What I was hearing was:
Sheesh, I don’t know if your problem is genuine misunderstanding, parochialism, or if you’re just having a cranky day, but I’ll try one last time to make it clear what I meant. I expect you’re familiar with the phrase “Even a child could understand X about Y ” - well, that’s the point I was trying to make
and:
Three little words I never want to hear again….”out of context” I am SO SICK of those words being used as an excuse for saying something offensive that really requires an apology.
Oh, and BTW, I grew up in Ireland and Australia, I’ve never been to the US and my contact with African American people has been limited to one or two brief meetings. Everything I know about this culture has been learned from popular culture. And I knew that “shuck and jive” is a racist phrase, though I only just learned it’s origins today. So if I can know that, I don’t see how sheltered you’d have to be as an American, not to know that it’s a racist phrase.

I was reacting to my perception that you were, indeed, being condescending- especially toward Sheesh. That’s all. I am sort of offering an apology, here. I tend to get pissy, when I feel that one is attacking another.

Genuinely, I wasn’t putting myself up as someone who knows better than you, I was saying THE BROADCASTER IN QUESTION should have known better, and I really thought I made that clear. And it’s ridiculous to suggest I tell you what it’s like in Kansas or anywhere else since I never tried to tell anyone how it is anywhere, or ever suggest that Irish people, or Australian people handle things better. The only person I criticised was the BROADCASTER. And I was hardly alone in that. I genuinely am sorry if people felt I was criticising the average American, or people on this site, I really was not and that is a genuine misunderstanding.

But, yeah: congratufuckinglations.

Oh, well: okay, I knew it was a racist thing to say, but your attitude…?

Seriously? I also know that in IE (have quite a few friends there) there are many misconceptions about America. Oh, and it seems the state I grew up in, many preconceived notions are held by friends and strangers in IE. Also, strangely, the metropolitan area I grew up in, and reside in the heart of- oh, yes- people upon meeting me in Ireland and The British Isles, always comment on how “friendly” we are. I always have to laugh (as it is meant as a nice compliment)- as I know they’re not that well-acquainted with our culture.

Kind of like, you know, meeting someone who is “black”, er, twice in your life.

Why don’t you start telling us all about America, and let us call you culturally insensitive/incompetent.

Please educate me, dear sociologist!

Tell me all about Kansas (KC suburbs), Kansas City, MO (proper) and KU! Let’s see if you get anything correct. Well, they’d only be gross generalizations, at that, as you’ve maybe had a maximum of 2 interactions?

But, thanks for the check, really. Now, go check yourself.

witless chum: Is this maybe a generational thing? I was born in 1978 and I’ve never heard ’shuck and jive’ used as a negative phrase toward a black person […] I’ve not often heard it used at all, but when I have, as far as I can recall, it’s been toward a politician trying to dodge the presses’ questions.

I was born in 1971, and I only found out about the racial history of the phrase somewhat recently; before that I would have grouped it innocuously with phrases like “give the usual song and dance” or “tap-dance around.” But now even those, on further reflection, seem minstrel-show-ish.

Cuomo knows by now that it’s a phrase with a troublesome origin, but he’s trying to find a middle path between saying “I didn’t know it was offensive when I said it, and I’m sorry” and “I’m stunned that someone would think I was being deliberately offensive.” I guess it’s hard to be apologetic and indignant at the same time…

That being said, the non-apology indicates to me that Cuomo knew damned well that what he said was offensive and is speaking in racially charged code now, which makes him as asshole.

I was born in 1960 and have heard it often and used it. I’ve never heard whites use it but I always thought it referred to “song and dance” or BS’ing or “performing for whitey.”

I’ve used it in reference to Martin Yan (Chinese PBS chef) because he seemed to buffoon for his PBS show yet when I saw him on a Chinese channel, seemed to talk like a regular human being.

I’m wondering where Andrew got the term. I would expect it from someone who had a lot of exposure to blacks instead of the opposite.

Channeling Jonah Goldberg much, there?