Matt Lauer responded to Kanye West’s Twitter rant after his interview on The Today Show yesterday where he discussed the incident in which he said “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.”
Kanye accused Lauer of trying to force answers out of him during the tense interview.
Kanye gets kudos for not backing down from his stance on what he (and many others) perceived as the government’s racist response to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. “I think a lot of things that happen in America, period, are because of race.” said Kanye.
Kanye objected to Lauer playing a tape of Bush condemning Kanye’s remarks to get a response from him: “I didn’t need you guys to show me the tape… to prompt my emotions.”
He struggled with Lauer’s leading attempts to get him to say he was sorry for calling Bush a racist. “I did not have enough information in that situation to call him a racist.”
Later, Kanye lashed out angrily when Lauer played the MTV VMA clip of him snatching Taylor Swift’s mic.
“Yo, how am I supposed to talk if you’re gonna run this thing in the middle while I’m talking,” he said as the MTV clip played. Lauer explained to Kanye that the audio was “under” him, meaning low.
“But I’m hearing it while I’m trying to talk. Please don’t let that happen again!,” Kanye snapped to the producers off camera.
Afterward, Lauer explained that running video while a guest is talking is “something we do every day.” He even plugged Kanye’s upcoming live performance on The Today Show on Friday, November 26.
Kanye needs a vacay!
Whomp.
double womp
I agree w/ u Sandra he’s a great artist but he sucks at being a celebrity…
oh brother, more on this guy
What a DIVA! I think he has some self esteem issues he is trying to cover up and he’s just really confused. Listen to the lyrics in All Falls Down and you will understand what I’m talking about.
He made some good songs but everything lately has been medicore at best to me.
Kanye keeps the media tawkin.
I wouldn’t have apologized for the Bush comment.
Im out yall bye
i agree with kanye he been asked the questions a million times like any responsible journalist could see that especially someone with a research team like his. even after Kanye did the interview on mtv after the premier of runaway they was pulling questions from people online and asking him questions he already answered in that particular interview he turned and said who is pulling the questions? do me a favor and give me questions i havent already answered in this interview.
Po yeezy! he just cant get right…smh
bravo Mr. West…tell them media cats to get off your back. They needa find a job in the day and that’s not harassing your a$$…complex man built simply complex
I’m convinced! Kanye has serious issues, I mean like real issues. He seems incredibly emotionally imbalanced. His mother should have had other children, cause his behavior is one of a spoiled only-child. He literally has never grown up and developed an identity. Does he know who he is, other than some clown who has decided he wanted to be a hip hop artist? I mean come on, barking out orders, telling Matt Lauer and the staff of “TODAY”, what they should and should not do. He’s the type of idiot who would crash and burn if they ruined all the success they gained and suddenly it all disappeared. He’d probably commit suicide. He has no center, no self worth. How sad and pathetic he has no need to find the time to get it together. He is headed for a great fall and then what? He complained to Matt that all of his words are scrutinized. Then stop talking Kanye, stop going to twitter and vomiting everything that you feel is unjust if you can handle a rebuttal or criticism. ADULTS determine when and how they will respond and they do it in an intelligent, dignified, calm and contentious way. He never does that but gets mad when people point it out.
chase says:
I agree w/ u Sandra he’s a great artist but he sucks at being a celebrity…
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You must be on Twitter? What’s your Twitter name?
Kanye needs media training…..period. That’s part of being a celebrity answering the same questions over and over. He put himself in this position by all his outrageous antics and comments now he needs to just be quiet and deal with it.
Kanye needs to STFU, which I know he’ll never do, but I like saying it. (LOL) More “passion” to push the album right? Right. He is NOT the first or the only artist to get ask the same questions all day, everyday. And I’m pretty sure that he’s experienced this repetitive nature in interviews while promoting an album in the past. So, what’s the problem?
Hmph
I mean the man is going through something and I know it has to do with his mother but I’m wondering how come he’s not in therapy maybe he is but he is dealing with a lot of hurt
@peanutbuttercup
all_canadian says:
What a DIVA! I think he has some self esteem issues he is trying to cover up and he’s just really confused. Listen to the lyrics in All Falls Down and you will understand what I’m talking about.
I agree, most times people that come off like Kanye have deep rooted self related issues. I believe he has created this whole ima a$$hole image to cover up whats real eating him. Its sad.
