The Problem With What George Lopez Did, Explained (In Less Than 300 Words Too!)

300 words? Really? You think you can do this? Suggested Reading Our Fave Moments From A$AP Rocky’s Fashion Show During Paris Men’s Fashion Week 15 Sneaky Moves Pulled by Trump That’ll Have A Grave Impact You This White Singer Sang This Chaka Khan Iconic Hit and Black Internet Lost Its Mind Video will return here…

300 words? Really? You think you can do this?

Video will return here when scrolled back into view
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?

Not if you keep asking stupid questions.

Touche. So, why is George Lopez in the news today?

During a recent show in Phoenix, Lopez joked "Thereโ€™s still two rules in the fucking Latino family.ย Donโ€™t marry somebody black, and donโ€™t park in front of our house.โ€ This prompted a Black woman near the stage to stand up and flip Lopez the rare double-fisted bird. Lopez responded by spending the next minute or so berating her, telling her to sit the fuck down and shut the fuck up and eventually kicking her out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIwdSMu_b8o

Okay. So, was the joke the problem here?

No. It was a perfectly standard race-related joke from a comedian. Whether you personally find Lopez (and/or his joke) funny or offensive is inconsequential. Nothing about the joke itself was egregious. Telling a joke about racism doesn't make the jokeย (or the comedian) racist.

The issueย here was his reaction. Admittedly, I imagine that a person giving me the finger while in front of me would be distracting, but I also imagine a stand-up veteran like Lopez has experienced much worse. It was a standard joke that received a standard heckle. If her reaction was a bit of an overreaction (it was), his reaction was a nuclear reaction to that overreaction.

Considering the abundance of context here โ€” the numerous examples of Black women treated and regarded with a ferocity and violence that non-Black women probably wouldn't have received in those same circumstances โ€” you also can't help but wonder if Lopez felt empowered to go extra hard on her because she was Black.

Ironically, he accused her of not being able to take a joke. But the only angry person here seems to be him.

Damn. You did it. Good job!

Thanks!

Straight From The Root

Sign up for our free daily newsletter.