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It's been over a month since Greenwich Village baker Ted Kefalinos sparked outrage over his so-called "Drunken Negro Face" cookies, and the controversy will still not go away, despite his fumbling attempts to apologize. The New Black Panthers have been protesting on Saturdays outside his bakery, and the Secret Service paid him a visit because of his alleged remarks that "Obama will get he deserves, just like Lincoln." In a Villager article that can only be described as pure gold, Kefalinos says, "I get both sides. I get people who praise me and call me genius. I even got one guy who wanted to send 100 drunk Negroes to beat me into submission — and he was going to video it...There’s one guy who calls himself Denzel Washington. He wanted me to personally apologize for the cookie. I hung up on him. "
Naturally, My Fox NY's Arnold Diaz, who broke the story with in one of his classic "Shame" segments, has been following up, and reports that State Senator Thomas Duane pressured Kefalinos to take a racial sensitivity training session. But Duane says, "He really needs to undergo much more sensitivity training because I'm not sure that he's completely got the message yet. If he doesn't... the marketplace will put him out of business." (Watch the video below.)
Kefalinos insists business is back to normal after a brief backlash, although neighboring retailers are tired of the Saturday Panther protests. At their urging, he posted a long apology on the bakery window, which reads, in part, "To the people who perceived our product was offensive... I apologize for the error in judgment... What I saw as a flower, you saw as a thorn, based on cross cultural differences."
That's not going to cut it with New Black Panther leader Shaka Shakur, who tells the Villager, "We want to get this pushed all the way to being a hate crime." During a recent protest, Shakur noticed an Asian sushi chef outside Funayama restaurant next door, and warned, "He made a cookie about me — he’ll make one about you." Shakur says he'll call off the protest if Kefalinos makes a donation to the Harlem school he founded, Gyenyama University. When a reporter explained the proposal to Kefalinos, he replied, "Pay him off? You mean extortion? I already apologized. ... To get on my knees? I’ll never get on my knees."
Despite the fact that Kefalinos attended the elite Bronx High School of Science, there's a general consensus among customers that he's a little off. One neighbor says, "He’s not very smart. He thinks he’s funny. He’ll make a green St. Patrick’s Day cookie and say, ‘Have a cookie with your beer!’ But you can’t joke with everyone. I know he’s not prejudiced. He’s like a failed comedian. … He’s dumb. He’s dumb, that’s all." As if eager to live up to his reputation, Kefalinos recently reminisced about his controversial cookie: "To me, I liked it. I thought it was cute. But you can’t say that — it winds it all up again." Ha, you know what also "winds it all up again"? Kefalinos opening his mouth!
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He saw the cookie as a "flower"? Really?
Sometimes, the Greeks have, uh, "unusual" perspectives on things. I try not to discuss anything controversial with my Greek friends. One is a senior citizen immigrant whose English is liberally sprinkled with the F-bomb. As in every other sentence. Another once told me that the Macedonians are really Greeks and they should be grateful for that.
Will Sen. Duane, Arnold Diaz, and all the other Poltically Correctoids be boycotting the stationery stores that sell "Drunken Irishman" postcards this St. Patrick's Day, calling for their closure? Or don't whites count in the Racial Sensitivity Game?
Let's continue the logic. Let's boycott all the newsstands that sell the NY Post with its 'racist' monkey cartoon.
Let's boycott everything that might offend someone in this Brave New World.
Maybe once he makes a cookie about you, then you'll understand. And the cookie man will come for you. He's coming for ALL OF US.
Was that the really your best shot?
Weak. Very, very weak. And jejune.
Now address the issue and remember that sophmore year was a long time ago
You calling someone jejune, that's rich.
Then address my point that you not so artfully dodged.
Ummmm....no, his response was delightfully irreverent and witty. Unlike your gravitas drenched and lame post.
Oh and it' proven that anyone that uses the "oid" suffix is giving away the fact he is still a virgin.
You are a virgin, aren't you? Or close to one.
Am I a virgin?
Ask your mother to check out her butt and get back to me.
And the Cookie Man will Come for You.
Someone needs to write this script!
You're missing the point—
The President of the United States was threatened and all threats are taken seriously.
I knew the Secret Service would come for this guy. And now I'm sure he's on a list... that list consists of people who have made any threats to past or present Presidents. If Obama comes to town, there's a good chance this guy may end up in the clink for the duration of Obama's stay.
No, Ed, You're missing the point.
The core of the controversy is not some ambiguous statement he made about Obama. That comment came after the cookies controversy was ignited.
