Trevor Noah responds to #boycotttrevornoahinoz over joke about Aboriginal women
Comedian Trevor Noah has responded to the criticisms of a racist joke he made in the past about Aboriginal Australians. A clip from his 2013 stand-up special “It’s My Culture” has been dug up on Twitter, prompting people to call for boycott of “The Daily Show” host’s Australian tour next month.
In the clip, Noah is heard on stage praising all women but having a different opinion on Aboriginal women. “All women of every race can be beautiful,” he says in the video. “And I know some of you are sitting there going, ‘Oh, Trevor, yeah, but I’ve never seen a beautiful Aborigine.’
“Yeah, but you know what you say, ‘yet.’ Because you haven’t seen all of them, right? Plus it’s not always about looks. Maybe Aborigine women do special things. Maybe they’ll just like, jump on top of you.”
Noah followed his joke by simulating oral sex while mimicking the sound of a didgeridoo.
The clip, which has since been removed from YouTube, has prompted calls for boycott on his upcoming Australian tour in August. Former NRL star Joe Williams first posted the clip on Twitter, telling the South African political pundit that he was perpetuating and encouraging racial abuse.
He called for the boycott of Noah’s five-day tour in Australia with the hashtag #boycotttrevornoahinoz. Other people also chimed in, expressing their disgust at Noah’s joke.
Australian author Anita Heiss said she was “disgusted and appalled” by the clip, also calling on her fans to boycott Noah’s show. “The kind of ‘humour’ is not funny and does damage!’” she wrote (via the Guardian).
On Monday, Noah responded to the criticisms, vowing not to make the joke again. Commenters, however, noticed that while he acknowledged his error, he did not apologised for it.
@joewilliams_tew you're right. After visiting Australia's Bunjilaka museum and learning about aboriginal history first hand I vowed never to make a joke like that again. And I haven't. I'll make sure the clip from 2013 is not promoted in any way.
— Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) July 22, 2018
Williams said that Noah should release an official statement of apology to Indigenous women in Australia. “It doesn’t affect me, but it does affect my fiancée, my sisters, my mum, my cousins,” he was quoted by the ABC as saying. “This is about me supporting women and standing in solidarity with them.”
