Toby Keith Stereotypes The Asian Community

Folks in the public eye have got to think before doing anything. Otherwise people are going to twist it around and cause havoc.

Case in point, country singer Toby Keith was performing in Norway last weekend, at a Nobel Peace Prize after party with Will Smith and Wyclef Jean.

They all broke out in rhyme and were performing the Sugarhill Gang's Rapper's Delight. Then came the rundown of the nationalities, “…to the black, the the white, the red and the brown, the purple and yellow…” that's where the ensuing problem happened – Keith did the slanted eye move. Here's the flack he's getting for that 2 second gesture:

“Toby Keith embarrassed himself and his country, denigrated the Nobel Peace Prize and offended Asians and Asian Americans by using a crude, racist hand gesture,” a spokesman for the Asian American Justice Center said Wednesday.

A representative from the Media Action Network for Asians chimed in: “By doing this, he is telling Asian fans, ‘You don’t matter, you’re not on my radar.’”

Toby’s reps are dismissing the controversy: “No one at the concert thought Toby was out of line. Everyone was impressed with his rapping skills and that’s it . . . all of the artists liked each other, hung out, and it was a very friendly, genuine, and supportive atmosphere.”

Watch the video below and tell us what you think. Did Toby Keith go too far? Or is this just another case of society being too caught up on political correctness?

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