Priyanka Chopra has a new (paywalled) interview with the Sunday Times. She talks about a lot of different things, including her career, her marriage to Nick Jonas and more. But what’s getting the most attention is when Priyanka makes a very obvious observation about the obvious racism her friend has faced. Priyanka is friends – or is she?? – with the Duchess of Sussex, and like many women, Priyanka has absolutely clocked all of the racism and racist dog whistles in the coverage of Meghan’s very existence. Some highlights from that part of the interview:
On Meghan being called “pushy”: “I’ve seen that, and it’s really unfortunate. But if there’s anyone who can handle it, it’s her.” When asked if she believes the negative depictions of the duchess, who is biracial, have to do with her cultural background, she responded, “For sure, 100 percent. Of course it has to do with racism, it’s an obvious reason. But the beauty of Meg is that she’s been herself through all of this. A lot of people got to know her after everything [once she started dating Harry], but I knew her before, and she’s the same chick.”
On Meghan’s causes: “Now that she’s got a real platform, she talks about the same things she always did. We spent hours speaking about the difference that influence and dialogue can make to the world before this whole thing happened. So what you see now is authentically her. She’s always been the girl wanting to move the needle.”
[From The Sunday Times via Pop Sugar]
I mean… yes, obvious observation is obvious. Priyanka is stating something true and verifiable: of course there’s blatant racism and a racist tint to the way Meghan has been covered. But the British press has already taken Priyanka’s words and made them into, like, some kind of controversy? I always feel like I’m through the looking glass with this sh-t, but obviously, other people find it shocking that Meghan’s friends are consistently like “stop being racist to Meg” and “stop being cruel to a pregnant woman or new mother.”
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
I love to read the comments section from articles on Megs, it is truly appalling. Some of the articles the Daily Mail posts is just reaching to find anything wrong with her so they can get people going. She can do no right and it’s even more disgusting that the media helps give fuel to the racist fire. And add to that a toxic father (I hate using father for him because he isn’t); my heart goes out to Meg.
I’m not a super Meghan fan but it’s sad to see the racism around the world. I’m seen articles from my country, talking about Meghan in a negative way, following the same narrative as the daily mail. Meghan brings the worst from some people. Some women are just mad that a black woman “stole” their prince, to be honest. Kinda funny and sad.
Its obvious that the British media has been racist outright or used racist undertones toward Duchess Meghan.
They are really afraid what Meghan is capable of and they should be.
In less than a year of marriage Meghan has literally hit the ground running.
What’s really really stupid is that the British media has basically insured that duchess Meghan will communicate through the American media. It shows a ridiculous lack of foresight not to have realized that she has another media source, not to mention social media, and will NEVER need them. Harry’s idiot biographer keeps dogging Meghan as well—she’s the one who openly said on gayle kings program that she would have preferred Harry marry an “English rose.” Does she really think she’s ever going to have access to Harry again? The British tabloid media certainly didn’t count on Meghan and Harry having powerful friends, either. For the sake of some clicks from racists, they have managed to make themselves utterly irrelevant.
This!!!!
Just here to say that we do have -some- good press outlets here in the UK that aren’t racist piles of s*** and treat her with the respect she deserves, and it’s unfortunate that the ones that are negative about her all the time have wide circulation and make headlines for their coverage.
Can you name the better press outlets so we Americans can learn to distinguish them? I know the Sun and Daily Fail are garbage. Is the Guardian reputable?
Yes
Guardian, BBC, Independent. Even Sky News isn’t that bad since Murdoch sold it to Comcast.
I say it’s about 50% racism, 25% misogyny, 25% class-ism adding up to 100% bulls*&t.
The current media both left and right is a dumpster fire and while I wholeheartedly believe in freedom of the press, something has to be done. The media is no longer reporting actual news, but creating news and fanning drama on all current issues.
I agree. Too many media outlets are looking more and more like tabloids. Where’s the dignity and professionalism? This is why people have very little trust in the press.
ITA, real journalism is dying and being replaced by lazy sensationalism all in the name of click bait.
I don’t know why but Priyanka grates, to me her vibe is ‘try hard Princess’ – I don’t know much about her but yeah there is something about her that grates on me and I can’t put a finger on why. Plus I can’t help but feel that she and Meghan don’t speak any more – if they did she wouldn’t be blabbing to the press about Megs.
Priyanka made a point of calling out a story in the Express that she had visited Meghan & Archie as a lie. She said she didn’t because she was in London for work. Why would you make it known you were in London “working” and didn’t visit Megs & the new baby? Seems callous. Maybe she called? I think they no longer speak.
Priyanka sounds like she has spoken to Meghan in months. She was doing a lot of talking before so I wonder if she got cut off or if she got tired of her interviews constantly having a Meghan question once folks knew she was friends with *a future princess*.
Might seem as if it is racism, but it is old fashioned jealousy. Look how fabulous the ladies are, who wouldn’t be jealous if that is their way? We are not out of the dark on media making big of the notion of jealousy.
Fact is, it remains a secret but in most communities jealousy is never considered, in fact it can be unknown for many. That’s a strange truth for those in communities where jealousy is promoted in place of passion which is frowned upon by those who enjoy jealousy as a [strange] way of exhibiting care.
Not only have they been racist and sexist, they’re scared because Meghan and Harry clearly don’t care how much they whine and moan, the press aren’t getting what they want. Social Media was rendered them useless and Harry and Meghan are money to them. The press are still dumb to keep piling on the abuse and it’s only going to get worse for the tabloids because all of the world is paying attention and calling them out.
When Princess Diana’s name was changed to Diana, Princess of Wales, down to a misterious car accident, and then, the death of Praven Babi of India, where were all this SERMONS? Whatever it is, consider Prince Harry’s peace, he’s just 34.