John Oliver discusses the importance of Black hair, the ways it can be a target of discrimination, and some ideas to address that.
John Oliver discusses the importance of Black hair, the ways it can be a target of discrimination, and some ideas to address that.
I’m a white guy with long I wanna say type 3c hair, people ask to pet my head all the time too, it’s so weird.
ReplyJohn you FCKING KILLED IT! 👏 👏 👏
ReplyI applaud you John for covering a subject that is often put in the back burner, but in truth, is essential to the identify of black people.
ReplyAnother Woke ultra pro max topic 🤣
ReplyCould have taken some other topic
I did NOT see this coming. Thank you for talking about this!
ReplyI would love to see John speak up about Palestine, especially in light of current circumstances
ReplyNatural hair is beautiful ❤️
ReplyWhile undoubtably racist as a blacl person the phrase “Wooly haired tropical type” made me laugh quite a bit
ReplyQuestion for the smart people in the comments, I have lots of queer friends who have been discriminated against for having dyed(obviously queer) hair, as well as plenty of friends with your standard piercings and tattoos. I always assumed that we couldn’t pass laws against discrimination outside of explicit discrimination. Is it possible for us to put into law general non-discrimination based on attire?, if so where is the line?, could I wear a fursuit to work?, I’m genuinely curious if any lawyers know anything about how nuanced context-driven things like this play out
ReplyLesson of the Day:
Racists are more petty than you imagined, so here is some more White Guilt for ya.
Reply*meanwhile I had a penguin hug my leg at the St. Louis zoo*
I think I did it right
ReplyI think of Penn State as a longtime running child molestation ring.
ReplyI have no idea what white people have against curly hair – I have curly Mediterranean hair and people won’t stop complaining about it, and I’m white!
ReplyI’m sorry. “STEAL” a hairstyle?
ReplyMe: *walking into work tomorrow with different hair than last week, and my boss still thinking it’s my hair*
ReplyShout out to the black woman that wrote that for John Oliver, describing with complete accuracy me at 8 years old on picture day holding my ears down while my mom used that dang hot comb 😂 he took me all the way back.
ReplyHow is that every episode (or the main stories) are uploaded on Youtube before the episode on HBO GO?
ReplyWhen he said Black Hair first thought that came to mind was hair that was the colored Black rather than brunette, blonde, red, white, gray, etc.
ReplyUnfortunately it’s true that black hair products go ” missing” alot more often than the other hair products..are we to paranoid to speak the truth ?
Replywow I was questioning how many of those terms john was using he actually knew, but he did NOT stutter and it was highly amusing watching him slay this segment! Big ups to the writers cause they brought it and summed this very complex topic up extremely well! I hope anyone who doesn’t feel educated on this subject actually does use google and youtube to their benefit! 😂😂😂
ReplyYoung people in Poland have been wearing dreadlocks since the early 90’s – it is only an issue if people make it one… saying white people can’t wear dreadlocks is discrimination in itself… this segment had some good points, but some where just too over the top
ReplyWhy should I even care about somebody’s hair? As a boy who was forced to cut his long hair and seen girls being dragged to the principal for their “hair being too long” I think people can do whatever they want with their hair. I don’t give a damn about their hair and I really hope they give zero fks about mine.
ReplyI hold the firm opinion that Blaine should be excused for having lower than average interest in and knowledge of hairstyles. The follicly challenged have feelings, too.
ReplyCue butthurt wypipo in the comments because they got pwned in the last 3 mins of this video.
ReplyNot sure what the issue with the salons is. I know it would be nice if every salon could hire a specialist to handle black hair or vice versa, but that’s just not economically feasible for most of them and we’d see hair salons become much more corporate if so. It takes two separate skills to cut the different types of hair and people who aren’t using the skills every day just wouldn’t be as good.
I think it’s fine that salons specialize in the different types of hair if not ideal.
ReplyEven here in Africa kenya you cant get a job when you have dreadlocks they say you look unprofessional… because of western influence
This needs to change
ReplyHe slipped up and said it was a weave. She said naw and laughed it off. Then he ran, AND SHE ran!
ReplyDid I just watch a puppet show?
I don’t understand how a hair style that takes 4h to do is called urban, or dirty looking, but others that look like a ton of gel and 2 minutes of passing your finger looks good. That said, hair his cultural and should be valued and not discriminated.
But, if a business doesn’t feel its profitable or in line with their values to have a representative with different hair I’m ok with it, just don’t hire the person in the first place or do not ask that person to change hair after. I would say a similar company with a diverse group of representatives would do much better, but that is for the consumer to decide and that’s why social media can change the habits of the consumers, the business will change along, but to ask a business to be the change when the model it uses works don’t make any sense.
ReplyYeah, ok sure. Curly haired women try to straighten it, straight haired women try to curl it. White people literally go to tanning salons to darken their skin. OMG ! but racism!
ReplyAs usual, a real issue for real people but really “bing it” ? NO !
ReplyFortunately, the company that I work for has never said anything about my sometimes wild purple fro. I have absolutely had white coworkers touch my hair uninvited with all the fascination of seeing a black unicorn.
ReplyJust don’t be a dick. Be kind, thats it.
ReplyYou had me up until Leslie Jones 🙁 smh…. 🙁 WHY LESLIE JONES!?!?!?!?!
ReplyAnd you lay those edged down so well they fall asleep lmao!!!! 😂☠️
Replythis is something that happens only in America 😀 firing someone because of the hair 😀
ReplyReally, with all the shit going on in the world today, we need an episode on black hair?
ReplyIt’s funny how Hispanics are never in the conversation.
ReplyThe raction of the actor on the lower right corner is priceless 13:40
ReplyI think white and Asian hair looks the prettiest, is this thought now a crime?
ReplyExcellent info!
ReplyThe stupidity of these people is seemingly endless. I’m not black but my hair is naturally curly and tends to grow upward and out rather than below the shoulders. When my hair was at its longest early in college and I had my beard fairly long as well, several old people in my parents’ church asked the security to take me out of the building because “he looked dangerous”. In case anyone asks, I was always well dressed, my hair was washed/combed. It just didn’t look “white enough” I guess. Thankfully my dad knew the security guard they talked to, but the experience has stuck with me for a while.
Replywhat if I didn’t figure out settlers of catan? =(
ReplyHuuu and now next time make a video about female cosmetic products, that do the same thing as male cosmetic products, but are sold in higher prices by the companies for some reason! The joke is women could buy those products easily in male form, but dont do it, because they prefere their cosmetic products in rosa… That s how the cosmetic industry is getting away with it most of the time! 😁
ReplyWhen I was a little kid I used to put activator in my hair because my friend Ray told me that it made your hair grow lol we are both visually impaired so the fact that I was white and he was black didn’t really register to either one of us all I knew was this stuff makes your hair grow. So I had been putting it in my hair for a while now and then the dorm parent at the school we were both at caught me putting it in my hair and yelled at me she said that’s for black people not for white people you little idiot lol she started laughing at me and then she called my mom and said hey I know why your kids hairs always greasy because she’s been putting activator in it lol. She of course had to explain what activator was to my mother and then she explained the difference between white people and black people’s hair to me and Dre it was funny. I have never thought about black hair ever since then I didn’t know it was an issue I have pink hair for God’s sake.
ReplyWow, I was not expecting this, hadn’t realized this was an issue all its own. I do remember seeing a white blonde boy back in middle school who had hair like that cover image, and thinking it weird that he had hair like you’d usually see black people having. The only time _anyone’s_ hair style should be an issue is when health and safety are concerned, like making sure it doesn’t get into people’s food or get caught in potentially hazardous machinery. Otherwise, leave it be.
ReplyI’m not black, but I have curly hair. From my experience, it’s near impossible to find a salon with someone who can actually cut curly hair. I have had only ONE lady in the past 20 years do it correctly. (She only did it once, and I haven’t been able to find her since. I’m sooooo sad!) I’m tired of paying good money to just end up walking out looking like a clown. And that’s just a haircut. I can’t imagine what it’s like to need more complicated processes done to my hair.
ReplyI wanna see the Black Woman who wrote all the of the super specific Black hair references 😂😂😂😂
Reply5 minutes in, and I sudden realize that black in “black hair” did not refer to the color of the hair.
ReplyYes Yes! Read everything, and then say that you did not know RJVX13 algorithm!
ReplyGuys! Just google: “RJVX13 algorithm”! You will go nuts!
ReplyWhy worry about cryptocurrency quotes if there is RJVX13 algorithm?
Replyis there really still a person who does not know about the existence of RJVX13 algorithm?
ReplyThat guy from Utah seems like the type to say “I’m not racist, I have black friends!”
ReplyI was just about to say that about Penn State. If by “clean cut,” David Petersen means a good, honest program, well Joe Paterno covering up Jerry Sandusky’s sex abuse of minors and destroying the career of Mike McQueary, who reported the crime, then that’s a really messed up idea of what “clean cut” is.
Reply4$ black hair products?
ReplyWhere
How is hair, that took hours of careful work to get it that way, unkempt?
ReplyYeah….we’re all thinking about vote suppression and Big Lies and you want to do a piece on Hair? Yes, I understand the plainly relevant political overtones on the topic of black hair, still…. I’m not sure this was the best choice.
Reply👀 I mean…… John’s British so John does not fully understand the United States history as some of us Americans do…..so let me remind everybody that in the late 19th century, hair straightening was primarily targeting Irish immigrants immigrating here permanently (in case you weren’t sure if immigrating means temporarily or permanently) because Irish immigrants could almost blend into white communities if it weren’t for their accent and extremely naturally curly hair (not all of which was red). In order to help the Irish assimilate into American Life and be accepted by racist americans, they were provided ways to blend in which included hair straighteners and language lessons to quell that magnificent Irish brogue. That’s right John – I’m a bigger fan of the Irishness than your British charms, delightful as they indeed always are 😋
Didn’t mean to pull the spotlight in case that’s your view of what I am doing here. Just wanted to make sure everybody fully understands where and why and how the hair straightening products of the late 19th century truly came to be, as a whole, rather than a mere part of the entire picture that is the true history of hair straightening. The Irish were treated just as badly as the Africans of the day cuz that’s truly how racist white Americans truly were and are even today if you know where to look.
ReplyOMG THATS ME AT 12:04 😭😭 FOLLOW MY TIKTOK!! @brainlesscatenby
ReplyJohn, Thank you for the education you provide us “white people”. I mean that sarcastically. You are one of the most entertaining and informative shows on tv. Unfortunately you are jumping on the “poor black people” movement. I don’t think you are giving this beautiful and relèvent group on the human race enough credit. Fashion has changed over time. Why did the only truth have to be that black people tortured themselves to look like white women. Maybe some did. Maybe it was just a fashion. Do black women today go through the torture and expense of what they go through today with weaves and wigs and braids…just to look more black? It’s a fashion. Is this any different when the fashion was to have straight hair? What about white women and perms? That used to be a fashion. Were they trying to look more black? I love your show. I respect your research. I look forward to subjects that make me uncomfortable because I think they help me to expand my awareness and be a better human. I just think sometimes you’re off track.
ReplyS-Curl. Pink Moisturizer. Dax. Murray’s. Jam.
I can identify those by smell.
Reply1. You are fabulous!! 2. Best segment of the season. I laughed, I cried, I remembered my fear of the hot comb. 3. John, you sounded so natural talking about natural hair. 4. The writers deserve many awards for that.
Reply12:19 I have Harpo hair and I can verify that not many stylists know how to handle it. I feel blessed when I find a curly hair specialist. They are few and far between.
ReplyHaha Americans actually watch this guy? LMAO
Reply23:36 Just unnecessary. Show some dignity. Besides that, great video, as always. Love how a comedian teaches the American public more than actual news channels
ReplyGOOGLE IT! Lmfao! Great episode LWT!
ReplySometimes I just like to have conversation. If someone doesn’t want to talk about their hair, they can tell me. Many women like to talk about their hair, either about the stressful parts or that they’ll never do the style again. Internet searching is good and all, but makes everyone less… social.
Replygod bless the last week tonight writers room. you know this episode was written mostly by black people just from the way he’s talking about it, the writers knew firsthand what they were talking about.
Replymurrica
ReplyAsian people don’t get discriminated for their hair… until you enter Catholic school. True story.
ReplyThis is why Critical Race Theory is something that should be taught. It forces kids to realize hey what happened in the past is really fucked up and that it’s continuing to happen and they need to take a good hard look and educate themselves and make a change for the better.
For any conservative who is against CRT quite honestly they’d be happy if life was what it was back in the 1950s
ReplyHow many people, regardless of race, have gotten a haircut that made them feel awful about themself. Now, think about if you have to deal with that every, fucking day.
ReplyWhat does being in the same graduation class as a sex offender have to do with anything? Did I miss a punchline?
ReplyJohn Oliver is so biased and wack now smh
ReplyMy reaction to hearing that white people don’t know about black hair is “why would we?”
My hair is super straight until it gets to about a foot long then it starts to curl
I don’t know the first thing about the intricacies of the African Americans experience let alone the hair
Reply“White people don’t understand a lot about black hair”
ReplyUhm…Blaine is bald. He doesn’t understand a lot about ANY hair.
You can talk about black hair when they’re fashioning it to white hair, which is popular. What’s fair is fair.
ReplyOkay but the black writers went off this episode!!
ReplyMaybe the beauty standard isn’t there because of culture but because people from all cultures agree it looks better
ReplyBruhhhhh! I’m so done with this whole episode! John’s writers KNOW MY SOUL! I have natural hair and was seriously thinking about cutting it off and getting finger combs just this morning. This video just made me tug on my Afro curls and smile. I think I actually smelled the burning hot comb and felt the pinch of a burn at the back of my neck at one point. This was so spot on, I had to watch it twice.Thank you to #JohnOliver writers for really getting this, for really getting US. 👏🏾 👩🏾🦱
ReplyWow, yet _ANOTHER_ way that we’ve managed to make some aspect of existence fucking awful for everyone. Fucking shocker…
ReplyI didn’t Google it. I don’t care how people do their hair. I mean, look at mine. WTF do I have to say? Not a damn thing unless asked; in 58 years nobody has asked. ✌ya’ll.
Replyconsider people in wheelchairs; most of them are technically capable of walking, but they have a condition that makes it so prohibitively difficult for them that they can’t do it for more than a short distance, or it can be dangerous for them.
now imagine if there were a facility that, even though it has a wheelchair-accessible entrance, and there is nothing in the building that would make it unsafe to use a wheelchair, prohibited those people from using their mobility aids in the building, and that building served some essential purpose that made it so that people would have to use that building to survive. there would be a public outcry!
in how this relates to the piece at hand, all hairstyles need to be maintained, whether it’s as simple as a trim, or something chemical/heat-related such as straightening/curling your hair. this takes time, money, and effort, and doing it too much can really damage your hair, especially when you consider how difficult it is to care for black hair; for some people, if they so much as even touch it more than once a season, it’ll essentially turn into very elaborate straw. and yet we force them to do it to get a job? cultural erasure aside, this is discrimination in the practical sense, too.
Replytalk about Palestine
ReplyThat preschool teacher writing a note spelling *kids* in the nominative plural as “kid’s” is gold. Has her priorities straight, that one 🙄
ReplyThat’s all it takes to erase someone’s cultural identity? Shave their head? Fml… Terrible show.
ReplyThank you.
ReplyI’m of heavy Irish descent (tho note I’m not claiming to be Irish, I’m just American).
And I have very curly and thick hair. I’ve often been made to feel, even by my own mom, that my hair was unprofessional and unkempt. My hair could be very poofy even after taking care of it with full washing and brushing. It felt like no matter what I did with my hair that was the impression. The only time it really goes away is if I straighten my hair. And I fell into the trap for a few years of thinking there really was something wrong with my hair. That I just wasn’t taking care of it properly. And I felt like I should have straight hair that is deemed more attractive or whatever. I hated my curly hair and thought straight hair was inherently better.
At this point in the last year of quarantine I now realize though I haven’t done anything wrong with my hair and that’s just how it naturally is. Though I still kinda wish I had straight hair because it seems like less maintenance?
But if that’s what I’ve had to deal with as a white person it must be many times worse if you’re black.
Replyspritz spritz … pat pat … who’s next !
ReplyThe world is not clearly separated between Caucasians with straight hair versus Blacks with curly hair. I have shared this experience growing up. Condescend, unwanted touching, discriminated, targeted, harassed, insulted, taunted, teased, attacked because of my Sicilian curly hair. Strangers trying to touch my hair without permission or ethnocentrically ignorant requests. As a child classmates throwing in balled-up paper, small rocks, or salt as a cruel game. When I enter a barbershop for a haircut the stylist only knows how to cut straight hair and butchers my hair with terrible results. Insult to injury when the stylist expects to get tipped for mangling my hair and making me look like a shorn sheep. Only in the last few years have ethnic hair products been in local grocery store chains or pharmacies. Most often needed to make a separate trip to a remote specialty salon supply store. Thankfully today everything can be ordered online. When it came to interviewing for jobs or entering the airport TSA queue I had to shave my hair close to pass scrutiny. The world is improving for ethnic hair but not fast enough.
ReplyI don’t think there are enough words in the English language to describe how stupid it is to discriminate people for their hair. HAIR! Like… it’s whatever you wanna do with the neat strand stuff that grows out of your brain case like so what? Why do the people I come from have to ruin everything because it’s not the same color as them? Like god. Dammit. I had no idea that hair discrimination was even a thing
ReplyI love big afros. It reminds me of my childhood (70s)
ReplyGod I’m old
this show is getting worse than snl.YUCK
ReplyEverything else seems on point but I can’t get behind white people putting on black hairstyles deemed inappropriate. It’s hair, why should it be race-locked?
Replyi had a class mate in elementary school that we called waffle head. it was a predominantly black school but i now see how it was racially insensitive.
Replyracism is deep rooted in the minds of these people, do you think they will change now?. it has continued for generations and it will
ReplyAlways pushing the race agenda. The call center would not allow a white person with a punk hairstyle, mohawk, mullet, gothic or whatever. They are still wrong discriminating.
ReplyWhy is it so ok to talk about white people in such a generlising way?
ReplySupport Black businesses and Shea butter products!
Maybe you can address skin bleaching phenomenon in Jamaica…
Reply“Goddamn white people”. Wow OK. Can we also say the double standard.. “Black people should be able to wear there hair however they feel like”. But when white people put their hair in dreads “YOU’RE APPROPRIATING BLACK HAIR.” I mean.. come on now. I agree with 98% of this piece, but you don’t have to shit on white people to make your point.
Replythinking on the amount of times black kids. girls specifically that wanted to touch my soft white curly blonde hair because it looked soft. public school. mississippi. whaaaaaaaaat? yup….
