[NYPOST] The Census Bureau paid comedian Dick Gregory between $15,000 and $20,000, plus expenses, to address workers at its headquarters in February -- and now Census regrets it.
Do they really?
The performer and civil rights activist, who is known to use raw language and racial terms that many find objectionable, spoke during Black History Month. But apparently he offended enough of the workers that Census is revising its policy on outside speakers.
Gregory was funny, but that was in 1964 or thereabouts. Then he decided the rest of the world was racist and started starving himself for various causes, many of which were trivial, and he came down with potty mouth.
The Gregory situation, which I just found out about last week, is a good example of why there needs to be more oversight over how taxpayer money is spent.
Shouldn't the Census Bureau stick with counting the population every ten years? Do they need entertained between times?
First, let's listen to Census grovel.
Oh, good idea!
"We understand [Gregory's] comments offended some members of the audience," Census said in a statement to me that appears to have been sent to irate workers. "Gregory's statement and opinions were his own and do not reflect the Census Bureau's commitment to an inclusive workplace environment free from discrimination and harassment."
I've got a confession to make: I (and a guy named Lam Nguyen) wrote the document destruction program for the 2000 Census. I traveled among four sites--Baltimore, Phoenix, Ontario (California), and Jefferson (Indiana). The people I met and worked with were pleasantly and un-self-consciously multicolored and racially diverse in approximate proportion to their representation in the local populace. I have no idea why Dick Gregory was required to disturb the apparent harmony I saw.
Yeah, yeah, sure. Gregory's spiel is well known. This wasn't Jerry Seinfeld they were hiring.
Actually, I'm not even sure what Gregory's spiel consists of anymore. I haven't heard his name in several years. I thought for sure he'd died by now.
"We make every effort to ensure that our external speakers represent diverse viewpoints while also respecting the audience," it continued.
Apparently not every effort. 
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