On Friday, a segment on Bill Maher’s show, ‘Real Time’, saw the comedian and Congressman Wesley Hunt criticize Whoopi Goldberg for her comparison of Black Americans’ experiences to life under Iran’s theocratic regime. The discussion came after a heated exchange on ‘The View’, where Goldberg’s remarks sparked backlash from Iranian dissidents who rejected the comparison, pointing out the significant differences between the two contexts.
Maher, who has long been a vocal critic of progressive narratives, argued that Democrats should take a step back to sanity after the New York Times adopted a more ‘sensible liberal’ position on transgender issues. He then suggested that the next step for Democrats is to ‘do something about ‘The View” after Goldberg’s controversial comments.
Goldberg’s remarks were part of a heated argument with her co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, who detailed the human rights violations in Iran, including the execution of gay individuals and the imprisonment of women who do not cover their hair. Goldberg attempted to counter by referencing the history of racial injustice in the U.S., noting the past practice of lynching, but Griffin maintained that the situations were not comparable.
Hunt, a Republican from Texas, responded by highlighting his own success as a Black man in the U.S., emphasizing the progress made since the days of Jim Crow. He pointed out his district’s demographics and the fact that he is being judged not by his race but by his character. Hunt’s father, who grew up under Jim Crow, is now the father of a U.S. congressman in a white majority district, illustrating the generational changes in American society.
CNN contributor Paul Begala raised the issue of Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the emancipation of Black Americans, and questioned why President Donald Trump ‘doesn’t want to honor’ the occasion. Hunt replied that he personally does not want such days, expressing a sentiment that aligns with a more dismissive attitude towards special recognition for certain groups.