Oh c'mon Sandra, using the "I was taken out of context" defense?

Disgusting comments- there is just no context in which that statement could be ok. On a random sidenote, I volunteer at that shelter!

I'm just dying to know what sort of context could ever make that joke okay.

Well, she didn't say it AT the homeless shelter, to be fair, but I'm really, really glad she wasn't given the chance to.

Freedom of speech is assumed, but entitlement to spew hatred toward women while talking TO women - particular women who are likely to have been raped - isn't. They did the right thing by taking Sandra off the list.

I totally agree that joking about rape is offensive. But just to be clear -- I don't think the article says that she made the joke AT the shelter:

"Bernhard made the remarks last month during her one-woman show in Washington before Palin visited New York to campaign."

FYI, she didn't say the comment at a women's shelter. The Boston-based shelter has cut Bernhard from their program. She was supposed to speak at their upcoming benefit.

That's not to say, however, that she should have said it at all. It's quite a terrible statement to make. Period.

While I certainly don't like her "joke" and I think it's good the shelter isn't giving her any slack, I do have one beef with that article.

Why is it that they always insist on showing a candid shot of the person (usually a woman) who is being criticized. It's like they're trying to make her ugly, as if that will make me like her less.

Urgh! This is so wrong! How careless of her, regardless of where she said it.

It's incredibly offensive, not only to women, but also to black men!

As a black man, I take immediate offense! It exploits and encourages the age old stereotypes of black men as violent, sexual white women chasers - essentially King Kong lusting after Ann Darrow.

This was a really stupid thing for her to say, and not at all funny.

Yeah, that’s bad, but I’m gonna give her a pass on it, ‘cause I like her and kinna understand her. But yeah, it’s not cool. However, it is a stark representation of how much we all should HATE Republican’s murderous, blood-bath warring ways. Right?

If Palin were to get elected and continue the Bu$h policies, let alone her own ideas, I DO think that she would be worthy of execution. That’s pretty bad too, right?

I agree with watch us explode... sexism and racism! What is up with women comedians perpetuating this shit. a big sigh, i just don't get it....

This is appalling. It should be filed under "Sarah Palin Sexism Watch," and I would love to see Feministing and other feminist blogs release a statement condemning her remarks. If Rush or Imus had said this, the feminist blogosphere would be apoplectic with rage. Rightly so. But it doesn't make it any less worthy of rage coming from Sandra Bernhard's mouth, either. Seriously, we as feminists should be very vocal about condemning this.

The lack of true outrage about this story demonstrates by feminism is dead.....Its not longer about the ideas or issues its about politics. This isn't even a national story.....Anyone think Rev. Al or NOW will be protesting her next event....I think not. This is the worst kind of political meanness I have ever seen in my life. I have no doubt that Watch Us Explodes really means that - Execute her. In private, it is clear WUE wouldn't even mind one of Sarah's NYC welcoming committees.

I guess I'm gonna get attacked for saying this... but I thought her comments were fucking hilarious.

I agree that this should be added to the Palin Sexism Watch. It's totally insulting her based on her gender: I highly doubt a male politician would be discussed getting sexually assaulted.

Watch Us Explode, that was my first thought too. Why do the rapists have to be big and black? That's a horrifying stereotype and I was disgusted by reading it.

random but true: my roommate works at rosie's and wrote that article the AP picked up!

Sigh. Ok, I couldn't find a video clip of this joke so I don't know what the joke content surrounding it was. That said, the Cho post and this one annoy me on a couple of accounts. First of all, humor is not supposed to be PC. It is designed often to shock and bring a gasp from the audience. That doesn't mean anything goes but that brings me to my second point which is that I think you have to consider the source. Minority comedians can get away with jokes about the minority they belong to without being called "racist". A person not belonging to that minority would perhaps not be able to get away with that style of humor, and rightly so. So yes, I am more lenient to liberal female comedians I know aren't sexist when they make these kind of jokes. My final problem with this post was as pointed out that she did not make the joke at a women's shelter.

Cicada_Nymph: Even if women can get away with hatred-laced commentary about other women in the guise of humor (which I don't concede) because it's all 'within the family" so to speak, this joke was not. Sandra crossed the line when she invoked rape, crossed another when she made the perpetrators "big and black" and crossed it even further when she (like Cho) fell back on the "it's just comedy" and "she deserved it" lines.

There is a long and noble of history of comedians using their platform to speak truth to power and to rip the blinders off of the masses being deceived by snakeoil hucksters and to poke pins in public figures who are full of hot air - or worse. But as with non-comedic attacks, there is a difference between attacking the actions and character and attacking personhood. One serves a purpose and is acceptable, the other is simply meanspirited and, more often than not, perpetuates stereotypes or ideals that should be completely rejected, right out of hand.

Sandra is like that drunken tia/aunt that you hope doesn't say something to embarrass you in front of your friends.

I find the racist element of this joke just as offensive as the sexist element, yet it seems we are focusing mostly on the the rape joke. Associating black men with sexual violence is a serious issue still today. So, why are we largely (with some exceptions, of course) ignoring this aspect and focusing only on the rape "joke"?