Whoopi Goldberg defends Ted Danson's blackface act at Friars Club roast

New York Mayor David Dinkins, the city's first Black mayor, stayed long enough to crack a couple of jokes about his upcoming mayoral battle against Rudy Guilliani, read a city proclamation to Goldberg, a native New Yorker, and then left. But even before Dinkins' arrival, Danson quipped, "I was told |The mayor's coming, so be careful; don't do any political jokes, just do nigger jokes.'"

While he wasn't there for Danson's entire routine, Dinkins heard enough to be miffed by the wisecracks. "The jokes were pretty vulgar and many were way, way over the line," Dinkins said adding, "I was embarrassed for Whoopi and the audience and felt a tremendous sense of relief when it was over."

The mayor concluded, "Today is not a day any (Friars Club) member is likely to recall fondly. Nor Will I."

Comic Bobcat Goldthwait reportedly said to Danson, "Did you really think Black people would think this is funny in 1993." On the other hand, White actor Matthew Modine didn't take offense to Danson bringing racial epithets out in the open "like Richard Pryor did" but Modine drew the line with zingers about personal parts of the body. "... Words about people's anatomy are not funny. It was totally offensive. I've never been to something like this."

For Danson's finale, a waiter brought out a tray of watermelon, which Danson wolfed down. "I do believe I remember you saying, |I dare you!," as Goldberg rolled with laughter.

When Goldberg got her chance for rebuttal at the end of the x-rated evening, she opened with, "Nigger, nigger, nigger. Whitey, whitey, whitey. It takes a whole lot of courage to come out in blackface in front of 3,000 people. "She stated emphatically, "I don't care if you don't like it. I do." She said those who lashed out at Danson should have been familiar with the private club's 89-year history of ribald roasts and expected jokes to focus on sex, gender, bodily functions, religion and race.

Nevertheless, the Friars Club, which has more than 1,300 members, issued a public apology for the event.

Friars Club dean Jackie Green released a statement after the event, stating that the group was "saddened by the racially offensive nature of some of the material" used by Danson during the evening. "While raucous and x-rated humor are usually the tradition of these annual events, they are never intended to ridicule or disparage any segment of our society..." he assured.

Green concluded, "In a time when we are all concerned about healing and not dividing the races, we at the New York Friars Club apologize to Mayor Dinkins, Montel Williams and all others who were discomforted and offended by the racial remarks."