The thrust that is getting everyone's panties in a knot is that he baked a cookie that he named "Drunken Negro". If you think that is racist, fine.
But if you do, will you and the PC Brigade object to the stationery stores that sell "Drunken Irishman" St. Patrick's card? These cards have been sold in NYC for years and the PC Bridage is deafeningly quiet. Why? Why have you not addressed that point?
Isn't what is good for the goose, good for the gander? Or are there some groups you can offend and others you cannot, using the exact same language?
Why the double standard? Why the hypocrisy?
Yes but irishman is perhaps not as insulting as Negro. What if the postcard read druken mick? Perhaps it would be as controversial especially at a time when lets say an irish president got elected into office.
"Negro" is not an offensive word. "Mick" is.
If you think 'Negro' is offensive, I advise you to take your complaint to the United Negro Scholarship Fund, or to those Colored People at the NAACP.
"that list consists of people who have made any threats to past or present Presidents."
So I could say that I'm going to kill William Henry Harrison, and I'd get a visit from the Secret Service? Awesome!
He has some good reviews on trip advisor:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d943671-r23823910-Lafayette_french_pastry_bakers_inc-New_York_City_New_York.html
You go to Trip Advisor when you buy a muffin?
Lighten up, Francis.
but the Irish are proud of their drinking, they consider it bragging rights. Go to any Irish Pub and they will probably brag how much they can drink anyone under the table. In Ireland, Guiness brewery is one of their biggest tourist attraction. all their tourists gear have guiness logos. But making a cookie that stereotypes appearance of a certain race if offensive. but i have to agree I think the Baker is not hateful but kind of dumb.
Maybe The Cookie Man is Irish...
Perhaps he is Irish. I really can't tell the difference.
His apology is still half-assed.
However, everyone should just chill out. My guess is that his place will go out of business.
"He made a cookie about me — he’ll make one about you."
Dun dun DUHNN. Watch out, Gothamist readers. Kefalinos is currently at work on his next offensive creation, the "internet hipster" cookie. "I'm not sure what the cookie will look like yet," said the politically incorrect baker, reaching into a drawer and pulling out a small sack. "But they are going to be pasty white, and I'm going to serve them in this bag. My hipster cookies will come with their own douchebag!"
"reports that State Senator Thomas Duane pressured Kefalinos to take a racial sensitivity training session"
That suggestion could only come from a white liberal.
As if sitting around singing Kum Bah Yah is the answer to every racial problem.
yawn-don't buy his cookies if you think he is a racist. I had no idea there were "New" Black Panthers... What happened to the "Old" ones?
They changed the flavor in the 80s... no one liked it. They tried to bring it back as "Classic Black Panther", but in the end, it was a PR nightmare.
The "new" Black Panthers are just politicized gangstas. They don't actually want any civil rights fixes or anything like that. They just want to threaten people under the veil of civil rights.
The bakery owner is an absolute boob.
"although neighboring retailers are tired of the Saturday Panther protests"
Then the neighboring retailers should get them drunk and eat them.
They make great bbbq!
I'd hate to be on that list.
I suspect he'll be audited soon.
Old ones turned into Bloods and Crips.
meant to reply to whitecastle not jacque..my bad.
Not news.
The influence of one dopey baker is overestimated.
Secret Service must have better things to do.
Der Chungster lives to stir the racial controversy stew. Asian Guilt is like White Guilt on crack.
how so? she pointed out that the doofy baker called his cookie a flower, which is a ridiculous statement. If you'll notice the article was written by John, not Jen.
First off, I definitely think that this guy is a stupid, insensitive asshat. There's no question that his cookie was offensive. The thing I can't get past lately is this notion that somehow we all have this inalienable right to not be offended. It's as if, in America today, the worst thing you can be accused of is hurting peoples' feelings. In reality, people say and do offensive shit all the time, and while it's anyone's right (the Black Panthers, etc.) to protest this guy, does it really warrant this kind of ongoing media coverage? This is one dumb guy. If you did the slightest bit of digging you could find 100 dumb guys who'd be quick to say far more offensive things. I just think that in our quest to make people like this Kefalinos guy be more sensitive, we've become a nation of over-sensitive reactionaries ready to fly into a rage anytime someone's grandma still uses the term 'colored' or 'oriental'. It's not that I think people shouldn't be called out for being offensive, I just think we, as a culture, could use a thicker skin when it comes to jerks like this.
John Cleese said it best:
No one has the right not to be offended.
