Janeane Garofalo says tea parties were for rednecks

Hey, if you participated in one of the 700+ "tea parties" held across the nation on April 15th, guess what?

Actress and former comedienne Janeane Garofalo doesn't like you.

Garofalo appeared on Keith Olbermann's show Thursday night, and with guns a blazing she condemned anyone who participated in the tax and spend protests on tax day.

"Let's be very honest about what this is about," she said. "It's not about bashing Democrats, it's not about taxes, they have no idea what the Boston tea party was about, they don't know their history at all. This is about hating a black man in the White House. This is racism straight up. That is nothing but a bunch of teabagging rednecks."

Olbermann

That's a strong statement. Olbermann's reaction?

He didn't challenge her. Instead he wondered aloud if the network that gave the most coverage to the tea parties -- FOX News -- could survive if this were the case.

"If you spear your television network ... towards a bunch of guys looking who are just looking for a reason to yell at the black president, eventually you will marginalize yourself out of business, won't you?" he asked.

FOX doesn't seem that marginal yet. Last month, the network's ratings were more than double MSNBC and CNN combined. FOX commentator Bill O'Reilly has now hosted the number one cable news program for 100 months in a row.

Rick's Rant

Actually it was an NBC colleague of Olbermann's who started the whole tea party business. CNBC's Rick Santelli gave birth to the movement after launching into a tirade against the housing bailout back in February.

"We're thinking of having a Chicago Tea Party in July," Santelli yelled from the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade. "All you capitalists that want to show up to Lake Michigan, I'm gonna start organizing."

He didn't have to wait until July. The first tea party was held less than a week after the rant. Subsequent protests have been held throughout the nation ever since, culminating with the mass tea parties on Wednesday.

He seemed pretty pleased with himself on CNBC Wednesday morning.

“I think that this tea party phenomenon is steeped in American culture and steeped in the American notion to get involved with what’s going on with our government. I haven’t organized. I’m going to have to work to pay my taxes, so I’m not going to be able to get away today. But, I have to tell you -- I’m pretty proud of this."

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