Chris Cuomo Called Out For Comparing ‘Fredo’ to the N-Word: ‘Very Definition of White Privilege’
A lot of conservative voices are strongly disagreeing with CNN’s Chris Cuomo on the idea that calling Italians “Fredo” is like calling black people the N-word.
Cuomo drew major media attention on Monday night over a viral video of his response to a man who heckled him while he was with his family. The heckler called Cuomo “Fredo” as a disparaging reference to the character from The Godfather, and the CNN anchor answered with a heated response where he said “I’ll f*cking ruin your sh*t. I’ll f*cking throw you down these stairs like a f*cking punk.”
During the altercation, Cuomo specifically responded to the “Fredo” insult by saying “They use it as an Italian aspersion. Any of you Italian? It’s an insult to your f*cking people. It’s like the N-word for us.” Conservatives have taken notice of Cuomo’s confrontation, and as it were, they are not impressed by his N-word comparison for several reasons:
So any insult that gets you steamed is the equivalent of the n-word for your group. Go with that. Sure.
— Kyle Smith (@rkylesmith) August 13, 2019
However you feel about Chris Cuomo’s behavior today, there’s not one woman in ALL of media who could be filmed in public on an obscenity filled tirade and be supported by their network and public the way he is right now. Men get to be tough and swear, women are “unhinged”…
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) August 13, 2019
I think the guy was being a jerk to @chriscuomo, and I certainly understand Cuomo getting pissed, but there's just no way calling someone Fredo Corleone is like the n-word. There just isn't. That's plain nuts.
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 13, 2019
Today I learned that “Fredo" is “like the N-word” for people of Italian descent, according to Chris Cuomo, who also once said that “fake news” is "the equivalent of the N-word for journalists." https://t.co/oNNemzUAwU
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) August 13, 2019
So @ChrisCuomo says calling him "Fredo" is like the "N-word for us"
Weird, I don't recall him having an issue with Ana Navarro calling @DonaldJTrumpJr "Fredo" ON HIS SHOW ON CNN.
I also don't recall CNN having an issue with Rick Wilson calling Rep. Nunez "Fredo" on CNN.
Hmm… pic.twitter.com/cTdm9TdWMU
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) August 13, 2019
Words that are as bad as the N word, according to Cuomo:
– Fredo
– Fake news— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) August 13, 2019
Video: Someone tell Chris Cuomo that Chris Matthews needs to be thrown down some stairs for saying the Italian-American version of the n-word because, on April 9, Matthews told @JoaquinCastroTX that @DonaldJTrumpJr is the "Fredo-like son" of the First Family pic.twitter.com/aoGS7wSR5B
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) August 13, 2019
So @ChrisCuomo says that “Fredo”— a character on The Godfather— is the same as the n-word? Equating the two is the very definition of white privilege and diminishes the generations of hate African Americans have had to endure. https://t.co/vbwIAran9S
— Steven Cheung (@CaliforniaPanda) August 13, 2019
Guys, I’m Italian. “Fredo” is not an ethnic slur. It doesn’t even rise to the level of “dego” or “wop” (and those definitely don’t rise to the level of the n-word).
My family actually regularly used Fredo Corleone as an example of what happens when you make bad choices.
— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) August 13, 2019
Lmaooooo okay but the fact that his own show tweeted “Fredo” makes his case that it’s like the N-word a little less convincing. https://t.co/aFUFljto9j
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) August 13, 2019
Also, just in case you were wondering, it’s not only conservatives who disagree with the N-word-Fredo comparison:
I actually don’t think he did anything wrong to respond to a heckler disrespecting him in front of his family? But equating Fredo with the N-word is insanely ridiculous. He sounds ridiculous
— Jordan (@JordanChariton) August 13, 2019
Put aside the “fredo is the n-word” for Italians thing b/c ya know hundreds of years of slavery and murderous racism. This was purposeful hateful bullshit, and good for @ChrisCuomo. But remember this and far worse happens to women, LGBT, Jewish, and POC journalists every day https://t.co/EB8VzN01ka
— john r stanton (@dcbigjohn) August 13, 2019
Comparing slurs, #Fredo vs. the N word, misses the point. Don’t.
When ANY word is weaponized by bigoted intent, the target is right to be angry.
If you verbally slap & slur a journalist, don’t be shocked when he doesn’t respond like a saint. @ChrisCuomo is just human. @CNN
— Rev. Cornell William Brooks (@CornellWBrooks) August 13, 2019
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