VIDEO THURSDAY: Are Middle-Aged White Guys Capable of Understanding Diversity Efforts?
June 05, 2014
Capitalist Note - Got a couple of notes back from yesterday's Google diversity post from readers telling me as a white guy I'm not really capable of judging diversity efforts. I beg to differ, so I'm re-running this post. Two words - Scott Weiland. Enjoy the STP...
Deep topic. I'm going to Zag while the others Zig and say yes. Of course, I'm not qualified to answer this question.
If you took me to court on my stance, I'd play this video clip - Stone Temple Pilots from House of Blues in Vegas. Watch the clip and meet me after the jump (email subscribers click through for video):
That's right - the defense calls to the stand... Scott Weiland, lead singer for STP.
Various addictions + fur coat + megaphone = Gold. And diversity. Is there another white man that white guys could point to say that they're capable of understanding diversity? Maybe Kid Rock? I'm putting Weiland up on the screen to defend honkytown.
What's that? You are correct, the first cut in this video with ample megaphone action is actually called "Crackerman".
Here's a rarely spoken about short list of what white males need to do to show people they can comprehend diversity:
1. Present ample examples of white males who don't drive a Camry or shop at Men's Warehouse. A little crazy is good. It interrupts the pattern of what's expected.
2. Start referring to themselves with terms like Honky, Wonder Bread and Casper. Let's face it, slang/slur words for ethnicity are uncomfortable. But you can only use them on yourself. I'm not sure white guys do enough of that. There's no better way to make yourself part of the melting pot than by making everyone think you've got just a little crazy in you - at your own expense.
Bonus today - STP's "Vasoline" starts at 4:30 of this video after "Crackerman". Weiland morphs from the fur coat to a goth office worker. More diversity.
David Bowie in his earlier days was a nice example of diversity. How about the Dead or Alive lead singer or Adam Ant?
I refer to myself as "walking ad for skin cancer awareness".
The other good one is to change the lyrics of Foreigner's "Dirty White Boy" to "Pasty White Boy".
And it's my wife's Camry!
Posted by: MattL | January 10, 2013 at 01:19 PM
Matt -
I was thinking about David Bowie as well as I wrote this. Good ads on your part. Marilyn Manson, regardless if you like him) and Trent Reznor are interesting proxies for this as well.
Sure it's your wife's Camry.
KD
Posted by: KD | January 10, 2013 at 01:21 PM
Robert Smith, the Cure;
Boy George, George Michael, Michael Jackson (in reverse).
:)
Posted by: Steve | January 10, 2013 at 02:39 PM
Eminem's too easy. How about Yelawolf? Rap lyrics about "choppin' early morning hog" HAVE to get you diversity points.
Then again, who knows what tattoos lurk under Rick Astley's button-down.
Posted by: Tom | January 10, 2013 at 04:13 PM
Good job! Well done with the post.
Posted by: Tyler Jones | January 11, 2013 at 11:30 PM
Well done with the post.
Posted by: Commercial steel door | January 11, 2013 at 11:31 PM
This is absolutely amazing and Mind blowing !!!
Posted by: peter kenneth | January 11, 2013 at 11:33 PM
And here I thought Weiland was selling us saltines...
Posted by: Steve | June 05, 2014 at 03:42 PM
KD -
love me some STP, thanks. Wondering if you could have made another play with a Prius, right?
Posted by: Shannon | June 05, 2014 at 07:52 PM
It just never ends mostly because of people like you. Who want to stay ignorant about diversity in the workplace and believe whatever people who are smarter and more wealthy than you tell you to believe.
Posted by: D | June 06, 2014 at 02:11 PM
Great article i had forgotten about STP.
Posted by: Roll Up Doors | June 15, 2018 at 06:39 AM