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Jon Stewart & Jessica Williams Wrestle With Rachel Dolezal's Racial Identity Issues
By
John Del Signore
Published Jun 16, 2015
Modified Jun 16, 2015
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By
John Del Signore
Published Jun 16, 2015
Modified Jun 16, 2015
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The Daily Show tackled the ongoing Rachel Dolezal race kerfuffle last night with a new segment appropriately titled, "Whaaaaaat!?" Outgoing host Jon Stewart first expressed disbelief that the predominantly white city of Spokane, Washington even has an NAACP chapter, then pivoted to amazement that Dolezal felt compelled to masquerade as black, then finally arrived at dismay over the right-leaning news media's sweeping generalizations about liberal America.
Stewart showed a clip of conservative radio host Larry Elder arguing that Dolezal’s charade proves that being black in America is enviable. "All because of one singular white person," Sewart marveled. "If being black is such a sweet deal, why are millions of white people ignoring such a sweet opportunity?" This question segued masterfully into a second segment with senior black correspondent Jordan Klepper, who appears to be extremely white. But try telling that to the cop who pulled him over for "driving while black."
Jessica Williams rounds out the segment by bursting in to explain that "you can't just appropriate persecution because it's 'cool.' We don't need oppression cosplay."
In an interview with the Today Show this morning, Dolezal explained, "I identify as black." Okay, fair enough! I identify as a white drummer from a hugely influential British rock band; everyone please pay me millions of dollars and call me Bonzo.
Tagged
daily show
Jon Stewart
rachel dolezal
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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