Pose star Sandra Bernhard is once again being haunted by a racist joke she told over 20 years ago.
An old clip from Bernhard’s 1998 comedy special I’m Still Here… Damn It resurfaced on Twitter this week. In it, she insults Mariah Carey, referring to the singer as “n**gerish” and suggesting she’s not fully Black because she’s technically biracial.
“And now (she’s) trying to backtrack on our a**es, acting real ni**erish up there at the Royalton Hotel suite with Puff Daddy and all the greasy, chain-wearing Black men,” Bernhard says in the clip.
She then goes on to mimic Carey by speaking in higher-pitched voice, saying, “Oh yeah, Daddy. This feels kinda good. I didn’t know I would be into this.”
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The punchline ends with Bernhard joking, “I’ve got a little bit of Black in me, too. I didn’t tell you that.”
Just a reminder that Nurse Judy from Pose called Mariah Carey a “n****er” and made fun of other black artist. pic.twitter.com/YDPK4ET0Dg
— Tre – Justice for Black Lives (@RadioLamb) August 7, 2020
Even at the time, the joke didn’t land well. Eventually, Carey contacted the NAACP and had the comedy special yanked from the air.
In a 1998 interview with New York Magazine, Bernhard defended herself by saying, “I have carte blanche to use that word from my friend Paul Mooney. I’m a card-carrying white-black girl. Plus, I have a huge Black following, so you know, it’s like a black person saying [n**gerish].”
In 2006, she again defended herself in an interview with Seattle Weekly, saying, “I think anybody Black who comes to my shows gives me carte blanche to say that because I’m really coming from their place. I’m not some cracker up there…It’s so obvious that I’m a part of that culture.”
Last year, Bernhard told Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live that she and Carey have since buried the hatchet and are now on good terms.
Despite Bernhard claiming the two have made up, many on Twitter who are seeing the clip for the first time are still outraged.
I’ve always read about this, but never knew an actual clip existed. This is definitely from the 90s. Sandra Bernhard has always been trash!
— Sir Parkwood (@Rocksteady00) August 8, 2020
@SandraBernhard was never funny to begin with; thought she get laughs by using the “N” word. White trash.
— TheTruth247 (@TruthYes247) August 13, 2020
She pretty much said Mariah was cooning to her own ppl? I am just bewildered
— Valerie Complex♓️♎️♋️ (@ValerieComplex) August 8, 2020
Sandra Bernhard has been trash for a long time. A stint on Pose didn’t make me forget. I’m glad this is circulating again. It’s easy to be anti-Black even while being part of the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Sadly, we see it all the time.
— Harper Miller (@authorharpmill) August 8, 2020
This aged horribly. But honestly mixed race people have always been the butt of jokes and abuse. It’s fucked up. I’m glad people are recognizing now.
— Epiphany Stone (@epiphanystone) August 8, 2020
She clearly just had a VERY clear problem with Mariah and used the guise of “comedy” to spew her racist hate.
— miss vanjie (@taahira_k) August 8, 2020
I wonder if she will use the same “I have a pass” excuse as she did back in the day. That shit won’t work this time!!!
— Aries Child (@AriesChild5) August 12, 2020
Even Bernhard’s Pose co-star Indya Moore weighed in, tweeting: “Very hurtful, confusing, And disappointing.”
Very hurtful, confusing, And disappointing.
— #BreonnaTaylor (@IndyaMoore) August 7, 2020
Bernhard has yet to issue any comment on the clip resurfacing or the renewed backlash it has been receiving.
Related: This supercut of all the times Ellen was racist towards Sofia Vergara is truly eye-opening
frapachino
Were they this upset when Carey’s ex went on his little anti Semitic rant? Of course they weren’t!
Cam
Who is “They”?
