An appearance by Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann on “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” is being criticized — not for Bachmann’s words, but for the introduction music used to follow her on stage.
“[A]ight late night walkon song devotees: you love it when we snark: this next one takes the cake. ask around cause i aint [sic] tweeting title,” The Roots drummer Questlove tweeted before the show. The Roots doubles as Fallon’s house band on his late night talk show.
“[T]ake a guess. buy the record anyway. Its [sic] classic and should be in your vocabulary,” he added a few minutes later, along with a link to the Fishbone song “Lyin’ Ass B—-h.”
Obviously, they were referring to Bachmann with the song title.
The song has angered many – both conservative and liberal – as disrespectful toward a woman candidate.
“I can’t get over how disrespectful Jimmy Fallon’s show was to Michele Bachmann last night. Truly tasteless and offensive,” MSNBC commentator Meghan McCain tweeted Tuesday afternoon.
Many dissenters added that an entertainment program would not treat a male – or a liberal female — candidate this way. One of the most vocal on the subject: Democratic congresswoman Nita Lowey.
“The choice of song to introduce Michele Bachmann on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon last night was insulting and inappropriate,” Lowey said in a statement. “I do not share Michele Bachmann’s politics, but she deserves to be treated with respect. No female politician – and no woman – should be subjected to sexist and offensive innuendo like she was last night.”
Bachmann was not familiar with the song and spent much of her appearance on the show promoting her new book Core of Conviction, making jokes and playing word association games with the comedian-turned-host.
“The performance was a tongue-in-cheek and spur of the moment decision. The show was not aware of it and I feel bad if her feelings were hurt. That was not my intention,” Questlove said in a statement, adding that they make fun of many guests with their music.
“Somebody needs to teach NBC how to treat a lady,” Fox News writer Todd Starnes said. “Bachmann’s campaign did not have an immediate comment to the derogatory nature of the song. It’s too bad that Mr. Bachmann doesn’t deliver his response to the bridge of Fallon’s nose”
However, Bachmann did get in a dig at her opponent, Texas governor Rick Perry, over his debate flap.
“That’s not one word, I gotta do three: Governor. Texas. I can’t remember, oops.”
Meagan Morris is a freelance multimedia journalist who focuses her work around important cultural and women’s issues around the globe. Follow her on Twitter @upsidemeagan.