racism

Harriet, a biopic about Harriet Tubman, was just released earlier this month to favorable reviews, but apparently not everyone had the same ideas about exactly who should portray the American hero.

Screenwriter Gregory Allen Howard stated in an interview with Focus Features that one studio executive suggested that Julia Roberts, a white actress, should play Harriet Tubman. When someone else chimed in about what an absurd idea that would be, the same exec replied, "It was so long ago, no one is going to know the difference." We wish we were joking about this but alas.

Additionally, we would say that this news is positively absurd, but then again, nothing in the news is really surprising anymore, is it?

There are some people in the world who just can never take responsibility for their actions. Everyone is always out to get them and they're always being "wronged" in some way. Can't possibly be that they're the one acting like an a-hole, right? 

This particular dude, "George," left a scathing Yelp review after he visited an axe-throwing facility and claimed that the employee serving his party was acting in a discriminatory manner toward his friend. After the manager replied to his review, it was immediately evident that "George" left out a pretty good chunk of the story!

Who knew the answer to huge problems in our society were actually so simple! This meme, known as "Well Boys, We Did It" which features the penguins from the movie Madagascar, sarcastically offers solutions to big cultural problems like racism, sexism and bullying with ideas that'll make you yell out, gee why didn't I think of that!

And as always, head over to Know Your Meme to keep updated on all things memes!

It's Tuesday after the Academy Awards and people are still buzzing about Green Book's controversial Oscar win. Prior to receiving the gold statue, its writer apologized for anti-Muslim sentiment, Viggo Mortensen idiotically used the N-word, and we were (rightfully) reminded of Peter Farrelly's sexual misconduct. The director seems to have a habit of showing people his dick.

The film is considered the "whitest" black film at the Awards ceremony, and many people are wondering why a movie that's basically about a white man (The incredible Dr. Don Shirley's driver) is being lauded as such a black success story. Especially when considering the wealth of black-made films that were up for awards. The shallowness of this choice is even more painful when you realize it was up against If Beale Street Could Talk, a film based on James Baldwin's novel of the same name. He is a legendary painter of the black experience. 

While opponents made their opinions known on all channels, the sass was loudest on Twitter, where people have funneled their disgust and skepticism into memes. The most successful have been comparing the film to the kind of white friend that loudly proclaims their allyship in a misguided and somewhat shallow way. The memes may not change the brains of the Academy, but they'll definitely make sure that people know where we're at.

Behold, we've got a BBQ Becky 2.0! An Oakland woman named Alison Ettel recently called the police on an eight-year-old girl who was selling water bottles outside of her apartment building on the grounds of her "not having a permit." The internet immediately jumped all over the situation as a golden meme opportunity when it was released that Ettel is the CEO of a medical marijuana company for dogs. The most hilariously ironic detail of the whole situation is that she has reportedly been operating her business without the proper permit herself.

Let the Permit Patty memes commence!

As you may have already heard, Roseanne Barr is in hot water over her racist tweets about Obama aide Valerie Jarrett. Earlier today, the star of the now-cancelled ABC show tweeted the following: "guys I did something unforgivable so do not defend me. It was 2 in the morning and I was ambien tweeting -- it was memorial day too -- i went 2 far & do not want it defended -- it was egregious Indefensible. I made a mistake I wish I hadn't but...don't defend it please." 

This supposed explanation has struck many as an offensive excuse. Many people, including comedians like Patton Oswalt and Andy Richter, used Twitter to go IN on Barr. Even the makers of Ambien were quick to clap back at her, tweeting that "While all pharmaceutical treatments have side effects, racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication." You can indulge in all the primo shade below. 

Roseanne Barr has said some pretty shocking things since the reboot of the '90s sitcom Roseanne, but  people were still pretty shocked when ABC abruptly decided to cancel the show after her particularly racist remarks about Barack Obama's former Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett. Roseanne later apologized for her comments on Twitter, but people have very clearly already made up their minds on the matter.

If you've been on the internet at all over the past couple weeks, you've probably become acquainted with BBQ Becky. She's currently internet famous for her racist call to the police over a group of black men barbequing in an Oakland Park. Clips of the disgruntled woman's call quickly became a viral photoshop meme, and even inspired an SNL parody. When Nashville comedian Tim Northern decided he wanted a piece of the make-fun-of-racists pie, the bar got RAISED. He decided to share these hilarious photos of himself "snitching" on white people. If you like what you see, find more on his personal Facebook page!

YouTuber Michelle Dione posted this video of a white woman calling the cops and asking a group of African American people to leave a park in Oakland, California where they were having a barbecue. The incident inspired people to make memes mocking the woman for racial profiling, using civil rights milestones.

Kanye West told TMZ Live on Tuesday that he believes that 400 years of slavery in the United States must've been a "choice." Understandably, this incited anger in a lot of people on the grounds of the statement being historically inaccurate and all-around absurd. Consequently, Twitter began roasting the crap out of Kanye under the tag #IfSlaveryWasAChoice.

Utah high school senior Keziah Daum made a lot of people angry recently for wearing a traditional Chinese dress to her prom. Many people on Twitter accused her of cultural appropriation, but she's standing by her decision to wear the dress as appreciation for Chinese culture.