Erick Erickson, April 1, 2019
****
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post provides some examples of online comments about African American comedian Chris Rock's reference to skin color in his "jokes"* about African American actor Jussie Smollett at the 2019 NAACP Image Awards.
Some of these comments are from the discussion thread of a YouTube video clip about Chris Rock's comments about Jussie Smollett at that NAACP event. Additional comments are from the discussion thread of a March 31, 2019 Huffington Post article about Rock's "jokes" about Jussie Smollett.
An excerpt from an article about Jussie Smollett is included in this post as background to Chris Rock's comments.
A YouTube video of Chris Rock's comments is also included in this post. [WARNING: This video includes one word of profanity.]
The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this embedded YouTube video.
-snip-
These selected comments only focus on Chris Rock's reference to skin color and don't cover any other aspect of Rock's comments about Jussie Smollett.
*I've placed the word "jokes" in bracket because I agree with some commenters below that references to skin color aren't any joking matter.
****
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
From https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2019/03/chris-rock-makes-jussie-smollett-joke-at-naacp-image-awards-ignoring-restriction-on-jussie-smollett-jokes.html
"Apparently, telling Chris Rock that he can’t make a Jussie Smollett joke only sets you up for a Jussie Smollett joke.
Rock, 54, who has a home in Alpine, [New Jersey] appeared at the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, where producers were, according to Rock, not keen on anyone making a joke about Smollett.
Recently, all charges were dropped against Smollett, an “Empire” actor, after he claimed that two masked men attacked him in Chicago on Jan. 29 and tied a rope around his neck, pouring bleach on him. He said the men had hurled racist and homophobic slurs during the attack. A month later, Smollett, 36, was charged with 16 counts of disorderly conduct as police accused him of staging the attack. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office dropped all charges against Smollett on Tuesday.
Rock took to the stage at the 50th NAACP Image Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood to present an award.
“They said no Jussie Smollett jokes,” Rock said, to hearty laughter from the audience. “Yeah, I know, I know,” he continued. “What a waste of light skin, you know? You know what I could do with that light skin? That curly hair? My career would be outta here! (I’d) be (expletive) running Hollywood!"
After stopping to laugh for a few beats, Rock continued.
“What the hell was he thinking? From now on, you’re Jesse. From now on. You don’t even get the U no more.” The camera cut to “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah doubling over with laughter in the audience. “That U was respect," Rock said. "You ain’t getting no respect from me.”
Smollett, who plays Jamal Lyon on Fox’s “Empire,” was absent from the NAACP Image Awards despite being nominated for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series (he did not win).”...
-snip-
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jussie_Smollett for a Wikipedia biography of Jussie Smollett. That article includes a photograph of Smollett.
****
[original video that was embedded in this pancocojams post:
SHOWCASE VIDEO: CHRIS ROCK TALKING ABOUT JUSSIE SMOLLETT AT 50th Annual NAACP AWARDS (ALLTHINGSMEME)
All Things Meme, Published on Mar 30, 2019
Watch as Chris Rock goes in on Jussie smollett at the 59th annual NAACP awards. Hilarious!!!
-snip-
The video that was originally embedded in this pancocojams post is no longer available. I've kept these comments to the historically record.
All of the comments are from March 30, 2019. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.
This compilation doesn't include several other comments that are the same or very similar to those comments given below which quote the phrase "a waste of light skin". This compilation also doesn't include a comment that I found offensive that referred to Jussie Smollett's Russian biological father and referred to Jussie being gay. Other than those comments, these are all the examples of comments that refer to light skin that are found in that discussion thread as of April 1, 2019 at 4:16 PM.
1. Avalon Park
"You see he did not show up. Like Chris stated a waste of light skin. 😎😎😎😎😎😎😂😂😂😂😂😂"
**
2. Embark With Mark
"1:01 Trevor Noah laughing so hard because he's getting ready to steal that joke from Chris Rock.. THAT'S RIGHT I SAID IT!!"
