Not everyone seems to be certified to interview celebrities.
Living proof: On Sunday, Self-importance Honest tapped comic Hannah Berner and her “Giggly Squad” podcast co-host, Paige DeSorbo, to interview celebrities on the crimson carpet for the journal’s prestigious Oscars after-party occasion.
Many of the interviews that the duo — who additionally co-starred within the Bravo actuality present “Summer House” — carried out got here off as fairly customary crimson carpet fare. However one interview with rapper Megan Thee Stallion rubbed many TikTok customers the incorrect manner.
Within the interview, each ladies immediately began fawning over the “Savage” musician, talking in platitudes and speaking over the hip-hop star. Whereas DeSorbo stated she all the time begins her day with a bit little bit of Megan’s music, Berner took the dialog in a very awkward course.
“Your music has literally like, made me … when I want to fight someone, I listen to your music,” Berner stated.
“You want to throw that fighting shit out the window,” Megan swiftly responded. “You want to get cute and be a bad bitch.”
The “Mamushi” musician shutting down the thought of utilizing her music to perpetuate violence makes a complete lot of sense contemplating that she’s a survivor of assault. In 2023, rapper Tory Lanez was discovered responsible of three felonies and sentenced to 10 years in jail for a 2020 incident wherein he shot at and wounded Megan.
Throughout Lanez’s sentencing, a letter written by Megan was learn in courtroom.
“Since I was viciously shot by the defendant, I have not experienced a single day of peace,” Megan’s assertion learn. “Slowly but surely, I’m healing and coming back, but I will never be the same.”
But, even though the “Plan B” rapper’s case was extensively reported, Berner didn’t appear to get the trace that Megan didn’t need to advocate for violence throughout their interview Sunday.
“When people are talking shit, I go, ‘Turn on Megan Thee Stallion!’” Berner continued whereas leaping up and down.
“Body-ody-ody, I look beautiful, I look so great,” Megan responded, referencing the refrain of her hit music “Body,” and clearly making an attempt to alter the topic.
Oddly sufficient, Berner then determined to deliver up Megan’s 2024 Amazon documentary, “Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words,” which focuses on the capturing and the unfair fallout the rapper initially obtained after the incident.
“I know, because I watched your documentary,” Berner started, “you’ve been through so many dark things. How do you get yourself up and inspire people?”
“I just look in the mirror, and I be like, ‘Damn, you that girl. Right? Yeah, you are that girl! So, go outside and act like you that girl!’ And that’s how I tackle my day,” Megan stated.
“I’m crying,” Berner responded.
Though some might watch the interview and discover it effective (if not a bit messy), many TikTok customers have been disturbed by it. Being that Berner targeted a lot of her interview with Megan speaking about violence, some commenters wrote off the interview as “racist.” Different commenters agreed by saying it was plagued by racial “microaggressions.” The time period is used to explain refined “insults, indignities and demeaning messages sent to people of color” by those that could also be oblivious to how their phrases are affecting the individual of colour, in accordance with Columbia College professor Derald Wing Sue.
“This felt so racist. And they didn’t let her finish most her sentences,” one TikTok consumer commented.
“Very micro aggressive. Megs music isn’t about fighting and the fangirling is a spectacle. Please hire real interviewers that know how to talk to black women as PEOPLE and not characters,” one other commenter wrote.
“These micro aggressions are MACRO. Who is this little girl?” a 3rd stated.
“The racism is LOUD!” one other commented.
“Talking over her, unable to keep their composure, calling her violent when she never raps about violence (& is actually a victim of violence), hmmmm,” stated one other.
“Yall keeping the clip up is a choice” one other commenter stated, aiming their criticism at Self-importance Honest.
HuffPost has reached out to Megan Thee Stallion, Berner, DeSorbo and Self-importance Honest dad or mum firm Condé Nast for remark, however didn’t obtain a direct response.
On Thursday, Berner launched a press release by way of an Instagram story wherein she apologized to Megan, writing, “It was a careless choice of words and though there was no ill intent, I recognize and acknowledge that what I said has much a much deeper meaning.”
Screenshot @hannahberner by way of Instagram Story
Ericka Hart, a former professor on the Columbia Faculty of Social Work, summed up her ideas about Berner’s interview with Megan the Stallion in a video printed to her Instagram account Wednesday.
Get pleasure from HuffPost Entertainment — Advert Free
Already contributed? Log in to cover these messages.
In her video, Hart calls Berner’s assertion that Megan’s music makes her need to battle “a microaggression disguised as a compliment.” She additionally famous that Berner and DeSorbo didn’t show the identical over-the-top habits or speak over white celebrities they interviewed on the crimson carpet.
“It’s too much because they’re uncomfortable,” Hart stated. “You’re uncomfortable being in the presence of a Black person … so you mask it with compliments, and it’s horrible. It’s just microaggressions. Go deal with yourselves.”
