August 24, 2009

Tinsel Korey answers critics

On her MySpace page, Tinsel Korey has posted some "answers" to the critics who say she isn't Native:

FYICurrent mood: stalked

Just to let people know. I do not post on any other sites other then myspace and my website page tinselkorey.com. As well I have a Bebo and Reverbnation page just for info. I never leave personal messages on there.

I don't write on any other blog pages, nor do I read them. I have been told that people are writing as me. Uhhhhh creepy. May I perhaps make a suggestion of going outside and seeing the light, there's a whole REAL world outside with heart beats. lol
F.A.QCurrent mood: amused

Q: Are you Native?
A: Yes

Q: A friend of a friend of a friend said they read on the internet that you weren't
A: That's nice

Q: So can you prove you are?
A: Yes

Q: Will you show me proof?
A: No

Q: Then I'm not going to believe you
A: That's nice

Q: I'm mad at you
A: Why?

Q: You won't show me government issued documents that could be used to steal your identity
A: Well I'm mad at you

Q: Why?
A: Because you won't give me your credit card information

Q: I can't, that's dangerous
A: Do you get it now?

Q: Oh, ok, I like you again!
A: That's nice

Q: I shouldn't be reading internet gossip should I?
A: You can read it, you just shouldn't spread it.

Q: So what reserve did you grow up on?
A: I didn't

Q: See! I knew you weren't Native
A: Not all Native people grow up on reserves

Q: What tribe are you then?
A: Anishinaabe

Q: How come you don't post it anywhere?
A: Cause I don't have to

Q: But everyone else does
A: That's nice

Q: Do you speak your language?
A: No, but I'm going to learn.

Q: Do you have a status card?
A: No

Q: But all Natives have status cards?
A: Sitting Bull didn't

Q: Are you going to get one?
A: No
Comment:  Current mood: Sick of liars and cheaters and frauds. Ready and willing to expose Indian wannabes.

These MySpace postings conflict with Tinsel Korey Comes Clean?--in which Korey supposedly admitted she wasn't Native. How to explain the discrepancy? Korey could've lied about never posting comments on people's blogs. Or the person who runs the MySpace page could be a surrogate rather than Korey herself. Or Korey could've changed her mind between July 30, when she claimed she was Native, and early August, when she admitted she wasn't.

Setting aside the speculation, it seems she's sticking to her story of being Native. And I'm sticking to my position that no producer or casting agent should hire an alleged "Native" unless she can prove her heritage. Stop giving Native roles to non-Natives!

What Native person isn't willing to discuss her Native ancestors by name, clan, or tribe? I mean her parents, grandparents, even the unnamed "princess" in her background? Only frauds such as Ward Churchill and David Yeagley...and Korey.

Korey's "reason" for not proving her case--that she has government documents but can't show them to anyone--sounds as phony as a "birther" conspiracy theory. She should be willing to prove her case in private to any studio exec who asks. If she can't or won't, employers should give the Native roles to someone who can and will.

For more on the subject, see The Truth About Tinsel Korey.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your sick obsession with Tinsel is starting to make you look stupid and like a nasty old man that has a thing for young native girls.Makes me vomit in my mouth. I'm definitely contacting the federal government to get this stupid site taken down. Oh yeah and I'm also getting every bit of information on you and posting it EVERYWHERE online.Now,let's see how you like it when people invade your privacy,post lies and hate towards you, and show up at your door to "talk about this in person" Oh by the way, can I see YOUR papers? No. then shut the hell up about ANYTHING native.Thank you John Smith!

Anonymous said...

Observereth of these comments by a supposed "Korey Tinsel" clearly indicates she's somewhat semi-retarded. Both the Q's & A's were plainly stupid. It was sort of like interviewing a little 9 year old girl. And I found it to be a turn-off.

Hey "Korey" for a lack of brains. It is standard prosedure for all Natives regardless of their tribal affliation to carry documents-hence paperwork as evidence of Native ancestry/descendent, enrollees of a federally recognized tribe. Just like being an American citizen, you are issued a green card along with an your own SSN. Same game. And if you can't play along, you're automatically an "illegal alien".

