Ted Bird's new haircut, from K103Radio.com
K103 thought to bring a video camera as Ted Bird got a mohawk shaved into his head during his first show.
He said during the show that he had decided not to shave his head because he wanted to be embraced by the community rather than do some silly stunt thinking it would impress everyone.
It was all an act, though, part of the publicity stunt for the station that is betting quite a bit on Bird’s personal popularity to bring listeners and advertisers. They insisted he get his haircut, and he obliged.
Bird will be appearing with his new haircut on his Bird’s Eye View segment on CFCF tonight at 6, where I assume he will explain why he looks like he does. Bird the chicken wussed out and wore a Habs cap during his Bird’s Eye View segment on CFCF, though he did explain at the end, and included footage of the shaving.
Bird has a post about his haircut on his blog. There’s also a short story about Bird and the new show at KahnawakeNews.com. Other than that (and this post), not much bite from the media.
Radio watcher Sheldon Harvey has some thoughts on the debut at Radio in Montreal. Noah Sidel also weighs in.
Oh, and K103 Operations Director Chuck Barnett sent in this pic of Bird at his new roost:
Ted Bird struts his stuff at K103 (photo by Chuck Barnett)
UPDATE (April 21): Bird has also started writing a column for Iorì:wase (aka the Eastern Door, aka KahnawakeNews.com) about his experience working in the community.
UPDATE (April 22): I’ve gone through my recording of their first show, and compiled this 15-minute excerpt of banter between the hosts. It includes Bird’s first words on air at 5:30am, a conversation over the phone with Terry DiMonte, the new Revisionist History, and a couple of promos.
Looks like he did not sport a mohawk on CTV. He wore a Habs hat instead. http://montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100419/mtl_birds_eye_view_100419/20100419/?hub=MontrealHome
There’s something about this that just seems uncomfortably racist. Maybe its Bird’s comments in your previous posts where he brushes off claims of racism as “JUST A JOKE, YOU GUYS, LIGHTEN UP,” but if this isnt racist, its definitely in the neighbourhood. If anyone who was a legitimately serious person did this (lets say the Minister of Native Affairs), it would be painted as an ultimate racial insult.
Bird is truly the Carlos Mencia of Montreal.
I don’t know what “legitimately serious” means, but how is it racist to let Mohawks shave a mohawk into your head?
A serious public figure, not some washed up half comedian. When he was called out in the last thread for taking Mohawk jobs and making casually racist remarks, he used the old “haha, cmon, just kiddin around, goofballs. you guys just dont get my crazy sense or humour!!” Anyone with any legitimacy would take the claim serious and either apologize or back away from the comments.
I know he’s your friend, but I can’t help but feel that if it was almost anyone else doing this, you’ll call a spade a spade and write about how its a cheap marketing ploy with seriously questionable negative racial undertones that hurts the community, at the expense of a D-List local celebrity who cant read the signs on the wall that its time for a career change.
As for your question, yeah, I think it is. Would it be racist if blacks paint your face black? Even if the people doing the stunt thought it was humour, theres plenty of people in the community who would find such poor attempts at humour and poor attempts at publicity to be absolutely unacceptable.
You seem to be referring to this quote: “The main differences are that instead of pirates, it’s Mohawks, and if it doesn’t work out I won’t have to walk the plank, although they may tie me to an anthill and smear me in honey.”
Perhaps that offends someone, but I don’t see that as “casually racist”. I certainly have no reason to believe there was any malicious intent in the remarks, so I don’t see what all the fuss is about.
I’ve never even met the man in person. Before he left CHOM, I didn’t even know what his email address was. Maybe I’ve been a bit soft on the man, but it’s not because we’re hockey buddies or he married my sister or anything.
It is a cheap marketing ploy. I said so myself and I don’t think anyone’s suggesting otherwise. As for “hurts the community”, is there anyone hurt? Considering it was members of this “community” that insisted he go through with the haircut, and a member of the “community” that actually cut his hair, my first impression is that they’re not hurt or offended by it. But maybe they’re self-hating Mohawks?
Then those people can speak up for themselves. I’ve been hearing comments from those who question bringing in Bird at the expense of community jobs, and that’s a serious issue. I’ve heard very little complaints outside of a couple of anonymous commenters on this blog about Bird’s jokes or the fact that he has a mohawk haircut.
Perhaps that offends someone, but I don’t see that as “casually racist”. I certainly have no reason to believe there was any malicious intent in the remarks, so I don’t see what all the fuss is about.
Thats just it Fagstein. I guarantee you that nearly every person who might be considered a racist certainly doesnt believe they are racist. Modern racism is casual and exists because people (like you in this specific instance) shrug it off and say “well, he didn’t mean it in a BAD way!” Negative stereotypes against a minority, or traditionally repressed group are what they are. Simply because the speaker didnt have malicious intent doesnt mean its “okay.”
The same goes for the point that the First Nation hosts were “not offended,” so that makes it somehow not-racist, or “okay.” If I have a close black friend (I’m white), who isn’t offended when I say racially demeaning, are other members of the black community allowed to be offended, or do I have some sort of magic all-encompassing anti-racism protection? The fact that you lump community opinion with that of the (paid) hosts is borderline incredulous.
Then those people can speak up for themselves
They likely will by tuning out their own community radio, which is a disservice to the community as a whole. Bird is such a non-figure, and there are so many more important issues facing reservists, the best route isn’t to fight this, but to just turn the dial to something less wretched, like one of the Astral stations.
As much as I love arguing with people, this really comes down to you thinking some jokes are racist and me not thinking so.
The fact that we’re both white men makes this argument ridiculous. Neither of us can speak for the community either way, nor should we. Let them speak for themselves.
Just watched the Bird’s Eye View clip online. I hope his reticence to rock out with his ‘hawk out won’t be poorly viewed by the native community.
I doffed my cap during the recording of Bird’s Eye View but CTV chose to edit it out and show footage of me getting shaved instead.
Ted Bird
On “Bird’s Eye View,” he hid his Mohawk with a Habs cap LOL
C’est moi ou Ted Bird a filmé son segment dans l’Antichambre de RDS? :-p
Hey Steve,
Wanna be hockey buddies? How’s your sister?
Ted
I don’t play hockey and I don’t have a sister. And even if I did, you’d be too old for both.
I think that too much time is wasted talking about Ted Bird. Period, move on.
My time to waste. If you don’t like it, you’re welcome to go somewhere else.
They shaved his head and he (and they I presume) publicized it to bring attention to a small community station. I fail to see the racism part here. Okay, and I listened to the station for the first time today. I actually thought the playlist was terrific. Reminded me a lot of what many family-owned stations used to be like.
Hi there
Just a clarification: Iorì:wase is not in anyway linked to the Eastern Door. They are two separate entities. Iorì:wase can be found at KahnawakeNews.com and is owned by Greg Horn. The Eastern door can be found at http://www.easterndoor.com and is owned by Steve Bonspiel and Tracey Deer.
Thanks!
Ted Bird also my dad went bald a week after the haircut
Just stumbled on this blog during a power outage and was researching k103 radio. This may be old news, but I love how the white man continues to debate how they think the natives feel! They have no clue.