primary by 22 percentage points.

Edwards, 49, will hold the seat for the rest of the year. James also won his party’s primary in February, meaning he and Edwards will face each other again in November’s general election.

Once she is sworn in, Democrats will have 236 seats in the House to Republicans’ 199.

The victory also gives Edwards a chance to establish some seniority if she is elected to a full term. A half-year spent in the House could give her a slight edge over other incoming freshmen, such as better committee assignments.

Edwards most recently led the nonprofit Arca Foundation. Her win in February was her second try at the seat after losing to Wynn in 2006 by a slim margin.

With about 25 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday night, Edwards had 93 percent of the vote, or 2,853 votes, to James’ 6 percent, or 189. Voter turnout appeared to be low.

Buoyed by support from powerful interest groups and unions, she capitalized on voter distaste for Wynn’s positions and votes on issues like the war in Iraq and the housing crisis.

James, 52, of Germantown, focused much of his campaign on trying to alert voters to what he says are fundamental flaws in the nation’s banking system. He describes himself as a Republican in the vein of Ron Paul, the libertarian-minded Republican presidential candidate.

Maryland’s first black elected congressman was Parren Mitchell, who served from 1971 to 1987 in the 7th District, according to Jennifer Hafner, the deputy director of research at the Maryland State Archives.

5599: Rough Flights.

Flying blindly with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Oh Canada. Air Canada plans to cut 2,000 jobs this year, citing problems stemming from the rising cost of fuel. “The loss of jobs is painful in view of our employees’ hard work in bringing the airline back to profitability over the past four years,” said the president and CEO. “I regret having to take these actions, but they are necessary to remain competitive going forward. Air Canada, like most global airlines, needs to adapt its business and reduce flying that has become unprofitable in the current fuel environment.” Maybe the airlines need to consider alternative solutions to jets running on fuel. Has anyone investigated solar-powered flight or hang gliders?

• OfficeMax is cutting 2,700 managerial jobs this month, but adding in-store sales positions. “We’re reducing the number of store management positions so that we can increase the number of associates on our floor,” said a spokesman. “The people are being offered an opportunity to apply for the new positions. It was really a decision driven by ‘How can we have enough people helping the customer?’” Plus, the company is probably feeling the effects of the rising cost of ink toner and rubber band balls.

5598: Matching GLBT Luggage And Laptops.

Can you match the luggage to the laptops?

5597: Lakers Did Beat One Team In The Finals.

Can’t resist taking one last shot. The Boston Celtics manhandled the Los Angeles Lakers to win an NBA World Championship. But the Lakers still performed better than the team responsible for the Denali campaign.

5596: Bad Headline.

Seriously, it sucks.

5595: Delayed Reactions To 5594.

Wanted to share a few more thoughts on the IPG diversity efforts highlighted in the USA TODAY story.

As always, any attempts to shatter the tradition of exclusion on Madison Avenue are commendable. In fact, they’re almost obligatory, given the pressures applied by organizations like New York City’s Commission on Human Rights. At the same time, there are points regarding the IPG initiatives that demand examination.

For starters, let’s address the agreement signed by agencies, as well as the commission’s deputy director proclaiming, “We knew this was going to take awhile, but we’re optimistic we’re on the right track.” It’s important to realize the goals were established by the agencies, which is like allowing a criminal to impose her own sentence. Additionally, some agencies didn’t meet the objectives and expressed unhappiness over their failure.

IPG’s recruitment and intern programs are hardly breakthrough. One would think such tactics might be standard operating procedures at every BDA by now. MultiCultClassics actually noted IPG interns in the inaugural post dated March 2005. Hyping this stuff is often a PR smokescreen projected by agencies.

IPG’s latest newbie crop totals 10 people. Do the math. If the IPG network boasts 60 agencies, the number translates to about 0.167 minorities per shop. At this pace, it’ll take generations before the industry announces, “Mission Accomplished.”

Bringing in entry-level workers barely scratches the surface of the global dilemma. The gaping hole exists at the mid- to senior-level ranks. Besides the brand new partnership between the 4As and Howard University, there appears to be little happening in this critical area.

IPG diversity guru Heide Gardner admitted, “We had a high attrition rate with minorities, about 30% higher turnover than with the general population.” Wonder if it had anything to do with newbies seeing virtually zero minorities in the managerial suites. The annual $35K doesn’t help either.

The financial incentives for honchos raise questions too. While it’s great to know success is tied to an individual’s bonuses, revealing the potential losses at $40,000 to $60,000 is pretty crazy. What happens with that spare loot? You could use the money to hire nearly two minorities. And why simply attach penalties to bonuses? Why not link it all directly to executive base salaries?

Finally, let’s view another comment for Draftfcb left at Advertising’s Fifth Column: “HR and management have no idea … how to treat people like humans. How about giving us some space to work rather than lumping us together like cattle?” Insiders recognize the problems at Draftfcb go beyond cubicle allocation. The place continues to struggle marrying the direct marketing and branding advertising divisions.

If you can’t even develop professional integration, it’s gonna be tough to reach cultural nirvana too.

5594: Interpublic Group Seeks To Integrate.

From USA TODAY, IPG is hyping its diversity efforts. Ironically, the initial suggestions posted at Advertising’s Fifth Column include this critique for IPG’s Draftfcb: “Draft needs to figure out how to hire more diverse creatives. I suggest that they employ one or two people from outside the business totally. In PR they do this all the time. Maybe that’s one reason PR companies are snatching agency dollars?”

Ad agency Interpublic Group acts as mentor to build diversity

By Theresa Howard, USA TODAY

While ad veterans from around the globe gather in France this week for the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, U.S. companies still have an issue to deal with at home: diversity.

Despite a push by industry organizations for agencies to boost their recruitment of women, blacks, Asians and Hispanics, the industry continues to be a poster child for a dearth of diversity. It is an industry that speaks every day to multicultural audiences with $2 trillion in spending power, and the marketing messages created for those audiences need to reflect an understanding of their cultures.

Advertising company The Interpublic Group (IPG) is trying to raise the industry standards with its InterAct program, which includes the InterAct Associates training program as the cornerstone of its diversity efforts. The program recruits college graduates for IPG’s network of 60 agencies and trains them over two years with six-month stints in specific areas of advertising.

Next week 10 associates will finish up the program, bringing the number of associates who finished the program to 25 since it began in 2004. Another dozen will finish next June.

While the total is small, IPG says the program has elevated diversity as a priority for its employees and managers. IPG, which has a workforce of 40,000 and 2007 revenue of $6.5 billion, says that increasing diversity in its workforce is essential for today's ad industry.

“It’s perfectly clear that the marketplace, our customers and various regulatory agencies are demanding diversity,” says Michael Roth, 62, who became IPG’s chairman in 2004 and CEO in 2005.

His predecessor, David Bell, hired Heide Gardner in 2003 as IPG’s diversity head, the first corporate-level diversity chief among the major companies. She developed the InterAct program. “Diversity is perceived as this insurmountable problem that has to be resolved,” says Gardner, 50. “This is a way to capture talent.”

N.Y.: Big change in the Big Apple

Minority hiring has been a particularly sore point in New York, one of the most diverse U.S. cities and the center of the U.S. ad industry.

In 2007 women represented 42% of jobs, but blacks represented just 9.4% while Asians represented 6.1% and Hispanics 3.8%.

