The Re-Education of Jay Leno: A Mother’s Day Reminder to Respect Black Women (and all Women) – Between the Lines

In the context of comedy, we understand that comedy, like tragedy, has no limits. But as he found out a couple weeks ago, all Blacks aren’t like Kevin Eubanks – we don’t laugh at everything. So, here is where we begin the re-education of Jay Leno about black people, in general, and black women, in particular. With Mother’s Day on the way, we all have a need to reinforce the love that we have for our mothers, sisters and daughters. What better time to discuss respect for women, in the context of law number one – never disrespect – than on Mother’s Day. Not even jokingly.

So, he was really kinda lucky that time and space worked in his favor on this particular occasion. Jay Leno must always be conscious of whom he’s talking to, and cautious as to what he talks about, if he’s going to help disenfranchised people. Jay Leno must re-educate himself if he’s going to play the role of Good Samaritan. He must do it in total sincerity. Then his good works would be perceived as real. His careless mistake (and some women don’t think it was a mistake because it came out of his mouth too) at the Jenesse fundraiser gives the impression he was there just doing a friend a favor.

I don’t think so. Jay Leno should publicly apologize to Jenesse Executive Director, Karl Earl, Halle Berry, the Board and supporters of the Jenesse Center, in a newspaper and in their program at next year’s fundraiser. I suppose asking a comedian to take the word, bitch, out of their vocabulary, might be a little much (though it would be wise to do it), but might want to save that for your white audiences. White women tend to play with that word a little differently then black women. In conclusion, not even Jay Leno can be so unmindful of his surroundings that he consciously offends the masses. It’s like slapping a woman and maintaining that you still love her. That’s the way batterers and abusers show “their love.” In the end, the woman discovers it’s not really love at all. Just another level of abuse, whether the abuser is a drug dealer or a comedian.