Amy Schumer was on Watch What Happens Live, where she was sipping white wine through a straw and seemed slightly tipsy bordering on mid-level maintaining drunk. (Takes one to know one I will admit.) She was playing “Plead The Fifth” with Andy Cohen when she was asked about her weird Lenny newsletter interview with Lena Dunham. Dunham and Schumer had a bitch fest in that interview about how horrible the Met Gala was, with Dunham complaining that a guest at her table, Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., did not pay attention to her because she wasn’t attractive enough to him. It was much cruder than that, Lena put thoughts in Beckham’s head. “‘Do I want to f–k it? Is it wearing a … yep, it’s wearing a tuxedo. I’m going to go back to my cell phone.'” Along with Dunham comments about trying to “grind up on Michael B. Jordan,” she seemed to think black men owed her their attention and that their only interest was sex. Dunham issued an apology, blaming her insecurity, and Schumer didn’t say much about it. On WWHL, Schumer said that Lena was a target for people and that she has “the best intention.” She also denied that she’s personally racist because she’s Jewish and doesn’t think she’s racist.
What is the actual likelihood of a fifth and final season of Inside Amy Schumer on a scale of 1 to 10.
I’m going to take number 5 on the scale. Plead the fifth.You told Vanity Fair that you [pitched] your “least f-able” day sketch to tons of actresses but got rejections. Can you name two other women who turned it down?
Diane Keaton said no, and I can’t remember anyone else. Do you know people?Did Sarandon [say no]?
Yes Sarandon said no.You and Lena Dunham interviewed each other about the Met Gala earlier this month. She came under fire for her comments about Odell Beckham Jr. ignoring her. She tweeted an apology. You remained rather quiet about it. Did you find her comments offensive? Did you think it was overblown?
I think people definitely target Lena. I think everybody has room to learn more about other cultures and racism, what’s offensive and what’s not. I spoke up a little bit just because I want to get my girl’s back. I love Lena I think she has the best intention. I think we all have room to learn. I love – I can’t think of anybody I’m racist against. You know what I mean? I get accused of that, I’m just like – ‘you got the wrong Jew. You’re barking up the wrong Jew.’
[From video of WWHL via Huffpo]
You can see the video at the Huffington Post and it’s like Amy was feeling the wine in the beginning but sobered up when she had to answer serious questions. This is likely indicative of how she functions at professional events when she’s drinking. I don’t know if that’s shade or just an observation from someone who has been there.
As for whether Schumer is personally racist, her jokes can certainly spin that way as many people have noticed. I’ve listened to her stand up and she makes stereotypical jokes about Hispanic guys and black people. This isn’t how racism works. “I’m not racist because I’m -fill in the blank/Jewish/have a black friend/don’t think I’m racist.” You’re racist because you have preconceived ingrained notions about people. When you don’t even realize it and continue doing it that somehow makes it worse. At least she says she has room to grow.
photos credit: WENN.com and Bravo
I *hate* it when people say things like ‘I know they had/have good intentions’ because that completely glosses over the fact that they did something wrong. One can not intend to do something and still have actions that hurt people. Uh, that drives me nuts!
I look at how a comedian [or politician] talks about him/herself as well as others, to decide if they’re sexist or racist or bigoted.
Some, Richard Pryor especially, can be just as brutal to themselves as others so that’s who they are.
Amy is blunt about herself the same as she is about others, but if that changes then she has a problem.
Some black comedians aren’t as hard on themselves as on others so it goes both ways.
Just because you say you aren’t racist doesn’t mean it to be true. I think she definitely has room to grow (we all do) but why does she have to go and say things like “you got the wrong jew.” That just seems like such a harsh way to deny being a racist. She didn’t need to say it that way, drunk or not.
She makes racist jokes. That she can’t deny.
Many comics (of all ethnicities and races) do. That’s nothing new or offensive, to me. It’s the tone, intent, etc.. Plenty of black comics make jokes/observations about whites. And, many of these jokes (by races/ethnicities about other races/ethnicities) can be educational/eye-opening, forcing us to look at ourselves and our biases— It’s those are jokes that I appreciate. They’re not really malicious, even though they can be cutting or sharp.