Such numbers prompted an investigation of 16 agencies based here — including three of IPG’s — by the New York City Commission on Human Rights in fall 2006. The agencies settled, making a three-year commitment to hire more minority ad professionals.

The first annual review, out in April, showed agencies beat their deal to make minorities an average 18% of professionals and managers hired with an actual share of 25%.

“We knew this was going to take awhile, but we’re optimistic we’re on the right track,” says Cliff Mulqueen, the commission’s deputy commissioner.

Since InterAct began, IPG’s minority hiring in the junior ranks is up 40%, and minorities are now 20% of junior staff. Minority officials and managers doubled to 13%, including Gardner, who last year was promoted to become IPG’s first black female corporate officer. Jocelyn Miller-Carter, who owns a technology company in Florida, last year became the first black woman on the board.

In addition to the trainee effort, Gardner’s InterAct program includes task forces, training and hiring goals, bonuses linked to the goals, and an annual review of success. More than 500 managers have gone through InterAct training.

“The important thing is to get the fundamentals in place,” board member Jill Considine says. “We want it to be something we live and breathe — not just be a stand-alone program.”

Gardner says she focused on recruiting, because minorities tended to exit the industry at higher rates because they felt alienated and saw few growth opportunities.

“People left after two years, so the junior levels were a problem,” says Gardner, the daughter of a U.S. Army officer who met his wife in Germany. “We had a high attrition rate with minorities, about 30% higher turnover than with the general population. We knew that was one of the areas we had to tackle.”

Hires seen as a measure of success

Among those completing the InterAct Associates program this month is Dalen Cuff, 24, a graduate of Columbia University where he played basketball. He has accepted a job with IPG sports-marketing agency Momentum.

“It seems like IPG is trying to address (lack of diversity) by infusing talent at the bottom, not just trying to retain talent that’s already in the agency,” Cuff says.

Associates are not guaranteed jobs with IPG, but only one hasn’t been hired since the program began. And 13 of the 15 who graduated through last year remain IPG employees. Trainees have an inside track to job openings, and the current crop recently met with representatives from more than a dozen IPG-owned agencies and showcased their work.

Kayu Tai, 23, finished early in January and now works as an art director at IPG’s Draftfcb in Chicago. During her training she helped transform 500 mailboxes in 200 cities to look like R2-D2 robots from Star Wars to promote the U.S. Postal Service’s stamps commemorating the 30th anniversary of the film. Tai is originally from Hong Kong and graduated from The College for Creative Studies in Detroit.

Still, advertising is a tough sell for many college students. Agency entry-level salaries in 2006, the most recent year available, averaged $26,000 vs. $49,000 in telecommunications or $51,500 in financial services, according to the Compensation Survey of Marketing Professionals by the American Marketing Association and industry consultant Aquent.

The number of students that IPG recruits for the associates program each year is based on expected hiring down the road.

Those who make the cut get a starting salary of $35,000, a personal mentor and the chance to learn a lot quickly. After orientation, they move into areas such as buying, managing accounts, digital ads, copy writing and art design.

There’s a financial incentive for managers, too. Meeting IPG’s diversity goals can account for 10% to 15% of a manager’s annual bonus — $40,000 to $60,000 for a senior manager. This year, two missed their diversity targets and paid the price. “As you would expect, this really got their attention, and it underscores our commitment to accountability as it relates to diversity,” says IPG spokesman Philippe Krakowsky.

5593: Gay And Lesbian Friendly Gnome.

Can’t imagine Priceline.com could cater as comfortably to these audiences using William Shatner.

5592: Bri’s Back, Refusing To Plead The Fifth.

Sabrina Duncan is back. The former Super Spy of Agency Spy has moved her Spy vs. Spy-style booby traps and explosives to a new secret headquarters: Advertising’s Fifth Column. Visit the site to catch the details. Not sure where this venture is going. At first blush, it appears to be a digital suggestion box for BDA drones. But let’s withhold judgment until things progress over time. Gandhi said, “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” Of course, he never had to work for Howard Draft.

5591: Political Partying.

Senator Larry Craig vehemently denies enjoying Svedka Vodka.

5590: Monkeys And Morons.

A company ignited controversy by creating a sock monkey fashioned after Senator Barack Obama.


Now, they might have gotten away with it by arguing there are Santa, Sexy and Satan sock monkeys…


Plus, there have been sock monkeys for Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and George W. Bush…


Why, there have even been political sock monkeys…


Then again, they could have sewn the Obama version to be a different sock animal—including a donkey for the Democratic Party…


Instead, the company issued a statement claiming, “We simply made a casual and affectionate observation one night, and a charming association between a candidate and a toy we had when we were little.” Which kinda validates the contention of NAACP official Jeanetta Williams that the toy is “pure racism at its extreme.”


It also doesn’t help that the company is from Utah.

UPDATE: The Utah company has decided against moving forward with the Obama sock monkey. The website reads:

An Apology
We are very apologetic to all who were upset by our toy idea.
We will not be proceeding with the manufacturing of this toy.
Thank you.
GD

5589: Diversity Best Protestations.

MultiCultClassics recently learned of a seminar on Diversity Best Practices, and also discovered an organization actually called Diversity Best Practices. Has Madison Avenue ever considered tapping such sources? It seems like most advertising agencies are devising their own ineffective solutions for inclusion. And no one appears to be sharing proven tactics. Indeed, our industry lacks any Diversity Best Practices. However, there’s an abundance of Diversity Best Protestations—the standard excuses for maintaining the status quo. All of which inspired the following series of special advertisements.

5588: Playing The GLBT Card.

Gay and Lesbian versions of the same concept. Can’t wait to see the Bisexual and Transgender ads.

5587: Travelers Alerts.

Driving and flying out of business with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Ford Motor Company told union officials that additional cuts are necessary in the months ahead. A Ford spokesperson told United Auto Workers union officials the downsizing would be required “so that we can make the vehicles in an efficient way that customers are buying.” Guess Ford’s tagline, “Drive One,” hasn’t translated to “Buy One.”

• Nearly 4,000 Delta Airlines employees accepted voluntary buyouts. Delta is ready when you are—to bail out of business.

5586: Contemplating Innocence.

From The Chicago Sun-Times…

Lyrics, lawsuits are signs ‘not guilty’ isn’t ‘innocent’

JIM DeROGATIS, Pop Music Critic

As any criminal-defense attorney will attest, “not guilty” does not mean “innocent.”

During the six-year wait for R. Kelly to have his day in court, the multitalented singer, songwriter and producer -- the most important voice in R&B in his generation and one of the most successful artists Chicago has ever produced -- often sang of asking God to forgive him for unnamed sins.

“After all the wrong I’ve done, oh Lord/How did you manage to love me?/After I’ve been so bad, oh Lord/How did you manage to forgive me?” Kelly crooned on his 2004 album, “U Saved Me.” Meanwhile, on the companion disc “Happy People,” it was business as usual in the boudoir: “So welcome to the greatest show on earth/Welcome, girl, to my bedroom.”

An argument can be made that no artist in the history of popular music has so jarringly mixed the sacred and the profane or so thoroughly aired his sexual desires for the benefit of so large an audience. Kelly has sold more than 36 million albums under his own name, and many more again if we count his collaborations with artists such as Aaliyah, Michael Jackson and Celine Dion.

The 41-year-old artist proudly described himself as “the World’s Greatest,” a “Sexual Super Freak” and “the Pied Piper of R&B” -- perhaps oblivious to the fact that the Pied Piper of medieval legend led 130 boys and girls from a German village to their doom. Yet despite his acquittal Friday on 14 counts of making child pornography, it remains difficult to dismiss his lyrics and his boasting in the media as mere hyperbole.

