Two months ago I quoted some 2007 email correspondence between Ashley Morris and Carlos Mencia, and then I wrote:
The man who was telling New Orleanians to "move far from danger" because he "actually wanted to save lives" is now opening a restaurant in New Orleans.
This is actually interesting to me. I'd love for someone to ask Mencia if he's had a change of heart about rebuilding New Orleans, because I think there's an outside chance that Ashley's email-- despite containing the phrases "I can only hope that an earthquake kills your entire family" and "the only way you can feel our pain is by having your family die"-- had something to do with it. Mencia (to his credit) responded to Ashley's email, sincerely stating that he wanted save people's lives by telling them to move from danger. But then, a couple years later, Mencia's wearing a fleur de lis sweatshirt* in front of a Super bowl audience and investing in a new restaurant in New Orleans.
I'm intrigued.
Of course I can think of a long list of better candidates to be Marshall of Orpheus than Carlos Mencia... Stormy Daniels, for one... It was certainly a mistake to pick him, but I'm not celebrating his subsequent disinvitation. Like many, I thought he made some offensive jokes about New Orleans after Katrina. But I didn't like to hear that there were safety concerns that arose because of Mencia's jokes. That's vaguely unsettling to me. When this controversy came out, I would've loved to have seen Mencia explain himself, admit it he had a "Dee dee dee" moment, do a mea culpa and, I dunno, announce that he would perform some benefit shows throughout New Orleans where he would welcome all hecklers.
This idea of "vetting" and disinviting the C-list celebrities who ride on floats during Carnival... like I said it's vaguely unsettling to me. Carnival shouldn't be about that. I mean, my gracious, I've at least laughed once or twice at Mencia. I've never, ever, ever been even momentarily entertained by Jim Belushi. Belushi is crushingly benign. To me, Val Kilmer is funnier than Jim Belushi. Hell, the offensive anti-New Orleans jokes that got Mencia disinvited are funnier to me than Jim Belushi on his best day. But that's beside the point. On Lundi Gras, Belushi's "float personae" may be extremely entertaining, and that's all that will matter during the Dionysian unity that is Carnival.
Again, I think it was a mistake for Orpheus to invite Mencia. And while I thought Mencia's Katrina jokes were ignorant, I'm vaguely unsettled by the disinvitation he received. Given that he was already invited, I can imagine better ways the Krewe of Orpheus could've handled the controversy than to immediately cast Mencia off and say that they will enhance their vetting procedures when they select future C-list celebrity candidates. (That was obviously the "safe" play in this situation, but I can imagine better scenarios.) Again, I would love to hear Mencia explain why he had an apparent change of heart about New Orleans. And yes, I harbor the hope that Ashley's email had something to do with it.
It's difficult to articulate why I'm vaguely unsettled by the Mencia disinvite, but I suppose my radical anti-censorship views are meshing with my idealization of Carnival as a dionysian unity. I don't think going down the path of increased Carnival "vetting" will be very fruitful. I definitely like the idea that even a C-list celebrity can be a "parade deity" during Carnival-- exulting on a float, throwing beads to throngs of New Orleanians, unified in glee. I like that I'll be excited over Jim Belushi-- if only for a moment.
For example, need we be reminded that Woody Harrelson's invitation to ride in Endymion in 1991 was rescinded by Ed Muniz because Woody attended an anti-war protest with Ron Kovic? Will enhanced vetting lead to more decisions like that?
Another example: I see that Kid Rock is Grand Marshall of Muniz's Endymion parade this year. Kid Rock has made a career of glamorizing drugs and creating stupid words like "Bawitdaba". Recently Kid was sentenced to do community service after getting into a fight at a Waffle House, and complained that a talented soul like himself was too good to pay for his error by shovelling snow. Like Mencia, Kid Rock comes off as an ignorant clown. But lately Detroit-native Kid Rock has taken to recycling Skynyrd and performing in front of a Giant Confederate flag.
Offensive? Ignorant? Should he be vetted and perhaps disinvited over this?
I'm inclined to give entertainers and celebrities a wide berth when it comes to Carnival. During the parades, I think we should forget about all that crap, and just try to find the best C-list celebrity that's available.
So, here's what I'd say to Mr. Mencia: why not take this opportunity to explain yourself to New Orleans and perhaps find a way to redeem yourself? Then, if all goes well, maybe next year you can ride in one of the parades. That doesn't mean I won't dress up as Aquaman that night, but that also doesn't mean I won't try to catch one of your beads, either.
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Sorta related: Anntichrist Coulter links to the censored Youtube vids of Bill Hicks' last appearance on Letterman before he died. He committed the sin of making jokes about pro-life advocates, and Letterman recently had Hicks' mother on and apologized for removing the performance from the show's telecast.
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* Probably just a meaningless coincidence, but since I pointed it out I'm going to read into it for all its worth.
Labels: ashley morris, carnival
