" He said the use of blackface "brings back the memories of African-Americans being reduced to buffoonery just to gain access to the entertainment industry.
Known for his buffoonery, diatribes, and banter on television talk shows and on the campaign trail, Chavez knew how to neuter a formidable opposition throughout his political career.
For millions of Americans, the spectacle of buffoonery and bombast served up last week in New York by the UN General Assembly - in particular, the appearances there of despots like Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - raised anew questions about the legitimacy and utility of the United Nations.