Talkback: Samuel L. Jackson Really Wants This Interviewer To Drop An N-Bomb

You might have heard the shocking news that Django Unchained features copious use of the word 'nigger'. I know! I can't understand why a film set in the antebellum South, featuring numerous unrepentant slaveowners, during a time when black people were considered barely human as a matter of course, would have so many n-bombs. Sure, the word is almost exclusively spoken by villains or by black people to refer to themselves, and sure, it is one of the few aspects of the film that is 100% historically accurate, but come on. How rude of Quentin Tarantino to include it and make the harsh depiction of the slavery era even more uncomfortable.

I'm kidding, the fake controversy is incredibly stupid¹, and feels to me like the rush to blame movies and video games for terrible acts of public violence, because that's easier than actually facing our demons head-on². Maybe that's why Samuel L. Jackson had a bit of fun during an interview with FOX Houston's film critic Jake Hamilton over the issue. About 14 minutes into the the video below, Hamilton started to ask Jackson about the controversy, and this happened:

I feel for Hamilton of course. His refusal to use the word and stir up a hornet's nest of both real and fake outrage is understandable, but of course, it's just a word. I would hope we're at a place where we can use it in context – like I did here – without anyone mistaking you for a racist. Perhaps Jackson's position that the taboo just gives the word more power is the correct one. Either way, this was hilarious.

What do you think, readers? Sound off in comments.

1. Speaking of stupid, we're not giving Drudge hits, but surely you read
about his recent Django-inspired N-word tirade. Yeah.

2. BTW, Louie C.K. was right; being white and male is like winning the lottery.

[Source: Gawker]