Friday, April 26, 2013

UC Irvine Fraternity Lambda Theta Delta Apologizes For Blackface Video

UC Irvine Fraternity Lambda Theta Delta Apologizes For Blackface Video: A fraternity at the University of California-Irvine apologized this week for a "racist" video featuring a member in blackface.

Lambda Theta Delta, UC Irvine's self-described first and largest Asian American fraternity, recently posted a video on YouTube featuring four brothers dancing to "Suit & Tie by Justin Timberlake featuring Jay-Z, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The video names the students as Tony D. Duong, Philip Lam, Rainier Nanquil and Justin T. Nguyen. Nanquil is identified as the one in blackface who's supposed to be portraying Jay-Z. Most of the video just shows the brothers in a living room dressed formally and dancing to the camera. The end of the video advertises "Installs," which OC Weekly describes as an end-of-the-year celebration for the entrance of new brothers.

Thomas Parham, UC Irvine's vice chancellor for student affairs, told the Daily Pilot they're investigating the video.