ABC Celebrates 'Crip Walk'

I almost….almost could not believe what I was seeing. ABC Good Morning America anchors celebrating the “Crip Walk.”

Oh, I understand funny, silly, happy-talk news, but this was over the top.

I’m guessing you don’t have to be a brilliant ABC news anchor to know what the ‘Crip Walk” is. You could probably figure it out on your own, but I will tell you. It’s a dance made popular by deadly Los Angeles gang members in the bloody, decades long battle between Crips and Bloods in the Southland. Hundreds die every year in this senseless battle that has destroyed the lives of tens of thousands of Americans. 

Bianna Golodryga laughed and joked about Serena Williams doing the “Crip Walk” after winning Olympic Gold in women’s tennis. Golodryga called it, “one of my favorite moments….a joyful little dance, I believe they call this crip-walking.” She then performed part of the dance while on set. What’s next Bianna, flashing gang signs? Dan Harris then joked that the weather gal might do “a little bit of a crip walk” after she gets a weather cast right. Yuck, yuck, yuck, yo, yo, yo.

Maybe this is an East Coast, West Coast thing. Perhaps news anchors in New York don’t get out west very often and when they do, they stay in Malibu. Having grown up in LA, I spent a lot of time living and working in East LA and South Central. I knew the moves and signs of gangsters. But still, when it’s called the “Crip Walk,” you should have a pretty good idea what it means. If not, use Google.

Crip-walking was banned in LA high schools because of what it symbolized. Even MTV banned its use and refused to show music videos in which rappers were crip-walking. Oh, Bianna, it’s also called “hopscotching on crack” by teenagers. If performed in the wrong neighborhood it could cause a fight, or much worse. Yuck, yuck, yuck. 

Serena Williams doing the “Crip Walk” glorifies the presence of evil gangs in her hometown of Compton is one issue. My main issue is the media reaction. ABC News does not have to glorify it or joke about it. It is a gang sign; it is not a “joyful little dance.” My only question: Was ABC News ignorant, or did they know what this was and joke about it anyway? I’m hoping it was just ignorance. 

What’s next week, a blue bandana?