Lester Maddox Storms Off The Show | The Dick Cavett Show

governor what have you done for the blacks in your state well they came to my office in the beginning and said what they wanted done I said well I'm not going to make any decisions based on black people or white people or any other group it's gonna be based on what's best for this state but we've had more of them to visit with us in the governor's office and the governor's mansion and in all the history of the state we've employed more of them in responsible positions place them on the Selective Service boards on state constitutional boards more than all the governor's in the history of the state and they become a part of their government for the first time yeah I was surprised I did a lot of reading on you and I found that you had appointed a great number of blacks to the state we've we do ours on the basis of who is best qualified and what has nothing to do with their color that's reasoner I'm glad you've asked that question because there's been all directed tonight's assembly at trying to in the other direction well I think we ought to dick talk about the positive things more in this country and what we're doing I know that when you were elected a lot of people were just horrified and they said that people Atlanta some of them stayed home from work and all and didn't know quite what to do and that then your administration has surprised a number of people and in once in that sense that you haven't either been a segregationists dream you know in one sense I mean an extreme streamis segregationist nor the Liberals darling on the other hand certainly we based our decision oh did you have a kind of change of heart okay none whatsoever have always based my decisions in in business and their work in steel mills and factories and plants wherever I worked all along and no the only people that were surprised dick were those that had been misinformed the people that knew Lester Maddox people I had been associated with and all my life knew that I would be fair and just to every citizen regardless of where these from rule or black or white or urban rich or poor and we've had more like I say we've had more black and white people to visit whether they're in the governor's mansion the governor's office than in all the history of the state and even at this time I know you were having more black people to visit in the governor's mansion and the governor's office than all the other 50 governors offices in the United States at this time yeah I hear the door is always open which is rare and days politics and you do have people we try to run the governor's office like you run your own business your own home and the tickets in the South have any problems from the white biggest because you did so much for the black man what do you mean which white [ __ ] the black ones and white ones I have trouble with sometimes no I said white business I haven't designed the white races that creates some problems you have no problems when the white race is because you did so much for the black people mr. Brown asked you governor Maddox if you'd had any trouble from your white admirers for the fact that you have James Merritt no he said bigots is why didn't you say it like you said you have why didn't you say it I say that what I'm talking about dick I I do see them around and you mislead the people in the audience know you ought to start being honest all of you with your words and what you're saying the people you say did Myers and he said Vegas a lot of difference is now yes I feel like a person you want to mislead people I didn't mean I didn't mean to mislead people it is a good question though isn't it it's a good question but for you to come back and call bigots my admirers is a farce it's a it's a act of hypocrisy yes it's it's a terrible way to treat a guest on your show and you know it huh you know he's right about that why don't you Paul why don't you apologize to the people well calling people that admired Mars biggest now wait a minute I'll take you happy seriously okay look we got over four million people in Georgia that of my friends and I call it Mars and you calling them all biggest nono now you follow Josh dude no I want oh no I sit down I'll explain it let me see I'll answer this question when you fall jaws is P but let me see if I can focus in on it if in fact I have called friends that are black and white and then Mars and they're none of them Vickers may I now answer yes you if I called any of your admirers bigots who are not bigots I apologize the governor answer I wouldn't I wouldn't accept that on representative people Georgia on any circumstance you're saying that some of them are biggest can't be fair if you can't no you don't want television I don't belong here with you I hope you'll stay I I don't I I know there are white big George if those friends of mine for calling them piglets I think I'm God and he owes an apology to the only biggest white ones that came from New York New Jersey came down and try to destroy the South and telling the lies about what's going on in our part of the country which is one of the leading parts of the country moving forward in all areas today uh-huh and the only biggest I've ever had to come in there with the white ones that came from your city and from New Jersey to try to wreck [Music] dick I'm gonna give you I'm gonna give you one minute to apologize and before you call big the Sun Georgie I'm gonna leave your show now you do whatever you want too bad don't mean what are they what are the terms women women women you got one minute to tell them me that if you don't call any George in a big governor I find you most interesting you [Applause] your your most interesting man there's something likeable about you at your most outrageous moments and I honestly don't know how seriously to take you away because I don't I don't think I have consciously offended anyone and I didn't mean to and if I have unconsciously offended anyone then there's no need to apologize cuz it was an accident well telling that you made a mistake then I would say that I phrased the question in a way that was not exactly accurate in the sense that he did say bigots have any white bigots been upset because you have done certain things for blacks I consider my admirers you haven't pologize yet you got 15 seconds all right now let me use those 15 seconds I apologize for suggesting that a bigot would be the way of characterizing all of your admirers wait a minute wait a minute there's more time we I'm sorry the governor left he made me back after this message we will [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Oh [Music]

Channel: The Dick Cavett Show

Views: 2,240,964

Rating: 4.8347921 out of 5

Keywords: The Dick Cavett Show Talk Show Musician Celebrities, 1960's, 1970's, 1980's, 1990's, United States, USA, walk off, show, walks off, interview walk out, famous walk outs, walks out, storms out, awkward interviews, interview walk outs, walk outs, lester maddox, governor lester maddox, lester maddox the dick cavett show, lester maddox interview, donald trump, dick, cavett, segregation, racial segregation, civil rights, civil rights movement, segregationism, blackkklansman

Id: 7-8WNL5bspg

Length: 8min 4sec (484 seconds)

Published: Fri Mar 01 2019

Reddit Comments

[u/SecretSnack]

It's funny how he got triggered so quickly at 3:00 when it was a completely softball interview still.

[u/tailwalkin]

He reminds me of the Homer Stokes character from O Brother, Where Art Thou

[u/slackrepo]

"Wait a minute, there's more time" lol

[u/Charles-F-Andress]

Who is the governor?

[u/[deleted]]

[removed]

[u/bigchicago04]

Does anybody else think the front of his head is WAY to big?

[u/Cerebral_parsley]

Fragilè- it’s French.

[u/blueyedmystic]

That governor was deflecting hard to not answer the question.

[u/JxnMS]

“Last night I saw Lester Maddox on a tv show...”