I hope I’m conveying what I mean… I’m not a writer, so, sometimes, the words don’t quite match up with the thought. 🤔
It’s what’s said and done in real-life. I can’t stand Schumer or Dunham. They don’t own up to their crap. They remind me of (one of my go-to stereotypes) Upper West Side socialist liberals (it’s a NYC thing) with black or Latino “help”, who talk a good game, but, don’t have any black or Latino true friends or people in their circles—hypocrites.
Other comics usually expose the faults of society or privilege when doing their jokes about racism (i.e Chris Rock comes to mind?). Those comedians usually punch up, not down. And I can see how their humour works.
I’m not sure what Schumer is trying to do when she says men from a particular community are rapists. Is she being ironic? Is she trying to riff on some kind of valley girl stereotype? Has she ever explained what she’s trying to do? If none of us can figure out what she’s doing, then I do think there’s a severe problem with her humour.
“I’m not sure what Schumer is trying to do when she says men from a particular community are rapists. Is she being ironic? Is she trying to riff on some kind of valley girl stereotype?”
Yeah. She’s trying to be funny… and, she’s not.
“Has she ever explained what she’s trying to do?”
If you have to explain it, it didn’t work.
I don’t know where she came from or why. To me, she’s not at all funny or clever, but, somehow, the flavor-of-the-day. Once in a blue moon, she has an interesting thought/joke, but, those are anomalies. I don’t know how long she’ll last.
On a personal note, I find her so depressing. She seems like the saddest clown.
Is she still dating that dude who does blackface?
Of course she doesn’t think she’s racist. Very few racists actually think they are.
isnt he jewish too? then you are barking up the wrong jew! he had the best intention doing blackface!
Yes he has done blackface several times and she has no problem with it.
I agree that there is always room to grow and if the person that made the faux pas wants to learn where they went wrong that the out raged people should at least point that person in the right direction to learn and become a better person. I can’t stand when people get outraged but don’t try and teach the person they are outraged with when that person is open to learn.
Now Lena was not trying to be open to the opinions of the people that were calling her out at first. Instead she go defensive and tried to act like it was no big deal. Only when it went viral did she give her half-assed apology which quite frankly was still filled with justifications for her crappy behavior towards Odell.
Lastly, even though Amy says she’s believes in people with screwed up views getting a chance to learn and grow, I highly doubt if this was a famous guy that wrote and said the things that Lena said she wouldn’t be condemning him all over social media and not thinking about how he may have adsorbed problematic thinking and this is a moment to teach him why his behavior was wrong so that he can learn. He’d just be labeled a douche, her and her feminist friends and followers would write essays about him and that’s it.
That is of course unless he’s her friend like the rape joke guy, then she would overlook things and make excuses like she’s doing for Lena.
Not today Satan. Not today.
hahahahaha! I enjoyed this comment. That is all.
*Giggle-snort*
Yup.
Sure sure, and azalea banks isn’t racist because she’s black.
Being Jewish, black, Mexican, white, Asian….. there is no free pass. If you hold opinions of people based on race regardless of background, that is racism and prejudice.
Its called equality, we all need to be held to the same standards.
Rich, white, celebrity feminism, everyone.
I don’t understand why, when people are questioned about their own ingrained stereotypes (most everyone has ’em – it’s a part of the human condition), they can’t say “Yes, I do catch myself thinking biased thoughts sometimes, and when I do, I stop, think about where that came from and try to take a more logical train of thought”? Why can’t people just admit to something that is a human thing, demonstrate that they’re making every effort to be more mindful, apologize, and move on?
Instead people are like “ZOMG RACIST ME? NEVER…” then they proceed to tick off every event in their lives that has occurred that would negate that idea.
Own your thoughts. You control your thoughts – they shouldn’t control you. Just watching them, noticing them and then using your inner compass to review them and then mindfully correcting yourself when needed is how we fix fear- and aversion-based stereotyping. This is what I’ve taught my son. And this is how I figured out a way to fix my own negative, fear-based thoughts. I still have them, from time to time – when they pop up I am mindful enough to logically look at them, correct them if needed and then make rational decisions.