SN: All falls down is the chit! I love that video! Stacey Dash #badbish
poor kanye is his own worst enemy .. the bipolar spasms are taking away from his true talent… I must say, I’m not a kanye fan anymore.. he is just too weird for words
that is great that he stood up for himself, but if he kept his mouth closed then he wouldnt have to defend himself so much- IDIOT!
lol @ worst…. worse
good mor-ting!
Sandra Rose says:
chase says:
I agree w/ u Sandra he’s a great artist but he sucks at being a celebrity…
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You must be on Twitter? What’s your Twitter name?
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Lol…. Yup I am… Its chasepyt
Yeah.. and what @peanutbuttercup said.. I agree!
yall mixing up getting asked the same questions all the time to being asked personal questions to get an emotional answer. its one thing to be asked how u doing, whats different about this album, whats your favorite song on the album 100 times but its different when the questions are on a personal level. u not gonna ask rhianna anything about her getting her ass whooped or keep asking chris brown about it. they did they one major interview and answered them questions you not gonna ask a year later about the same things thats just not responsible journalism.
Kanye needs a vacay!
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I think he needs a neurologist. At the very LEAST a psychologist.
Jesus be some common sense to this man. I honestly am starting to think he got some kind of damage in the car accident years ago that lends itself to his anger issues. Compounded by the death of his mother and this muffugga is “tick tick BOOM”…
He needs a good neurologist in his life to see if my theory is correct that he got some damage going on up top.
Get well soon Ye.
Dam this has got to be one of the slowest days on SR we need a new post or TOPICS of INTEREST
I agree at your whole statement KWALL !!!
kanye needs to realize that the media is doing everything that they can to make Black men look bad in the public eye.. thats why antoine dodson gets to shine right now.. its falling into the original plan of things to make sure Black people have a bad representation of ourselves.. kayne is willing falling into the media’s trap.. I guess the subliminal message would be, if Black men arent gay, or in jail, then they must be crazy, uneducated and selfish..
we as parents have to break the cycle and teach our children who they are and what they are worth.. without using tv or media outlets.. I flat out have turned the TV off for my children.. this is really getting dusgusting! just IMO
Choco says:
Dam this has got to be one of the slowest days on SR we need a new post or TOPICS of INTEREST
YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO CHOCO LICIOUS
thats just not responsible journalism.
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I think it responsible b/c of the fact that it is relevant. This is back on the forefront again b/c President Bush who recently (end of Oct.) released a book cited Kanye’s remark as his worse moment. So b/c it is relevant it makes it responsible.
If Rhianna gets beat down by another guy 5 years from now…they gonna bring up Chris Brown. Because it is gonna be relevant again.
This is the “Today Show”…and Matt Lauer as does every journalist whether it be print, radio, or TV answers to a higher power…called an editor. Matt Lauer had to get those questions approved in advance. And he was right…we have all seen montages in the background. It is standard.
Ye’s brain injury just makes him sensitive to all of this…
I love how the media tries to play innocent knowing the whole time they’re just trying to get a reaction out of kanye. Kanye’s an emotional guy-very emotional. The bad thing about it now is people dont follow him on twitter or watch him on tv for positive things or a good performance (which he always gives btw). All now tune in or follow to watch him have an emotional outburst.
Being an emotional person who literally wears every emotion on his sleeve, Kanye may want to learn the craft of backing away from the computer when he’s pissed.
YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO CHOCO LICIOUS
There is no one to play with 
girl I’m still on that Karla blog
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Hmmmm…
Happy Veterans Day! Love you daddy, can’t wait until you are back at Ft. Hood.
I love how the media tries to play innocent knowing the whole time they’re just trying to get a reaction out of kanye. Kanye’s an emotional guy-very emotional.
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People with brain injuries and/or mental instabilites can rarely hold in emotion. Case in point…MARTA girl…she was found to be bipolar. She just up and kirked the fluck out…Sandra we need a medical minute to help diagnose Ye with this brain injury I think he got…or like I said…bipolar-ism. I am not being funny either. My lil sister is bipolar and she be having outbursts left and right. About 5 of us was sitting in my mother living room Sat…chilling…and this heffa come out of nowhere…cuss us ALL out..cause our momma told her she needed to speak…and promptly exited stage right….
Now with that in mind…think about alllll the unscripted outbursts Ye done had…Ummm yeah. Nobody tried to play innocent that night he jumped on that stage…what provoked him THEN? Nothing. Something is wrong with him….
I feel bad for him, there is definitely something wrong with him. I am definitely going to
for Kanye!!!
