A white man who owns a Christian media network has caused outrage in the Black community after sharing an image that shows Black clergymen as his hoes.
Kevin Adell, who owns The Word Network, sent a photo of himself dressed as a pimp and various Black clergy surrounding him as his hoes. Concerned Black clergy and allies filed a petition online following the incident, asking the public to boycott the network.
According to the petition, Adell's actions have shown that he has profited from the Black community, but doesn't have any regard for Black humanity. The clergy said Bishop George Bloomer testified to racist actions by Adell, who allegedly texted the offensive photo to various staff members.
“This is not funny. This is not good. That pimp talk and hoe talk has racist connotations for Black people,” Bloomer told Adell, according to the clergy. "Adell texted Bishop Bloomer a second time and said that 'it’s funny and he should get over it.'”
Adell allegedly continued to make racist jokes, photoshopping a picture of Bloomer in a white tuxedo with a caption that said, “The show last night was good, Tattoo."
The clergy said Adell was alluding to the TV show Fantasy Island, referring to himself as Mr. Roarke and Bloomer being the dwarf who referred to him as "Boss."
"Although Mr. Roarke on Fantasy Island was a good character, the term 'boss' in the Black community carries the connotation of 'massa' and that is precisely what Kevin Adell was suggesting," the clergy said.
Bloomer said he sent another text telling Adell to stop playing, but Adell replied with “Oh, you’re too sensitive.”
Adell also depicted Blackface when he blacked out the face of another person who was standing next to Bloomer in a picture, the clergy said. According to the Detroit Free Press, Adell said he didn't create the meme showing himself as a pimp and that he was only sharing it with Bloomer. Adell said he's considering legal action against the Detroit National Association of Black Journalists, who called for a boycott of the network, the Detroit Free Press reported.
The clergy said Bloomer has decided to leave The Word Network because of the racist actions, but Adell told the Detroit Free Press that Bloomer "quit the network was because he wanted more air time."
