Knowing how hard it is in Hollywood, it's amazing that you've made films on such a wide range of subjects while maintaining creative control.

Spike Lee: I started out being independent and having creative control. So the precedent had been set. If we want to work together, you have to realize I get the final cut and, at the time, the budget of my films, until Malcolm X, was not that big, so they said, cool.

You had a cameo in Drop Squad (1994) doing a parody of a fried chicken commercial. Last year, Dave Chappelle said he started feeling uncomfortable doing racial humor because maybe some white folks were laughing at his jokes for the wrong reasons. Can you relate to that sentiment?

Spike Lee: I was loving him in the first two seasons-I got the DVDs. But that's the thing with comedy, there always comes a point where it's like, "Are they laughing at me or are they laughing with me?" Doing race-based humor can escalate that. So you are walking a tightrope.

Speaking of comedians, Bill Cosby stirred up controversy for comments he made about the problems of today's black youth. Some felt that he was putting the blame on poor people for the problems of the population at large.

Spike Lee: I think that the stuff that Bill was dealing with was really complex. It was courageous what Bill said and I'm glad that he said those things because it started people having a dialogue. It's coming up even more now with [Hurricane] Katrina. And presently I am doing a documentary with HBO on Katrina and how race and class is a huge issue here in the United States of America.

You've been critical of gangsta rap.

Spike Lee: I love hip-hop. But there are certain elements that are just [problematic]. You name your company Murder Incorporated, your logo's got bullet holes in it, you changed your name to Gotti, and you wonder why your ass is in court? [Laughs] I mean, come on. You want to be a gangster? Alright, well, gangsters go to jail; gangsters get shot. I mean, look, 50 Cent has made a lot of money, but whatever you are doing that makes you have to put a bulletproof vest on your 5-year-old son, that's time for some deep introspective shit. And that whole mantra-"Get Rich or Die Tryin'"-for me that's criminal. Because young brothers, they took that to heart: "Whatever I got to do to get them rims, get my fly gear, to get my bitches and ho's, I am going to do it. Fuck who I got to hurt, who I got to shoot, who I got to kill." That's crazy to me. And his video game, Bulletproof? I'm sorry. I can't get with that.

But are you saying that a movie or a video game can cause bad behavior? Isn't that a dangerous line to cross?

Spike Lee: The thing is, there's really no regulation with these video games. Even though they have those ratings, those are bullshit. These kids are too young to be playing with GTA: San Andreas and Bulletproof. It desensitizes violence. In real life, not everybody is lucky enough to be shot nine times and live.

What about the Get Rich posters getting banned because 50 posed with a gun and a microphone? His argument is there are tons of action movies where the "hero" has big-ass automatic weapons. How is it different for 50 if it's just a movie?

Spike Lee: Just a movie? Let me ask you a question. If it's just a movie, would people be shooting in the theaters the opening weekend? Did somebody get killed?

Unfortunately, that's true. In Pennsylvania, somebody was shot and killed in a theater lobby.

Spike Lee: All right, that's all I got to say.

Okay, next question. The "N-word"-do you feel like talking about it?

Spike Lee: I still feel uncomfortable with white people saying that, even if they're hip.

Some folks might not know that you've written two children's books with your wife, Tonya Lewis Lee.

Spike Lee: The first one was called Please, Baby, Please. The second book is Please, Puppy, Please. And I told my wife the next book is not going to be a children's book. It's going to be called Please, Nigga, Please. Home // CELEBRITIES // THE SHOTCALLER // Spike Lee