It turns out that both LL and country singer Toby Keith were concerned about the fact that the interviews used on the show were shot in the past, but being promoted as if they were brand new. Imagine that - Fox News trying to deceive the public.
"Fox lifted an old interview I gave in 2008 to someone else & are misrepresenting to the public in order to promote Sarah Palins Show. WOW," LL Cool J tweeted.
Toby Keith's spokesman had this to say: "We were never contacted by Fox," Keith's spokesman said. "I have no idea what interview it's taken from. They're promoting this like it's a brand new interview."
Fox News is going to cut the footage of LL Cool J from the show, but Toby Keith will still be featured.
"Real American Stories features uplifting tales about overcoming adversity and we believe Mr. Smith's interview fit that criteria," a network spokesperson told TVNewser. "However, as it appears that Mr. Smith does not want to be associated with a program that could serve as an inspiration to others, we are cutting his interview from the special and wish him the best with his fledgling acting career."
I wouldn't say that LL Cool J's acting career is exactly "fledgling." The rapper has been in the acting game for quite a while now, and has done a remarkable job with his transformation. What is most interesting is that LL is not typically the first one to stand up on a political issue, at least not to my knowledge. So, perhaps Sarah Palin is repulsing everyone.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and the author of the new book, "Black American Money." To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (26)
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By: jujubee on 4/01/2010 3:59AM
When I saw this promo on Fox I was completely shocked that LL would be involved with her so thank goodness it was bs. Fox News should be watched as an entertainment show kinda like the Daily Show, its news light half the truth twice the laughs!
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By: Bob on 4/01/2010 8:12AM
Boyce dont even try to allign yourself with the likes of LL He has ten times the character that you have. Fox should have talked to him first,period! then paid him, after that I am sure it would have been alright with him.
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By: rik on 4/02/2010 11:15AM
who gives a shyt, u r really dragging the bottom of the barrel. Whats the matter, u cant find a better story to use to race bait.
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By: Dee on 4/02/2010 4:45AM
Only a black guy would object to a show trying to portray him in a positive manner,seriously I'm sure if it was a matter of money or the context that could have been worked out by his peeps. Then all those nasty conservative types would have seen Jim as a "good" guy instead of a thug rapper type. I mean FOX has the highest ratings of any news outlet,I admit I don't get it!
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By: DueGee on 4/02/2010 5:26AM
By: Bob on 4/01/2010 8:12AMNeutral Boyce dont even try to allign yourself with the likes of LL He has ten times the character that you have. Fox should have talked to him first,period! then paid him, after that I am sure it would have been alright with him.
Why do you display such an aggressive, negative attitude towards Dr. Boyce...I read the same article you did and saw nothing wrong with it.
Now if you say he was aligning himself with LL there is nothing wrong with that.
LL is Black an Dr. Boyce is Black that is just what he is supposed to do.
If we don't stick together we are lost.
Then too he was merely stating the facts,you might even consider him a reporter to the African Americans because you won't hear about items like this truthfully any where else.
The animosity shown toward him in this case is not called for, He is Black like you( ARE YOU BLACK ???) Well I am and i am willing to say that we are our worst enemy.
If we can show such anymosity and negativity toward another African American doing nothing more than bringing a news worthy item to our attention ( something is drastically wrong with that picture)
You must know LL and Dr. Boyce personaly to be able to speak on the how much greater LL's character is than Dr. Boyce's.
I am in no way diiising LL but You cannot define a person's character by viewing roles that they play in movies and TV shows or listening to CDs, but you can do more in determining the calibre of an individual by that which they have written.
From this article written by Dr. Boyce he gives evidence of being black and having concern for black's.
I will go no further than that because i don't know him personally, but then I don't know the majority of the people in the news.
But then you are what you speak,You can tell what's in a man's heart by that which comes forth from his mouth.
He didn't say anything wrong and your critisizm was unwarranted.
Then YOU SAID, that FOX should have talked to him first and paid him ,after that YOU were sure that it would have been alright with him.
Who gave you the authority to speak for LL and from what you are saying LL is money hungry and will sell out allowing himself to be exploited used by anyone with the money regardless of their polictical ideologies.
That is saying a whole lot so I ask again do you have the authority to say yes or no as for as LL is concerned.
But that question does not even need to be asked LL disagreed with being used in this manner and FOX cancelled the use of his image, apparently because of LL not desiring to have any connection with SARAH PALIN.
You know I get the impression that you are a supporter of SARAH PALIN, and this is why you are cutting down Dr. Boyce.
Actions speak as loud or louder than words.
DueGee
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By: J-Dog on 4/05/2010 2:52AM
LLCOOLJ turned it down because he don't need any of the 47 million people who voted for Palin. These potential fans support Palin and LOVE her. He don't need the exposure to a new fan base (Fox). He don't need the extra money that these new fans would bring to the table. The brother is a genius.
If Fox stole that interview with LLCOOLJ or broke the law in any form or fashion, sue them.
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By: sherridina on 4/02/2010 10:29AM
Dee, Toby Keith has a problem with them showing his interview as if it were new. What the heck are you talking about.
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By: vantoinette on 4/07/2010 7:35PM
agreed Sherridina
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By: HenryB on 4/02/2010 12:16PM
Here come the "Conservatards" out of the woodwork trying to justify the disingenuous nature of Fox. All of a sudden it is a black thing even though the issue is them trying to use an old interview given to someone else as though Sarah Palin did it. And then for a Fox spokesman to try to take a shot at LL with the "fledgling acting career" statement.
Apparently the spokesman doesn't have a grasp of the definition of the word or he wouldn't have used it in relation to LL a man who has two hit TV shows under his belt and numerous well reviewed and received movies to his credit.
n.
1. A young bird that has recently acquired its flight feathers.
2. A young or inexperienced person.
adj.
New and untried or inexperienced
LL first appeared in 1986's Wildcats with Goldie Hawn and Wesley Snipes and has been in such hits as Deep Blue Sea, SWAT, Last Holiday and Deliver Us From Eva. NCIS Los Angeles has won it's prime time slot every since conception. That does not compute as a "fledgling" acting career under any circumstance.
Now that country music star Toby Keith is also revealing the false claims of Fox News that somewhat takes it out of the bigoted realm of race baiting as the ignorant poster tried to insinuate.
Reading is fundamental and then you have to comprehend what you read. I know it gives you a headache but you must keep trying.
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By: Moses Jones on 4/02/2010 3:17PM
Regarding your efforts to push a bill which allow inmates to vote. I am not sure you meant all inmates regardless of color. However,as you continue to extrapolate and explain your reasons,its clear too me you are only talking about Black inmates.I am sure Reverend Sharpton will not support such a document,be strong.
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