Jon Stewart invites comedian and Senior Race Relations Correspondent Jessica Williams to express her perspective on Charleston; but she soon realizes that she must employ a ‘helper whitey’ in order to be heard by some white people. Jessica expresses her opinion about the Charleston controversy, saying – in part:
“Dylann Roof highlighted the connection between traditional southern values and racism. Look at the Confederate flag. When you claim that it only represents southern pride, you’re either lying or being willfully ignorant, because we know it was the official jersey of ‘Team Slavery’ during the Civil War. Look, if this is just about southern culture, then fine. Pick up a banjo and have a line dance in your neighbor’s barn. I’ll throw on my boots – and I’ll be there!”
If this message was clear to you, then you are not George,(a whitey)who is lost in happy memories of those rascals, the Duke boys. Jessica’s message is completely lost on him. When he does come to, he feels panicked and threatened. It is only when Jon restates that the flag is insulting because it’s deeply tied to slavery does George see the light. It is clear that George can only hear Jessica’s message when Jon restates it.
Jessica makes feeling invisible and unheard work for her, by employing a Helper Whitey. As the two of them negotiate a day outside the studio, only a firm ‘No!’ from Helper Whitey discourages pesky white folks who breach Jessica’s boundaries. The two hilariously fend off aggressive hair touchers, complicated handshake greeters, and more ominously a park policeman. Jessica’s distress at dropping her ice cream, looks like the violent menace of an angry black woman, to the cop. If not for the intercession of Helper Whitey, Jessica might have been headed downtown to be booked for an aggressive, violent outburst – or worse!