The prosecution chose to pursue a very narrow case against the superstar, solely concentrating on a 26-minute, 39-second tape anonymously sent to the Chicago Sun-Times in February 2002. But as the paper first reported in December 2000, for more than a decade, public records and lawsuits allege that Kelly abused his staggering wealth and fame to pursue sexual relationships with underage girls, many of whom were left deeply wounded by those encounters.

The voices of those girls were never heard in Judge Vincent Gaughan’s courtroom. But they include:

• The late Aaliyah D. Haughton, Kelly’s celebrated 15-year-old protege, whom he illegally married in 1994 shortly after producing the debut album he titled “Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number.” (The marriage was annulled, and Kelly paid Aaliyah a token sum in a settlement.)

• Tiffany Hawkins, who sued Kelly claiming that he began having sex with her when she was 15 after he picked her while visiting her choir class at his alma mater, Kenwood Academy. (Kelly settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed sum.)

• Tracy Sampson, a former intern at Epic Records who sued Kelly claiming that she lost her virginity to him at age 17. (Kelly settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed sum.)

• Patrice Jones, a Chicago woman who sued Kelly alleging that they began having sex after he met her at the Rock ‘n’ Roll McDonald’s following her high school’s senior prom. (Kelly settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed sum.)

• And Montina Woods, a legal-age dancer who sued Kelly claiming that he videotaped her without her knowledge while they were having sex. (Kelly settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed sum.)

Questions concerning the truth of these lawsuits and the videotape at the heart of his trial will forever linger over Kelly’s career, as will the statements of former associates -- including ex-manager Barry Hankerson, Aaliyah’s uncle, and Stephanie “Sparkle” Edwards, the aunt of the girl prosecutors said was on the videotape -- who claimed they repeatedly urged the star to “get help” for what they called his “compulsion” to pursue underage girls.

Music industry experts say Kelly’s CD sales and downloads are likely to benefit from the increased publicity surrounding his trial and acquittal, and he is set to release a new album in August. The artistry of his prolific output has never really been a question, and indeed, some of his most influential boosters contend that his legal troubles only enhanced his music.

“The sex scandal that threatened to derail his career in 2002 ended up doing the opposite: It made him more productive, more successful and, somehow -- maybe because more people began paying attention to his excellent music -- more respected than ever before,” critic Kelefa Sanneh wrote in the New York Times.

Yet while a jury of his peers has found Kelly not guilty on 14 counts of making child pornography, the artist has not had his final judgment day. As he sang on “Been Around the World,” a 2002 song released shortly after his indictment: “God gonna judge me/The same that he judge you.”

5585: Pride + Joy = Patronizing?

Showing pride during Pride Month.

5584: R. Kelly Not Guilty.

From The Chicago Sun-Times…

R. Kelly not guilty on all counts

BY STEFANO ESPOSITO and KARA SPAK, Staff Reporters

Six years after being charged with making and starring in a child porn video, R&B superstar R. Kelly was found not guilty today by a Cook County jury.

Jurors deliberated for about three hours Thursday and part of today before reaching their verdict. The jury cleared him on all 14 counts filed against him.

As the first “not guilty” was read, Kelly dipped his head and kept it bowed during the entire reading of the 14-count verdict.

When the reading was completed, he took a baby blue handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed the tears streaming down his face. He then bear-hugged his defense attorneys.

Kelly, who did not testify during his trial, faced up to 15 years in an Illinois prison.

When word of the verdict spread through the courthouse at 26th and California, some Cook County deputies as well as lawyers walking through the building’s first floor hallways cheered.

Outside the courthouse, a huge roar came up from about 75 waiting Kelly supporters. “I love him!” one woman shouted as Kelly left the building moments after the verdict was read. “I love him! Get that on camera!”

Kelly did not comment to reporters but a Kelly spokesman said the singer wanted to thank his fans “who stuck by him and supported him with such love. And most of all, he wants to thank God for giving him the strength to get through this.”

“Robert said all along that he believes in our system and he believes in God,”' said the spokesman, Allan Mayer. “He did not expect it to take six and half years. This has been a terrible ordeal for him and his family. At this point all he wants to do is to move forward and put it behind him.”

The case centered on a 27-minute videotape anonymously sent to Chicago Sun-Times pop music critic Jim DeRogatis in 2002. Prosecutors said Kelly videotaped himself having sex with -- and urinating upon -- his underage goddaughter.

In closing arguments, the state said more than a dozen witnesses identified the alleged victim as being on the tape. Prosecutors also said there was no doubt that Kelly is the man on the tape and that the video was made in his Lake View basement some time between 1998 and 2000.

Defense attorneys keyed in on the fact that the victim, now an adult, has denied she’s the one on the tape. They noted that Kelly’s goddaughter is a “sweet, nice young lady,” and certainly wouldn’t have accepted cash for sex, as the girl in the tape is shown doing. In the weeks and months before the trial, legal experts around the globe said prosecutors would face an uphill battle convincing jurors of Kelly’s guilt without a victim willing to take the witness stand.

Kelly’s attorneys also told jurors that Kelly has a distinctive mole on his back that doesn’t appear on the videotape. Prosecutors brought in a video expert, who played the notorious sex video in slow motion, pointing out a dark spot clearly visible on the man’s back.

After the verdict, one of his attorneys, Sam Adam Jr., described his client as deeply religious.

“When they read the verdict you got to see the real Robert Kelly,” Adam Jr. said. “He sat there and he was crying. He was thanking God. He was saying ‘Thank you Jesus, Thank you Jesus’ after each count. He is not the man there doing those things to that woman.”

Asked who was on the tape if it wasn’t Kelly, Adam said: “If you find that out, let us know.”

Defense attorney Ed Genson praised the jurors as well as Judge Vincent Gaughan for their work during the trial -- and noted the length of the case.

“I’ve gone from middle aged to senior citizen,” Genson said.

Outside the courthouse, Chicago’s Leshi Agee, 25, shouted, “We love you!” to Kelly as the singer left in a black SUV.

“He looks so good,” said Agee. “Bye, baby.”

Agee, who came with her three children between the ages of 10 months and five years, said, “I knew he ain’t done it because he ain’t that type of person. They was hating on him. He proved everybody wrong.”

Fourteen-year-old Kewan Mackey said, “I knew he ain’t do it. I knew he was going to win. Money makes the world go around.”

Nicole Jones, 16, came down to the courthouse with 15-year-old sister Neshay Jones to support Kelly. They said they have avidly followed the case.

“I think this whole situation was about money,” Nicole said. “I think he’s innocent.”

5583: Amusement Parking.

Chrysler and Six Flags have renewed a partnership, whereby the car company will display vehicles, create promotions and more—right in the amusement parks. Funny, you’d think Six Flags would have opted to hook up with an Asian automaker.

5582: Closed Minds And Open Mouths.

TGIF with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• A few closing remarks from the lawyers at the R. Kelly child pornography trial:

“This is a 13-year-old girl having sex with a superstar. I mean a superstar, who’s won Grammy awards. And she tells no one? … You couldn’t keep a 13-year-old girl’s mouth quiet about having Hannah Montana tickets,” argued defense attorney Sam Adam Jr.

“This is not a whodunit. It’s a ‘he did it,’” countered Assistant State’s Attorney Shauna Boliker.

