So Bobby Jindal is the Slumdog Governor?
by Latoya Peterson
Oh, this is so fucking cute. Daniel Larison writing for Eunomia (a blog hosted on the American Conservative site) sheds the spotlight on some very racist comments:
What on earth is this? Well, it is an interview between Michael Steele and ABC Radio’s Curtis Sliwa, but beyond that I don’t know how else to describe it:
SLIWA: Now, using a little bit of that street terminology, are you giving him [Jindal] any Slum love, Michael?
STEELE: (laughter)
SLIWA: Because he is — when guys look at him and young women look at him — they say oh, that’s the slumdog millionaire, governor. So, give me some slum love.
STEELE: I love it. (inaudible) … some slum love out to my buddy. Gov. Bobby Jindal is doing a friggin’ awesome job in his state. He’s really turned around on some core principles — like hey, government ought not be corrupt. The good stuff … the easy stuff.
Oh wait, and here’s Ann Coulter:
Wasn’t Bobby great in “Slumdog Millionaire”?
Look.
I know Bobby Jindal isn’t going to trip over this. He’s still finding his feet as a rising GOPer and he probably won’t make his new friends uncomfortable by calling out their dumb jokes. But that shit is ridiculous. Cracking jokes that begin and end with someone’s ethnicity isn’t funny, it’s callous. Especially with the reputation this crew has for racist behavior.
Oh, and Steele? Remember the Oreo incident? That mess wasn’t funny. Neither was this. Don’t forget that when laugh off racism towards others, you could be the next target.
Update: Kuriusjurge writes in the comments that the Oreo incident was probably fabricated. Even still, Steele should know better!
(Hat Tip to Ta-Nehisi)
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
Paz wrote:
Street terminology? Is that the same terminology Michelle Bachman used when telling Steele “You be da man!”
Posted 02 Mar 2009 at 5:59 pm ¶
Chris Chambers wrote:
He’s Slumdog if you look at the modern fairy tale element of the flick. His whole “rise” to national prominence–and indeed the circumstances of his election, his current tenure–has the weird air of distorted reality, fairy dust, artifice. Something conservatives would love to see, but then you close the book, recite “and they lived happily ever after,” and you sleep, dream, wake up, and there’s fat Rush Limbaugh and twisted, florid white male faces staring over the bedstead, not smiling brown, black and yellow and red and mixtures thereto…
Posted 02 Mar 2009 at 6:09 pm ¶
Ugly Deaf Muslim Punk Gurl! wrote:
What does “BOBBY” Jindal expect from the conservative white right-wing crowd he’s so desperate to please? Haha, whatever.
Posted 02 Mar 2009 at 6:20 pm ¶
BluTopaz wrote:
My threshold for stupidity is being raised every week as a defense mechanism against the GOP.
Posted 02 Mar 2009 at 6:21 pm ¶
Jehanzeb wrote:
I heard similar remarks about African-Americans after Obama was elected President. After the Academy Awards, someone said to my dad, “you must be happy, you guys won all the awards!” And my dad was like, “what do you mean?” Then the man said, “Slumdog Millionaire, it’s your country right?” Being Pakistani, my dad said, “no, it’s not my country. I’m from Pakistan.” The man replied, “Oh it’s the same thing.”
Indian, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka; I’ve lived long enough in the United States to know that we all fit in the same boat when it comes to ignorant people like Silwa and Coulter. It doesn’t matter if India and Pakistan are two different countries to them; I’ll still be associated with the stereotypes. I remember one customer asked me once, “so what do you think of Sanjaya?” I had no idea who he was until she explained to me that he was an Indian contestant on American Idol, a show that I don’t even watch. I guess since I’m brown, I’m expected to not only know about Sanjaya, but also have an opinion about him.
I don’t care for Bobby Jindal, but this really disgusts me. I can’t believe how incredibly stupid people can be sometimes.
Posted 02 Mar 2009 at 6:35 pm ¶
Rchoudh wrote:
Jindal isn’t the only South Asian to have this new ethnic slur thrown at him. It seems to be becoming slowly acceptable to jokingly refer to any South Asians as “slumdogs”. As an example, a British paper had an article recently about real life street kids in Mumbai and had as its title, “What do real life slumdogs think of SM?”
Posted 02 Mar 2009 at 6:39 pm ¶
A.D. Nix wrote:
“Slum love.” My god. With friends like these, Bobby.
I suspected an Indian Anywhere = ‘Slumdog’ meme would break out (since shouting “Apu” is so ‘93) and that Coulter eats her young is no surprise but . . . this is all still nastily bold. That is the Chairman of the GOP.
Hot mess.
Posted 02 Mar 2009 at 6:44 pm ¶
Jhenne "JT" wrote:
“Now, using a little bit of that street terminology, are you giving him [Jindal] any Slum love, Michael?”
