Obama's Race a Gift . . . for Comedians

Standups, talk-show hosts go where politicians fear to tread
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 27, 2008 6:38 PM CDT
Obama's Race a Gift . . . for Comedians
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, laughs with Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., during a rally for Obama at American University on Monday, Jan. 28, 2008, in Washington.    (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

In this election, at least one group is unafraid to play the race card: comedians. Entertainers may be the only ones who can talk candidly about the subject, the San Jose Mercury News reports. And boy, are they. “I'm voting for Barack Obama," said one comedian. "I did it because he's black. Not because he's intelligent, or well spoken or represents hope. Nope. You had me at Negro.”

Paul Mooney, who once wrote for Richard Pryor, says he has no intention of avoiding race, which he says has always been an election issue. “We've always had to say, does this white man like us? We've always had to think race. And this is the first time white people have had to think race.” (More Barack Obama stories.)

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