Comedian Donnell Rawlings was the target of a racially charged attack last week in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Last Thursday (May 3) around 10 p.m. comedian Donnell Rawlings was targeted outside a Jersey City Club where he just performed. Rawlings, famed for his Ashy Larrycharacter on Comedy Central's "Chappelle Show," was leaving Club Jordan's with his girlfriend, when a Caucasian man in a SUV brandished a gun at him and began screaming racist remarks. The man fired three gunshots in the air before police subdued him, wrestling him to the ground and then arresting him.
Rawlings told *@#$@#, "This is the sort of incident that the authorities and the powers that be need to be concerned about. Rampant, overt and baseless hatred that lives and breathes on our streets daily. Jokes spoken in jest are not the root of evil in our society... it's ignorant, angry people that create chaos. I think that the saddest part is that if this had happened to someone random (read: with no media presence) this incident would go largely ignored...that is the scary part."
It has been a trying week for Rawlings, who was released from his contract as morning show co-host at Power 105.1 this Wednesday after a near two-week suspension.
While Power 105.1 representatives, "do not comment on personnel matters," Rawlings' suspension followed on the heels of a "controversial comment," made the same week as the Imus controversy. Since that controversy Power 105.1 has set an example by issuing a public statement promising more responsible programming.
Last Thursday (May 3) around 10 p.m. comedian Donnell Rawlings was targeted outside a Jersey City Club where he just performed. Rawlings, famed for his Ashy Larrycharacter on Comedy Central's "Chappelle Show," was leaving Club Jordan's with his girlfriend, when a Caucasian man in a SUV brandished a gun at him and began screaming racist remarks. The man fired three gunshots in the air before police subdued him, wrestling him to the ground and then arresting him.
Rawlings told *@#$@#, "This is the sort of incident that the authorities and the powers that be need to be concerned about. Rampant, overt and baseless hatred that lives and breathes on our streets daily. Jokes spoken in jest are not the root of evil in our society... it's ignorant, angry people that create chaos. I think that the saddest part is that if this had happened to someone random (read: with no media presence) this incident would go largely ignored...that is the scary part."
It has been a trying week for Rawlings, who was released from his contract as morning show co-host at Power 105.1 this Wednesday after a near two-week suspension.
While Power 105.1 representatives, "do not comment on personnel matters," Rawlings' suspension followed on the heels of a "controversial comment," made the same week as the Imus controversy. Since that controversy Power 105.1 has set an example by issuing a public statement promising more responsible programming.
