Bill Maher Stunned by Don Lemon Calling Trump Fans ‘Really F***ing Racist'
Don Lemon managed to shock Bill Maher, as he characterized a 'huge faction of the MAGA movement' as 'really f---ing racist.'
In a new episode of Maher's Club Random podcast, Lemon explained his view and shared several other thoughts about MAGA and race, as they discussed SNL50's controversial 'Black Jeopardy' sketch.
Maher took issue with the part of the sketch where Tom Hanks' character was scared to shake hands with the 'Black Jeopardy' host (Kenan Thompson). 'It's just not helpful to think that half the country, that's where they are,' Maher said. 'I get all the bad things about that administration, but if you think they don't shake black people's hands, it's just, you're wrong.'
Lemon disagreed that the sketch didn't capture something genuine about the MAGA movement.
'Part of it is comedy,' the former CNN host said, but it's also 'honest.' As Maher again argued that not much of MAGA is racist, Lemon replied, 'I would say 'huge,'' numbers are. 'Even if they're not, you have to overlook a lot of that in order to support Donald Trump, which I think is maybe even more egregious than just saying, 'I'm a racist.''
Maher conceded that Trump himself has exhibited racist behavior, citing his attacks on the Exonerated Five or on Barack Obama over his birth certificate. 'I understand that element to it,' Maher said, but 'ascribing his worst traits to all' his voters is unfair. Especially since, he added, that's 'at least half the country.'
Lemon doubled down on his point. 'I don't think half the country is racist,' he continued, 'and I don't think all of MAGA is racist. But I do think that there's a huge element in the MAGA party that is racist—whether they are, whether they are conscious of it or not.'
As for MAGA supporters who aren't, Lemon said they aren't much better in his eyes. 'Some of them are not. And if they are not, they have had to overlook a lot of racism and a lot of bigotry,' he said. 'And if you do that and you say, 'I'm OK with this,' that I think that makes you worse than someone who just says, 'Hey, I'm a racist.''
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