Ellen DeGeneres isn’t usually one to tell race-y jokes, but the comedienne’s latest visual gag ran her right into olympic-size backlash!
On Monday, the daytime talk show host’s Twitter account shared a photoshopped picture of Ellen hitching a piggyback ride to Olympic track star Usain Bolt (above), complete with the caption:
While the tweet was meant to playfully congratulate the Jamaican athlete — who won the gold medal in the 100-meter race in Rio on Sunday — the Internet couldn’t help but find undertones of slavery in the visual of Ellen using Bolt for transportation.
Video: Usain Won Gold Only To Get Wiped Out By A Segway!
Naturally, the snap didn’t sit well with many social media users, who made it clear Ellen (or more likely a social media intern) needed to stay woke on trivializing the achievement of black athletes:
@TheEllenShow honestly this is offensive.
— Jazz (@JazzleDazzler) August 15, 2016
imagine a white-man Photoshop himself riding Elaine Thompson
“@TheEllenShow how I├óΓé¼Γäóm running errands from now on. pic.twitter.com/jZMGd48hgk”
— Life of Starry (@StarryToronto) August 16, 2016
@TheEllenShow so the first thing that pops in your head when looking at this pic is “oh let me jump onto his back like he’s a common mule”?
— Jon Snow-ratio (@Jhoratio) August 15, 2016
@TheEllenShow @usainbolt So riding on his back like a mule, a horse as some form of property is fun to you…
Ok.
— 777-9311 (@MiQL) August 15, 2016
@TheEllenShow @usainbolt I’m tired of wypepo’s consistent mess pic.twitter.com/TjwqcSsGZd
— nefertitty. (@diablotitty) August 16, 2016
Dear @TheEllenShow: Whatever intern thought this tweet was a good idea should be fired. Immediately. pic.twitter.com/qcVqSBJE5e
— Ⓐ #GrumpyCuntSec Ⓐ (@brazenqueer) August 16, 2016
After trying to smooth things over by posting a clip of Bolt on the show from last season, the 58-year-old responded to the criticism head on — making it clear she is very aware that racism exists in our country today.
On Tuesday, she wrote:
I am highly aware of the racism that exists in our country. It is the furthest thing from who I am.
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) August 16, 2016
Well, that’s a response… though it sounds like she isn’t grasping the full scope of why the photo was taken as offensive, and just wanted to remind everyone she’s not racist.
What do YOU think? Did Ellen’s tweet go too far?
[Image via Ellen Degeneres/Twitter.]
Related Posts
-
Categories
