Today's TV/Pop/Racism interface

With suggestions that Iggy Pop might have meant a 'packie shop', an American off-licence, rather than anything disparaging, we now hear (thanks to James P) of a falling-out in Australia between Xzibit and Rove McManus.

McManus is an Australian tv host, and Xzibit took offence when a member of the production staff told him "you know we came a long way just having you on the program". Thinking this was a reference to his race (rather than, say, that it was unusual for an American rapper to appear on a mainstream Asutralian TV programme), Xzibit turned on his heel and walked out. Then posted to his MySpace a post calling Rove a racist. Which seems a little rich, seeing as the remark, whatever its intention, wasn't made by McManus.

It seems that Xzibit really took the huff at having to do a duet with Michael Buble, and so maybe his back was already up when the phrase was used. Less generous commentators might wonder if he used the racism card as a 'get out of sharing a stage with Michael Buble free' card.