
Joan Rivers says she censored a joke out of her stand up routine in which she referred to First Lady Michelle Obama as "Blackie O" for fear of being labeled a racist.
Rivers revealed the controversial joke on Thursday morning's Howard Stern Show:
"I said she's got such style. We used to have Jackie O, now we have Blackie O."
Rivers said she didn't want to answer to cries of racism in today's volatile political environment, so she cut the joke.
"Isn't that what's wrong with this country?" Stern asked her of her self-censorship.
Rivers responded with a quick and emphatic "yes".
The 77-year-old comedian, who is best known for her insult comedy, said she thought the joke was "adorable" and a "compliment" to Michelle Obama because of her classic fashion sense.
Howard Stern Show co-host Robin Quivers who is African-American asked: "Where's the compliment in that?"
Stern confirmed that Joan Rivers comedic sensibilities were indeed as racist as she had feared and then one-upped her:
"Joan's working on a new joke about the Obamas. Something about boiling missionaries--in the Lincoln bedroom."
Posted By: Siebra Muhammad
Saturday, January 22nd 2011 at 2:21PM
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