One thing that’s clear in the whole Chris Cuomo-Fredo debate is that calling an Italian-American “Fred” is not like calling someone the “N-word” at all:
On the whole “Fredo is the N-word for Italians” thing, think John Mulaney said it best that if you’re comparing the badness of two words and you won’t even say one of them, that’s the worse word.
— Siraj Hashmi (@SirajAHashmi) August 13, 2019
And here’s a collection of tweets from blue check from both side of the political spectrum calling out Cuomo for making the comparison:
Wait @seanhannity:
You’re not really ok with @ChrisCuomo equating “Fredo” with the ‘N-word’, are you?https://t.co/3JbyLdQUpi
— Adam Baldwin (@AdamBaldwin) August 13, 2019
Can non-Black people stop comparing derogatory words/slurs to the "n-word"?
Nothing is like the "n-word."
Certainly not "Fredo."
— Jose Antonio Vargas (@joseiswriting) August 13, 2019
Yes. I would have been with him had it not been for the Fredo= n-word nonsense.
— David Harsanyi (@davidharsanyi) August 13, 2019
I'm Italian and I didn't even know this was a thing. I thought our n-word was WOP.
— David Mastio (@DavidMastio) August 13, 2019
I am an Italian-American and “Fredo” is honestly not the term that I would consider to be the most insulting against Italians…
— Madison Gesiotto (@madisongesiotto) August 13, 2019
Guys, I’m Italian. “Fredo” is not an ethnic slur. It doesn’t even rise to the level of “dego” or “wop” (and those definitely don’t rise to the level of the n-word).
My family actually regularly used Fredo Corleone as an example of what happens when you make bad choices.
— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) August 13, 2019
As someone born in Rome, whose given name at his baptism in St. Peter’s was Marcantonio, who had a relative in the mob, & who loves Roman history as much as The Godfather and Goodfellas, I would like to submit my credentials as an Italian-American.
“Fredo” ≠ N-word. Not at all https://t.co/DOyWoTTtgn
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) August 13, 2019
If Fredo is an ethnic slur to Italian Americans, I suppose Notre Dame’s mascot, the Fighting Irish, is a disgusting ethnic slur against Irish Americans like me, right?
— Chris Barron (@ChrisRBarron) August 13, 2019
Put aside the “fredo is the n-word” for Italians thing b/c ya know hundreds of years of slavery and murderous racism. This was purposeful hateful bullshit, and good for @ChrisCuomo. But remember this and far worse happens to women, LGBT, Jewish, and POC journalists every day https://t.co/EB8VzN01ka
— john r stanton (@dcbigjohn) August 13, 2019
So, the comparison of Fredo and n-word was off base. Bet Cuomo would agree it was not sound or what he meant to convey.
That aside: some dipshit went up to Cuomo (his wife and kid) and trolled.
Video very small snippet from a disreputable right-winger. C'mon.
— Angelo Carusone (@GoAngelo) August 13, 2019
It's not so much that I disagree with Cuomo's anger, though the faux-machismo is annoying. It's this bizarre claim that Fredo is the n-word for Italians. It is not. The n-word is the n-word.
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) August 13, 2019
The word “Fredo” is NOT now nor will it ever be “like the n-word.” Let me say this though: I’m not mad at Chris here. Some right wing jackass knew exactly what he was doing and wasn’t expecting this to be Chris’ response. Always be prepared when you go around being offensive. https://t.co/8ULxEuc1h6
— Preston Mitchum (@PrestonMitchum) August 13, 2019
Can someone please explain this to me? How is “Fredo” anything but a Godfather reference? Before today I hadn’t even heard of it being used as a racial slur, much less the “Italian N-word”!? https://t.co/ZyXFOsZtpz
— Annika H Rothstein (@truthandfiction) August 13, 2019
I’d just like to point out that if “Fredo” is a major league insult esp if it’s “on a par” with the n-word, progressives have a lot to answer for since a bunch have been calling DJT Jr “Fredo” for years now.
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) August 13, 2019
Then, on September 11, 2018, Matthews went after @DeanHeller with, according to Cuomo, the equivalent of the n-word: "Why is he weak? He seems like Fredo in The Godfather. He seems weak." pic.twitter.com/05sVlKydkE
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) August 13, 2019
***
Related:
‘Only 5 1/2 more years, Fredo Baldwin’: Billy Baldwin tries picking a fight with Adam Baldwin over Cuomo and GUESS how that goes https://t.co/tYPmcnFi75
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 13, 2019
'The truth hurts': President Trump weighs in on Chris Cuomo/Fredo https://t.co/5eCaHQ9kGE
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 13, 2019
Sean Hannity defends Chris Cuomo, gets an assist from the CNN PR guy and Michael Avenatti https://t.co/8UKonPvelQ
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 13, 2019
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