“When a black woman tells you to get a job, it’s just more [laughs]…it just hurts more.” ~ Louis C.K. on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” discussing and joking about why he cast a Black woman to play his ex-wife even though his kids are “exceptionally white” on the show.
Over the past week, Louis C.K. has been promoting his five month tour, which begins on Oct. 3rd and the third season of his TV show Louie, which premieres tonight. He stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday and of the nearly fourteen minute interview, a tiny ten second blurb about the racial casting of his ex-wife on Louie has, unsurprisingly, gotten the most attention and unnecessary outrage on the internet, ranging from the cool, steely anger of the cartoon villain singer Cee-Lo wants to be:
Why don’t you tell me again why it’s so funny when a Black woman telling you to get a job?
To acting like the stereotype of an angry Black woman in fear that Louis is merely just going to perpetuate the stereotype of angry black woman:
Neither reaction to the casting of Louis’ ex-wife is correct or necessary. But much like when a baby scans a room with his/her eyes in that I-think-I should-be-crying-about-something-right-now, the average person’s default action is being offended. “I think that pissed me off” is the new “I think I might want Chinese food later.” Said with little thought and possibly with a shrug that connotes “What do you guys think? Chinese sounds good, right? Please reaffirm me.” There’s no analysis, no reasoning, no understanding of the context that frames the supposed offensive action, just an automatic queef of rage at whatever is seen or heard much like the way in a mall, the cologne salespeople just spritzes whomever is walking past. So, people, I beg you: quit queefing rage because it stinks, it gets in my mouth, and it’s clearly a knockoff of legitimate rage.
