Remember last month when Tila Tequila claimed credit for California's legalization of same-sex marriage, because her groundbreaking reality television show put sexualities other than the hetero variety on the map? Or something ridiculous? Now tell us if you heard the one about 24 actor Dennis Haysbert, who played President David Palmer, taking credit for the possibility of a black man becoming president.
OK, OK, he didn't go as far as Tila Tequila:
"If anything, my portrayal of David Palmer, I think, may have helped open the eyes of the American people," said the actor, who has contributed $2,300 to the Illinois Democrat's presidential campaign.
"And I mean the American people from across the board — from the poorest to the richest, every color and creed, every religious base — to prove the possibility there could be an African-American president, a female president, any type of president that puts the people first," he said Tuesday. [AP]
Also: Geena Davis' portrayal of President Mackenzie Allen on ABC's Commander in Chief totally groomed America into believing a woman like Hillary Clinton could be president! But as history would have it, both the fictional and the real life dream were canceled. Sad face.
Editorial Director
This is not necessarily a bad story, except for one thing: Morgan Freeman beat him to it, portraying the President in 1998's "Deep Impact." Can't speak for anybody else, but I have not met a single person who was thrown by a black president in that movie. The minute you saw Morgan Freeman, you didn't even notice or question it. It just made complete sense.
The true sign of progress is not recognizing that a particular event is a first (such as Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy being the first African-American coaches in the Super Bowl). It's when you don't notice it happened. (like the next African-American to start as QB in the Super Bowl, which was Shaun King in 2002)