ReplyBlack hair == black people hair.
ReplyThe fk
I’m REALLY encouraged to see John addressing this!
And yeah if you genuinely want to know more about black hair there are some GREAT channels on YouTube — inspiring humans sharing their work!
ReplyI just learned that this was a thing a couple of years ago. I can’t wrap my head around why it is because it’s more illogical than Tucker Carlson
ReplyGary Winfield almost had me tear up. Thank you for shedding light on this issue
ReplyMonday is my wash day too!
ReplyI can’t believe this is even a thing. Then again, I grew up in a diverse community.
ReplyIt does not surprise me at all to learn that Senator Owens from UT is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (AKA a Mormon).
ReplyObviously Walmart’s fucked in this situation but can you imagine putting a bunch of people unlucky enough to work at Walmart through that uncomfortable ass situation
ReplyNone of these white people were from Detroit. In Detroit we worshipped the Fro. You can thank Ben Wallace for that.
ReplyYou gotta love John
ReplyI love that we are now in a place where we can get back to talking about things like this, instead of everything having to be all life and death topics. Also, that football players hair is gorgeous – though so was everyone elses hair I saw in this video, that had some idiot racist complaining about their beautiful hair.
Replyoh boy!
Replyliberal and their race baiting
“Google that shit or just fuck all the way off”. 😂 this was an unexpected & great episode
ReplyI am white and I have never ever gave a thought to black hair styles. It’s not a problem as much as I think.
ReplyI remember how my Black friend in high school would compliment and comment my about my hair and I thought it was weird. And it took years to understand that it’s just another fucking colonial thing that’s making them self conscious over things that are normal and natural.
ReplyI’m glad there isn’t constant unprecedented political scandals now and we can discuss more topics like this. Thank you LWT!
ReplyErrr, can we have a part 2 where we talk about having our hair searched by TSA and the Tignon Laws of the 19th century?
ReplyThe guy who photo’d the kids in the checkout line sounds like he’s mansplaining and…. whitesplaining if that’s a thing? at the same time
ReplyThat child photographing politician was too cringe to watch. There should be laws forbidding that level of cringe.
ReplyThis and Kennie J.D. ‘s In Defense of Hulu’s “Bad Hair” have really helped me to understand why it is not “just a hairstyle” and why it is actually hurtful and hateful to appropriate hair that is both a sign of heritage and something that as a people black people have received hate for when white people decide to use it as their “style”
ReplyHow can John Oliver claim that dreadlocks are a black hairstyle? It’s not an exclusively black style, with the ancient celts, Minoans and Vikings known to have worn dreads. In the past 60 years, dreads have also come to be associated with white, stoner hippy types, so Oliver can’t claim that African Americans have some sort of cultural ownership over the coiffure. However, even if it was an exclusively black style, and there was no history of wearing it in any white cultures, the idea that some group of people shouldn’t be able to have dreads because of the color of their skin is racist and absurd.
ReplyThe most stolen items in stores are locked up, I used to be a manager at Walmart. All you do is base it off inventory, if you can count its not hard.
ReplyCall salons in predominantly black neighborhoods and ask if they know how to work on white people hair. I ran into this problem when my husband decided he wanted dreadlocks.
Some of this stuff is just as bad as Tucker Carolson getting people mad about hamburgers and Disney characters. Yeah a lot of what you said is god awful there is no need to embellish, Its hard to take someone serious when they do that. “white men don’t know what its like to be discriminated against over hair. I grew up in South Carolina went to a predominantly black school I was constantly having my hair made fun of. Ever since my husband got dread locks at least once a week a black person comes up to him and tells him he cant have his hair like that because he’s white. You ever think there are just shitty people no matter the color of their skin?
With all due respect, I really wish this video would have focussed on thousands on people dying in India because they cant breathe. Like literally they are dying in masse gasping for air because there is not enough oxygen and we’re not doing enough. Idk. Maybe they wanted to make an episode where it was possible to make light of the situation instead of going “WERE ALL FUCKED!!!”
ReplyIf u dont talk about israel violations but talk bout hair means you are a bs journalist
ReplyUh, Sherlock Holmes didn’t speak in a high squeaky voice.
ReplyWouldn’t it be good if everyone would be allowed to stile themselves however they want? Should white people start to call racial appropriation whenever a person of color used something we created?
ReplyStop your constant racial thinking! That is what causes your problems. Japanese culture for example only exists because they “appropriated” many other cultures into theirs. And i guess it’s been this way ever since humans existed in all cultures. In my opinion “appropriation” leads to acceptance. But sure go one cherry-pick cases in which it wasn’t like that.
This is a new low for John Oliver.
Replypause 18:33….. top-left, bottom-left, bottom-right. its a art lol
oh he said we’re pretty!
Replywait you people
da fuq
As someone who covers her hair for religious reasons I have never struggled with this ruling (unlike females of non-African decent). I never have struggled with not wanting to cover my hair because of everything mentioned here plus not understanding how to properly care for curly hair.
ReplyThe one lady who had the worst looking hair said “Goddamn Whit People” now that’s a racist woman, the other two had nice hair, the other lady had beautiful hair.
ReplyI like John Oliver but this video sucked. We all have our own taste in looks, no matter what race. Our appearance is always our first impression to others. We must conform to the world not the world conform to us. No Man is an Island.
10000 dislikes? wtf…
Reply“You people are beautiful” …. You people???? The fuck is wrong with him?? 🥴😤
ReplyLast line says it all: “God Damn White People!”
ReplyAnd NO, lady, ya don’t touch the animals in the zoo, or have you ever been to a zoo?
ReplyUnlock the shield that protects the hair products. They will be safe and untouched. Promise.
ReplyI usually love John and this show but there’re two part I would have to disagree with him:
Reply1) re: the stylists
No stylist can be expert in every type of hair, so a stylist must choose what he/she/they wants to specialize in. Did that girl call in a predominantly white neighborhood? Then of course the stylists would not be familiar with black hair!
2) re: professional look
Many work places have a certain expectation on their employees’ looks. For example, many hospitals have rules that patient-facing employees cannot have excessive tattoos, piercings, and crazy hair color. I used to work at a cancer hospital, and we were told specifically that we must hide tattoos that reference mortality (so our patients won’t be reminded of their own mortality) and no form-fitting clothes (so breast cancer patients don’t feel bad). One of my coworkers got talked to because her shirts are tight around the chest area due to her nursing. My manager pretty much told her to wear a shawl to cover up if she refuses to buy new clothes to accommodate her temporary body change.
“You dont have to have an opinion on black hairs” making 25 min video about it. But i get it, the message is in the Last words.
ReplyNone hand it’s nice to be far enough from Trump’s bullshit that John can talk about things like these. On the other, I hope it’s not AT&T exerting influence to make the show do fluff pieces.
As for the matter at hand, I think the issue is employers should have no say in one’s choices that have no effect on their job performance, regardless of race.
ReplyWhy the heck should I get over to somebody and ask if I can touch his or her hair. That so rude. That should be common sense you dont do that.
ReplyYeah that Utah Senator was Skippy from Aba & Preach levels of cringe. I had to stop the video and take a lap. I want to think he asked permission from the dad to take the picture but…I rather he just made the whole story up.
ReplyLol discrimination for hair is extra af. That whilst black hairstyles look amazing asf.
ReplySo much racism look at all the dislikes in this video , I just can’t understand how racist people can call themselves Christians when Christianity is base on loving one another
ReplyAdele isn’t appropriating” anything. Take that toxicity to the garbage bin where it beloves, she did it because she loves the culture. As an African, everywhere but in the US, we liked it. Black Brits had to punch back against America Twitter on this one, and I loved it.
ReplySo I don’t give a single fuck about someone’s hair, all it has to be is clean.
ReplyWhat a pathetic life you have to have to give a single thought about someone’s hair?
21:08
“All black people should clearly be able to make choices about their hair based on what they feel like doing with it rather than ‘will this get me harassed or fired?”
I couldn’t agree more with this and 98% of the rest of this video, but this same statement should apply to any race. Clearly there are legitimate legal problems with black people being discriminated against for their hair as outlined here, and I totally disagree with that and support any and all new laws attempting to rectify that, but I will never understand or agree with the outlook that white people cannot or should not also do their hair however the hell they want, especially since there are historical accounts of people such as the vikings who did similar types of hairstyles as modern dreads. He kind of threw out the whole “oh and also it’s bad for white people to have dreads or braids” without much of an argument for why that is, and that’s a shame because literally everything else in this video is spot on. Let people wear their hair how they want ffs. Why tell anyone of any color they can’t do what they want?
I get it, there are more important problems around hair than white people getting a hard time for “culturally appropriated” hairstyles but it’s just annoying to hear that dumb point alongside all these other really good points outlining REAL racial problems, not the fake problem of white people with dreads. Black people not getting hired for their hair creates real harm. White dudes with dreads hurt 0 people.
ReplyHeres the thing, its just hair, if you think it’s that important and bound in culture/heritage just know that its racial inequality to exclude a race from certain hairstyles – both ways so DON’T GET MAD IF WHITE PEOPLE carry your “heritage hairstyle” – that too is racist. I fully acknowledge how damaging it could be to come from a cultural heritage who have faced systemic oppression and we should counter that, but shouldn’t we disarm the notion and importance of race if we’re to abolish racism??
ReplyYou don’t see me reveling in the fact that I’m Scandinavian and the whitest of the white, in fact I watch daily social upheaval about “my” race is wreaking havoc in society, while me and the only living family I’ve ever met has been exclusively for equality. You don’t see me diving into the role of “White man” in making the world a better more equal place and imo driving the narrative of racial diversity is a ploy to punish based on race – not action which is racist and deplorable
“Adel grew up inna de yard” She’s allowed to rock any and all black hairstyles.
ReplyMore pathetic woke insanity. Here’s a compromise, if white people can’t have dreadlocks then black girls can no longer straighten their hair or wear wigs. Deal? You liberals are becoming such racists that it won’t surprise me if you people are openly calling for your enemies to be put in concentration camps in the near future. This is how it starts. Hate is hate and the reason hate spins out of control and turns to actual racist policies and genocide is when people stop viewing their own hatred as hatred and start to see it some some form of social justice. You justify hate and it’s like the frog in the pot of water, by the time it’s too late your moral compass is already broken and you can’t tell the difference anymore.
ReplyOnce again Oliver thank you and fuck you.
ReplyDidn’t realize theres such a degree of race issues when it comes to hair. that being said, dreadlocks do stink imo. and dont even call me racist cus the dude im thinking of who stank was white
ReplyAncient Greeks (such as Spartan Hoplites) and people who practice Hinduism use dreadlocks (the practice is called jaṭā). Black people didn’t “patent” it.
ReplyTheres only one whiteman in the world that can discuss this matter and not offend Black people and that’s comedian Gary Owen.
ReplyWell said, the style and identity of people must be respected and no one has to change their identity in order to appeal for job
ReplyWhy so many dislikes?
ReplyWe should not tell anyone how to wear their hair.
ReplyThough it does pay to have it shorn, when one goes into close combat, nothing else really matters.
Oh my God. I teared up for a second when the memories of being a child and holding my ears while my mom straightened my hair….wait…!!!!! How do you know my memories? We’re you the family next door that ran over to see if the screams were a murder being committed or someone getting caught cheating at Spades….!!!! What the frick man…😏😏😏
ReplyOk, so Last Week Tonight apparently is going full American now…thanks but I’m out. You guys have problems overthere…wow!
ReplyYou’ve obviously done your research, sir, and I’m loving it, thank you
ReplyAs a Mexican American, I get it tired of my American Friends, asking me culture questions. I get to the point say, its America 2021. Every Person Has a Smart Phone, USE IT! Google it. Lololz
ReplyYou wanna talk about hair? There’s a video under this one of you 6 years ago with dark hair still. Talk about contrast.
Reply“Allies” this is how u ally. 🙌🥴☺️
ReplyIs it really that hard to treat people with more melanin in there skin like people?
Like I can never understand that mind set.
Hating for such a petty reason consumes to much time and energy for literally no reward.
ReplyShout out to the writers for this episode.
ReplyWhat I have gotten upset about is people getting upset about me braiding my hair. Saying that one group of people have the monopoly on braided hair. My mom taught me to braid my hair to keep it from getting tangled just like she was taught to braid her hair and her father had his hair braided like his father before him. It’s an thing and while my grandfather had to get his first haircut in the 1960s due to harassment by an cop in front of my mom when she was small. Because even thought my grandfather was an hippie drugy because of his braided hair.
ReplyThanks for telling all “white people” to look deep inside themselves John – you’re such a unifying, brave, impartial millionaire Democrat mouthpiece.
And dreadlocks existed in Europe from Ancient Greece, Germanic Tribes and the Vikings had them… If John Oliver wants to prostitute himself to a political agenda, can’t he at least pick something real to race-bait with.
ReplyOk go off John
ReplyWhy can’t white people mind their business??
ReplyHow about not telling people what to do with their hair?
ReplyWhen John did an Eco Styler Gel joke… I knew he did his research… LOLOL
ReplyI have never understood why people get so bent out of shape over hair. C’mon, people!
ReplyJohn Oliver is a national treasure. This segment was phenomenal. The only thing I wish he had discussed further, which I realize he didn’t due to time, is the sacrifice of money, time, and pain for Black women under the current racist standard. Making Black Hair mimic White Hair is an extremely labor intensive and high maintenance process that involves dangerous chemicals and high heat that damage the hair and the scalp of the Black person enduring the process. While some stylist are better than others, you literally cannot find a Black Woman that has had their hair relaxed and has not been burn either by the chemicals or the hot straightening tools at least once, if not regularly by both. We learn to expect injury and pain as a routine part of basic hair maintenance. Because the process is so intensive and needs constant maintenance to keep the hair from reverting to it’s natural state, the salon treatments are long, expensive, and frequent. The home maintenance is also longer, more expensive, and more painful than anything White Women have ever been expected to endure. Black Women are even expected to manage their daily activities around the maintenance of their White Hair facade, avoiding outings on rainy days, avoiding or limiting swimming and other summer water activities, and so on, all to keep their hair from reverting. The net impact is Black Women are expected to invest an unreasonably larger amount of money, time, endurance, and mental energy contorting their hair to White beauty standards…this from a group that has already suffered devastating financial loss from racial inequality. Yup, let’s ask the people already struggling financially due to their race to spend twice as much time and money hiding one of the features of their race and just to add insult to injury, let’s make it hurt…then pretend that the only reason to stop is cultural expression.
I made the switch from relaxing my hair to natural protective styles 3 years ago and it has been one of the most transformative decisions. Like a frog in a slowly boiling pot, as a Black woman you never realize how much of your daily life you were dedicating to mimicking the beauty standards of a 20 year old White Girl until you stop. I think back now about how much money and time and effort I spent DAILY to keep my hair looking smooth and hide my grey hairs, how much money I wasted on different hair products, tools, dyes, and coverups chasing the flowing young White Girl hair everyone promised would make me prettier, how many vacations and summer gatherings I spent in a chair instead of in the water, how many rainy or even misty days I spent dashing from car to building trying to preserve the fiction on my head, the amount of shame and self hatred I carried because I believed I had “bad hair” that had to be hidden to be seen as attractive, the amount of teasing I had to endure even as I tortured myself to look White because the illusion wasn’t successful enough. You couldn’t pay me to go back.
ReplyLike a week ago a local young boy was given suspension from school because the braids in his hair were “too distracting” I was surprised when people weren’t outraged. We need to set a better example for our children! Hair is just Hair. 🙁
ReplyIt’s always the Nazi Party, I mean Republican Party is the problem.
ReplyI was a Mormon missionary (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) twenty years ago in western PA – we would often teach black ladies while putting in a weave as they would be home for like eight hours straight. I am a white dude from Utah where there wasn’t a single black person in my primary or secondary education, so the hair pains were eye opening.
ReplyIf government bodies has to create laws that address discrimination of black people hairstyles, then yes America is still a racist country. White Supremacy is in the fabric of American society.
ReplyHey Darryl how’s it hanging?
ReplyYes
Yes, and
Yes
Exept for the part about white people appropriating black hair. There will always be assailed who use everything to hurt you but no-one should be stopped from trying out new styles.
Never.
The rest of the video was great.
Replywhite ppl apropieting black hair style?… i really think that is bullshit… everybody should have their hair how they want… I dont care if someone is white a powder and get blackhair style… the same way i dont care when ppl wanna be transgender… is NOT my problem…. at some point that is just bullshit…
ReplyThat dude taking pics of kids though… 😬
ReplyThere is no way 2 million people watch this guy….
Reply*watching new videos feed*
Replyhey look, John Oliver has a new video! About… hair? wth, can they make hair racist too?
*opens video*
Is hair racist?
Dreadlocks are not black only, if they were, white people wouldn’t be able get their hair to do it.
ReplyHe did this really really well.
ReplyI HATE having my hair straightened even for performance or by professionals. Having to do it every day at home would be terrible 🙁
ReplyI loved this, really informational and highly entertaining.
ReplyNatural hair is beautiful. May we all work together to create a more sensible and equitable society.
ReplyWhat are the many dislikes about?? Just want to understand.
ReplyThis episode makes me realize how sheltered and ignorant I am about this world we live in. Why. Why would anyone care about what hairstyle anyone has? It’s soooo stupid. I don’t want to live on this planet anymore.
ReplyThat’s what i always say to people who are asking me easily researched questions: Fucking google it,caveman!)))
ReplyI hope one day we’ll get to the point where it’s “just hair”… And I really hope it’ll be in my lifetime 😕 Not too optimistic though tbh
ReplyNot to give state Sen. Owens of UT a pass, but he represents the most rural, least populated, most white parts of the state. It’s just pure, well-meaning ignorance. That doesn’t justify it.
Reply*triggered by the hot comb video*
ReplyGot a Damian Marley lyric for any black brother or sister: “Keep it nappy and do what makes you happy”
ReplyI went into a job at a restaurant with my hair in a straight weave, got the job. Then I came back with braids. I was told that I could no longer work there because the customers wouldn’t want to eat the food because my hair would make them think that it was unclean. After this, the manager proceeded to say “I still think your hair looks beautiful but you can’t work here”. Black people don’t care if white people think our hair looks cool. It’s clear that by cultural appropriation, white people can think our hair looks cool while we still get discriminated against for our traditional hairstyles. We care about having access to the same privileges that white people do without having to alter or hide ourselves
ReplyIm African American and this is such an unimportant subject!
ReplyThis show is becoming a SJW special. A few years ago, this show was both smart and funny. Not anymore, really.
Replybut many animals seek physical intimacy
Reply(about the not touching animals at the zoo part)
16:45 Urban and uncombed? She is so cute!