“You are going to have to call [the alleged victim], 14 times, individually and collectively, a whore,” said Adam.

“You know what’s on that tape. You know it’s vile. You know it’s disgusting. And you know it’s Robert Kelly,” said Boliker.

People, place your bets.

• Mike Tyson allegedly contributed $50,000 toward a contract to murder members of a Brooklyn gang accused of killing the former heavyweight’s bodyguard and friend in June 2000. Must be part of Tyson’s “Take A Bite Out Of Crime” campaign.

• In the latest example of unprofessionalism from FOX News, an interview featuring Dunkin’ Donuts conspiracy theorist Michelle Malkin flashed a title referring to Michelle Obama as “Obama’s baby mama.” During the interview, Malkin claimed she saw no examples of gratuitous or cheap shots taken at Mrs. Obama by Republican or conservative critics. Sounds like another example of blind ignorance.

5581: Executive Education 101.

Q. How do you get Adweek to publish news about diversity?

A. Seed the info into a special advertising section.

Not sure who bankrolled the insert, as it covers executive education—which is almost an oxymoron in our learning-resistant industry. The piece highlights the partnership between the 4As and Howard University.

“It’s become increasingly difficult to identify, recruit and nurture talented people with a bent toward creativity,” said 4As President and CEO Nancy Hill. “And I think the advertising industry needs to start fishing in a different pond. We need to cast a wider net to make sure we, as an industry, represent the diversity in our society. This partnership isn’t going to be solely about what people look like. It will be about their points of view and the skill sets they can bring to the table.” Of course, Hill failed to note the increased difficulty is rooted in a tradition of executives ignoring, rejecting and dissuading talented people.

4As Washington representative Adonis Hoffman, who played a leading role in orchestrating the initiative, said success demands full support from agency honchos. “Ultimately, what it will come down to is having CEOs out there issuing the mandate to their staffs and to their boards and to their recruiting firms that if the appropriate African American or Hispanic or Asian comes along and possesses all the right skills for leadership, that person must be hired,” declared Hoffman. “Otherwise, we’re just talking about it, and it’s all academic.” Um, somebody tell Hoffman that possessing all the right skills has never been a prerequisite for landing a job on Madison Avenue.

Finally, check out the advertisement hyping the Howard University program. Yes, you too can climb from your cubicle to a corner office. Ironically, the depicted figure is White.

5580: GLBTalent.

Diversity is a grass-roots effort…?

5579: Leave It To The Professionals.

Is Eliot Spitzer now writing headlines?

5578: Adweek Discovers Latinos.

Once again, Adweek displays dubious cultural expertise with its Hispanic Marketing Report. Don’t bother reading the shit, as it can be summed up in three words: Latinos love soccer. Brilliant. Next month, look for another Adweek exclusive: Blacks love basketball.

5577: Killer Moves.

Keeping in step with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• The husband of shock jock Wendy Williams is accused of plotting to murder rival Hot97 DJ Tarsha Jones. Williams’ husband was allegedly irked over on-air comments Jones made about his wife. Look for FOX to introduce a new TV series, When DJs Attack.

• R. Kelly is facing new legal problems. An ex-associate is suing the artist, claiming he influenced the singer’s success by inspiring him to embrace stepping. The ex-associate claimed that as Kelly was hit by criminal charges, he suggested the artist try step-based dance moves to woo a “more mature” audience. Based on Kelly legal dance moves, expect this new trial to happen sometime in the 22nd century.

• Anheuser-Busch received an unsolicited $46.3 billion takeover bid from InBev. That’s one serious bar tab.

5576: Yo, Canada!

From The Chicago Tribune…

Canada tells its Indians: We’re sorry
Prime minister apologizes for century of abuses

By Maggie Farley and Christopher Guly, Tribune Newspapers

OTTAWA — Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized Wednesday to the nation's Indians for a “sad chapter in our history,” acknowledging the physical abuses and cultural damage they suffered during a century of forced assimilation at residential schools.

“Today, we recognize that this policy of assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm, and has no place in our country,” Harper said to applause.

Eleven aboriginal leaders and former students sat before Harper in a circle in the House of Commons, some weeping as the prime minister delivered the government’s first formal apology to them. In the crowded, expectant chamber, Harper bowed his head as he read a carefully crafted speech, asking for forgiveness for separating children from their families and cultures, exposing the students to abuse, and sowing the seeds for generations of problems.

“The government now recognizes that the consequences of the Indian residential schools policy were profoundly negative and that this policy has had a lasting and damaging impact on aboriginal culture, heritage and language,” Harper said.

The apology was billed by the government as a chance to redress a sad chapter in Canadian history and to move forward in reconciliation.

150,000 children boarded
Over more than a century, about 150,000 native Canadian children were sent to boarding schools run by churches and the government to “civilize and Christianize” them. Expressions of native heritage were outlawed. Many children suffered sexual and psychological abuse and grew up with neither traditional roots nor mainstream footing, their ties to family and community unraveled.

But the hours before the landmark statement were marked by wrangling over whether Indian leaders were adequately consulted over the content, and anger that they wouldn’t be allowed to respond in the House of Commons. Just before Harper’s speech, opposition leaders led a successful motion to allow aboriginal representatives to reply in the chamber.

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine, wearing a feathered headdress, took the floor to declare that the occasion “testifies nothing less than the accomplishment of the impossible.” In 1990, he was one of the first to come forward with his story of abuse and push for an apology.

“For the generation that will follow us, we bear witness today. … Never again will this House consider us the Indian problem just for being who we are,” he said, as tribal members cheered and beat a drum in the gallery. “Finally, we heard Canada say it is sorry.”

Churches apologized first
Some survivors, as the former schoolchildren are widely called, said the apology came only grudgingly under intense pressure, and must be matched by action. But it is widely recognized as a significant step for a government that previously sought to limit its responsibility for the harm caused by its assimilation policy.

Several churches offered apologies in the late 1980s and 1990s, and the government’s head of Indian affairs issued a statement of reconciliation in 1998. A lawsuit settled in 2006 created a $1.9 billion compensation fund. An independent Truth and Reconciliation Commission was launched June 1.

But Wednesday’s statement is the government’s first formal expression of responsibility and remorse for the forced assimilation program and its legacy of damage.

Elijah Harper, 49, a Cree leader from Manitoba, said the prime minister’s speech enables his people to embark on the road of reconciliation.

“From a spiritual point of view, what he has done is release the bonds that have held us from being able to forgive,” Harper said.

Analysts said the next step for the government is to settle outstanding land claims with aboriginal groups and to refocus policies to alleviate poverty and improve education among First Nations.

“Even if you solved this, there are a number of issues still facing aboriginal people,” said James Miller, a University of Saskatchewan expert on the residential schools.

Hands whipped in school
Many former students gathered across the country and at Ottawa’s House of Commons, where television screens were set up on the lawn for the crowds.

Geraldine Maness-Robertson, 72, a Chippewa from Aamjiwnaang First Nation, said her six years at an Anglican school were a “horrific experience” and that her hands were often whipped with a razor strap to break her spirit.

“When I left I was so full of rage and anger and hatred,” she said. “Today’s apology was so helpful, it hit all the areas of hurt. I have spent my whole life reconciling and I turned a page today.”

5575: The ABCs Of GERD.

Only a pharmaceutical company would think it was cool to write copy for a little kid using terms like GERD.

5574: GLBThinking.

