Yes, he did. And I’ve got it on tape.
The most visible Asian male news television talent in America, one third of the replacement parts for anchor Ted Koppel on “Nightline,” couldn’t help self-immolating at the Unity:Journalist of Color convention in Chicago Friday, July 25.
As the keynote speaker at the Asian American Journalists Association Gala Banquet, no one expected the super-serious, straight-laced Bashir to be any more than charming. His British accent does that. But he wanted to be more. He wanted to be Martin Bashir, strip club comedian.
I suppose it’s not enough to be master of “the get.” (Bashir is known for his one-on-ones with Lady Di and Michael Jackson).
But if you’re going to tell jokes, I suppose it helps if you tell jokes that people can “get.”
For example, Bashir commented on “difficulties the American media has had with the presumptive Democratic nominee for president.”
Said Bashir: “People have had problems with his name. So far we’ve had it described as Barack Osama. We’ve had Baby father Obama. We’ve had Barack Sadadam Hussein Obama….”
Not willing to quit while behind, Bashir said, “We should go a bit further…
I was wondering about a hip hop reference and connect him to the …Wu Tang Clan. And we can call him Old Dirty Bastard Barack.”
What is a mixture of polite laughter and shock? Whatever you call it, the room was filled with it.
But oblivious to it all, Bashir went on as if on TelePrompter with the coup de grace:
“Or why not the Great White Fear of the Dark Phallus…Big Black Barrack!”
Groan, shock, nervous titters.
But wait, Bashir was just getting warmed up!
“The great thing about this, it explains a mystery that I could never understand until this moment. And many people in Britain could never understand how America elected George Bush twice.
“This explains it. It’s his name. GEORGE BUSH.
“It’s easy for the anchors to say.
“George Bush.
“That’s why.
(Two to three SECONDS OF DEAD SILENCE)
“That fell somewhat flat, but I ‘ll go on..”
The room had its first moment of honest laughter as Bashir acknowledged his failure.
Looking back at the Unity convention, the Bashir speech had to be the strangest thing I experienced all week.
It was like watching someone like an Imus try to be cool by break-dancing and flashing gang signs to gain street cred. And at an Asian American Journalist banquet, yet.
It was just odd.
Hey, Martin, it really is enough to be “Mr.Get.” You’re on “Nightline.” You’re not Opie, Anthony, or Howard Stern. You’re stern, serious. Mr. News Guy Asian, the guy with the exclusives. It’s not a bad stereotype, stick with it.
At the hotel bar afterwards, some said the Bashir performance rivaled Connie Chung’s embarrassing after-dinner speech at the AAJA Unity banquet in Washington four years ago, where Ms.Chung admitted to having a bit much to drink and then carried on loosely. It’s getting to be a tradition. High flying Asian TV news stars risking all credibility committing oratorical hari kari at Unity!
More on the Unity convention in the days ahead.
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