MSG airs Jeremy Lin fortune cookie sign

By: Stephen Smith
Topics: Basketball

(Credit: Twitter)

Updated 1:15 p.m.

The feel-good story of Jeremy Lin was marred by a distasteful footnote Wednesday night, courtesy of MSG.

After Lin dished out 13 assists to lead the Knicks to their seventh straight win, the network aired this image of Lin's face over a broken fortune cookie with the words: "The Knicks Good Fortune."

On Thursday afternoon, the network told CBSNews.com that the image shown during the telecast "was not an MSG graphic, it was one of many fan signs in the arena."

Lin, the first Taiwanese-American to play in the NBA, has already been publicly disparaged for his race. Boxing champ Floyd Mayweather said earlier this week that Lin was being praised only "because he's Asian" and Fox Sports columnist Jason Whitlock posted a lurid Tweet that played on an Asian stereotype. (Whitlock later apologized).

Lin is averaging 23.6 points, 9.8 assists, 1.4 steals, a 3-pointer per game and is shooting almost 50 percent from the field over his last five games.

(Image via Darren Rovell)

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Stephen Smith
Stephen Smith is a senior editor for CBSNews.com

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by Linisterofdefense17 February 17, 2012 4:46 PM EST: .Asian-American Millennials are just entering the real world, and we're chomping at the bits to change the world. Many of us watched our parents marginalized in society, and many of us grew up resenting the fact that we were disregarded or misrepresented in the media. We're hungry for change....; Reply to this comment


by Huttzz February 17, 2012 10:56 AM EST: Him put along side a fortune cookie is mildly racial... but also throwing in the association to MSG (Monosodium glutamate) which is in a lot of Chinese food is just going over the line ;); Reply to this comment

by MKZone February 16, 2012 3:08 PM EST

Sorry, I don't see how this can be interpreted as having any negative racial connotation. I'm offended by CBS News and Mr Smith for a cheap attempt at race-baiting a non-issue. While Jeremey Lin has been the object of offensive comments, this is not one of them. This is nothing more than a fan having some fun, and showing their appreciation of Lin, by coming up with something thought was clever.

The media regularly tries to inflame a "racist" flap where there is none. Its cheap, cynical, and unacceptable. When they do so, it is for their own person gain. Whether that be to sell papers, pump up ratings, or generate web traffic.

The media has been endlessly playing up the "Asian" part of this story. Rightfully, so. It is a big part of the story, and many people are feeling a tremendous sense of pride at seeing someone they feel represents them in Jeremy Lin. Is the media being racist in exploiting the Asian aspect of the Lin phenomenon? No more so than a fan innocuously acknowledging his being Asian in a tongue-in-cheek sign.

Please let CBS and Mr. Smith know that you expect more of them.

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by Linisterofdefense17 February 16, 2012 4:07 PM EST: this is casual racism at its best. Why does jeremy have to be associated with a fortune cookie? I bet you don't even know the origin of the cookie!!! the fortune cookie and all that "chinese" food you ever ate is AMERICANIZED BS get your ish straight... what if some one got a KFC box and had lebron poppin out of it...or you had A.Rod coming out of a taco shell... someone would be on that, but its ok to you right?!?!?! know your role son.


by MKZone February 16, 2012 4:47 PM EST: This not racist, casual or otherwise.

Just because people don't eat authentic Chinese food, that doesn't make them racist. The pizza you eat here is not authentic Italian food. Its an Americanized BS version of what they serve in Italy. Does that make me/you anti-Italian? I actually don't see any issue with LeBron in the KFC box or A. Rod coming out of a taco shell. I'm Jewish. Would I care if I saw a Jewish athlete associated with chicken soup or matzoh balls? Give me a break.

All of this hyper-sensitivity toward any acknowledgment of race where no ill will is intended is misplaced, and in no small part fueled by the media exploitation of race issues. The very hint of legitimization of comments like yours are exactly why I think Mr Smith's article is doing such a dis-service.

Almost all of the fortune cookies I have ever gotten have been from Chinese restaurants, owned by Chinese folks. Does that make them self-hating Asians?

Please tell me more about what you think my role is.

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by jose_z1 February 16, 2012 1:19 PM EST: So if the NY Rangers hockey team end up with a black player that scores a goal every night, will they promote him with kool-aid mugs with his picture on it??
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Jessie and Al won't complain about that, right?
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