Bruce and LBJ

[Steven Maas (CUTR)]

As I remember it (yes yes yes I know the dangers of relying on memory) 
from a book that I _forget_ the title of (I think I still have it at
home and can provide info. later if anyone's interested) that provided a
transcription of some of LB's routines: 

LB had LBJ trying to say negro and repeatedly slipping into nigra.  The
humor comes from the whole exercise being an attempt by LBJ's handlers to
change his image because (whether or not nigra indeed was the "proper" 
southern pronunciation of negro) to those from outside of the cotton belt
the connotation of the use of the word nigra was that the speaker was
probably an inveterate racist (and quite likely inbred). LBJ was unable to
make himself say negro, and while I can't claim to know Bruce's intent it
_seems_ that he was saying that a leopard can't change its spots.

	Steve Maas

On Tue, 25 Feb 1997 LBernier at tribune.com wrote:

>      
> Well, I haven't heard the Bruce routine, but it's likely he could be trying to 
> use the "correct" word nigra and keeps slipping into nigger. Or it could be 
> Bruce mishearing or not understanding that nigra probably as close as someone 
> with LBJ's accent could get to Negro, and that it is not inherently an insult.  
> 
> Probably not much help, I know.
> 
> Jean.
>
> 
> Jean,
> Now I'm totally confused.  Is the word he's TRYING to say *nigra* but he keeps 
> sl ipping 
> into *nigger* or is he trying to say *negro* but keeps slipping into *nigra*?  
> Th at is how I
> remembered it, assuming *nigra* was an explicit insult.  But if you are correct 
> ( as how
>  could you not be, since you speak Southonics?), and *nigra* is the same word as 
>      
> *negro*then  there wouldn't be a joke there.  So, can you clear this up?
>  I swear I hear him slipping over and over into *nigra*, but then, I'm the one 
>  wh
> o swore 
> it was Michael Jackson not Donny Osmond singing *One Bad Apple* so--call me the 
> G en. 
> Barry McCaffrey (sp?) poster child of the week!
>      
> john m
>      
> austral jean corrects:
>      
> >     No, the word is Nigra, which, as you yankees obviously don't know, is 
> >     simply Southern for Negro.  
> >     
> >     Jean.
> >     
> >
> >Well sure, he does say "nigra." He's Trying to say negro! But the 
> >word he's having a hard time escaping would be "nigger." And yes, 
> >there's a lot of LB on CD. Perhaps even the excellent, fomer 3 
> >record, In Concert, or was it Live at the Curran Theater: post bust, 
> >no "bits."
> >     
> >On 21 Feb 97 at 14:49, MASCARO at humnet.ucla.edu wrote: 
> >     
> >> >From Henry:
> >> 
> >> >Sure. Any comic could do it, no matter the race. That routine makes 
> >> > fun of a president who grew up using the word "nigger" trying to 
> >> >learn the word of the day that his handlers are insisting on. 
> >> >Doesn't stereotype a race, does it? 
> >> <snip>
> >> 
> >> If memory serves, it's not *nigger* he keeps slipping into, but 
> >> *nigra*--which is the heart
> >>  of the humor, IMO.  That perfect little touch, unless my memory's 
> >>  failed again.  How can 
> >> I listen to this bit?  Did any of Bruce get onto CD, audiophiles? 
> >> 
> >> john m