The main reason this issue has persisted is because the guy continues to insist that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the cookie. As long as he makes it clear that he doesn't get it, people will continue to call him out.
What is he supposed to get? Did he send out an email blast to the "New" Black Panther party requesting their presence outside of his business every weekend? Why aren't these well to do individuals setting up shop in East New York where gun violence is a daily occurrence? Why didn't they show up at the sentencing of slain Police Officer Russel Timoshenko? Why is their behavior tolerated?
He did apologize. What more do you want? Another vacant storefront?
Despite several requests, I am still wondering why you and the PC Brigade still have no problem when Hallmark And American Greeting sells "Drunken Irishman" cards on St. Patrick's. Please explain.
Or are white people fair game?
All you self-righteous lefty douchetards should be lining up and buying his cookies everyday in support of his first amendment rights. The same rights that the 'new' black panthers are free to excercise, albeit false indignation in lieu of extortion. Sharpton's head must be spinning that he didn't get on this one first and he had to settle for the monkey cartoon.
I wish he'd make "drunken Sharpton cookies." I'd buy dozens and pass them out to everyone I know.
Only problem is you'd order a case and open the box to find just one, fat cookie inside.
Was trying to reply to Brooklynbobby.
If this and a silly cartoon are what gets the black community the most outraged, then there must be a severe hortage of real racism for them to bitch about. This is really grasping at straws.
The baker should make amends by creating a special Tawana Brawley cookie. It comes frosted in human excrement and points a finger at the nearest white guy.
Touché Ides!!! Right on the money!!!
DUDE, Someone got acess to my account!!!! wtF???? Gothamist has a security breach!!!!! I may be a dick but at least I write what I write. Someone's being a dick in my name and that ain't cool.
yeah, that is not cool at all. This person is a coward and had to use your signon to post his ignorant remark.
anyhow the dumb hairy greek barker is not so dumb, he recognize extortion. What a sleeze to ask for money to stop the protest. who does the think he is? Al Sharpton?
There's no security breach. Get a grip. The other poster is babyhitler2. He just copied your avatar, that's all. Go ahead and report the post via the "report this" link. It'll be removed.
Hate crime legislation . . . making some people more equal than others since 1999.
Hate crime = thought crime.
The Obamatrons are already posting the names and addresses of people they overhear criticizing Obama or his policies and monitoring websites, blogs and message boards. If they see a car with an anti-Obama bumper sticker on it, for example, they post the plate number and details.
Orwell would be shocked.
anyhow the dumb hairy greek barker is not so dumb, he recognize extortion. What a sleeze to ask for money to stop the protest. who does the think he is? Al Sharpton?
anyhow the dumb hairy greek barker is not so dumb, he recognize extortion. What a sleeze to ask for money to stop the protest. who does the panther think he is? Al Sharpton?
sorry about duplicate postings but I am exhausted today with all my multitasking. It is hard to work and goof off at the same time all day.
Anyone who knows Obama understands he's an OREO cookie: black on the outside, white on the inside.
Thank god someone is protesting this baffoon. I was telling someone recently that i'd like to, but i was told it was too late. perhaps i'll be stepping out on a saturday.
Still, they taste better and fresher than the Drunken Negro cookies you get at Gristedes.
Jesse Jackson is on record threatening Obama "balls".
Was he ever visited by SS?
Before Obama's term is over, SS will stand for what it meant 70 years ago. We already have Gaystapo.
So people think it's okay to harass and intimidate a private citizen over a cookie?
RIP America.
Sorry but last I heard protest was part of what makes America pretty dern cool.
Difference between "Drunken Irishman" cards (which are very tacky) and the Drunken Negro cookie:
The cookie ridicules and exaggerates physical features that are out of an ethnic group's control -- skin color, lips and hair that are controlled by God. These features have a long history of being degraded and not looked as individually beautiful. It's the same as cartoons with monkeys and apes, as minstrel shows -- it's disrespectful and insulting to nature.
I'm sure that the Irish and Italians, for that matter, are still treated warily by job interviewers based on the extreme actions of a few of their respective ethnic groups, but in the end, they have a better shot at the job than someone who looks like a cookie -- especially if the Irish or Italian applies for one at that bakery.
How many people of color has he ever employed?
Have to disagree in god being part of this.
God is a human construct, yet humans die over that...
But I do agree about racism as another generalization how to group people. Some individuals have a serious problem thinking about others as individuals, and masking all their ignorance and incapability for disambiguation by setting up and imposing on others the most absurd understandings on race and other collectivism rooted on barbarism. Racism is just primitive.
