David Simon (Twitter)
Creator of the award-winning HBO series “The Wire” earned disapproval from Twitter users when he used the n-word. David Simon tweeted the term in response to Sean Hannity hosting a town hall with Donald Trump.
According to Cleveland.com, the Republican presidential candidate is set to host the gathering at Cleveland Heights, a Black church in Ohio. It is described as a “meeting on African-American concerns.” Height’s pastor, Darrell Scott, is a public Trump advocate.
The segment is scheduled to air on Hannity’s Wednesday night Fox News program, “Hannity.”
“Hannity my n—-!” Simon began his ill-fated joke. “If they couldn’t get Ta-Nehisi [Coates] or DeRay [Mckesson] to host, then who but you on the pulse of Black America?”
Hannity my nigga! If they couldn't get Ta-Nehisi or Deray to host, then who but you on the pulse of black America? https://t.co/9hW7wpH4Ar
— David Simon (@AoDespair) September 20, 2016
Simon emphasized his point after facing blowback from his distasteful tweet.
He explained he used the n-word “with an A” on purpose to make fun of the inappropriate casting of Hannity as the moderator in a meeting about African-American affairs.
He added he “can’t help” it if anyone is “enraged” by his sarcasm.
White user @Sendna_51 suggested Simon “rethink” using the racially-charged word.
@AoDespair Hello, fellow white person! I see you are using racially loaded in-group vernacular! Might I suggest rethinking this idea?
— Studious Butt (@Sedna_51) September 20, 2016
But Simon doubled down on his caustic use of the n-word.
@Sedna_51 Spelled with the A. Used as sarcasm against Sean Hannity as the birther candidates interlocutor to black voters? I’ll play it.
— David Simon (@AoDespair) September 20, 2016
Then, a Black woman by the name BrownBecky told Simon, “you know better, you should do better.”
@AoDespair This wasn’t okay. You know better, you should do better.
— BrownBecky ☔️ (@bettyb00p00) September 20, 2016
But the TV writer continued to defend his joke.
@bettyb00p00 I don’t honestly agree. Use of the wrong racial vernacular was precise intended metaphor for use of wrong racial interlocutor.
— David Simon (@AoDespair) September 20, 2016
And when BrownBecky told Simon there were “better ways” to employ sarcasm, he responded by saying, “I regret any hurt.”
I see how it looks to some, and I regret any hurt. But I know what it actually is in purpose/intent. So we are where we are.
— David Simon (@AoDespair) September 20, 2016
Happy Lil’ Tree wondered if Simon forgot to wear blackface.
.@AoDespair did you forget your costume? pic.twitter.com/aKJUJRLiv4
— Happy Li’l Tree (@karengeier) September 20, 2016
And Elon James White summed up how many Black people reacted to the producer’s tweet.
https://twitter.com/elonjames/status/778057068922019840
