Just by way of historical context, let’s remember that CNN was a trailblazer in this regard, making Bernard Shaw their primetime news anchor back in 1980. Keep that in mind in appraising the sour grapes rationalization by axed commentator Roland Martin:
Roland Martin on Thursday blamed racism for his inability to get his own show at CNN.
“You have largely white male executives who are not necessarily enamored with the idea of having strong, confident minorities, who say, ‘You know, I can do this,'” he told HuffPostLive.
“I am simply saying ‘give folks a shot,’” he added. “We deliver, but we never get the big piece, the larger salary, to be able to get from here to there.”
(Hat-tip: Memeorandum.)
Update (Smitty): welcome, Instapundit readers!
@smitty_one_each
Even if it’s true, which i’m almost 340% positive it’s not, it’s classless to say it
This is the progressive entitlement complex in action. Now the participation ribbon isn’t enough and he wants to be awarded 1st place based on his delusion of merit. When you fail to recognize his ‘talent’, you’re obviously being racially motivated because…shut up racist!
Lets call the Whaaambulance for him. If he had the merit, he would have got the job. Since he didn’t, that means we’re all raaaaacist.
@smitty_one_each: Why Did Those Racist Crackers at CNN Keep Roland Martin From Being a Star? Roland took care of it …. all by himself!
It seems to me that he was given a shot. Now, they’re going to give someone else that shot that he thinks “folks” should get.
Here’s the problem for poor Roland and his departed colleague, Soledad. They have narrowly built their entire news and opinion careers on racial issues. Indeed, they look for the especially piquant racial aspect of every issue and regularly find one. Unfortunately, they never move beyond that view to some broader, more generally appealing perspective. They’ve pigeon-holed themselves. Now, why should the nets feel comfortable giving them a shot at the big piece, the larger salary, the broader audience?
Matt Ross liked this on Facebook.
Why didn’t more minorities tune in to his show? Buy the products advertised? I guess Soledad and Martin didn’t learn the First Law of Progressivism: Never get between a liberal and his/her money.
Dear Roland,
You’re to short and fat for basketball. Your natural tendency to suck prevents a career on the sax. A lack of talent and charisma doomed your dream of becoming the male version of Oprah at CNN. With your TV experience and contacts maybe you could host your own bass fishing show kinda like the white Roland Martin except you could specialize in black bass or somethin. If those Duck Dynasty boys can be TV stars there’s no reason an angry fat black guy like you shouldn’t, right?
Good luck in your future endeavors.
Bernard Shaw for all his negatives never did as they did.
Come on, Mike! Get with the MiniTruth: we all are raaaaacissts.
Or, it could bu you just suck, Roland.
[…] UPDATE: “Why Did Those Racist Crackers at CNN Keep Roland Martin From Being a Star?” […]
He headlined for five years prime-time on NBC with his comedy schtick, what more does he want?
Dude, you look like a frog. That, and equally if not more so, the fact that you’re really not that original or sparkling a commentator, is why they’re cutting you loose, not because you’re black.
Nobody wants to watch a fishing show.
Absolutely correct. He aimed to be the equal of any other straight news host, regardless of race. Same is true of Lester Holt.
He destroyed Michael Dukakis.