Racist client, but I need the money..

[legato]

Welcome.

Do not ignore.




Henk

[Electrocaseal]

Your job must be pretty easy if the worst thing you encounter is a guy making fun of black people.

[The Byre]

I have another great idea. Get one of those miniature spycams (you can get hi-def cameras now in a pair of regular prescription glasses) and record this pea-brain in full flow.

When he has gone and paid his bill, edit the best bits together and stick it on YouTube together with his name.

[Capashitor]

So what would the dalaï-lama say ... "Have you considered it might be him that has to bear your non-racist jokes all the time ?"

Seriously though. I have been working a shitty job (like brooming courtyards and cleaning up toilets) when I was younger during summer. My superior was not only calling all the time for the return of the REICH !, but he would also share very negative views towards women, students, and then being a hypocritical coward about so many things that I literally LOATHED the guy. Know what I did ? I respected his right to be what he was, as I knew anyway even a 10 years trip in prison wouldnt change him. And I respected my own right to have a job and need the money.

Just to say a job is a job, and you get to deal with "different" (lol) people sometimes, and just have to deal with it unless you're the boss and get to choose your clients. Its not your place to make a moral stand unless you're ready to accept all the consequences on your professional life.

[siniarch]

I really can't believe how many people say to just ignore it. I agree with letting people have their views and the freedom to do as they please as long as it's not hurting anyone, but the second that he is making jokes that make you feel uncomfortable he is affecting you.

Again, I would talk with my boss and explain my point and if he didn't do anything then I would quit or refuse to work on that project and immediately start looking for another job.

What if the guy was feeling you up? touching your ass? what if your boss just said to ignore it? would you? What if he started smoking and that affected you? Like someone said above, your boss should say, "this is an anti-racist work place. If you want to make racist comments you should do that outside" as I stated above, I would even offer an incentive for my piece of mind but if your boss didn't want to do that then let him know where you stand.

[machoboy]

I think the people saying ignore it are being realistic.

It's like saying people should drop out of college once they realize half the students are stoned out of their minds 24/7 and idolize communist dictators. Or go around with clenched fists demanding they change their moronic ways at the cost of your own grades.

In reality you just roll your eyes and admit those people won't affect anything or really matter 10 years from now and you move on. This guy doesn't sound like he's going to be a superstar any time soon if he constantly advertises his racial beliefs to complete strangers.

Do what you like though... I just hate to see people damage themselves just to feel aligned with the zeitgeist.

[dubmunkey]

Originally Posted by The Byre

I have another great idea. Get one of those miniature spycams (you can get hi-def cameras now in a pair of regular prescription glasses) and record this pea-brain in full flow.

When he has gone and paid his bill, edit the best bits together and stick it on YouTube together with his name.

I'd probably do something like this, public shaming - a

[AudioDevil]

Record him being racist then if he makes it big sell the story to news papers. He'll be your best paying client yet!

[audiotech]

Have a 300 pound black person sit in on the session.

Dennis

[AudioDevil]

Originally Posted by audiotech

Have a 300 pound black person sit in on the session.

Dennis

make that two...

[creegstor]

To the OP. You are a professional and deserve professionalism from ANYONE you work with whether they are paying you or vice versa. People wonder why nobody has respect for musicians or engineers or our field enough to pay what we are worth and yet here are half the posts on here saying "take it and say nothing".

IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. PERIOD.

A friggin' Walmart worker wouldn't have to put up with it. Why should you? Put parameters of acceptable behavior in your work contract. Tell your boss it's not acceptable and if he won't side with you on it you'll have to take legal advice on the matter. Make him take you seriously as a professional and if he won't, make him sorry that he didn't.

[unitymusic]

Originally Posted by creegstor

To the OP. You are a professional and deserve professionalism from ANYONE you work with whether they are paying you or vice versa. People wonder why nobody has respect for musicians or engineers or our field enough to pay what we are worth and yet here are half the posts on here saying "take it and say nothing".

IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. PERIOD.

A friggin' Walmart worker wouldn't have to put up with it. Why should you? Put parameters of acceptable behavior in your work contract. Tell your boss it's not acceptable and if he won't side with you on it you'll have to take legal advice on the matter. Make him take you seriously as a professional and if he won't, make him sorry that he didn't.

