Essay 4882

Special treatment in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department’s office of independent review reported Mel Gibson may have received special treatment when arrested for drunk driving last year. A supervisor apparently tried to censor the arrest report—which detailed the star’s anti-Semitic rants—but a captain overruled the attempt. Meanwhile, it was decided that Paris Hilton received no special treatment when she was jailed for a probation violation. Of course, Gibson and Hilton technically received special treatment in warranting these special reports, as regular people arrested in Los Angeles probably don’t see such concern from officials.

• The Miami Herald interviewed GM CEO Rick Wagoner, who expressed guarded optimism about the year ahead. “We look forward to the sunny days, but realistically we can’t plan on it for next year,” said Wagoner. “We’ve got the best car in the segment [with the 2008 Chevy Malibu]. It will be a very good test case to see how far we can, how quickly we can, begin to change not only image but then consideration of the purchase.” The automaker will need to do better than the forgettable “It’s the car you can’t ignore” campaign.

Essay 4433

Weekend in Paris with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• When you care enough to sue the very best. Paris Hilton is suing Hallmark for using her image in a greeting card without permission (depicted above), charging the company with invasion of privacy. Funny, Hilton is usually invading the public’s space with her private moments—and her privates, for that matter.

• New York Knicks president and coach Isiah Thomas is going to court this week to face a sexual-harassment suit (see Essay 4332). The accuser charges Thomas once approached her and said, “I think you’re beautiful, and I’m in love with you. I know you think I’m inappropriate.” In his defense, Thomas insists he may have used the word love, “Maybe in a greeting of hello or goodbye but never to be ‘in love.’” Wonder if Thomas was ever involved in creating the old NBA tagline, “I love this game.”

• Actor and comedian Eddie Griffin was yanked from a stand-up performance for using the N-word too much. The comedy routine was part of an event sponsored by Black Enterprise magazine. A Black Enterprise spokesman said, “We believe that ending the performance was the appropriate action.” So the decision had nothing to do with the fact that Eddie Griffin is rarely funny?