Acclaimed conductor fired for joke with black friend

WND

"African-American tenor outraged over innocent exchange labeled 'racist'"

. . . "He has been victimized and I’m very upset about it,” he said of Halls. “It was an innocent joke that has been entirely taken out of context.”

Mobley

"Halls and Mobley were chatting at a reception for this year’s Oregon Bach Festival when Mobley recalled a concert in London he described as having an “antebellum,” or pre-Civil War South, feel to it.

Halls responded, according to Mobley, by saying he “apologized on behalf of England.” Then he put on an exaggerated Southern accent and joked: “Do you want some grits?”

“ 'I’m from the deep south and Matthew often makes fun of the Southern accent just as I often make fun of his British accent,” explained Mobley. “Race was not an issue. He was imitating a Southern accent, not putting on a black accent, and there was nothing racist or malicious about it.”

. . .

"Mobley said he appreciates the efforts of some white people to confront racism, but some go too far." . . .

And here in the UK Telegraph, even.