Amanda says: "Have to disagree in god being part of this."
What, did the embryo say, "when I come out, I want to have this color skin, grow to a certain height and carry the genes of a deadly disease?"
I knew if I mentioned the "G-word", there'd be trouble. But if I had substituted "the Creator", someone would've posted something.
Trying to say that it's out of a person's hands who their parents are, and where on Earth they come from. Anyone who discriminates against someone based on these traits is racist...
... and they need to get a psychiatrist and a life.
He went to Bronx Science? As an alum of that science HS system I know his type: misanthropic cowards who lash out in passive aggressive ways when intimidated by things foreign or different. Afraid someone is going to find out they're not as smart as people think they are.
Well, we found out.
Oh I don't think anyone thinks this guy is smart at ALL.
Irish have been portrayed with monkey features exaggerating their features in a recist manner since at least the 19th century by publications like Puck and Harper's weekly, and countless greeting cards.
Just two example, you do the remaining research:
http://www.haverford.edu/engl/faculty/Sherman/Irish/19thc..htm
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119318600/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0
Oh, Irish and Italians are discriminated "based on the extreme examples of a few"? Right! And African-Americans indulge in no extreme actions? Have you ever read a Crime Blotter?
Rationalize all you want, my friend. Some people do not see beyond their PC prejudices. You seem like one of them.
I think a job interviewer will be able to look beyond stereotypes of excessive drinking and organized crime and hire a person from that ethnic group.
But you must have your head in the sand if you have no idea of the ways people of African descent are misled or discriminated against before they can even speak to support what's on their resume.
Crime Blotter mention - just like the other groups, you are stereotyping. Basically you've jumped to a racist conclusion. Or you're lazy and don't want to think that possibly the vast majority of that group are law-abiding. That's racist thinking.
When they make pink cookies with big red noses and cheeks (and it's not Santa Claus), or swarthy-colored cookies of ginger bread men with their arms and legs bound attached to concrete blocks, then everyone will understand what a stupid idea that baker had.
Bet he's loving the attention!
Gee whiz, you sure know how to avoid the point.
My point: why are the Politicially Correctoids not equally inflamed by the racist depictions of Irishmen displayed on St Patrick's Day cards: as drunks and with simian and distorted features?
It's been going on for hundred years and still continues.
Irish people I know do not like these depictions, but the Libs seem to think it is a cute form of humor. Fine.
But don't white people count, or does your knee jerk only for blacks?
Why you bring in employment or 'extreme actions' or the rest of your obfuscation indicates your inability to address the point and to explain the hypocrisy of the PC Brigade.
I am waiting, but not holding my breath.
Just because the media isn't shunning the depictions of drunken Irishmen on St. Patrick's Day cards doesn't make "Drunken Negro cookies" any less wrong. There are many injustices in the world, many which are overlooked. But if everyone remained silent, there will be no attempt at rectifying these injustices.
Thank you for confirming that there are two standards when it comes to being offended: one for whites and one for blacks.
The media ignore the racial insults directed at whites and deplore the very same insults directed at blacks. Pretty hypocritical.
You're COMPLETELY missing the point there. I did not, in any way, say that 'drunken Irishmen cards' are okay. If one finds something utterly wrong, DO something about--don't just sit there. Injustices are often overlooked because there isn't enough action taken to bring attention to it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you the one with double standards if you think 'drunken Irishmen cards' are offensive but 'drunken negro cookies' aren't?
"I get people who praise me and call me genius."
Daaaaaah... THANKS MOM!
Its not illegal to say nigger. End of story.
Did he stop making the goofy looking cookies or not?
What is all the commotion about? It's simple, if you are offended don't buy his product! DON'T call the secret police and twist his words. What he said about the Pres. was just an observation. You can't assume you know what he "really meant".
And the Black Panthers - maybe they should be called the Pussy cats. I mean, our country is coming apart at the seams and they want to waste time protesting a man's freedom of speech. At least, he didn't spend tax payer money on the cookies. And why do they want to limit the power of the very amendment that allows them to be such hate mongering racist!!!
What is all the commotion about? It's simple, if you are offended don't buy his product! DON'T call the secret police and twist his words. What he said about the Pres. was just an observation. You can't assume you know what he "really meant".
And the Black Panthers - maybe they should be called the Pussy cats. I mean, our country is coming apart at the seams and they want to waste time protesting a man's freedom of speech. At least, he didn't spend tax payer money on the cookies. And why do they want to limit the power of the very amendment that allows them to be such hate mongering racist!!!
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