Whatever you thought of Larry Wilmore’s comedy last night, his emotional conclusion addressed to President Obama was a touching moment — unless you’re Fox host (and bigot) Todd Starnes.
During his remarks at the White House Correspondents’ dinner, Wilmore jabbed at President Obama for not closing Guantanamo Bay prison. He also likened him to basketball star Steph Curry by saying:
“…because both of you like raining down bombs on people from long distances.”
But at the end, Wilmore spoke from the heart about how much it meant to him to have an African-American president:
“When I was a kid, I lived in a country where people couldn’t accept a black quarterback. Now think about that. A black man was thought by his mere color not good enough to lead a football team — and now, to live in your time, Mr. President, when a black man can lead the entire free world. Words alone do me no justice. So, Mr. President, if i’m going to keep it 100: Yo, Barry, you did it, my n—-. You did it.”
As Raw Story noted, President Obama smiled and embraced Wilmore immediately afterward. But Starnes knew better! Wilmore’s “my n***a” line sent Fox News’ white culture warrior into a spasm of racial pearl-clutching on Twitter. Starnes complained Wilmore’s closing comments were “race baiting” and “incredible despicable.”
Dear @larrywilmore — race baiting isn't funny — and using a racial epithet is incredibly despicable. #NerdProm #shameful
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) May 1, 2016
What @larrywilmore called the President at the end of that disgusting speech was despicable — incredibly shameful.
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) May 1, 2016
If you are suspicious about the nature of Starnes’ racial sensitivity, you should be. This is a guy who has made a Fox News career out of bigotry. He has accused the Obama administration of “orchestrating” civil unrest in Ferguson, called him the “Race-Baiter in Chief,” and complained that a woman of Indian descent was not American enough to be Miss America in 2013.
At Mediaite, Tommy Christopher found lots of evidence that Black Twitter could not care less what White people think of Wilmore saying “my n***a.” After all, he meant it as an homage to Obama.
But you can bet your profiling stars that Starnes will not be the last Fox pundit to be trolling Wilmore.
Watch Wilmore’s complete remarks from the 2016 White House Correspondents’ Dinner below.
Featured image via Video
