Trevor Noah's Grammy Jokes Highlight America's Wealth Divide
While Trevor Noah jokes about undocumented immigrants thousands face the fear of mass deportations
You have more in common with your local homeless population than most ultra-rich celebrities who attended the Grammy’s last night.
With the fires in LA and all of Trump’s madness, you would expect more people to read the room, given our current societal environment. Unfortunately, Trevor Noah missed that mark last night, but I think it highlights the divide between America’s wealthy and the average person.
Trevor Noah’s Stupid “Jokes”
Imagine going on TV while millions are in fear of mass deportation and "joking” that the Grammy winners compromise of “13,000 members of the Recording Academy and 20 million illegal immigrants" or claiming that the “Three-time Grammy winner Shakira is [..] the greatest thing out of Colombia that isn’t a felony." Interestingly, he's referring to undocumented people as “illegal” while he has a South African accent and is a literal immigrant.
While Trevor Noah was making these racist jokes, hundreds were blocking the 101 freeway in LA, protesting the ICE raids and ongoing attacks against immigrants across the nation. Face to face with police in riot gear, standing tall with their flags and convictions in what they believe in, regardless of the threat of mass arrest or worse.
This wasn’t just a protest in LA—thousands of people stood up against mass deportations all over the nation.
Reading the Room
Just a week ago, Donald Trump announced that he is directing the push to create a detention center in Guantanamo Bay designed to hold 30,000 thousand undocumented immigrants. Children are writing their parents letters about how scared they are that they will be separated from their parents because of an ICE raid on their school (which is a widespread occurrence for people who get detained by ICE, including hundreds of children going missing).
Publications like Buzzfeed argue that Noah Trevor was actually shading Donald Trump’s administration when he made these jokes. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he was doing that for the sake of this argument. Then why not just make a direct joke about Donald Trump? Why do you have to throw such a vulnerable, scared group of people under the bus for you and your rich buddy’s amusement?
Mind you, this is his fifth time hosting the Grammys, so there is no excuse in my book. Shout out to Doechii’s viral eye roll because many people are feeling the same way.
Wrapping it Up
Trevor Noah’s misguided jokes at the Grammys were a stark reminder of the growing divide between America’s elite and the people struggling on the frontlines of societal issues. While he may have intended to poke fun at political figures or even comment on the current climate, his words only perpetuated harmful stereotypes and degraded vulnerable communities.
As protests against ICE raids and mass deportations continue to swell across the nation, his “humor” fell flat, highlighting the disconnect between those in power and those living with the everyday consequences of their policies.
It’s a clear call to read the room and understand the real stakes at play for millions of people rather than using them as punchlines for the sake of a laugh. The divide isn’t just in wealth—it’s in how we see and treat each other.
Remember: it’s always going to boil down to rich versus poor.
Stopped being his fan long time ago. He never said/advocated anything about the genocide. He sucks.
I don't trust anyone who isn't joining us in the streets. There is no rule that says comedians, actors, journalists or anyone else cannot be an activist. Wallace Shawn is calling Israelis nazis, Roger Waters is basically doing the same, but what celebrity on the left has called out the US government in such terms? Snoop Dogg is fking performing for Trump and saying it's all good baby; nobody who puts money above morals is an ally. Not a single one.
Sacrifice is required in moments of strife, and Trevor Noah isn't going to risk his status or safety. He can fund education in Africa, that's great! But Jon Stewart led or significantly contributed to multiple political/activism campaigns in America that drew ire from the government and establishment. Noah is not following in his footsteps.