#teamKanye
He is great at being a REAL celeb and speaking his mind right/wrong or indifferent. I love him and other artist who are NOT PC 24/7 show some emotion like the rest of us humans 
Chase check your twitter
I like the level of authenticity that Kanye exhibits.
what the hell is wrong with Freddie Jackson? he looks soooo….diffeent
im bored to tears
@kwall
now the bush question was relevant but when u play a clip like look at his face look at it. thats to get an emotional reaction. kanyes rants or so to speak is not a bi polar reaction because they are based off tru emotion at the time. like the taylor thing he reacted once that happened he wasnt sitting down all show and randomly just jumped on the stage it was a raw emotion he felt at the time the same thing that was with the bush remark so no i wouldnt label him bi polar. like he said in that today interview i have to be careful with what i say because it will be a media headline and thats not fair to somebody who truly speaks how they feel.
@CFREE
she making my azz work today
Why Sandra only have this post up
I need free legal advice, are there any Law Students or Lawyers up in here or in Lurk world?
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WTH your azz do now….
@WESTCOAST, where u see Freddie @?
@CHOCO, I refuse to work today while everyone else has the dayoff, not gon happen!
@CFREE
I know Im about to create a new blog for Woman I came up with the idea so I might as well create it today
@Choco, Do tell me about this idea of yours
@CFREE
I just wanna create a forum for women and issues they deal with in life
like confusion, vulnerability and ultimately regaining control of herself any ideas you wanna add
Go for it CHOCO, sounds like it wud be interesting
:wail:Im due in a hour long meeting, i don’t know why they want me there all i do is doodle on my notepad
Thanks CFREE make sure you visit I might need some experienced heads to help with responses if it grows even if it doesn’t I do it cuz I need a creative outlet
@ Daisy
I’ve checked it… 
Im due in a hour long meeting, i don’t know why they want me there all i do is doodle on my notepad
just go and feel important 
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CFREE says:
girrrrlllllllll- he was @ the soul train awards lookin a hot mess!
“man. I honestly am starting to think he got some kind of damage in the car accident years ago that lends itself to his anger issues. ”
I know this wasn’t mean to be funny but it made me LOL…
I’m a fan of Kanye but I have to agree with everything kwall is saying. That boy ain’t right and hasn’t been for a while.
He doesn’t need anymore yes men and enablers. He needs to get help or he will end up just like Mike.
Choco says:
I need free legal advice, are there any Law Students or Lawyers up in here or in Lurk world?
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WTH your azz do now….
@Cha
Aint that a bish I paid a retainer for my lawyer and left a voicemail I would give him the rest at the courthouse this mofo was a no show – but it worked in my favor my new lawyer got me off with a fine
I admire Kanye West for speaking about what many of us feel is the truth. But he had better be careful, because these Devils have been known to silence black people who actually say out loud what they are thinking.
It’s been said a trillon times……I think he is still suffering from Donda’s death………….I could NOT imagine life without my Mother! I think he is just now coping and dealing with what happen! I think he could care less about what has occured in the past!
Choco says:
@Cha
Aint that a bish I paid a retainer for my lawyer and left a voicemail I would give him the rest at the courthouse this mofo was a no show – but it worked in my favor my new lawyer got me off with a fine
Well Im on some ITS MY MONEY AND I WANTED IT NOW SHYT…
I have raw emotion all the time. Erryday. I want to come up in this piece and slap the hail outta folks. Do I do it? I want to stand up in meetings and just
but do I do it? I sit there and drank my coffee and pretend I am paying attention like errybody else. We are having our quarterly awards ceremony tomorrow morning…would I prolly get my black azz FIYAH’D if I run up to our VP, while she’s announcing accolades and contributions….and be like “I know the Safety Operations Team did a good job…and Imma let you finish…but us folks over in Clin Ops are the best of ALL TIME…ALL TIME!” I would be one fiyah’d AZZ….on a Friday morning no less. And be looking and sounding stupid tambout “I made a mistake” when I call my sister to tell her I got canned. I know some folks applaud him for his rawness and his ability to say the first thing that comes to his head…but IMO its irrational, irresponsible, and downright unnatural (it is like he cannot control it like I said before…) and in the REAL non celeb world 9x’s outta 10…get most of us fiyah’d from our day job.
He is lucky he is a celeb and not a run of the mill working class brotha.
Jamillah, who are you calling a devil? There is only one devil and he sees no colour!
@Cha
I feel you on that….
When a Black person calls a white person a “racist,” it invokes the same feelings in whites as the “n-word” used by whites does in Blacks. It is offensive to whites because it forces them to acknowledge things about the American culture that they are not ready to deal with.