Wow. That’s horrid.
And to the best of my knowledge, no one on the “streets” is using that as slang.
Posted 02 Mar 2009 at 7:06 pm ¶
brownstocking wrote:
*smh*
*blinking*
*mouth opening*
*mouth closing*
*smh*
Hot mess on a stick.
*leaving thread*
Posted 02 Mar 2009 at 7:30 pm ¶
boobookitty wrote:
He’s a Republican. These are his people.
I’m not sure why we’re getting upset over something Jindal could care less about.
Haha, just read the Oreo article. Racism is never O.K. … However, Steele and Jindal seem to be down with it even when its directed towards them.
Posted 02 Mar 2009 at 8:17 pm ¶
Kuriusjurge wrote:
Actually the Oreo incident never happened
http://mediamatters.org/items/200603280004
Posted 02 Mar 2009 at 8:33 pm ¶
Latoya Peterson wrote:
@Kuriusjurge –
As a media matters fan, I am happy to disavow that story.
As a native Marylander who remembers the mood during the Ehrlich/Steele years, something tells me it might be an exaggeration. But it could have happened…it was ugly back then.
I’ll add an update though.
Posted 02 Mar 2009 at 8:45 pm ¶
Jehanzeb wrote:
@ boobookitty # 10
You wrote: “He’s a Republican. These are his people. I’m not sure why we’re getting upset over something Jindal could care less about.”
I don’t think it’s about what Jindal thinks. The “Slumdog” comments were made because of the fact he has an Indian background.
As a South Asian, I know someone could make the same association with me too (I’ve been called “Apu” all throughout high school, and I don’t think Hank Azaria cares much about that). I can’t speak for everyone else here, but I know this is why I’m upset. Because they’re looking at Jindal’s skin color and ethnic background.
Posted 02 Mar 2009 at 9:48 pm ¶
anon wrote:
Not quite on topic but I just really appreciated the fact that this piece is coming off a conservative website. Sometimes we forget that there can be advocates on both sides of the spectrum.
Posted 02 Mar 2009 at 11:11 pm ¶
CVT wrote:
I agree with Jehanzeb here. Does it matter at all whether or not Jindal, himself, cares about it? Or whether he “should have expected it?”
If somebody high up is throwing around some gross, borderline (or not-so-borderline, really) racist ish – and publicly so – it is NOT okay. If Jindal called himself a “slumdog” or something like that (sort of like Obama and his “mutt” reference), I could better understand that stance. But not when it goes down like this.
Posted 03 Mar 2009 at 12:13 am ¶
Free wrote:
@boobookitty#10 – I’m not sure why we’re getting upset over something Jindal could care less about.
This isn’t just about Bobby Jindal. This is about rampant racism in the Republican Party and outs Michael Steele as an Uncle Tom who will say and agree with anything for social acceptance. Michael Steel as the Republican National Committee Chair is the leader of the GOP. Oops, my bad, it turns out that the leader is Rush Limbaugh. Steele called in to Rush’s show and APOLOGIZED for saying that Rush’s rhetoric against President Obama is “incendiary” and “ugly.” An African-American man apologizing to a known racist. Hmmm … I guess that hip hop make-over is gonna be in black face. If Steele is willing to stoop that low and hand over his power and dignity to a low-life Limbaugh then you know that he won’t stand up for people of color. Backbone – smashed!
It is possible that Jindal does care. It’s more probable that whatever he feels, he won’t give up being Republican. And don’t hold your breath waiting for Steele to publicly apologize to Bobby Jindal.
Steele’s sad apology
http://www.salon.com/opinion/walsh/politics/2009/03/03/hughley_steele/
Top 10: Limbaugh’s Racist Quotes
http://newsone.blackplanet.com/elections/top-10-racist-limbaugh-quotes/
Posted 03 Mar 2009 at 12:39 am ¶
gogojojo wrote:
nothing to add but that I co-sign BluTopaz that this crap is raising my threshold. i didn’t want to throw my computer when I read that quote…it’s progress for me.
Posted 03 Mar 2009 at 1:21 am ¶
jed the hipster wrote:
Well, I was right.
Not to get all Watchmen newsvendor, but; Slumdog Millionaire is a film produced/released by a division of twentiety century fox, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch, who is (surprise) a strong fiscal/social conservative. Like all rich people he has a vested interest in US politics. it’s not actually that difficult to get a best picture oscar; bob and harvey weinstein refined it into a science in the 90’s and though Miramax is gone the marketing ploys applied to the right films will still hit home.
Also, Slumdog Millionaire is a magic realism fantasy that presents endearing, likeable fictional south asian characters.
So Rupert Murdoch made sure Slumdog Millionaire was a “prestige arthouse” film that had mainstream crossover success, and a grip of awards, because he’s backing Bobby J. for twenty-twelve and the masses will be less threatened by his ethnicity, having made dev patel america’s sweetheart.
so this post tells me two things: I was right, and it appears to be working.
