N-I-G-G-E-R

July 4, 2004 11:15 AM

Cable channel Trio drops the N-bomb An original documentary, premiering tonight, takes a close look at a troublesome word.
posted by LinusMines (20 comments total)

X-bomb is the new "X is the new Y"
posted by srboisvert at 11:22 AM on July 4, 2004

BBC Radio did a similar documentary a while ago... (guess where Trio got the idea for their doc?)

check it out here
posted by sunexplodes at 11:39 AM on July 4, 2004

I can only salute the Washington Times for having the balls to allow something like this to appear under its banner. It's important to discuss the usage of terms such as this.
posted by wackybrit at 11:43 AM on July 4, 2004

They've also been showing episodes of Johnny Staccatto, Cop Rock, and Pink Lady and Jeff.

It is my new favorite channel.
posted by destro at 12:01 PM on July 4, 2004

Just read about this in the nytimes.
posted by josephtate at 12:10 PM on July 4, 2004

wait, so the n-word is worse than the c-word?
posted by pxe2000 at 12:24 PM on July 4, 2004

Just read the book. It's a very interesting read.
posted by kurtosis at 12:57 PM on July 4, 2004

Oh, for fuck's sake. Just use the word. Nigger. Nigger, nigger, nigger.
posted by Mo Nickels at 4:46 PM on July 4, 2004

Interesting that the author thinks "nigger" derives from "niger". I've always thought "nigger" was a slang mispronounciation of "negro".
posted by aeschenkarnos at 5:55 PM on July 4, 2004

wait, so the n-word is worse than the c-word?

Oh no. "Colored" is not nearly as bad as "nigger."

That *is* what you meant, isn't it? :)

Oh, for fuck's sake. Just use the word. Nigger. Nigger, nigger, nigger.

I've heard that the reason (some) blacks have made such use of the word 'nigger' is to destroy the power the word has. The idea is to use it such a way that it becomes benign.

Yet I've yet to see any indication that anybody without black skin can use the word without all this, "He used the N-bomb!" uproar.


I don't get Trio, so I'll rely on Mefites for insight.
posted by Ayn Marx at 7:00 PM on July 4, 2004

There's also "nigra."

More discussion here.
posted by kirkaracha at 12:03 AM on July 5, 2004

Negro is spanish for 'black', while apperantly 'niger' is latin for black. Anyway.

Night mah niggas.
posted by delmoi at 1:17 AM on July 5, 2004

A friend did a wonderful routine when the n-word would pop up. He'd open his eyes all wide, as if very scared, look left and right, then say "Niggahs! Where is they?" Of course he was black. At traffic lights, if the person in the car next to him was white, he would look at them then pointedly lock his car door.

Fast forward into the 21st century: The word to me today sounds mainly silly. Racism is just SO last millennium.
posted by Goofyy at 6:04 AM on July 5, 2004

Ahhh, America, where one can call a spade a spade. Ya gotta love it!
posted by LowDog at 6:08 AM on July 5, 2004

They'll most likely end up bleeping it out.

I *HATE* trio.

a year or so ago they ran "history of sex" during what they called "Trio Uncensored". Everything was bleeped out and any nudity, etc. was blurred.. They also showed movies during the same time and bleeped and blurred those as well.

not sure if they have gotten any better, but the only thing I will watch on trio now is their music presentations.
posted by PugAchev at 7:26 AM on July 5, 2004

Is the word "nigger" liberating (as Richard Pryor once thought) or depressing (as he subsequently thought)? Or is the word only depressing when uttered in what one black comic calls "mixed company"?
_________________

or, as Bill Hicks said,

This guy, Officer Coon--is life too f---in' weird or what?--Officer Coon looks in the camera and actually says:
"'Oh, that Rodney King beating tape...it's all in how you look at it.'
"Courtroom murmurs: 'Jesus, what balls! I've never seen balls of this magnitude! You must have a specially fitted uniform...in which to place these large testicles. That's incredible. All in how you look at it, Officer...Coon. *ahem*'
"'That's right. It's how you LOOK at the tape.'
"'Well, would you care to tell the court...how you're lookin' at that?'
"'Yeah, okay, sure. It's how you look at it...the tape. For instance, well, if you play it backwards, you see us help King up and send him on his way!''

posted by matteo at 7:49 AM on July 5, 2004

My grandma called them 'blackards'.

She's dead now.
posted by dhoyt at 8:06 AM on July 5, 2004

i love trio, but if it says it to my face out in the street, it better watch out.

same goes for all y'all.
posted by tsarfan at 10:40 AM on July 5, 2004

Gloria Naylor has a great short essay on the word.
posted by josephtate at 2:01 PM on July 5, 2004

I just watched last night's showing of this on my TiVo. It was alright, goes into the history of the word, use in the civil rights times and the popularization in the late 80s.

Trio does bleep a lot of stuff in rap samples and comedy bits, which is annoying and at one point you totally miss one point because it is completely bleeped out. I guess I've gotten too used to watching IFC, which bleeps nothing and treats you like an adult.
posted by mathowie at 2:38 PM on July 5, 2004