Trevor Noah has been accused of fabricating a widespread “racist backlash” against Rishi Sunak, who became Britain’s first person of color to serve as prime minister this week.
After publishing a ‘Behind the Scenes’ segment titled ‘Unpacking the Backlash to Rishi Sunak’ from his show The Daily Show, the 38-year-old American host of a comedy show infuriated his British supporters on Twitter.
As a response to Mr. Sunak’s ascension to the top job, Noah asserted in a three-minute video with more than 350,000 views that “some are suggesting that Indians are going to take over Great Britain.”
Seeing the pushback was one of the most revealing aspects of how people perceive the role they or their people have played in history, he added.
He then embarked into a lengthy discourse on post-colonial power systems and the oppression of black people and women in positions of authority.
He stated, “You hear a lot of people say, ‘Oh, they’re taking over, Indians are going to take over Great Britain, and what’s next?’, and I’ve always found myself asking, ‘So what?… What are you terrified of?’
People in the UK and Tucker Carlson [an American Fox News host] are always stating, “You know what they’re trying to achieve… they won’t stop until black people and women are in positions of power”; so what?
He added: ‘Why are you so afraid? I believe this is because the unspoken portion of what many people are saying is: “We don’t want these once oppressed people to gain power because they might do to us what we did to them.”
Some British Twitter users criticized his analysis, accusing him of ‘projecting’ America’s racial problem onto Britain.
One complained, “There has been almost little opposition to the nomination of an Indian guy as Prime Minister in Britain” (other than the fact the process was an undemocratic joke). However, no one has brought up his race in a negative manner.
American television and American audiences engage in a great deal of projection.
Another fan said, “I like @TrevorNoah, but this is in no way accurate.”
People from all walks of British life are truly delighted that the prime minister is of South Asian origin.
MailOnline has reached out to Noah’s representatives for comment.
Noah added in the video that people need not fear anyone ‘taking over’ and repeating colonial atrocities, stating: ‘Go to all these colonies around the world, go to all the places where the British ruled, go to South Africa or wherever… unless people are delusional, people aren’t turning on anyone.
It’s not as though Barack Obama became president and said, “Where are all the white people? It is time to show them who’s boss!’ … didn’t happen.
People are complaining, “I can’t believe Rishi Sunak is… you have this Indian man who is…”, yo, King Charles is still the king of Jamaica… consider that for a moment.
What do you anticipate will occur? You are simply giving yourself away… it’s incredible when people say the quiet part out loud.’
People must ask themselves, ‘Why are you afraid of power shifting to a different gender or race?’
Other Twitter users labeled Trevor Noah ‘out of touch’ with the reality of British politics, while another wrote: ‘Could it be that @Trevornoah is again projecting the United States onto a place that is not the United States?
…
While some small pockets made racist remarks, this is by no means representative of the United Kingdom. Can I suggest speaking with some British?’
Noah’s segment was prompted by a call from an LBC Radio listener who stated Mr. Sunak ‘doesn’t love England’ and ‘isn’t even British in the eyes of most people’ last week.
The caller claimed to be a member of the Conservative party when he called Sangita Myska’s program.
Before Mr. Sunak won the battle to become prime minister, he predicted on Sunday that Mr. The majority of individuals believe Rishi is not even British. He is loyal to the United States, and his family is American. They are Indian entrepreneurs. He will move to America without a doubt. He doesn’t love England as Boris does.’
When Ms. Myska emphasized that Mr. Sunak was British because he was born in Southampton and attended Winchester College, he responded, “Many are; half of al-Qaeda are British nationals.” Simply possessing a British passport does not make one a true English patriot who loves their country.
However, after a fan of Noah posted a tape of the call beneath the comedian’s video, Twitter users emphasized that it did not represent the opinion of a vast number of people.
One wrote, “Do you realize that a few isolated occurrences do not constitute a general backlash?” If you look hard enough, you can find someone who holds every viewpoint you can imagine.
Another individual stated, “In a population of 68 million, it is simple to locate these instances. The reality is that the vast majority of British citizens do not hold these views.
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