The Smoking Gun has uncovered yet another gem in Wesley Snipes's "Oops! I failed to pay $38 million to the IRS—but isn't that what the 861 Argument loophole is really there for? It isn't? Well, then, you're all racist!" Trial of the Century, reprinting two character reference letters recently penned by Denzel Washington and Woody Harrelson. (You may recall that Snipes was acquitted of federal tax-fraud and conspiracy charges, but was convicted of a lesser count of failing to file tax returns, punishable by a potential jail term of up to 3 years.)

While Washington's effectively likens Snipes to a tree (but not the Ficus, a genus forever associated with unlawful tax-evasion), it's Harrelson's moving testimonial that managed to lodge a lump in our throats: The actor relays the events of his first professional film gig, on 1986's Wildcats, during which he, Goldie Hawn, and a number of other high-ranking followers of the Nation of Islam first experienced the ugliness of reverse-racism. Before things could get ugly, however, Snipes stepped in to offer a pacifying lecture on Bigotry Throughout The Years. Or something to that effect.

Woody And Denzel On Wesley [The Smoking Gun]

6:03 PM on Wed Apr 23 2008
By Seth
1,978 views
7 comments

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Little Mintz Sunshine at 10:39 PM on 04/23/08
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Connectedness Index: 195

OK, for those of you who aren't holding, here are the Cliffs:

Goldie's "character" was Caucasian.
Woody and Wes got high. A lot. A llegedly
Oh, and something about Farrakhan's birthday.
Whiteboyfunfark at 10:51 PM on 04/23/08
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So not grabbing the opportunity to stick it to whitey = get out of paying Uncle Sam free card? If only I had the opportunity to stiff the IRS $38 million.....
bitfactory at 06:38 AM on 04/24/08
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Wait, Woody and Wesley have birthdays within a week of each other???!!!

CASE DISMISSED!
Benovite at 08:45 AM on 04/24/08
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Woody went on to say,
"Our relationship grew, blossomed and began to bud. Years later we teamed up for White Men Can't Jump, which was a box office hit. But unfortunately audiences turned their backs on our follow-up movie Money Train. This can all be verified at IMDB.

Wesley almost lost his spralling estate as a result. These were high times for seriousness.

So in closing, your honor, if the movie isn't a hit you must not convict."
Benovite at 01:44 PM on 04/24/08
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D'oh! I fudged Cochran's famous line, it's 'you must acquit!'
AndSoHadHis...YouKnow at 02:02 PM on 04/24/08
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No comments on Woody's stationery?
jupiterspaw at 02:29 PM on 04/24/08
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The worst part about this is that I now have the Wildcats "rap" in my head, playing in an unending loop.

"It's the sport of Kings
Better than diamond rings"

(Goldie) "Fo-o-t-b-a-l-l"