Controversial Rihanna
Some people just can’t help being embroiled in controversy and as we’ve seen recently, not through any fault of their own. Rihanna has been the subject of a racist jibe that was not intended to be racist or deliberate, the offender says.
Popular Dutch Magazine Jackie recently published advice on how to dress like Rihanna but in a decent way and not like the “ultimate niggerbitch.” Yep that’s right they published that dreaded vilified and generally banned word. See English translation here:
“She has street cred, she has a ghetto ass and she has a golden throat. Rihanna, the good girl gone bad, is the ultimate niggabitch and displays that gladly, and for her that means: what’s on can come off. If that means she’ll be on stage half naked, then so be it. But Dutch winters aren’t like Jamaican ones, so pick a clothing style in which your daughter can resist minus ten. No to the big sunglasses and the pornheels, and yes to the tiger print, pink shizzle and everything that glitters. Now let’s hope she won’t beat anybody up at daycare.”
Not long after the release, Jackie Editor in Chief Eva Hoeke posted the below apology on the magazine’s Facebook page in an attempt to quell the situation:
Dear readers,
First: thanks for all your responses. We are of course very fed up over this and especially very
shocked. However I’m glad that we’re engaging in a dialogue on this page — not everybody does
that. Thanks for this. Other than that I can be brief about this: this should have never happened.
Period. While the author meant no harm — the title of the article was intended as a joke — it was a bad joke, to say the least. And that slipped through my, the editor-in-chief’s, fingers. Stupid, painful and sucks for all concerned. The author has been addressed on it, and now I can only ensure that these terms will no longer end up in the magazine. Furthermore I hope that you all believe there was absolutely no racist motive behind the choice of words. It was stupid, it was naive to think that this was an acceptable form of slang — you hear it all the time on tv and radio, then your idea of what is normal apparently shifts — but it was especially misguided: there was no malice behind it. We make our magazine with love, energy and enthusiasm, and it can sometimes happen that someone is out of line. And then you can only do one thing: apologize. And hope that others wish to accept it.
From the bottom of my heart I say it again: we never intended to offend anyone. And I mean that.
Regards,
Eva Hoeke
What’s strange here is that in our business the Publisher or Editor in chief is the ultimate arbiter and vets all articles going out. So how is it possible that an article so heavily charged with racist innuendo can slip by a senior editor let alone the editor in chief. What’s worse is the Editor in chief, Eva Hoeke, considered the use of the phrase a joke. Well we at CaribDirect consider the remarks racist, and rebuke her reference to Rihanna, our Bajan (being from Barbados) sister being Jamaican.
Following the Editor in Chief’s bundling of this issue and a frank discussion with her Publisher Yves Gijrath she subsequently resigned. Here’s the press release surrounding the debacle:
PRESS RELEASE
Eva Hoeke Quits as Editor-in-Chief of Jackie
Following a recent publication in Jackie magazine, issue 49, a worldwide outcry arose over an article on page 45 entitled “De Niggabitch”, which refers to Rihanna and her style of dress. This word is used in America as slang.
Throughout the various social media there has been an emotional response to this choice of words, as published in Jackie. As a first reaction to this editor-in-chief Eva Hoeke said via Twitter that the choice of words was meant as a joke and offered an apology to anyone who felt offended. This reaction cause further consternation, as Hoeke herself also referred to the term elsewhere in the magazine. In a second reaction through Twitter, Hoeke came to the following conclusion: ‘1. Don’t publish bad jokes in the magazine 2. Don’t pretend as if a bad joke is good. Sorry guys. My bad.’ The response on social media now took on an international character. In a third reaction Hoeke even offered to rectify in the next issue of Jackie. This morning Rihanna response on the article through Twitter. She was furious over the use of the word ‘niggabitch’ and ended her message with ‘Fuck you Eva’. Through social media Hoeke was taunted and threatened in various ways.
Following these events she consulted with publisher Yves Gijrath of GMG. Together they came to the following joint conclusion: In the interest of Jackie Magazine and all involved she will leave her function as editor-in-chief effective immediately. Hoeke gives the following comment:
“I realize that my first reaction through Twitter, in which I indicated that it was a joke, has been an incomplete description of what me, and also the author of the article, meant. The term ‘niggabitch’ came from America and we solely used it to describe a style of dress. Because of the enormous pressure through social media I was tempted to promise amendment regarding the language in future issues of Jackie. Apart from that I also offered an rectification. I have now come to the conclusion that rectification is not the right solution. I regret that I have taken a stand too quickly regarding an article in Jackie — which moreover had no racial motive at its basis. Through the course of events, me and the publisher have concluded that because my credibility is now affected, it is better for all parties if I quit my function as editor-in-chief effective immediately. After putting my heart and soul into for Jackie for eight years, I realize that these errors — although not intented maliciously — are enough reason for leaving.”
Publisher Yves Gijrath regrets the state of affairs and praises Hoeke’s attitude, who primarily chooses for the credibility of the title, which – as she realizes herself – would have been damaged had she stayed. According to Gijrath there’s no doubt about the intentions and qualities of Eva Hoeke, however he does think this joint decision is the correct one. Hoeke concludes:
“I should have counted to ten before taking unnuanced stands through social media channels. Through this my credibility has been hurt and that neither fits the role of an editor-in-chief, nor Jackie Magazine. Jackie Magazine will invite Rihanna to share her feelings and thoughts on the article in the next issue.”
A novice’s analogy of this situation would indicate a culture of carefree abandon and indiscipline exists at Jackie Magazine; also the fact that the former Editor in Chief tried to justify the use of the term by citing it’s acceptance in the United States suggests ignorance and subtle racism as the term is derogatory and NOT used in mainstream USA media and is not even used in standard African American RAP or HIP HOP music; or parlance generally.
Of course Rihanna did not take the issue lying down as she’s reported to have replied to Eva’s lame Twitter apology with a stinging, ‘Fuck You Eva’.
What do you think about this whole situation?
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