Leave it to the Daily Show‘s Roy Wood Jr. to find the humor in Kanye West‘s ridiculous claim that slavery was a choice for Black people.
There are certain topics that even seasoned comedians steer clear of because it can be tricky to hit the right tone when dealing with serious topics, especially in a climate where people get dragged for pretty much anything online. But Black people are experts at finding humor in any situation. It’s something of a survival tactic when oppression and violence are part of everyday life.
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The Twitterverse already had a little fun with the topic via the #IfSlaveryWasAChoice hashtag that produced countless hilarious memes.
When the plantation meeting could’ve been an email. #IfSlaveryWasAChoice pic.twitter.com/ICyE7BWtlP
— Tamikka Horley (@mikkah22) May 3, 2018
#IfSlaveryWasAChoice Me walking onto the ship to the new world to pick cotton for free with squad pic.twitter.com/wNgcwP5okH
— Taysha? (@YoSoyTaysha) May 2, 2018
Roy Woods Jr. decided to kick the humor up a notch by creating a Daily Show skit that spliced scenes from 12 Years a Slave with Woods as a person who chose to be a slave.
In one scene, Woods cheerfully asks his fellow enslaved Black people if they are ready to pick some cotton, noting that he had donuts.
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“Being a slave is the best choice I ever made. I get to work and have fun in the sun,” Woods exclaims towards the end of the bit. Check out the whole skit below to see how Woods renamed 12 Years a Slave to a more fitting title given the context.
Never change @roywoodjr pic.twitter.com/QOC9MTHRDe
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) May 3, 2018