When a Taco Isn't Just a Taco

During ESPN's broadcast of the Minnesota-Ohio State game on Saturday, the network cross-promoted a NASCAR race by showing a graphic listing the top five drivers. Chris Spielman, Bob Griese's partner, asked where Juan Pablo Montoya was. Griese responded that Montoya was "out having a taco."

Montoya, who is Colombian, has declined comment, saying he has no idea who Griese is, but unfortunately for its announcer, ESPN has not remained silent. Despite twice publicly apologizing Saturday, ESPN has suspended Griese for this week's telecast. In a statement released Tuesday, ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz says the network has spoken to Griese and "he understands the comment was inappropriate."

In fact, contrary to lazy stereotypical belief, tacos are not a popular cuisine in Colombia. And everyone with a Spanish surname is not, you know, from Mexico. Now Griese will have a weekend outside the broadcast booth to think about the error of his ways. Question for you, would Griese have even gotten in trouble if he'd said that Montoya was "out having an arepa" or "out having a sancocho?"

Probably not, because, like me, you've never heard of either of Colombia's most popular dishes. Griese's ignorance about Colombian cuisine aside, isn't it problematic that today's punishments aren't consistently applied when it comes to on-air commentary? I'm not sure what I think of Griese's punishment, but I do think it raises some interesting questions about the way we respond to racial commentary. Namely, your punishment is reflected more by the ethnicity you refer to than by the the substance of what you actually say. And in 21st-century America, isn't that a bit ridiculous?

In fact, let's play a game and put Griese's comments in a different ethnic light. What if he'd made stereotypical comments about other ethnic backgrounds instead?

1. Italian driver, "out having lasagna."

No punishment.

2. Southern white driver "out having some grits."

No punishment.

3. Black driver "out having a watermelon."

Griese is fired and never calls another game for ESPN.

4. Native American driver "out smoking a peace pipe."

Verbal reprimand.

5. Indian driver "out having a plate of curry."

Verbal reprimand.

6. Asian driver "out having some sushi."

Verbal reprimand.

7. Latino driver "out having a taco."

One-week suspension.

Isn't this flow chart of racial-cuisine insults ridiculous? The only slight issue I do have with the line is not that I believe Latinos watching the game immediately curled up in the fetal position and began to cry, but because the line wasn't very funny.

If you watch as much sports on television as I do, you crave the occasional funny comment. We all do. So I don't want to discourage levity in the broadcast booth. But our collective response as a society to awful jokes makes no sense. Sometimes we're outraged, often we shrug our shoulders.

When the offenses are all equal, why are we treating them differently?

I don't really have a problem with a punishment in these cases, even when I think everyone who watched the video would agree there was no real intent to offend, or a problem with a lack of punishment; what I have an issue with is disparate treatment of ethnic jokes in a multicultural society that fashions itself egalitarian.

You may even disagree with my projected punishments. In fact, feel free to weigh in below and come to your own conclusions. Regardless, the point of the exercise is that, on balance, each offense is roughly equal. Yet the responses are often different.

That's why I think situations like Griese's often point out society's foibles much more than they do any one person's.