How far has WBT sunk?

[CharlotteListener]

Coakley calling Hillary Clinton a witch.
Winterble purposely using the racist pronunciation of Kamala Harris' first name every time.
Giving Pat McCrory and Mick Mulvaney any air time.

I guess when you have to cater to the lowest common denominator, this is what you get.

 

[Gregg.]

I wish I could say these are extreme examples. But they're not. How many national hosts continue to "question" the 2020 election? They're not allowed to come out and say it was a sham. But they come very close to it. Even though they know the votes in the close states were counted and recounted and recounted again.

They'll say everything imaginable that Biden is corrupt, that everything Democrats do is wrong, that everything Republicans do is right. While I would guess these hosts are truly conservative, I don't think they believe a lot of what they say. But this is the format they work in. This is how they earn their living. Their listeners WANT them to say these things.

Just as a Top 40 DJ is thrilled with everything Taylor Swift and Beyonce do, because it's their format, I guess we have to accept what Conservative Talk hosts do as their format.

 

[davideduardo]

Winterble purposely using the racist pronunciation of Kamala Harris' first name every time.
.

How can pronunciation be “racist”?

I hear “cam-uh-luh” and “kuh-mahl-luh” and ascribe the differences to the natural confusion of uncommon or “creative” names for which there is no standard pronunciation.

 

[Mark Roberts]

How can pronunciation be “racist”?

I hear “cam-uh-luh” and “kuh-mahl-luh” and ascribe the differences to the natural confusion of uncommon or “creative” names for which there is no standard pronunciation.

It's an Indian (South Asian) name.

The Surprising Meaning Of Kamala Harris' Name - The List

Kamala Harris' Indian heritage and the wishes of her mother, Shyamala, is what she can thank for her beautiful and unique name — Kamala Devi. Both she and her sister, Maya, were bestowed names that are drawn from Indian mythology. Here's what it means.

www.thelist.com

 

[CharlotteListener]

It's an Indian (South Asian) name.

The Surprising Meaning Of Kamala Harris' Name - The List

Kamala Harris' Indian heritage and the wishes of her mother, Shyamala, is what she can thank for her beautiful and unique name — Kamala Devi. Both she and her sister, Maya, were bestowed names that are drawn from Indian mythology. Here's what it means.

www.thelist.com

There is only one way to say it. She's said what it is, Winterble, being the Limbaugh protégé, goes with the racist version.

 

[davideduardo]

There is only one way to say it. She's said what it is, Winterble, being the Limbaugh protégé, goes with the racist version.

How can a pronunciation be "racist"?

 

[Cordelia Chase]

How can a pronunciation be "racist"?

It's not, of course! (Also, I fear this discussion could lead to the thread having to be closed down.)

I, and others, have innocently mispronounced the names of Irish actor Cillian Murphy and Irish actress Saoirse Ronan without repercussion.

On the other hand, performer Ncuti Gatwa was recently introduced as the newest Time Lord in the BBC television series "Doctor Who." Gatwa is Rwandan and non-binary. Mispronounce Gatwa's name, you will be cancelled, and your tongue will likely be cut out.

 

[PTBoardOp93]

How can pronunciation be “racist”?

Not exactly difficult. My grandfather had an employee on his farm named "Jose", whom he called "Joe-see", never accepting that there might be other ways to pronounce those letters.

 

[101tm]

I’m not a fan of the programming on WBT, but the numbers don’t lie. They’re going much better than even a year-2 years ago, I highly doubt Urban/Radio One are wringing their hands on what to do with 1110.

 

[davideduardo]

Not exactly difficult. My grandfather had an employee on his farm named "Jose", whom he called "Joe-see", never accepting that there might be other ways to pronounce those letters.

And how is anglicizing a name "racist". Ignorant, yes. Lack of culture, yes. But hardly racist.

When I started working in Latin America as a teen, there were names and words I'd mispronounce. At my first internship in Mexico, I'd have lots of trouble with words and names that had "Aztec" origins. I'd try to say them and there was always someone who would smile and tell me how to say a word and get me to practice until I got it right.

The United States is more and more multicultural, and we have the highest percentage of foreign born residents ever. Folks are from Asia, the former Soviet Union nations, Africa, Latin America and the Pacific Islands. There is no way we can get every name right, but trying should be encouraged, not criticized.

 

[tablin]

CharlotteListener is saying the host does this purposely. To me that makes the difference, doing it by mistake like a mispronounce without malice is different IMO.

 

[CharlotteListener]

And how is anglicizing a name "racist". Ignorant, yes. Lack of culture, yes. But hardly racist.

When I started working in Latin America as a teen, there were names and words I'd mispronounce. At my first internship in Mexico, I'd have lots of trouble with words and names that had "Aztec" origins. I'd try to say them and there was always someone who would smile and tell me how to say a word and get me to practice until I got it right.

The United States is more and more multicultural, and we have the highest percentage of foreign born residents ever. Folks are from Asia, the former Soviet Union nations, Africa, Latin America and the Pacific Islands. There is no way we can get every name right, but trying should be encouraged, not criticized.

But he doesn’t try after years of her saying how to pronounce it. He purposely goes with the wrong version. Every single time. The same way - every single time. He makes no effort to say it correctly because he doesn’t want to.
Not sure why you’re trying to defend him here. Limbaugh, the racist that Wimterble worked for and idolized did the same exact thing every single time he’d talk about her.

 

[CharlotteListener]

It's not, of course! (Also, I fear this discussion could lead to the thread having to be closed down.)