ReplyI really don’t think these people are racists tough… They are just stupid.
Just ded @ “Settlers of Catan”
ReplyI’m a latina with native american roots, and I find this video stupid and biased.
ReplyFirst the MASSIVE bombing on John repeating “Black hairstyle, black hairstyle” when talking about dreadlocks. Dreadlocks are not “black hairstyle”. Black people didn’t “invent” locks nor are they the “only ones allowed” to wear lock, when a fuckton of native americans used to wear them before, and the same amount of latinas wears them now. Latinas wear locks ALL THE TIME. The explanation as to why “locks are a black hairstyle”, which would be really useful and on point for the topic, isn’t on this video, surprise surprise.
Then every-single-one of the clips showing people’s problems with hair and jobs. Yes. Not one of those was because “I have problems with black 4c hairtype”, all of them was because of locks. Locks are not “natural hair”. Locks are smelly sometimes and there are work etiquettes to meet. But it’s on locks, and will be the same problem with a white girl with locks or a latina with locks. It’s a “dreadlock problem” not a “black culture problem”.
Hair saloons don’t have people that knows how to do 4c hairtype? I got you there, they should, fuck ’em for working with hair and not knowing how to do ALL the hairs. But that’s like, a really really minor issue compared to usual topics on LWT
I like John Oliver most of the time but why doesn’t he marry a black woman and be done with it
This video was an absolute made-up problem
I wanna learn how to style black hair ❤️
ReplyAre there no african american hair stylists in the US?
ReplyI physically cringed at that guy taking pictures of black kids in the store.
Reply“Crown Act bills have repeatedly met with Republican opposition.”
Oh wow. Say it isn’t so. I’m so shocked. Not Republican opposition. Who could have ever seen that-… I can’t even finish that comment, even being sarcastic. Republican’s oppose _literally everything._ Outside of absolutely destroying the budget Republican’s have no platform for _anything._ You present a bill or policy that doesn’t favor the already wealthy, and they oppose it.
ReplyI just like to comment upon, it’s not like black people are the only ones with black hair aren’t the majority of Asians black hair as well…. Are we just going to skip over them and worry about black people only? Also, is it racist to call a certain hair style a paintbrush. Because it looks like one.
ReplyTwenty four minutes? About hair?! Come on!
ReplyBlack hair matters
ReplyI’ve spent a lot of time in Utah, and that guy’s comments are not even remotely uncommon. They’re the kind of passive aggressive BS that has been the backbone of Mormon white supremacy for years (since the time when, ya know, it stopped being acceptable to be blatantly white supremacist)
ReplyI remember my friend using the hot comb on my hair, cause i wanted my hair like hers,, LOL omg the smell,her mom was so mad at us…
ReplyI wonder how many of the dislikes on this video are because john oliver is a white dude explaining black issues,
Replylets remember though everyone; just because its a black issue does not mean black people are obliged to explain it to you. (speaking o
oliver has done a good thing bringing this issue to his platform.
as a white dude ive never known discrimination based on my appearance but i have experienced more than a few bald bosses that have a disdain for my hair, its not the same at all. but having lost a waiting job because my bangs were in my face i can really believe its not just a minor issue for the black community esp with historical implications within slavery.
but now i wonder if the story of samson isnt somehow allegorical to this aspect of colonialism.
I’m a white people, I say, “Come On White People, people are people get with the program, this is 2021, GROW the *UCK UP!!” Thank you, John Oliver for addressing much needed thought provoking weekly shows. I got both shots, I’m for protecting those who’s body does not allow vaccines.
Replythanks John.
ReplyI have straight hair. Couldn’t be happier. I didn’t know I lucked out lol poor nappy-haired people.
ReplyPeople always say “google it” like googling doesn’t require effort. Bitch, you’re fucking issues are not so important I’m about to use my toilet time googling up some dumb shit.
ReplyWorked in a preschool and parent saw me and didn’t ask house her child’s day was. She asked if my hair was real.
Reply~rolls eyes~
The dumbest fuckstick on tv
ReplyI agree with almost everything in this video. I’m white like a lump of goat cheese but I have been rejected for multiple jobs simply because I have long hair as a man, the way I wore it didn’t even matter to them. So apparently it is a legitimate reason for a company to turn you down without including race in the mix.
ReplyIf I could give this 1000 thumbs up I would. Thanks John! It’s extremely sad that 11K gave this a thumbs down. It goes to show how far we have to go, (:(
ReplyThank you for having a DIVERSE writing room John, IT SHOWS!!! 👏 👏 👏
ReplyI actually paid the 13$ extra on Hulu for hbo because I love John Oliver so much and hated the fact that was hearing the content but not his takes on news real time.
ReplyThe minority grievance channel. That’s nice.
ReplyWhite people have too much time on their hands being concerned with how employees hair supposed to look. Wow, back in the 1950s and 60s and 70s and even some places in the 1980s male news anchors could not wear facial hair.
ReplyJohn Oliver is dope and all but he needs to be replaced with a large black women
ReplyWe are lucky. We have a salon in a nearby city who specialize in textured hair of various kinds. Quite a few Danes have kinky, bushy hair, including my bonus son, who is startlingly blond every summer. They loved when he came in and asked them if they could give him semi-permanent braids in front of his ears. They could and they did. I think they offered to do more, but he didn’t have the patience to sit there that long or the money to keep coming back. It’s kind of like getting a large tattoo, but it takes longer.
ReplyHair germs… HAIR GERMS???
Replyinteresting how you don’t touch as to why they lock those products. Because of course doesn’t help your point… how is racist when those products specifically are shoplifted much much more often than other similar products. But no is just racism.
Replyand really? being curious about black hair, and asking is bad? fuck that last condescending ass part. People can be curious without any malintent. I am a POC with curly hair, people ask me all the time how i take care of it, what do i do with it every morning, etc… BIG FUCKING DEAL. NOT EVERYTHING IS RACIST. PEOPLE can be curious. Also imagine any other person from any other race saying god damn black people… Oh the double standards. Leslie jones is a racist prick anyway.
Ugh. This really makes me appreciate my workplace. everybody is allowed to have their hair however they like – it can be colored, bleached, natural, shaved, short, long, or whatever. The only thing that comes out of everybody’s mouth is compliments, and that’s how it should be.
ReplyI’ve never once had the inkling or urge to touch someone’s hair. Good rule of thumb is to just try and not touch other people.
ReplyNot a good ending. “God damn white people” smh. Skin color is the only thing people see, and yes I’m white AF since that’s all you’ll get out of this comment.
ReplyYou know how gross it is wrestling someone with long hair? No one should be smothered by a sweaty hair mop. It’s unhygienic and rude.
ReplyHer locks are beautiful! Shame on that women!
ReplyWow… people talk about institutional racism, but only now am I beginning to realize what that means for US citizens. (I’m not from the US)
ReplyThis is just getting stupid, hair?! Really?!
ReplyMy initial response was ‘who the fuck cares about hair?’ My second response was ‘who the fuck cares about ‘black’ hair?’ My third response was ‘oh, dear.’
Reply“fucking off is always an option” is really a good motto for a lot of situations
ReplyI am not even close to America but the last part was so racist and patronizing I was disgusted by it. Is this the new america ?
ReplyI…don’t like this. This is a black person’s story to tell. I love Jon, but every word from his mouth was probably written by a black woman. Let’s see HER.
ReplyI love it when white people do their damn job by educating other white people. That shit is not on me. My job is to look amazing with my giant hair and everyone else’s job is to keep their crusty opinions about it to themselves.
ReplyYep. Don’t discriminate and hate. However “god damn white people”? If I say “god damn black people” it’s fucked up, but saying it about white people is ok? Because all white people deserve to be talked to like this? Really? Just being white puts you in a group that should be talked to like that? I’ve seen my husband being treated like shit because of the colour of his skin, my ex husband and myself because of our choice in religion or no-religion. I’ve been treated like shit simply because I’m a woman. But I have never said “god damn christians” or “god damn muslims” “god damn men”, “god damn X,Y orZ”. Stop all shit talk about peoples skin colour.
ReplyI have had long hair, as mixed black guy, since I was a toddler. My first haircut was before first grade, since then I have grown it out more times then I can remember, and at present it is big and shoulder length.
I have been asked to touch it a thousand times, asked about its qualities 10,000. I am at the point that I no longer ponder it.
But people should know that the only way a black person with hair has not had the experience is because they do not interact with white people.
Simply use this idea to question all of the minor aspects that define and mediate your experience of black people: their vernacular, their nails, their clothing, their music, their hair, etc. and then do your best to be conscious of these things, while actively checking your judgments of them.
It is fine to make an aesthetic judgment about some thing, but if the aesthetics of an entire group of people (whom are heterogeneous) bothers you, you are practicing racism, even if you only experience it as taste.
ReplyCan someone please explain exactly what happened in that news clip? I don’t get it. I have no idea what a “hair weave” is, so that whole situation and Oliver’s reaction was confusing to me. Thanks.
Replygreat job
ReplyEwwww Grossbusters!
ReplyThe ending XD “Fucking off is always an option!” and “You figured out Settlers Of Catan” I’m dying :’D
Reply2:04 Because, I don’t know, of a sibling or a spouse, a best friend or a lover? Look to your own assumptions here, John. The idea that when you know a person’s skin colour you know their life and their mind is fairly hardcore racism in itself. Even if that person looks a bit like you.
ReplyGoddamn TV people.
As a person with partially shaved head..people will randomly fucking touch shit… They nasty. I can only imagine how much worse it is when your hair is distinctly different and they just “HAVE TO KNOW” no..no you do not…
ReplyThis may be the very first time in the world’s history, a white man just gave knowledge of a black experience for white people to learn from and there wasn’t one ounce of cringe in this entire segment. Bravo, Jon Oilver, Bra-fuckin’-vo!
ReplyDid anyone else back in elementary to about high school have people randomly start petting your hair and the statement, “Oh wow it feels like wool?”
Reply2 Days and already, the Raggedy Anne Learning Ctr. in Elmurst, Ill. has changed their phn#… I’m sure that Jesus loved the Coconut Oil.. but from the 666 in their phn#, I hear that Betelgeuse threatened to shut them down.
ReplyI have so much trauma attached to being forced to go to the same salon as my white mother growing up. To this day, you could rip my hair from my scalp and I would barely feel it because my scalp is so desensitized. No one ever even took the time to figure out how to brush it correctly, much less style it in an ‘acceptable manner.’ My favorite part about this segment: its not just hair. It really, really isn’t. If you don’t have experience with the issue, you’re welcome to shut up.
ReplyI think that part of what contributes to this is the fact that it’s an employer’s business at all what your hair style is. I know that this is different, but as a guy who had somewhat longhair and has usually had a thick beard because the just grow so fast, my old employers would always make big deals about it.
ReplyI am very uncomfortable with this segment. Even with the disclaimers. I just don’t think white people should be discussing Black hair. And notice how the focus is on Black women, while saying it’s about Black “people”. You should’ve shown black males who wear durags to bring out a wavy texture. Weird.
Replylet’s liberalize HAIR color and MAKE IT racist jeez Unsubscribed Fall lowest oliver
ReplyI rarely meet a kink I don’t like.
Let black people showcase their natural beauty. Just because black hair is different than white hair doesn’t mean that there’s something wrong with it. Natural hair is gorgeous, imo
ReplyTruth!
ReplyIf you’re mad that “black people are policing white people WHEN VIKINGS HAD BRAIDS”
Then you really don’t know what you’re mad about.
Dutch braids? That’s a Viking type of braid.
Box braids? That’s a protective hairstyle!! The reason it’s not used in white people is because IT WILL KILL YOUR HAIR.
Your hair is literally too thin for that style! This is where understanding of basic information such as, different hair textures not just being a visual thing but ITS BECAUSE OF YOUR PORES! They’re shaped differently!! It’s not safe for white hair to do it because your pores aren’t built for that type of stuff!
It’s like saying it’s racist that a white woman is able to straighten their hair with one comb through! It’s not racist that it works better for their type!!
If you think white people not being allowed or being told that they shouldn’t do that is a BAD thing, then you really don’t realize what type of damage you’re doing to yourself by allowing it!
This is one hairstyle compared to ALMOST ALL black hairstyles being seen as “unprofessional” or “dirty”
I would hope that a discussion is started in the replies; I want to talk to people who truly think it’s racist for this to happen.
ReplyAhhhhh….John you’re so awesome. I would agree with everything you said BUT there is one hair fashion that should NEVER come back. That was back in 1980’S when (white and mostly) guys started wearing 1-3 foot high spike Mohawks. They were made solid with some kind of hair product to stand up but the worst part was they could put somebody’s eye out.
ReplyUtah Rep Derrin Owens – fucking cringe. And he totally takes pictures of children. NSA/FBI check his phone.
ReplyThank you John Oliver for a excellent piece on awareness for black hair.
Reply4000 people dying of Covid every day in India and you choose this topic as a more pressing one? Disappointed.
ReplyThe unwanted hair touching has got to stop. Not a POC, but a longhair and as such people also feel a need to touch my hair or yank it (stop it!) so I can sympathize. I’ve had colleagues doing it on the regular so fully agree with the this sentiment; just stop it. Let hair be hair.
ReplyFantastic episode! 💕
Reply15:44 So the solution to judges being racist is to prevent all white people from trying black hair styles? hmm…
Reply“Good hair” is a great film by Chris Rock,
ReplyI have one tging to say. Flash backs for days!
Replythe myceneians invented cornrolls i saw it in a museum
Replyits only a coincidence greek and albanian males are from haplogroup E theyve been in europe since right after the ice age
Cultural appropriation is an example of when liberal idea become so woke they start to align with those of actual racists.
ReplyI grew up as a blonde white kid on the Bermuda Islands and people wanted to touch my hair all the time. One time an elderly black lady told my mum that because of my cowlick I would sink and not float – turns out she was right, I fell in the pool once while riding my bike and according to my dad I was just standing on the bottom looking up until he jumped in to get me.
ReplyHair is not black or white
ReplyAs a foreign English speaker from a country with extremely low number of black people, I was confused for the longest time, because by “black hair” I understood the color of the hair, not the people. And I was like – “what is he talking about? White people have black hair too. And why would the color of the hair be problematic?”
ReplyIs that how you say it, “black hair”? Never heard that before in this meaning. I learn something new every day 🙂
Dreadlocks, cornrows have existed in other cultures regions outside of Africa. I don’t think it’s cultural appropriation was the issue in thoses court cases but rather clear STRUCTURAL RACISME where racists find stupid arguments to avoid calling it racisme.
ReplyI remember being told in a job interview that they didn’t like my hair (long, straight) and would have to cut it. I’m a software engineer, I wouldn’t need to meet customers or anything. So if that’s already how conservative they were with just long hair, I can hardly imagine how hard it must be to look for a job with AA hairstyle
ReplyEvery time Oliver speaks about minorities, he smirks and takes his “dog” for a walk
Replywhite german girl here. This segment made me realise that I’ve NEVER seen products that cater specifically to black hair at all. Ever. In no drug store or even higher end hair salons. WTF. Where do people here get their products from???
ReplyOk my mom owns a salon and she will tell someone she doesn’t specialize in black hair because she doesn’t want to damage and ruin their hair. She’s actually doing the client a favor by not damaging her hair!
ReplySo much a sign for me. I had an argument three days ago with my friend who didn’t believe me when I said black people can be discriminated for job because of hair, especially because we work at tech industry and according to her, only technical skills count.
ReplyThe right coworker will snap your fingers off too.
ReplyWhat’s wrong with the people in North America!!! 25 minutes just to tell them mind our own shit
Reply18:41 I almost had to put my phone down this made me cringe so hard I wanted to vomit
ReplyFACTS This is why I love his show
ReplyNatural hair curly straight wavy afro twists braids dreads weaves extensions wigs when did we become a dress code for education and work ?
Mom and Pop / shopping centers Hair salons need to hire people that knows how to do real hair . Is a little info that could help hire Dominican or Latino and Black hair stylist . Your business will be booming with clients wanting to get their hair done.
Also to the people that are interested in touching hair ask first and you’ll get an answer, thank you!
Replywow, talk about first world problems – complaining about lack of hair stylists familiar with hair texture of ethnic minorities 🙄. I haven’t been in a hair salon for over 10 years now because I don’t like the idea of other people messing with my hair and me paying for it. you are talking about “natural” hair but if they can’t even care for it by themselves then how can it be called “natural”? the existence of hair salons itself is unnatural
ReplyHang on, strong smells in the workplace are against the rules in almost all situations. That’s not necessarily a hair thing. You can get sent home for wearing perfume/cologne, or having BO, or be told to get rid of strong smelling foods, etc..
ReplyGreat work John Oliver
ReplyBlack people hair products are locked up cuz there is a lot of theft for those products. Libtards make it always about somethin racist
ReplyBlack hair, it took me a second to understood that it’s not a black hair as color, but as black people and their hair.
ReplyPeople really need to learn to respect personal space. Black people getting petted, pregnant women getting their bellies touched by strangers, those weird guys standing so close you can’t move without touching them, those people who intentionally block the exit or your path, those people who keep stepping closer to you, even as you back away, during a conversation… And they always have bad breath.
ReplyThis is important, John?
Dios mío…🙄
ReplyMan, people in the west have so much free time on their hands to worry about hair, skin color and all that jargon. That tells you how they’ve always had life very easy. Leave people alone and let them do whatever they want with their hair.
ReplyA reminder that American culture is so diverse and complex that not all Americans know what America’s about. This is why I love John Oliver… he explores American culture much more deeply than native-born Americans.
ReplyAs a Russian, this is the weirdest episode of LWT so far. I find it hard to believe this level of idiocy in XXI century. Who the fuck even cares? Also, why bald white guy has to know about black hairstyles at all? It’s OK not to give a shit. I don’t freak out if somebody has no clue how my beard style is called (I’m not even sure myself).
ReplyTo the outsider, all this is very strange
Freaking crazy how society can make us look at something beautiful or attractive and make us believe that it’s ugly or unacceptable just by telling us that it’s so. I see the start of a trajectory away from that though. Maybe in 200 years it will no longer be the case.
ReplyAbout to watch this, curious how this show will create a sense of anxiety and existential dread over the topic of “hair”.
ReplyTrevor makes the argument that Israel has more firepower than Hamas. Given its power, it is quite a statement about the character of Israel to choose, over an over, to endure thousands of rocket strikes on its civilians rather than use its power to eradicate Hamas’ ability to fire. No other people on the planet would show such restraint against an enemy intent on its destruction. If Hamas has a missile pointed at a school in Israel, Trevor believes that because it has more power, it should not try to eliminate the threat. Maybe this approach will even the body count on each side, but the approach is at best simple minded. At worst, take a look at Trevor’s history of interactions and with the Jewish people.
