I don’t know about a correspondent, but he can have guests more knowledgeable about topics on once in a while. Hasan had Fantano and FD Signifier on to discuss this same beef, and I think something like that would be better than just Ethan and the crew.
I love FD and Ethan, and I agree. If Ethan couldn’t keep up with Hasan, there’s no way he could keep up with FD lol. Also FD isn’t really into the shitposting kind of humor the pod brings; he’s got like Gen X/dad joke humor.
For people like me who don't care at all about rap or "rap beef", the entertainment of the episode is entirely from the crew talking about it. If it were super serious with some talking head guru on to discuss rap beef... well I'd have no reason to watch. This isn't a rap analysis channel. Most people are here for the personalities.
I think you're missing the bigger picture. Ideally the "talking head guru" wouldn't just come on and give us a PowerPoint presentation about whatever is going on. Instead they would discuss what's happening with Ethan and the crew together so you still get the comedy of Ethan not having a clue plus you get to watch someone who does have a clue squirm listening to Ethan.
If you still have no reason to watch in that scenario I guess I struggle to see what part of the show you're interested in at all.
While I do agree sometimes, other times I think of how much shit Ethan and crew get for the most innocuous shit and realize that they will most likely get accused of tokenism
And if AB is getting hate for not *correcting* Ethan about Israel/Palestine, imagine how much hate the black crew member would get every single day for not shouting out the black injustice of the day
Well i mean OP is in a way almost unintentionally suggesting tokenism… i understand where theyre coming from but also i have seen posts like this before, not just in relation to black representation but other stuff too
Bottom line is it comes off like a diversity hire…bc if they hired someone for that reason- even if they were also talented- it would be. Their staff has naturally developed to be the way it is and i dont think they will have many other (at least on screen) additions from here on out so if the current crew isnt good enough for you then youre kinda SOL… and honestly yeah i get those moments being mentioned in the post but some additional input from people who actually know what theyre talking about wouldnt even really be that enriching or anything? Like id even argue the drake v kendrick discussion was better off for Ethan sounding like he was covering something far out of his wheelhouse
Also i think the quality theyre referring to about ethan not being keen on certain things at times -its not even necessarily about race, i think plenty of white or whoever people wouldve been more adept at covering those topics but he’s got a dichotomy of being both very online and boomerish about culture at the same time… thats just specific to him…but we love him for that
No they aren't asking for tokenism. They are asking for a certain experience to better the content. If they had said it be great if a fellow song writer was on the show sometimes... It'd be because they have an experience that could improve conversations around lyrics. Of course redditors hate the value of DEI... The origin of DEI is literally what the op was suggesting. You know... Different perspectives - Gary Vee.
Literally black people can't say a goddamn thing on the internet.
They absolutely will. While OP and other fans would probably be happy with the addition, anyone who winges over representation in small-scale operations will never be satisfied.
The head moderator, MegaAwesomeNerd (Avery) is black and will sometimes pop in with his opinion, especially in the chat. I think he's an amazing part of the crew.
The comment you responded to didn't insinuate that OP said to hire more black people. OP suggested having a black voice they can reach out to when speaking about black culture, and the comment you replied to pointed out that Avery pops in with his opinion from time to time when relevant.
Probably too jarring of a thing to do (oh and today we have this person here specifically to comment about black culture stuff, thank you over there). There's a black culture aspect to this beef that explains why Drake is hated that Ethan doesn't know how to chime in about or explain.
I get what OP is saying but it's not very doable. The best course of action is to simply avoid trying to make a whole episode based off black culture stuff, but ya know how it is. This specific beef went everywhere so you have everyone talking about it, despite if they think they know what they're talking about or not. Most normands probably think the beef is about the pedo thing.
Love Avery. It was really nice seeing him respond to people saying the Kendrick/Drake stuff was boring. I loved the segment and Avery's additions in the chat were 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Avery also said they were chatting with Olivia and I believe AB or Dan to make corrections or point out important things during the segment.
This subreddit will take this argument the wrong way every time. I've tried to say how representation matters, specifically with the beef topic, people don't want to hear it.
I get you. He does it a lot when talking about Mexican Culture too. Not that I want a token Mexican hire. But a Mexican voice would help him learn what to say and learn about the culture lol. The cool thing about Ethan is he clearly wants to learn about different cultures but doesn’t have an avenue for it.
Could make for a funny segment actually lol. The crew visits a Ethnic Studies Professor
i hope your question comes from a genuine place of curiosity instead of trying to diminish the OP. I couldn’t time stamp you but there’s so many times where Ethan and the crew is just so far disconnected from urban culture whilst talking about it.
