Comedian Hannah Berner and her “Giggly Squad” podcast co-host Paige DeSorbo recently conducted interviews on the red carpet for Vanity Fair’s Oscars after-party event. However, one interview with rapper Megan Thee Stallion sparked controversy among TikTok users.
During the conversation, both women fawned over Megan’s music, speaking in platitudes and talking over the hip-hop star. At one point, Hannah Berner said her music makes her want to fight someone, which was swiftly shut down by Megan. However, some critics argued that this comment and others were examples of racism and microaggressions.
Megan Thee Stallion is a survivor of assault, having been shot at and wounded in 2020. Despite widespread media coverage of the incident, Berner didn’t seem to get the hint that Megan didn’t want to advocate for violence during their interview. Instead, she continued to focus on Megan’s music as a way to “fight” and encouraged fans to “turn on” her songs when others are being confrontational.
Megan tried to change the subject by referencing her hit song “Body,” but Berner brought up Megan’s 2024 Amazon documentary, which focuses on the shooting and unfair fallout. Megan then responded with words of empowerment, telling Berner to look in the mirror and be proud of herself.
Many TikTok users were disturbed by the interview, calling it racist and littered with microaggressions. Some praised Vanity Fair for hiring real interviewers who understand how to talk to black women as people, not characters. Hannah Berner later released a statement apologizing for her careless comments and acknowledging that they had a deeper meaning.
Social media commentator Ericka Hart summed up the situation, saying that Berner’s assertion about Megan’s music making her want to fight was a “microaggression disguised as a compliment.” She noted that Berner and DeSorbo didn’t display the same behavior with white celebrities, calling it uncomfortable and horrible.
Source: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/megan-thee-stallion-awkward-vanity-fair-interview_n_67c9be51e4b0ea654f6e5691