Often Times, the First Opinions are the Worst Opinions

Whoop That Trick Wednesdays--Dateline: too much Diddy on my google news this Morning.

As soon as the Rihanna, Chris Brown story surfaced on February 8th many smart celebrities declined comment, or simply said they wish the couple the best through this rough time. But a select few took the opportunity to defend Chris Brown using the age old sentiments of “innocent until proven guilty”, “let’s wait until the facts come out before we judge them”, “the only people who know what happened that night are Chris and Rihanna rhetoric”. As if the fallout and the loss of his major endorsements weren’t enough to indicate that Brown is in a lot of trouble, Terrance Howard, Kanye West, and Diddy publically issued statements that assign them to the position of siding with Brown. Now this is not a huge deal since their careers will never be hurt by it, but I can’t stand when celebrities confuse prejudging with good old fashioned judging.

On Feb 12th, Terrance Howard was asked what he thought about Chris Brown and Rihanna’s altercation and he replied, “It’s just life man. Chris is a great guy, he’ll be alright. And they’ll be alright, everybody just has to get out of their way.”

On Feb 13th, in an aside to the audience in at a taping of VH1’s Storytellers, Kanye West said,“Cant we give Chris Brown a break? I know I make mistakes in life.” (which wasn’t that bad until he kept talking) "Michael Jackson, amazing. Michael Phelps, amazing ... He's a real f---in' person; he makes mistakes. O.J. Simpson, amazing. Is he not? What he did, when he did, what he did. Was he not amazing, though?"

On March 10th, Diddy, in an appearance on the Ellen Degeneres show discussed the incident saying,saying he allowed the couple to reunite in his Miami Beach Mansion because he wanted to “be a friend in a time of need.” He discussed the altercation saying“I don't cast a judgment on anybody. We know sometimes relationships get ugly ... we don't know exactly what's going on [with them]."

Let me be the first to say that there is nothing wrong with casting judgment. The term "judgement" is tossed around these days as if judging people is arrogant, and a practice reserved only for God, and actual judges in the court of law, who do so in one case by divine right, or as a service to society. Because of that, when someone, mainly a celebrity, gets in trouble with the law, the companies that they work for or endorse will often release statements about not making a decision on that celebrities future until a trial has played out. Implying that they cannot judge the individual themselves, but must wait for a an actual court judge to do so. F that way of thinking. Judging is a practice we all have to, and should want to engage in, so do it, as long as you have evidence that’s up to your standards.

Pre-judging is the only thing I have a problem with, and in the case of Chris Brown and Rihanna the line between judging and prejudging is not so blurry. The picture, his remorseful statement, and the fact that hes seeking a plea deal to avoid jail time is all the evidence I need. “He doesn’t wrestle, he fucking beats bitches up” like Coral from the Real World. Thus, I can judge him as such and decided whether or not he’s good enough to play on my radio, act in my movies, or sell my company’s gum.

So in the spirit of good old fashioned judging, I’m going to whoop these tricks individually by judging them using the evidence they’ve provided.

Diddy, is narcissistic. This is evident by the fact that celebrities stay at his Miami Beach mansion for short vacations all the time. He has been known to rent it out for periods of time as well. He didn’t extend his mansion to be a friend in need, it was business as usual. But he saw the chance to promote his role in their reconciliation and let us know that Diddy is a ‘friend in a time of need."

Kanye is out of his mind. Arguing for Brown to receive the benefit of the doubt is one thing, but he draws the worst analogies of all time. O.J. isn’t amazing; he WAS an amazing running back, who is either responsible for or guilty of committing his wife’s murder. Michael Jackson isn’t amazing, he WAS an amazing entertainer, who harbors an extremely disturbing fascination with the companionship of young boys. Defending the two of them and relating it to Chris Brown is just another example of Kanye being outrageous for outrageousness’ sake.

Terrance Howard is an unrepentant wifebeater. He beat his wife, and when asked about domestic abuse he replied, “It’s just life man.”

Terrance Howard mug shot 2001

See, I just judged three people and it was easy as hell.