Let’s face it. Some folks do not like arrogant Black people. Just look at Matt Lauer’s face. Enough said.
Some folks in the media still want to punish Kanye for TaylorSwiftgate.
Understandably so.
However, if the situation were the reverse (e.g., Eminem did the same thing to Cresset Michelle), the story would have been dead the night it happened.
I want folks who ok’s his outlandish behavior to try that shyt on their job….saying whatever comes to your head (interviews), all out disrespecting your co-workers (lets think of Taylor Swift as his musical colleague), throwing a tantrum at a company gathering (award shows are like company gatherings for these folks…your boss is there as are the folks you work with)….and report back and let us all know what happens.
*If you have to report what happened from the unemployment office via your phone that is okay too. Cause I just want to know the outcome.
It comes down to this, and only this… It’s insulting to be called racist. Not because of the past that “we don’t want to deal with” but because it is just point blank insulting if it’s not true. You would be pissed off if someone lied about you, called you something like… I don’t know, an anti-semetic if you weren’t and you KNEW you weren’t! Yet people who don’t know you want to judge and call you it.
This is not directed at anyone, it’s just a rant… I think it was ignorant for Kanye to call Bush a racist. Why? Someone tell me right now why Bush is a racist. Do you know him? No? Okay, so you know he’s a racist how? Because he’s a wealthy older white men from the South? Does that make you racist? What exactly did he DO that makes him not caring about black people?
kwall says:
I want folks who ok’s his outlandish behavior to try that shyt on their job….saying whatever comes to your head (interviews), all out disrespecting your co-workers (lets think of Taylor Swift as his musical colleague), throwing a tantrum at a company gathering (award shows are like company gatherings for these folks…your boss is there as are the folks you work with)….and report back and let us all know what happens.
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I’m emotional and I’ve japped the fluck out at work. I’ve been here 5 yrs and that’s the longest I’ve been at any job. They respect me more after I went off. I’m the only black here. These folks are phony ass hell and they are used to being backstabbers. I expected to be fired but I they kept me. This was 2 yrs ago.
I have to
Daisy and East. Everybody in the entertainment industry is so busy running around being fake that they can’t deal with Kanye because he’s honest and he will show emotion in a minute. Honestly I get sick when I hold things in.
@kwall
thats different because u are not in a so called position of power. kanye is free to express himself how he feels because he dont have to check into work. and i bet if u had the chance to do that at your job and you was leaving or something for a new job you probably be inclined to make that speach at work because whats the worse they could do fire you? u already leaving so it doesnt matter. and all people who have opinions dont speak them so they champion people who voice that when things may prevent them from doing so, ie i need a job.
I agree with peanutbuttercup and @Kwall
I like Kanye, but watching him these last fews years, I”m really on the side of something ain’t right. I don’t if its a mental thing or whatever, but I hope he’s talking to someone.
Matt Lauer is a journalist. He didn’t do anything that he has never done. He made it seem liek they were picking on him. They always play clips in the background…its not new. The katrina thing is relevant because Bush’s book is out. The 5 year old diva antics aren’t cute on a 5 year old and its not cute on a grown azz man.
Most often if you are raised by a racist you may be a racist. And his mammy damn sure is one. Ignorant hussie said the folks displaced by Katrina was living better in the Houston Dome than they lived anyway. How the hell did she know?
I wonder if Matt would’ve been ok with Kanye bringing up him cheating on his wife with a tranny.
Let’s see how professional he would have been!
kanye is free to express himself how he feels because he dont have to check into work.
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After this…I’m out of words for Mr. West and his bizzare behavior. But I see you kinda missed my point. HE IS at work! That IS his job. Alienating those you work with is never good. Some of the folks whose toes he steps on are more powerful than HE is…so if they saw fit they could prolly blackball him for real. Every big celeb at one point or another performs on Sat. Night Live right? How would he have liked it if “Shrek” (Mike Myers…and Sat. Night Live alum) who was standing next to Ye at the telathon and whose face looked like it was about to fall the fluck OFF from his Katrina outburst…would have called Lorne Michaels (Producer of Sat. Night Live) and been like “Lorne…don’t invite Kanye to perform on the show…ever…again in LIFE…and call all the other producers of NBC shows and make sure he is on none of them EITHER…” His azz wouldn’t have even made it to the “Today Show” to even talk to Matt Lauer to generate himself some more press to promote his new album in the FIRST PLACE!! Or on Sat. Night Live last month to do the same either!!
