I was so pumped to see Trevor Noah interview Tomi Lahren ever since I saw she was going to be a guest on “The Daily Show” Facebook page. I was loudly snapping for Trevor the entire interview, and then thoroughly enjoyed websites like Twitter, where liberals were rehashing the best moments.
Now, however I think we need to really look at what this interview means.
First I'd like to ask, why is Tomi Lahren so popular? She's a young voice for conservatives who is extremely well-spoken and professional in front of the camera. There is no hesitancy in her views or opinions, and not even time taken to gather her thoughts between sentences. It’s this confidence that brings conservatives to rallying behind her and feel validated.
Oh, and she's conventionally attractive. Let's be honest, that is a huge factor.
Trevor Noah had a piece on Tomi in late September pointing out Tomi's "fire" and humorously saying she was the "least woke most awake person that [he's] ever seen."
Trevor began this piece by pointing out that despite Tomi's high amount of video views and popularity among conservatives, the camp watching “The Daily Show” and/or other liberals might have never seen her. Before that segment I actually hadn't, other than a couple of Facebook memes that through the context I knew all about Tomi's views.
Sure, this is a sign that we live in two different Americas. I'm also a bit concerned though, that liberals knowing about Tomi Lahren is going to bring more validation to her and her beliefs. Tomi said it herself in a TMZ street interview after being on Trevor's show.
After saying she's going to keep voicing her opinions, she added "and if you don't like it, well, I'm sorry, you're going to watch me either way, so I guess it doesn't matter, I win."
Tomi Lahren is unfortunately right. If she becomes more popular because liberals are watching her videos, she wins. Views don't distinguish agreement from entertainment. I'm refusing to watch her content, and give her that boost. We cannot feed into Tomi Lahren as we tear her down in the comment sections, because it is still going to make her more powerful.
As fun as “The Daily Show” interview was to watch, it has me worried. People online have been pushing the idea that Tomi Lahren is the embodiment of conservative ideals going up against an embodiment of liberal ideals with Trevor Noah. Tomi Lahren is a television persona, much like Bill O'Reilly, or Glenn Beck... just without being on television. With the fact that she is a "tv persona," and Trevor Noah is a news satire host, I think this point of view has some flaws.
But if we do take this as "the conversation" as some people are, where we break bubbles and talk to the "other side" of the divided country, we have some major issues. So many, in fact, I'm not going to see this interview as "the conversation." If it is a glimmer of "the conversation" we are in serious trouble.
First and foremost, Tomi Lahren is such a hypocrite it gives me a headache.
Her arguments put forth, were crushed by Trevor Noah, not by some twist of mind game or bringing up an obscure fact. Trevor Noah crushed her arguments by simply saying, "Okay, now take that logic, the logic you just gave and apply it to a different aspect of the conservative argument." This should work, but it doesn't because Tomi Lahren will only look at the evidence and logic that support what she already believes.
This is so aggravating, because it means she can't be reasoned with.
There is a dangerous message that because selective reasoning is used, and arguably separate facts, that there is not oppression of black people in America.
It is one thing to disagree on how groups of people should handle drawing attention to their oppression, but I feel sick to my stomach knowing that voices like Tomi Lahren’s who deny oppression exists are going to get stronger in Trump America.
Trevor Noah points this out to Tomi in their interview. He asks, "Do you consider yourself mainstream media?" This isn't even a question for Tomi, this a message for us. "Hey, watch the heck out, everyone THIS is going to be the mainstream media."
This is terrifying, for obvious reasons, and could seriously undo a lot of progress we’ve had for social justice in this country.
Yes, at first we were entertained by this interview. But now that I'm really re-watching it, it becomes depressing and aggravating all at once. And how DARE Tomi Lahren ask, "What did the KKK do?"
We need to watch out, because it's one thing to disagree on if Kaepernick should stand or kneel for the national anthem, but you cannot minimize what the KKK has done, and is still doing. We've all heard that facts are disappearing and that we aren't agreeing on the same ones anymore. This interview needs to be a wake-up call, because knowing "what the KKK did" cannot be up for interpretation.
Finally Trevor Noah pressed Tomi Lahren on the question, "how should a black person bring up their grievances,” if they can't march in the streets or kneel during the anthem.
Tomi acts as though she's done thorough investigation into the concept of oppression and just hasn't found anything. She claims to have no idea about the issues Kaepernick is addressing, and adds "I would love to have him on my show and have him discuss it with me."
Okay, Tomi, it's already been established that you are the embodiment of white privilege, do we really need to point out to you, that not everyone is famous enough to go on a talk show? Are you seriously making "talk show host privilege" a thing?
Then finally Tomi Lahren gives us the closest thing we can expect to see as an answer. Tomi explains that as a woman, if she were marginalized in some way, "I don't protest because I’m not a victim.”
Yes, Tomi you are not a victim of what Kaepernick is protesting. That’s kind of the point in bringing awareness to issues others don’t face.
So here is what we find after breaking the "bubbles." How do you protest in a way that's okay to conservatives who are unaware of their white privilege? You don't.
At least the fact that people believe this is a bit less hidden now. And here is why I refuse to call this any sort of "conversation." This is one side discussing while the other has its fingers in its ears.