Not that long ago, we all thought Lil Wayne was denied access to Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals in Oklahoma City because of a convoluted love triangle involving some Thunder players. Turns out it's because Lil Wayne is black, according to Lil Wayne. Various players have since come forward and offered Lil Wayne tickets to another game, but that ship has sailed.
"That's not the point, though," he told The Associated Press in an interview Friday night. "It's the players stepping up but of course the players aren't white. I don't want to be sitting there on behalf of you and I'm sitting next to a (person) that's like 'I don't want this (guy) sitting next to me.' (Forget) you ... I'm in Forbes," he said, laughing.
Oh my goodness, Lil Wayne, please stop talking. The Thunder have offered a counter to this claim and it goes a little something like this: "Lil Wayne's representatives insisted that he sit in the front row, and none of those seats were available." Which do you suppose is the more logical reason for you, world famous celebrity, to have been denied tickets? Or Maybe the Oklahoma City Thunder are in the business of offending its players, the majority of its fanbase and reason altogether by pandering to a racist segment of that fanbase. Yes, I'm sure that's it.
Of course, racism is alive and well in the United States and across the globe, but what Lil Wayne has just experienced is not racism. Lil Wayne has experienced the rare occasion when a person or entity was either unwilling or unable to bend over backwards to please a celebrity. It's so rare that it causes celebrities' brains to overheat with "does not compute" messages.
Lil Wayne, think this one through. Do you really think all those white "(people)" sitting in the first row watching all those black menâ€"many of whom are very famousâ€"play basketball would balk at sitting next to an even more famous black man? Shit, they're basically guaranteed some solid close-up face time on a national broadcast because they were lucky enough to sit next to you. "Thunder guard James Harden scoffed when asked if he's ever felt unwelcome in Oklahoma City because he is black. 'Not even close,' he said." This isn't a bus and you aren't Rosa Parks.
Team spokesman Dan Mahoney sums it up thusly:
"We just didn't have the seats available," Mahoney said. "Its [sic] that simple. Supply and demand.
"We offered him other locations and probably could have accommodated him. We've had other celebrities courtside when it was available. In this case, for a playoff game, there were none available."
In a week where the country lost its collective shit because the son of a rich rap mogul had the audacity to accept an athletic scholarship someone needs to remind Lil Wayne that at least Justin Combes earned his freebie. Lil Wayne just wants a free ticket for the best seats in the house because he's Lil Wayne.
You are in Forbes. You are world famous and get virtually anything you want. Virtually. This time it didn't work out for you, but check out that bank account of yoursâ€"buck up and buy your own ticket (even if it's notâ€"gasp!â€"court side) if you really want to go. Or maybe you just want to be seen.
Lil Wayne Says He Feels 'Unwanted' at Okla. Arena [NY Times, AP]
Thunder: Lil Wayne has to buy a ticket 'like anybody else' [Indy Star]
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