Open Season on Foul Comedians

Anyone who has seen Eddie Griffin knows full well that his comedic set is filled with the N-word, MF's, the F-word and any other coarse material that he chooses to use.

But in the wake of the Don Imus debacle, an increasing number of African Americans are no longer giving black comedians, singers and even the everyday guy or gal a pass when it comes to the N-word.

Griffin found this out the hard way when he chose to do his normal act at the 14th annual Black Enterprise/Pepsi Golf & Tennis Challenge in Miami.

He was one of several acts performing at a benefit concert. But after performing for about 8-10 minutes, his microphone was literally cut off because of what was coming out of his mouth.

Prior to discussing the situation on Thursday on CNN, I talked with Earl "Butch" Graves Jr., CEO of Black Enterprise, about what transpired.

Graves said that Griffin, known for his raunchy stand-up, sent BE a DVD showcasing his clean show before he was hired to perform at the event. He said that BE put language in the contract stipulating that Griffin was to perform a clean show.

Shortly before taking the stage, Graves said BE officials, the sponsors of the evening, as well as Griffin's manager, reminded him to keep it clean. But when he took the stage, that all went out the window, Graves said.

Graves, the son of BE founder Earl Graves, said that Griffin went on stage and instead of using the N-word, used MF. That led to a torrent of MF's that Graves says was beyond comprehension.

He said Griffin then went on to talk about "killing white b——-s" and other language that was offensive.

It was at that point that BE officials cut off his microphone and proceeded to end his show.

Graves did acknowledge that BE was "culpable" for hiring Griffin, knowing full well that what transpired could take place since comedians are unpredictable.

But he made it clear that the kind of language Griffin used will not be tolerated by Black Enterprise because they believe in the upliftment of African Americans.

"We .

. . will not allow our culture to go backwards," Earl Graves Sr. reportedly said. "We will pay Mr. Griffin all that we owe him, but we will not allow him to finish the show if that's the way he's going to talk."

I fully understand the argument that censoring artists means you are ignoring the First Amendment. But there is a thing called time and place.

This was an event attended by a multi-racial audience of corporate execs, and Griffin should have known better. If he signed a contract that stated no foul language, he should have lived up to the agreement.

But the broader issue is that comedians, especially African American comedians, must be sensitive to the growing disapproval that people have with the use of the N-word. Comedians Damon Wayans, Jamie Foxx and others say they see nothing wrong with the word and it's a part of their routine, but if this will mean protests outside the doors, and fans walking out of the arena, they might want to clean up their acts.

Frankly, people have gotten tired of the double standard, but more importantly, the insult. There is nothing satisfying and comfortable about someone demeaning you with using the word. It is one used by bigots, and any effort to spin it any other way is nonsensical.

Eddie Griffin has been embarrassed by the incident, and he should step up, own up to what he did, apologize and move on. If it's his decision to continue his raunchy act in nightclubs, that's up to him. But if he and others catch some heat, they shouldn't be caught off guard.

They all have been warned.

Roland S. Martin is an award-winning CNN contributor and the author of "Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith." Please visit his website at www.rolandsmartin.com. To find out more about Roland S. Martin and read his past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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