PwC plays it PC.

5573: Must Enjoy Eating Paint…?

Check out the opening paragraph of this actual job listing. Then check out the company website. You won’t feel like sticking your head in a paint can—you’ll be sticking it in a trash can. Or the nearest oven.

Do you like to spend your days bouncing off the walls with smart people? Do you have so many ideas that you oftentimes feel like sticking your head in a paint can and shaking it out on a blank canvas? Are you fabulous?

If you just thought to yourself, “How did they know?” then you may want to consider Ambrosi, the country’s largest and most experienced creative advertising agency of its kind, offering more than 30 years of service in retail and direct-response catalog services. We are dedicated to the art of design, photography, and digital production of retail print advertising and direct mail catalogs.

We are currently looking for some exceptional new talent to join our team. If you meet these requirements and are passionate about producing great work, we’d like to hear from you. We create great work because we employ great people.

THE SKETCH

Calling all leaders with high creative standards. As Creative Director, you will direct and manage creative projects for the department. The ideal candidate will have exceptional leadership and decision-making skills coupled with a creative flare. You must be an effective communicator with both your team and our client base. In this position, you will be responsible for ensuring that the client’s expectations are met at all times.

YOUR TOOL BOX

Education and Experience

• 4-year degree in Advertising, English, Journalism or related field.

• 7-10 years retail or agency experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to make sound decisions, delegate and to handle multiple assignments within a deadline driven environment.

• Knowledge of creative execution process including design, production, and photography.

• QuarkXpress, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.

• Knowledge of visual merchandising and marketing in the retail arena.

5572: NASCAR Races And Racism.

From The Associated Press…

NASCAR Hit With Racism, Sexism Claims

By JENNA FRYER, AP

As an aspiring racing official, Mauricia Grant had grown used to working in a man’s world.

When she finally made it into NASCAR, Grant was appalled at the way she says she was treated beginning from her first day on the job until her firing last October.

Now she’s suing NASCAR for $225 million, alleging racial and sexual discrimination, sexual harassment and wrongful termination.

“I loved it. It was a great, exciting, adrenaline-filled job where I worked with fast cars and the best drivers in the world,” Grant told The Associated Press. “But there was an ongoing daily pattern (of harassment). It was the nature of the people I worked with, the people who ran it, it trickled down from the top.

“It’s just the way things are in the garage.”

The 32-year-old Grant, who is black, worked as a technical inspector responsible for certifying cars in NASCAR’s second-tier Nationwide Series from January 2005 until her termination. In the lawsuit, she alleged she was referred to as “Nappy Headed Mo” and “Queen Sheba,” by co-workers, was often told she worked on “colored people time,” and was frightened by one official who routinely made references to the Ku Klux Klan.

In addition, Grant said she was subjected to sexual advances from male co-workers, two of whom allegedly exposed themselves to her, and graphic and lewd jokes.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, lists 23 specific incidents of alleged sexual harassment and 34 specific incidents of alleged racial and gender discrimination beginning when she was hired in January 2005 through her October 2007 firing.

NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said the organization had not yet reviewed the suit.

“As an equal opportunity employer, NASCAR is fully committed to the spirit and letter of affirmative action law,” Poston said, adding NASCAR has a zero tolerance policy for harassment.

In the lawsuit, Grant said she complained numerous times to her supervisors about how she was treated, to no avail. On one occasion, Grant said Nationwide Series director Joe Balash, her immediate supervisor, was dismissive of her complaints, explaining her co-workers were “former military guys” with a rough sense of humor. “You just have to deal with it,” she says Balash told her.

On another occasion, she alleged Balash participated in the harassment.

“Does your workout include an urban obstacle course with a flat-screen TV on your back?” she claimed Balash asked her during the week of July 28, 2007 while working in Indianapolis.

Grant told the AP her two younger sisters witnessed racial discrimination against the official while visiting her at Daytona International Speedway in 2006 and encouraged her to document every incident going forward.

The lawsuit details a series of those alleged incidents:

Grant was forced to work outside more often than the white male officials because her supervisors believed she couldn’t sunburn because she was black.

While riding in the backseat of her car pool at Talladega Superspeedway, co-workers told her to duck as they passed race fans. “I don’t want to start a riot when these fans see a black woman in my car,” she claims one official said.

When packing up a dark garage at Texas Motor Speedway an official told Grant: “Keep smiling and pop your eyes out ‘cause we can’t see you.”

When she ignored advances from co-workers, Grant was accused of being gay. She also claimed co-workers questioned the sexual orientation of two other female officials.

After her termination, Grant said she went over her notes and recognized “a pattern of retaliation and discrimination.”

“It didn’t diminish my love for the sport of auto racing, but the job wasn’t always the easiest thing to go to every day,” she said.

Grant said she routinely complained to her supervisors. Two weeks after her final complaint, Grant said she was warned during the week of August 18, 2007 at Michigan International Speedway that she had engaged in “conduct unbecoming of a NASCAR representative” and would be fired unless she changed her behavior. She said the warning stemmed from a confrontation with a track official who stopped her as she passed through a gate to use the restroom.

Roughly two months later, Grant was fired, and NASCAR cited a poor work performance in ending her employment. The lawsuit claims other than a previous warning for using “street” language, Grant had never been disciplined for job performance and routinely received positive reviews.

“It is time for NASCAR to realize that not everybody is going to be bought off and not file a complaint,” said Grant’s attorney, Benedict P. Morelli of Morelli Ratner PC. “Not everybody is going to be intimidated and not file a complaint. Not everybody is going to be blackballed and not file a complaint.”

In addition, the suit claims official Heather Gambino was fired in 2006 for complaining about a sexually hostile work environment. The suit also claims former official Dean Duckett, who is black, was reprimanded and ultimately fired last November for using “aggressive language toward a white co-worker.”

Among those identified in Grant’s suit are Balash, assistant series director Mike Dolan, supervisors Alan Shephard and Dennis Dillon, NASCAR’s senior manager for business relations, the human resources director and 17 of Grant's fellow officials. All of the defendants are white.

“My supervisors all praised me. I was hanging in there with the guys,” she said. “I am an athletic person. I went over the wall and faced malicious crews and competitive crew chiefs, and I was right there and held it down and was never lazy about it.

“And I knew that once I was terminated, there wasn’t going to be an opportunity for me to find another industry like NASCAR to practice my craft.”

5571: In Da House And Courthouse.

Hot news in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• 50 Cent can’t sell his fire-ravaged Long Island home until the lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend is resolved, thanks to a judge’s ruling. The judge also told Fiddy’s ex to cough up $4,500 in rent that is owed to the rapper. The ex-girlfriend is seeking half of the artist’s earnings, insisting she’s partly responsible for his success. She declared, “I helped build him.” Hope she knows how to build a new house.

• 50 Cent has been bonding with actor Val Kilmer during the production of their movie, Streets of Blood. Both men are fond of vintage cars, and Fiddy surprised Kilmer with the keys to a 1965 Chevy Impala worth $130,000. No word if it included a burned-out garage.

• Now R. Kelly’s lawyers are not merely arguing their client is not the person in the infamous videotape, but the infamous videotape is not the infamous videotape. They’ve apparently been working with a copy of the tape that prosecutors claimed to be a duplicate, but actually turned out to be a lower-quality reproduction. The recording artist’s lawyers used the inferior copy when questioning their video expert. The judge angrily snapped, “This is the rotten tomato in the barrel.” R. Kelly denies being in the original tape, the duplicate tape or in a barrel of tomatoes.

