Give 'em hell, Joan!

I love it when people stand up for themselves (via Drudge, who also has the audio):

Neither Darcus Howe, the Trinidad-born social commentator, nor Joan Rivers, the formidable New York comedienne, is known for stepping away from an argument but no one could have predicted the furious row that erupted when the two clashed on Radio 4 yesterday morning.
[...]
Rivers, 72, broke in, saying: "I'm so, so bored of race. I think people should inter-marry. Everybody should be part this, part that and part everything. Race doesn't mean a damn thing. Everybody should just relax, take the best of their cultures and move forward."
Purves suggested that was a "very American approach" but Howe disagreed, saying: "That's not an American approach. America is one of the most savagely racial places in the world."
And then he later suggested: "Since black offends Joan…"
This drove Rivers into a complete tizzy. "Wait!" she cried. "Just stop right now. Black does not offend me. How dare you? How dare you say that? 'Black offends me!' You know nothing about me. How dare you."
Their exchanges culminated with Rivers shrieking: "Don't you dare call me a racist. I'm sorry. How dare you."
As a somewhat harassed Purves tried to calm the situation, Rivers said to Howe: "Now please continue, but don't you dare call me that. Son of a bitch."

Do listen to the whole thing, it is very amusing. Here is the exact transcript from the Guardian. I love the way Joan stands up to what is unequivocally an insult. Additionally the whole "America is one of the most savagely racial places in the world" attitude chaps my ass (and believe me - it's a common refrain around these parts): see this excellent Star Parker column on the Hurricane Katrina relief effort (and this one by Heather MacDonald too). Also see here, where Thomas Sowell debunks another pernicious refrain.