The debate over whether or not it’s acceptable for comedians of all colors to use the N-word onstage has resurfaced thanks to a video clip featuring Louis CK and Chris Rock.
The two prominent funnymen discuss the term in a 2011 Talking Funny video alongside Jerry Seinfeld and Ricky Gervais.
“When a black guy gets rich, it’s countdown to when he’s poor again,” CK says, to which Rock replies, “He’s the blackest white guy I f-cking know.”
“You’re saying I’m a n—-r?” Louis C.K. asks.
“Yes, you are the n—-rest f-cking white man I have ever met,” Rock replied.
Although both CK and Gervais — who also used the word —seem to be amused, Seinfeld made a point of noting, “I wouldn’t use it anywhere.”
The video is a reminder of how complex racism still is in American society and culture, writes CNN commentator David A. Love. The N-word, in particular, “has a troubling and nuanced past,” according to Love, who wrote that while racism is something society must acknowledge and discuss, “the n-word is a different story.”
While the N-word is clearly a symbol of repression and hate, it’s also a tool that has been “turned on its head” by the black community, notes Love, who have “seized ownership” of it.
Thanks for reading InsideHook. Sign up for our daily newsletter and be in the know.