If you were left asking “WTF?” after Stacey Dash took the stage at the Oscars and said, “I cannot wait to help my people out. Happy Black History Month!”, you were not alone.
Dash is, of course, the former Clueless actress turned right-wing FOX News mouthpiece.
The joke was this, and most of the audience probably didn’t get it: earlier this year Dash said BET channel should not exist and neither should Black History Month in response to Jada Pinkett Smith’s boycott of the Oscars.
Still not funny?
Dash even felt the need to explain the joke and who she is, writing in a blog post shortly after the appearance:
I’m not one to be told what to do. No matter my skin color, I was going to vote for the best candidate. Since I was blamed, mocked, and ridiculed in the press over supporting a Republican, I’ve spoken out about a LOT of stuff that black people try to stuff down my throat.
For example, I spoke out against Black History Month. ( Why should there be such a thing? Haven’t we had more than just one month’s worth of accomplishments? Here my thoughts HERE.) Plus, I spoke out against the #OscarsSoWhite controversy HERE. My take? We need to stop complaining about white people oppressing us, we shouldn’t boycott the Oscars, and we need to support Chris Rock the host.
Which brings me to the joke. When they added ME to increase the diversity, I’m sure many black people rolled their eyes. I’m not “black enough,” they say. But guess what? I’ve heard that all my life. I would rather be a free thinking, black than a cookie cutter black who thinks – and votes – just like all my friends.
