Artie Lange’s Sexual, Race-Based, Twitter Rant About Cari Champion Ignites Backlash
Artie Lange has long been known for his provocative, no-holds-barred, explicit, hardcore, potentially offensive, and often hilarious reflections on the world.
Most recognized for his former long time role on the Howard Stern Show and as a stand-up comedian, Artie Lange often comes right up to, and/or crosses, the lines of even the most raunchy comedy-hardened ears. But that’s part of his charm and genuine authenticity; Lange often being just as brutal on himself as anyone else.
But Artie Lange’s over-the-top comedic expressions, mixed with social media, may have just not only crossed any hazy lines, but smashed through the guardrail and sailed right over the cliff of acceptability in a sexually charged, race-based, Twitter rant that quickly devolves into something that many are finding anything but humorous.
Complex reports that any quick online search for “Cari Champion,” host of ESPN’s First Take, will likely include some inappropriate tweets aimed at the obviously attractive female ESPN personality. These include everything from viewers asking Champion out on dates, sexist blowhard viewers asking her not to share her opinion, and other disrespectful instances that Champion seems to take all in stride.
But enter Artie Lange, raising the potentially disrespectful bar right up into the sky, taking to Twitter and firing off a string of tweets that Complex calls, “racist, completely inappropriate, and downright disgusting.”
As of this writing, these “racist, completely inappropriate, and downright disgusting” tweets by Artie Lange are still up, alive and well. Please be forewarned that, again, read in their entirety, they are explicitly sexual and include race-based humor.
Lange has also now begun to address reactions to his Cari Champion rant.
At the same time, Artie Lange fans will read these Artie Lange tweets with the recollections of Artie’s frank interviews and writings where the comedian has explained the roots of some of his darkness, addiction problems, the deep guilt he feels for his father’s getting paralyzed after falling off a ladder, leading to his death, and ultimately Lange’s own 2010 suicide attempt. While some of this may explain Lange’s sporadic mania and inability to filter his words and actions, many are not likely to accept Artie Lange’s personal problems, dark past or simply being a comedian as excuses for this latest questionable riff.
Artie Lange’s series of tweets start off relatively mild by the comedian’s standards, Lange tweeting, “The chick on ESPNs First Take is so f****n hot!”
From there, however, Lange seems to find an unrelenting groove that he rolls down, picking up speed, saying, “Trying to maintain erection and (masturbate) to chick on First Take but they keep cutting back to Stephen A Smith and the white guy. Frustrating!”
Artie Lange then follows with several tweets that build a scenario where he is “T. Jefferson” and Cari Champion, an African American, is his slave. The scenario revolves around an abusive slave-owner/slave relationship that leads to, “having 8 illegitimate kids together (with Cari Champion) & I marry at The Knights of Columbus in Linden New Jersey. Prob with that?! F- Off!”
Artie Lange’s Twitter rant didn’t just raise eyebrows but instantly blew the brows right off some people’s heads. Instant repercussions in the twitter-verse included support for Champion with an @CariChampion and #ISupportCari campaign, along with an anti-Artie Lange take, “@ESPN gotta ban @artiequitter for life.”
Currently, as this story unfolds, Artie Lange has again taken to Twitter regarding his Cari Champion rant.
I'm about to tweet a few things I can't believe have to be explained in a rational world. I observed that @CariChampion was a gorgeous lady
— Artie Lange (@artiequitter) November 5, 2014
I then thought it would be funny to tweet JOKES about that observation. A decision which might be the end of modern comedy
— Artie Lange (@artiequitter) November 5, 2014
Tricky question. I would rather load trucks for a living then ever apologize to one of these awful PC groups ruining the country
— Artie Lange (@artiequitter) November 5, 2014
So that's a NO. But if it upset the lady in question that's another story. Let me say to @CariChampion if this hurt u in any way I'm sorry
— Artie Lange (@artiequitter) November 5, 2014
Following his apology to Cari Champion, Lange reminds people that he’s a comedian, thanks the “PC army” for blowing the whole thing out of proportion, and finally saying, in true Artie Lange form, “I don’t hate women. And to u PC groups that did this I wanna be clear. Go F**K yourselves! Now get back to saving the world. Done. Peace.”
Any more Artie Lange blow-back sparked by his Cari Champion tweets remains to be seen, but judging by the ongoing responses, many are voicing their being offended. Stay tuned.
[Image via avagacser.wordpress.com]
