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John Mayer 'Loves Black Women,' Offends Everyone

By Brooke Tarnoff Posted Feb 10th 2010 07:44PM

Right about now, John Mayer is surely wishing he'd used his mouth for a little more singing and a little less candid chatter. Mayer has taken heat today for some crude remarks made in a new Playboy interview. Among other overshares, the singer told the magazine that ex-girlfriend Jessica Simpson was his "sexual napalm."

"That girl is like crack cocaine to me," Mayer said.

But if you think it's in poor taste to discuss the particulars of his sex life with Simpson, buckle up -- it gets worse. A casual inclusion of the 'N' word has launched a flurry of Twitter-apologies, but here at PopEater, we think the racial slur was just the tip of the inappropriate iceberg. After the jump, we look at what Mayer said and why his apology falls short.

The singer boasted, "I come on very strong. I am a very... I'm just very. V-E-R-Y. And if you can't handle very, then I'm a douche bag. But I think the world needs a little very. That's why black people love me."

Asked to clarify his definition of "very," Mayer made the unfortunate word choice: "Someone asked me the other day, 'What does it feel like now to have a hood pass?' And by the way, it's sort of a contradiction in terms, because if you really had a hood pass, you could call it a n**** pass. Why are you pulling a punch and calling it a hood pass if you really have a hood pass? But I said, 'I can't really have a hood pass' I've never walked into a restaurant, asked for a table and been told, 'We're full.'"

Mayer used his Twitter page to offer a series of apologies, writing: "Re: using the 'N word' in an interview: I am sorry that I used the word. And it's such a shame that I did because the point I was trying to make was in the exact opposite spirit of the word itself. It was arrogant of me to think I could intellectualize using it, because I realize that there's no intellectualizing a word that is so emotionally charged."

He continued, "And while I'm using today for looking at myself under harsh light, I think it's time to stop trying to be so raw in interviews. It started as an attempt to not let the waves of criticism get to me, but it's gotten out of hand and I've created somewhat of a monster. I wanted to be a blues guitar player. And a singer. And a songwriter. Not a shock jock. I don't have the stomach for it."

Mayer concluded, "Because I don't want anyone to think I'm equivocating: I should have never said the word and I will never say it again."

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We're not certain we buy the excuse that Mayer has been too relaxed in interviews -- we've had any number of casual conversations without throwing around racial epithets -- but we appreciate Mayer's attempt at sincerity. What we don't appreciate is his failure to address any of his other, equally offensive words.

Mayer told Playboy that he has not been open to the sexual advances of the black women who so adore him: "My d*** is sort of like a white supremacist. I've got a Benetton heart and a f*****' David Duke c***. I'm going to start dating separately from my d***."

It's not, he insisted, that black women aren't attractive -- especially if they act white.

"Every white dude loved Hilary from 'The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.' Kerry Washington. She's superhot, and she's also white-girl crazy," he said. "Kerry Washington would break your heart like a white girl. Just all of a sudden she'd be like, 'Yeah, I sucked his d***. Whatever.' And you'd be like, 'What? We weren't talking about that.'"

"Edgy" is Mayer's bread and butter in interviews. Just last week, the singer was quoted by the New York Post as saying, "When I get married that's gonna be my vows, 'Do you, John Mayer, take this woman to have and to hold, to wear her ass like headgear?' Yes, I do -- you're the one whose ass I wanna wear like a hat for the rest of my life."

In an interview with Rolling Stone in January, Mayer introduced his views on the kind of woman he'd settle down with. "You need to have them be able to go toe-to-toe with you intellectually. But don't they also have to have a vagina you could pitch a tent on and just camp out on for, like, a weekend? The Joshua Tree of vaginas? ... I'll be happy when I close out this life-partner thing. Think of how much mental capacity I'm using to meet the right person so I can stop giving a f--- about it."

After musing on whether the Rolling Stone piece might have gone too far, Mayer tweeted, "I say 'f--- it.' You can't go wrong if you tell the truth."

So was the Playboy interview an ambitious attempt-gone-awry by the man who dubbed himself "the new generation of masturbator" to break his own record of irreverence? Or did Mayer, at his most "raw," betray something uglier than we could have suspected in all of his previous "shock jock" interviews?

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Thursday 11 February

By RUSERIOUS

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Then he had the nerve to bring KErry Washington in it. I pray he crosses paths with her and that she don't "act white" people like him bring the "hood" out of ya sometimes.

Thursday 11 February

By Jean

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John Mayer is a idiot! He's a racist-sexist-idiot! I can't stand him and his music makes my stomach turn. He's useless. Move on.........