**
REPLY
3. Avalon Park
"No because Trevor has light skin so he knew what he was talking about, for real."
**
REPLY
4. Embark With Mark
"@Avalon Park Hahahahaha!! I can totally agree with that! He is the industry darling."
**
5. K Deloris
"you can tell he wanted to go in deep on jessie. I holla'd when he said what a waste of light skin😂🤣😂"
**
6. Somethin Aint Right Here
" “What a waste of light skin” LMFAO"
**
7. Gaben
" "what a waste of light skin"
come on that's a paul mooney joke."
-snip-
Here's information about Paul Mooney from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Mooney_(comedian)
"Paul Gladney (born August 4, 1941), better known by the stage name Paul Mooney, is an [African American] comedian,[1] writer, social critic, and television and film actor. He is best known for his appearances on Chappelle's Show and as a writer for comedian Richard Pryor.[1][2]”...
-snip-
Here's a Paul Mooney joke that may have been what the commenter Gaben was referring to:
From https://www.dead-frog.com/comedians/jokes/paul-mooney
"Paul Mooney on Homeless People:
When I see homeless white person I start crying. (cries) What a waste of white skin."
-snip-
Italics added to highlight this "joke".
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM A HUFFINGTON POST DISCUSSION THREAD ABOUT CHRIS ROCKS & JUSSIE SMOLLETT*
From https://www.huffpost.com/entry/chris-rock-jussie-smollett-naacp-image-awards_n_5ca0b74ee4b0474c08d00cc2C hris Rock Calls Out Jussie Smollett At NAACP Image Awards
“What the hell was he thinking?” the comedian asks about the “Empire” actor.
By Carla Baranauckas 03/31/2019
1. Veronica Dabney
"Rock is trying to resuscitate his career. He won't do it like that. This was the wrong audience for that kind of stuff."
**
REPLY
2. Terry Hill in response to Veronica Dabney
"Sounds like the audience liked it."
**
REPLY
3. Veronica Dabney in response to Terry Hill
"WATCH it again. There was a lot of controlled laughing about the skin color thing (which blacks are Really trying to get over, and which Rock must have a hang up about), and when he started talking about not respecting Smollet, there were a lot of stone faces (though Trevor Noah, a So. African, seemed to enjoy it, though he was cringing). Listen to how the laughter subsides when he says "you don't get no respect from me." He's a comedian, and he knew he'd gone too far when the laughter Died. So, after just over a minute, he moved on."
**
REPLY
4. Terry Hill in response to Veronica Dabney
"It was an edgy joke, no doubt, and possibly "too soon" as they sometimes say in comedy, but it largely worked. Aside from interpreting the audience reaction which very clearly included laughter and no boos, he isn't getting lambasted for it in the days after.
Not sure where you stand but anyone who believes Jussie's story probably hates this joke and those who figure he's lying (and guilty of faking the whole thing) probably think it's funny. The joke by itself is fairly tame."
**
REPLY
5. Veronica Dabney in response to Terry Hill
"Rock wasn't joking, he was clearly outraged, and in a mood to attack Jussie. So, he starts with the almost taboo subject, at least in public, the color of Jussie's skin. That in itself was embarrassing. The laughter was polite at best (I KNOW when a black audience is Really laughing, they "crack up"), but in this setting they would NEVER have booed him, that was not the mood in the room. But as I said in my last comment, listen to the last few seconds when he says he had "no respect" for Jussie, the room went silent. THAT wasn't a joke, that was MEAN and very personal. He lost the room, and he knew it."
**
REPLY
[...]
6. JW
"they were all uneasy; who wants to talk about light skin privilege? it isn't exclusive to white people"
**
REPLY
7. Veronica Dabney to JW
"Thank You!! I've been black ALL my life, so you'd Think I'd know better how an audience of black people would react to uncomfortable "jokes", that really aren't jokes at all. Especially when the narrative is coming from a black comedian. I don't need anyone else to "school" me on that."