What part of proving your true identity don't you understand? Or are you a con-artist?

I think stealing an identity of another race/ethnicity should be a serious crime.

GENO--

Lynette said...

I no longer know what I am more upset about - the whole Twilight fraud or "Ward Churchill"? Holy shit!

Lynette said...

Maybe I'm really upset with Rob - to reiterate an earlier point I made in relation to Taylor Lautner it is not my role to question what anyone says about their own identity but the way Native identity is being appropriated and disregarded by non-Native people for profit is a concern. As I wrote in support of Tinsel Korey previously: "So much of 'polite' / 'civilised' (LOL) society, continues abuse in this projection of fantasized genocide upon many peoples through denial of identity. I realise though that the only 'culture' in danger extinction is the one called 'white'. If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say "I don't have an ethnicity - I'm white!" Translation: "I'm a cultural vacuum and proud of it"? No wonder *WE ARE so JEALOUS and hell bent on STEALING, JUDGING, CONTROLLING and DENYING 'other' peoples' identities! (*I feel I have to speak of myself inclusively here because, like it or not, as soon as such discourse opens up and until it vanishes - in being 'white' I am still the one holding the whip and the gun - doesn't mean I have to use them on anyone though!)..."

Rob said...

You consider three postings an "obsession," Anonymous? That's hysterical considering I've posted 50 or more items on such topics as Mel Gibson's Apocalypto and PBS's We Shall Remain series. Apparently you don't know what an obsession is.

I guess you think I have a "thing for young native girls" based on those same three postings. Or perhaps you mean I have a thing for proving that young Indian-wannabe girls are frauds. If that's what you meant, you're right.

You're going to get the federal government to take down my site? On what grounds? The First Amendment protects everything I've written, so that can't be it. Give me a clue so I'll know what to look for.

I deleted your posting of my personal information since it doesn't belong here. It's easy enough to find if you search my site. Feel free to post it wherever you want on the Internet. Be sure to tell people to send money if they want to buy my comics.

FYI, my condo building is secure, so no one will be showing up at my door unless I buzz them in. And what does showing up have to do with my questioning Korey's heritage, anyway? What would someone say if he or she met me in person? "Gee, Rob, you really are as white as you claimed to be. I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

Can you see my papers? Uh, sure, if you want to pay for a copy of my birth certificate. Or you can dig it up yourself. I was born at 6:23 am on February 1, 1958, in Long Beach, California. My parents are Robert Vernon Schmidt and Naomi Palmer Schmidt, both listed as "white." That should be enough to verify my background.

Or did you think I'd be as afraid to reveal my biographical information as Tinsel Korey is? If so, you misread the situation about as badly as possible, doofus. I feel like vomiting in my mouth over your simpleminded stupidity.

When you or anyone has a shred of evidence that Korey is a Native, go ahead and provide it. Until then, spare us the hot air and empty threats. I couldn't care less about your pro-Korey fanaticism.

P.S. I notice you were too cowardly to sign your real name. Any other questions, yellow belly, or does that about cover it? Let's hope you stop spewing your vomit and start saying something intelligent.

Anonymous said...

While I'm... Uncomfortable (to say the very least) with the TK situation, the idea that you have the right to demand she prove herself to you, to the general public (I'm leaving out the casting agents, the directors, the people who should be checking this stuff out) by providing her private documents to be peered over? Is disgusting. Because that's what you're really doing. You don't really care if she proves herself to studio people, casting agents, or anyone else actually connected to the movie. Every one of those people could swear up and down in a courtroom that she's provided papers and you wouldn't care. You care about yourself and what you want to know about her and that young woman proving herself to you.

And it's really disgusting when you take into account the fact that many native people do not have documents, regardless of blood quantum level, regardless of whether they were raised within the cultures and traditions of their tribe. Tinsel Korey? Is Canadian. For many native people in Canada, status was taken away and/or denied, just because one of their parents wasn't native. It was in no way uncommon for native women, full-blooded, raised within their native culture, traditions, community, to be completely stripped of their status if they dared to marry a white man.

All natives do not have status papers. Not having status papers does not make us non-natives, it means there is a system of institutionalized racism that continues to harm and oppress us.

