Tiki Barber puts his foot in it again with ‘Anne Frank’ comment - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

catlover79 · 05-27-2011, 02:10 PM

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shu...urn=nfl-wp2225

Fri May 27 11:05am EDT

Tiki Barber puts his foot in it again with ‘Anne Frank’ comment
By Doug Farrar

While brother Ronde appears to be the very soul of dignity as he continues his future Hall of Fame career down in Tampa Bay, former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber managed to offend quite a few people with a recent comment. Explaining the media scrutiny he's received since he left his pregnant wife to be with his 23-year-old girlfriend, Barber told L. Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated that he moved into the attic of his agent, Mark Lepselter, to escape prying eyes.

"Lep's Jewish," Barber allegedly said, "and it was like a reverse Anne Frank thing."

Um, yeah. A millionaire pro football player comparing himself to a teenage Jewish Holocaust victim is going to go over about as well as Adrian Peterson's recent "modern-day slavery" comment, but at least Peterson had a bit of context with which to defend himself. Barber's comment was thoughtless at best and asinine at worst. It's certainly the wrong step to take as Barber tries to rehab his image in the wake of professional and personal failures, and as he tried to convince people that he's got a legitimate future in the NFL as a comeback story.

Barber was never known as the most tactful sort; it's well-known that his way of doing things put off some of his old teammates, especially when he questioned the leadership of the Giants quarterback as a member of the media as opposed to a guy in the locker room who would have to answer for his words. And his concept of himself as a future media magnate hasn't gone as expected. But this is a larger bump in the road. Judging from initial reactions, Barber will have quite a time living this down.

"Holocaust trivialization continues to spread and finds new ways and expressions that shock the conscience," Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League said. "Tiki Barber's personal behavior is his business. But our history and experiences are ours and deserve greater respect than being abused or perverted by Tiki Barber.

"The analogy to Anne Frank is not funny, it is outrageous and perverse. Anne Frank was not hiding voluntarily. Before she perished at age 15 in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, she hid from the Nazis for more than two years, fearing every day for her life. The Frank family's experiences, as recorded in Anne's dairy, are a unique testimonial to the horrors of the Holocaust, and her life should never be debased or degraded by insensitive and offensive analogies."

Lepselter defended his client, according to Pro Football Talk, by claiming that Barber was trapped in the attic for a week, and mentioned that Barber was the guest of Israel's president five years ago.

Most people will ring up a "No Sale" to that, though. I don't believe it's anyone's contention that Barber was actually trying to compare his situation to Anne Frank's. But if there's one thing people need to learn when they're in the public eye, it's that the life of a celebrity doesn't have an "off" switch. If you want your words in the public record, you have to watch what you say at all times. Especially when, like Barber, your history makes you a less than sympathetic character.

Jamie in CA · 05-27-2011, 02:13 PM

He's a tool. In his defense, I don't think he meant any harm by the comment. But it was still a stupid anything to say and you have to stop and think before you say anything.

catlover79 · 05-27-2011, 02:18 PM

I don't think he meant any harm by it either, but he has definitely said plenty of stupid things that have found their way in print. You'd think he would've learned his lesson by now.

Jamie in CA · 05-27-2011, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

I don't think he meant any harm by it either, but he has definitely said plenty of stupid things that have found their way in print. You'd think he would've learned his lesson by now.

Most of his career has been team failure and one dumb comment after another. New York can keep him because we don't want him here in LA.

And I loved every second when the Giants won the Superbowl the year after he retired.

Marvo301 · 05-27-2011, 02:39 PM

Tiki's problem is that he speaks before he thinks. If he did things the other way around he could save himself a whole lot of trouble!!

catlover79 · 05-27-2011, 02:46 PM

I've always loved this Tiki Barber joke:

05-27-2011, 02:10 PM	#1
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,392	Tiki Barber puts his foot in it again with ‘Anne Frank’ comment http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shu...urn=nfl-wp2225 Fri May 27 11:05am EDT Tiki Barber puts his foot in it again with ‘Anne Frank’ comment By Doug Farrar While brother Ronde appears to be the very soul of dignity as he continues his future Hall of Fame career down in Tampa Bay, former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber managed to offend quite a few people with a recent comment. Explaining the media scrutiny he's received since he left his pregnant wife to be with his 23-year-old girlfriend, Barber told L. Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated that he moved into the attic of his agent, Mark Lepselter, to escape prying eyes. "Lep's Jewish," Barber allegedly said, "and it was like a reverse Anne Frank thing." Um, yeah. A millionaire pro football player comparing himself to a teenage Jewish Holocaust victim is going to go over about as well as Adrian Peterson's recent "modern-day slavery" comment, but at least Peterson had a bit of context with which to defend himself. Barber's comment was thoughtless at best and asinine at worst. It's certainly the wrong step to take as Barber tries to rehab his image in the wake of professional and personal failures, and as he tried to convince people that he's got a legitimate future in the NFL as a comeback story. Barber was never known as the most tactful sort; it's well-known that his way of doing things put off some of his old teammates, especially when he questioned the leadership of the Giants quarterback as a member of the media as opposed to a guy in the locker room who would have to answer for his words. And his concept of himself as a future media magnate hasn't gone as expected. But this is a larger bump in the road. Judging from initial reactions, Barber will have quite a time living this down. "Holocaust trivialization continues to spread and finds new ways and expressions that shock the conscience," Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League said. "Tiki Barber's personal behavior is his business. But our history and experiences are ours and deserve greater respect than being abused or perverted by Tiki Barber. "The analogy to Anne Frank is not funny, it is outrageous and perverse. Anne Frank was not hiding voluntarily. Before she perished at age 15 in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, she hid from the Nazis for more than two years, fearing every day for her life. The Frank family's experiences, as recorded in Anne's dairy, are a unique testimonial to the horrors of the Holocaust, and her life should never be debased or degraded by insensitive and offensive analogies." Lepselter defended his client, according to Pro Football Talk, by claiming that Barber was trapped in the attic for a week, and mentioned that Barber was the guest of Israel's president five years ago. Most people will ring up a "No Sale" to that, though. I don't believe it's anyone's contention that Barber was actually trying to compare his situation to Anne Frank's. But if there's one thing people need to learn when they're in the public eye, it's that the life of a celebrity doesn't have an "off" switch. If you want your words in the public record, you have to watch what you say at all times. Especially when, like Barber, your history makes you a less than sympathetic character. Attached Images
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05-27-2011, 02:39 PM	#5
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,460	Tiki's problem is that he speaks before he thinks. If he did things the other way around he could save himself a whole lot of trouble!!
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

05-27-2011, 02:13 PM	#2
Jamie in CA Jamie as in James Occasional Poster Join Date: May 27, 2011 Location: Torrance, California Posts: 56	He's a tool. In his defense, I don't think he meant any harm by the comment. But it was still a stupid anything to say and you have to stop and think before you say anything.

05-27-2011, 02:18 PM	#3
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,392	I don't think he meant any harm by it either, but he has definitely said plenty of stupid things that have found their way in print. You'd think he would've learned his lesson by now.

05-27-2011, 02:46 PM	#6
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,392	I've always loved this Tiki Barber joke: