# CNN reporter calls black man "boy" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 20, 2008, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252 "2008-01-20T12:22:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/1 "2008-01-20T12:22:43Z")
Aired this morning at about 7:10 on _CNN Sunday Morning_, reporter Suzanne Malveaux said, “And TJ [the black anchor], you’re a Southern — a nice Southern boy, but don’t call me ‘ma’am’, 'cause you’ll put me in the older category here, okay?” After 20 minutes, I still find nothing on the Internet about this egregious verbal face-slap, so apparently Malveaux is getting away with it and CNN doesn’t care. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/2 "2008-01-20T12:28:25Z")
Isn’t “southern boy” a term of endearment? I have always heard it that way without thinking that it is skin color specific. I’m sure I have heard NFL players of all colors referred to as “southern boys”. ---
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/3 "2008-01-20T12:32:59Z")
Uh, and? I think you’re looking for an insult where a passing compliment was intended. Sounds like she was making reference to the good manners of nice Southern boys of any colour. (Even in the arse end of the earth here, we’re familiar with Southern good manners.) ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/5 "2008-01-20T12:50:00Z")
What if it had been Fox News, same reaction? ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/6 "2008-01-20T12:54:56Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] What if it had been Fox News, same reaction? [/QUOTE] Then I’d be horrified. What the heck was Suzanne Malveaux doing on Fox, I’d wonder. Don’t they have non-compete contracts? ---
**Author:** ![SamuelP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@SamuelP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SamuelP)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/7 "2008-01-20T13:01:13Z")
Huh? Maybe if she’d said “you better not call me ma’am again boy” in a hick accent. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/8 "2008-01-20T13:04:50Z")
**Liberal** , I see where you’re coming from - I am aware that the bare term “boy” has been used to demean African Americans. But looking at the context you quoted, it seems that the intent _may_ have been to emphasize an age difference, not focusing on TJ’s race. It’s still a stupid comment, WTF is wrong with being accorded the respect of “ma’am”? I also know that there’s an absolute horror in US culture for growing old, but I think it’s stupid, and I’d love to see it slapped down. Hmm… on more thought - whether it was racist or ageist doesn’t matter. Either way it was a hugely unprofessional comment. I’m not sure that resignation is called for, but I won’t be upset if it comes to that. Certainly something is called for. ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/9 "2008-01-20T13:09:18Z")
And she used the word noose too! I heard her! She sad, “Coming up next on the noose, Obama!” She wants to lynch Obama! How is this woman still working!?!?!? (and yes, **Lib** , I see where you’re going, and I chuckled). ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/10 "2008-01-20T13:12:44Z")
Is this [Suzanne Malveaux](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzanne_Malveaux) of the National Association of Black Journalists? The Suzanne Malveaux whose father is African-American? It couldn’t possibly be, surely. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/11 "2008-01-20T13:25:31Z")
[QUOTE=Dead Badger] Is this [Suzanne Malveaux](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzanne_Malveaux) of the National Association of Black Journalists? The Suzanne Malveaux whose father is African-American? [/QUOTE] Oh, that’s rich. **Lib** , the ball is in your court. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/12 "2008-01-20T14:23:38Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] Oh, that’s rich. **Lib** , the ball is in your court. [/QUOTE] Clearly she’s bought into the white establishment and has become self-hating? (I got nothin’, I admit it.) ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/13 "2008-01-20T14:25:03Z")
I’m a white grown male, and I get called a “southern boy” a lot. I never thought to be offended by it… ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/14 "2008-01-20T14:27:05Z")
[QUOTE=Dead Badger] Is this [Suzanne Malveaux](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzanne_Malveaux) of the National Association of Black Journalists? The Suzanne Malveaux whose father is African-American? It couldn’t possibly be, surely. [/QUOTE] Or could it be the [Suzanne Malveaux](http://www.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/malveaux.suzanne.html) who… > [@](#): > > …was also named one of “America’s Most Powerful Players Under 40” by Black Enterprise magazine, EBONY’s “Outstanding Women in Marketing & Communications,” and the National Black MBA’s “2004 Communicator of the Year.” Nah. No way. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/15 "2008-01-20T14:32:26Z")
Bottom line: Underscoring the age discrepancy, not attempting a racial power play, but thanks for playing! Chuck, what do we have for as a parting gift? ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/16 "2008-01-20T14:38:45Z")
This thread ought to pair up with the “fat people are disgusting” one in a vaudeville act. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/17 "2008-01-20T14:47:43Z")
Lynch her !! ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/18 "2008-01-20T14:59:14Z")
So is this a Pit against CNN? Is it a Pit against Malveaux? Is it a Pit against the masses for not being outraged at something that’s not outrageable? Is this the stupidest thread **Liberal’s** ever created, perhaps second only to [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=246579&highlight=monstro) thread? ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/19 "2008-01-20T15:03:59Z")
Everyone poking fun must not have seen the exchange in question. First, instead of “southern boy” - it sounded more like “BWOIY.” However the hell you spell that. Then she turned to the camera and said, “Up next, [Nigger Innis](http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/innis.asp) is here to talk to us about the primaries, stay with us.” ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/20 "2008-01-20T15:41:47Z")
[QUOTE=Dead Badger] The Suzanne Malveaux whose father is African-American? [/QUOTE] CNN failed to report her paternal racial heritage, if that somehow makes a difference to you. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252/21 "2008-01-20T15:46:55Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] CNN failed to report her paternal racial heritage, if that somehow makes a difference to you. [/QUOTE] So it’s CNN’s fault you now look foolish? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-reporter-calls-black-man-boy/434252.md?page=2)