Lilly Singh, the first queer Asian late-night show host and the first woman to host a late-night show in 33 years, is now facing backlash two weeks after her show, “A Little Late with Lilly Singh”, goes on air.
According to People, the 31-year-old Indian-Canadian show host made the joke when she visited Jessica Alba’s home and saw her children wearing the turbie twist towels on their head. Alba recounted how the kids still had their towels on to dry their hair when they met Singh in their home.
Lilly Singh, on American National TV, just compared a towel to a turban.
As a Sikh who has faced racism, names such as towel head and rag head, this was shocking and hurtful. Doesn’t really help our situation at all. pic.twitter.com/DFd2YlfBI4
— Singh Street Style (@SinghStStyle) September 27, 2019
“They look like my Punjabi friends,” the late-night show host said. “It’s fine.”
On Friday, Singh posted on her Twitter account, “Don’t take yourself too seriously today. Have fun. You deserve it,” which some users interpreted to be her response to the criticism she received for the joke, Entertainment Weekly reported.
Don’t take yourself too seriously today. Have fun. You deserve it. ❤️🙏🏽
— Lilly Singh // #LateWithLilly (@Lilly) September 27, 2019
That same day, the television host, who was known for running the YouTube channel IISuperwomanII, apologized for what she said.
In her open letter, Singh explained what had happened in her mind that made her say those words.
“In the moment, my thought process was ‘don’t be embarrassed! I think that’s dope.’ But in hindsight I recognize that was a disrespectful and problematic joke to make that has a lot of painful history behind it. And I’m very sorry,” she wrote.
Despite her apology, many Twitter users were still offended by Singh’s comment in her show.
Every community has an unfunny idiot and Lilly Singh is ours. You had a platform to represent the Sikhs but instead squandered it for cheap insults.
You have no idea whats its like to wear a turban in the west and have strangers throw cheap comments.
— SimbaSingh (@SimbaSingh6) September 29, 2019
She comes from a Sikh family, and has relatives who wear turbans.
Turban wearing Sikhs get called towel head regularly by racists, so to hear someone from our community compare turbans- a sign of our self-sovereignty and crucial to our identity – to towels is extremely offensive.
— Eric Singh (@ErkPO_RR) September 28, 2019
I have never found Lilly Singh’s humor funny. However, I’ve given her benefit of the doubt bc she’s a brown woman in Hollywood, so representation..or w/e. But this towel/turban debacle is not ok. That comparison has historically been used in a racist way against Sikhs. Not cool👎🏼
— nkg🎃👻🦇🕸 (@teenvanruak) September 26, 2019
Thread:
I am honestly so damn disappointed in @Lilly for her comments around the turban on her show.
When you see someone from your community rise to prominence, you’d expect them to represent your people, not fuel their ridicule.
— Manveer Singh (@manveerssihota) September 26, 2019
I can only think of kids in school who have been called “towel-heads” their entire lives. However, they look to Lilly, a young Punjabi Sikh woman, for inspiration. Can you imagine the heartbreak they must have felt last night when even Lilly played into the “towel-head” trope?
— Manveer Singh (@manveerssihota) September 26, 2019
Her comments are also especially inappropriate and untimely given that a Sikh turban-wearing man is currently running to become the Prime Minister of Canada, and faces a deluge of racist comments on a daily basis.
— Manveer Singh (@manveerssihota) September 26, 2019
The comments and jokes you make have consequences. You can tell jokes that aren’t at the expense of the community (look at @hasanminhaj). However, last night the laughs were AT us, not with us, and that just isn’t cool.
— Manveer Singh (@manveerssihota) September 26, 2019
What’s the point of having a Sikh make it in Hollywood (ie Lilly Singh) if she’s just going to use her platform by using the “punjabi turban” as a punch line? Say something that’s going to help American Sikhs or don’t say anything at all! I was on your side @Lilly but not anymore
— sookhie (@sookhie) September 26, 2019
i rlly thought u were not one of *them*
but you do live with and hang out w @Lilly sooo idk why i expected otherwise.
just an fyi, she compared YOUR TURBAN to a towel last night. I hope you can at least get a message thru to her. https://t.co/1n4amcMXoa
— salty AND spooky👻 (@satleenerrzzz) September 27, 2019
so disgusted by the comparison @Lilly made. oh god let me correct you there, a turban is put up using a decent cloth not a “towel”. honestly lilly don’t deserve to have Singh as her surname ; have some respect plz ✊
— ashaaaa ✨ (@CllmeBhullar) September 27, 2019
In addition to the apology letter, Singh shared an online video about the cultural history of the turban on her Twitter.
The segment where she made the joke in the show has been removed from the episode and all online clips, the TV show host said.
Featured image via Instagram / Lilly
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