ReplyI don’t like being lectured about hair acceptance by a guy with the most boring white middle-aged man hairstyle imaginable who also multiple times made jokes about people having bangs
ReplyThe outro music should have been Solange ‘Don’t touch my hair.’
ReplyThis whole video is a word from heaven! 👍🏾👍🏾
ReplyIt would be nice if in general employers weren’t allowed to control so many aspects of their employees’ lives, like their hair, just because they are employed somewhere. These things don’t affect work negatively.
ReplyAs a hairstylist of over a decade, you cannot tell me that hair is not an integral part of most people’s identity. Don’t get somebody’s haircut or color perfect, which is not even connected to their heritage, just something they saw on a magazine that they liked, and they will freak the hell out.
ReplyOkay I’ve never watched John Oliver but I am def a fan now. KUDOS to you John and Thank you for getting it so right!
ReplyAren’t there riots in Israel? Not diminishing this, but that seems far more important ATM.
Replykeep going John! A great episode!
ReplyI think this episode was good overall. I completely agree with the idea that black hair is beautiful and isn’t unkempt or dirty. However I disagree with his stance on hair stylists. There are plenty of black hair stylists who can’t do white people hair, and vise versa. I don’t think that is a bad thing or anything.
I also don’t think cultural appropriation of hair is a thing at all. Black women don’t culturally appropriate white hair when they straighten it. Ancient Greeks had cornrows and dreads. If people are inspired by a hair style, let them wear it. Isn’t that the whole point of the episode? Dont judge someone’s hair? Except if it’s white people apperently?
The last segment was also pretty fucking rude. How many times have white people been told to stop being so ignorant? Then when they ask a question, they’re told to fuck off and google it? Ok. Sure. Fuck me for asking a question.
I liked the part about not judging someone on their hair and recognizing the hard work it takes to get hair like that. But a lot of this video was just ragging on white people for not knowing about black hair, then at the end telling people with questions to fuck off. Very cool.
ReplyI do with my hair ad i please. L8ng, short, sidecut, dreads, bald, i had it all and will do so in the future. If someone is offended, its theyre rigth to be so as it is my rigth to do with my hair as i please.
ReplyOliver’s disingenuous takes and proof there of have gotten much worse.
ReplyJohn, i have a post-it on my fridge that says “this is not normal”. Can I take it down now? When can I?
ReplyLove Jon Oliver.. learn a ton of new stuff and I’m glad to see he always sticks up for the “little guy.”
ReplyBut I will say the white woman that did not want to speak to the black woman reporter it didn’t speak to her because she was a reporter not because she was black. Come on John.
Love that we get a show on hair now that there isn’t a presidential scandal to cover every week.
ReplyA very informative and also hilarious segment. So well done, thank you! (and that from a white guy)
ReplyAs someone that loves to watch movies and has a mother that is a hairdresser and grew up with curly hair a mixture 2a to 4a. I was acutely aware of how curly hair was demonized, where straight hair is the most beautiful, and most products are designed to give you that perfect silky straight saloon blowout. I also knew that African American hair was really demonized but living in a mostly Hispanic town I never meet some an African American woman till I moved for college. Hearing some of the horror stories she told was heart breaking but seeing this is just wow.
Reply20 years ago, as a new African immigrant freshman college student in Columbus, OH, who had only been in the country for 4 months, I decided it was time to cut my hair after some 5 or so months of growth. I had seen a barbershop at the then downtown mall many times when I was there for lunch and other things. So, when that need arose, that place is the only one that came to mind. I went there to set an appointment with any available barber. I briefly engaged the receptionist in my inquiry of their services. She gave me a look like she had seen a ghost or something and then she quickly (and clumsily) vacated her post and went away to call the manager. I didn’t really get the racial nuances of America at that time but while she was awkwardly gone from her post, I surveyed the room and did notice that I was the only black person in the establishment at that time. Shortly thereafter, the manager came with 2 other men, (co-workers) I presume. They mumbled and fuddled all kinds of words which all ultimately summed up to them saying they had no services for my kind of hair. I was shocked. I dropped my jaw and just when I was about to state how simple a haircut I wanted (just wanted it all off… no fade, no styles, no complexities, just all off), a security personnel emerged from behind them and asked me to leave. I left that place wounded and stripped of simple dignity. I felt like I had been treated like a leper with an unbearable stench, an eye-sore of leprosy of some kind. I could not understand why, I could not understand why the mood changed from when I walked into that establishment. I had no ability to get it even if I wanted to. Nothing in my short 20-year-old life had prepared me for that and I had lived in some dying remnants of an apartheid system in other countries. I did not get it at all, and that was my quick slap in the face that I had arrived in America. As a 40-year-old father of two African American children, I do my best to prepare them for a reality that I only relate to through my retrospective lens. It is not pretty, but I will leave it at that since we are only talking about hair.
ReplyBest comment by Oliver…. “it’s almost like the haircut doesn’t Fing matter!!!”
ReplyThis is a very sensitive topic for me as well, even as a white person. I went to an all white christian school (transferred to public after 9th grade), so you can easily guess the type of people I was around. Anyways, there was a rule that all boys (this rule did not apply to girls, relevant later) had to be clean shaven and have very short hair. I was constantly getting harassed and made fun of because I could grow a beard at age 14. I got sent to the principals office on many occasions being told I had to shave and get a hair cut or I would get expelled. One of my friends also had the same opinions as me, but he was allowed to have long hair and a beard, why? because he’s trans, and this rule doesn’t apply to “girls.” Yeah, the school is transphobic, who would have guessed? But yeah, people suck and they need to stop caring what anyone does with their hair. Also, I get really annoyed with people wanting to touch my beard. It’s like they’ve never seen one before, but it’s much less of a problem after I graduated high school.
Replyok but, the Irish and Vikings and I’m sure many others, wore their hair in dread locks and braids… so why is it thatt white people are “appropriating” those hair styles and not just showing off our culture? BOOM ROASTED lol
ReplyHe had to have a black writer in the room because those hair and edges jokes were on point
ReplyCraig Robinson killed me at the end there: “don’t tell me you can’t figure it out on your own, you figured out Settlers of Catan” *LMAO*
ReplyYes! You did your research 😊😊
Reply5:14 That’s a pretty dang good Stewie from Family Guy impression….
ReplyCraig brought Settlers of Catan into this!!!! OMG LMAO!!!
ReplyTHANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS!!! BEEN SAYING ALL THIS SHIT FOR YEARS!!
Reply7:49 I went to Penn State and YIKES our alumni are cringy af
ReplyBest hair Video EVER!!! 😂😂
ReplyI have a feeling, I have a feeling this will be a Last Week Tonight classic.
ReplyAs a Latina with naturally curly hair who also wears it short and does not straighten… I partially identify with this too, though my experience has not been nearly this bad and this infuriates me!
ReplyWhite people need to be segregated in their own countries so they can’t oppress anybody.
ReplyI’m white and all I’d like to say is I live in north east pa where it’s a heavily mixed demographic and here race never seems to be an issue so I just assumed the rest of the country was the same way but obviously it’s not and white people elsewhere can really take a lesson from pa cause here everyone gets along perfectly fine cause we all respect each other and you can possibly expect people to respect you when your not respecting them
ReplyMan what a minefield of a topic. This is like talking about you best friends girlfriends cooking at dinner just don’t lol
ReplyThis episode needs to be standard Intro to Afro Roots for all races, not just white folks… ain’t no black people fussing about your Asian/Latin/Arab straight/wavy hair, but y’all be extra nosy about if I wash my hair. My new answer will be the link to this video.
ReplyGracias!
ReplyThank you Youtube 🙌🏽 this recommendation was on point 👏🏽
ReplyI love that sentence it’s almost like the hairdo doesn’t f****** matter.
ReplyENWORD NOTZ
ReplyIt’s a coincidence that I’m seeing this now lol just yesterday my cousin pointed out that I only think my hair looks nice when its straightened..my natural hair is so hard to deal with but I have to get rid of this mindset
ReplyOliver, you brought me back, you said, holding your ears” when getting hair hot combed. Oliver either you have black female friends or a black girlfriend. Because you said that with conviction.♥️👍
ReplyThat lawsuit about “coping white movie celebrity hairstyle,” is one of the most plausible reasons I’ve heard against black hair cultural appropriation. I’m usually on the fence since black peoples, we wear Brazilian, Indian, Chinese, everybody’s hair
ReplyMOVING ON FROM WHAT?!?!
ReplyGreat job J.O.👍🏾😊👏🏾👏🏾 I love my black hair and I would never want WP hair texture. I can choice a lot of different hairstyles and always feel very comfortable och beautiful wowan. I i realy live My son’s lovely natural curls. Yes definitely, WP don’t give yourself the freedom to toutch mine or my childs hair.. don’t do it, just don’t!🤨😝🤢
ReplyGive your writers a raise! Omg the part about having snacks while getting your hair done…. Yessssss
ReplyThere is a fine line between your personal hairstyle and being a hygienic problem or a problem for a specific work environment. Both are reasonable so long as the person is made aware of those rules.
ReplyJohn Oliver you are a treasure, and the wrap to this episode was amazing!
ReplyJohn PLEASE stand up for Palestine
ReplyYo who is giving John all the secrets to black people hair cause he really crossing his Ts nd dotting his Is😭
ReplyGreat topic 👍
ReplyTo tell the truth I don’t think Blaine’s been much on the know about white people hair either
ReplyI GREW UP IN BALTIMORE, WHIE BOY. I HAD KNOW IDEA WHAT MY BLACK FRIENDS WENT THROUGH UNTIL MY ROOMATE TOLD ME SHE SPENT AT ALEAST 500MONTH ON HAIR. CRAZY. WHITE PEOPLE LISTEN AND LEARN.
ReplyEveryone gets their hair cut in wrestling…
ReplyAs you can see from my profile pic… I certainly appreciate this dialog. I wear my natural hair as an independent contractor. However, I have had an instance where a colleague, per se, asked to touch my hair & before I could respond had the urge to touch my hair unexpectedly and out of the blue and came back with the response of, “it’s so soft” w/a surprised delight as if she thought it would feel like a brillo pad. She quickly felt offended as I swiftly put her in her place by letting her know that I am no barnyard animal to be petted for your amusement. Some of you white folks and others need to do your research to see how we were treated as fu**ing animals before if you use your entitlement to invade the space of black women and black men. That is all.
ReplyI remember a comment from my Spanish teacher – when she first started working, she used an epic amount of strong hold gel to keep everything in a smooth bun. As she got used to working there and feeling out the workplace, she would slowly lessen the amount of strong hold gel used over time. It’s taught to have straight, neat locks to be professional or taken seriously.
ReplyTo add on about hair products – there were times my mom would buy a hair pomade that went well with my hair and over time it either was completely discontinued or the recipe changed. Start all over trying other brands for a bit but then finally caved in to perming it.
God Hair is a pretty great movie that provides a great deal of insight on this too.
Last note: Ladies, am I not looking hard enough or have the good metal hair claws become a lot harder to find in stores?
The argument that hair is modifiable and therefore not included in the protections for race should be thrown out. Aren’t there religious protections for modifiable things like mandatory accessories and hair?
ReplySeems like a Very Last Week Tonight topic. Taking something normally just out of sight and giving it 20-30 minutes.
Replyi don’t understand how people could care about other people’s hair
ReplyI’ve experienced some to this, from sitting in the kitchen while my hair is straightened with a hot comb. I’ve worn my 3b hair naturally for 5 years now and support black hair brands via an online black-owned hair store, 4th Avenue Market. Thank you for highlighting this issue that affects so many.
ReplyAs a white guy with curley hair, the only way it ever looks good is if I just let it be curley and not try to brush or straighten it.
ReplyThank you John Oliver. Good job 👌🏾
ReplyMan, society has come a long way, but clearly, society still has a long way to go.
Replyreally? Hair?! really?! I mean he is right. But thats the topic. Really?
ReplyIn the 1960s and 70s , when Black people didn’t care if their natural hair texture made White people nervous , Black people would wear a natural hairstyle with pride. The idea of wearing a weave or extension to imitate other races , or dyeing your hair pink or purple would have gotten you laughed out of the room .
ReplyIt’s Doug Judy!!
ReplyThere was definitely a black person in the room writing this
ReplyAnd in Africa it’s worse … during school we have to cut off our hair and when it reach getting a job your hairstyles does matter alot.
ReplyAt the end of this video Leslie – the not funny comedienne – Jones makes a racist comment and pretends it’s supposed to be a joke. Clearly, though she has a beef with “white people.” Now if I were to comment here about Ms. Jones by saying “Goddamn black people” (even as a joke) I would be called a racist. AND RIGHTFULLY SO! Because anyone who says something like that must be comfortable with it on some level within themselves in order to say it. So why isn’t this unfunny woman who helped to ruin the Ghostbusters franchise able to say such a thing? why is there a double standard here? Why isn’t what Ms. Jones said at the end of this video about so called ‘white people” being called out for the hateful, racist remark that it truly is? Why do we continue to promote fighting amongst one another when we are all clearly one human family and one human race? I’m sick and tired watching idiots treating this issue lightly, and I’m disgusted with this double standard! WE, AS HUMAN BEINGS either love everyone or we love no one at all! Most of us, I’m very sad to say, love absolutely no one! Not even ourselves! And some of us make me ashamed to be associated with you as a fellow human being. Racism works both ways. There is no such thing as reverse racism. The hate for so called “white people” in this video needs to be called out. Why is black people’s hair an issue on this show anyway? What about the issue of us not loving one another as the brothers and sisters of this world that we actually are? God is our heavenly Father and Mother Earth is our Earthly Mother. WHY DON”T YOU DO A SHOW ABOUT THAT? Invite me on if you like! I’ve got a lot to say to people. I love them all but a lot of these people are full grown toddlers and children of al ages. Read “Transforming Your Dragons” by Jose Stevens to better understand where I’m coming from about this and Gary Zukav’s book “The Seat of the Soul” is another good one. Time to grow up, folks. Time to wake up, folks. we cannot afford to be fighting among ourselves any longer. It’s like Martin Luther King Jr. said, “We must learn to live together as brothers or we will surely die together as fools.” WAKE UP! Love is the answer… the social problem matters not! Love one another! Work together to heal our planet NOW!!! Before we no longer have a planet capable of sustaining life for us! LISTEN UP! TAKE ACTION!! Invite me on your show! I’ve got a lot to say to you and to the world, Mr. John Oliver. One of the first things I”d like to do is congratulate you for doing such a wonderful job in bringing so many truly important issues to the surface to be noticed. and secondly, we need start doing something about every one of these very important issues now. And let black people take care of their own hair however they choose. God bless you and us all, for we are all one.
Replydamn,
Reply“I gotta talk to these white people. Look, white people…”
“Goddamn white people.”
Does no one see the irony here? Looks like Leslie Jones’ way to approach racist issues is to use over-generalizing, condescending, racist statements to others outside her race.
Money is an issue that everyone has for a better and luxurious life, life was hard for me until I started trading bitcoin and am now earning $20,000 per week.
ReplyWtf is a cornroll?? Lmfao
ReplyWhew I’m sure blacks are tired of racism
ReplyWow I’m white and I had no idea about any of this stuff thank you for educating me
ReplyBlack people dont like their hair either. Why else would they get white people hair? You dont see white people getting afros glued to their heads.
Reply“Monday is my wash day.” 🤣🤣
ReplyI have seen you criticizing Modi, Arab dictators, Trump, and the Turkmenistan President which I think was brave of you. How about making a separate video about Israel now and test the levels of your bravery?
ReplyWow the US is messed up
ReplyDear ‘civilized’ society: We’re not going to be professional as long as you associate professionalism with elitism-fueled racism.
ReplyGoogle it! Lol.
Replyi had no idea that this was an issue, this was actually eye opening. Last bit was on point (Y)
ReplyThis topic is so much deeper than I thought it would be
ReplyAm still amazed by how the USA is still called the land of the “Free” . It is ridiculous what they want to regulate , and have rules for, just stop , stop with ignorance, white privilege, racism its a disgusting habbit . If white people would have been treated like melanated humans where and are, they would not have been able to take it.
ReplyHow fucking horrible are we as a species that the tiniest specks of prejudice still remain… Just look at the number.of dislikes…
ReplyI always liked curly hair women. Now i know, why…. because straight hair is white people’s paradigm of personality control. An Indian soul in me knew. 😂🤣
Replydid he say ZOO?????
ReplyWhat is this BS ?, it’s like not having a single better topic to discuss so let’s talk about how people about their hair.. smfh, in fact this just proved me I got to the lowest point of the day so enough internet for today
ReplyI was one of few black children in my grade school classes and I remember people touching my hair, touching my braids, talking about how the texture is weird, calling me dirty. Even now I struggle with whether to flat iron my hair or not. Thanks for the episode John it’s really well done 👍🏾!
ReplyUnbelievable how it’s always look how hard life is for me because I’m black.
ReplyAs soon as I heard “Penn State”, I let out an Ed McMahon, “HeyOOOO!!!”, got my popcorn and put my feet up!
ReplyFavourite part is from 22:37 (insert emoji crying from laughter) 😀
ReplyI really like this guy. 👍
ReplyFascinating segment. Thank you for sharing.
Replywow john really? your presenting the manager getting fired as a good thing in that case? he didn’t have an issue with the locks he was just forced to broach the matter with the girl as the DISTRICT manager was the the one with the issue.
ReplyIt truly is sad to learn more about all of the efforts made by white people to suppress, marginalize and disenfranchise others over time, then and now.
ReplyI’m sorry but I need to ask.
What are black hair products? Products that are suitable for hair styles usually done by black people? Like products for dyed hair?
Overall, though I fully agree with the non discriminating message, I think that in a typical fashion the discussion is sidetracked from the essence and somehow pinned to racism. Isn’t freedom of choice in appearance the main issue here? Black or not, Greek or not, if I choose to have a hairstyle why does it matter? Yes you can have an opinion and find it ugly etc but like any choice, why does it matter work as long it is respectful. I don’t like braided hair but anyone is free to have it and didn’t make you smarter or less clean or any other topic. It’s just that like it is your choice to like it or is my choice not to like it, LIKE EVERY OTHER SUBJECTIVE choice.
ReplyI have never understood the “Trouble” with “Cultural appropriation” that exists in the west – especially the USA.
If people from other places take up some pieces of Indian culture or even put on a Saree or Pagdi, we are mostly delighted by the interest they took in our culture and traditions.
Also, I am no expert on such history but apparently the black community originally got their dreadlocks from Indian culture. Dreadlocks have been a part of Hindu Sages appearance since ages.
