Blackface Performer Plans Fundraiser For 6 Indicted Officers (Freddie Gray)

No. Not satire.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A former Baltimore police officer said Wednesday that he plans to perform an Al Jolson routine in blackface to raise money for the six Baltimore officers who have been indicted in the death of Freddie Gray.

Bobby Berger, whose performances as Jolson created tension with the department in the 1980s, said Wednesday that 610 tickets have been sold in eight days at $45 each for the Nov. 1 fundraiser in Glen Burnie.

Washington Post

However, the venue tickets were sold (610 so far) for says that it will not host the event, that no contracts had been signed and the venue does not support blackface performance.

“It’s coincidence,” Berger said about the fact that the entertainer he impersonates wore blackface. “There’s no racial overtones to this show. There’s nothing racial to the show.”

Right. I walked into traffic, it's just a coincidence that I got hit by a car.

The article goes on to talk about the difficult position this former cop places the entire Baltimore Police Department and not for the first time. He was fired for it previously but reinstated after appeal.

What a piece of crap.

a reply to: Kali74

"Mammy"!!!

Al did a lot of good for the black community, playing his part in exposing the white public to their black fellow citizens. It was and still is a slow process of harmonising. Getting there snail pace.

The minstrels of old in Britain used to black their faces. People were quite intimidated by them as they were known for their scathing wit. There is a similar cultural phenomenon in some Native American tribes with their clowns and contraries painting their faces strange colours and all.

It depends in what spirit the guy is doing it? It is obviously not in a good spirit and is deliberately using race negatively. I don't think we should bin Al though. He was an amazing performer and the black community should feel flattered rather than resentful of that artist.

Shame on that officer for using Al in such a rotten way! Boo!

ps; Bob Dylan has great respect for the artistry of Al Jolson. Bob has a child with his former black American wife. He described Al as;

"Dylan once referred to him as "somebody whose life I can feel"".

a reply to: Kali74

Am I on crazy pills...guess you can't make this stuff up...but I'm hoping it is made up..

a reply to: Revolution9

I think it's probably for the best to let the black community decide for themselves who they respect and who they resent.