Thursday 11 February

By v. scott

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I definitely don't think Mayer is a racist; however, he is one of the most ignorant White boy I've heard in a while. Yes, I'm Black, not offended.

Thursday 11 February

By bestbunny10

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Mayer is in love with his own intellectualism. he thinks he is a genius...unfortunately, his mouth just doesn't quit. Jennifer anniston is much better off without this ego maniac, I love his music but his ego is really going to get in his way.

Thursday 11 February

By Imani

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JM reminds me of the socially retarded guy in HS who had few friends, mainly the intellects and band..not very popular friends to have as I recall... His talent finally got him noticed and instead of sticking to who he is, hes fallen victim to the Hollywood BS. He wants to be noticed, he's pathetically trying to make up for all the "in-crowd" sh*t he thinks he missed out on.He thinks acting like a pompous as*hole is cool bc hes surrounded by yes-men and tramps climbing all over his dic*! Hes so insecure he really thinks the douche-bag image is cool.What he is, is trying too hard!Silence is golden & JM needs to practice it more often!Everytime a nasty fan drops her panties when hes behaving his worse, he thinks its what we want so he continues to act out and say dumb sh*t. I used to like his music, now I just want him 2 go away.Hes squandering his talent by tainting his image.I cant separate the musician from the man. You can only be ONE person and if this is who he is, Im done being a fan of his music.Theres no excuse for such a racist, misogynistic bullshi* attitude.He and his David Duke co*k can kiss my pretty Malcolm X black as*!

Thursday 11 February

By Selina

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Black women pull real musical genises like Bob Dylan and David Bowie, and real sex symbols like Brad Pitt and George Clooney. Who cares about John Mayer? He won't even be around in 10 years. He's an average musician at best with a loud, stupid mouth. He was never cute to me at all. I always thought he was goofy looking. I know that he might like Kerry Washington because she acts "white" whatever that means. But I don't think that Kerry would give him the time of day. She dates a better quality of white guy than him. Real intellectuals and men of distinction. He equates acting "white" with sucking a man's penis very easily. White women should be insulted because he's basically saying "whorish" behavior is acting white.

Thursday 11 February

By MGordon514

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If Mayer ain't putting us on, he's f**kin' clinical.

Thursday 11 February

By Ray

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Still remember way back when President Carter got into hot water over a Play Boy interview.... It happens to the best of them.

Thursday 11 February

By Diane

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He just keeps digging his grave deeper and deeper

Thursday 11 February

By ProudBlackWoman

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John,
Has your hood pass been revoked yet?

Thursday 11 February

By B

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I think John uses his interviews for publicity stunts. Why else would he bring up such nonsense? Think about it.

Thursday 11 February

By sarge

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john You said your are intellectual, a person with intellect would have not to use that word. That is the most powerful word since people started using it. Here is a thought what if all the blacks and the N...... boycott your records where would you be. Here is another thought, maybe you and Kanye can get together and take som ethics classes.

Thursday 11 February

By Mona

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John Mayer is a turd. Im glad he's finally getting some sort of backlash for his crap.

Thursday 11 February

By Adrian Holly

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Hmmm, maybe Simpson was like crack to him because she kinda looks like a man and he's a closet homo trying way too hard to prove he's straight. He couldn't handle a black woman, prolly got rejected or intimidated by one too many LOL!

Thursday 11 February

By spaceetiny

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U definately are a douche bag, as u described yourself.. plus u ain't even cute!!! u make me want to puke! hope u have a vasectomy!!! loser

Thursday 11 February

By dvdfrnzwbr

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Don't blame John, blame the writer. Besides the real issue with John mayer is that he has no talent.

Thursday 11 February

By Gaynelle Harris

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I think this young man definitely needs to listen to himself on tape to see why his record sales may be going down,preety fast I might add! did he even stop to think that there are alot of men dating and married to black women who listen to his songs!!! and poor jessica just picked the wrong guy to date.I will be praying for john that his heart changes in the future.

Thursday 11 February

By accordmee

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Dear Prince, I hope you never run into one of those worthless black like me. By the way i hope your mother does'nt know how stupid you turned out to be. What a waste of flesh.

Thursday 11 February

By Diana

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John is a total idiot, and a pig. I hope he is treated accordingly where ever he may go. And people,, stop paying to hear this fool.

Thursday 11 February

By Jo

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Wow- I am a HUGE JM fan and as a Black female I am more hurt than offended. I don't think his is raciest- it was just all so backward and insensitive...this Black person doesn't "love him so much" anymore. What pig his for what he said about JS. Don't take your fans for granted "Napalm John".

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