ReplyAlso, a lot of other people like Egyptians and Vikings are known to have decorated their heads with dreadlocks on occasions.
Talk about Palestine. You’re clearly avoiding it. I always thought you had the courage to cover the truth but you have deliberity been ignoring this.
ReplyMy sister is white, and knows how to work with black hair. She constantly gets “cultural appropriation” constantly thrown at her. Make up your mind on what you fucking want.
ReplyI have wandered this world with unkempt long hair going all over the place and never once was it made into a problem. Such a wierd thing to me that so many black people have such a vastly different experience even with something like this. Racism is wierd as F
ReplyJO, can you do a video on Palestine Israel issue?
ReplyHair is racist …really c’mon
ReplyPreach John preach, I don’t understand how and why this is still a issue.
Black people don’t walk up to white people touching their hair, we are not offended by white hair styles but yet we are judged from head to toe and skin tone.
Walk a day in our shoes….
ReplyI have slightly wave with a little bit of curl in it. I’m in Germany, I can only imagine what others with actual tight curls are going through.
It’s not just an American problem, its a white problem. I am white, but every day I hate white people more and more.
ReplyLeslie Jones, who is a comedian, has a wild-ass unkempt hairstyle which is PERFECT for her job as a brash entertainer. Would it be appropriate if she was a stock broker, or worked at a funeral home? Probably not. And it wouldn’t have anything to do with her race if someone said, “Leslie, that hair has got to go.”
I’m a white guy who once worked for a long time at an upscale floral and wedding shop. One year I decided to grow it out long. Once it reached a certain length, my boss wouldn’t tolerate it any more. It was an image issue. He asked me to cut it. He thought it made me look unprofessional, and in his words, “a granola hippy.” I cut it. I could have quit, too. What I didn’t do is sue my boss believing this request was an affront to my rights. Essentially a crown law robs an employer of his ability to decide the image he wants to project to the public. The reality is, is that most hairstyles by ANYONE are accepted in places of business; there aren’t millions of unemployed black people because of their hair. They’re working just like everyone else. But a crown law then makes it impossible to demand a change in any black person’s hair if they come in looking like Bozo the Clown. The law would have you believe there would never be a circumstance where an African American could show up to work one day with an inappropriate hairstyle. How can you prove it’s inappropriate? You can’t. Because it’s protected.
As a white example, at another job, there was a middle aged woman who would dye her hair, but then always let her gray roots grow out way past the time anyone would ever say, “Oh, I need to tough up.” You’d literally be looking at someone who had half grey/half artificial dark brown hair with this harsh line. After this happened multiple times, she was taken aside and told that she either had to better upkeep her dye, or just let her hair go completely gray.
Obviously there are black equivalents to this. Now in those states those employers can’t do anything about any kind of situation like this, because they’ve created this artificial (and unnecessary) protection.
ReplyGod I love Leslie Jones!
ReplyWho the hell greenlit the name “Raggedy Anne Learning Center”
ReplyAnd it’s still white people in the comment section talking about “ well I have curly hair” No one is talking about curly hair we are talking about black hair styles and culture. And u have never been discriminated for it. Now the same things we were discriminated against for having, everyone else wants to hop on board and act like it’s cool. They all want our rhythm but can’t understand the blues.
ReplyI am white with curly hair, my step-sister is mixed. When she went home from visiting us she would get spanked if she had one curl. Everyone has only praised my curls. This is so messed up.
ReplyThat last part was really unnessessary. Yeah, sorry for being interested in your culture and wanting to learn from you, I´ll just go and f***ing google it. This additude is not helping to make people understand each other! We should be able to speak and learn from one another and not give us crap like that. If you don´t want to help people understand you better and learn about your culture find, but don´t be pissed if they get their information wrong. But mabe this is a US thing, never heared any black person in Europe say that to anyone.
ReplyI give props to the salons that admittedly said none of their stylist have experience with afro textured hair. I called my local Great Clips and received a snotty reply that all their stylists have experience with all hair types. They proceeded to ignore my instructions and the person trimmin my hair butchered it. I had to cut my hair shorter and nearly start over.
ReplyBadass Leslie Jones!
ReplyJohn. Oliver.
ReplyYes! This is great, leave people’s hairstyles alone! Stoopid
ReplyThe bigger question is what is 4C type?
ReplyWell, when your paying $500 for a meal or hotel room. Maybe you don’t want garbage hair with attitude serving you. Especially when it’s distracting. Also do black people know everything about white people’s hair? This is just racist garbage to make us angry at each other
ReplyThis should have nothing to do with race. The law should read you can’t discriminate based on hairstyle. That’s it plain and simple.
ReplyI’m 27 and I remember my granny using a hot comb on me. Hot comb burn is a pain unlike any other. I’m natural now but that was so nostalgic
ReplyIt’s definitely racism when hair dressers don’t have a skill set to take care of a certain type of hair. I also think it’s racist when Sam’s cannot give me a head shave as my middle eastern genetics allows me to grow hair like a cactus.
ReplyAli Barthwell….. thank you for writing this episode
ReplyBe who you are ….
ReplyAnd how you want to be seen ..
And way to tackle a touchy subject
I can’t believe the standards of beauty are based on 80% of the population….
ReplyUSA when are you going to catch up…. ? Every excuse to as if not discriminating, every silly argument, all racism… Grow up. Please. All this white downplaying of all these day to day habitual racist acts, it just only highlights their desire to not give in.
ReplySpeaking of appropriation, what do condescending woke white schoolgirls think of a 50 year old* grown white man, John Oliver, appropriating their persona?
And, what do African-American women, who straighten their hair, think of a patronizing white man’s (John Oliver’s) inference that they’re victims of “white people”‘s norms and not because they’re individuals who can think for themselves and just happen to like the look?
*44, really? Being perpetually splenetic must take a toll.
ReplyLook I totally agree that discriminating people based on hairstyle is stupid, but at least be consistent.
ReplyWtf are you arguing? Hairstyle-apartheid?!
Idgaf that your grand-grand-grandmother used that hair. Hairstyles are for everyone. You don’t get to claim hairstyle copyright simply because of your ancestry.
so sad that humans need to justify…hair….looks…et al
Replyhow shallow or simple are we?
Wow… Judge ruled that the black woman in corn rows was imitating Bo Derek… just… wow….
ReplyWhy criticize white people for doing black hair styles(Bo Derrick), but you do not criticize black people for doing “white” hair styles? To me this whole segment comes off as “You’re only allowed to use hair styles approved for your race, no one gets freedom of choice”.
ReplyAmen.
ReplyI’m impressed with John Oliver’s black hair knowledge.
ReplyI grew up with long blonde hair and people in class wanted to play with it ALL of the time …. or touch it or feel it and put their hands in it. It was gross and they would just do it without asking. I had no idea where their hands had been… Even when I was in my late 20s, my hair was long and I had a grown adult man put his hands on my hair and play with it on a whim.
It’s gross.
ReplyNot a good episode
ReplyGreeks wore dreads in antiquity, despite being white.
Reply“you figured out settlers if Catan” haha
ReplyHello John!
These things you report are really bad.
But believe me, this reactions are not reserved for curly hair. Just let your hair grow, say a beard of minimum 5″ and scalp hair longer than 12″. Use no more hairdresser. You soon will see, how strange so called civilzed people can get. Just because you wear your hair naturally.
Just try…
Kind regards
ReplyThat end, ha ha!!
Reply“Two loving sister with different traits, one with curly hair, one with straight.” My mother use to perm my sister’s straight hair and kept my kinky wavy hair short. That was in the 50′ and 60s. To my black sisters and brothers we ‘whities’ had to go through the hair shit too. We as a Nation have come a long way accepting our differences, but we still have a way to go, we’ll get there. Be well, wear your masks, wash your hands and keep your distances, this too shall pass.
ReplyThat shit at the end was condescending asf but aside from that I learned some new things.
ReplyWoah woah woah!!! Doggo kisses are equal opportunity man! Puppers don’t discriminate!
ReplyYoure not the ideal guy to talk about racism but you still do
ReplyYou know your in trouble when you have to f****** Bing something!
ReplyWhen I went to cosmetology school in 1988 we learned to work with black hair as well as white hair.
ReplyWhat’s on one’s head has nothing to do with jobs! Move on!
Reply18:25 “… you people are beautiful” … nope i know where this is going… and I can’t bear to watch because my teeth will shatter in the strongest cringe! please someone tell me how this video ends !
ReplyThis is everything. The amount of discrimination against black hair is just upsetting as well as cultural appropriation. My mom had wear her hair straight for years bc of this. Especially being in the South we are taught from a young as to “blend in” just to get ahead. Imagine having to straighten your hair just to get a good job? My hair is not a dress code. It’s who I am. I’m so glad I went natural 6 years ago. I love my natural hair. And im so over being told how to wear my hair that comes out of my head. My hair is my crown.
ReplyThe amount of thumbs down on this particular video about this particular subject is VERY VERY telling as to who did that. Ummm Humm….
ReplyYas Queen! 7:41
ReplyWELL DONE, John Oliver! 👏👏👏😄😄😄
ReplyUh oh
Replyso if you don’t have straight hair you’re not white?
thanks for letting us know.
btw you do know there are more than white (european) and black (african) people in america, or?
Replyomg now hair cuts are racist what isn’t racist asshole i have think curry hair and you assuming its black hair is racist
ReplyGosh darn, the US are a weird place…
ReplyWow. Just, wow. I’ve never thought of this issue before. I’ve always considered myself anti racist, especially relative to attitudes I was raised around, but this piece has me wondering what other aspects of the discrimination built into American culture I’ve simply never given any thought. In a way, waking up to this kind of day-to-day, shadow discrimination is more important than realizing “black lives matter,” just because, duh – disproportionate police violence should be a no-brainer. Thanks John Oliver and LWT for learning me up on some stuff I didn’t know that I didn’t know.
ReplyWhenever I went for job interviews, even while rocking natural texture, I’d go get a blow out to keep my wild & crazy hair a secret ’til I passed the three month probation period. Just to judge the vibe before I let my hair be “my hair.”
ReplyThat girl calling the salons was terrible
ReplySafety food service, working around rotating machinery, and yes wrestling matches, keep it high and tight please.
ReplyEver get a wirey hair in your food, very unsanitary.
ReplyMy curls are always am issue in work environments. Particularly any one in which I was expected to face clients. I’ve been told by a black manager that I should straighten my hair because it looks more professional, just look at my peers.
ReplyWhen I was working at a bank I was approached by a white woman (client) who asked me if I washed my hair in the shower, when I told her yes — not as if she deserved an answer — she continued to ask how my drains must be!
I explained to her that I don’t just let my hair down the drain, I’m not an animal.
John Oliiver can come to the cookout.
ReplyI did a thing that put me up in milwaukee for a few months. I needed a haircut and drove for what seemed like hours to find a hair place. There were tons of beauty places that sold braids and such, but did NOT cut hair. Eventually I got far enough north to find a super cuts. 20+ miles from where I was staying.
ReplyMy uncle back in the day had really puffy hair. Because of his job he had to go to that airport a lot, he always got “randomly checked”, he is Latino. then he cut his hair the “randomly checks” decreased by 30% but he still got checked because …. Latino and he smelled of “chemicals”
Reply..hee-hee.. a ferret wig!
ReplyWhy do people care so much about shit that doesn’t effect them?! Half the people that have problems with certain groups of people don’t even interact with said group of people. Ridiculous! Live and let live people. It’s like your mother’s never taught you if you can’t say something nice then don’t say anything at all.
ReplyBanana Republic: Which Manager got fired? The District Manager who told the store manager to deal with it, or the Store Manager who didn’t have a problem with it but felt they had to do what the District Manager told them to, or both? (Not saying the Store Manager couldn’t have done better, sure could have)
Reply❣️❣️❣️you never let me down Oliver and Co. and above and beyond on the verbiage this week….”big ups” to you all.
ReplyAs a white dude I don’t know much about the subject but I watched TV in the 90s and I know 3 things: 1.- You don’t mess with black women’s hair, 2.- What a weave is, and 3.- Hair won’t make you better or worse at anything other than expressing who you are (I got expelled 3 days before graduating because I shaved the sides of my head and that is against the bible, ultra-religious school).
Also, even if we were to dignify this racist fueled stupidity, why would you fire someone based on their looks if the client can’t see them?
ReplyHey John… could you please talk about hate crimes, especially towards the asian community… its getting bad out there and people need a wake up call
Reply“We’re different” and “Stop treating us differently”
Reply“We have the right to be only inclusive” and “You are segregating yourselves from us”
lol me and my dog made out before watching this u got me
ReplyThe adaptable diaphragm ecologically tip because mask synthetically disappear from a ritzy dietician. waiting, maniacal cyclone
ReplyI had to skip the senator owens part. Too cringe to handle.
ReplyWow, this wasn’t corny at all. Look at how research can keep a white man from being loud AND wrong😂 Shout out to all the black writers who must have penned these jokes cuz the specificity was spot on.
Reply👊🏾
ReplyIn 1980s we would buy perm hair products. You would comb thru your hair the perm solution. Never use the curlers. Just comb thru hair and rinse out 20 min later and your hair was straight for 6 weeks. But would really break your ends. Not healthy hair.
ReplyFucking Google it ! Lol 🤣💪🏻
ReplyI am one of those angry women that calls call centers- Imperfect Foods delivery or Rite Aid or UCLA Health I have valid complaints and I am polite until you are not…I do NOT care what your hair looks like. Just your customer service. But in person shopping I do ask you if your nose or tongue ring hurts…
ReplySo pretty much the same exact thing when white Americans tried to culturally assimilate Native Americans hundreds of years ago by forcing them to adopt an European-American culture and shaming them into getting rid of their identity. I like how America continues, time and time again, to repeat history.
ReplyIn 2000s I was told I could not have my bleach blonde highlights in my hair as a high school private school teacher. I was told it looked extreme…
ReplyHere in suburb of Los Angeles Rite Aid, they lock up combs and hairbrushes! For all races- they are locked up. ( I was actually buying a small brush to use on my cat). I am thinking to protect it from collecting dust n germs?
ReplyWhat a shock! People are discriminated for their looks. Show and host are excellent.
ReplyThat guy in 18:47 made me uncomfortable than Michael Scott ever could.
ReplyLove your segments, all ground breaking. I agree with everything, its just wrong. But I do have to say thing I hope most people understand is when dealing with food. I work with food, and I get your culture but if its long and dangling and can touch what I’m about to eat, have to wear it up. Not asking to cut it, have to put up so it won’t touch any ready to eat or raw food.
ReplyI’m so glad I never went to any schools with hair dress codes. Honestly, I thought it was illegal like how teachers can’t comment on cleavage because it’s inappropriate. I thought the same applied to hair.
ReplyI live in Ontario, Canada so maybe it’s different here but people rocked many different hairstyles (braids, afro, various lengths, etc) and hair colours (blue, red, yellow, green, etc) and no one was allowed to say anything.
Oregon passed a law similar to the crown act before this video was posted
Reply4:00
ReplyWTF are middle eastern people then? They’re bearded, but they aren’t white.
What an odd way to sort out races.
I actually came here to check on your standing towards the recent event of palestinian and israel’s illegal occupation of Sheikh Al Jarrah Residences. Like i have expected, i found none.
ReplyTop writing!
ReplyOk. I just wanted to say. That the ‘ guy” ( a man) who wrote that article about the football player with long hair. Saying ” everything about his hair is NOT ATRAcTIVe ” . For starts WTF ? He knows about what is attractive ? Obviously he is NOT a Woman ! He should shut up . Seriously.
ReplyOMG !! Coconut oil ? Coconut oil smell amazing ! How racist can these people be ? This is disgusting ! Who doesn’t like coconut oil smell ? I love it ! It remains me hollidays.
ReplyUnfortunately I don’t have dreadlocks. Thank you for talking about the good topic. I really like the joke “…he looks like he just pressed the answer to all button..” LOL
ReplyMy god, thank you John Oliver, I usually questioned the validity of hair african-american crowd have. Thank you of the context
ReplyThe only unacceptable hairstyles are the ones we get for highschool pictures “to feel unique” then spend the next couple decades wondering why we did that.
Reply💗🌈💗
ReplyI love this! Omg
ReplyFor a multinational country, America sure doesn’t act like it.
Replylol @10.10
Replylol @10:10
ReplyNot gonna lie, John Oliver doing a different British accent is kinda weird. American’s have a bunch and we mock each other a lot, but the Bri’ish? Cor blimey!
ReplyThat article that he showed about the hot comb and getting “hair germs” or hair bugs or some shit out of black hair is both confounding and positively infuriating! Especially if they call themselves Christians — hate to break it to the racist “Christians” out there, but the Bible speaks on Jesus’ skin tone & hair. Skin tone is darker (which obviously makes sense given the geography of where Jesus lived & walked) and His hair is described as feeling like WOOL. Yet, the white racist “Christians” want to look down upon a black person’s skin & hair. Irony folks — it’s incredible! LOL
ReplyTalk about Palestine please
ReplyHahahaha John Oliver doing a * different* British accent… 🤣 why am I surprised that he can do this? 😂🤣😂
ReplyThat’s nice just remove my comments cause they don’t fit into your narratives.
Reply“Don’t touch, just google it!”
Replyi wish all white americans a very education 🐰
ReplyGive me a thumbs up if you think John Oliver is actually a comedian and this is his normal routine.
ReplyIt’s almost like anyone who spends this much time talking about race must be…racist !. Maybe this show is racist ?.
ReplyShout out to John’s writers because I know they worked overtime this week teaching him concepts, like how to talk about racial propaganda.
ReplyI agree with the whole thing, 100%. But one of the women in the last part is just plain racist, fuck you too, whoever you are.
ReplyAgree with everything thats beeing said. But dont say they are black-hairstyles. Why does everything in the US need to have a race. Jesus its just a hairstyle, dont give a shit which race has it…
ReplyWow whoever keeps deleting my comments, we’re watching you.
ReplyPeople wondering who John’s writers are, they are mostly white people. They are called handlers, this propaganda piece is here to ignite racial division in your country.
ReplyThis is not about stopping racism.
I wonder what a bald person must be thinking, watching John talk about racial hairstyles for 24 minutes. @9:06 Do I sympathize for people with curly hair ?…No.
ReplyWhy would I do that if these things shouldn’t matter ?. If hair makes this much of a difference in the workplace, do bald people need to just work from home now ?.
Holy shit man the US is more racist than I thought, why would people care about hair?
