http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/40128321#40128321

I'm actually on Team Kanye on this one.

Plus, his new album is amazing.

11/11/2010 9:18:39 AM

"IT'S [BLEEP] RIDICULOUS" at the end....all he said was it's ridiculous lol

11/11/2010 9:26:06 AM

Haha Bush was really upset over what Kanye said?

Also, I mean I do understand where Kanye is coming from...no one wants an embarassing moment shoved in their face over and over...but he is a celebrity, so he is going to get that from time to time.

11/11/2010 9:33:17 AM

RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE

11/11/2010 9:36:33 AM

I completely understand what Lauer is saying, it's the producers running the tape and it's what they do for the audience, to keep their attention on the TV or else the audience's attention will start to wander and they will soon turn the channel to see something different.

I think West is acting a little too snobby.

Plus I think the show is just beating a dead horse about the Bush interview/West's remark about racism. It's a slow news day.

[Edited on November 11, 2010 at 10:14 AM. Reason : sounded more harsher than I wanted it to.]

11/11/2010 10:07:28 AM

I understand both sides of it. I understand why Kanye would be upset and I understand why they played it, because it is good business for the network. And I get that they do stuff like that all the time.

That said, good business does not always equal good human behavior. This particular journalistic practice, in my opinion, is an example of when it doesn't. Person to person, if someone is trying to apologize for something, you don't rub what they did wrong in their face. Not that they should stop the practice; that's their decision, and it was made a long time ago.

[Edited on November 11, 2010 at 10:17 AM. Reason : .]

11/11/2010 10:11:39 AM

I love at the end, Lauer is all like, "And we look forward to Kanye's live performance on...."

I don't really think anyone was in the wrong...but you have someone (Lauer), calling another person (Kanye) out, and he's trying to apologize and/or offer explanations, and you keep beating them over the head about it buy showing an embarrassing clip. How could you not expect them to get upset?? Giving Kanye's normal outburst, I'm a little surprised he didn't get more animated.

Lauer is annoying. And he needs to do something with that fucking hair. It's horrible.

11/11/2010 10:13:15 AM

You guys do realize that he's not in the back rolling the tape at the same time as his sitting at the interview. I think he's getting the blame for the decisions the producers are making.

11/11/2010 10:15:48 AM

^No shit. But in the clip he kept saying that, "we do this all the time, I don't see the big deal...blah blah." So he's at least making excuses for it.

[Edited on November 11, 2010 at 10:17 AM. Reason : .]

11/11/2010 10:16:44 AM

well I'm sure he pretty much has to, I doubt the teleprompter is telling him anything different

11/11/2010 10:18:18 AM

^^^Yeah, that's true, too. The thread would be more appropriately titled Kanye vs. The Today Show.

Also, ITT, we should talk about how amazing Kanye's new record is.

[Edited on November 11, 2010 at 10:20 AM. Reason : .]

11/11/2010 10:19:13 AM

LOL!

"Look, man, I would tell him I made a mistake."

"So you're sorry?"

"No. But being a rational, empathetic, human being, I didn't have a right to say that, but my motivation was pure. Man, turn off that video. How am I supposed to talk with that noise. Look, sorry just isn't the word I'm looking for."

11/11/2010 10:48:48 AM

Is there another thread for it or is there some other reason everyone is skipping over the fact that GWB actually called the kanye comments the most disgusting moment of his presidency?

I'm dumbfounded at that, actually.

11/11/2010 11:07:54 AM

^this

11/11/2010 11:10:28 AM

is there another thread for it or is there some other reason everyone is skipping over the fact that Kanye is a big fucking tool that still can't own up to his own foolishness?

Quote :

"So you're sorry?" "No. But being a rational, empathetic, human being, I didn't have a right to say that, but my motivation was pure."

I'm dumbfounded that he is being credited with an "apology" based on this statement.

11/11/2010 11:21:16 AM

^

It's basically an apology without saying the actual words "I'm sorry." Because saying "I'm sorry" would directly admit that he was wrong...and I don't know if Kanye is capable of doing that. But he says he feels bad and that he was wrong in labeling him a racist...but at the same time he still believes in the reasons that led him to blurt that out (those reasons being that Bush did a horrible job dealing with the aftermath of Katrina).

