"I'd Rather We Got Casinos and Other Black Thoughts" by Larry Wilmore Hyperion 224 pages $23.99
Wilmore is the Daily Show's Senior Black Correspondent and has also been a TV producer, actor, comedian and writer. I'm surprised he didn't include "Brotha can't keep a job" given his tone throughout.
He's on a crusade to have the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NACCP) change "Colored" to "Chocolate" saying who doesn't like chocolate? He posits that renaming a product often works out well. No one would go see a cowboy movie staring Marion Morrison, but John Wayne pulled 'em in big time. Of note, Ving Rahmes' real name is Irving and Wilmore writes "no brother should really ever be called Irving." Since Irving is a classic Jewish name, I found that racist!
He believes in the "Shetland Negro" -- smaller black stars such as Gary Coleman -- who never get taller and bigger and thus are unthreatening to whites.
He wants to run as a black -- sorry, chocolate - leader and wonders why they appoint themselves that and are not elected.
A guest on his radio show explains "nizames" which are not your real name nor your nickname, but a name that expresses your character. Example given: Puff Daddy was a nickname for Sean "Puffy" Combs. P.Diddy is his nizame.
Once I got over my shock at some of the stuff in the book (proud resident of PC So. Calif. for the past 46 years) I enjoyed his humor, but my jury's still out on exactly how racist he is or meant to be.
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