All this Imus talk has rustled up some old memories from the past.
Memories from my past that I’ve learned from, suffered from, then stored away in the deepest, most darkest part of my skull and heart.
About five years ago, a Caucasian friend of mine who worked for a Hip-Hop record label gave me some gear. A couple stickers and a nice gray XXL sweatshirt loaded with album info, crew and label artwork. The stuff you see at Ticketmaster supported concerts and radio stations giveaways – hip, cool and functional.
It was Prodigy of Mobb Deep’s debut solo album, HNIC. And that’s what it said across the chest in big bold letters. Looked fresh, I didn’t know what HNIC stood for. Wore it out one night, did comedy at a Hollywood Youth Hostel, some German kid told me HNIC stood for “Head Ni**a in Charge“.
Okay, fine, so I thought. It’s a record label, an artist, an album, free, kept me warm, fit well, quality fabric, I’m a good guy, liked the sweatshirt color scheme, moved on.
To be honest, while on stage I was aware of the meaning (thanks to the white German backpacker) and I did make reference to it. Sorry, I was just doing comedy and I can’t help myself. That’s what we do, we comment on what’s happening around us. As a licensed comedian I’m offered this luxury.
No incident, no problem, just solid international chuckles – including a table of Haitians.
So in the next day or so, I’m running out the door to my basic cable TV sports show where I did crowd warm-up and the occasional aired piece, throw on the HNIC sweatshirt, not thinking anything of it. Arrive on set, DeMarco Farr (a large African-American man, former NFL football player, host and friend) looks at the sweatshirt and laughs, says something about HNIC, we move on.
Why? Maybe because I’m a moral dude, a hard worker, a positive personality, not a racist, unaware, no malice, etc?
The show starts, audience full of Asians, I’m interacting with Tom Arnold and DeMarco. Everything is fine, sweatshirt is on (no comment from me), crowd is laughing, taped the first couple segments.
Next thing you know a flock of female co-employees begin to hover and gather to the side of the audience bleachers. All different races, just a group powerful woman staring at me in my HNIC sweatshirt (xxL).
So the head person in charge of production comes up to me and says, “Several people are very offended by your sweatshirt. Please take it off or turn it inside out.” I was shocked the head of production was called down from her office to approach me on this issue in the middle of a taping. I was definitely uncomfortable with the angry glares coming from this group, spearheaded by one particular African-American woman.
Just doing a show here, pumping up the audience, I’m the get-hype guy.
Me being proud and put on the spot, I let the audience know what was happening as I approached my bag to throw on a different sweatshirt. Luckily and coincidentally before the show, Tom Arnold gave me a Roots Canadian Olympic hooded fleece. No lie. I was saving it for the next day.
As I got to my bag, I told the main girl who complained, “just do your job, I’ll do mine, and leave me alone. What? Tomorrow I can’t wear my NWA hat?” (Ice Cube was the guest) She complained again, the head lady came back down, told me to drop it. So that’s what I did.
Of course I get called into the office the next day, lectured, talked to, yada, yada, yada.
Five years later, I’m still at this job (same pay, more hours). Never spoke to the complainer ever again. Soon after she left to greener pastures. Actually I was friendly with her before all this went down, she was cool. Then she just got real angry and militant that one afternoon.
Here’s the deal. I shouldn’t have worn the sweatshirt to a cable TV environment in the first place. Just asking for trouble, and that’s what I got. Could’ve have been handled differently, that’s all. Approach me after the show, write me an email, ask a common worker to mention it to me.
But the hostility and corporate involvement really soured me.
Almost got fired, they tried to stone me, but I fought back with a Zen-like approach, taking the higher road.
To this day, I’m a mere shell of my formal self, afraid to take chances, cheating the audiences of Brody at full creative power.
Kidding, just a little. Threw out the sweatshirt, harsh reality lesson learned and I’m a wiser person for it.
Just give Imus the same opportunity I was afforded, that’s all America wants.