5570: Pain At The Pump.

The people responsible for this ad should be hit with a shoe.

5569: The Joy Of Sexism.

Advergirl presents a thoughtful perspective on sexism in our industry. Maybe the 4As will partner with Smith College or Wellesley College to solve the issue.

5568: GLBTechnology.

Dell offers laptops and career opportunities with pride.

5567: Gorillas Wanted.

This actual job posting for a Junior Art Director looks like it was written by a Junior HR Moron. The more notable typos include stating the Ford account is heavy on Gorilla. Also, why would anyone working on the Ford account need to be highly conceptual?

JWT Team Chicago
Junior Art Director

JWT’s Chicago office is looking for a highly conceptual Junior Art Director to work on their Ford Regional advertising account that is heavy on Broadcase, but with Print, Interactive, Radio, and Gorilla as well.

Job Requirements

A portfolio that shows off your big ideas, art direction & design skills, and wide range applications across innovative campaigns

The ability to juggle a bunch of projects without missing a step

A willingness to learn and progess, an eagerness to do good work, an enthusiasm that permeates everything you do

Highly skilled with Adobe products: InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, et cetera

Prior Broadcast experience is not necessary, but it would be a plus!

5566: Trial And Error.

Passing judgment in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• The defense rested in the R. Kelly child pornography trial, opting not to call the recording artist or the alleged female victim to the stand. The lawyers will probably also argue that it’s not really R. Kelly in the courtroom.

• A group of Native Americans is seeking $58 billion from the United States, insisting they were swindled in oil, gas, timber and other royalties handled by the Interior Department since 1887. The trial to determine the amount owed opened yesterday. “There is no legal or factual basis to pay the plaintiffs billions of dollars or even close to a billion dollars,” said a lawyer representing the government. He stated the total would be “in the millions not the billions.” Which means the government will wind up paying thousands.

5565: A Public Restroom Announcement.

As a public service to all MultiCultClassics female visitors, we’d like to share a recent discovery: P-MATE™

Learn more—plus view an instructional video—here.

5564: GLBTasty.

SunChips® offers crunchiness and careers with pride.

5563: Advertising Abuse.

POM presents imagery including a noose. Altoids cracks a whip on the “backflesh.” What’s next? Tear gas and fire hoses? Vicious dogs? Nightsticks?

5562: McCann Takes A Break.

From AdAge.com…

Renetta McCann Surrenders Role at Starcom MediaVest
Plans Sabbatical as U.S. CEO Laura Desmond Moves Up

By Megan McIlroy

NEW YORK -- Citing personal reasons, Renetta McCann said she is stepping down as the global CEO of Publicis Groupe’s Starcom MediaVest Group and taking a yearlong sabbatical from the agency starting next January.

Laura Desmond, CEO of SMG, the Americas, will take her place, effective immediately.

Personal matters need ‘full attention’
“I have been given the opportunity to build an incredible organization during a decade of management responsibility, but I now recognize that some family matters and personal goals have unfortunately taken a back seat during this time,” Ms. McCann said in a statement. “I would like to give them my full attention now.”

Ms. McCann, one of the top-ranking African-American females in media and marketing, started her career at SMG in 1978 at Leo Burnett, rising through the ranks to become global CEO in 2005.

It’s unclear what role she will take on when she returns from her sabbatical, but people close to her said it would likely be related to finding talent, one of her main passions.

Ms. McCann said in a statement that “one of my personal goals is to uncover some new ways of thinking about talent/opportunity alignment, specifically which triggers, emotions and assignments can more quickly propel the right people into the best roles.”

Paving the way
Ms. McCann will spend the next six months helping to transition Ms. Desmond into the global CEO role. Ms. Desmond is also a longtime member of the SMG media empire. She started as an associate at what was then Leo Burnett Media, where she worked on and supervised accounts including Heinz, McDonald’s, Kellogg, Coca-Cola and General Motors. In 2000, she was named CEO of SMG’s Latin America unit and two years later was named CEO of MediaVest. In 2006, she became CEO of SMG, the Americas.

“I was not expecting to fill the global CEO role at this point in my career,” Ms. Desmond said in a statement. “But the fact that I am prepared to do it is a testament to Renetta McCann, to the remarkable talent that populates this network, and to the forward-thinking clients that have challenged and inspired me to constantly up my game. I have tremendously large shoes to fill without a doubt, but I also have powerful momentum to build on.”

5561: Pointing A Finger At Puffery.

Um, even Chang and Eng would’ve had a tough time proving this headline.

5560: GLBTypo.

Someday copywriters will know the difference between everyday and every day.

5559: Toyota Plays Alternate-Reality Games.

From AdAge.com…

Toyota: No One’s Targeted Black Women Like This
Alternate-Reality Game Challenges Camry’s Rep as ‘Suburban,’ ‘Boring’

By Claude Brodesser-Akner

LOS ANGELES -- With companywide sales down 8% this May compared with a year ago, every sale suddenly matters to Toyota Motor Corp. And so the carmaker is launching what it calls an “episodic interactive campaign” to connect with a car-buying audience it has never targeted: professional African-American women.

The automaker’s Camry has been the best-selling car in America for nine of the past 10 years, but it seems African-American consumers would rather hitch their wagons to just about any other brand.

“Here’s this nameplate that’s ubiquitous,” said Monica Warden, account director for Burrell, Toyota’s agency of record for African-American advertising. “But for an African-American woman, it’s not even in her consideration set. Our preliminary testing found they think of it as suburban, not urban; as solid but boring. And for this woman, she doesn’t see herself as boring.”

To shift the car’s perception and increase purchase consideration, Toyota and Burrell have turned to the Pasadena, Calif.-based 42 Entertainment, a company that specializes in creating alternate-reality games, including a recent innovative viral campaign for Warner Bros.’ forthcoming “Batman: The Dark Knight.”

In the game, which makes its debut today, Bianca, a good-looking assistant designer at an urban fashion house, finds herself -- and her new 2009 Camry -- enmeshed in a world of espionage. A $5 million print, radio and online campaign that will run in media primarily consumed by African-American women aims to drive the target demographic to iflookscouldkill.com, a site where “fashion and espionage collide,” said Susan Bonds, president of 42 Entertainment.

Espionage, mystery
Naturally, Bianca’s unwitting involvement in spy tradecraft will be assisted by Camry’s onboard Bluetooth, navigation and push-button ignition system, all features that will be “seamlessly integrated” into the content, Ms. Bonds said.

Why Camry hasn’t caught on with African-American women is something of a mystery.

If the demographic simply wasn’t buying any midprice sedans, one could to point to U.S. Census Bureau statistics that show that black women are the least likely to marry (in 2001, according to the U.S. Census, 41.9% of black women in America had never been married, in contrast to 20.7% of white women) and also the most likely to divorce. Lacking a double income, they might opt for cheaper wheels.

Or one might look to a November 2007 study by New York University’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy that found that black and Hispanic borrowers were more likely to be steered into subprime loans than others, even adjusting for income, loan size and property location -- indicating they don’t have money to buy a car.

But U.S. Census data from 2005 show that black and Asian women with bachelor’s degrees earn slightly more than similarly educated white women. And a recent study conducted by Burrell found that black women do buy midprice sedans; they just tend to buy Altimas, Accords and Avengers. Indeed, the Camry was being outsold almost 2-to-1 by Dodge’s Avenger among black customers -- a car that suffered from less horsepower and lower fuel mileage than just about every six-cylinder competitor, including the Camry.