**
8. Marlena Alvarado
"Even in jest and how much one abhors what Jessie did and was able to get away with, Chris Rock's humor is absolutely unacceptable. To highlight anyone's light skin color and curly hair grade, and then to take it even further which infers that such looks equates success is absurd and insulting to all the dark and lovely individulas in the world--color struck is outdated Chris--even in humor."
**
REPLY
9. Veronica Dabney in response to Marlena Alvarado
"Exactly. That skin color thing was the WORSE thing about his "jokes". It seems that THAT may be one of Chris Rock's own personal hangups. Black people have been trying to get over the intra-racial color complex thing for nearly 60 years. He Did Not help the cause. It Was Not funny."
**
10. Misty A. Boyer in response to Marlena Alvarado
"Okay, it's possible that because you aren't black, you're unaware of a dynamic that unfortunately exists amongst a lot of blacks (not all of us, but far too many). I'm not trying to shut you down here, you seem genuinely upset by the joke, and so I'm going to explain the basis of it.
During times of slavery, those slaves that were born with lighter skin were given better and easier tasks. So a dark-skinned slave was made to do back-breaking field work, while a lighter-skinned slave was considered more desirable and more attractive and were given tasks inside the house. This created a sort of caste system amongst blacks where having light skin was seen as being better than dark.
Generations later, that dynamic persists not just amongst blacks but in other parts of culture as well. Blacks with light skin are still viewed as highly desirable to a lot of blacks, to the point where some blacks use dangerous creams to lighten their skin. While in the media, only within the last 5-10 years have we really seen black leading ladies who are visibly dark-skinned. For a long time, if a black woman got a role, she had fair skin and acceptably wavy/straight hair.
Chris Rock isn't saying that lighter skin is better. He's making social commentary about how having lighter skin is still in many ways considered to be better. He's pointing something out in a sarcastic way, he isn't actually endorsing it."
**
11. Veronica Dabney
This is the Very Reason they told him, "No Jussie Smollett jokes". "They" knew that despite all the POSITIVE things about the show, this would be what the mainstream press would jump on. All "they" need is a tiny inkling from a black person that "they" have permission to denigrate and belittle a black person, especially a man, and "they" will play it to the hilt. Rock has lost his connection.
**
REPLY
12. Terry Hill in response to Veronica Dabney
"The joke played well in the room and it helps people move past this unfortunate episode. Since no one can reasonably defend or explain what Jussie and/or his trainer did, better to laugh at the absurdity of it and move on. It's a risky joke but the better comedians are willing to test those boundaries and in this case it worked just fine."
**
REPLY
13. Veronica Dabney in response to Terry Hill
"Rock wasn't "laughing at the absurdity of it", he said "I have no more respect for him" THAT was a judgment, and NOT a joke. I wouldn't declare with such certainty that it "played well in the room"."
**
14. Jermain Johnson
"I see Chris Rock has joined the legion of "I hate my black skin" gang. It may be a joke he gave but very insensitive joke."
**
15. EagleOne
"The light skin thing is for real
Blacks know exactly when he means"
**
REPLY
16. JW in response to EagleOne
"yep, even in the neighborhood it's a privilege"
**
JW
17. "yep, there's white privilege and then there's light skinned privilege but, let's not go there Chris. It's not funny....."
**
18. Larry Nodarse
"I see that black actors are the same* Hispanic actors when it comes those of us who have light skin. I'm Cuban-American and when I used to pursue acting in NY and LA, I was always jealous of "white-looking" Latinos who had sooooo many more roles that they could audition for.
-snip-
*I think the commenter meant “the same as”
**
19. Stephanie Chretian
"Light skinned privilege in a white skinned privilege society, yep."
-snip-
*Each of these comments are from March 31, 2019. Numbers are assigned for referencing purposes only.
These are all of the comments in that discussion thread that refer to skin color as of April 1, 2019 at 4:32 PM].