And? It's especially revolting when this kind of ignorant, spoiled, uninformed tantrum comes from a white man who is basically trying to "help" us. Native people aren't going to fall to their knees thanking you for generalizing them, ignoring their different histories, getting their experiences completely wrong, for deigning to take it upon yourself to "help" them by going after wannabes. If Tinsel Korey is lying? I'll be massively pissed. But maybe it's time for you to go buy yourself a Starbucks franchise and leave us to police ourselves.

~Lee

Anonymous said...

Lee,

Tinsel is lying. And this comes from a Native American who knows. Rob got most of this information from Native peoples who were pissed off that she has been doing this for so long. Rob is giving an outlet for the people who know the truth to express themselves.

Stop hating on Rob everyone.

Coming from a real Native person, it's time to stop defending her.

Anonymous said...

If you are actually a First Nations person in Canada, the government and various agencies will go out of their way to help you find out all the information about your own background and heritage that they can.

They will help you fight tooth and nail for your status card, if you are lucky enough to be 50% Native blood.
Everyone else is considered Metis, and gets various rights and privilages according to the provinces and territories agreements with the government.

If she actually was a First Nations person, and I know for absolute fact that she is not, she would want everything that she is entitled to, based on how Native people have been treated in Canada.

I do not know one First Nations person who hasn't traced part of their heritage, although I do know a lot of people who lie about where they come from to further some kind of an agenda.

I think it's sad that she had absolutely no confidence in her own talent, that she had to do what everyone else has to Native persons over the years, and exploit them. Way to go "Tinsel" Patel.

Lynette said...

I actually thought Rob had to be Native to be publishing this blog as his writing on personal identity issues crosses a cultural boundary which I don't feel I a white person should cross. Alarm bells ring for me whenever the identity (therefore survival) of people is called into question such as on the basis of colour of skin or quantity of blood. Consider the general stages of colonisation - 1st physical extermination, 2nd denial of identity for failing at complete physical survival - not being "full blooded" and creation of a non-Indigenous system of status cards etc assimilation, removal of children, 3rd denial of traditional rights for not knowing said culture, 4th denial of personal identity for not having a status card etc. How does anyone defend against this? I thought many of her answers were perfect given the circumstance - humour being the key!

For someone like Tinsel to fake their identity would be horrendous but be careful that your eagerness to police such alleged misdemeanors doesn't create yet another layer of control and denial which all Indigenous people will then have to battle against. The only people who can know Tinsel's identity for certain are her and her own family - I will take her word for it for now - let karma and conscience be her consequence if she is lying. The behaviour of non-Indigenous profiteers in knowingly and carelessly conjuring up mythological Indigenous characters and people to play them is another matter fully deserved of criticism.

Anonymous said...

Um... that is TOTALLY untrue that 'government agencies' will help you find your heritage. Where did you get your information from? There are HUNDREDS of thousands of applications being circulated through Indian Affairs with zero assistance from band councils and Indian Affairs agents in terms of assisting people of Native origins.

Also, only a select number of Indian families registered with Census Canada in order to obtain "status" in the books. Do the math: the government wants you to register your children as INDIAN so that they and you have no rights whatsover and are going to be forever in the books listed as savage.

NOT ALL NATIVE PEOPLE ARE REGISTERED INDIANS, and not all native people carry "proof" of their origins.

Get your facts straight, and leave Tinsel Korey alone.

Anonymous said...

I just checked Tinsel's myspace and those so-called FAQs aren't there. And she is Anishnaabe - she says so on one of her photo comments from her album:

Tinsel Korey

15 Jan 2009 11:51 AM
I am an Anishnaabe Kwe .. woot woot, but I have a lot of West Coast Influence since I lived in Vancouver for so long. :)
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m. said...

Hahahaha! She can't even spell "Anishnaabe" [sic] correctly! 'Anishnaabe Kwe', my ass. TOO REAL. If she was any of these things, why doesn't she just say she's Ojibwe and Mohawk? Or Odawa and Mohawk? Oji-Cree and Mohawk? Why doesn't she get specific instead of trying so hard to sound authentic (which in turns gives her lying ass away even more)? "What? ...no knowledge of your band, 'Tinsel Korey'? No tribal affiliation, 'Tinsel Korey'? No Native heritage *whatsoever*, 'Tinsel Korey'? Avoiding resulting shitstorm, 'Tinsel Korey'?"