11/11/2010 11:24:56 AM

I'm ambivalent about what Kanye said because he isn't an authority on political matters. Who gives a fuck what he says about the president or anything else that matters?

The mere fact that the President of the United States somehow allowed his feelings to get hurt by some retarded hip hop artist is unbelievable to me.

11/11/2010 11:25:33 AM

Quote :

"It's basically an apology without saying the actual words "I'm sorry." Because saying "I'm sorry" would directly admit that he was wrong...and I don't know if Kanye is capable of doing that. But he says he feels bad and that he was wrong in labeling him a racist...but at the same time he still believes in the reasons that led him to blurt that out (those reasons being that Bush did a horrible job dealing with the aftermath of Katrina). "

That makes about as much sense as what Kanye said. He was asked point blank if he was sorry and he said no. He then acknowledged that he did not have the right to say what he said - but it was justified in his mind, because his motivation was pure?

You are going to credit a natural disaster and poor relief effort response as a reasonable motivation to say that someone hates black people?

Quote :

"would directly admit that he was wrong...and I don't know if Kanye is capable of doing that. But he says he feels bad and that he was wrong in labeling him a racist"

this brought the most lulz - so he is not capable of admiting he was wrong - but he says he was wrong in labeling him a racist? which is it?

Quote :

"Who gives a fuck what he says about the president or anything else that matters? "

I completely agree - except it appears the media would like to report it which gives him a larger voice to perpetuate his nonsense.

It's the equivalant of Sara Palin spouting nonsense to the teaparty - most reasonable people aren't going to pay any attention - but there is likely a large group that is willing to buy into and spread the bullshit.

I just don't feel like giving Kanye a free pass - especially when some people are trying to paint him as the victim in this interview

11/11/2010 11:49:05 AM

Norrin Radd,

I know it can be very frustrating to try to understand a complicated concept full of nuance and shades of gray when you're so accustomed to ignoring these things in your black and white world where everything fits neatly in one of two categories - right and wrong. Maybe it would be better for you to stop trying to understand, accept your limitations, and just move on.

Sincerely,
walkmanfades

[Edited on November 11, 2010 at 12:10 PM. Reason : s]

11/11/2010 12:10:03 PM

I think Kanye didn't want to say the words "I'm sorry" because he still feels angry about the response to Katrina. He did say that he regrets calling Bush a racist and the he's empathetic to how Bush feels for being labeled a racist. This is a form of apology, but not the form Lauer tried to force him to say.

Also, just to be clear: what merbig transcribed was not accurate at all. When Lauer asked him, "You're sorry?," Kanye hesitantly said, "Yeah, I'm sorry for..." and tried to clarify what he meant and what he was actually sorry for.

And ^ brought the lulz and I agree that Norrin Radd, you are thinking about this too black-and-white. I understand that that's probably because you already hate Kanye so you're just gonna use this as fuel for that fire and not look at it objectively and that's fine. But I don't think Kanye did anything wrong here.

[Edited on November 11, 2010 at 12:43 PM. Reason : .]

11/11/2010 12:43:05 PM

Quote :

" know it can be very frustrating to try to understand a complicated concept full of nuance and shades of gray when you're so accustomed to ignoring these things in your black and white world where everything fits neatly in one of two categories - right and wrong. Maybe it would be better for you to stop trying to understand, accept your limitations, and just move on. "

Shades of gray? right and wrong? what are you babbling about?
are you saying there are shades of gray in an apology? because that young man is called a cop out. There's nothing complicated about calling a spade a spade.

why don't you put your headphones back on and let the grown-ups finish talking.

Quote :

"I'm sorry" because he still feels angry about the response to Katrina. He did say that he regrets calling Bush a racist and the he's empathetic to how Bush feels for being labeled a racist. This is a form of apology, but not the form Lauer tried to force him to say. "

Katrina is irrelivant to his statement. It's easy enough to apologise and then make a seperate point if that is what you are angry about.

