The Cleopatra Jefferson video

Mike Berman sent me a video, and since my browser is having trouble with YouTubes (I’m getting a new computer soon), I asked him to describe it. He wrote back:

This is not up to the standard of VFR. It’s lowbrow humor at its best though. Chaim ben Pesach describes his adventure and frustrations dealing with the customer service department of a company which employs affirmative action personnel at the lowest and highest (but not intermediate) levels. It makes for a hilarious mix of misunderstandings and power plays.

I replied:

Well, would it be beneath the dignity of VFR to link the darn thing?

Mike Berman replied:

I have no objection and would, in fact, be very interested in hearing your readers’ responses.

- end of initial entry -

Michael S. writes:

I don’t know where Mike Berman lives, but what he calls “lowbrow humor” I would call typical Queens candor (apparently these guys live near Forest Hills).

Karl D. writes:

Very funny yet infuriating video as this is par for the course when dealing with almost any type of “customer service” these days.

Just an example. I recently stopped at the George Washington Bridge toll booth to pay a toll and the black woman inside was reading a soap opera fan magazine and completely ignored me. She knew I was there with my money sticking in her face and she just calmly kept reading. Finally I asked her if she could tear herself away from her magazine and do her job? She sucked her teeth, took my money and told me I WAS RUDE!!?? Tie this together with the black “security guards” on the GW bridge who were filmed sleeping on the job recently and it makes me want to avoid the bridge altogether. Any cretinous Muslim with a bomb strapped to the hood of his car that says BOMB in big letters could get through with ease.

Michael S. writes:

More thoughts:

Delusions of grandeur, unprovoked attitude, managerial incompetence, effective stupidity… in the face of all that, the guy’s response was quite… measured. (There’s another word I’m looking for, but I’m not sure what it is… Not “subdued” or “restrained”… he’s very matter-of-fact, as if there’s no need to get bent out of shape, as though he’s dealing with a puppy who just wet the carpet—except that the puppy has some excuse.)

Women like this, the only thing they have is their attitude. No skills, no character—just all attitude, all the time. (Particularly irksome is their appropriation of the word “diva.” Excuse me, “sister,” do you even know where that word comes from? Have you ever heard of Maria Callas? Uh, yeah, I didn’t think so.)

There are people with Down’s syndrome who are quite functional, and can hold simple jobs like grocery store bagger, assistant sacristan, and like that. And they are invariably loving, pleasant, and hardworking, if often shy. To replace “Cleopatra” with such a person would be an improvement. Seriously. (At least the job would be held by someone *more* qualified.)

And that’s really all these kinds of people do. They “hold” jobs. They sure as hell don’t DO them.

The company definitely needs to get rid of what sounds like a bizarre and potentially idiotic policy. At the very least, it’s idiotic because it puts idiots in charge.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at September 25, 2009 12:29 PM | Send