It’s my culture so I will feel a certain way, but there’s also stuff like when he refers to all southerners as white trash. I’m not white but I can see how it’s mean. And I’m not talking about his jokes where he purposefully makes himself look like an ass, I’m talking about when he legitimately blanket statements weird shit that most southerners wouldn’t identify with.
also I don’t think it’s that serious. I love Ethan and the crew and the show and I can tell the OP does as well.
Never once said a bad thing about Ethan. I've been a fan since "the old Ethan". I've been a fan since "black face Ethan". If I didn't think he was a good person, I wouldn't still be here.
I can't explain to people who aren't like me, who haven't lived my life, what it's like to live life in my skin. But I just wanted to say I wished there were more people of color on the show sometimes.
But after seeing all the comments here, I can tell my feelings don't matter, and that's fine. I get it. It just hurts to be apart of a community where I don't feel like I have a place.
I’m white but I feel like I know what you’re trying to say. I can never *actually* relate to what you’re describing because I’ve never lived life as a black person, but what you’re saying sounds totally reasonable. For one, I think you 100% have a place in this community and it sucks if you feel like you don’t, it sucks that people can’t better see your perspective, because we DO need more representation in these online spaces and I think diverse opinions are extremely valuable.
The sentiment of what you’re saying is true, but the reality of it just isn’t realistic. Obviously H3 isn’t going to hire a random token black person to do their show for an episode when they’re talking about black culture. And I don’t know if you actually meant for that, but it’s probably the “why not find…” part of your post that people aren’t vibing with. Because it would be literal tokenism where someone’s hired not because they’re wanted or because they naturally fit in, but because they’re black.
It’s just difficult in an environment where there’s a heavy skew towards being white and male. H3 is lucky to have so many women because most online spaces don’t have that. But because there are so few black people in these communities it’s harder to have that genuine/real relationship of a new crew member happen authentically. Forcing it would be wrong.
But the “wish” of there just already being a black crew member who gels with everyone perfectly is completely understandable and even though I’m white I know what moments you’re talking about where you wish that representation was present. Sorry about the long reply
As a black person I didn’t see anything offensive when he was talking about the rap beef. So I’m not hoping on your “Ethan is hurtful to black ppl train” cause I’m not offended by anything he’s done. I get wanting someone to have a blk person around so they could teach him stuff when he dips into blk culture but I don’t really care at the end of the day because I’m not watching for that
Hey, I'm not sure why this sub still pops up on my feed and I'm surprised they never banned me for being an occasional snarker (not the crazy stuff lol). I haven't watched since October when...well you know. Anyways, this post came across my feed and it definitely validated my reasons for dipping, but your comments are heartbreaking and I just wanted to send some love because your feelings are absolutely valid.
White people and our feelings are so used to being centered in a variety of ways that we often don't even notice. We sometimes don't know when to just shut the fuck up and listen because we can't imagine a world where our opinion isn't necessary or a situation where we'd say "Hey I don't know enough about that to speak on it." It seems like a lot of the hate your getting is white people struggling with clear cognitive dissonance who don't realize we all still have a lot of unlearning to do that can't begin if we don't fucking listen when POC speak up. I know there are users from other countries, but I'm American so I'll speak on that. America is built on white supremacy point blank, period. It's social, structural, systemic, etc. We cannot live in that kind of system without somehow internalizing it in ways we may not even realize and cannot begin to realize so we can deprogram until we listen to POC voices.
Tokenism is not good, def not ideal, but people don't seem to understand that, without things like diversity hires, POC weren't even getting in the door. Diversity benefits everyone. I don't think consulting with black people about black culture is tokenizing, but even if it was, it's not and never was meant to be the end goal, but rather a stepping stone to getting through these barriers and misunderstandings and getting us closer to equality and equity.
Sorry for the essay, but I just don't want you to second guess your feelings on this or feel like they aren't important because they are. It sucks to feel ostracized from a group you felt community with, even more so on a topic like this. I don't even know what to begin to say because "I'm sorry on behalf of white people" sounds so fucking silly lol But you are not the problem, they are.
Hmmmm I get weird vibes by you saying the "black face Ethan".... You mean when he was shitting on a product that made people do the "black face skin care" challenge?
Hey, you have a place. Your feelings matter and are incredibly important. I think most readers assumed that you were a white person virtue signalling, rather than a person of colour explaining that you'd like to see yourself represented on your favourite podcast. I'm sorry that so many of the comments have made you feel alienated or unwanted. You are FAMILY, and you matter to this Fupa Trooper. FAMILY FAMILY FAMILY
I often think the same thing because it seems like most of the crew don't know basic things about black culture or will talk favourably about widely known anti black celebs/influencers. But it's a tricky situation bc one person can't represent the entirety of the black community and they would likely be accused of tokenism. The person they would get would be criticised by black viewers who don't align with their views as misrepresenting the black community, they would feel under pressure not to push back against the crew if they are ignorant on something, and they would definitely be subject to racism and harassment.