(Yes I was a yoga teacher for 7 years LOL My husband and son are both like, “You’re using your yoga voice right now STOP IT”)
Oh love your comment Old KC.
This comment should be on every post about any kind of ‘ism’!!
I like your yoga voice.
“Everyone’s a little bit racist.” From Avenue Q. Anyway, I agree. I have plenty of preconceived notions about people and so does everyone else. It’s normal. It’s human. It’s why we have stereotypes pretty much across the globe. Every culture has them, they differ in nature, but they’re there.
Do I act on them? No. Do I treat people differently based on them? Perhaps so but I try to treat everyone with respect.
NPR had story on implicit bias this morning. It was about a research study that looked at pre-school teachers differential treatment toward black children. Very interesting research methodology to reveal biases.
http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/09/28/495488716/bias-isnt-just-a-police-problem-its-a-preschool-problem
@sanders
At my work, we work with implicit bias all the time. Harvard developed the test–it’s not perfect and requires a lot of tweaks. Plus you can’t just administer the test in a vacuum (though you can do it yourself online). But yes, implicit bias exists. When you have structural racism (or any ism), what makes it so hard to root out is that there’s not a single bad The Man to get rid of to end it. It’s ingrained in our language, our metaphors, our institutions, our actions, how we think, and it continues to get reproduced over and over through those mechanisms. That’s the root of unraveling it is not just changing your mindset, but also taking action. Sometimes we have to see equity in a real world way (through policies, laws, etc) before we can internalize it. Both are needed. Speak up when you see. Listen when other people point it out in you.
Fergus, I am aware of institutionalized racism and how it works. I’ve been involved in anti-racism activism throughout my life, whether in work or academic settings. I agree it is not just about changing ones mindset. I know we all internalize ideas that reinforce white supremacy and other oppressions because its inherent in all the institutions we deal with on a daily basis.
Still, I very much liked Old Kc’s comments because I am a big believer in personal accountability, not the right-wingish-pull -your self- up -by- the bootstraps way, but in that we need to develop personal self awareness about our thoughts, feelings and how they impact our behaviour so that we can treat ourselves and others better.
I’ve been around activists who say all the right things, have a brilliant structural analysis, but seem to really have challenges when comes to just being decent human beings. It’s far easier to intellectualize these issues and speak about them abstractly than to actually try to change one’s behaviour. Again, I try to use the techniques Old Kc posted and have found them very useful.
@ Sanders
I think I didn’t articulate well. For you, I was commenting more on the implicit bias methodology in case you or others wanted more info on the methodology, since you said it seemed interesting. That’s the part that was directed towards you.
The rest was speaking more broadly (because there will be those who read that and think implicit bias is somehow bunk science–working with the methodology, I hear that). I should have been clearer on that part not being directed at you.
Anyway, I’m think we’re actually agreeing on actions being important as well. Don’t disagree with Old Kc’s comment–it’s important to take personal responsibility for how you think. But am also pointing out there’s a lot of people who don’t bother to do that/don’t care/think they already do when they don’t (like Amy Shumer), and that’s why action is also important (or in your words: change one’s behavior).
I’m pointing out that in addition to those who are willing to be introspective and change personal behaviors, if we work to _normalize_ equity, then equity has a chance to displace the implicit bias.
We need both. Personal responsibility and broader structural change. (Speaking broadly; I know you know that.)
Ok, I gotta you. Agree with your points.
Great comment and I couldn’t agree more.
*sits Back with folded arms to watch The B*llshit and the Parsers come in to “contextualize” and Defend this one *
I mean, I think Amy Schumer is directly racist and Lena Dunham is at the least totally oblivious to how racism works. But I think the Met Gala has a bit of projection on both sides. Odell was ignoring her for one reason or another. She was gross and insulting to project in public that it was because he wasn’t attracted to her. But automatically assuming and stating as truth that she wouldn’t have made the same joke about some white athlete is projection too.