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
****
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post provides some examples of online comments about African American comedian Chris Rock's reference to skin color in his "jokes"* about African American actor Jussie Smollett at the 2019 NAACP Image Awards.
Some of these comments are from the discussion thread of a YouTube video clip about Chris Rock's comments about Jussie Smollett at that NAACP event. Additional comments are from the discussion thread of a March 31, 2019 Huffington Post article about Rock's "jokes" about Jussie Smollett.
An excerpt from an article about Jussie Smollett is included in this post as background to Chris Rock's comments.
A YouTube video of Chris Rock's comments is also included in this post. [WARNING: This video includes one word of profanity.]
The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this embedded YouTube video.
-snip-
These selected comments only focus on Chris Rock's reference to skin color and don't cover any other aspect of Rock's comments about Jussie Smollett.
*I've placed the word "jokes" in bracket because I agree with some commenters below that references to skin color aren't any joking matter.
****
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
From https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2019/03/chris-rock-makes-jussie-smollett-joke-at-naacp-image-awards-ignoring-restriction-on-jussie-smollett-jokes.html
"Apparently, telling Chris Rock that he can’t make a Jussie Smollett joke only sets you up for a Jussie Smollett joke.
Rock, 54, who has a home in Alpine, [New Jersey] appeared at the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, where producers were, according to Rock, not keen on anyone making a joke about Smollett.
Recently, all charges were dropped against Smollett, an “Empire” actor, after he claimed that two masked men attacked him in Chicago on Jan. 29 and tied a rope around his neck, pouring bleach on him. He said the men had hurled racist and homophobic slurs during the attack. A month later, Smollett, 36, was charged with 16 counts of disorderly conduct as police accused him of staging the attack. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office dropped all charges against Smollett on Tuesday.
Rock took to the stage at the 50th NAACP Image Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood to present an award.
“They said no Jussie Smollett jokes,” Rock said, to hearty laughter from the audience. “Yeah, I know, I know,” he continued. “What a waste of light skin, you know? You know what I could do with that light skin? That curly hair? My career would be outta here! (I’d) be (expletive) running Hollywood!"
After stopping to laugh for a few beats, Rock continued.
“What the hell was he thinking? From now on, you’re Jesse. From now on. You don’t even get the U no more.” The camera cut to “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah doubling over with laughter in the audience. “That U was respect," Rock said. "You ain’t getting no respect from me.”
Smollett, who plays Jamal Lyon on Fox’s “Empire,” was absent from the NAACP Image Awards despite being nominated for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series (he did not win).”...
-snip-
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jussie_Smollett for a Wikipedia biography of Jussie Smollett. That article includes a photograph of Smollett.
****
[original video that was embedded in this pancocojams post:
SHOWCASE VIDEO: CHRIS ROCK TALKING ABOUT JUSSIE SMOLLETT AT 50th Annual NAACP AWARDS (ALLTHINGSMEME)
All Things Meme, Published on Mar 30, 2019
Watch as Chris Rock goes in on Jussie smollett at the 59th annual NAACP awards. Hilarious!!!
-snip-
The video that was originally embedded in this pancocojams post is no longer available. I've kept these comments to the historically record.
All of the comments are from March 30, 2019. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.
This compilation doesn't include several other comments that are the same or very similar to those comments given below which quote the phrase "a waste of light skin". This compilation also doesn't include a comment that I found offensive that referred to Jussie Smollett's Russian biological father and referred to Jussie being gay. Other than those comments, these are all the examples of comments that refer to light skin that are found in that discussion thread as of April 1, 2019 at 4:16 PM.
1. Avalon Park
"You see he did not show up. Like Chris stated a waste of light skin. 😎😎😎😎😎😎😂😂😂😂😂😂"
**
2. Embark With Mark
"1:01 Trevor Noah laughing so hard because he's getting ready to steal that joke from Chris Rock.. THAT'S RIGHT I SAID IT!!"
