‘Fire Truther’ Talks Burning Southern Black Churches on The Nightly Show

If you hadn’t noticed, there’s reportedly been an increase in the burning of predominantly Black churches in the American South. Some have pointed out the media’s apparent lack of coverage, while others have opined there should be even less coverage than there already is. Whichever way you see the issue, two things were inevitable:

1. Accusations of little or no coverage would eventually get covered.
2. Late night television would latch onto the band wagon in some small way.

Case in point, Comedy Central’s The Nightly Show, led by former Daily Show “Senior Black Correspondent” Larry Wilmore. After showing a brief montage of news clips largely downplaying the fires as “accidental,” the host uses his audience’s boos as a mostly-comedic stepping stone:

It seems unclear if this is a hate crime, or just arson, or accidents, or some weird cosmic coincidence. Or lightening just hates black people. I don’t know! We just don’t know!

From there, Wilmore introduces his “Fire Truther” correspondent Santana Crimsey, who according to the green screen behind him, is reporting from in front of a firehouse in Jackson, Miss. Why? “Just making sure these white firefighters hop to it.”

Check out the clip below, courtesy of Comedy Central:

[Image via screengrab]

— —
>> Follow Andrew Husband (@AndrewHusband) on Twitter

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!