Matchbox 20's Rob Thomas apologises for racist joke in Melbourne: 'I cried when I found out' | Music | The Guardian

22.2.16

Matchbox 20's Rob Thomas apologises for racist joke in Melbourne: 'I cried when I found out' | Music | The Guardian: On Sunday the singer of Smooth, Lonely No More and Her Diamonds took to Facebook to explain the joke, which he said was not about race: “I said I drank until I thought I was Australian. Then I drank so much that I thought I was a black Australian and then I drank so much I thought I was a little Australian girl.

“These were 3 things I chose at random to represent 3 things I’m not. I’m not Australian. I’m not black and I’m not a little girl.”

Thomas said that had he known there was a “connection between the indigenous peoples of Australia and a stereotype involving drinking” he would have chosen another example.

“I was so ignorant to the situation that when I heard people groan I actually thought THEY were being racist. I didn’t know until TODAY that just the phrase ‘black Australian’ was racist all on it’s own. (sic)

“I sat in my room and I cried when I found out.”