The host of the ‘The Daily Show,’ Trevor Noah, has found himself in hot water over a comment he made on his show that the 2018 World Cup was won by an African team.
“I get it, they have to say it's the French team,” said Noah on Monday, just a day after France beat Croatia 4-2 in Moscow.
“But look at those guys. You don't get that tan by hanging out in the south of France, my friends.
“Basically if you don’t understand, France is Africans’ backup team. Once Senegal and Nigeria got knocked out, that’s who we root for,” he added.
His remarks, however, did not sit well with some online community who felt his jokes were totally uncalled for and racist.
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One Twitter user who claimed to be from France tweeted,
“98% of the players were born in France. Only two players were born in Africa, but they came at the age of two. So they’ve grown up in France,
“This is alt right humour here is in France. This is so racist to think that because they are black they are not French. They claimed their love of France. You deny them the right to be French? Is this what you want to deliver to all African-Americans also?” the user added, attracting near-universal praise for calling out the comedian.
Among them was French ambassador to the US, Gerard Araud.
In a strongly worded letter that has since gone viral, the ambassador accused the late night show host of ‘legitimizing’ racist ideologies and denying the players’ ’Frenchness.’
“I heard your words about ‘an African victory,’ nothing could be less true. ... By calling them an African team, it seems you are denying their Frenchness,
“This, even in jest, legitimizes the ideology which claims whiteness as the only definition of being French.
Araud also took a jab at America saying, “Unlike the United States of America, France does not refer to their citizens based on their race, religion or origin.”
In his response, Noah defended his remarks and insisted his comments were in no way meant to take anything away from the players.
“When I say they’re African, I’m not saying it as a way to exclude them from their Frenchness…I’m saying it to include them in my Africanness.”
