The Dutch may be good at making chocolate, but they’re certainly not good at making apologies as a popular Dutch Magazine called Jackie, just published an entirely inappropriate rant about pop songstress Rihanna which was followed by a seemingly disingenuous apology.
According to New York Magazine, Jackie Magazine was attempting to underscore Rihanna’s sense of fashion with some obviously, off color statements. Here’s how it read;
“She has street cred, she has a ghetto ass and she has a golden throat. Rihanna, the good girl gone bad, is the ultimate n***a bitch and she displays that gladly–for her that means what’s on can come off. If that means she’ll be on stage half naked, then so be it. But Dutch winters aren’t like Jamaican ones, so pick a clothing style in which your daughter can resist minus ten. No to the big sunglasses and the porn heels and yes to the tiger print, pink shizzle, and everything that glitters. Now let’s hope she won’t beat anybody up at daycare.”
Yes, you read correctly. The magazine not only used the “N” word and the “B” word when describing Rihanna, they also essential called her a slut by referring to her shoes as “porn heels”. I mean this was really poorly written. As you notice there is a brief comparison to Dutch vs. Jamaican winters, but everyone knows Rihanna is from Barbados, not Jamaica.
This may have been the magazine’s attempt at keeping up with pop culture, but it went completely awry and Rihanna’s loyal fan base (including other popular publications) had no problem vocalizing their disgust as they blasted the magazine afterwards.
Then, in a vein attempt at an apology, the magazines chief editor, Eva Hoeke, issued a statement that because she heard the “N” word commonly used, her perception shifted regarding whether the word had become acceptable.
“I hope that you all believe there was absolutely no racist motive behind the choice of words. It was naive to think that this was an acceptable form of slang. You hear it all the time on TV and radio, then your idea of what is normal apparently shifts, but it was especially misguided: there was no malice behind it.”
Hoeke added;
“We make our magazine with love, energy and enthusiasm, and it can sometimes happen that someone is out of line. And then you can only do one thing: apologize. And hope that others wish to accept it. From the bottom of my heart I say it again: we never intended to offend anyone. And I mean that.”
I don’t know about you, but I certainly didn’t feel the “love, energy and enthusiasm” when I read their description of Rihanna; and apparently neither did Jezebel.com who according to The Daily News, called the apology “unsatisfying”, adding;
“If tossing around racial slurs is the Jackie staff’s ‘idea of what is normal,’ they might want to look into some new hires.”
Rihanna encountered racism in Portugal earlier this week responded in a way only she could via her favorite social medium, Twitter:
@evajackie I hope u can read english, because your magazine is a poor representation of the evolution of human rights! I find you disrespectful, and rather desperate!! You ran out of legit, civilized information to print! There are 1000′s of Dutch girls who would love to be recognized for their contributions to your country, you could have given them an article. Instead, u paid to print one degrading an entire race! That’s your contribution to this world! To encourage segregation, to mislead the future leaders to act in the past! You put two words together,
@evajackie with the intent of abasement, that made no sense…”***** B*TCH”?!….Well with all respect, on behalf of my race, here are my two words for you…F*CK YOU!!!
What do you think of Rihanna’s response?