"I'm empathetic to how you feel being labeled a racist (by me)." - That shit doesn't fly, how is that a form of an apology? If anything he is still perpetuating the racist label that he started.

[Edited on November 11, 2010 at 12:53 PM. Reason : .]

11/11/2010 12:46:01 PM

One, Kanye apologized. There was no cop out. Two, I thought walkmanfades made a good point: this situation (and most situations) is not just a right and a wrong; there are, as is usually the case, shades of grey. I agree with him on that.

11/11/2010 12:49:44 PM

I will always side with Kanye

11/11/2010 12:53:55 PM

One, Kanye didn't apologise - i broke it down in my edit...
and two your shades of gray argument is with respect to a seperate topic.

calling someone a racist because you a mad about an unrelated event is not a shade of gray.

11/11/2010 12:56:15 PM

Quote :

"apologise"

Quote :

"YOU A MAD"

[Edited on November 11, 2010 at 1:02 PM. Reason : .]

11/11/2010 1:01:38 PM

^better sit down before you troll yourself.

the best you can come up with is that i left of "re" in "are" while typing?
why don't you try...

Quote :

" MAKING A VALID ARGUMENT"

11/11/2010 1:12:32 PM

Because I already did, and I'm not going to argue with someone who is nitpicking a guy who kinda got blindsided on national television and rambled on a lot. He said a lot of contradicting things, but it's pretty clear to see what he meant. The fact that you're retarded and can't understand that prevents me from trying to argue with anymore.

But everyone else has done a fine job of putting you in your place ITT, so I'll let them continue to do so.

Oh...and,

Quote :

"the best you can come up with is that i left of "re" in "are" while typing?"

You also misspelled an extremely common word. Doesn't make you a dumb person, but it does call into question your intelligence.


[Edited on November 11, 2010 at 1:16 PM. Reason : .]

11/11/2010 1:15:04 PM

Quote :

"^better sit down before you troll yourself."

too late

Quote :

"You also misspelled an extremely common word. Doesn't make you a dumb person, but it does put into question your intelligence."

you may want check into your claim here.

Doesn't make you a dumb person - but it does show how you will blindly defend something even when you are wrong

[Edited on November 11, 2010 at 1:35 PM. Reason : .]

11/11/2010 1:23:10 PM

you did it again

11/11/2010 1:29:09 PM

Quote :

"to late"

actually..."too late" on the edit there buddy.

And are British or something? You like "colours" and telly "programmes"??

11/11/2010 1:40:08 PM

Quote :

"beating them over the head about it buy showing an embarrassing clip"

Quote :

"and are british "

we can go all day.

and I guess we will since you aren't able to defend your actual argument

[Edited on November 11, 2010 at 2:09 PM. Reason : .]

11/11/2010 1:47:07 PM

You are boring.

11/12/2010 12:30:11 AM

Kanye's right, it's rude. Add that shit in later with editing if you must, but let the man talk. That's what you invited him there for.

11/12/2010 1:24:25 AM

What is this nonsense?

GWB got a book coming out. Kanye got an album coming out.

And we're supposed to analyze this as real shit?

HA!

11/12/2010 1:45:57 AM

karma... the end... a simple "sorry" would make everything vanish instead of trying getting words out that media will edit anyway... matt should show sensitivity... and kanye is just being a arrogant ass like he always is and can't help it...

11/12/2010 3:01:25 AM

Quote :

"OF ALL TIME"

11/12/2010 4:12:23 AM

Quote :

"a simple "sorry" would make everything vanish"

Really, would it? It's that easy?

I call bullshit.

11/12/2010 7:42:57 AM

I fucking hate Kanye but I'm 100% supportive of him in this




There's no reason for him to apologize for something he doesn't feel the need to apologize for. That's one of the major things that is wrong with the world today.


He made a rational, metered, and very carefully worded response about his statement after Katrina, and somehow that's not good enough. There seems to be no place for rationality in today's media - it's either this or that. Everything gets painted with the broadest brush possible.

