WHAT'S A LITTLE WHITE POWER AMONG FRIENDS?

by Orson on Mar 9, 2007 10:36 AM EST

Credit to those who saw this coming: Facebook was going to blow up and do some damage of an irrevocable sort eventually. Now that USC's White Power page has made Jarvis Moss's "Heisemens" page look like, well, what it was (um, totally and absolutely correct and innocuous,) watch for the inevitable prohibitions on Facebook content by the more tightassed universities, or just bans outright by even more controlling institutions.

The root of the joke, however, is pretty funny. It allegedly stems from the fact that the black guys on the team call the group, which includes Dallas Sartz and Brian Cushing, "white power." And as we all know, "white power" as a repeated comic phrase is bankable funny, whether it's out of the mouth of Clayton Bigsby, Dave Chappelle's black, blind white supremacist, or as yelled by "White Power Bill" after he shivs someone in the yard on "Arrested Development." It's mostly funny because the concept itself is absurd, mockable, and espoused by people who don't exactly "sell the sizzle" of their chosen lifestyle.

But it's funny when he says it!

However, in order for this to be funny, you have to be operating at the least in what we'd call the high ironic mode, and preferably in an environment of zero taboo (like we imagine a football lockerroom to be), which means you have to accept the following premises.

1. Your audience has to know that you think white power is bad.

2. It has to be presented in a demonstrably absurd fashion. The more over-the-top, the better.

3. Your audience, preferably, should trust you.

4. You should trust your audience.

So really, this entire brouhaha is not a matter of racism, but bad comic design and placement. Clearly, these guys will not be on the writing staff of 30 Rock any time soon, since their design was sloppy, they didn't realize their whole audience wouldn't know that they were kidding, and the joke itself ("arresting black children before they commit crimes") is offensive without providing any cutting insight. Again: not racist, but certainly reeking of dumb-ist.

(Compare this to the scene in 40 Year Old Virgin where a guy asks a black guy if his child, when born, is already on probation. This wouldn't be funny coming from an older white guy; it comes, however, from the mouth of an older Indian man, a transgressive and savvy choice because a.) Indian guys are supposed to be polite! And good at math!, and b.) minorities are supposed to stick together, like the Minoriteam!)

Minoriteam-unite!

Nor will they be receiving Fulmer points, since technically they did nothing wrong. However, any of the players concerned will be referred to as First Name "White Power" Last Name as punishment for the next year for their atrocious comic execution. The Punchline is just down the street, white players of USC. Just don't go there on a night when Michael Richards is playing.

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I first read that as “White Powder” and thought ‘nothing at all’.

by GamecockTony on Mar 9, 2007 11:00 AM EST reply actions

No, I’m sorry. The correct answer is nAggers. You must now kiss Jess Jackson, Emperor of all Black People’s ass.

by RedDevilEA on Mar 9, 2007 11:11 AM EST reply actions

Well, no one team has a monopoly on dumb – but this was sort like building a couple of hotels on Dumb Street while playing a game of Dumb-opoly.

At first I thought that the comment about “the punchline” being just down the street was a clever indirect crack about the advisability of white power jokes in South Central… but apparently it’s a comedy club in the ATL? Oh well.

by DC Trojan on Mar 9, 2007 11:14 AM EST reply actions

Minoriteam was such a terrible show

by fife on Mar 9, 2007 11:29 AM EST reply actions

The complete lack of judgment and overall stupidity of these poor, confused “comics” makes me wonder is USC has implemented the same academic standards for its players as UGA did for Herschel Walker. Or perhaps the USC administration has come to finally respect Maurice Clarett’s judgment and Andy Katzenmoyer’s academic performance. Either way, community service in Watts seems appropriate. Might be a good forum for some speed drills.

by Snowedin'Bama on Mar 9, 2007 11:57 AM EST reply actions

So, does this mean that Sartz and Matthews are forever “n——- guys?”

by meg on Mar 9, 2007 12:15 PM EST reply actions

C’mon Orson, this isn’t entirely the fault of these kids. How can you expect them to be schooled in the finer points of comedy when their mentor is a guy who thinks staged suicides are comic gold?

by ProfKid93 on Mar 9, 2007 12:22 PM EST reply actions

yeah. context, context, context. plus, history. for example, i’ll give you guys leeway to make any gay jokes you want. deadspin as well.

some random guy in the street? not so much.

by adam on Mar 9, 2007 1:10 PM EST reply actions

Maybe they should get these guys to write for 30 Rock. Couldn’t hurt.

by two by four on Mar 9, 2007 1:22 PM EST reply actions

Reading the LA Times and Daily Trojan stories on this bring out some interesting detalis.

The name for the guys involved was started by Todd McNair, a black coach, based on their play on special teams.

The football players quit the group nearly a month ago but they didn’t realize that by quitting Sartz gave up the ablity to control or delete the facebook group. Since then the group has been kept up by a student at Occidental College and the membership has been mostly Oxy and high school students who just want to harass/embarass USC.

The offensive graphic regarding the black baby in handcuffs was put up by a member of the group who wasn’t one of the USC football players.

by oc phil on Mar 9, 2007 1:39 PM EST reply actions

I think we need to start a Carroll Cup: for players who do stupid, but not illegal things.

by Mike @ Black Shoe Diaries on Mar 9, 2007 3:03 PM EST reply actions

I think we need to start a Carroll Cup: for players who do stupid, but not illegal things.

I really want to suggest that we name it after Winston Justice. I know that his Fulmer claims to fame (busted for trying to hire an undercover cop for some humpty dance in Long Beach, busted for waving around a fake gun in SOUTH CENTRAL) were illegal, but they indicate a real dedication to doing stupid things.

Mind you, even he probably wouldn’t have created a “White Devils” site on facebook, so maybe not.

by DC Trojan on Mar 9, 2007 3:31 PM EST reply actions

30 Rock is awful. A better joke would’ve been you won’t see these guys writing for The Office any time soon.

by steve g on Mar 9, 2007 6:03 PM EST reply actions

Clayton Bigsby, the Black White Supremacist: (to white people) “HEY! You boys better turn that music down! You n——-s make me sick! Boogie Boogie, n——-! Boogie Boogie!” (drives off)

White People: “Dude, did he just call us n——-s? AWESOME!”

by Mike White on Mar 10, 2007 11:19 AM EST reply actions