(Photo by Michael Schwartz/WireImage)
Comedian Josh Denny drew the ire of a Jordan Peele-affiliated filmmaker Friday when he claimed that the phrase “straight white male” is just as potent of a slur as the n-word.
“’Straight White Male’ has become this century’s N-Word,” Denny tweeted May 18. “It’s used to offend and diminish the recipient based on assumption and bias. No difference in the usage.”
“Straight White Male” has become this century’s N-Word. It’s used to offend and diminish the recipient based on assumption and bias. No difference in the usage.
— Josh Denny (@JoshDenny) May 18, 2018
Not long after the post went up, Matthew A. Cherry posted screenshots of the “Ginormous Food” host’s tweet. Cherry also posted screenshots of tone-deaf jokes dating back to 2012 and 2014 regarding things like baseball team names and Instagram.
— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) May 19, 2018
In response, several people — including Dictionary.com — eviscerated Denny. Others called on Food Network to fire him, although Denny later tweeted he hasn’t had the job on “Ginormous Food” in “almost a year.”
This dude. Literally…. pic.twitter.com/Z3tQ8skOJM
— Jillian♡Joy (@Jillove1) May 19, 2018
— ogQUESO (@quesofreshco) May 19, 2018
@FoodNetwork pic.twitter.com/xdPpCsM48k
— Trevor (@Villpanh) May 19, 2018
Comparing "SWM" with the N-word is outrageously tone-deaf, inane, and wildly false. I don't care how "persecuted" by "racism" you feel as a white dude, if you think use of the term is equivalent to a slur arising from centuries of SLAVERY AND SEGREGATION, you're crazy.
— Mark Hughes (@markhughesfilms) May 18, 2018
The n-word is considered the most offensive word in the English language. “Straight white male” is … not. https://t.co/njUfJKA0g7
— Dictionary.com (@Dictionarycom) May 19, 2018
Still, Denny explained his reasoning. Following his “straight white male” tweet.
“My point is, when you call someone this in conversation — you know exactly what you’re doing: attempting to devalue their POV based on negative cultural stereotypes. That’s racism,” he tweeted. “Saying ‘my label for you invalidates your opinion or your place in society’ is literally what Dr. King fought against.”
BTW – if you know me, you know I reflect on things like this constantly – it’s literally the core of my podcast. I do think it’s interesting that the statement itself has multiple times drawn out the exact example I was making.
— Josh Denny (@JoshDenny) May 18, 2018
However, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s daughter shut down the comic’s remark about the civil rights icon.
My father was working to eradicate the Triple Evils of Racism (prejudice + power = oppression/destruction of a race deemed inferior), Poverty (Materialism) & Militarism. Pointing out the group that most commonly benefits from all 3 is not “labeling.” Truth before reconciliation. https://t.co/NRnt3zE3gN
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) May 19, 2018
Denny only regretted saying there was “no difference in the usage” of “straight white male” and the N-word.
The most problematic sentence and the only one I regret. I was zeroed on one example prevalent at the moment. https://t.co/aBtwM50Vlv
— Josh Denny (@JoshDenny) May 19, 2018