Absolutely. The do-anything-for-money attitude of some people is pathetic to say the least.

[illacov]

I say its pretty easy to ignore the problem when you're not the target.

"Isms," degrade us all regardless of which ism it is.

To be perfectly honest, there's no unwritten rule that says you both can't have your beliefs and still work with one another.

He rented your ears for music and recording, not as a bully pulpit. If he was a record industry A lister and you were worried about being blacklisted then it might be a bigger issue. As it stands, you seem like a smart guy.

Redirect him back to the session when he gets back onto his bullshit. Dead serious. Be the adult.

Him: "Blacks are this, Polish are that, Jews are that etc..."

You: "Ok I've got the next track armed and we are all ready for you to punch in your verse."

Him: "But seriously you never had to deal with a lazy N****????"

You: "I'm pretty sure the mic's warmed up. I'm ready when you are."

Him: "What are you a n**&& lover?"

You: "Hey man, remember you said yesterday you really wanted to focus on your quadrilles, I'm just trying to get this song in the bag so we can move onto that and give it the time it deserves."

All of this in so many words equates to I don't really give a shit about you and your ideology. I'm just here to work, that's what you're here for, lets get this over with. You shut him down in the nicest way possible so that you don't have to choke slam the guy.

As far as ignoring it goes, its your asshole boss who I'd be watching like a hawk.

His (your bosses) advice to ignore it is founded on some level in a racist (subconscious) ideal. Its not like you're black so what's the problem? Think about how even thinking about it that way is racist for a second and you'll see my point.

They must not be so passionate about racism or preventing it in their place of business....but discrimination often comes in threes, God forbid you are gay or have a gay relative, get into a relationship with a Black woman or a Latino or went to college. You two shall clash again, mark my words.

Peace
Illumination

[drpeacock]

I think it's a tougher call than most here are making it, and I can see both points of view. It's one thing to kick someone out of your own studio. It's quite another to kick someone out of someone else's.

People can be distasteful for many reasons and you are going to have to work with some distasteful people. On the other hand, doing or saying nothing is enabling racism.

I think I would favor the advice of the above poster. Do everything you can to keep things re-directed toward the project. Remember that to people like that, getting a reaction is half the reason they are so vocal and the more they sense that they are getting said reaction the more likely they are to keep it up.

If you can make it through the session I would then have a talk with your boss. Again, I think the above poster is correct: you're going to continue to have problems with him/her. Might be time to look for another place to engineer. But if you can finish the session, no one will be able to say that you walked out on a session or were otherwise unprofessional. Take your professionalism with you, because in the end that's all you've got. You're not going to change the moron client's mind no matter what you do...that's not what this is about. It's about you maintaining your own self-respect and part of that is maintaining professionalism.

[Frank_Case]

Originally Posted by naz

I've asked my client politely to stop being a racist

Making a confrontational statement like that will just make the guy angry. You have to remember that you are dealing with deeply held core beliefs that won't change.

The best approach is to put him on ignore and he'll probably shut up. Restrict your verbal responses to him to musical and engineering issues. Chances are he will comply. And if he continues with racist rants, tell him that you are on a tight schedule and that you both need to keep moving with the music. In other words, always bring it back to the music, and keep it away from race. If you show him that you have no interest in his favorite side topic then he will get frustrated talking about it and will get back to work.

[machoboy]

I like to pick on liberals for fun and I'm not racist...

illacov probably gave the best sincere advice here. How long can the guy keep ranting to an unresponsive bored engineer who just wants to talk about recording?

"Bring in two 300 pound black men" and "just quit and panhandle, money is the great evil"... Not such great advice. Standard "internet advice".

[Frank_Case]

Originally Posted by machoboy

I like to pick on liberals for fun and I'm not racist...

Good point. Not all people who pick on liberals are racists. Certainly.

[Work Passion]

Talking about karma, how did YOU get there, Naz? :-)

[Turdadactyl]

Clearly this guy's behavior is inappropriate and unacceptable. That said, the OP stated straight from the get go that he needs the income. So, it seems to me you have to ignore the comments, do nothing to encourage the comments, make your money and be glad when it's over. You're not going to change a human being and his ignorance in this situation.

