Following the controversial conviction of 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony, comedian and actor Lil Rel Howery made it very clear he will use his platform to amplify social issues. Recently, the comedian shared these reflections on Instagram, writing: “I can’t stay quiet. I won’t be quiet. I know who I am. I’m a comic, actor, writer, producer, director, and host. But I’m Black first.”
In a series of videos, the “Get Out” star expanded on these thoughts and his role as a comedian.
“You may think something is just a joke, and it’s just comedy, but it all ties to everything that’s happening now. So you’ve got to figure out what side of history you want to stand on,” Howerey explained. “You can still be funny and do all the entertaining things, but when it’s time to check a motherf—r, do it’ cause it’s tying into all this s—t. If we keep letting ’em play in our face, all this stuff that’s happening is gonna keep happening.”
His comments come days after Anthony was convicted and sentenced to 35 years for fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf, a white 17-year-old student-athlete, during a track meet in Frisco, Texas, but speaks to a larger conversation that’s been emerging on social media. Following the controversial jokes made at Netflix’s “The Roast of Kevin Hart,” including some about the late George Floyd, Howery and fellow comedians like Luenell, Wanda Sykes, and viewers alike have been reflecting on how far is too far in the name of comedy.
“The George Floyd joke was not funny. It was such a stretch, such a reach. It was just a lot of lazy jokes about being Black, and just racist, and a lot of lazy s—t. It’s a roast: be funny, do better,” Sykes told Angie Martinez of the roast.
Similarly, Howery noted “everything isn’t comedy,” a sentiment he echoed in his recent social media post when breaking down the trickle-down effect of comedians trying to normalize these types of “jokes.”
“When we make it comfortable to laugh at certain things, that s—t translates to real life. At the end of the day, I’m an entertainer, just like a lot of my friends are, and I believe in freedom of speech, and I’m a great stand-up comic,” he noted. “But freedom of speech goes both ways. Also, I could check a motherf—r when I feel like something ain’t right.”
He continued: “Stop letting these people play in our face, ’cause if we keep letting them play in our face, they’re going to keep playing in our face. And not just playing, they’re gonna keep murdering people in our face. They’re gonna keep convicting people in our face. They’re gonna keep taking away rights from us in our face. Because they think we’re just gonna think it’s funny.”
Now, Howery acknowledges the escapist power of comedy and entertainment. In fact, he says his work is designed to offer a “a little break from this crazy world,” and give viewers a “mental break.” However, that will not stop him for standing up for things he feels aren’t right.
“I love what I do, but I am standing on some s—t. And I’m just not going to let you play in our face like that,” he concluded. “You do any of that s—t in front of me, you’re definitely gonna get f—ng checked.”
