Roger Ebert Gets Fired Up Over 'Huck Finn' Censorship, Then Apologizes

By Jett Wells Posted Jan 6th 2011 03:31PM

Almost 101 years after Mark Twain died, one of his most famous works is causing controversy once again, only this time on Twitter. After news broke Tuesday that publisher NewSouth will release a new edition of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' with all 219 N-words excluded, movie critic Roger Ebert reacted with a controversial tweet. He quickly apologized after receiving harsh criticism.

Ebert responded to the 'Huck Finn' announcement on Wednesday by tweeting to his 300,000-plus followers, "I'd rather be called a N***** than a Slave."

The tweet set off a storm of heated feedback toward the influential critic, describing him as "disrespectful" and "ignorant."

"Fair point, from some1 who's likely to be called neither," @urbanbohemian said.

Others accused Ebert of believing he's allowed to take liberties with the word because his wife, Charlie "Chaz" Hammel-Smith, is black.

"R U OUT OF UR freakin head? jus cos ya wife is black dont give u the right to throw tht word around like its nothing. A*******" @iamichelle said.

Ebert retracted his statement Thursday by conceding that, as people like @urbanbohemian pointed out, he would never be called either word.

"You know, this is very true. I'll never be called a N***** *or* a Slave, so I should have shut the **** up," Ebert tweeted.

The new edition, 'Mark Twain's Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn: The NewSouth Edition,' is set for release in February.

Did Roger Ebert cross the line?

Tags: Mark Twain, Roger Ebert, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Comments

(573)

Thursday 06 January

By cashmanh8surkel

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

annie is scared of the truth.

By lita

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Oops, cashman8, your ignorance is showing. Thanks for telling us what all black people are thinking and feeling.

Lita - I don't know or care about what they think and feel. I go by what they do. So until more is done to change behavior and therefore results, save your insults.

By johnson

White people are funny! They spend all their time studying early American history and english literature to justify their status! Then 50 percent of them flunk high school!

By SOCLEVER

Horrible generalization.

Friday 07 January

By UndooPressure

Vote down Vote up Report this

Astute observation!

By jivejerky

say it like Dr. Laura: it's BUH-LACK

By Alyssa

@ Lita. They are just ignorant/idiots in that way. They think all people from think and act the same.

By billyboy

I suppose all the black ppl. you have ever met are funny? Gee. You must know all about black ppl.

By Juliann

What happens in a few years when they decide "slave" is a bad word.

By Chase

Very well said! Next they'll want all books published after 1970 edited or burned. They (you know who I mean) are totally wanting to rewrite history and great books because of a few accepted words at that time! Political Correctness makes me sick!!

By Chuck

How can we not notice what thjey do they have the loudest mouths on the street. I worked corrections for 28 years and I heard it all about how the white man is out to get them how more blacks are getting busted than whites. I agree that is true (the part about more blacks are getting busted) I had a young black male sit down next to me one night and told him to act like he was me and just watch, after about an hour I asked him if he saw what that WHITE BOY just did and of course he did not be cause he was watching a group od blacks, I ask hin why he said because they was makinh so much noise, I just agreed with him and told him now you klnow why blacks get busted more than whites. Oh by the way my people are true American Indians

By carrie

Right on DUDE ...but,poor Annie , she gave herself away!!!!

By PaulaLa

YEP........

By anna

sorry to tell you this johnson, but more blacks drop out of high school then whites. sad to say but cashman8 had a point

By flippy

Cashman
I have seldom read such a perfect, yet cocise, absolute truism. They are stoking an incredible fire of anger amongst a whole bunch of fed up people, with their inane demands and "get-even" behavior.

By Johnny

Are you stupid or just a bigot or both??????????

Monday 31 January

By thought

I dont think it's that some people support stereotypes about themselves (which we all do btw) it's the fact that people of certain integumentary tone say dicriminating words and rage at others for using it. Why some people are so unbelievably backwards is beyond me. But censorship is wrong regardless of the word in use.

By joegreen720

I am black, and unfortunately I agree with cashmanh8surkel. It is sad but it is true. Black people now glorify every stereotype that we have been called over the years yet we get mad at non-blacks when they feed into it. I love black people but lately they have really gotten on my nerves! I say that not as a bigot or a racist (just a reminder, I am black) but someone that speaks the truth!

By Bob

No one could say it better . . . Thank you!!!!

Page 2 of 29