But dude, interactions between individuals don’t happen in isolation. They take place in broader social, political contexts. Contexts that act on and have real consequences for those interactions. So the net affect, the real life effect, of that projection is NOT the same if the athlete had been white.
QQ you are killing me
well if she says she isnt then its settled.
Hah!
Oh…forgot to add….listening to your gut in times of danger is totally different from being annoyed by “thoughts popping into your head”. Your thoughts annoy you, but your gut instinct SCREAMS at you. And when it does, you should learn to listen to it. Read Gavin de Becker’s “The Gift of Fear”…really great advice on navigating the world as a female…
See, this is where I always get stucked. Im not sure if its my gut or Im being paranoid/biased.
I gotta look that up.
She is massively overexposed. Cannot stand her.
I can’t stand her as well. And does she even realize what she says: I’m just like – ‘you got the wrong Jew. You’re barking up the wrong Jew.’ she first tried to call the I’m jewish, so I can’t be racist. And then she sort of continues and says that hey, being jewish does not prevent one from being racist just that is not that Jew. So then what, she just implies her Jewish orgin says hey don’t call me racist because I’m jewish and hence you are an anti-semite? I went from being indiferent to her to actively hating her in a very short time when she starded riding her size too much. And don’t tell me you are jewish Amy, because so am I. It has nothing to do with that.
Why is she one of the highest paid comedians? Train wreck was ok, but her stand up and her show are absolutely awful. She reaches new lows for attention/chuckles and Dunham is a creep who goes to all lows for attention. Ugh nepotism.
“I think we all have room to learn. I can’t think of anybody I’m racist against.”
*plays a tiny violin* You clearly haven’t learned all that much since last year… when people were quick to call you out on your casually racist shtick, Amy.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/07/06/dont-believe-her-defenders-amy-schumers-jokes-are-racist/?utm_term=.54e8a6fd67ef
That was truly awful. I couldn’t get through the whole thing.
I don’t watch her show regularly but I really liked her 12 angry men send up and the friday night lights episode because I thought they addressed sexism and sexual assault in a clever way. So I’m guessing those sketches were about white women’s rights only considering the level of dehumanizing jokes there were in the clip PaschaP posted.
Yea this is what is so frustrating about her for me. She has done some really good, smart sketches about sexism and misogyny. But she can’t seem to apply that insight to race issues (presumably because that kind of bias doesn’t affect her).
I’ve never watched her show, but I’ve seen clips of those two sketches… ngl they were pretty apt.
But eh… broken clocks and all that jazz.
Exactly and you don’t want to learn hence why she blocked everyone calling her ass out (including myself) about why what she said was problematic at best. You don’t want to learn you want to live in your privilege without being accountable for your actions
Ugh, of course she’d do that… I’m sorry you had to deal with her BS, Nicole. She’s used the ‘I’m just playing a dumb white girl character on stage; I’m not like that at all irl’ excuse before, so her blocking people comes as no surprise.
From what I’ve seen, she tries her hardest to blur the lines between who she is on stage/screen, and how she is in interviews. It’s the kind of cunningly toxic BS reminiscent of comedians like Russell Brand–a comedian who includes sexism/negging repeatedly in his stage/screen work, and pulls the same creepy shtick in interviews. Schumer and Brand do the very most to get away with their racist/sexist shock tactic shtick. Once they get called out on it they ‘apologize’, or gaslight the public (by saying they’d ‘never want to be racist/sexist to anyone + love/respect everyone’) only to pull the same BS, and issue the same empty af apologies all over again. Funny how Schumer has no problem making a sexist heckler the butt of her jokes, and has no problem kicking said heckler out of a venue… yet she expects woke people to applaud her/stay silent when she spews her racist BS shtick on stage? Like OK… build a fucking bridge over your river of privileged white feminist tears, Amy.
This is why I admire comedians who try to take the Michelle Obama ‘When they go low, we go high’ approach in their own work–John Oliver and his writing team come to mind. Comedians that make a concerted effort to have the perpetrators of abuse/ignorance be the butt of their jokes (as opposed to the innocent victims) are the ones pushing comedy forward. Habitually using/condoning the use of cliched sexist/racist stereotypes as a comedic crutch (that many comedians from waaaay back have used ad nauseam) isn’t only derogatory… it’s also lazy, lowbrow, unoriginal writing. Period.
