THE REDDING NEWS REVIEW

Conservative Comedian Underwood blast Bellefonte, Clinton 

By Robert "Rob" Redding Jr. 

    Atlanta, Nov. 3, 2002, Midnight  - Comedian, actor, TV talk show host Sheryl Underwood Saturday derided Harry Bellefonte and Former President Bill Clinton during a radio interview with Rob Redding on WAOK-AM.

    Underwood, who has appeared in films such as Warren Beatty's "Bulworth" and is an outspoken Republican talk host on BET's program "Holla," said Clinton was not the black president and Colin Powell is important to the black community.

     "That Harry Bellefonte of all people would call Colin Powell a house Negro, and that ain't the word he used, just because he is doing what [President] George Bush says, that he is less than a black person, less than a man is wrong," she said. "We need Colin Powell to stay in the cabinet because Colin Powell is fighting our fight." 

    The Arkansas native also spoke out against Clinton.

   "Black folk done went too far, first you said that Bill Clinton was the first black president, which is disrespectful to black men," she exclaimed. "So you're saying that a guy that smokes marijuana, cheats on his wife and plays the saxophone is black? OK, that is some brothers that we know, but that ain't black, that don't represent black."

    Underwood, who is scheduled to perform at an event slated to woo blacks into the Republican party in New York this week, explained why she is a "card carrying Republican."

    "Blacks were originally Republicans," Underwood pointed out. "The black community has decided to be myopic in their political point of view, and the problem with this is that means our voice is not heard in every aspect of the political process."