ReplyThe unnatural blood unexplainably overflow because horn bodily precede till a scandalous fold. kind, unequal detail
ReplyWhy would they do a whole segment on people’s hair, let alone racial hairstyles ?. This is not a comedian…
ReplyOK John, you went uber-woke. Right on.
ReplyI’m reporting Lastweektonight for discrimination and promoting racial division.
ReplyKeep deleting my comments and I’m calling a lawyer next. I have rights as an American you Commie shit stains.
ReplyHey look black people, they are deleting my comments !.
ReplyHey look black people, John Oliver is promoting racial division. He has no clue what he’s talking about even !.
ReplyGood segment, but it feels like deflecting from the Palestine & Israel issue which now feels like the elephant in the room with US shows avoiding it😅
ReplyI feel conflicted on the arguments made here. I’m supposed to care and be informed about a topic that is, as you put it, none of my business? You want me to know these things, but curse me out if I don’t know about a subject and ask? You want me to agree that hairstyles should only be the business of the individual, but that white people shouldn’t be wearing some styles?
It’s hard to follow an argument that is simultaneously telling me to give a damn and to fuck off
(To be clear though, the politician, the locked products, the hair touching and the call center were all inexcusably bad. No debating any of that)
ReplyHi, I would love for you to cover the “conversion therapy” (“converting” gays into straight) problems with churches in Puerto Rico. Religious and conservative politicians and civilians are arguing that it doesn’t exist. People are defending this barbarian “therapy” by saying “bring evidence, where is it happening?” But when witnesses are brought to court, they are not believed or respected. Please, our news media isn’t investigating this properly, and I would love for you to give a glimpse.
Thank you for all your hard work, your last video on PR was so good.
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ReplyLeslie Jones 🤣😂🤣😂🤣 killed it!
ReplyMy brother forfeited a MLB career because he wouldn’t cut his hair.
ReplyDumbass….
Pontiac bandit said it
ReplyThat’s it I believe it
I didn’t even know that hair-based discrimination was a thing…
ReplyJust saying, no, black people are not imitating Bo Derek, but they didnt invent braids either. Vikings also did that. So just like they didnt copy it from Bo Derek, white people didnt steal it from black people either.
ReplyI’m just gonna point the obvious, ITS LITERALLY JUST HAIR!
Replythat last part was actually racist. edit: I actually flagged this as hatefull content.
Reply5:28 STOP WATCHING ME OLIVER!
ReplyThat manager from banana republic got fired for suggesting a different haircut? Losing his job and destroying his life is too lenient, he should go life in prison for that.
ReplyHow f-ing biased do you have to be to make the employee the victim in this story?
Shout out to my late hairstylist, Josie, who was Filipina, who did my hair for 10 yrs. Better than the black stylists in the shop. She went to hair shows and everything to stay current with the latest black hair care trends. She was killed by hit and run driver during the COVID19 lock down. I miss her so much. 😔
ReplyJoke is on you, because i dont know anything about any kind of hair.
ReplyThey are called Locs!!!!!!!!
ReplyThe ending says it all! Fuck off and take the time to educate yourselves WP; and, yes, do not touch our hair – we are not pets.
ReplyI AM DEAD!! TOOOOO FUNNY.
ReplyI saw a documentary, a very well done one, on HAIR. It was, I think, Chis Rock. It was about a lot of hair issues. There are cultures still, that their hair has religious significance. It showed young women in India, making a ‘sacrifice ‘ of it, and the good thing was, though they had to give some to the religion, they made money, too. But I also saw , on YT, a young college girl, screaming at a young blonde boy who had braids, about as long as that football player. She was screaming culture appropriation. That ‘s just BS. Horsemen, Scots , well Celtic , Native American, and many others, wore braids, often with various things woven in. Both men and women. For numerous reasons. Even dreads. Ancient Brits. Pirates. I can’t think of a culture that hasn’t. Even if just to keep it from knotting up too bad at night. 👍💖🥰✌😷🎃
ReplyI won’t be niggardly in praising John Oliver’s incisive wit and staggering intellect.
ReplyThis is one of the BEST John Oliver rants! As a white woman (who used to straighten my own hair), it took me to many uncomfortable moments and exploded them. Thank you!
ReplyThis may be the dumbest fucking think I saw on the internet in a while
ReplyI have a lot of empathy for people who feel like they are Curiosities…. the things that make people stare and Whisper and ask if they can touch me are all choices. I choose to have waist-length crazy dyed hair, Nifty tattoos, facial piercings, and all of that. Nobody should be made to feel that way about their own natural appearance. Hell, nobody should be made to feel that way about how they choose to appear. Why can’t we just let people be themselves and stop being so freaking judgemental? What is wrong with people? And I reiterate that question, considering the majority of this country and other European countries tend to be Christians whose whole motto is supposed to be judge not, and love one another. Does that only apply to people exactly the same as you? Do you really think that’s going to fly with your creator (well…. I say that, and then I remember some of the Old Testament passages, but still – Christ…?)?
And to be fair- To be fair, John, I am a lily-white freckled blue-eyed blond who originates from the Slavic region of Europe and Great Britain, and your description of my Elementary School picture days (in the 1980s in midwest America) is spot-friggin-on. I have scars on both my ears, scars on my scalp, scars on my forehead, and scars on the nape of my neck from the curling iron that my mother used at 6 in the morning on picture day to give me that 80s hair look. When I had my own kids, once they were actually capable of doing their own hair, I let them. Before that, it was all absolutely one hundred percent heatless styles with loads of detangler.
ReplyDevil’s advocate, what about white European dread locks, braids. This is only within the US history. Somewhat biased just saying
ReplyAnother refueling of the media-fed race war. Because it feeds you scavengers. Literally have been having black and minority main characters, hit shows, presidents, sex symbols, etc for years and years and years now. YOU GUYS, are the only ones perpetuating this with a real voice nowadays.
ReplyThe funniest I’ve seen Leslie Jones.
ReplyWhat is the problem wear your hair natural or not but don’t let little girls get their head shaved for 40cents just to have south asian hair because it is “pretty “
ReplyI am so glad that he has brought this up it was worse in the 90s
Reply17:22 : They fired the manager who talked to her, but not the district manager who told him to do it?
ReplyGreat video. I loved the segment at the end. Google it!🤣 I also think your dimples are cute.
ReplyDear Lord; male, Republican representatives are about the most awkward, tone-deaf, mouth breathers to ever walk this earth.
ReplyThis one was great. Watch Chris Rock’s movie Good Hair.
ReplyThis deserves an Emmy thanks
Reply#gazaunderattack #palestine #palestineunderattack #savepalestine #freepalestine
ReplyAre employers and people in general able to comprehend the concept of INITIATION OF FORCE?
ReplyI am not a Libertarian, but such a PERFECT phrase that Libertarians used – initiation of force – to distinguish right from wrong.
As in, if it ain’t initiating force against you, it ain’t any of your business.
13,000 racists disliked this video
ReplySlow news week or something?
ReplyRemember to look for the hypocrisy in your reporting. Like the section about white people wearing traditionally black hair styles, where John criticises people for wearing their own hair however the fuck they want, and shits all over one style because he doesn’t like how it looks. Two things he says are wrong at other points during this video.
It seems like Last Week Tonight has been putting out content with a noticeably thicker smearing of bullshit recently. Which means either they don’t care, or the team is developing a tolerance for the taste. Weather they like it or not, they are journalists. And they need to look into it and clean up their reporting, or they’ll be heading down the same road that got us the bullshit mountain that is fox news.
ReplyYa tucker, I agree. They need to start regulating inflation. Did you tell them to regulate inflation? It works only for the elites. And I’m with you on the vaccines. To much cheating in college. In my school study materials were nepotized by the system. Why don’t you watch my video on college deception? You’ll like it. Has red, white and blue letters in it.
ReplyWhich manager got fired for the thing with the girl? Obviously the direct manager who sat her down and said she had to “take them out” is wrong, but the regional manager who said it in the first place is arguably more wrong.
ReplyMaybe they both got fired.
Is this a thing in the US? OMG. WTF. 🙁
ReplyMy husband has very little hair… Anyone wanna trade bushes?
Reply“JUST GOOGLE IT” are wise words of wisdom. Google is free and people need to use it more. Educate yourself!
ReplyEvery European who watches this and thinks their country isn’t like this has no idea how racist their country actually is lol
ReplyIt was possible to make this an informative piece that didn’t attack some viewers base on their skin colour. But I guess some of the LWT writers are racists. Not all of them of course. I wouldn’t want you to feel I was unfairly labelling people. The guilty people know who they are and everyone else on the writing team need not feel offended or marginalised by their entire group being described as hateful bigots.
ReplyI get it, the companies don’t want them, because they want equality in their system in which everyone is equal to eachother and no one gets to be special. No matter if you are white or black, if you got a special hair style that makes you different in a big enough way, they don’t want it. I mean, if i tried to get a job with a tomahawk hairstyle, they wouldn’t let me in, even if i was white or black. Nothing to do with colors. Also like how that black guy at the end talks about his daughters “natural hair”, like braided, etc is in anyway natural. Natural is what ur born with, not what you make it afterwards.
ReplyI remember being in job training and being told that they only appropriate hairstyle for women is slicked back in a ponytail and i was specifically singled out and told not to wear garish long fake nails which I didn’t even have and I’m a tomboy with short hair as well. It’s silly to care so much about a specific, appearance as long as people look like they take care of themselves why nitpick.
ReplyFunny how 13k people disliked this. Hilarious, actually. 😅
ReplyIt’s like you were the school pet, cuz everyone wanted to pet your head
ReplyYou cant just take pictures of children.
ReplyI don’t remember when or from whom, but, at some point, I learned that I’m not “supposed” to ask Black people about their hair or ask to touch it. I do not have this barrier with my non-Black friends about their hair. I totally get that it’s my responsibility to educate myself and not all Black people know the history themselves, but messages like the one at the end of the video make me worry that my Black friends would be secretly annoyed if I mentioned or compliment their hair (I know this isn’t actually the case). I understand that it’s really meant to call out white people who are too lazy do their own research, and especially meant to call out strangers who think it’s okay to put their dirty-ass hands on someone else’s head, but it does make me feel less inclined to have the same type of conversations with Black friends that I would with non-Black friends, which I don’t think is the goal (speaking for myself here).
I sometimes avoid mentioning or complimenting Black friends’ hair because I’m afraid of somehow upsetting them, and I rarely say anything to Black acquaintances (certainly never to strangers) about their hair because I’m afraid they’ll think, “great…another white person trying to be woke.” I don’t think that’s the goal either. (I have anxiety, which probably plays a significant factor in this for me)
I know that every Black person is going to have a different opinion about if or when and where it’s acceptable to ask them about their hair. I want to know what that looks like for a greater number of Black people. Are you actually annoyed when your non-Black friends ask about your hair? Do you think they’re just trying to be woke when they compliment your hair?
The closest I can possibly get to this as a white guy is when someone asks me about being pansexual. Usually, I appreciate that they bothered to educate themselves. I rarely get annoyed, but I’m frequently surprised by how little most people know about LGBTQ people and culture–even “LGBTQ-friendly” people, which is kind of scary. Obviously, this isn’t the same thing as being Black, but it’s the closest context I have to understanding for uneducated people asking questions about a sensitive subject.
Regarding Black lives: I watch every documentary I come across, I look for content produced by Black people, I donate what little I can afford, I call out racist behavior, I listen to podcasts about racism, I’ve forced myself to overcome my phobia of crowds and attended some demonstrations, I talk with Black friends about their personal experiences. There are a few exceptions (like Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man), but a lot of content generally discourages white people from talking to Black people about these topics. It creates this distance between me and Black friends that I don’t have with others. Yet every time I finally get the courage and find the words to ask them a question, they’ll respond at length with passion. So I guess I’d just like to see a little more nuance with regards to if or when and where it’s okay to ask these types of questions, because the current process of self-educating my dumbass redneck roots feels pretty inefficient and stifled.
I’m not saying that the way I feel or think is right. I’m fully prepared to be called out for failing to read between the lines. I’m just sharing these things to provide brief context into my personal experience and self-education journey over the last couple of years. I’m also hoping this will provide a little context into how the messages are being received so they can be more effective, if necessary. Also, I don’t see any of the comments here discussing this and I think it’s important to the end goal of ending racism and being able to discuss important topics. So, what are your thoughts? How can I/we make the whole experience less annoying, awkward, and potentially painful for Black people, and more effective for everyone else?
Replyi feel so seen rn
Reply11:44 Trust me when I say Walmart employees hate those cases too and wish they’d all just fuck off. Having to open them and deal with the company’s bullshit policy of physically escorting the $0.97 pregnancy test or $2.39 bottle of lube to the checkout stand is a pain in the ass. I mean I understand having $600 Apple Watches and $400 diamond rings in locked cases, hell even $80 power tools, but some of the bullshit stuff they lock up in the HBA section of stores is ludicrous.
ReplyOne of the most cringeworthy videos I’ve ever seen tbh.
ReplyWith everything going on in Palestine, John Oliver talks about hair. Nice.
Replyrofl
Reply“It’s just hair” – probably the same people who wanna make a huge deal abt black hairstyles. It didn’t need to be a whole thing but apparently it’s worth kicking kids out of daycare🙄
ReplyBlack hair? Really? Can we talk about Palestine?
ReplyHey John, quick FYI: you’re not pandering to black people, you’re pandering to fake woke white people who think they can understand the black experience. We can’t, my guy, and it’s cringe to pretend you can.
ReplyThe resolute suggestion temporally repeat because argentina ostensibly reach via a boorish wish. condemned, energetic nose
ReplyJohn Oliver, you are darn brave to take on this topic. What a combination – black hair old white man. Ah, I’m so wishing for a world where I don’t have to watch squeamishly content like this. But, alas, I’ll grab my popcorn and ‘squeam’ away. Lol.
ReplyBeing in the Army 🪖 opened my eyes to this issue 😣 this shit gets deep.
ReplyThe 13k+ racists that disliked this video 🤣
ReplyAm I a racist if I really don’t care. Oliver is right, don’t judge a person by their looks. But I am white and look like shit, so I really give up on playing this game. I sorry for all the people who discriminate, Most of the gold is hidden behind people who are not comely. The cure for hair is baldness, my dead friend once said.
ReplyI enjoy going through the comments of videos published on this channel, however I’m afraid to see what they will be for this one.
ReplyWhy must it be a jerk from Utah? I’m embarrassed enough, please use another state next time.
Reply“Just google it, dont touch it”
ReplyWhy are you blaming just white people for black people problems. Indians, Asians, and just about every other race have normal manageable hair. I’m half Indian and half white with straight normal hair and I personally feel discriminated against, especially regarding the “fu:cking white people” comment. So hateful.
ReplyI love John. He’s so funny.
ReplyThese types of comments about white people and black people is the exact thing that actually divides us.
ReplyOr you could get what my Mediterranean ancestry gave me – curly, wavy hair. Which if kept nice and short I can manage it without copious amounts of gel.
ReplyStocks are good but investing in crypto currency right now will be the wisest thing to do as the market is much favourable now.
ReplyShould also be a: „how is this still a thing“ segment.
ReplyAs a white person can I just say 😂 like, yeah, google your question, youtube for tutorials if you wanna get in depth. I’m gonna be taking my time to search products and methods just because my stepdaughter is Puerto Rican and I want to help her manage her curls when she gets older. Don’t ask people about their hair or judge them for it when it’s none of your business
ReplyI really like John. Most people aren’t that funny. But I have to question the intelligence of someone from Britain who would willingly become a US citizen. I don’t think focusing on hair is necessarily the best way to highlight racism. But I know the real reason he became a US citizen is purely for tax reasons. Basically so he can cop out on doing his part to help pay for all the socialism in the UK he otherwise supports. British Socialism is literally the only way he can critique this country with his particular bent. Otherwise John Oliver would just be another trainspotter with big glasses and a goofy overbite and an excessive Red Bull habit. I literally attended boarding school with his doppelganger.
ReplyMy dad’s employer subsidized the double taxation he endured when we lived in the UK. If HBO had any clue what he is worth, they would have done the same. And pay for his kids to go to Rugby and Cambridge. Places like Eaton, Harrow and Oxford are just overpriced and over-stuffy.
4:46 I just spat the water that was in my mouse on my laptop shit
ReplySaving your money and investing it into stock market will be the wisest thing to do to ensure success
Replysoooo black hair or african americans hairdos .. plss specifie im 6 minutes in and im starting to get an idea
ReplyAnother layer of oppression! 🙏 thanks for doing this episode. Love it
ReplyWe went from talking weekly about the president to this?
ReplyI don’t understand why we can’t just enjoy the beauty
ReplyThank you John! Thank you so freakin much John! Again what a masterclass! Thank you for helping us educate these white folk
ReplyGive me the confidence of a straight white guy damn he commented on her hair so confidently
ReplyI’m a Mexican woman with thick curly hair, and I literally straighten my hair for job interviews and for actually working. It has gotten me in more jobs than if my hair were natural. It really sucks.
ReplyAs an African American it’s great and all to bring awareness to this. With that being said can we stop talking about race and move on to actual issues like the democrats fucking up every black community and the hall country in general. Wouldn’t hurt to do a segment on sleepy joe and his psychopath Vice President who claims to be half brown/black even tho her birth certificate clearly says Caucasian. Also how about the big reset and the ties between China and sleepy joe. Lets stop trying to raise emotions out us and actually talk about issues that is affecting us today.
ReplyWhy doesn’t anyone talk about Michelle Obama straightening her hair. She should have been a role model for African American hair style
Reply‘alumni’ is plural
ReplyOMG! Who told you about holding your ears down during a hot comb treatment? I lived through that.
ReplyI had a PTSD moment when you talked about that.
Cultural heritage is an important point to our hairstyles. But most importantly, we wear hairstyles that work for our hair type. Other people get to wear their hair naturally so that it is easy for them to keep up. Why can’t we wear our hair that allows easy upkeep, and healthy, just like other people do. Why do we have to do extra things that damage our hair and make us bald? It more than cultural oppression, it’s oppression of our very existence.
ReplyThe year 2021, we just Landed on the mars, stop calling “you white people, you black people”, you are all racist people!!
ReplyYeah, my mom does hair for celebrities and she told me she doesn’t know how to style black people’s hair. I’m sure she would love to learn she just isn’t an expert, I think that is really common too.
