Jackie Mason Invokes Yiddish To Describe President Obama

Expect this to be a big story tomorrow on the blogs. Comedian Jackie Mason apparently used an old Yiddish word to describe President Obama. He called Obama a schwartza.

The word is used to describe black people, but can also be used in the same vein as the word nigger.

During a performance at Feinstein's at Loews Regency in NYC, Mason referred to Obama as a "schwartza" -- some say it's equivalent to the "N" word -- others say it's just part of the Yiddish culture and a literal translation of the word "Black."

We're told one person walked out fuming, "He's more offensive to the Jews than Madoff tonight."

We spoke with Mason by phone a few minutes ago, and he was outraged at the criticism, saying, "I'm not going to defend myself. Chris Rock has told a lot more jokes about whites than I have against Blacks. What about the demeaning words Blacks say about Jews?"

Mason added, "If it's a racist society, the white people are the ones being persecuted because they have to defend themselves." Mason called people like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson "professional racists."

Mason added, "I'm an old Jew. I was raised in a Jewish family where 'schwartza' was used. It's not a demeaning word and I'm not going to defend myself."

Of course, Slim Shady Al Sharpton had to issue a statement on Mason.

Oh, and the TMZ.com poll accompanying the story so far has "get over it" beating "racist" 70-30.