Disrupting perceptions
The game developed by 42 Entertainment is designed to target exactly those professional black women between 25 and 40 who earn at least $70,000 a year -- the same group that, Ms.Warden said, had previously written off the car as a suburban yawn.

“They think they know the car, but we’re going to disrupt those perceptions,” she said. “When you think that someone actually cares enough to make their product relevant to you, it can change your mind.”

She added: “No one has ever targeted African-American women like this.”

5558: Because One Size Does Not Fit All.

Wonder if this place has fitting rooms.

5557: Strange Fruit…?

Wonder if this ad violates New York’s anti-noose law.

5556: Fakers And Fighters.

Seeking the truth in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Baltimore police were on the lookout for two crooks that may be Comcast workers. The duo wore official uniforms and drove a Comcast van when breaking into someone’s home, handcuffing the victim and shooting him in the stomach. Cops aren’t yet sure if the uniforms and vehicle indicate the men were real cable company representatives. Bob Garfield might insist it all seems pretty typical for Comcast employees.

• A private investigator hired by R. Kelly in 2002 testified that the woman claiming she engaged in threesomes with the recording artist originally sought $300,000 in hush money. Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer would probably think $300,000 for threesomes is a pretty good deal.

• Clint Eastwood and Spike Lee are warring over film critiques. Lee started the fight during last month’s Cannes Film Festival when he questioned the lack of Black actors in Eastwood’s two war movies, “Flags of Our Fathers” and “Letters From Iwo Jima.” Lee said, “He did two films about Iwo Jima back to back and there was not one Black soldier in both of those films. Many veterans, African-Americans, who survived that war are upset at Clint Eastwood. In his vision of Iwo Jima, Negro soldiers did not exist. Simple as that. I have a different version.” Eastwood fired back, “The story is ‘Flags of Our Fathers,’ the famous flag-raising picture, and they didn’t do that. If I go ahead and put an African-American actor in there, people’d go: ‘This guy’s lost his mind.’ I mean, it’s not accurate.” Referring to Lee, Eastwood added: “A guy like him should shut his face.” Lee responded by saying, “First of all, the man is not my father and we’re not on a plantation either. He’s a great director. He makes his films, I make my films. The thing about it though, I didn’t personally attack him. And a comment like ‘a guy like that should shut his face’—come on Clint, come on. He sounds like an angry old man right there. … If he wishes, I could assemble African-American men who fought at Iwo Jima and I’d like him to tell these guys that what they did was insignificant and they did not exist. I’m not making this up. I know history. I’m a student of history. And I know the history of Hollywood and its omission of the one million African-American men and women who contributed to World War II.” Sounds like the start of World War III.

5555: Another New Mad Ave Parody Diversity Ad.

5554: New Mad Ave Parody Diversity Ads.

In October 2007, MultiCultClassics presented parody diversity messages inspired by the actual JWT ad depicted above. View the original series here, here, here, here and here. Below is a new collection, inspired by recent events and observations. The first one commemorates the diversity accomplishments of certain Madison Avenue shops. The next two highlight the industry’s propensity to pigeonhole and assign roles to people—with Black and Latino versions. The final piece reflects the latest rash of Asian American stereotyping.

5553: Flagrant Fouls In The NBA.

There’s not a single highlight in this series. Although it’s always amazing when a campaign recruits a comedian yet fails to score a laugh. Talk about going 0-For-Season. Grab some bench, Denali.

5552: Diversity Is The Silver Bullet…?

Opportunity is the first step toward greatness—and an overused word in diversity advertising.

5551: Common Sense 101 At Advertising 2.0.

From AdAge.com…

Russell Simmons Eager to Talk Business
Hip-Hop Mogul Generous With Advice at Advertising 2.0 Conference

By Michael Bush

NEW YORK – “I see cool shit all the time, but no marketer does it on a consistent basis, and that’s the key to developing brand equity in the [multicultural] marketplace,” said Russell Simmons, CEO of Rush Communications.

Speaking at the Advertising 2.0 conference in Manhattan today, the hip-hop mogul was describing the multicultural marketing efforts of mainstream marketers.

Consistency in action
Dressed in his usual work attire of dark jeans, blindingly white sneakers, an oversized track jacket and an orange polo shirt topped with a New York Yankees hat, Mr. Simmons said that despite the growing influence, numbers and spending power of multicultural consumers, marketers still haven’t figured out how to effectively communicate with them.

“No one is speaking to these [consumers] in an honest voice,” Mr. Simmons said. “2050 is coming and the demographics [of the U.S. population] are going to be very different, and that’s not just going to hit [marketers] on the head one day. It’s doing it every day.”

Mr. Simmons touched on a number of other topics, including the importance of the digital space, the evolution of the urban consumer, the relevance of cause marketing and plans for his website Globalgrind.com.

He said the digital space is an excellent marketing tool and that marketers should use it to gauge consumer sentiment.

Listening online
“You can find out a lot about your brand online,” he said. “And by listening to what [consumers] say, you can figure out how to refresh it.”

Refreshing his own brand was something Mr. Simmons had to do when he realized the people who grew up entrenched in early hip-hop culture were now moving into their 30s (he refers to them as “Urban Graduates”) and could no longer wear the same clothes. “People who grew up on hip-hop can’t wear Phat Farm,” he said. “Sen. [Barack] Obama can’t wear Phat Farm.” The revelation sparked the birth of the Russell Simmons Argyle Culture.

Mr. Simmons said multicultural consumers also respond well to cause-related efforts. But he cautioned that when picking a cause, a company needs to choose one with an emotional connection to both the community and the brand itself. For Simmons Jewelry, he created the Green Initiative jewelry collection that includes watches, bracelets and pendants. Portions of sales from the first piece, the Green Bracelet, will go toward supporting educational efforts in Africa. Mr. Simmons attributes the success of the line to this cause effort, saying it was the only marketing the company has done for the line.

Marketing with heart
“There’s a benefit for any one of us who learns to give,” he said. “If you do the right thing, your ad dollars are not as effective as your philanthropy dollars. It can be a key to building a brand in the future, and it will always be a key to me. But make sure it’s a fit with your company.”

Looking ahead, Mr. Simmons said his next big project was the development of Globalgrind.com. On the social-networking site, visitors can link and share photos, videos and articles in a wide variety of categories including music, entertainment, hip-hop, news and a category called Politricks.

5550: Slicing And Dicing.

Cutting remarks in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Now Continental Airlines is downsizing, announcing plans to cut 3,000 workers. Plus, its two top executives will forgo getting paid for the rest of the year. Of course, they probably made more in the first five months of 2008 than most people make in a lifetime.

• Ford Motor Company wants to cut white-collar salaries by 15 percent by August 1. But the company has not yet determined the number of employees to dump. Executives did, however, receive an email on the corporate plans. So folks can look forward to twisting in the wind for two months.

• Verizon will buy competitor Alltell for $28 billion. Guess Verizon got sick of seeing the dude below dissing their “Can you hear me now?” character.

5549: Dubya Proclaims Black Music Month.

For those who didn’t realize it, America is celebrating Black Music Month right now. In fact, here’s the official announcement from President George W. Bush…

Black Music Month, 2008
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

America’s diverse musical heritage exemplifies the creativity and optimism of our Nation. During Black Music Month, we celebrate the extraordinary talents and creativity of African-American singers, musicians, and composers whose achievements have enriched our culture and enhanced our lives.

