Last Thursday, Doug Gottlieb made quite the fool of himself as he delivered an ill-timed, awkwardly-delivered joke on the set of CBS Sports’ NCAA tournament coverage. Perched in the middle of esteemed sportscaster Greg Gumbel and former NBA players Greg Anthony, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley, Gottlieb made a grand entrance onto the telecast.
“Cream rising to the crop, I don’t know why you guys are asking me. I’m just here to bring diversity to the set,” Gottlieb stated. “Kind of bring the white man’s perspective.”
To make matters worse, Gottlieb was a little too hey bro-ish with his hand and arm motions for my taste. He seemed as if he was trying to prove he was “down for the cause” instead of just talking basketball.
Of course, the Internet went crazy. Some deemed Gottlieb a racist. Others called those upset with the comments too sensitive. We endure this back-and-forth nearly every time a sports or news personality acknowledges the race of someone else.
While there’s no quick answer to the question asking when race will become irrelevant in discussion, we’re clearly not there just yet. However, I offer a simple acknowledgement that will make life easier for everyone. There’s a double standard in sports life. Deal with it.
Let’s not act, even for an instant, that when Gottlieb stepped onto the stage with Gumbel, Anthony, Smith and Barkley that he didn’t feel uncomfortable as the only white guy on the set. Gottlieb should have felt honored to share screen time with one of the best sportscasters in the biz, a Hall of Fame player and two other former pros that have made the difficult transition from on the court to on-camera seemingly seamless. Instead he felt uncomfortable.
There’s no doubt Gottlieb has been exposed to our country’s culture portraying black men as dangerous. Some of that is self-inflicted, as part of the black entertainment culture embraces that dangerous image. Other images are systematic in how the mainstream media treats people of color involved in scandals or criminal charges in comparison with whites.
I’m also certain the show’s black hosts have been in a position where they felt the “white man” was out to take away their freedom or power at some point. Whether it’s an unnecessary stop by police, overenthusiastic disdain from the right for President Obama or that elevator purse clutch that 99 percent of black men have witnessed, it’s clear we are seen as threats by some.
The clumsy and uncomfortable way Gottlieb delivered his now infamous remarks and the consensus “oh, no he didn’t” look from the cast merely highlighted the division on national TV. If anybody’s social radar was on vacation, Smith’s follow up comment shined a beacon on the tension: “Oh, I’m free, might I add.”
On CNN, pundits debated whether it would have even been a story had the shoe been on the other foot. Honestly, if Barkley had made a similar comment sitting in between Bob Costas, Craig Sager, Jeff Van Gundy and Larry Bird, nobody would have cared. Everybody on set would have chuckled and laughed at silly ol’ Charles.
But Barkley is a comedian of sorts, and yet still a guy who has no problems saying whatever is on his mind and chucking you through a glass window if you have something to say about it. So while it wouldn’t have been a story on the nine o’clock news, the laughter on set would have still had an uncomfortable tinge – because it’s true.
Gottlieb later apologized for the comment and called it a bad joke. “It was not a smart thing to say,” he admitted.
In the end, he was probably right. Someone in the control tower likely thought to themselves, “Hey, we need to get a white guy in there.” Gottlieb was their man.
Although I’ve never met him, I don’t think for an instant that he is racist. I’m not calling for his resignation, referring him to the nearest KKK office, picketing CBS or anything of the likes. Gottlieb was for an instant: uncomfortable, honest and idiotic all wrapped in one.
Until we completely resolve race issues in American, sometimes you just have to keep your mouth shut. Gottlieb didn’t quite get it and learned the hard way. Leave the jokes to the comedians, Sir Charles included.
Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @IshmaelSistrunk and Google+.
