Howard,
Apparently, you, the “King of All Media” are a sensitive soul.
I read you bemoaning the fact that Black NBA players don’t chat you up when he sits courtside.
You were complaining on your show about your perceived treatment:
“…The Black players won’t come over and say hello to me. But they go over to Spike Lee.”
“I’ll be sitting next to Tracy Morgan or Chris Rock. You know, they seat you where they seat you. And a lot of times when I’m there, I’m next to Tracy Morgan, who is so funny. And he’s sitting there and like, a couple of the players will come over. They like to give him that bro shake and stuff. And I’m like — these guys should hug me too. I mean, what am I? I grew up in a Black neighborhood, you know what I mean? I mean they should know that. But I get ignored.”
You went on to assume the reason for your lack of attention is your race:
“I want them to. I want them to talk to me, I want them to come over and go, ‘Hey Howard, fan of the show!’ Or something. I don’t get that. And, you know who comes up to me sometimes — the referees. White guys and Black guys, they’ll come up to me, White referees and Black. Like, ‘Hey Howard, hey.’ But yeah, a lot of the White referees. So I’m like, oh, is everything racial now?”
“I just get upset. I’m like, you know, fame to me is very important. I’ll admit it. I like people to recognize me. I’d like to think it’s a white thing, not my personality. I hope it’s racial. That’s all.”
Sorry, Howard, but it is you.
It’s probably a combination of reasons.
One, and brace yourself, because this is going to hurt.
They don’t know who you are.
They know you’re rich and important because you’re sitting courtside.
Otherwise…
They don’t know you.
So much for fame. It only goes so far. Most people are famous for a while, and then, they’re not.
Two, and this is going to hurt as well, and it’s the reason why they don’t recognize you.
You’re not as hot as you used to be.
The red-hot heat of fame bridges the age gap, race gap, and every other kind of gap.
People are famous and noteworthy even if you don’t want to know them.
Howard, that would be you.
You’re famous and will always be somewhat famous.
But you are/were famous for being loud and obnoxious.
That kind of fame only lasts for a while.
Then, someone comes along that’s even more loud and obnoxious.
In your case, radio political commentators are louder and more obnoxious than you.
Rush was more than you.
Sean is more than you.
You name the right-wing talking head, and they are louder and more obnoxious than you.
Television commentators past and present are louder and more obnoxious than you.
Bill O’Reilly, guilty.
Tucker Carlson, guilty.
Anybody on Fox News is louder and more obnoxious than you.
Your volume and obnoxiousness was superseded.
Your claim to fame has been hijacked.
But my question is, why do you hope it’s about race?
You would rather Black players to be prejudiced than to not recognize you or not want to know you?
That’s a huge moral failing on your part.
Added to you wanting to be famous and noticed.
There are people who want to be recognized, and then there’s people with unvarnished, egotistical vanity.
Guess which one is you?
I know you don’t have to guess.
You already know.