Apparently it refers to a black guy who is not “black” enough.
But where does this meaning come from?
Perhaps a slightly less offensive version of vaudeville-era terms: Stepin Fetchit, Uncle Tom, etc. - that is, from cornball humor.
I’d assume it’s more about behavior than dissing someone for not being negroid enough (e.g. “high yellow.”)
It’s not a regular, recognized term, in the sense you are seeking.
He’s using “cornball” as a derogatory adjective describing “brother”. Calling something “cornball” or “corny” has long been recognized as slightly derogatory. There’s nothing more to the use of the word than that. It was clear he meant RGIII was somehow no true Scots…er black man. The ‘cornball’ was meant to be picked up in context.
Where did you see this? Context would help.
Absent any context, I’d be inclined to agree with Great Antibob.
That makes a lot of sense - thanks. (ETA: to Great Antibob.)
I looked up the term “cornball” on its own, and google shows a link to an “urban dictionary” page which says a cornball is someone who is trying to be cool but isn’t. (I couldn’t see the actual page because my company’s filter blocks that site.)
The racist Rob Parker on ESPN’s First Take called RG3 not black enough,a cornball brother."
To add more context, Robert Griffin III, or RGIII, is the current QB for the Washington Redskins and 2011 Heisman winner as QB for Baylor. From all we can tell, he’s a stand up sort of person. Works hard, stellar athlete, good person on and off the field, etc. And due to his exemplary performance so far in the NFL, he’s helped turn the Redskins around and is a rookie sensation.
It also happens he has a white fiancee and might be a Republican (not too surprising for an Army brat who eventually attended Baylor). So, he’s taking heat from this yahoo for not matching the stereotype of a young, black NFL star.
It’s basically the No True Scotsman fallacy. I don’t expect much different from ESPN’s First Take, and it is yet another reason to lament the Baylessification of ESPN coverage.
Sounds like something Oscar Bluth would say.
Huh. “Oreo” (definition 2).
Deal Holy God, racism is stupid.
ESPN’s actual sports reportage is first rate, but their editorial writing would have to improve greatly to be called “abysmal”.
ETA: Apparently even ESPN understands that racism is stupid.
I was raised in Cleveland, and every summer until its closing in 1969 my parents took me to Euclid Beach Park. The old-fashioned amusement park was run by the Humphrey family because they had invented popcorn balls, and they bought the park as a venue in which to sell them. Frankly, I never thought Humphrey’s popcorn balls were any good. They tasted stale and were too hard to take a bite out of. But to this day whenever someone uses the expression “cornball,” the memory of attempting to eat a Humphrey ball without breaking a tooth is all I can think of. That and Laughing Sal, a larger-than-life maniacal humanoid automaton, who scared the shit out of children.
Euclid Beach Park enforced racist segregation policies in the early to mid 20th century, and that led to an infamous race riot in 1946. So they deserved to go out of business. I wonder if the “cornball” expression is an allusion to the racist taint attached to that park.