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After Criticizing Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama Tavis Smiley will be resigning as commentator on the Tom Joyner radio show.
He had harsh words for the Presidential candidate due to him not making an appearance at the annual “State of the Black Union” conference in February.
According to Smiley he is quitting the show after 12 years due to fatigue and other things going on in his life, but inside sources state that he is actually resigning due to harsh criticism he received from black listeners of the show upon comments he made about Obama not attending the conference.
“The real reason is that he can’t take the hate he’s been getting regarding the Barack issue — hate from the black people that he loves so much,” Joyner wrote on his blog.
“He (Smiley) loves black America and black America has been very critical of him,” Joyner added.
Joyner has stated that he is quite disappointed with the reaction of the show listeners. Furthermore, fans of Smiley, have swamped him with emails urging him to recant his decision to step away.
Finally the divider left the show , it was about the time he’s envious of Barack, he never said how honest and ethical Barack was with his pastor, don’t matter what he didn’t sold his pastor.
I think if very funny “if you play the record back words..you will hear Tavis Smile sayng “I hate Barack”…(hahah)…Bye Tavis So long and good bye
I hate to hear that Tavis is leaving the show. We need him. I hope he reconsiders. I know it has been painful, but we desperately need him to keep us grounded.
I can deduce two things about T.S. He is envious and dangerous.
OK Tavis. Be mad and hurt because the people you care about seem to turn on you and you don’t have to take that stuff!! Yes, I am a fan and looked for your comments on the TJMS and if I missed it, would catch it on the Internet. I have friends that do/did the same thing. Why do you think you are any different than any other commentator? Because you are BLACK? I seem to be saying the same thing one of the people I listen to said. (This was my intelligent comment). This is my OLD MAN’s comment who is also one of your biggest fan. WHAT IN THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING? DID YOU THINK EVERYONE WOULD AGREE WITH YOU? ARE YOU GOING TO QUITE EVERY TIME SOMEONE SAY SOMETHING BAD ABOUT YOU? BLACK OR OTHER WISE. YOU CARRY YOUR YOUNG ASS TO A MORRIOR LOOK IN IT AND SAY WHAT MY DADDY TOLD ME AND WHAT I TOLD MY KIDS TO DO AND SAY ” I AM DOING THE BEST I CAN!! SOME PEOPLE MIGHT NOT LIKE WHAT I AM DOING OR SAYING (IN YOUR CASE) BUT I AM DOING THE BEST I CAN!!! IF YOU ARE NOT LIEING TO YOURSELF AND ONLY A FOOL LIES TO THEMSELVES, YOU WILL BE OK!! If you ever have time, I will tell you about being one of the first young Black Sergent in my Air Force unit and what was said about me by the young troops because I made them learn their job and always asked them why in the hell they wasn’t taking classes. OK, I have stopped preaching. NOW GO FIND THAT MIRROR LIKE I TOLD YOU!!
Goodness gracious! I have never been a “fan” so to speak of Tavis’, although I’ve always admired his ability to court corporate America and build a mini empire.
What I find stunning is the fact that just a year or two ago, you couldn’t tell Black people that the Clinton’s weren’t God’s special gift to the Black man….and now, they are Satan’s spawn. I’m not a Barack supporter, though I truly respect him for his accomplishments. I guess I have some measure of sympathy for Tavis–not because of his Barack attacks, but because he now knows how it feels to be vilified just because one has political opinions or leanings that differ from most Blacks.
Whenever I would listen to Tom’s show and here Tavis I would cringe, he would engage in ad hominen attacks against anyone that wasn’t shouting amen to everything offered by the DNC, the Black Congressional Caucus or whatever HE thought Black people should be about.
My advice to you Tavis, never marry yourself to a group of people that refuse to treat others with civility who happen to disagree with them, because the moment you take an opposing position, they will spit on you, talk about ‘yo momma and wish deadly plagues in your life.
In the words of the musical poet Mr. James Brown, “Say it loud, I’m Black and I’m proud.” But Blackness is not a cult. Neither you, I or anyone else should feel obligated to regurgitate what anyone says. And there certainly is no need to behave in the manner that has been displayed. The calls to “not air our dirty laundry” are ridiculous in light of the emotional equivalent of a nuclear meltdown that has been demonstrated just because this man chose not to support Barack. Sheesh!
I am a truthfighter and down for the movement of justice and I have different views about Tavis ending his reign on the TJMS. Most of his comments were very insightful and uplifting and seemed to serve as a platform for black america to come together and have a voice in this nation. He did himself and black america a disservice by jumping on the Hillary Clinton bandwagon and trashing Barrack Obama every chance he got. Tavis and everyone has urged black america to invest in ourselves and have a love language with each other but when it came time to invest in one of our own that has a legitimate shot of becoming the President, he banked his whole reputation on the Clinton’s. The real story may never be told but does the Walmart contract and the Clinton connection to Arkansas have a role in selling out your people. Who knows if Barrack Obama will ever be a great President or lead this nation to great things but I feel black america owes it to ourselves to give him a chance and not look for him to be the President of black america, but give him our support as with the rest of america and end this Bush and Clinton strong hold on the White House. I hope to see and hear Tavis on again but in a role that brings us all together (a role he has excelled in before)
Tavis - is this a matter of you being able to dish it - but not take it? Go back to TJMS and let your voice continue to be heard. Allow yourself the opportunity to be challenged by a dissenting voice (maybe of reason). Have you begun to take yourself too seriously that if the game is not played your way, you take you ball and go home. If this is the case, shame on you.