**
REPLY
3. Avalon Park
"No because Trevor has light skin so he knew what he was talking about, for real."
**
REPLY
4. Embark With Mark
"@Avalon Park Hahahahaha!! I can totally agree with that! He is the industry darling."
**
5. K Deloris
"you can tell he wanted to go in deep on jessie. I holla'd when he said what a waste of light skin😂🤣😂"
**
6. Somethin Aint Right Here
" “What a waste of light skin” LMFAO"
**
7. Gaben
" "what a waste of light skin"
come on that's a paul mooney joke."
-snip-
Here's information about Paul Mooney from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Mooney_(comedian)
"Paul Gladney (born August 4, 1941), better known by the stage name Paul Mooney, is an [African American] comedian,[1] writer, social critic, and television and film actor. He is best known for his appearances on Chappelle's Show and as a writer for comedian Richard Pryor.[1][2]”...
-snip-
Here's a Paul Mooney joke that may have been what the commenter Gaben was referring to:
From https://www.dead-frog.com/comedians/jokes/paul-mooney
"Paul Mooney on Homeless People:
When I see homeless white person I start crying. (cries) What a waste of white skin."
-snip-
Italics added to highlight this "joke".
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM A HUFFINGTON POST DISCUSSION THREAD ABOUT CHRIS ROCKS & JUSSIE SMOLLETT*
From https://www.huffpost.com/entry/chris-rock-jussie-smollett-naacp-image-awards_n_5ca0b74ee4b0474c08d00cc2C hris Rock Calls Out Jussie Smollett At NAACP Image Awards
“What the hell was he thinking?” the comedian asks about the “Empire” actor.
By Carla Baranauckas 03/31/2019
1. Veronica Dabney
"Rock is trying to resuscitate his career. He won't do it like that. This was the wrong audience for that kind of stuff."
**
REPLY
2. Terry Hill in response to Veronica Dabney
"Sounds like the audience liked it."
**
REPLY
3. Veronica Dabney in response to Terry Hill
"WATCH it again. There was a lot of controlled laughing about the skin color thing (which blacks are Really trying to get over, and which Rock must have a hang up about), and when he started talking about not respecting Smollet, there were a lot of stone faces (though Trevor Noah, a So. African, seemed to enjoy it, though he was cringing). Listen to how the laughter subsides when he says "you don't get no respect from me." He's a comedian, and he knew he'd gone too far when the laughter Died. So, after just over a minute, he moved on."
**
REPLY
4. Terry Hill in response to Veronica Dabney
"It was an edgy joke, no doubt, and possibly "too soon" as they sometimes say in comedy, but it largely worked. Aside from interpreting the audience reaction which very clearly included laughter and no boos, he isn't getting lambasted for it in the days after.
Not sure where you stand but anyone who believes Jussie's story probably hates this joke and those who figure he's lying (and guilty of faking the whole thing) probably think it's funny. The joke by itself is fairly tame."
**
REPLY
5. Veronica Dabney in response to Terry Hill
"Rock wasn't joking, he was clearly outraged, and in a mood to attack Jussie. So, he starts with the almost taboo subject, at least in public, the color of Jussie's skin. That in itself was embarrassing. The laughter was polite at best (I KNOW when a black audience is Really laughing, they "crack up"), but in this setting they would NEVER have booed him, that was not the mood in the room. But as I said in my last comment, listen to the last few seconds when he says he had "no respect" for Jussie, the room went silent. THAT wasn't a joke, that was MEAN and very personal. He lost the room, and he knew it."
**
REPLY
[...]
6. JW
"they were all uneasy; who wants to talk about light skin privilege? it isn't exclusive to white people"
**
REPLY
7. Veronica Dabney to JW
"Thank You!! I've been black ALL my life, so you'd Think I'd know better how an audience of black people would react to uncomfortable "jokes", that really aren't jokes at all. Especially when the narrative is coming from a black comedian. I don't need anyone else to "school" me on that."
