@Krish – That’s not true. Companies are paranoid and if anything even appears to be controversial they’ll back away. That isn’t the market making a determination that’s a few higher ups making a determination.

As far as your Freedom of Speech argument, there are certainly consequences to speaking out but the question here is the morality of the people dolling out those consequences. If someone says they support John McCain and are then beaten up by Obama supporters you wouldn’t say they should have been more responsible about their freedom of speech. The same is true here. As obnoxious as most people probably found the Techn**** video to be I wouldn’t say it rises to the level of deserving punishment. The fact that some people have taken it upon themselves to impose punishment shows the weak morality of those people.

Carlos Mencia does it in every show on Comedy Central and there’s no problem with it… hum.. I think there’s the shaddow of Shel Israel behind this …

that being said, most jewish are indeed racists. they’re both victims of antisemitism and racists. they call all the non-jewish ‘goys’ always in a condescending tone, and ask any jeweish if he’d invite an asian at home for diner or worse, accept his daughter to marry an asian… you’ll see the reaction. in fact, i think we’re all racists to a certain point. blacks, asians, jewishs, whites all have something to say about others. but the highest degree of evolution is self-deprecating humor. jewishs are pretty good at it, and blacks too.

USA is really fvcked up, ruled by politically correctness.

@Krish - one more thing that Adrienne’s comment made me think of which is Don Imus. That wasn’t the market making the determination to fire him it was a scared corporation. Now he’s back and bigger than ever because when the market did make the determination he was very much liked.

(For the record, I hate Don Imus with a passion, but the point still stands)

Lets break it down: The contextual background is that this industry (technology, blogging, web 2.0 startups) is generally led by white males - so suggesting that a black person’s tech blog would be run by a stoned author writing about a prostitution tracking site should qualify as being racist. While it could be funny (which it’s not) because it’s somewhat satirical, the fact remains that probably 95% of this video’s audience isn’t black, so it really just comes across as distasteful - especially given there’s no specific cultural significance at this particular moment. None of this necessarily makes Feldman racist (he’s probably not), but the video is still in poor taste.

This isn’t about whether a 1938 Media video was racist, and not about free speech either.

It’s about protecting a brand. Verizon is a mainstream corporation in the phone and digital distribution business. Not in content/media. They cannot accept to have their brand image messed up by content that a significant minority (make that 0.1% of their costumers) finds unacceptable.

This case is not different from marketing campaigns distancing themselves from athletes, models or rock stars taking drugs, having under-age sex, etc.

And in a way it’s not very different from TechCrunch moving Gillmor from the main blog, where he was starting to seriously destroy value, to TechCrunchIT.

Loren: if you want to be in mainstream properties like Verizon and Cnet, then BE mainstream. If not — there are enough places on the Internet to serve your niche audience.

Wow, get a bunch of people to threaten to boycott over racism charges and you can put anyone out of a job.

Those “civil rights” activists should get a life.

Feldman is still a schmuck.

I wouldn’t want to be Loren’s ass right now, what with all these things coming back around to bite it.

That was a racist video. And TC gave it some free marketing by blogging about it. Golden rule to “bury” something: Do not talk about it.

@Wolke – I agree with you but I don’t. If you are looking at this from a moral perspective there are actually three aspects. The morality of the people threatening to boycott, the morality of Verizon and the Morality of Loren in making the video.

I agree that Verizon doesn’t have any real culpability here. It’s the famous business school saying that corporations by definition are sociopaths. They act solely out of self preservation and therefore have no moral dimension to them.

On Loren’s part, the question is was the video racist. I don’t think it was but that would be the moral dilemma there.

Finally you have the protestors and they are where Freedom of Speech comes in. Is it right for them do remove everyone’s ability to get content simply because they don’t like it? I personally think no but it could go either way.

We are about to elect an African-American as our leader, and this guy, who hangs out with the tech elite, does this kind of stuff, and people actually defend him…sigh…

To those who still have no clue as to why people think this video is racist, especially who are leaning toward voting for Obama, I dare you to show it to the good Senator and ask him what he thinks. If you are going to vote for McCain, I can understand why you don’t think this is racist.

Mr. Feldman wrote the script, acted it out, filmed it, edited it, put it up on the video site, and kept it up — the whole process speaks clearly of his intent. Verizon is smart to run away from this pathetically anachronistic intent.

boo hoo.