Kangol2
@Frapz, what are you talking about? Nick Cannon was roundly denounced, by Black critics and non-Black critics, and apologized. He was canceled by ViacomCBS. He’s attempted to atone for his comments and has called for unity between Black and Jewish communities. During Tisha B’Av, during which he took part in “a full day of fasting, meditation, study and prayer,” he even praised right-wing Zionist Barrie Weiss’s recent book, “How to Fight Anti-Semitism.” Now what’s your excuse?
ShiningSex
Mariah sucks!!! She is a waste of space. She’s vile, needs to wear her REAL dress size, and stop singing because her “good” days (even I think she’s always sucked) are LONG GONE!!! BYE BITCH!!!
radiooutmike
Doesn’t “Carte Blanche” mean you get a pass saying an offensive word only in the company of that person who gave ‘carte blanche’ to you?
I don’t think it means you can just naturally at any time say that offensive word as if you were one of the group once described by that offensive word.
Catholicslutbox
Black people shouldn’t be using that word either. It is offensive on all fronts.
They also can’t get mad when Someone that isn’t black starts saying it when they’re popping it nonstop on “music” and everyday speech trying to normalize it.
It’s never okay.
trsxyz
I watched the clip, and saw it as a comic take-down of Maria Carey, who at the time was copping a somewhat borrowed image. Bernhardt also seems to be celebrating the fierceness, toughness & authenticity of the black artists mentioned later in the monologue. It is a comedy routine after all… Perhaps the word usage should be taken in context of the entire monologue.
HDTex
Nobody’s big on context these days. Or reality. Or noticing that this was 22 years ago and that standard were a bit different.
Let’s face it, in 30 years, every whiner on here will be considered a blatant racist, genderist, or some other dumbass title for something they’ve said just from the moving goalposts, but they’re far too blind to see that.
I can’t wait.
Cam
@HDTex
Still whining?
concretebleach
This article is highly irresponsible. Did anyone even listen to bit? Until you do, keep your mouth shut. The bit is calling out white culture. Grow up already.
ShowMeGuy
Wait… what ? Mariah Carey isn’t White and Sandra Bernhard was a comedian?
trsxyz
Haa-haa!!
barryaksarben
Ive seen her in person a few times. I think she can be very funny. I never liked her racist crap but I give comics a little lattitude. Even Eddie Murphy whose antigay early stuff was so insulting and not funny at all but defended by others as comedy. She has apologised to Mariah and like stated in other comments if you watch the whole set she is saying it to make a comic point. CONTEXT is important. The gop uses things out of context to justify their very REAL racism and HOMOPHOBIA and we cant fall into their trap. I doubt she would even think of telling a joke like that now.
Inspector 57
No. Context doesn’t matter, and a performer doesn’t deserve a pass because she’s a comedienne.
It it NEVER okay to use the N-word or the F-word or the C-word in public.
And it is absolutely ludicrous for anyone to say that one of their friends gave them permission to be offensive.
Joshooeerr
“I’ve known Demmi for years” she says – mispronouncing De-mee.
Yooper
I miss Joan Rivers, she didn’t give a shite about offending and kept us moving forward, that is what comedy does, makes ya think. SB said something 20 years ago, big woo, we all said crap 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5 years ago that we wouldn’t say today. Release the change..org nazis and start a petition.
bachy
A lot of these ‘woke’ critics (aka the New Church Ladies) are laboring under what’s called The Nirvana Fallacy: the belief that unless someone is 100% “perfect” – from Day One – they are villains and must be destroyed. Seriously? Anyone over the age of 18 should recognize how sophomoric that attitude is.
ShiningSex
SHE SHOULD HAVE CALLED MARIAH AWFUL!!! MARIAH SUCKS!!!
justgeo
Mariah is of mixed origin who HAD the most unreal beautiful voice—–’till the mixes with boy singers and chose to sound like every wobbly garage basement girl struggling to do good soul/gospel singing.
She is rebranding for markets only! And of late with her plastic tits looks like shit!
@dusyk
Pish Posh lol it’s a comedy routine!