Wanted to bring this up on the radio show with Ralph last night, but we didn't have time. The blog 100% Injury Rate (hat tip to AOL Sports as well) has the video of Arthur Blank in the MNF booth, talking about a possible Michael Vick return:
When Blank uttered the "fried chicken" line, my buddies and I exchanged an "oh sh*t" look and immediately burst into laughter. Why laughter? Because we're certain that somebody's going to have a HUGE problem with Blank's statement--innocent and innocuous as it sounded--and launch a full scale "how dare he?!" commentary against the man. It's only a matter of time.
The funny thing is that, for reasons I don't understand, the whole "fried chicken" thing is considered racist. I don't even know how it came to that. I mean, show me somebody (black or white) who doesn't like fried chicken. I don't see how you stereotype people by what they eat because, chances are, the food's really good and so many other people of different ethnic backgrounds enjoy it, too.
Then again...I immediately jumped to the conclusion that some African-Americans would take Blank's comments the wrong way, so I don't know what that says. Maybe we're all wound up too damn tight: that somebody WOULD take offense to something that sounded so random and innocent, and that I would automatically assume that somebody WOULD be offended.
I almost wish Arthur Blank would've just said "fatty foods" instead.
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