**
8. Marlena Alvarado
"Even in jest and how much one abhors what Jessie did and was able to get away with, Chris Rock's humor is absolutely unacceptable. To highlight anyone's light skin color and curly hair grade, and then to take it even further which infers that such looks equates success is absurd and insulting to all the dark and lovely individulas in the world--color struck is outdated Chris--even in humor."
**
REPLY
9. Veronica Dabney in response to Marlena Alvarado
"Exactly. That skin color thing was the WORSE thing about his "jokes". It seems that THAT may be one of Chris Rock's own personal hangups. Black people have been trying to get over the intra-racial color complex thing for nearly 60 years. He Did Not help the cause. It Was Not funny."
**
10. Misty A. Boyer in response to Marlena Alvarado
"Okay, it's possible that because you aren't black, you're unaware of a dynamic that unfortunately exists amongst a lot of blacks (not all of us, but far too many). I'm not trying to shut you down here, you seem genuinely upset by the joke, and so I'm going to explain the basis of it.
During times of slavery, those slaves that were born with lighter skin were given better and easier tasks. So a dark-skinned slave was made to do back-breaking field work, while a lighter-skinned slave was considered more desirable and more attractive and were given tasks inside the house. This created a sort of caste system amongst blacks where having light skin was seen as being better than dark.
Generations later, that dynamic persists not just amongst blacks but in other parts of culture as well. Blacks with light skin are still viewed as highly desirable to a lot of blacks, to the point where some blacks use dangerous creams to lighten their skin. While in the media, only within the last 5-10 years have we really seen black leading ladies who are visibly dark-skinned. For a long time, if a black woman got a role, she had fair skin and acceptably wavy/straight hair.
Chris Rock isn't saying that lighter skin is better. He's making social commentary about how having lighter skin is still in many ways considered to be better. He's pointing something out in a sarcastic way, he isn't actually endorsing it."
**
11. Veronica Dabney
This is the Very Reason they told him, "No Jussie Smollett jokes". "They" knew that despite all the POSITIVE things about the show, this would be what the mainstream press would jump on. All "they" need is a tiny inkling from a black person that "they" have permission to denigrate and belittle a black person, especially a man, and "they" will play it to the hilt. Rock has lost his connection.
**
REPLY
12. Terry Hill in response to Veronica Dabney
"The joke played well in the room and it helps people move past this unfortunate episode. Since no one can reasonably defend or explain what Jussie and/or his trainer did, better to laugh at the absurdity of it and move on. It's a risky joke but the better comedians are willing to test those boundaries and in this case it worked just fine."
**
REPLY
13. Veronica Dabney in response to Terry Hill
"Rock wasn't "laughing at the absurdity of it", he said "I have no more respect for him" THAT was a judgment, and NOT a joke. I wouldn't declare with such certainty that it "played well in the room"."
**
14. Jermain Johnson
"I see Chris Rock has joined the legion of "I hate my black skin" gang. It may be a joke he gave but very insensitive joke."
**
15. EagleOne
"The light skin thing is for real
Blacks know exactly when he means"
**
REPLY
16. JW in response to EagleOne
"yep, even in the neighborhood it's a privilege"
**
JW
17. "yep, there's white privilege and then there's light skinned privilege but, let's not go there Chris. It's not funny....."
**
18. Larry Nodarse
"I see that black actors are the same* Hispanic actors when it comes those of us who have light skin. I'm Cuban-American and when I used to pursue acting in NY and LA, I was always jealous of "white-looking" Latinos who had sooooo many more roles that they could audition for.
-snip-
*I think the commenter meant “the same as”
**
19. Stephanie Chretian
"Light skinned privilege in a white skinned privilege society, yep."
-snip-
*Each of these comments are from March 31, 2019. Numbers are assigned for referencing purposes only.
These are all of the comments in that discussion thread that refer to skin color as of April 1, 2019 at 4:32 PM].
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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