Thought so.

Anonymous said...

Posted on her FAcebook Fanpage...

"Esther Winnick-Serota
I went to school with her, was good friends with her at the time. She is 29 years old, her birthday is March 25.
September 11 at 9:40pm · Report"

For other post on Truth about TK AKA Harsha Patel when someone assumed she was in her early 20's and Oxford was lying about going to school with her...

Anonymous said...

Also...posted on http://movies.piczo.com/celebrity/tinsel-korey

Confused (158 days ago)
I went to high school with her I can tell you now that she is lying about her heritage. Don't know why she is doing this.

Anonymous said...

http://www.wikirage.com/wiki/Tinsel_Korey/

Stupid question: Can't you track the ISP addresses of commentators on this site in the same way at least to settle allegations of internet identity impersonation?

Anonymous said...

http://community.livejournal.com/blackpack/193971.html

Anonymous said...

She wrote on her facebook that she is nish.A couple years ago she was Ojibwe, and when I met her she was Mohawk.I'm Native I know she's lying. Most Natives in Canada who have worked with her or have a connection to her know she's lying. I look at her list of 'fans' and know some of those people are aware of her history and still choose to support her and her lies.You got a few Natives that say she is lying and others who know she's lying but think she's a good person but maybe she's just confused or lost so they will support her lies.No matter what proof I could give I am labelled a hater.Or I must be jealous or something.I don't hate her and am not jealous of anything.I don't find her pretty and I don't want to be an actress and I don't wanna be famous and other then tired of her lying I have no desire to even care who she is.I just see her continuing the lie and it makes me sad and frustrated when I know the people close to her know she's lying too.If she is Nish then why doesn't she just say how she inherited it from. I know for a fact she can't.Maybe someone should just call a tabloid.I'm sure if money is on the table someone could track down a legit high school photo or even a family member who would confirm this is all a lie.Then again. People don't want her to have any more press than she already has. Even if it's bad press its good right.

Anonymous said...

She wrote on her facebook that she is nish.A couple years ago she was Ojibwe, and when I met her she was Mohawk.I'm Native I know she's lying. Most Natives in Canada who have worked with her or have a connection to her know she's lying. I look at her list of 'fans' and know some of those people are aware of her history and still choose to support her and her lies.You got a few Natives that say she is lying and others who know she's lying but think she's a good person but maybe she's just confused or lost so they will support her lies.No matter what proof I could give I am labelled a hater.Or I must be jealous or something.I don't hate her and am not jealous of anything.I don't find her pretty and I don't want to be an actress and I don't wanna be famous and other then tired of her lying I have no desire to even care who she is.I just see her continuing the lie and it makes me sad and frustrated when I know the people close to her know she's lying too.If she is Nish then why doesn't she just say how she inherited it from. I know for a fact she can't.Maybe someone should just call a tabloid.I'm sure if money is on the table someone could track down a legit high school photo or even a family member who would confirm this is all a lie.Then again. People don't want her to have any more press than she already has. Even if it's bad press its good right.

Anonymous said...

http://robstenlovers.blogspot.com/2009/09/tinsel-korey-gives-back-to-native.html

http://www.myspace.com/tinseltownkorey

Convinced said...

http://www.racialicious.com/2009/11/26/running-with-the-wolves-a-racialicious-reading-of-the-twilight-saga/

Particularly interesting to hear the debate between m and 'nishinaabe. It really does seem the number of people who know about this and are letting it slide is truly mind-blowing (and becoming more and more obvious) - the only vaguely acceptable explanation I can think of is that the Native entertainment industry has happily adopted Korey as one of their own but hasn't been able to OK it with the rest of the Native community!

Unknown said...

That dude Geno sounds like a real douchebag. Spelling errors and ignorant statements, and he has the gall to call somebody else "stupid." GTFOH!