Use of the word “nigga” aside, Feldman crossed the line with the stereotypes. He took a concept that could have been good, even funny and enlightening, and reduced it to lame pimp jokes. Bottom line, it was racist.

people say “it is a joke until people get hurt”
in this video for the most part it only a “comedy thing”
but when someone or somegroup taki it seriously
everything will mess up no more humor..

@23 excellent point! I mean seriously, who is this guy? Whatever “little” brand value he had left is practically gone now. No one is going to touch him with a 10 foot pole.. IMUS 2.0 .. ROFL

This goes to show you how large & wide the media is. Who actually was reached via the internet versus main stream media. Yes, Lorens video was back a while ago, so the question is why wasn’t he taken off then? Possibly because he didn’t have the “Verizon” deal at that time. Loren built himself up on controversy -trying to be an “Internet Shock Jock”, but pushing too far and ending up just a cop-off of what happened to Imus, and Kramer (Seinfeld).

Yeah, Loren may have had an agenda, to prove a point about “social media” - basically gain attention through controversy and pushing buttons, and have the balls to do so. But the question stands, do you really fully understand the consequences?

Here are the truths:
1. Many of you say spit out: “Dave Chappelle”, or “if a black guy did it, then it would be funny”, and the “N” word is used in “rap” music. However, you may be interested to know that the “N” word is NOT being used in rap music anymore, as well as “bitch” & “Hoe”, as there has been a movement to downgrade these words and abolish them; movements by Rev. Jess Jackson, Rap Mogul Russel Simmons, Al Sharpton, comedians even Dave Chappelle himself. So the truth is that everyone is not fully connected and know the real trend that is happening.

2. Absolutely, if a “black guy” did it, it would be funny. However, it would not be parodied in the format of Loren did it. I challenge any commenter here to watch 10 episodes of Def Comedy Jam, you may see my point. You don’t see Jeff Foxworthy doing these types of parodies do you? Would it still be funny if Loren created a video called - Cracker-Licious?

3. Distasteful? Read # 2 again. Then realize what is actually happening in the African American community. Lebron James - building a billion dollar empire, Dave Chappelle - already built his empire, Tiger Woods — building his empire –names too large? Russell Simmons, P. Diddy, Jay-Z, Soulja Boy –all building empires. You may say - yea that’s music & sports not “blogging & internet”. The point is 1.) laying foundations, and 2.) African Americans do NOT portray themselves in that way.

4. This goes to show that either the “Cliques” and Tight Groups created via blogging haven’t really spilled over to all audiences yet. It shows that the deal 1938 Media received was based on the praise of followers from the “cliques & tight groups” rather than “Controversy and a loyal following”.

But the biggest issue is the “N” word use in “TechN***”. This is an extreme No No. And I am requesting that Mike, you place some asterisks in the word. I can guarantee that just that title alone is NOT good publicity.

What should piss all of you off more is the fact that 1938 Media was potentially getting paid good money for the content he was producing. So, what does it really take to get a deal? “The Cliques” or “The Clicks”?

Overall, the video may not be racist, it is more of ignorance, and pathetically stereotypical. Either way, a goal was achieved, attract attention, grab some clicks, to grow the clique — $100 dolla bill ya’ll……..

Feldman is an imbecile with a low IQ..

His folks probably didn’t beat him enough as a kid.

The reason it took so long to have the vdieo blocked / banned / whatever is that outside a very small number of people (maybe 5 or 6 thousand ?) nobody actually cares !!!

As for a conspiracy, who knows ? maybe loren got what was coming to him ….

@loic (lemeur): he who sits in the glass house

What are you going to do when users on Seesmic call your personal friend, the French President, a Nazi and a Kapo? After all, he is trying to make the Internet in the EU a concentration camp going way beyond RIAA demands and truly destroying free speech (because the proposed rules will have *every* communication listened to, not just keep a single brand’s web property clean).

Plus, with all the support Sarkozy gets from French right-wing media mogul’s and with his planned destruction of the French public TV and radio, there is not going to be much freedom of speech left in France soon.

Loic, frankly, you better not talk about freedom of speech! You are one of the idiots who made that desaster in France possible.

@ 55 re. “Loren: if you want to be in mainstream properties like Verizon and Cnet, then BE mainstream. If not — there are enough places on the Internet to serve your niche audience.”

this isn’t about being main stream: these corp’s want guys like loren feldman - guys that aren’t main stream, that are part of this “swell” or “blogosphere” or “social thing” going on…Loren is perfect for that opportunity, this is the perfect time and that’s why this is sad: they will not be associated with racial epitaphs scarring their brands. end of story. game over. get over it. that’s it. their not being bullied, their being ‘in business’. The market dictates action.