I am glad to hear that Tavis is leaving… It is ironic that he is staying until June, probably to contine his hate on Obama until the primaries end 3 June.
I would like to be perfectly clear, there is nothing wrong with disagreeing with Obama. However, Tavis never had any balance in his commentary, with negative comments toward the other candidates.
His disagree started in 2007 in Virginia at the “State of the Black Union”. Tavis was mad that Obama was not at the convention to announce his run for the President of the United States. And, the hate has been going on every since.
It is funny how Tavis is hating on Obama, the same way that Bob Johnson hated on Tavis during his BET stint.
In closing, just because Tavis does all the things he do for the Black community, does not justify for him to hate on Obama. Also, Tom Joyner wants Tavis to express his opinions, you do not allow Jay Anthony Brown to express his comments….
The words that crossed the waves today i hope were just emotion. TJ, due to that emotion went where we as blacks seem to go when pain is the only way to stop opposing views.
Jay should not have been told to shut up and Tom might be to close for straight talk.
As one who has listened to Tavis from the time he joined the TJMS, I was usually able to find agreement with most of his commentaries and we owe him our gratitude for contstantly pushing us to think and act!!! However, as a free thinking Democratic voter, I took serious exception to his often one-sided commentaries. It became clear very early on that Tavis did not have any respect for Obama(despite his verbalization of such). His commentaries were extremely off balance and he demanded/required things of Obama that he never once demanded/required of Mrs. Clinton. Because Obama is black does not mean that he should be held to a higher expectation when it comes the the interest of black people. Anyone seeking political office should all be held to the same set of standards and Tavis failed to understand this. As of late, the commentaries boarded on jealousy and Tavis often found it necessary to remind us of his accomplishments and ventures. As long as black TJMS listeners were screaming “Tavis-Tavis-Tavis”, things were cool, but as soon as the spotlight shifted and the Obama’s star began to shine brighter, Tavis couldn’t handle it…thus the beginning of what most listeners probably perceived as “hate” in his commentaries. Although he preached it constantly, Tavis’ smooth tongue couldn’t utter the “love language” when it came to Obama. Now we have to take him at his word about leaving…maybe his plate it full or could it be that the silver spoon the listeners gave so freely to him became a little too tarnished???
I wonder if his replacement, Roland Martin, will be as entrancing as Tavis. One thing I do know…his name is nowhere near as dymamic…
Tom Joyner:
What has happened to Myra J and Ms. Dupree?????I only hear Sybil and Jay Anthony. Did you fire them?? What’s up?? Oh, by the way what’s the real deal with Tavis Smiley??
If Barrack Obama becomes president of the United States, every black person in America will NOT, get one acrer and a mule. To Travis, Obama is running for president for all Gods children: Blacks, Whites, Red, Green. He is the first, their will be a time in the future for others to address your issues.
All I can say is “WOW”! It’s been a minute since I’ve been able to listen to the TJMS, but recently I heard a joke about Tavis leaving and I was amazed,so today I discovered why he left.
I am very disappointed in Tavis, because he allowed his emotions to get the best of him and he is so much bigger than that. His main focus is “black america”, and he is tearing down- not building up.
Tavis, you have to face it. Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States and If Hillary can get over it, then you should too. You are a believer and you know better! I don’t have any big words for you, but the change you speak of is the change that the Lord has allowed our brother to be placed in a position to change a nation. Who do you expect black america to help; just black people. No, we are to impact as many people as we can no matter their race.
Get it together. I am praying for you, and by the way I didn’t see your name on the ballot for the next President. Did the Clinton’s not want to endorse you??? Get Real!!
Tom, where is Ms. Dupree? I haven’t heard the lucky numbers from my psychic friend. We love Huggy in DC happy he’s nationwide, thanks for giving him the opportunity to show the country his “Gift” to make people laugh. To those who can’t get with Huggy…………..You are the “BAMBA” OF THE WEEK, WEEK, WEEK.
I’m pretty saddened reading some of these comments. I can’t understand many of them because the grammar and spelling is so poor. Some of it is well, illiterate-MIKE, come on!!!!!
Since black people are writing these comments, we should hold ourselves to high standards by learning to write and speak to the best of our ability, even if it’s just comments on a blog.
If you couldn’t finish high scjool or even middle school, join a literacy/abe/GED program. Go to the library and get some books and read them. Turn the cable off.
And by the way, I think Tavis was jealous of Barack. I guess he wished he was “the” candidate.
Next lifetime, Tavis………
WHERE IS MS. DUPREE ND MYRA J? WERE THEY FIRED OR DID THEY QUIT? I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND OUT FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I EVEN GOOGLED THIS AND THE ONLY THING THAT CONTINUOUSLY COMES UP IS THE SAME QUESTION THAT I HAVE FROM OTHER LISTENERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE AND YOUR TIME.
Real success is finding your lifework in the work that you love.