# Kanye West monkey wrenches Concert for Relief **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 3, 2005, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832 "2005-09-03T00:45:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/41 "2005-09-04T01:41:32Z")
Not to be insensitive or anything, but is Kanye West borderline retarded or something? I swear he sounds just like that Eddie Murphy character on “SNL” who used to say, “They learned me real good. They can learn you real good, too.” Hmmmm. And he sounds a _lot_ like that guy in _ **Office Space** _who was pretending to be retarded so he could sell more magazine subscriptions. Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Good\_Egg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/96bed5/32.png) [@Good\_Egg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Good_Egg)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/42 "2005-09-04T03:10:06Z")
Has Mike Myers had “work” done? It looks like it. Tucker did a great look, truly, a fine actor. I loved how (I forget what channel I saw it on) showed it, and then had a live shot of Jesse Jackson, whom they asked,“Does Bush not care about blacks?” Jesse paused, then said “If so, he doesn’t show it.” Good old Jesse. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/43 "2005-09-04T03:44:54Z")
**La Llorona** is that the version played on MTV? On the radio the call it “Diamonds from Sierra Leon” and it is the version I posted. Either way, Kanye West is still and always will be a giant douche in my book (a douche who just happens to make catchy songs). Here is his quote (for those who can’t watch or listen): > [@Kanye](#): > > “I hate the way they portray us in the media. We see a black family that says they’re looting. We see a white family that says they’re looking for food & you know it’s been five days because most of the people are black & even for me to complain about I would be a hyprocrite because I try to turn away from the TV because it’s too hard to watch. I’ve even been shopping before even giving a donation, so now I’m calling my business manager right now to see what’s the biggest amount that I can give. And just to imagine if I was down there, those are my people down there, so anybody out there that wants to do anything with the setup the way America is setup to help the poor, the black people, the less well off as slow as possible. I mean the Red Cross is doing everything they can. We already realize that a lot of the people that can help are at war right now fighting another way and they’ve given them permission to go down & shoot us.” And someone asked for shirts? Check out Ebay. Links keep going up and Ebay keeps taking them down, but- from what I’ve seen- the shirts are pretty funny (the photos they are using, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/44 "2005-09-04T04:02:24Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > You made the rather bizarre assertion that straight white males with guns are not welcome at NBC… No, I didn’t. Reread my post. > [@Otto](#): > > …and in between bouts of eye rolling and eyebrow raising at the idea of a network with not one but four versions of _Law & Order_ has something against straight white men with guns, I’m genuinely curious as to how you arrived at this conclusion. Well, since you’ve completely misinterpreted what I said in order to pick a political fight, I’m not going to justify your right to question my opinion with an answer. > [@Otto](#): > > That was your gist? Huh. Try reading. In context, my post was a response to **Sam Stone’s** , which I’ll again quote here for your benefit: > [@Sam Stone](#): > > The worst part of that rant was that he torpedoed the efforts of a lot of people. That HAD to have an effect on contributions last night. I’d be interesting in seeing a graph showing how much money was collected in the time before that speech vs the time after. To which I replied: > [@ExTank](#): > > NBC has long made it clear that they have nothing to say to me as a straight, moderately conservative, middle-class, gun-owning, mid-westerner; providing a venue for people like West just confirms it. I’m glad I get to read about stuff like this after-the-fact rather than experience it. > > **But no amount of public jackassery by the networks would inhibit my giving a donation to the Katrina Relief Fund, and I’d really like to think that Americans are better people than to let one bad messenger put them off from what is so obviously a worthy cause.** I direct your attention to the _second_ sentence; you know, the one you failed to read the **first** time around. **Askia** called me on my post, and I saw how the misuse of a certain preposition (when composing replies to posts, I sort of shotgun thoughts into a separate window, then Frankenpost them together, which occasionaly results in less-than-optimal communication of what I really wanted to say unless I preview and proofread a couple of times) was really not the best choice of words, and I amended. The second sentence should now read: “But no amount of public jackassery **on** the networks would inhibit my giving a donation to the Katrina Relief Fund, and I’d really like to think that Americans are better people than to let one bad messenger put them off from what is so obviously a worthy cause.” A slight, but significant change. I consider the matter closed. If you want to talk about the target demographic of NBC (stated, and as perceived by me) some more, go for it. Just don’t do it with me, here, in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/45 "2005-09-04T05:17:07Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > No, I didn’t. Reread my post. Read it and re-read it, thanks. You said NBC had nothing to say to you because you’re white, heterosexual male, middle class, conservative and you enjoy guns. I may have hyperbolized slightly in my response to your truly strange assertion that a major network has no interest in attracting and keeping people like you as viewers, but my point still stands that your acting like NBC programs its network in such a way as to “have nothing to say” to you because you’re squarely in the majority is, to be charitable, odd. > [@ExTank](#): > > Well, since you’ve completely misinterpreted what I said in order to pick a political fight, I’m not going to justify your right to question my opinion with an answer. Fortunately for me I don’t need straight white middle