Comedy Central
First, Trevor Noah referred to as out Joe Rogan for his racist commentary about what it means to be “Black.” Then, he reluctantly defended the podcaster’s “refreshing” apology for spreading COVID-19 misinformation. So when he began in on the subject as soon as extra throughout Monday evening’s episode of The Every day Present, it wasn’t clear at first which route he was going to go.
However when he arrived on the newest controversy surrounding Rogan’s repeated use of the “N-word” over a few years, Noah didn't maintain again.
“If there’s ever a video of you saying the ‘N-word’ that many instances,” the host mentioned after sharing the viral montage, “you’d higher pray considered one of two issues. Both you’re a Black particular person otherwise you’re a lifeless particular person from historical past. As a result of then the worst factor they'll do is take your statue down and transfer it right into a museum.”
And but Noah selected as an alternative to give attention to an “even worse” a part of the video, by which Rogan instructed a narrative about going to see Planet of the Apes in a Black neighborhood and joked, “We walked into Planet of the Apes, we walked into Africa.”
“Wow,” Noah replied, taking a protracted pause. “That video’s so dangerous it really made me miss the ‘N-word’ video.”
Later, the host dug into the latest apology Rogan delivered, by which he straight-up denied calling Black individuals “apes” and insisted that his solely intention was to be “entertaining” on his podcast.
“To begin with, he mentioned he would by no means say that Black individuals are apes, however he mentioned that! That’s actually what he mentioned!” Noah shot again. “It’s not simply racist. That’s O.G. racism. That’s the unique, old-school racism. That’s on the Mount Rushmore of racism. ‘Black individuals are apes’ is true subsequent to burning crosses and each Bugs Bunny cartoon from the Forties.”
However on prime of that, Noah mentioned he discovered Rogan’s assertion that he wasn’t being “racist” however simply “being entertaining” significantly “illuminating.”
“No, Joe, I feel you have been utilizing racism to be entertaining,” Noah mentioned. Even when Rogan wasn’t particularly making an attempt to “offend” Black individuals, “you knew that offending Black individuals would get fun out of these white mates that you just have been with.”
Then, in what may solely be taken as a direct response to comedians like Whitney Cummings and others who defended their pal over the weekend by explaining that “it’s our job to be irreverent and harmful,” Noah defined one thing else necessary about jokes.
“Simply because one thing is a joke doesn’t imply it could possibly’t be one thing else as nicely,” he mentioned. “As a result of a joke will be racist. In actual fact, a joke will be racist and humorous if you happen to’re telling it to the appropriate crowd. Somebody can discover it humorous, however the laughs don’t imply that there’s no racism.”
As proof, he pointed to one thing Joe Rogan mentioned about his personal Planet of the Apes “joke,” simply moments after he made it. “That was a racist factor for me to say,” he admitted on the time.
The one purpose he’s denying it now, Noah argued, is that he doesn’t wish to be branded “a racist” for all times. “As for Joe Rogan, he says he’s discovered his lesson, and I hope he has” the host concluded. “However I'll say, if I have been him, I wouldn’t stroll right into a cinema in a Black neighborhood for a short while.”
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