MSNBC's Phil Griffin via Alana Russo Responds to Your Calls: "We're Black Like YOU!"

As I have demonstrated over the last three years. Obtaining a public comment from a large corporation isn't really all that difficult.

Well we asked for a statement and that's exactly what y'all got... A statement. . . It took  the MSNBC brain trust  THREE WEEKS to come up with this ( not really, they came up with this today after Mr. Griffin's executive assistant pleaded with Ms Russo to get all these Black folks off of her phone). And now a statement from Alana Russo, (Twitter ID:@alanarusso) MSNBC spokesperson:

"Toure is a part-time contributor to the network and his comments were not appropriate and do not represent the views of Msnbc. He has apologized for his statements and we have accepted his apology." - Alana Russo on behalf of Phil Griffin

Apparently Phil Griffin, who does not appear to be the descendant of African slaves, believes he is. So does Ms. Russo. Because they decided to accept an apology on behalf of offended Black people.  While they are at it, Mr. Griffin and Ms. Russo just rejected  y'alls requests for reparations- accepted an apology from the southern states for Jim Crow -and said they stand prepared to choose the very first line dance song at the next Black family reunion or wedding.  Who knew?

Now some of you may be thinking, but GINA, that's a really crappy statement! Patience Young Blogwalker. Patience! I sense the force is strong in you, but remember ignorance leads to arrogance. Arrogance leads to petulance  and petulance leads to massive blogworthy train wrecks of EPIC proportion like Ms. Russo and Mr. Griffin accepting apologies on behalf of Black people. Trust me on this one Young Blogwalker-this is really bad.

This culturally insensitive and elitist  statement from Ms. Russo is the NECTAR OF THE GODS! In addition, their refusal to have Toure remove the MSNBC brand from his Twitter account and her refusal to address the fact that they have a contributor that is an emotionally unstable liar is like juggling rattlesnakes while blindfolded riding a unicycle during rush hour traffic. This statement going to bite them again, and again, and again. And now they won't be able to claim they didn't know they had a deranged highly melanated Klansman running around tweeting in their name. Can you say the cable news version of Jayson Blair?

I tried to get Ms. Russo to comment on whether the fact that they have a contributor on a NEWS channel who appears to be a pathological liar in any way conflicted with any network ethical standards.  Then she decided she wanted to be  a condescending FOOL so I'll let her original statement stand unedited. Apparently lying is not a bar to being an MSNBC contributor.

Furthermore, MSNBC will continue to allow Toure to display their corporate brand on his twitter page. So you can feel free to call Mr. Griffin at 212-664-4444 ANYTIME Toure says something "inappropriate"  or offensive or corny on his Twitter account, because after all, the account is MSNBC approved.

So in review, you can annoy a major corporation's executives enough to force them to respond to you publicly.

There must have been more of you calling than emailed, tweeted or commented because y'all must have driven the poor folks crazy. I know I left a very long voice mail on whatever random voice mail the receptionist sent me to yesterday-  Ms. Russo emphasized the fact that they really do want y'all to stop calling their executives now. They have a lovely automated viewer complaint line where you can leave a message with a computer and she assures me that every single message is  listened to by "somebody" -

"If viewers/readers of your blog have any other comments, they can also call directly to 212/413-5499-- it's our viewer services number and every call is listened to and recorded (and they won't get transferred around the building)."- Alana Russo

Isn't that helpful of Ms. Russo, helping to channel your outrage into the automated que. I actually like VOICE MAIL HELL, its like going to Vegas and playing the slots. You never know whose mailbox you are going to land in. You get to hear about people's vacations. When they will be back from lunch, who's handling their calls in cases of an emergency. You really can tell a lot about a person based on their voice mail

So to all of you who said MSNBC would NEVER respond to your fellow WAOD readers, you would be wrong.

We'll celebrate our final Phil Griffin Day on Monday with a salute to Mr. Griffin's African American heritage. . . such that it is.

Somewhere Don Imus is highly ticked off. Who knew all MSNBC required after its contributors engaged in racist sexist chatter  was an apology to their bosses and make it all okay.

Previous Posts:

UPDATED: Phil Griffin Monday Part Deaux: Celebrate MSNBC’s Silence with NOISE!



Celebrate Phil Griffin Day! – Award for Excellence in Corporate Dithering on HATE SPEECH

Toure Scrubs His Twitter Page? Why? – Jayson Blair Revisited.

The Ghost of Jayson Blair: Toure, His “cousin”, and David Shuster – MSNBC’s DOUBLE STANDARD

Comments

[thelildiva4u]

Gina....love the Stars Wars references. But tweeting an apology? I feel like instead of going to the front foor we got in through the back and they wispered " I am sorry" now yall go now. We deserve better and now that i'm reading game change I see MSMBC didn't wast time publicy say sorry for the Chealse being pimped out comment.

