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Obama Monkey T-Shirts A Hot Georgia Item
May 16th, 2008But a major publisher threatens to sue the Atlanta-area bar that’s raking in cash
Scores of people have been protesting the sale of T-shirts, featuring the cartoon monkey Curious George eating a banana with the words “Obama ’08,” at a Georgia pub. But now the bar owner, Mike Norman is facing some new problems as the publishing company that owns the Curious George image is threatening to sue him. “We find it offensive and obviously utterly out of keeping with the value Curious George represents,” said Rick Blake, a spokesman for publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. “We’re monitoring the situation and weighing our options with respect to legal action.” Curious George, a popular character in children’s books for many years who now has his own television cartoon series. Blake said that he has not been in contact with Norman or anyone else selling the shirts, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Norman, who owns Mulligan’s Bar and Grill in Cobb County, told the newspaper that he got the T-shirts from someone in Arkansas. His establishment is known for the controversial, ultra-conservative political slogans it plasters out front. This week the number of people protesting the shirts, which they call racist, began to swell. Norman told the Journal-Constitution that while he recognizes the racist roots of the imagery, he has every right to portray Obama as a monkey if he likes. “We’re not living in the (19)40’s,” he said. “Look at him . . . the hairline, the ears — he looks just like Curious George.” One guy called him up and ordered a hundred shirts, said Norman, 63. Should the bar be forced to stop selling the shirts? Watch the video here.
Hey! don’t you be worried about the Chosen one.
If you are making comments that question the Whiteness of who owns and operates BET…then I think you post may not make it to the board…I am VERY Surprised they posted TW’s 2nd post…I have been trying to post the same time of information and they never show up
BET IS OWNED BY WHITE PEOPLE YA’LL, GET A GRIP AND KEEP IT REAL IF YOU ARE GOING TO KEEP IT REAL…THEY POST ALL THIS NEGITIVE PRESS SO THIS CAN MAKE US LIKE GOSSIP MONGERS.
LOOK TO SEE IF HE GET’S SUED. I DOUBT IT!!!!!!!!!!!
Why didn’t my comments appear? Is BET censoring the comments? I didn’t use any profanity and I didn’t say anything negative about Obama. All I did was point out that most of US (folks on this board) were LAUGHING when they made t-shirts with Bill Clinton as a monkey and George Bush as a monkey, but now we’re acting all offended when they make one with Obama. Why?
Haters is haters. Are we saying it’s ok to hate Bush or Clinton, but not Obama?
Post it this time, BET!
Well for me it’s not offensive, what’s so offensive about it? It’s a freaking monkey eating a banana. The more you guy’s continue to get offensive about things the more you allow who’s ever doing it to win, the point of the shirt was to get your attention, and they’ve succeeded once again by toying with you….it’s funny how some blacks are so quick to blame others when you allow things like that to happen, just ignore the ignorant and move on. The more you whine about it, the more it will happen. FYI the monkey is cute!
some people are so rediculous. making such a big deal about it i mean come on its just a shirt. i mean come on he wasnt meaning to be offenssive. its not like hes calling us black people N*****’s
To those people who think the T-Shirt is not offensive, should have lived in the 60’s and before the 60’s, when Black people could not go to the same restroom as whites, the same schools, Hotles or Movie Theaters wher we had a Colored section. Young people please stop taking things for granted the only way you have the things you have now is thru BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS of those people who fought hard for you to enjoy the things you have now. TODAY A MONKEY TOMORROW WHAT WILL IT BE?
There is a website called Bush or chimp dot com
Is it also “racist”?
This is just on miss guided white racist who came out from under a rock.We as a people cannot let racist individual touch a nerve.We are a proud people and we have a rich history.Mr.Norman will not be in business to long.He must not being doing to well with his watering hole.That’s why he chose to side line in the tee shirt business.
GOD has BLESSED us as a people.There will always be someone who want to start controversy over racial issues.This man is just a fool.He said someoneelse send him the tee shirt.This shows he cannot think for himself.
GOD will handle this fool.
There is a site called Bush or chimp
Look for it.
I have typed a comment…why wasnt my original comment posted?
People really…I sense alot of anger about the shirt. Was it stupid yes, did it set us (Africa-Americans) back…No!
Learn to rise above nonsense like this and K.I.M.
(Keep It Movin). We are on the verge of having the 1st Black President of the USA!
Think about it…quite frankly…some people are just not ready for it!
Its okay, they will get over it!!!
Do ya thing OBAMA!!!
WHY ARE WE SURPRISED. IF HE BECOMES PRESIDENT, AND HE WILL, THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF SOME OF THE THINGS WE ARE GOING TO SEE. IT ISN’T RIGHT BUT LET’S GET USED TO IT AND FIGURE OUT A WAY TO COMBAT IT. THIS IS JUST AMERIKKKANS BEING AMEIKKANS IN AMERIKKKA.
I work right around the corner from this stupid man. He does have really insensitive comments on his board outside and inside the restaurant. He’s playing stupid like he doesn’t see the racial connotation of these shirts. He’s not a stupid man. Unfortunately, there have not been many people out to protest this and his business has actually increased. Like some previous commentors have said…don’t give him the airtime because, believe it or not, this racist has supporters.
Yea some of them white folks think we are moneys but the good thing about it we are beauitful moneys. That’a why I hate to see a brother are a sister with one of them white moneys.
It just goes to show u that race plays a major
part in this country,this was something very
childish and imature of the owner and the person
who is distrubuting this t-shirt garbage.Tell
the owner and the t-shirt (guy) all this still
will not matter,because change is coming and it
will be Obama’s leadership and good judgement so
he can keep his bar-ownership License.
I agree with Tony this is just a distraction. Obama is going much better than a lot of people thought that he would. They never envisioned the idea that he might really win. Now its a reality. People are starting to get mad and their ignorance is rising to the surface. We need to continually pray for Obama and his family and pray for his/our haters as well. Anit no stopping us now….
To all God’s blessings, love and his sweet peace.
I like it! I believe he Should Be President! I believe that it would be a Very Good Change for the World Today! It will Prove that any Race can do things the same if not Better! I think that Obama Will Make Alot of Very Big Changes! For the USA! I will vote for Obama! I would wear the Shirt! I vote 100%! I am ready for a Great Change in how the world is run!
My God, when is racism in America going to end? This story of Obama looking like Curious George is ignorant and all those who accept this crazy racists thoughts and practice is just as looney as he. Wake up America. If not our country will continue to fight from the inside out and eventually destroy our own country because of racism. And all you white folks who think it is acceptable to label Curious George as Obama is a racist with blinders on.
I don’t think this guy is racist Obama does kind of look like Curious George. I do think he’s dumb, I mean you have to know people are going to take this wrong. It’s a free country but that doesn’t give him the right to use a copyrighted image, so he will have a lawsuit aganst him soon.