Calling into a C-SPAN show has never seemed like a competitive sport, but after the mental gymnastics display put on by a guy named Steve from Pennsylvania on Wednesday, the Olympic Committee may want to consider it.
Steve was up bright and early to get on the horn with Washington Journal host John McArdle. The topic? The Derek Chauvin verdict and the state of racism in America. Despite the enormity of the conversation, Steve came ready to share his views — bad takes and all. When asked by McArdle whether he thought racism was “a real problem in this country,” Steve was honest in his response… perhaps a little too honest.
Joe the C-Span caller chose violence and I am CRYING😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/K23BaOlNv1
— Tommy moderna-vaX-Topher (@tommyxtopher) April 21, 2021
After answering that, yes, America is full of racists, Steve went on to say that “As long as we continue to look at people as Black people, white people, yellow people, orange people, whatever the case may be, then there’s gonna be racism.” Fair enough—though that’s when Steve’s argument took an unexpected detour.
After declaring that things are getting better in terms of how America deals with racism (maybe Steve didn’t get a chance to watch the news before calling in), he used his own experience to illustrate his point:
“When I was growing up in the 1960s, I was… racist and I was a victim of racism. I was literally beaten by a gang of older Black girls. I got over it. It’s not the end of the world. I never purposely hurt people in response.”
…Congratulations?!
Unfortunately for Steve, he was calling into Washington Journal, not The Dr. Frasier Crane Show. So while McArdle remained characteristically stone-faced throughout his semi-awkward chat with a self-professed “racist,” the next caller, Joe from Biddeford, Maine, was ready to let Steve know he was listening — in the most unintentionally hilarious way possible. When it was Joe’s turn to talk to McArdle, it took him a moment to recover from Steve’s therapy session comments:
“Yeah… I guess… Wow. I don’t think Steve ever got over being beaten up by them girls, I guess. Sorry, Steve.”
Sorry, Steve? How about: Thank you, Joe.
(Via @tommyxtopher on Twitter)