OK, I can chatter a pretty steady stream of bile about my feelings toward Los Angeles but THIS is gross. Brenda McElmore was refused service by a JC Penny hair salon in Downey because, get this, they “don’t do African-American hair.” While I realize there are definitive follicular variations between hair of differing ethnic backgrounds (like, did you know that redheads have thick hair but few actual strands? Now you do, you’re welcome) but this is absurd.

This is a quote from Our Weekly, an LA community paper.

“I said to myself, ‘What’s going on here? Am I in California? Am I a citizen of America? I want my hair colored. Their response really astonished me. I was totally dazed, upset and astonished that such a statement was made to me,” said McElmore. “The refusal of service, the volume of the lady’s voice telling me loudly that ‘We don’t do African American hair’ and so many people standing around listening embarrassed and humiliated me.”

Somebody’s going to have a Pretty Woman moment if Obama wins…

Bigoted hair lady from Penny’s: Hello, can I help you?

Brenda: I was in here… you wouldn’t wait on me?

BHLFP: Oh.

Brenda: Big mistake. Big! Huge! I have to go get my African-American hair done now.