That said, if the music itself is racist, I'd walk. Once it goes from dealing with an idiot to actively helping the idiot relay his message to the world (and presumably having your name attached to it) it's a whole different ballgame.

I'm not condoning assholes, but unfortunately we ALL deal with them in order to make a living. This is just one distasteful flavor of many.

[character]

I ran into a different situation. I recorded an e.p. for a death metal band. There was nothing racist about their lyrics or even their conversation in the studio. While the project was being mixed, they began posting flyers for a show that was scheduled. The flyers were full blown white power propaganda. These kids were 15-16, and thought it was funny. They weren't serious hardcore racists, but they did a good job of appearing that way - so there was basically no difference. Several communities where flyers were posted got in an uproar.

I put the project on hold indefinitely because most of their young fanbase knew they were working with me. I really didn't want to be associated with the controversy. The band ended up removing the flyers and cancelling their concert (actually, the venue cancelled it for them). The band broke up over the issue, so I didn't really have to worry about finishing the project. The odd thing was, those guys never talked that way in the studio and never said anything that made me suspect racism on any level, until the concert flyers came out.

[machoboy]

Since this thread is very active and some people in it want to save the world:

Ben and Veronica Sneezby

Save the world there ^

[kennybro]

You can't fix the world. Two choices; Deal, or tell him to hit the road.

There won't be any changing him or rationalizing with him. Confrontation will lead to a bad place where he is the one who leaves because he doesn't want to deal with "some F'n N-loving studio!"

Keep your self respect and don't empower him make that choice. Throw him out, or take his money. Keep the power.

[StillCrazy]

Originally Posted by The Byre

I have another great idea. Get one of those miniature spycams (you can get hi-def cameras now in a pair of regular prescription glasses) and record this pea-brain in full flow.

When he has gone and paid his bill, edit the best bits together and stick it on YouTube together with his name.

Man I could retire if anyone posted such an item on me. Lawyers would love that. Probably get yourself banned/black balled from any future gigs recording for pay once your actions became public

I would suggest ignoring it and just keep your focus on your job and give him no time for a rant.

I say this from real world experience. By trade I have made my living as a full time IT consultant. I had a contract with Verizon at one point and my boss hated Asians. My boss was female and she would rant occasionally how Asians were taking over America etc. etc..

I was invited to the Christmas party the group had and my wife and I went. My wife happens to be Asian.

When I introduced my wife to my boss I thought she was going to have a stroke. She was completely tongued tied and obviously embarrassed.

The next work day she called me into her office and asked me why I had never told her my wife was Asian. Told her the truth - her problems were her problems not mine.

She did explain to me why she hated Asians - her sisters husband had been stolen away by one of those devilish Asians. Thus her hatred.

A simple incident bred hate.

Don't become a part of it and stay above it.

[dubmunkey]

Originally Posted by StillCrazy

A simple incident bred hate.

Your old boss sounds mental, this is not the norm...

[brill bedroom]

Originally Posted by richgilb

Tell him your boyfriend's black.

This is the solution.

[machoboy]

Girls vs girl racism is just cute and sassy though lets be honest

everyone reading that story about the boss probably went "awwwwww" like a Full House studio audience

Those females, sheesh. Cute.

[Mindfuldub]

You need to tell him straight up that you will not get the best product you can craft with him spouting ignorant jokes every other minute. It is distracting for you and takes your mind off of the mix/recording process and if he wants the best possible product he should keep his views to himself.

[tehlord]

Remind him that we'll all be speaking Chinese within a decade or two.

Asshole.

[Funny Cat]

Boy...I really feel for you and your situation. Very hard decision. Many differing views on this thread. I feel there are basically two types of people. People who are active in their beliefs and folks who are passive in their beliefs. **** Germany sort of proved that.

I've also always wondered what I would do if I were born as a slave during slavery days? Would I be a House (n-word) to preserve my family? Or a rebellious (read dignified) Field servant at the cost of my life a la Nat Turner/Harriot Tubman? Not sure what I would do but I do consider myself more of the latter. But here we are...in a much less serious (than slavery) but equally moral dilemma.



[EDIT] Guess I can't write "Natszi" up above? Hope I haven't offended anyone with my "thinking out loud"...

[machoboy]

Stravinsky idolized Mussolini (and Hitler until Hitler told him his music sucked).