Al Sharpton has released a public statement blasting TMZ.com over it’s use of the word “Roboho” in reference to a costume sported by Beyonce at the 2007 BET Awards two weeks ago:
Rev. Sharpton says:
“Calling any woman a “ho” is demeaning and abusive and it should not be tolerated on any level. It is intolerable to think that TMZ.com would find humor in calling Beyonce — someone who symbolizes the strength, dignity and uplifting of Black women — a “Roboho,” and they should be denounced by the entire community for glorifying the continued oppression of women with this derogatory term. Racism in America is perpetuated by ignorance and hate and using one’s airwaves or media entity to promote it is a blatant setback to civil rights and the advancement of equality.
National Action Network has been in the forefront of protesting the word “ho” and will hold a 20-city tour featuring 100 women in each market on August 7th to protest the use of the word “ho” as well as the “N” and “B” words. We encourage TMZ.com to retract their misogynistic labeling of Beyonce and apologize immediately.”
TMZ responds:
Thank you Rev. Sharpton. In response to your statement questioning TMZ’s use of the term “roboho,” first and foremost, please note that we called Beyonce’s performance outfit “roboho” not Ms. Knowles herself. There is a difference. One need not know a celebrity personally to have an opinion on their wardrobe. Joan Rivers created an entire industry based on this fact.
As to accusations that our comment was racially motivated, TMZ has humorously called into question many celebs for wearing racy outfits — regardless of their race. In the past, TMZ referred to Victoria Beckham, aka Posh Spice, as “poshtitute,” Hulk Hogan’s daughter a “working girl” and called Lindsay Lohan’s trashy ensemble a”HO-rror.” A tight mini-dress is a tight mini-dress! Even Kid Rock got a humorous “ho” reference in a December 2006 story, and last we checked, he was neither Black nor a woman.
The point of the BET Awards story was to humorously highlight the fashion missteps of celebrity attendees at the show. We were making light of their outfits — not who they are as people. With everything serious going on in our world, if you can’t make fun of something as superficial as awards show clothing, then what can you make fun of? TMZ has done similar fashion stories for the Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, CMTs, etc. If nothing else, the wardrobe critique of the BET Awards proved that TMZ is an equal opportunity offender when it comes to the snarky fashion policing of Hollywood.
We ask you should the word “ho” be banned? Or only in reference to Black women? Isn’t the context in which a word is used almost as important, if not more so, than the actual word? While others may have used the term with maliciousness — ours clearly was not. It was a humor piece — as all of our fashion roundup stories are.
TMZ appreciates your feedback, Rev. Sharpton, and the dialogue it has opened, but it is clear that the only thing more subjective than what is fashionable, is what one finds funny.
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1 response so far ↓
JohnInFlorida // Jul 11, 2007 at 1:07 pm
Face it, Sharpton is a washed up media ‘ho’. That’s not a racial slur, it’s a fact. Thanks in part to the hip-hop world, ho is a term that is now ingrained in the american (english) language. I have used it here to describe Sharpton, TMZ used it to describe Beyonce’s outfit, Imus used it to describe a few ugly basketball players, and our kids use it to describe each other. The fact that the term is now mainstream simply means that hip-hop artists have successfully made it so. Congratulations. Now get over it.
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