KANYE WEST: I hate the way they portray us in the media. If you see a black family, it says they’re looting. See a white family, it says they’re looking for food. And you know that it’s been five days, because most of the people are black. And even for me to complain about it, I would be a hypocrite because I’ve tried to turn away from the TV, because it’s too hard to watch. We already realize a lot of people that could help are at war right now, fighting another way, and they have given them permission to go down and shoot us.

MIKE MEYERS: And subtle, but in even many ways more profoundly devastating is the lasting damage to the survivors’ will to rebuild and remain in the area. The destruction of the spirit of the people of southern Louisiana and Mississippi may end up being the more tragic loss of all.

KANYE WEST: George Bush doesn’t care about black people.

AMY GOODMAN:After Kanye made the last comment, the camera cut to actor Chris Tucker. MSNBC’s president, Rick Kaplan, the producer of the telethon had the cameras cut to Tucker after West delivered the unscripted remarks at the concert for hurricane relief Friday on NBC. Tucker was on a different part of the stage and appeared to be looking at something off camera. Viewers could hear West’s voice trailing away as his audio was switched off and Tucker began reading from prepared remarks. The network cut West’s comments about Bush from their west coast feed and distanced itself from the artist. The company issued a statement that read in part, "Kanye West departed from the scripted comments that were prepared for him and his opinions in no way represent the views of the network. It would be most unfortunate if the efforts of the artists who participated and the generosity of millions of Americans who are helping those in need are overshadowed by one person’s opinion," the network wrote. West has become increasingly vocal on political matters of late and recentley used the video for his Diamonds from Sierra Leone single to highlight the highlight the suffering caused by conflict dimonds and the Human Rights abuses that occur in mining them.