My point is don’t burn bridges that you might need to cross again. Which is why I would never spazz out on a job. I might find another but who is to say I might not need a reference down the road. What if I would have kirked the fluck out when I got laid off…and I had been there almost 7 years…would I have been able to use them for a reference?
The night at the VMA’s I still think was staged, also this whole GB and KW thing seems a little iffy to to me because they both just happened to have something to promote right now and the publicity from this seems to be helping them alot. I dont think Kanye is bipolar but I could be wrong. Maybe the symptoms I have seen if different in men then they are in women. Idk. But he was in a car accident and he could have suffer some neuro damage from that
@kwall
again thats different. what kanye said in either situation was the sentiment of a lot of people but most of us dont have a voice to get mentioned on that level. the bush thing was applauded. the only reason the taylor thing was taking a certain way is because how he did what he did not what he said. if he said it after the awards it wouldnt even be a topic of conversation you would just sat there and agreed like yeah beyonce did have a better video. and the thing about the media the crazier you are the more want you. mike myers could have made that call but its about money so the fact that kanye called SNL as a show out on his song power but still was on the show speaks a lot to how this thing works. the mere fact that he was going to be on the show got millions of people to watch just because of the past history with SNL. another perfect example is 50 cent. hell u might not buy any of his albums but if he go and do a radio interview the ratings just dramatically because people want to hear what they gotta say and good or bad the media is about money and those artist are a draw.
dckimmie74 says:
I wonder if Matt would’ve been ok with Kanye bringing up him cheating on his wife with a tranny.
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What??? *rushes to Google this information.*
Update: Umm, it says he cheated with his co-worker Natalie Morales, not a tranny.
Hello All. AttorneyMom, good points. As for Kanye: Kanye 5, Bush 0, Matt 2. Bush must need some money, out there promoting his book and sh!t.
TEAMKANYE. when you’re going left and all others seem to be going right, ur different. I think I like kanye more cuz he does speak up/out and holds no punches. What you see is what you get. I’m like this and only phucks with so many people cuz the pretend, get by, and doing it cuz I have to dont fly with me. does it hurt networking? I’m sure. Does it stop me from achieving goals? Not at all.
I know it may be stretching our/your tolerance and acceptance of people for who they are. I’d rather this than dismissing people as crazy. Someone said I was crazy for not wanting to attend any company functions? Not even, just ddn’t want to be around those idiots. ever, for 3 years.
peanutbuttercup says:
I’m convinced! Kanye has serious issues, I mean like real issues. He seems incredibly emotionally imbalanced. His mother should have had other children, cause his behavior is one of a spoiled only-child. He literally has never grown up and developed an identity. Does he know who he is, other than some clown who has decided he wanted to be a hip hop artist? I mean come on, barking out orders, telling Matt Lauer and the staff of “TODAY”, what they should and should not do. He’s the type of idiot who would crash and burn if they ruined all the success they gained and suddenly it all disappeared. He’d probably commit suicide. He has no center, no self worth. How sad and pathetic he has no need to find the time to get it together. He is headed for a great fall and then what? He complained to Matt that all of his words are scrutinized. Then stop talking Kanye, stop going to twitter and vomiting everything that you feel is unjust if you can handle a rebuttal or criticism. ADULTS determine when and how they will respond and they do it in an intelligent, dignified, calm and contentious way. He never does that but gets mad when people point it out.
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Great assessment! How did I miss this?
dada76 says:
Kanye needs media training…..period.
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He needs a little bit more than media training. He needs a personality.
I LOVE KANYE!
Choco says:
Dam this has got to be one of the slowest days on SR we need a new post or TOPICS of INTEREST
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It’s always slow around here on holidays.
CFREE says:
Im due in a hour long meeting, i don’t know why they want me there all i do is doodle on my notepad
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Remember that when they short you on your paycheck.
@ Sandra Rose
I cant believe you didnt catch that story, lol. When the media was saying how Matt was cheating with Whitney Houston’s half sister which they said was a tranny. I think it was a few months back. The affair was for years supposedly
I really lost a lot of respect for Lauer after his interview with Kanye. He almost seemed like he was trying to get a reaction out of him. Trying to get him to act a fool. SMH. People act like celebrities aren’t human, like they don’t make mistakes or say stupid shiz. #teamKanye
Nobody needs to get kanye to act a fool…he seems to be doing that alot all on his own
Kanye is one of those ppl I wish would make music and shut up
bottom line is folk need to stop interveiwing ‘Ye while he on his period