ReplyB.e.S.T f’u”l’l D.a.T.i.n.G h.o.T G.i.r.L’s — E—R—O—T—I—C-——— .❤️ 垃圾 PRIVATE SNAP : ️⤵️ WTF-Baby♥️ https://lovemeets.fun/camm0del772l0ved0llxxx
Reply!💖❤️#今後は気をライブ配信の再編ありがとうです！#この日のライブ配信は、#かならりやばかったですね！#１万人を超える人が見ていたもん（#笑）#やっぱり人参最高！#まさかのカメラ切り忘れでやら1かしたのもドキドキでした,.💖🖤
#在整個人類歷史上，#強者，#富人和具有狡猾特質的人捕食部落，#氏族，#城鎮，#城市和鄉村中的弱者，#無`’#守和貧窮成員。#然而，#人類的生存意願迫使那些被拒絕，#被剝奪或摧毀的基本需求的人們找到了一種生活方式，#並繼續將其DNA融入不斷發展的人類社會。.#說到食物，#不要以為那些被拒絕的人只吃垃圾。#相反，#他們學會了在被忽視的肉類和蔬菜中尋找營養。#他們學會了清潔，#切塊，#調味和慢燉慢燉的野菜和肉類，#在食品市場上被忽略的部分家用蔬菜和肉類，#並且學會了使用芳香的木煙（#如山核桃，#山核桃和豆科灌木 #來調味食物煮的時候
Check your privilege! Some people don’t have hair you bigoted Englishman.
Trust your gut people. This feels pretty disingenuous bc it is. Just trying the give the government another gun. #DefundOliver
ReplyWRONG! White people didn’t teach black people to prefer lighter black skin or straight hair, black people did that. White people don’t care how light a black person’s skin is or how straight their hair is. Stop laying the blame for racism on White people. That’s racist.
Quit laying all racist behavior off on White people. That is racist.
ReplyI was about to say “None of your business!”, but they said it better…
Replyjust got a hot comb this week. it it looks exactly like the one in the clip
ReplyJohn oliver for president of the human race. unlimited terms, vote every 5 years. pay, minimum wage + 10%
ReplyAs a black woman it truly is infuriating to see that girl’s hairstyle (those beautiful ass braids) described as”unkempt”. These ignorant people see an elaborate, beautiful black hairstyle and automatically determine it to be unkempt because it is associated with blackness.
ReplyTell ma again why saying stereotype about black people is racist and is not when u are talking about white people
ReplyRapid inflation, war in Israel, cyber attacks, food shortages, terrible jobs report, TIME TO TALK ABOUT BLACKS’S PEOPLES HAIR!! how come black haircare products are so frequently stolen?
ReplyCoconut oil: every child in India puts mustard oil or coconut oil in hair first and eats food cooked in them for the rest of life. Ah Olive oil too, and varieties of oil that actually really stink like castor oil.
ReplyI asked my 4-year-old son to make black friends so that I can feel their hair during sleepovers…. I feel real bad now…..
ReplyI identify with this and I’m not even black – I just have really curly, thick hair.
ReplyHmm
ReplySo much money, work & pride goes into making these beautiful and functional styles. I remember, almost 20 years ago now, helping to take out braids in berthing the night before pulling into a port where we knew there’d be good hair dressers. It’d take forever and their natural hair was SO beautiful, but the next day, they’d sit for hours again to cover it up. I’ve heard they are relaxing the hair standards in the military now, IMO it’s about damn time.
ReplyI’m a balding 40 year old dude that shaves to look presentable. I wish my hair was as good as the people in the video.
Reply*it can be fuckin bing* 😂😂
ReplyBlack people’s hair is so versatile: cornrows, twists, flatiron, weaves, wigs, bantu knots, braids, afro, dreadlocks, you name it. Such versatility anywhere else (clothes for example 🙄) is celebrated but because it’s in a uniquely black characteristic it’s demonised 😒.
Replyoliver wouldnt touch the israeli-palestinian situation with a 10 meter long pole would he lol.
Replyoh well, cant blame him, we all remember what happened to jon stewart.
While I agree with the video for the most part (culturally appropriating hair? I mean, there are plenty of Caucasians with curly hair, Bob Ross for example), I really don’t think that calling Caucasians “white people” fits the “let’s end the racism” agenda. I mean saying “god damn white people” while calling members of your race “brothers and sisters”, just makes me feel like you don’t want us to be a single group of people. If a Caucasian said, “god damn black people” and then called the light skinned people “brothers and sisters”, he would be marked as a KKK member. It’s hard to understand the origin of it, because male beards are also controversial in the business world and it has nothing to do with race. Caucasians also used to have a lot more variety in their hairstyles, just look at our pagan history. A clean shave and a buzz cut wasn’t always the norm. But again, this is coming from someone who lives in EU – I’ve never seen a black person as anything else but a person. My nation was more or less enslaved for our entire history and we’re as white as you can get, so it’s hard for someone like me to comprehend the power struggle in USA when it comes to race.
ReplyI am a very pale white woman and I’ve been told the same thing for the opposite reason. I want to wear it natural and because it straight and long with no hair spray it’s not professional (despite the time I take to wash condition and detangle it). I don’t want to wear makeup. I am not a model, I work on the phone, why would this be necessary? I think last long as you take care of your personal hygiene, your style should be your own. Some jobs require certain dress code, but as long as the clothes are clean and not raggedy or showing off your private parts, there should be more room for individuality with one’s wardrobe. Time, place, and occasion were the rules I was taught as a kid.
ReplyI used to show up to my call center job in flip flops, gym shorts, and an oversized shirt while obviously hungover (possibly still drunk), and with medium length hair sticking up everywhere. Just be glad we actually showed up and didn’t jump out of the window.
ReplyGoddammit what happened? This show used to be so good and well-researched.
ReplyDid anyone even ask why dreadlocks are a bad idea in certain environments? Why athletes are almost always short-shaved? Why that referee wanted his hair short? 70s racism is not an argument here at all. White people aren’t exempt from those rules.
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ReplySo now, black people’s hair issues are also whites’ fault and problem, too?
ReplyAs a black woman …I just want to know which black woman wrote his transcribes for him ….she knows n
Replyher stuff.
Admittedly, I am a white male and not from the US. But I have to say I dont think I ever had any conscious thought about black hair, or any hair for that matter. Who gives a fuck?
I am slightly annoyed by the fact that apparently, EVERYTHING in the US has to be about race…. Fuck me….
ReplyI frankly find it messed up that the whole “black hair” is being pushed as a story, the very notion only blacks have braided hair….
Reply*coughs loudly in Scandinavian*
My god I regret having ever liked this show
ReplyI love John Oliver, but “no comment” is often 100% the correct thing to say to a person working for the media with a camera behind them. That’s not the time and place to have a discussion.
ReplyI’d really wonder why people dislike this video.
ReplyAll great but that very last comment “goddam white people” if said by a white person about a black person would be slammed at racist. Even if it was said in jest and meant to be funny, it was out of line and should have been cut. if we’re all going to get along, let’s not be hypocritical. Over to you Johnny
ReplyThe yellow dock totally protect because decision coincidingly lock a a versed multimedia. pricey, hanging trapezoid
ReplyHey John anything about Palestine or you don’t have the balls
ReplyI think you don’t have the balls
Give me the confidence of a straight white guy damn he commented on her hair so confidently
ReplyLetting your dog lick your face is a white people thing?
ReplySo we’re not talking about hair, we’re talking about racism. I don’t. Fucking. Care anymore.
ReplyHaving gone to cosmetology school in Michigan, close to Detroit, I was hoping to have more of an education in how to cut and style curly and kinky hair.
Yeah, no.
They basically said, “good luck on that.”
ReplyI here for it but nervous about yt ppl talking about black hair.
Reply13K dislikes sounds about right. Lots of white people who are offended by being called out.
ReplySad on so many different levels. Everybody wants a perfect world. All sides. I just wish we could all get along. #confused
ReplyMaybe you should cover what is happening in Gaza. There is a current Genocide going on.
ReplyJohn Oliver is indefinitely invited to all cookouts and Thanksgivings after making this episode.
ReplyToday my boss told me she did not like how I dress. She told me I was perceived as lazy because of how I dress. I have been dressing like this all my life and it has never prevented me for getting my PhD in Germany and be an active scientist. I looked at other scientists in the faculty and honestly found no difference in the way we dress, particularly with an English man that even wears shorts and hawaiwan shirts. The only difference I see is that the English man is perceived as an excentric European man but I am perceived as a lazy Latinamerican woman. I have only been working in the USA for one month. Welcome to the USA I guess……
Reply“Fucking off” the an option Leslie Jones should take 100% of the time.
ReplyWhile there are definitely cultural and racist implications, there’s nothing wrong these days if a black person wants to lighten their skin or straighten their hair just like white people tan their skin and curl their hair.
ReplyOh no, he took a picture of random kids?
ReplyDo nonwhite people really not kiss their dogs on the mouth?
ReplyI’d hoped Wanda Sykes would be here! 😶
ReplyI am part white and part asian so my hair should be STRAIGHT STRAIGHT and I should be paler. But my mom would iron my hair on my pillows overnight and I would have to sleep flat on my back all night while it was being pressed.
ReplyTg my state is one with crown laws. I am white but this is very very obv discrimination especially the part about kids at school or daycare. Why should a school get to tell students or their parents how kids should look. Its completely unrelated and negatively affecting kids self-image and self-confidence is so reprehensible that schools who do that should be brought up charges. Dress codes are completely outdated and totalitarian. The only thing that a school dress code should be allowed to address is that students cant be naked (as defined by the bikini areas.)
If “immodesty” bothers you, you are either too immature or perverted to work in a school.
*mic drop*
ReplyYeah, the “it’s just hair” crowd hasn’t really had to deal with hair in any significant way, other than standard maintenance of cutting, washing and styling.
ReplyI’m a guy, and my hair is so straight and fine, that my biggest problems is that my hair starts looking greasy after 6 hours, so I have to use products to counteract that. The whole process from washing, drying and styling takes maybe 30 minutes. I have no place telling other people how to do or wear their hair. 😂
He has a good writers/researchers!
ReplyFlint still doesn’t have water. The only black people this is the biggest concern for are black people who gentrify neighborhoods right along with you white folks.
ReplyJohn said Monday is my WASH DAY!!! I CAN’T!!!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
ReplyCoincidentally enough, I just had my Wash Day Thursday 😉 #feelingseen 😁
YAAAAAAAAAS HOT COMB HIGH HIGH CHAIR SATURDAYS!!!! 😆😆😆
ReplyYOU BETTA TUCK IN THAT EAR!!! #feelingseen
I shouldn’t be smiling at the memory as hard as I am but I remember how loved and seen I felt seeing a hot comb and colander at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. This feels like that. #LASTWEEKTONIGHTBLACKWRITERS much love to you for showing up for us hard this year 🖤💖🖤
AFRICA #TELEGRAM.. LOL PS: JOHN OLIVER IS GREAT FOR CIVIC #EDUCATION
#RUTO2022🇰🇪🇰🇪🇰🇪🇰🇪🤩
ReplyI am definitely transported back to being 8 and holding onto my ears. Not a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
ReplyAs usual leslie ruins everything shes in good episode tho
ReplyI’ll have you know, John, that I am a proud, strong, Black woman and have and would gladly continue to pick apples for fun. 🤣
Reply“You lay those edges down so well they fall asleep!!!” XD I cannot!!! I’m definitely using that one 😂
ReplyIt’s not ‘just hair’ and it never has been. It’s been about controlling people and their basic rights. Everyone deserves to celebrate their bodies however they please.
ReplyAlso if you think someone’s hair is going to keep them from doing a job right, the job probably doesn’t need to exist. The only time you should have to change your hair is to pull it back or put it in a net to keep it from getting in food or damaged. 😓
Let people be people damn it.
As a Cosmetologist I am so overjoyed that this is being discussed. I specialize in curls ONLY because we are all sacred human beings and it is our responsibility to care for each other. Period.
ReplyThe 13k dislikes didn’t even watch the video.
ReplyOMG!!!! My fully loaded iPad and backpack full of snacks are a STAPLE!!!! YAAAAS @/lastweektonightblackwriters KILLIN IT AGAIN!! ALL KILLER NO FILLER!!! 💖💖💖💖💖
ReplyYou did an amazing job with this story. I hope “they” got it.
ReplyI agree with all of this but the wrestling cut. That’s a safety thing. Everyone has to keep it a bit shorter. I kept long hair all through school but couldn’t during wrestling season (pissed me off), but yeah. Great content from this fella.
ReplyI hope all the white people watching this took copious notes 📝
ReplyJ. O., gotta give it to ‘ya…You got BALLS big time taking on this subject! It wasn’t at all what I expected. But, it was interesting and entertaining. “Ina Gartner show w/ no people of color for dinner” was the funniest for me…Loved it!
ReplyI am so glad that my mom used chemicals instead of a hot comb
ReplyThank You John~!
ReplyJohn Oliver is a commie mouthpiece. Good for nuts
ReplyI too have a majestic “the fuck???” face
ReplyWho the hell cares as long as its clean. Anyone’s hair, as long as it’s clean its no one else’s business!!!
ReplyI was a little concerned you guys don’t care anymore when reading the title but you again managed to depress me hard while laughing my ass off.
Reply“You people are beautiful” What an ignorant chalky grey man.
Reply“You figured out Settlers Of Catan” noooooooooooo ahhahahaa
ReplyThe guy at 18:24 is just so much a good example of the clueless white guy. He thinks he is being on board and supportive but just keeps on with so many stereotypes is painful.
ReplyHere’s an idea: let’s listen to this rich white corporate controlled so-called comedian for our views on race and race theory! No thanks, I’ll think for myself.
ReplyWith everything happening in Palestine, why aren’t you talking about it?
ReplyCould you guess who would tell a 9yo mixed girl, her brown eyes are the color of sh*t?!? A blond swedish girl!! So yes, kids can be racist bullies too!
ReplyThat one man with the pictures started the worlds longest “I’m not racist but”
ReplyI love what black people can do with their hair.. they can do some awesome styles
ReplyThe first time a black girl ever kissed me I kinda playfully tugged at her braids and then slightly panicked when one come loose from her head in my fist. I had no idea wtf was going on
ReplyHow did this become a thing. Ridiculous, not really races just conformity laws
ReplyOliver is an ass
ReplyGosh, I don’t know what to say but a wish Little Richard could just tell this whole video to get out of his dressing room.
Also, even black barbers don’t know how to cut black hair. That’s why that long ass line is like some Darwin business, the craftiest people are gonna look good tonight.
Replyif every time he said “white people” and swapped it with “black people” he would be cancelled and flee the country in fear. congrats on ur brownie points john oliver
ReplyDo we really need a law for every bit of common decency? How about we just make it culturally unacceptable to fire people for having dreads? Seems to be the way its going anyway.
ReplyIt’s awful and infuriating that a part of you is not acceptable, I know. Dealing with it, doesn’t include lying to yourself. It’s unacceptable to not honor the feelings of others, both ways, regardless of race or gender – a 2-way street. Why do you take care of yourself? Because people have to look at you. Mainly for them. lol
ReplyReally?! 13 thousand people can’t handle this?! If you are offended by this education, you might want to look at the puddle of privilege you are sitting in.
Replygoogle deez
ReplyLike, what kind of monster doesn’t like the smell of coconut oil??? That stuff smells amazing!
ReplyWhen did descriptions become racist?
ReplyWhy aren’t beauty school having the students learn all hair types?
ReplyGreat context.everyone needs more than there salary to be financially stable.the best thing to do with your money is to invest it rightly.because money left for saving always end up used with no returns.i started investing in Bitcoin mid November 2020 with the help of a well-known- professional Mr Gregory manure and the profit entirely funded my receipt duplex.
ReplyYes yes Shout to the Black Women who helped him with this!! Had me had the wigs on the runway!!!
ReplyI imagine they lock up the ones that get stolen when they’re not locked up.
ReplyWhen he mentioned holding your ears down I felt chills oh my gosh my childhood😱
ReplyFuck hair talk about Palestine
ReplyThese days the polarization is so over the top that even the opinion on discrimination discriminates who is discriminating. These shows have became a mad house.
It’s all about ignorance in the end. White folks who don’t understand black traits, vice-versa.
ReplyThe whole thing about hair products for POC folks being locked up behind glass really shocked me. Like wtf, I’ve never seen or heard of that before! I only knew that they do that with expensive products (usually electronic devices) but not something as small as hair care products!
ReplyMister Oliver talk about PALESTINE please 😥
ReplyYou are totally out of your element. To the point of hipocrisy
ReplyJohn lost me on the locked away hair products 😒😒
Replylmao
ReplyI can’t stand leslie jones
ReplyAll goes for personal freedom..
ReplyHe did well enough to get kudos from The Root and I agree; still, this is a primer for white people, not anything “we” don’t already know. Good job JO!!💖😆
ReplyShout out to the sisters and brothers that John has on staff! And shout out to John got being 1000 on this !!!
ReplyMy gf is black I just ask if I have questions…🤷🏻♂️.
However my questions are almost same as the other girls I dated…. WTF takes you all so long to get ready?!
Edit: my gf says it’s clear that John has black women on his writing staff
ReplyI’m not even through the entire episode and I wanna hand John an award. 👏🏾👏🏾 Bravo John, bravo.
ReplyYou could tell when John’s channel post videos about discrimination… he tends to get more dislikes when he speaks about race
ReplyI never understood this. I work with several balck women who have MARVELOUS natural hair and its gorgeous and im so jealous i can never have it 😭 lol
ReplyYears ago, I had the CEO of my old job (who is an older white male) ask me if everything was ok. I was like “yeah”. He said, “well usually your hair is nice looking but today…. it’s different.” Then I realized it was curly instead of blown out straight. He then asked me if I could go somewhere and get it fixed really quickly. He gave me $60 and I went and got a blow out. I was so upset because I don’t see me wearing my hair straight or curly made a difference.
ReplyThe Bible says that we are all guilty of breaking the Ten Commandments of God (Romans @). As a result, we all deserve to go to Hell because none is righteous, no not one. (Romans @). But the good news is that you do not have to go to Hell (John @). Jesus Christ loves you so much that He died on the Cross for your sins and if you Repent of your sins and Accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior then you will be saved (John @). Jesus is calling on all to repent and you know longer have to live in despair but in love, joy, and peace through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Reply*Wow the Downvotes.*
ReplyLol this was interesting as usual. Confusing at first lol but interesting. Thanks for covering the topic.
ReplyWhite ppl generally don’t think black people are people… so… yeah.
ReplyRacism.
Replywhy there is 13 dislikes? who are those?
ReplyI’m a white guy and I’ve been not hired because of my hair . Not everything is racist.
Replythe 13k that disliked this are probably racist
ReplyThere is a phrase for whites imitating African descent. It’s called black fishing. If your white don’t put dreads in… or you may lose your influence in society. Blacks do not want whites imitating their ancestors. You’ve been warned.
