A Comedian's Devastatingly Simple Explanation Of Why Blackface Isn't Funny

17 December 2017, 16:38

There's a difference between you or a stranger calling your friend an idiot, Ola the Comedian said.

A man has blacked up to mock Diane Abbott as part of a fancy dress outfit to a darts tournament at the Ally Pally.

He held a sign reading "190" - the maximum score a player can achieve in darts is 180.

Maajid Nawaz heard a comedian offer an incredibly simple analogy to demonstrate why blackface is not funny.

Ola the comedian said: "Being a stand-up comedian I know that one of the most important elements for making something funny, especially when you're broaching a tough subject, is having the trust of the audience.

"They need to trust you, that you have no ill intent and that what you're saying is truly a joke.

"That's the reason why I can say to my friend 'Oh you're and idiot' and he'll take it as a joke and someone will say it an he'll take offence.

"It's about the trust that you have through a relationship, now unfortunately the relationship between black people and white people is one of oppression, one way.

"So that's why it seems to be unfair to white people, but that's because white people would prefer to ignore the context of the relationship between black people and white people.

"Or maybe look at it more on an individual level and think 'But I'm friends with a black person,' but they don't understand that collectively the only reason why white people exist as a collective was initially for the oppression of other peoples.

"When you understand that as a context between peoples you will understand why one group doesn't find this funny."

Maajid said Ola's explanation of the matter was one of the best he'd ever heard.

Watch the explanation at the top of this page.