[revmamaafrika]

'cuse me? I'm not impressed. They made a "statement" that was not widely published across the country? Hell to the naw! Should we keep calling anyway? Or should we just follow Toure's national speaking engagements and be in the audience and during Q and A simply "ask a question" or "make a comment?" :)

[L Martin Johnson Pratt]

hmm...going to act just like nothing happened except i got a tweet from someone not following me so really wait did "I" get a tweet? Basically addressing the age old question this way
If a tweet is sent out but not directly anyone directly does is it really sent out? Is it really even a Tweet?"

Being that "i" left a msg with Phil's secretary and she took down my personal info and telephone number. And i am still waiting on Phil's return call, I will continue my plans to "see" Mr. Toure in Brooklyn at the BLack Writers Conference at Medgar Evans College next week. And writing a story on this whole mess for Rolling Out Magazine

[truth p]

Slightly emotional rant here:
THESE PEOPLE HAVE GOT SOME *BLEEPING* NERVE!I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO OR THINK NOW.THAT WAS JUST *CRAZY* THAT THEY WOULD ACCEPT HIS APOLOGY LIKE WHAT HE SAID HAS ANY AFFECT ON THEM OTHER THAN US CALLING THERE.I GOT TEARS IN MY EYES READING THIS.I'M SORRY TO TYPE IN CAPS BUT MY FEELINGS ARE KINDA HURT.READING THIS KINDA MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS SOME KIND OF SLAVE AND TOURE DID SOMETHING TO *INTENTIONALLY* HURT *ME* YET HE APOLOGIZES TO MY SLAVEMASTER FOR IT AND THEY BOTH GO TO SIT ON THE PORCH,HAVE A CUP OF LEMONADE TOGETHER AND BECOME GOOD FRIENDS AFTERWORDS.(I FELT VERY FREE,LIKE I OWNED MYSELF, BEFORE THEY ISSUED THAT STATEMENT)

Anyways,i'm only human and reading this made me feel all my efforts were for naught.I just don't understand how they can accept his apology for us.

[BLKSeaGoat]

Not sure what's going to make my anger seethe more... THIS POST or the fact that Tyler Perry is about to be honored by the Georgia State Senate for his "MADEA" character.

In any case, it's open season on black women by black men and apparently, white men and white women too.

[MommieDearest]

This is some BULLCRAP!!!!! It's cool though, because the next time Toure slips up (and trust, there WILL be a next time) it will be big. And the noise from the masses will be bigger. *Meanwhile, off to send an email to Phil and 'em stating exactly how I feel about their lame statement and their audacity to accept an apology from Toure on behalf of insulted black women.*

[gem2001]

HAHAHA! I'm SHOCKED SHOCKED SHOCKED byt Y'alls response. Not! As soon as I read her email, I was like "oh this is REALLY going to push folks over the edge." Its so outrageously idiotic and elitist, I can't even muster up the energy to be angry about it. Alana Russo would be clueless as to why her statement would make us even angrier than Toure's Tweets.

Of course this isn't the end of this. However, you have to ask yourself what you want and what are you prepared to do to get it.

But yes, I KNEW the statement would do more damage that them saying nothing at all, but this is the statement she wanted issued on MSNBC's behalf and I'm inclined to let her make a fool out of herself if she is hellbent on doing so.

[thelildiva4u]

Part time. FTE. Whatever!!!! He's on the payroll. @TruthP...great comment. Mater/Slave reference was a goos one. @blkseagoat please say it aint so?

[BLKSeaGoat]

So a series of tweets is the best that black women can hope for.

Tourex, Alissa, and Phil, believe that the weaponized rape of black women was such an insignificant part of American History that a tweet apology, that wasn't even made to or accepted by black women is cool!

*SIGH*

[Fred]

Somewhere Don Imus is highly ticked off. Who knew all MSNBC required after its contributors engaged in racist sexist chatter was an apology to their bosses and make it all okay.

@Gina

Welcome to the wonderful world of moral relativism (MR). Or as my mother would call it hypocrisy.

Due to the rules of MR, people are treated differently for the same offense depending on race and political affiliation.

Thus,

*Don Imus is justifiably crucified for his racist sexist comments against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights because he is (a) White and (b) conservative. Naturally, the Justice Brothers (Revs. Jackson and Sharpton) protest in front of Imus' job and demand his immediate firing.

*Toure is given a pass for joking about slave owners raping Black women because he is (a) Black and (b) liberal. Thus, the Justice Brothers, who are also Black liberals, remain silent about Toure's evil, disgusting statements. Furthermore, the heads of MSNBC (White liberals) accept Toure's apology and then Black folk will "get over it."

Don't you yearn for the good old days when Black people believed in moral absolutes and slammed anyone who violated them?