The conversation at Verizon: “great, hire him..do the deal..but ONE word about that tech nigga spoof….ONE word and that guy is GONE” They knew it was there. They got called out for it. And they pulled it. Done.

Do you think that #51 is really Loic? I mean Loic can spell….
And you can put any name or website you like into the reply form - ooh look my name links to seesmic

PS I just put in his name to prove a point

corporations are impersonal entities that fear controversy

case dismissed

and a good wakeup call for mr feldman i would imagine, but beside the point

Mr. Arrington, you let this guy stay in your house, knowing he has this kind of history? Wow.

Choose who you hang out with carefully. You are no longer in a college dorm.

Yo Feldman, bring that act to my ‘hood.. I dare ya.

@Tom (#59)
I don’t care whether Loren’s video is racist or not. There are lot’s of places on the Internets where he can still publish it — no need for Verizon (or TechCrunch for that matter). There are sites for American Nazis and for Muslim extremists, so Loren can have (and already has) his place. There are even places for child molesters, so why doesn’t he target his next “comedy” at that pristine audience.

The question is whether I can be bothered by looking at this ugly fuck when I get up in the morning to read TechCrunch. Being gay, I insist that any male breasts I see during breakfast must be shaved and muscled.

(And that’s the kind of decision Verizon had to make as well).

Good riddance, Feldman is a waste of everyone’s time.

Whether Feldman’s level of racism rises above the levels found in most of us is difficult to say. However, from his body of work on the web it does seem as if he is quick to negatively judge others. What might make this slightly acceptable to some people is that he does it humorously. One thing is for sure: If one is quick to deride others it usually invites derision quickly back to him.

@#71/72
I’ve seen enough (English) spelling errors from Loic.
He does seem to spell well in French, though.

@51: Not all Jewish people are racist. Only some are… those that are supremacists and believe they are ‘the chosen ones’ and all that other BS. They manly subscribe to Talmudic teachings.

As for Loren, heh… karma… dude… ain’t life a biatch?!

Loren Feldman is a no talent hack. What the hell was Verizon thinking when they considered playing his videos anyway? They were NEVER funny.

Wonder how these pro-Loren comments would change if the video was called any of the following:

TechKike
TechChink
TechSlope
TechSpic
TechJap
TechCracka
TechWASP
TechLez
TechFag
Tech______ (insert derogatory slang)

Loren is not funny and never was. He thinks he’s raspy, 3 packs a day voice and dice clay wannabe humor is enough to amuse the masses? Only reason anyone follows him is to find find out why the hell arrington or any other big boys do.

What goes around, comes around. That’s all I’m saying.

I know this is completely off topic, but does Loren Feldman remind anyone else of Watto?

Check it out: http://www.menschions.com/

Loic I’m disappointed. you’re France’s most prominent web guy so don’t give me that “most jews are indeed racists” thing.

back to the subject matter, this approach to fight racism simply doesn’t work. now that video got much increased coverage, and people who are pro or against it take a stand, which just increases tension.
if we lived in a truly open-minded and diverse world, people would just find that video “not funny” instead of “insulting”.

Ok, here’s the thing. Humor can be used to break through taboos, to allow people to laugh at themselves and not take themselves so seriously. It can be liberating. Humor can also be used to poke fun at other people, to strengthen the base feelings that there’s something really really different about another group of people and though we’re all too mature to get worked up over it, we can definately have a good laugh about it. It can be divisive.

So is it up to the network to become an arbiter of good taste? It’s possible that the guy who made the commercial decision to cancel the deal with 1938Media is more rascist than Feldman. Commercial interests have made hypocrites out of people before. So, no that’s not the best way.

However I am equally wary of people like the writer of this article crying about the dictatorship of political correctness. It gives you an excuse to laugh at others without taking responsibility for the distance you might create between us. Do we always create this distance? No, but we have to take each case at face value and neither hide behind political correctness nor behind the joke itself.

I saw this video for the first time tonight, and I am saddened that some A-List bloggers like Mathew Ingram is defending him.

Even sadder to me is that Mr. Feldman’s apology does not sound sincere at all — “I know parts of the video are over the line…” “Parts”?!!! This video is a “textbook” racist video. 5 seconds into it, I was cringing, and I am not even African-American.