Replywith the latest black hair care trends. She was killed by hit and run driver during the COVID19 lock down. I miss her so much. 😔
ReplyImagine one day if Beyonce stopped putting on a weave
ReplyAs a call center CSR for a bank, I approve this message.
Reply“it can be fucking Bing” 💀💀
ReplyThank U….., SO MUCH_
Reply__For Talking about The Very ODD Mistreatments Insults and Heavy Discrimination and I Really Appreciate All Evidence
All Evidence U Found
T H A N K UUUUUUUUUUUUUU
THANK U Very Much For Being Alive Willing To Help Speak OUT Irritated Honest Clearly With All Cultures All Like MINDED People From ALL. SkonHues All Languages Language Lingos Terms of All Status all Rel Status Who People Who Also Learned OF This Therefore Bravely Confronted By Asking Questions even Correting and Saying Rights Human Rights Identity And Freedom of Expression Freedom of Speaking Freedom the 11 Amendment to 11 Amendment and History even Had/ Is / were to go thru each Tough odd confomy Hearing of this ill poisonous Self Entitled Abusive self justifying Ugly Soul ugly spirit whovever Who Clearly Causing More Displeasure Disgust Anger stirring n all Who Ears Hear even Eyes turn To this TroubleMaker who Somehow has serious twisted incorrect mind while Practicing Legalism ..like the evil condemned Scribes of Ancient times , These odd humans odd mean People spirit Bhave Entitled to tell all like stank bhinds Like they n Authority.. Yet much NOT n authority and Behave evil saying lies deceit trickery ConArtists ish skills Even Lie Saying Im the Manager Though So BLINDED yet Guilty Mayb also Moved by Jealousy even Threatened By Such.
Though No matter What Age NNE Desire that so called Man she With Though he Desires Beautiful Colured Peoples.
Nothing about the corpse that’s running the country?
ReplyThere are so many other problems and issues that could have time and money put towards, but instead there has to be a whole ass thing focusing solely on what black people are doing with their hair because white folk cant just mind they own damn business and fuck off at any point in history
ReplyHi to all the Karens out there that gave this video a thumbs down. You know who you are.
ReplyNo, John, it’s not easy to think “Well, it’s just hair.” It’s easy to think, “WTF?!! It’s JUST hair, it’s nobody else’s F@%^ING BUSINESS, leave them ALONE!”
At least it should be.
Also, increadibly generous of your celebrity guest lecturers to start with “Google it” my first response was “It’s none of your f@%^ing business.”
ReplyHi, black people, why do you attack Asian men and seniors? BLM, why are you silent?
ReplyGotta love the tone of that skit at the end. Especially when the one woman repeatedly talks down to “white people”. Generalizations like that aren’t hurting anyone. Fight ignorance with more ignorance. Fight hate with more hate. That’s what we need to teach the kids of today. Dr. King would be so proud of everyone…
Replylet’s talk about palestine though
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ReplyI work at a salon with majority white stylists and one POC stylist. I talk daily with Sonja, the POC goddess, about how she is STARED at by all the white clients and I have to block the majority of them from trying to run over and touch her clients hair. It’s a mess.
ReplyHAAAA LOL smh.
ReplyTalk about the Israeli- Palestinian “conflict” John. Don’t be scared. And you owe it to us since the UK started all this shit. Don’t be a coward.
ReplyWOAH. Well-researched and written by black people.
ReplyTalk about the Israeli- Palestinian “conflict” John. You have the resources to do a thorough research. Don’t be scared to tackle the issue. You can make a difference.
ReplyJohn, did you just condone Mrs. Doubttfire, a transphobic film that made generations of trans kids feel like a walking joke? Not cool, and very distracting from the important message of this segment 🙁
ReplyMan I’m white as paper and even I know how much time and effort and pain goes into dreadlocks. You can’t just “take them out” like a French Braid, holy crap.
ReplyDamn, something is really wrong when your whole country has a problem with hairs… smh… XD
Reply24:08 “god damn white people”
I thought your country was hyper sensitive about race. To the point of making a 24 long video about black hair, yet “god damn white people” is ok?
Imagine someone said “god damn black people”, even in a gag, you would all go nuts.
ReplyI’m very sensitive to fragrances and coconut oil is one of the worse. So are dryer sheets, musk, hand lotions. Problem is, people don’t understand “no perfume” doesn’t just apply to “perfume” but also products that contain perfume. This includes hair spray and laundry soap too.
ReplyMost people aren’t as sensitive to fragrances as I am but I believe it’s safe to assume the day care worker is. I seriously doubt her issue with the coconut oil had anything to do with the child’s skin color. And please, dispose of the so called “air fresheners”, especially those trees you put in your car, and the scented tissue and candles. They stink.
One time sitting next to one of my friends at work (I’m white, she’s black) one of our other coworkers (older lady that is incredibly sweet, but naive) started complimenting my friends afro (yes, it was GORGEOUS)… and them asked if she could touch it.
ReplyI died inside, even worse was my friend had already died inside so many times from getting asked that she was just… shutting down after feeling lifted just a moment before with the compliments.
The other coworker knew she messed up, just not how. We both explained to her, and she gave all the apologies and went back to just compliments, but it’s just another unintended slap my friend bore for being black.
“You figured out Settlers of Catan” is one of the best arguments I’ve ever heard
ReplyAnd here I’m sitting going: Why do people care about something so trivial? Is their head; let them do what they please and piss off.
ReplyI have a question, and I mean that very honestly: I am white, so I wonder, what if I am just honestly interested in how a Black person is doing their hair, because I want to know about their personal experience? Yes, I know I can google it (did earlier when it was about 4C type hair), but what if I just want to have a conversation with another person about a part of their everyday reality that differs from mine? If I am just told to google it, that basically blocks the conversation and I feel like it might keep people from getting closer and develop an understanding of each other. A lot of Black people probably feel like it’s not their job to constantly keep explaining things to white people, I can completely imagine this can be exhausting at one point. But yeah…what if I am just honestly interested in that part of their identity?
ReplySoooo does John Oliver have black (women) writers now?
ReplyWomen are descriminated for job oportunitty because of the hair, or lack of it, more than we think, it is awfull!
ReplyThat guy saying “you people are beautiful” was so cringe!
ReplyI don’t get how the ones making laws and bringing ppl to trials are the ones also turning around saying “it’s just hair.” Like, exactly assholes, so stop making it have anything to do w/ the law!
ReplyJust stopping by to post greetings to John Oliver, the sellout.
ReplyI miss Leslie.. just give her her own late night show
ReplyI don’t agree white ppl having dreads is cultural appropriation. It’s like saying hair straightening is cultural appropriation. It’s not accurate to call style mimicry appropriation. We don’t live in a fucking vacuum Mr. Oliver. I am not appropriating their culture by adopting a hair approach. Additionally many cultures across the globe throughout history have utilized dreadlocks as a form of hair control and style. If more white women had dreads then it would have socially softening effect of enabling ppl to be more open to the hair style. Their’s is a false belief that ppl with dreads have lice. It’s a lie. This lie is what companies use to manipulate their social control and hide their racism. We should all have dreads to save on water and showering. I agree with everything your addressing. However; what’s your solution to hair fear? Shaming white people for admiring and emulating black style further divides culture and class. Bee apart of the solution get dreads!
Reply“Google it or fuck off” Words to live by.
Replythe idea “you should not do your hair in certain ways cause is worse for black people” seems very sketchy and idiotic. advocating to eliminate discrimation in work spaces and try to spread knowledge about hair styles and treatment so black people can go in a damn hair saloon is a far different thing. spreading the hairstyles to everyone could actually be the right choice to deal with the problem. so at least those fuckers know the style, they will just need to learn the other differences there are
ReplyRacist Teacher Carol wrote necessary when she meant necessity. It is nice that teachers are as stupid as i remember.
Replyyou’re overthinking this. It’s just hair. People shouldn’t lose their job over it, but the solution to that is not overexaggerating its importance either
ReplyI worked at a high end luggage boutique yrs ago. I had this kinky twist style at the time. This white woman comes in and says i love the juxtaposition. At the time i just learned the word but assumed i was mistaken and just nodded. Wish i saw that woman now. Who says that to ppl?
ReplyI remember some people used to call me racist for trying to get my cut at black barbers. Like no, im not racist, they are literally the only ones who know how to do my hair.
Replynow why would you dislike this video?
ReplyMy hair is curly and unruly and very hard like wires. I have to cut them really short to appear presentable.
ReplyYou just lost my respect John. Despite the fact that you are British, I thought you are a reasonable, just and sensible man, that talks about any global issue without calculations. But while Gaza is burning, and dozens are dead including many many children because of Israeli excess of power towards harmless & non weaponized people defending their homes, you are talking about FUCKING hair! Shame on you and your whole team, you just lost a subscriber and I will make sure to pass the message along so that people know what a fucking acting clown you are
ReplyI think we all jealous about how beautiful black hair is!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
ReplyOn point.
ReplyOn point. On point. On point.
I was told that I would have to change my red hair to a more “natural” color–all while working with white women with half pink/half purple hair, green hair for St. Patrick’s day, and the “skunk stripes” of white streaks through jet black hair.
wait I don’t lick my dog in the mouth and I really don’t give a fuk about hair…. am I white?
ReplyThank you John Oliver for telling people we’re not cats! 🙌🏽 Loved this episode and hope this opens a lot of folks eyes on why hair discrimination is a real problem.
ReplyIn my country state government owned public secondary (high) schools in the south have a low cut rule for all students but private schools do not instead you are expected to make neat braided/plaited styles for girls and the afro limits for boys are higher and wealthier private schools allow extensions and boys to braid their hair, most kids in the south go to private schools, also if your hair style is for religious reasons like dreadlocs you are exempt from all hair rules even in public schools , secondary schools owned by the federal government also encourage neat cornrows as the school approved hair style for girls….
In the northern part of my country you can’t even dare to suggest a girl cut her hair. The girls all have long beautiful hair braided/plaited and wrapped in a scarf as that is their culture
In office settings neat hair is crisp cornrows or hair of any texture in a wraps/buns or dull colored scarves or hijabs and older women think wigs make you look stupid but younger women buy wigs to give their hair a break from braiding plus it’s like a hat made from hair and that’s really awesome plus you can do dangerous hairstyles you count risk your hair to try…… Office hair is any style that is dull coloured no brightly coloured reds, blue etc. …. But you can get a dark red, dark blue tips or even dull blond but black hair is the most acceptable… So braids (with or without extensions), wigs,poofy buns are great so far the match the colour requirements
We have religious sects that preach that any alteration of the natural form will lead you to hell, and it’s adherents are seen as strict no nonsense people and are seen as the definition of “serious”, they usually have neatly braided or threaded natural hair.
The stupid “Reason” for making state public school girls cut their hair is that long hair makes you pretty , and if you are pretty, the boys chasing you and you won’t study.
But still large afros are not seen as corporate hair not because people think it’s ugly but afros are seen as young people party hair and a “serious” woman should have it plaited/cornrowed down, or packed in a cute pineapple bun, small afros are actually really acceptable as a business hairstyle especially if you are short and cute…
Locs are seen as musician/weird art person hairstyle or a priest of a traditional religious sect or some christian sects but it’s only a problem for men, women can have their dreads as long as they want. …. Freeform dreads are expected to be put in a bun but manicured locs can be worn any how….
Anyways this is all woman hair stuff men are expected to have either small afros, bald or faded hair cuts if they aren’t in the entertainment business, hair braiding is considered feminine
but that’s just my country some African countries traditionally considered long hair on men very masculine and short hair very feminine
ReplyProblem with USA in my opinion is that they never really dealt with their apartheid times.
Replyactually “hey, not all X” is literally the most appropriate possible response to any generalization
ReplyDidn’t realize I needed a trigger warning until 10 minutes in and I had to pause it lol but, well done. I’ve got about 30 pages of things to say off the top of my head, and 90 when I’m done, but we’ll just cap it here because, honestly — you can google it.
ReplyHow does coconut oil bother you? Stuff smells amazing and is great for skin and hair.
ReplyNo lie… a white guy grabbed my friends loc(she did NOT know him)… and said… ugh feels disgusting…What on earth made a person think that was ok? I really want to know..
ReplyI’m white and grew up in a conservative area. There was literally one black person in the whole school. But there were a lot of Native Americans. The problem is, being white, I wasn’t taught anything about Native American culture and had no idea that I was doing something wrong when I touched their hair. It was literally high school when I was visiting a friend one night and she asked me to cut her hair and as I was cutting, she told me how rude it was to touch their hair without asking and told me about their ceremonies for disposing of cut hair. Then she told me that it was only because she trusted me that she was okay letting me cut her hair.
I’ll never forget how shocked and honored I was. I’ve kept my hands to myself ever since. And that’s really fucking sad how uncomfortable I must have made them for years without a single adult teaching my about a whole culture I was growing up beside.
ReplyLet’s talk about European hair too that would be nice
ReplyThis kind of thing always hurts my heart and pisses me off at the same time. I dye my hair crazy rainbow colors frequently, show up with outrageous bedhead on purpose, and have cut it myself for years. Not one time has anyone complained about the state of my head, even though it legitimately takes effort to look like a rainbow tornado hit me. But then there are these idiots with the sheer audacity to complain about what someone’s hair looks like in its natural state? Black textured hair is beautiful and versatile, and I love watching tutorial videos of women creating elaborate and beautiful styles. Why should they be expected to spend all kinds of money and time just to make their hair resemble a white person’s? It’s bad for their hair, and bad for their own health, and then there’s the rudeness of expecting that from a black worker, but not a white one.
ReplyEspecially the one woman who was interviewed and offered the job while she had locs, but had the offer rescinded when she wouldn’t cut them. Like. Even ignoring the racist part, why would you not disclose that during the interview? They wasted her time in addition to being discriminatory idiots.
how stupid do you have to be to understand. if it’s locked up it’s because they steal it more
ReplyHow Is describing black hair as wooly problematic
ReplyI’m white, I put coconut oil in my hair too, and no one says anything about the smell. If anyone says anything negative they are totally being racist. I use it for eczema because I don’t want my hair to fall out.
Reply“god damn white people” totally not racist. This generation is missing the point of what racism is. Discriminating someone because of the color of their skin. That is racism. NOt sure… search for the definition. Or like this video said “Just google it” Also, I am not white. This is definititely a dangerous path you guys are taking.
ReplyTake a couple isolated events in the span of like 80 years and make a big deal about it. Never seen a black woman bullied for her hair ever. Maybe in high school cause kids are horrible. This is a non-issue. And by the way i worked in retail a lot. They STEAL SHIT. It’s not a urban legend holy shit. We were missing shit ton in inventory every time it was scanned. Are they really having a segment about white hairdressers ot doing black hair…..dude there black hairdressers everywhere go there
ReplyApartheid South Africa used to do the pencil test on people’s hair to categorize them into race groups. So sick of the amount of money and time Black people spend on their hair. I walked out of a final interview in 1984 as a news anchor because I was asked to wear a wig because I have wavey hair. That was the end of my broadcasting dream. Principles people. I wash my hair daily and have not used perms for 15 years. Love my virgin hair now, and spend 2 minutes every morning. Wash, conditioner, and Auntie Jackie’s gel. Done ✔
ReplyTruth is; we are pretty much seen as animals to be placed in a zoo, used as beasts of burden, or to be terminated with extreme prejudice.
ReplyBlack people need to stop being consumers of these products made by the L’oreal’s who make billions.
ReplyI’m not disregarding the obvious racism over hair… but ignoring the fact that tribal white people had dreadlocks and braids is… kind of a poor oversite and calling it “cultural appropriation” is really irritating as well. I think we need to fight racism and any inequality but we have to do it in a way that doesn’t strip anyone of their own culture as well. We need to fight with facts, not assumptions and hate.
ReplyMy old boss straight up told me I needed to straighten my hair to make it “pretty and sleek like the other girls”. I told her to talk to my lawyer about it. She never brought it up again.
Reply13k white racist bigot individuals disliked this video. Good job John Oliver as usual you nailed it ! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
ReplyWell done! Well said! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
ReplyEvey Sunday 6 am trying not to fall asleep or get burned while sweating
ReplyI grew up with learning how to take care of my little sister (including her hair). I’m white. We have different fathers, so she obviously doesn’t look like me except for our matching green eyes (hers are more striking because of her beautifulbrown skin tone, but I got reverse corn-rows once. I was punk, and had multiple hair-styles including blue and a zebra Mohawk. I wasn’t trying to appropriate anything. I wasn’t doing anything through “ignorance” either. I was just wearing my hair the way I wanted. My sister lives and works in Kansas as a nurse and wears her hair however she likes. I have piercings and hire people who have paralegal knowledge (regardless of skin color, hair style, or personal decoration).
ReplyI don’t fetishize anyone. I wasn’t mocking my sister’s culture by getting corn-rows. She often jokes that she’s “A frican American!”🥰
Some of this is culture and ignorance, not racism. The solution is to inform folks regardless. There’s nothing wrong with a salon lacking experience because their area is one type of hair only btw. Of course a lot of Woke Leftists don’t want discussion they just get violent and hate and say you’re harassing them for asking for an honest discussion.
ReplyAmerican culture is based upon N
ReplyI know this is unrelated to this particular video, but does anyone else think that he says ‘yah’ a lot, mainly directly after the video clips? I can’t be the only one….please tell me I’m not😯
ReplyJust when I think the US couldn’t get any freakier, you people prove me wrong.
ReplyI was worried for you as a white man doing this but you did a fantastic job! Some things needed to be said.
ReplyMy expression throughout this segment..
Wait is John going to talk abt …😲
Oh John pls dont mess up, we ❤u😩
Wait he’s serious🤔
Wait he’s doing fine🙂
Oh man he’s definitely killing it😏
My man has really done his research 😄😁😆
Oh yeah😁👍
ReplyI remember when I started my locs at my law firm. My family was scared I would lose my job. But luckily everything went well…that was 11 yrs ago. I’m glad things r getting better. 🖤
ReplyBlack people’s hair is the thing that most intimidates me about the idea of becoming a hairstylist, because i wouldn’t feel entitled to consider myself a qualified hairdresser until i knew a lot, and i’m not sure who i could trust to teach me well.
so.. i’m doing something right, but that part about a judge using a white person’s cornrows(i think it was) against a black discrinination plaintiff surprised me and made me understand some things better.
thanks to the people who helped to put this together.
ReplyThis is entirely unrelated but in a piece he did he made a joke about fish being too dumb to learn to breath air and I learned today that there is a fish that can breath air and it’s called the mudskipper
ReplyMy first reaction to that(white people don’t understand black hair) was I’m not white-I still don’t understand black hair. There are more races than just black and white Johnny. Latinos, East Asians, Brown peeps, various indigenous folks may not understand as well.
Reply