However, it’s pretty much unanimous that he left a mark with his parting remark to President Obama: “Yo, Barry, you did it, my nigga.”
Needless to say, it left a lotta folks shocked. Including LA activist Najee Ali and calling for an apology from Wilmore. But, on the other hand, Black Twitter seems to be down with Wilmore.
READ RELATED STORY: Larry Wilmore on Hosting Final WHCD Under Obama: ‘I’m Very Nervous’
Meanwhile, on CNN’s live postgame show, contributor and Donald Trump supporter Kayleigh McEnany weighed in on Wilmore’s set, and the remark, with some apparently unintentional irony:
Anyway, Marc Lamont Hill had a slightly different take, saying he had no problem with the use of the word, but saying that he just didn’t find it funny. He also said that Wilmore’s remark had “500 white people texting me asking me ‘Why would he use that word?’”
Hill also said there would be division within the black community (Najee Ali?) about whether Wilmore’s use of the word was “disrespectful,” but if Black Twitter is any indication, there is one thing that’s near-unanimous: nobody wants to hear what white people think about it. Check pout these tweets:
Hey…. so can we all collectively agree to ignore the white thinkpieces on Larry Wilmore’s jokes and usage of nigga? #WHCD
— ToraShae (@BlackMajiik) May 1, 2016
*jonathan Chait writing his hot take of Wilmore’s use of “nigga”* #WHCD pic.twitter.com/JQTJTTDMk2
— Broderick Greer (@BroderickGreer) May 1, 2016
Prepare for tsunami of “think pieces” on Larry Wilmore, #whcd, code switching, blackness, and the use of the word “nigga”.
— chauncey devega (@chaunceydevega) May 1, 2016
Everybody in America, black and white, when @larrywilmore said, “Yo Barry, you did it my nigga.” #WHCD pic.twitter.com/GW3ss0Bel3
— Still I Dab. (@RevrendDoctor) May 1, 2016
Me watching people argue about the word nigga on the TL right now#WHCD
— Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) May 1, 2016
OK, that’s what Black Twitter had to say in support of Larry Wilmore. Here’s the opposite reaction from activist Najee Ali:
“The N-word is a word that we have fought decades to get rid of. It’s also the last word that a large segment of our ancestors heard when they were being murdered and lynched by slave owners and the Ku Klux Klan. To have the N-word directed at the President of the United States was despicable and it’s not a laughing matter. Larry Wilmore should be ashamed of himself and apologize immediately ”
Hmm, it seems this white guy below agrees with Najee Ali somewhat. And he thinks it presents a major problem for journalists. Oh yeah, check out the way he say “my nigga.” We’ll just leave it at that.
https://youtu.be/GRBa2Ck-O3s
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