Lena Dunham is an easy target because she makes herself one. She hides behind that. Don’t like me? You’re just a mysogenist who is threatened by me. Don’t think I’m pretty? Well I don’t WANT to be pretty, so there! Don’t want to talk to me? It’s because you think I’m fat/ugly and you think that because society told you to. There’s a false vulnerability about her. Heaven forbid someone genuinely not like her for actual reasons that have everything to do with finding her personality distasteful and nothing to do with societal programming.
I think Schumer does the same thing but on a more low-key level.
Can’t stand both.
Birds of a feather really
i’m going to get for roasted body shaming – but is pretty evident she’s been on vacation and hitting the booze. she looks terrible, bloated and sloppy. straight up – this girl is ugly inside and out.
Yes there is nothing attractive nor likeable about her at all. The size of her ego is baffling.
She has a blowzy, middle-aged alcoholic look about her.
Thing is, yes, she admits she has room to grow, and we all don’t always get it right all the time, but she’s messing up that *growing* part in that equation. It’s a pretty straight forward process. Not easy. But straight forward.
Here, Amy, I’ll break it down for you in steps. When someone says you’re racist/something you said/did was racist (or sexist, or ableist, or any combination of ists):
1. Sit down and LISTEN
2. BELIEVE what you’re being told (don’t try to argue back, justify, explain, whitesplain, etc)
3. APOLIGIZE sincerely, be humble
4. INTROSPECT on it
5. Google the crap out of it to LEARN more
6. Make a concerted effort to CHANGE your behavior
7. Be GRATEFUL and, if possible, thank the person who pointed it out to you, because they took a risk and it’s not their job to educate you and they didn’t have to.
Come on – not everyone accused of being racist is actually racist. I’ve seen people falsely accused of racism at work.
Many times people just don’t see it, that’s the problem.
A lot of racism occurs on a subconscious level and people have trouble TRULY recognizing it for what it is.
That’s not to say that some aren’t falsely accused of being racist, but more often than not, that person has been making latent racism a habit for years. Again. latent racism is unintended, but the absence of deliberate intention does not erase the racist part of the equation.
How do you know they were falsely accused. Perhaps you weren’t aware that whatever they said or did was implicitly racist. Look, everybody is racist on some level. It’s impossible not to be as structural racism circulates it’s discourse in so, so many ways. It doesn’t mean that everyone’s explicitly racist. There’s a whole lot of implicit bias (as mentioned in this comment section). It also doesn’t mean that everyone is racist in all ways, all the time. But it does mean, in the most generous sense, that people can be racist, say racist things, do racist things without realizing the deep impact and real effects those words/actions have when they resonate within the larger social/political context of structural racism for the person on the receiving end. Being open to hearing that, understanding, and not defending like you just did is what being aware is about.
And maybe your coworker was falsely accused. But that’s a red herring as far as arguments go (not saying it didn’t suck for them in real ways). But in terms of an overall argument, it’s pretty meaningless against the vastly larger proportion of racist stuff people have to deal with.
Fergus, in the cases I’m talking about, it’s a knee-jerk exclamation of “you’re racist” not from staff, but from patients who have transgressed the rules egregiously (in a psychiatric setting). As in, they had a serious rule violation and claimed they only got in trouble because the staff is racist.
Who did I defend, exactly? I just pointed out that not every accusation of racism is real.
And false accusations are NOT meaningless, I would say. If anything they diminish genuine racism, because if someone endlessly claims everything is racist, after a while, nobody listens to person anymore. It’s really impossible, and unfair, to proclaim that everyone is at least on some level racist, in my opinion.
No, don’t google. Too much stupid, horrible crap will come up. Buy a book about the topic, by scientists or by someone who tells their story, related to the topic.
B**ch please
Hey!! I’m Jewish… don’t lump all of us together with the likes of her … yuck!