Unfortunately, that is not and will never be how the world works.

People seem to think that if you color over the bad, it won't seep through again at some point. Matt Lauer trying to egg Kanye into just saying "I'm sorry" doesn't really serve anyone's interests at all. Lauer wants Kanye to lay down his belief that black people have struggled in America due primarily to racism, and obviously that's something that Kanye will not do at the expense of apologizing for his reply to the Katrina situation.


Kanye needed only to apologize to Bush for what he said. When people start apologizing for their beliefs, then there's no point in having them. I'm actually really impressed with how Kanye stuck to his guns.

11/12/2010 8:10:27 AM

I don't get it... Why did he get on tv at all? he basically said "I'm sorry i did not have more information to call you a racist"... it's like me saying "i'm sorry i don't have more information to call you a jackass" personally, i think it's not really an apology...

11/12/2010 9:12:49 AM

Of course you don't get it.

11/12/2010 10:49:44 AM

Quote :

"He made a rational, metered, and very carefully worded response about his statement"

did you watch the same video I did? For someone that prides himself on being famous for his eloquence, he sure has a way of fumbling when asked to speak on the fly. I don't know what was more painful to watch, Kanye's inability to vocalize with a skill beyond that of a Teen USA pageant hopeful or the production values of the Today Show. Maybe if you dropped a beat in the background he could have 'spat' what I feel like he really should have said - that he has no legitimate grounds on which to call bush a racist but he can't recant because he'd become a pariah among all the other black racists that buy his records and lauded him for his comment. But he'd probably get upset that there was noise in the background while he attempted to verbally punctuate an awkward silence.

I'm not defending Bush or his actions, nor am I trying to blast Kanye any more than the next human who errs publicly. But you'd have to be daft to honestly believe he held any notion more noble than saving face during that trainwreck of an interview.

[Edited on November 12, 2010 at 3:12 PM. Reason : sploling]

11/12/2010 2:59:53 PM

Matt Lauer is the biggest douche on the planet.

11/12/2010 4:11:34 PM

^googling "biggest douche on the planet" or "biggest douche in the world" brings up Kanye's name before I see anything about Matt Lauer.

11/12/2010 4:21:32 PM

Anyone have the new Kanye? uncensored?

11/12/2010 9:55:41 PM

Obama dismissed Kanye as a "jackass" early in his term, but Bush thinks Kanye's comments are the worst thing that has ever happened to him.

11/12/2010 10:16:06 PM

I lol'd at Kanye West saying "can you be quiet for a second"

But I definitely see both sides of this. It's been beaten into the ground since the moment it happened.

And at the end when Lauer was saying how playing video to go along with an interview is something done all the time and its no big deal...I know that's true, but I imagine that Kanye is tired of seeing the video and talking about that incident. I'm sure he wants to put that in the past. So yes, playing video that corresponds to an interview is nothing out of the ordinary (duh), however, its probably not something that Kanye is proud of and likes to see over and over again. I don't blame him for being a little upset about it

[Edited on November 12, 2010 at 10:31 PM. Reason : d]

11/12/2010 10:24:23 PM

IMO I don't think he would have jerked the mic out of anyone else's hand. he picked poor taylor.

reba would have jacked him up.

it also would have been nice to see toby keith come up there and jack him up...

11/12/2010 10:49:11 PM

- Kanye made Taylor Swift -- the popularity from the stunt was the publicity she needed, and it pushed her over the top.
- He was right to diss her. She is a terrible singer, and it's a crying shame that she won an award for anything other than anorexia. She is the quintessential studio-manufactured, bobble-headed, no-talent star.

11/12/2010 11:15:23 PM

^ you know nothing about her then if you think that.

11/13/2010 12:48:55 AM

^^wrong sir. She actually uses musical talent to sell records. Kayne uses "the white man holds us down so buy my albums" tactic.

You can probably google and find her live performance from the CMAs last week. That is hard to manufacture.

[Edited on November 13, 2010 at 8:42 AM. Reason : A]

11/13/2010 8:40:46 AM