Kanye West Re. Katrina

a friend on the east coast sent an email warning that kanye's comments would be cut by the time the telecast reached the west coast. here's the gist...cbell


KANYE WEST BLASTS BUSH'S KATRINA RELIEF EFFORTS: 'George Bush doesn't care about black people!'

*If race wasn't supposed to be an issue with the bungling of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, it's been taken to the next phase by rapper Kanye West.

His "unexpected" comment came last night during "A Concert for Hurricane Relief," a heartfelt and dignified benefit aired on NBC and other networks.

About two-thirds into the program, he said "George Bush doesn't care about black people." The acclaimed rapper also told viewers America is set up "to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off as slow as possible."

Because the show, simulcast on NBC, MSNBC, CNBC and Pax, went out live to the East Coast, West's outburst went out uncensored.

There was a several-second tape delay, but the person in charge "was instructed to listen for a curse word, and didn't realize (West) had gone off-script," said NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks.

Here is NBC official response to West's comments on the telethon:

"Tonight's telecast was a live television event wrought with emotion. Kanye West departed from the scripted comments that were prepared for him and his opinions in no way represent the views of the networks. It would be most unfortunate if the efforts of the artists who participated tonight and the generosity of millions of Americans who are helping those in need are overshadowed by one person's opinion."

West's comment about the president was cut from NBC's West Coast airing of the show three hours later