The Roots vs. Michele Bachmann
When guests come on screen on the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon show, The Roots always greet them with walk-on music that's often subtle and usually witty. For Larry King, it was Roger Miller's "King of the Road," for Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian it was Meatloaf's "Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad." Depending on your point of view, on Monday night, the Philadelphia band led by drummer Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson either cleverly outdid itself or overstepped the bounds of acceptable taste while making their political beliefs all too plain in a way that's sure to be making their employers at NBC deeply uncomfortable.
The Roots vs. Michele Bachmann
Dan DeLuca, Inquirer Music Critic
When guests come on screen on the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon show, The Roots always greet them with walk-on music that's often subtle and usually witty. For Larry King, it was Roger Miller's "King of the Road," for Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian it was Meatloaf's "Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad."
Depending on your point of view, on Monday night, the Philadelphia band led by drummer Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson either cleverly outdid itself or overstepped the bounds of acceptable taste while making their political beliefs all too plain in a way that's sure to be making their employers at NBC deeply uncomfortable.
Minnesota congresswoman and Republican Presidential candidate Michele Bachmann was the guest, and when she walked out to be meet Fallon, the wordless, unquiet music played by ?uestlove was a song by the great West Coast ska-punk band Fishbone called "Lyin' A-- Bitch."
The initial reaction from Roots watchers was laudatory - ?uesto retweeted one follower who wrote "@questlove huge ups to the fishbone tune for Bachman on jimmy tonight. perfect entry song for her!" Today, though, the mood hasn't been so sanguine. Fallon tweeted "@Questlove is grounded" and later "I'm honored that @MicheleBachmann was on our show and I'm sorry about the intro mess. i really hope she comes back."
Meantime, demands for an apology from the band, who release their new album Undun on Dec. 6, started adding up. Democratic New York Congresswoman Rep. Nita Lowey said in a statement: "I do not share Michele Bachmann's politics, but she deserves to be treated with respect. No female politician - and no woman - should be subjected to sexist and offensive innuendo like she was last night." And PBS' Gwen Ifill tweeted "You know what? The Roots and Jimmy Fallon should apologize. Really, @questlove, you're better than that."
By Tuesday evening, that apology had materialized, with ?uestlove, who has a picture of himself with President Obama on his twitter feed, saying in a statement: “The performance was a tongue-in-cheek and spur of the moment decision. The show was not aware of it and I feel bad if her feelings were hurt. That was not my intention.”
We'll see if there's any elaboration on tonight's show, which was taped earlier this evening, before Bachmann participated in yet another Republican debate, in Washington, D.C. A clip of the Bachmann walk on, via Politico, is below. Fishbone's original "Lyin' A-- Bitch" is here.
UPDATE: No mention of the Bachmann brouhaha on Fallon on Tuesday night. The grounded ?uestlove was behind his kit as usual, backing musical guest B.o.B. and hyping Undun in an absurdist Shout Outs segment that also included Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter hawking "Mexico meets the Mayflower" turkey tacos. First guest Howie Mandel was greeted by "This is Howie Mandel" music, adapted from Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It."
UPDATE #2: Bachman was interviewed on the Fox News Channel's show America's Newsroom on Wednesday morning, and when she was asked if she was aware of the Fishbone song being played, she had this to say:
“I wasn’t aware of it at all. I didn’t find out until later yesterday and at that point I was traveling and making my way to the presidential debate. I am hoping to be able to speak to Jimmy Fallon today. I don’t have anything against Jimmy Fallon, I love him, he’s a kick, it was a great opportunity to be on the show, I’d love to go back again. But I think the point is, if that had been Michelle Obama who had come out on the stage, and if that song had been played for Michelle Obama, I have no doubt that NBC would have apologized to her and likely they could have fired the drummer, at least suspended him, none of that happened from NBC and this is clearly a form of bias on the part of the Hollywood entertainment elite but it’s also I think it’s sexism as well. This wouldn’t be tolerated if this was Michelle Obama; it shouldn’t be tolerated if it’s a conservative woman either.”
Previously: Review: Rihanna's Talk That Talk Follow In The Mix on Twitter here
Some of you people are just pure evil / mean-spirited. Must be easy sitting behind your keyboards.....the woman - like her politics or not, does not deserve that kind of treatment. Questlove and the Roots are now "low lifes" in my opinion, and up to this point I loved their music and I'm a registered Dem. Put that in your pipes and smoke it.— PhillyExcitement
Comment removed.- that was great...good for the roots— mecp22
- Not a Bachman fan but if I was her I wouldn't worry too much. Nobody watches Jimmy what's his name. She does have a point though. It would be like playing "Bungle in the Jungle" as Moochelle Obama walked out.— MilesLong1
- Comment removed.
- How was playing the intro song a "white" joke? Now you're pulling the proverbial race card. — rubanek
- Lyn- that is THE DUMBEST response I've seen on here. I bet you think a black dude took your job too dont ya? HA- just a hot mess you are! Now keep it real with that! lol. — Clorenbrown
- Maybe they can play the "Planet of the Apes" theme for Mrs. Obama the next time she appears on the show.— davesju93
- Seriously??? Both you and lyn_ need to get a clue. — rubanek
- @mileslong1, ditto my thoughts. Most of the lowlifes are still upset that Michelle Antionette and Jumpin Jill were booed at NASCAR the other day.— junethe4th
- Just Libs being Libs..there is never any "hate" there. LOL!!!and they really are the Lyin' A-- Libs!!, it's their life. LOL!!! Based on these idiotic Lib posts like "she deserves what she gets" that is pretty clear. Simply another example of the Lib hypocrisy they spew on a daily basis. And on NBS...what do you expect???!!!— sarah89
- Like, OMG! It's, like, totally crazy that they would play that song! Smh! Seriously, you sound like you're 12. Post something intelligent that doesn't sound like you're in middle school and maybe people will listen to you.
- I see the bulk of posters here have as much class (which is to say absolutely none) as the Fallon show band and Fallon himself. Pitful folks all. Your parents did a wonderful job raising you. NOT.— fgomarty
- It's the Democrat-Media Complex.— ObamaSolyndra
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