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Baker Now Apologizes for "Drunken Negro Face" Cookies
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 24, 2009
Modified Jan 24, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 24, 2009
Modified Jan 24, 2009
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After the controversy over the "Drunken Negro Face" cookies he claimed were in honor of President Obama, Lafayette French Pastry proprietor Ted Kefalinos has finally apologized. He told the Daily News, "I'm sorry that people were offended by the cookie. We were just trying to make a large number of people happy, and instead we made a large number of people confused and angry."
The cookie crumbled after customers at the Greenwich Village bakery told My Fox NY's Arnold Diaz about the offensive treats—and how Kefalinos allegedly said, "They're in honor of our new president. He's following in the same path of Abraham Lincoln; he will get his." Kefalinos denied the cookies were racist. When we spoke to him, he explained, "This whole thing was blown out of proportion," and said of the word "negro," "It's a French word. It comes from the French."
My Fox NY headed to the bakery for a follow-up, where Kefalinos played messages left on his answering machine—some were telling him the cookies were offensive while others were more serious threats (one mentioned burning his store down. Video below:
Kefalinos told My Fox NY, "Seriously, from the bottom of my heart, it was an innocent design I created. It was nothing more than just a piece of art." Also, the NYPD is aware of the threats made to Kefalinos, who is now recording all his phone calls.
Tagged
cookie
Drunken Negro Face
greenwich village
Lafayette French Pastry
president obama
racist
Ted Kefalinos
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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