For generations, African-American artists have created music that communicates across racial boundaries and expresses both joy and sorrow. When facing the cruelty of slavery and injustice, African Americans lifted spirituals to the heavens, bringing comfort to troubled souls. These timeless declarations of hope and faith evolved into the more modern genres of gospel, blues, ragtime, and jazz, and they are given voice in the musical genius of Scott Joplin, Marian Anderson, Eubie Blake, and Mahalia Jackson. During the Civil Rights era, African-American musicians such as Duke Ellington, Muddy Waters, and Ruth Brown conveyed the struggles of their communities while bringing people of all backgrounds together. Today, this music continues to inspire America’s citizens and advance its creative spirit.

Throughout the course of American history, black musicians have used their great talents to share the richness of the African-American experience and to develop a uniquely American style of music enjoyed throughout the world. This month, we honor the pioneers of African-American music and today's contemporary artists who have enriched the lives of people everywhere.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2008 as Black Music Month. I encourage all Americans to learn more about the history of black music and to enjoy the great contributions of African-American singers, musicians, and composers.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-second.

GEORGE W. BUSH

(Watch Dubya enjoying some Black music here.)

5548: Diversity Requires Magic…?

This headline could use the magic of punctuation.

5547: Unceremonious Dumpings.

Reinstating the obvious with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• The Rev. Michael Pfleger, the latest spiritual leader to cause trouble during the presidential campaigning via inflammatory remarks, was “asked” by Cardinal Francis George to chill out for a few weeks and reflect. The members at St. Sabina, the church Pfleger leads, officially protested the move and demanded his reinstatement. So much for the meek inheriting the Earth.

• George Takei, best known as Sulu from the iconic Star Trek series, plans to marry his long-time boyfriend. A few Star Trek crew members will be present, including best man Walter Koenig (aka Chekhov) and matron of honor Nichelle Nichols (aka Uhura). However, it looks like William Shatner won’t get an invite. Seems Takei and Shat have had cool relations over the years. “Kirk and Shatner both have this grand ego of sense of self. He sits there in the center of the set and he revels [in] it,” noted Takei. Shatner would probably reply, “Don’t even boldly go there.”

• United Airlines will boldly go to fewer places, as the company cut 1,100 workers and 100 planes. United is also dumping its coach-only “Ted” service. “This environment demands that we and the industry act decisively and responsibly,” said United’s chairman, president and CEO. “At United, we continue to do the right work to reduce costs and increase revenue to respond to record fuel costs and the challenging economic environment.” Sounds like corporate speak for, “We’re going out of business.”

5546: This Ad Has Issues.

When do worldwide health issues become our issues? Um, usually only when drug companies are faced with lawsuits.

5545: June 3, 2008.

5544: Contextual Advertising Car Wreck.

Damn.

5543: Talking And Testifying.

Not-so-surprising announcements in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Lisa Van Allen (depicted above) testified at the R. Kelly child pornography trial on Monday, delivering the anticipated juicy details. Van Allen said she participated in threesomes with Kelly and the alleged victim; plus, she had sex with the star in a trailer, sauna room and indoor basketball court. The defense lawyers will probably argue she had intercourse with someone who looked like R. Kelly.

• Sharper Image is closing all its retail outlets, and will focus on wholesale, catalog and online sales. People always played with the gadgets and slumped into the massaging recliner, but did consumers ever really buy anything at Sharper Image stores?

• The International Air Transport Association declared on Monday it expects a $2.3 billion loss for 2008. The organization had predicted a $4.5 billion profit in March. Airline employees can expect to pack their bags—and probably get charged $15 in the process.

• The new Mike Myers’ movie, “The Love Guru,” is already drawing protests from Hindus who believe the film will be offensive. However, New Age guru Deepak Chopra is trying to stifle the initial criticism. “The premature outcry against the movie is itself religious propaganda,” wrote Chopra, citing protesters based their opinions on the film’s trailer. “As viewers will find out when the movie is released this summer, no one is more thoroughly skewered in it than I am—you could even say that I am made to seem preposterous.” Which means Chopra probably collected a preposterous amount of loot for appearing in the flick.

5542: I’ve Been Working On The Railroad.

Your future could ride in the freight car…?

5541: Bo Diddley Tribute.

From The New York Times…

Bo Diddley, a Rock ’n’ Roll Pioneer, Is Dead at 79

By BEN RATLIFF

Bo Diddley, a singer and guitarist who invented his own name, his own guitars, his own beat and, with a handful of other musical pioneers, rock ’n’ roll itself, died Monday at his home in Archer, Fla. He was 79.The cause was heart failure, a spokeswoman, Susan Clary, said. Mr. Diddley had a heart attack last August, only months after suffering a stroke while touring in Iowa.In the 1950s, as a founder of rock ’n’ roll, Mr. Diddley — along with Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis and a few others — helped reshape the sound of popular music worldwide, building it on the templates of blues, Southern gospel, R&B and postwar black American vernacular culture.

His original style of rhythm and blues influenced generations of musicians. And his Bo Diddley syncopated beat — three strokes/rest/two strokes — became a stock rhythm of rock ’n’ roll.

[Read the full story here.]

5540: Dry Humor Or Just Plain Dumb?

Have you ever had a dry martini during monsoon season? Gee, let’s ask the people in Bangladesh who faced storms, tornados and landslides last year.

5539: Connected Or Conjoined At The Head…?

If Comcast employees spent less time lying around with coworkers, maybe so many customers wouldn’t hate the company.

5538: Fuzzy Clarifications.

Setting the record straight in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Sharon Stone is apparently not happy with the apology issued by Christian Dior. After remarking the earthquakes in China had a karmic flavor, the actress backpedaled along with the fashion advertiser. But on Thursday, Stone claimed her Dior-delivered apology had been edited, much like the original offending video clip. When initially contacted by Dior chief executive Sidney Toledano, Stone said, “I talked to Sidney and I said: ‘Let’s get serious here. You guys know me very well. I’m not going to apologize. I’m certainly not going to apologize for something that isn’t real and true—not for face creams.’” Stone wanted to clarify the statement versus say she was sorry. A statement released to The New York Times included, “I am deeply saddened that a 10-second poorly edited film clip has besmirched my reputation of over 20 years of charitable services on behalf of international charities. My intention is to be of service to the Chinese people.” Upon viewing the video, Stone also remarked, “I had absolutely no intention of saying that, which I did say. … And now, looking at it on the tape, I look like a complete ding-dong.” Wonder if she’s viewed a tape of Basic Instinct 2, which also warrants an apology.

• The New York Post claimed former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer might be tempted to write a book to clarify his infamous ouster. When someone offered to be his biographer, Eliot remarked, “If anyone writes it, I’ll write it myself and correct the lies.” Oh, sure he would. He’d actually be better off having Sharon Stone handle the job.

5537: Brand Accidentally Admits It’s Not Hip.

Looks like Patrón decided, “We don’t need no stinkin’ planners!” The liquor brand is now asking the public to keep it abreast of the latest trends and movements, reporting what’s in and what’s out. All you have to do is submit to the extraordinarily complex registration process to join The Patrón Social Club. Um, no thanks.

But here’s a free insight: Patrón advertising is out. In fact, it was never in.

5536: There Is No “I” In Corny.

This ad deserves more I’s: Idiotic, Inane and Insipid Illustration.