In the aftermath of the shootings in Charleston, South Carolina, Comedy Central’s Larry Wilmore ripped Fox News for its coverage regarding the motivations of the killer, Dylann Roof. The Nightly Show host played clip after clip of hosts and guests on Fox News promoting the idea that the shooting could have been a religiously motivated attack.
Wilmore cried that the coverage from Fox “just makes my f****** head explode.” The comedian objected to Fox’s handling of the tragedy because, “even with all of that evidence,” some on that network attempted, in his view, to distort the issue.
After playing a montage of clips from Fox – most of which hinted at religion as a cause of the shooting – Wilmore wondered how “there can be any doubt when it came out of the gunman’s mouth.” He followed with the reported quote of Roof saying, “I want to shoot black people.” The Comedy Central personality added: “I think when he says black people, he means black people, and not Christians. I'm just saying.”
Not content to stop there, Wilmore showed another clip from a preacher on Fox News discussing the “rising hostility against Christians across this country because of our biblical views.” Growing increasingly frustrated, the Nightly Show host exclaimed: “No, no, no, no, no. It is not rising hostility against Christians, it's rising, forceful and pervasive hostility against black people who were meeting in a church, alright.”
The relevant portion of the transcript is below.
Comedy Central
The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore
June 18, 2015
11:32 p.m. EasternLARRY WILMORE, host: Now I have to tell you guys, we weren't going to talk much about this at all. I mean seriously, we're a comedy show, right? I mean, what we built here isn't really designed to handle this kind of tragedy. And let me just say, I know we talk about race a lot on this show, but I think we can all agree, this time, that this is a racially motivated attack. You know. I think it's – but also, it couldn't be clearer when it comes out of the killer's mouth, right. But even with all of that evidence, and on a day like today, Fox News just makes my f****** head explode.
ELIZABETH HASSELBECK, Fox News: Last night's deadly attack taking place at a historic church in South Carolina. The gunman's horrifying attack on faith.
BILL HEMMER, Fox News: The question is, was it a crime out of race or religion?
FOX NEWS contributor: They could be calling it a hate crime because it happened in a religious institution.
HASSELBECK: So if we're not safe in our own churches, then where are we safe?
FOX NEWS host: Although it’s being investigated as a hate crime, there are still pieces we have to put together.
STEVE DOOCY: Some look at it as, well, it’s because it was a white guy, apparently, in a black church. But you made a great point just a moment ago about the hostility towards Christians, and it was a church.
WILMORE: Okay. Alright. I know you guys don't want to admit that racial stuff is going – that racial stuff isn't going on, but how can there be any doubt when it came out of the gunman's mouth? Let me remind you what he said.
CAROL COSTELLO, host: I want to shoot black people.
WILMORE: He told his victims, I want to shoot black people. I think when he says black people, he means black people, and not Christians. I'm just saying. And remember this part.
WITNESS: He said you rape our women, and you’re taking over our country and you have to go.
WILMORE: He is being very clear. Nobody thinks Christians are going around raping everybody and taking over the country. Alright. That’s not a thing, unless you are a Duggar, alright. Then it's a thing. Then it's a thing. Then it’s a thing. Okay, then. And then Fox News sends out a black preacher. Like his black is going to confuse me, right. Black don't distract by the way, it don't, black don't distract, okay. But nice try anyway, Fox.
E.W. JACKSON (on Fox): I'm deeply concerned that this gunman chose to go into a church, because [there] does seem to be a rising hostility against Christians across this country because of our biblical views.
WILMORE: No, no, no, no, no. It is not rising hostility against Christians, it's rising, forceful and pervasive hostility against black people who were meeting in a church, alright. But let's hear more from the Fox brother.
JACKSON: Most people jump to conclusions about race. I long for the day when we stop doing that in our country. But we don't know why he went into a church, but he didn't choose a bar, he didn't choose a basketball court.
WILMORE: Didn't choose a basketball court. What the f***, man. Oh, you mean typically black areas like basketball courts.