I hope that we can now see 1938 Media now left uncovered by TechCrunch. That video was offensive and destructive a year ago, and it is even more today.

Michael, by continuing to report, support and give attention to this sort of content, you feed the beast. Please stop, and make that decision as quickly and firmly as Verizon did. Thanks.

…rumors that ‘Verizon funded this’ lol - it’s a dude in front of a web cam.
This ain’t no ‘production’. Funded it with what, $50?

No mainstream company will work, or endorse, stereotypical ‘comedy’ - much more so if it’s from a diff. race

loren is grossly over-valued

Quit giving this moron air time. Racist or not, he sure as hell ain’t funny.

well i think it was funny not racist…organizations keep reminding us of racism just imagine if they had not taken this issue out anyone would have noticed ?

Racism?? There seems to be no seriousness. This only seems like an issue to attract media glare

Sad to see this happen, people these days need to learn how to laugh again.

Sorry Loren, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. Perhaps this is a good thing for you. Now that your rep is officially burned with corporate sponsorships, you can go out and create stuff that is really edgy without that
bothersome weight of having to gain acceptance from “legit” business.

Context: I’m a white guy, and not someone who worries too much about being “PC.” But I found Feldman’s “Technigga” video to be both unfunny and offensive, and I applaud Verizon for doing the right thing.

How I see it:

1) The n-word is a “3rd rail” - and a 4th & 5th rail, too. Maybe a white comedian could find a way to use it acceptably, but they’d pretty much have to be a comic prodigy, plus have intimate familiarity with/respect for cultural context - problem is, George Carlin is dead. Feldman fails on both counts - miserably.

2) There’s a lot of debate about the n-word. But the Black community has cultural ownership of it now. Frankly & respectfully, I believe that the best option in that debate, for white people (and speaking as one), is to STFU, and let the Black community sort it out. I consider the STFU rule an excellent option - that’s my approach, and I’m sticking to it.

3) Above & beyond his egregious “Ho-tracker” shtick, Feldman displays a lack of knowledge and/or a contempt for Black culture by mixing in anachronistic slang like “lordy.” I mean, who’s said that since Hattie McDaniel? And if you don’t know who she is, maybe there’s more you need to learn. Seriously, it’s such clueless stereotyping that it’s almost as painful as if he performed the whole thing in blackface.

4) Feldman’s not a dumb guy. Best case is he thinks we’re in a position to afford a post-racial attitude towards this kind of nonsense - that it’s “edgy” humor, and you’re uptight if you don’t get it. As if the tech community might be progressive/hip enough to be somehow immunized. But it’s not, and Feldman is (best-case) completely tone-deaf.

Verizon probably did this as much out of corporate cowardice as anything else. But the result was the right one anyway.

I’ll take that.

The media is really enjoying any kind of race related issues now that barrack is in the picture. This is very silly, im black. Im gonna start a Blog!

You guys are underestimating Loren’s ability at self promotion.

Loren looked at his first weeks stats, realized that very few people are signed up for vcast, and those that are signed up are a mismatch for his audience (the Shel Israel puppet is just weird if you don’t understand about ego bloggers). He realized that he could get more out of this deal via controversy, so he arranged a protest.

And it worked, 1938 media got their first mainstream media hit.

Mike, why do you ask if it is or not? Dumb stereotype. If he lost business because of this, so be it for being so stupid. I think you’re just as dumb for this post.

My .02:

1. I didn’t find it all that humorous and it was too long.

2. He’d have more of a leg to stand on if he had produced other parody videos like “techcracker” or “techWASP”.

3. Let’s stop comparing this schmuck to Dave Chappelle please.

I don’t condone (nor did I like) the videos.

However. Verizon is a big company, they should have done their homework. Pulling out of a deal like this is bad. Really bad. And the content creator side of me says stay away from Verizon.

Loren is one unfunny schmuck.

But its hilarious to see the white guilt liberals crying crocodile tears (”who will defend the helpless minorities”?)

Here’s some more things for you to rally around.

NIGGA STOLE MY BIKE

NIGGA NIGGA NIGGA

RUN NIGGA RUN

THEY SPINNIN NIGGA THEY SPINNIN

CHICKEN WINGS OH LAWD

I LOVE ME SOME WAUTAHMELONS

Carry on.

Using or even just flirting with racial stereotypes as a comedic strategy can be perfectly acceptable and very funny when done well.

However, this video is just crass and quite frankly his delivery is a little pathetic. Racist humor is like a spastic dwarf - it’s not big and it’s not clever.