I, and others, have innocently mispronounced the names of Irish actor Cillian Murphy and Irish actress Saoirse Ronan without repercussion.

On the other hand, performer Ncuti Gatwa was recently introduced as the newest Time Lord in the BBC television series "Doctor Who." Gatwa is Rwandan and non-binary. Mispronounce Gatwa's name, you will be cancelled, and your tongue will likely be cut out.

This is all well and good, but this is the Republican MAGA worshippers intentionally mispronouncing the name of the female, African-American/Asian Vice President of the United State’s name wrong because they can’t handle having a female African-American Asian in that position.
Oh, and they’re racist. If they were innocently making mistakes, why do they only have one way of saying it?

This isn’t some meaningless actor or actress that no one cares if you get the name wrong.

 

[PTBoardOp93]

And how is anglicizing a name "racist". Ignorant, yes. Lack of culture, yes. But hardly racist.

When I started working in Latin America as a teen, there were names and words I'd mispronounce. At my first internship in Mexico, I'd have lots of trouble with words and names that had "Aztec" origins. I'd try to say them and there was always someone who would smile and tell me how to say a word and get me to practice until I got it right.

Yes. That's the line between "ignorant" and "racist". You tried to get it right. It becomes racist when you try to embarrass a person for having an unusual name, or (more commonly in a broadcast setting) emphasize their "foreign" qualities in public.

There is no way we can get every name right, but trying should be encouraged, not criticized.

Yes, absolutely.

Keeping in mind that for someone of Mrs. Harris's title, it is acceptable to refer to them by that title. "Vice President Harris" would be fine for someone wishing to address her respectfully, in the event they have trouble saying "Kamala"

But when you're referring to talk radio, they rarely wish to address anyone respectfully. Limbaugh turned me off the thousandth time he referred to Pres. Obama as "Barack HUSSEIN Obama" (emphasis his). Or occasionally "Barack Hussein Odumbo".

So yes, I have a great deal of trouble accepting a hand waving that someone is mispronouncing the vice president's name out of ignorance.

 

[Cordelia Chase]

This isn’t some meaningless actor or actress that no one cares if you get the name wrong.

I used the aforementioned names to exemplify difficult pronunciations. I chose actors because they are more likely to be known to the masses which makes it easier to illustrate my claim. They may be meaningless to you, but I wasn't trying to start a fan club.

While I respect Vice President Harris and want her to do well, I suspect the etymology of her beautiful and unique name is equally as "meaningless" to her detractors.

Just like Gregg said in the second post in this thread, these conservative talk show hosts are giving their audience what they want.

 

[vchimpanzee]

There is only one way to say it. She's said what it is, Winterble, being the Limbaugh protégé, goes with the racist version.

I was listening one day when Rush appreciated a listener giving him the idea to nickname her "Commie".

 

[bigdonho]

We have seen/heard/read examples of how Hanity and Carlson knew the dreck they were spouting was total BS but it was what the rubes in their audience were buying. You can't be stupid and rise to the level of the WBT folks. So, are they guilty of the same deception and just spouting whatever lies they think will keep ratings?

 

[davideduardo]

This is all well and good, but this is the Republican MAGA worshippers intentionally mispronouncing the name of the female, African-American/Asian Vice President of the United State’s name wrong because they can’t handle having a female African-American Asian in that position.

My point is that I can't find any negative connotation in a varied pronunciation of a name. And for something to be biased, there has to be a negative lean in whatever is being done or said.

Oh, and they’re racist. If they were innocently making mistakes, why do they only have one way of saying it?

How does the pronunciation of a given name have any potential for bias or prejudice?

This is sort of like those threads we see every so often where weather-casters are slammed for saying "Tempature" instead of "temperature".

This isn’t some meaningless actor or actress that no one cares if you get the name wrong.

As someone who has endured 53 years of hearing Puerto Rico called "Portorico" I think this is nothingburger.

 

[davideduardo]

But he doesn’t try after years of her saying how to pronounce it. He purposely goes with the wrong version. Every single time. The same way - every single time. He makes no effort to say it correctly because he doesn’t want to.

She's been on the national agenda for about 4 years now. And I'm a long-time follower of news, having gotten my first subscription to Time when I was about 10 or 11. And if you ask me how to pronounce "Kamala" today, I would not be even $1 that I would get it right on the first try.

It's just a confusing name. Just like Beyoncé-with-an-accent-on-the-last-syllable is apparently spoken with an accent on the second one, in total defiance of the accent and its meaning in every Roman alphabet language.

Not sure why you’re trying to defend him here. Limbaugh, the racist that Wimterble worked for and idolized did the same exact thing every single time he’d talk about her.

What I am saying is that using a pronunciation that has no negative meaning of itself is not racist. Jut a bit ignorant, but in this case I'll bet that half the general population can not tell us which one is right. I sure can't.

 

[CTListener]

How can a pronunciation be "racist"?

"Kamala" (pronounced "Kah-MAH-la") was the ring name of professional wrestler James Harris in the '80s, He was supposed to be portraying a Ugandan savage, though he was from Mississippi and had previously wrestled as Sugar Bear Harris. He painted his body, brought a spear to the ring, drummed on his belly when he had an opponent at his mercy, played the wildman gimmick to the hilt. He even had a "handler" named "Friday," after the servant in Robinson Crusoe. This was during the first huge wrestling boom since the early days of television and many millions of viewers saw him "battle" Hulk Hogan and others.

The point being that using the faux African wrestler's pronunciation of Kamala is an easy way for right-wing commentators to belittle the vice president, who pronounces her given name "KAM-a-la."