It would be nice to be right about not horrifying things.
[It was Garry Marshall directing City of God]
Posted 03 Mar 2009 at 1:21 am ¶
March3209 wrote:
On the other side of the coin, I read a blog where I commenter said he couldn’t focus on Jindal’s speech because it was distracting that he looked so “white.”
Oh, maybe if you’re a “clean” and “articulate” South Asian you get honorary white status.
Jindal, does, however, bear a striking resemblance to the Kenneth character on 30 Rock. But Kenneth isn’t white — he’s from another planet.
Thanks for explaining the “Apu” reference. I was thinking, they’ve seen “The Apu Trilogy”?
Posted 03 Mar 2009 at 1:37 am ¶
March3209 wrote:
“where A commenter”
Sheesh.
Posted 03 Mar 2009 at 1:47 am ¶
Eurasian Sensation wrote:
Personally I thought Bobby Jindal was better in his role in “Harold and Kumar go to White Castle”. And as Dr Suresh in “Heroes” he is looking pretty smokin’.
Posted 03 Mar 2009 at 8:52 am ¶
Amused0472 wrote:
Can someone wire Coulter’s mouth shut again?
Posted 03 Mar 2009 at 11:11 am ¶
NancyP wrote:
I’d rather call Jindal “The Exorcist”.
Posted 03 Mar 2009 at 2:31 pm ¶
Bagelsan wrote:
Personally I thought Bobby Jindal was better in his role in “Harold and Kumar go to White Castle”. And as Dr Suresh in “Heroes” he is looking pretty smokin’.
I dunno, I think I like him best on The Daily Show… guy’s got such a great sense of humor! (I just hope his base doesn’t ever hear those mean things he says about them.)
Posted 03 Mar 2009 at 2:46 pm ¶
Paz wrote:
@March3209 – I’m thinking maybe the Jindal seeming white comment comes from the fact that he has a southern accent.
Posted 03 Mar 2009 at 3:20 pm ¶
A.D. Nix wrote:
Are people not getting that “Slumdog” is supposed to be an insult? It has “dog” in it. And “slum.” All that aside, what does it even mean to give “slum love”???? Nothing about this makes any sense – even for assholes.
@ Eurasian Sensation and Bagelsan
You both overlook his most obvious achievements as a Master of Cinema. Have you even seen “The Happening”? Cause it’s kind of amazing.
@Amused0472
The jaw unhinges. There is no solution.
Posted 03 Mar 2009 at 3:53 pm ¶
Sobia wrote:
Maybe I missed something here but what are
Eurasian Sensation’s comment:
“Personally I thought Bobby Jindal was better in his role in “Harold and Kumar go to White Castle”. And as Dr Suresh in “Heroes” he is looking pretty smokin’.”
and
Bagelsan’s comment:
“I dunno, I think I like him best on The Daily Show… guy’s got such a great sense of humor! (I just hope his base doesn’t ever hear those mean things he says about them.)”
supposed to mean? Are you making some dumb joke about how all South Asians look the same? WTH? Explain.
Posted 03 Mar 2009 at 6:25 pm ¶
Latoya Peterson wrote:
@Sobia –
I read those comments as riffing on the ridiculousness of the earlier exchange between Steele and Sliwa . I mean if Jindal’s going to be every South Asian in pop culture, we need to examine all of his roles right?
But I can see how it could be read differently – I did a double take on Eurasian Sensation’s comment before I got the joke.
Posted 03 Mar 2009 at 6:30 pm ¶
A.D. Nix wrote:
@ Sobia
Ah, I totally see what you’re saying. And the edges of satire.
I think it also highlights the dearth of Indian men in mainstream American popular culture and exactly where and how they’re visible.
I can think of maybe 5 more examples that the average person would know from the radio, multiplex or television – including cable (and I’m reaching way back on the radio). That’s . . . not a lot.
Posted 03 Mar 2009 at 6:57 pm ¶
Sobia wrote:
Ah ok…thanks for the clarification Latoya and A.D. Nix
I’m not the best at getting sarcasm 
.
Posted 03 Mar 2009 at 7:59 pm ¶
Taylor wrote:
I dont care for Jindal myself, but a Person of colors is always going to be tripped up by racist fools like this.
It’s QUITE annoying that a very successful person of color will have to jump hurdles like these for a long time.
Posted 09 Mar 2009 at 11:28 pm ¶
Traci King wrote:
Bobby Jindal makes me uncomfortable in so many ways no way I could vote for him. I have no connection to him or the people of Lousiana. Regardless what he thinks people will see him as a dark skin indian. Obama is okay and people love and hate him the same time.
Posted 10 Mar 2009 at 8:10 pm ¶