class conservative gun owners to justify my right to call BS on a dumb statement like NBC isn’t interested in “saying anything” to you. > [@ExTank](#): > > Try reading. Try answering a fucking question and not being so goddamn sensitive about a little ribbing about a stupid comment. > [@ExTank](#): > > I direct your attention to the _second_ sentence; you know, the one you failed to read the **first** time around. I read your shorter second sentence along with your longer and primary first sentence. I do so love when people who say dumb things and get called out on them start claiming that what they said was somehoe “out of context.” > [@ExTank](#): > > I consider the matter closed. If you want to talk about the target demographic of NBC (stated, and as perceived by me) some more, go for it. Just don’t do it with me, here, in this thread. Oh, sorry, you don’t get to decide what I do or don’t say in this or any other thread. If you can’t or won’t back up your ridiculous assertion that NBC has abandoned poor little you and your ilk, that’s fine. You pretty much struck me as a drive-by kinda guy anyway. ---
**Author:** ![La\_Llorona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@La\_Llorona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/La_Llorona)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/46 "2005-09-04T15:17:15Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > **La Llorona** is that the version played on MTV? On the radio the call it “Diamonds from Sierra Leon” and it is the version I posted. In all honesty I have no idea, as I haven’t got a television and very seldom listen to the radio. Maybe someone else knows? ---
**Author:** ![La\_Llorona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@La\_Llorona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/La_Llorona)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/47 "2005-09-04T15:20:06Z")
> [@La Llorona](#): > > I haven’t got a television I should append to that statement that I do occasionally have access to a friend’s television (in case someone leaps on me for having said that I watched the MTV special about Kanye and the gay-people-lovin’). ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/48 "2005-09-05T02:11:02Z")
\> TWEET \< ::: Moderator blows whistle ::: **Otto** and **Ex Tank** , personal insults have no place in this forum. This particular thread seems to be about Kanye West. If you’d like to start a thread about network targetted-demographics, that’s fine, go right ahead. If you’d like to take jabs at each other, go to the Pit. I’m not going to waste time in figuring out “who started it” – I am going to say that it ends \*\*now. \*\* OK? ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/49 "2005-09-05T08:40:12Z")
> [@](#): > > “I hate the way they portray us in the media. We see a black family that says they’re looting. We see a white family that says they’re looking for food & you know it’s been five days because most of the people are black & even for me to complain about I would be a hyprocrite because I try to turn away from the TV because it’s too hard to watch. I’ve even been shopping before even giving a donation, so now I’m calling my business manager right now to see what’s the biggest amount that I can give. And just to imagine if I was down there, those are my people down there, so anybody out there that wants to do anything with the setup the way America is setup to help the poor, the black people, the less well off as slow as possible. I mean the Red Cross is doing everything they can. We already realize that a lot of the people that can help are at war right now fighting another way and they’ve given them permission to go down & shoot us.” In all seriousness, that sounds like he was on something. I have no basis for saying that **exceot** for the above-quoted remarks, but it sure does sound like he was speeding so hard, he couldn’t even complete a thought in his head, let alone out loud. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/50 "2005-09-05T20:34:48Z")
I wonder how many people dissing Mr. West would have said the same thing if he had deviated from the script with a “Give Bush some slack, people” tirade instead? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/51 "2005-09-05T20:52:54Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > I wonder how many people dissing Mr. West would have said the same thing if he had deviated from the script with a “Give Bush some slack, people” tirade instead? For that to really work, you’d need a comment that sounds as objectionable as “America and its President don’t care if black people die.” “Give Bush some slack” doesn’t do that. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/52 "2005-09-05T21:01:29Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > I wonder how many people dissing Mr. West would have said the same thing if he had deviated from the script with a “Give Bush some slack, people” tirade instead? It would be be interesting to see if a rant that could be boiled down to “Give Bush some slack” could be phrased in such a way as to be so thoroughly divisive, alienated, and alienating. If the “us and them” that he based it on was (in bizarro-world) republicans versus democrats, and he claimed that people were dragging their heels because Louisiana’s a red state, I don’t really see how anyone could defend it, either. The guy was there to raise money for relief efforts, and he went off on a tangent that couldn’t be expected to help out there. It’s not like he has no access to the media, otherwise. Crikey – even if he deviated from the script to say that he was a big fan of blueberry pie, it’s way out of line. “Stay on target, moron!” ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/53 "2005-09-05T21:43:11Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > I wonder how many people dissing Mr. West would have said the same thing if he had deviated from the script with a “Give Bush some slack, people” tirade instead? Probably at least the same amount. He grabbed the spotlight which should have been shining on a way to help the victims, and turned it directly on himself, thinking that he and his ego would both fit. He was an idiot for doing so, and I think he’s being called out for not so much _what_ he said, but _when_ he chose to say it. There’s a time and place, and that event was neither. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832.md?page=2)