Anyone who watched last year’s Country Music Awards, hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, should know that they kick off the show with musical parodies and some topical humor. Last year’s musical joke about there being “over six people served” by the buggy and bloated HealthCare.gov website led to complaints about “rich, white” racists mocking the president and Obamacare.
The humor challenged were met with a different problem during last night’s CMAs broadcast. Noting that the awards show was preempting ABC’s new comedy “Black-ish,” Paisley gestured to the audience and joked, “in the meantime, I hope you’re all enjoying ‘White-ish.'”
https://twitter.com/lancejgosnell/status/530450496138407936
Liberal site ThinkProgress thought that the joke illustrated “how uncomfortable we are talking about whiteness,” but most Tweeters didn’t seem to have been made at all uncomfortable by the joke.
https://twitter.com/bohosolo/status/530480039109099520
For crying out loud. Brad Paisley's #whitish joke was not racist! Any1 who watches @black_ishABC knows the title mocks black stereotypes!
— ?Dr. Reesha. PERIYADT. (@Radio_Reesha) November 6, 2014
@BradPaisley your comment was in no way racist. Coming from an attorney who fights for civil liberties on a daily basis!
— Meach Esq. (@DemetricaTodd) November 6, 2014
Here society goes with that racist stuff ? Brad Paisley wasn't being racist in my opinion
— Expressionist (@WhoShamir) November 7, 2014
Brad Paisley's "Black-ish" joke was far from racist, but more of stating the obvious. CMA crowd filled with white republican country fans.
— Shorty Thee Trainer (@ShortyMamba24) November 6, 2014
If you think Brad Paisley's "white-ish" joke was racist then you have problems. Some people aren't happy unless they're complaining. Grow up
— Cory Anderson (@CDONAnderson) November 6, 2014
Lol @BradPaisley being called "racist". We live in such an overly sensitive society. Grow up & stop looking for things to be offended about.
— Chelsey Gellhaus (@Chels822) November 6, 2014
https://twitter.com/Beautoxica/status/530478718826061825
FYI, talking about race doesn't make you racist. Country music artists/fans are mainly White. It was a funny joke. @BradPaisley
— Melanie:) (@dancindoc1022) November 6, 2014
Any bets on how long it'll take for Al Sharpton to show up on Brad Paisley's doorstep? If you think that was racist…smh… #doublestandard
— Renee (@ReAppleNee) November 6, 2014
To everyone callin Brad Paisley racist for his comment at the CMAs, y'all are the reason, race is still an issue. It was just a fuckin joke.
— Corey Ferrara (@cef9035) November 7, 2014
Brad Paisley made a racial joke, not a racist joke. There's a difference
— Cole Vosbury (@ColeVosbury) November 7, 2014
@bradpaisley don't sweat it… It ain't racist if it's true. I mean when you look at the audience.. Some people just can't take a joke!
— Anastaerai (@Anastaerai) November 6, 2014
OMG people! Find a backbone instead if you found Brad Paisley to be racist last night with his comments. Good grief!! pic.twitter.com/whvsZj5sFY
— Michael Walker (@Malker_) November 6, 2014
Paisley hasn’t responded to the controversy on Twitter, but he does hope he made people laugh.
Hope we made you laugh. Loved it. Let's party. #bradblewit #cmaawards2014
— Brad Paisley (@BradPaisley) November 6, 2014
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Related:
‘Doesn’t get any better’: #CMAAwards audience ‘goes wild’ after joke about Dems’ loss
Freak-out in full swing over ‘rich, white’ racists mocking Obamacare at the CMAs
‘F**k off, CMA’: Not everybody thought Paisley & Underwood’s Obamacare song was funny
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