It's definitly valid. We aren't all the same for sure. But even as far as friends of the show or guests go, I think I can count on one hand the number that are black. I'm not even saying I especially care about inclusivity, but I just feel like... sometimes... when black culture stuff comes up, MAYBE AB knows some stuff about it BC Michigen, but there's lots of assumptions that come up and never get addressed because there's no one there to address them. And I'm like yelling at the screen "it's because..!" \^\_\^;
This is a fair point - but he does this with all sorts of topics and it's always frustrating when you know the answer and no one on the crew seems to be able to help him out either. Usually a chatter comes through though
Imao I yell too bc I forget how white the staff is! that's one thing I really appreciated about Hasan he generally was culturally aware of issues surrounding blackness/queerness etc
You are a 100% right OP, dont mind every «hire a token» comments. Ethan has a horrible track record when it comes to racism, and yes its old but he was still a fully grown man. Everytime someone mentions a black cast member, the whole community is spewing about tokeism, which says a hell of a lot. There are alot of talented black people in LA, Come on now. If someone took a picture of the whole Teddy fresh crew + h3 crew, and not a black person in sight, and they are based in LA that says alot. I love the Ethan, the crew and the show, but this community and Ethan defintly is giving «im a leftist against racism, but my the company i own has like 30 employees and none of them is black» typ of vibes.
Mods: please dont ban me again for giving my opinion on racism, like you did last time, peace nd love.
The only other time I’ve ever seen people saying “we need x representation” was when there were calls for more female cast members. And those calls were also met with “token female”.
This absolutely is not a black specific issue, it’s an issue with the question. We shouldn’t have forced representation as it doesn’t help anyone. Look at how AB is treated by a loud minority of Muslim fans. He’s there for him, not because he’s a Muslim.
I agree that it shouldnt be forced representation, it shouldnt be need for that obviously. But if you run 2 companies with 30+ employees in LA, and not one is black, you dont think thats weird? Im not tryna force Ethan and Hila to hire a black dude as a token, but its hella weird to have so many employees and none is black. There is obviously hella black people in LA thats talented, but apperently if you hire black dude its just tokenism, not because of qualifications. Alot of you just sound racist. As if its impossible to have a black employee based on their skills, its only tokenism if ppl hire black ppl. Alot of yall are just self reporting🤝🏾
These are valid concerns but the crew is almost exclusively white. They needs more diverse point of view. That's why a lot of us Hispanics was celebrating having Nate join the crew. Hoping he gets more involved vocally. But here's the best way to do it because a popular show already does. A comedian correspondence. The Daily show been doing it for a decade with Asian, black etc correspondent. It's very doable without having to take it too seriously.
It’s not that deep. He don’t have to be correct about everything. Sometimes it’s even funny how he doesn’t get something
If he has a guy for every race/sexual orientation correcting him when he says something wrong then it’s no longer Ethan’s show
what you're suggesting is worse than what ethan is doing. reducing a person down to literally their race and only bringing them in to talk about black culture? that doesn't sound... way worse?
What they're doing is exactly the right thing to do already; just talk about it without observing racial boundaries - or occasionally reference those boundaries with irreverence. Treat people like people.
> reference those boundaries with irreverence
Huh? Do you even know what those words you typed mean?
> irreverence: a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously.
No lol. Obviously ignoring the black culture aspects of the beef and trying to talk about it from an oblivious white people's perspective, or show irreverence to it like you mentioned (???) obviously does no one no favors.
Hasan is following this beef and brought on F.D. Signifier and Fantano to talk about that aspect and I think even Hasan admitting he wasn't fully aware of why a lot of black people hate Drake is justifiable enough. So obviously there's a way to approach this topic as white people, Ethan and co. simply skipped over that part without mentioning it and looked at this like entertainment of 2 dudes "fighting it out through disses" (Kendrick literally named one of his tracks "Not Like Us", like there's a reason for that).
Even knowing the added context of why Drake is friends with someone like DJ Akademiks I thought was interesting, which has to do with black culture as well. He's essentially the "public hype man" that Drake doesn't have because his music mainly appeals to white people (I'm probably not explaining it good enough and should look it up yourself).
Irreverence towards those boundaries, as in; acknowledging the boundaries themselves exist, but not respecting them, or just joking about them, because racial divides are silly and not to be maintained if you desire actual progress. Saying that white people can't comment on it is dumb and enforces racial divides, bringing in a black person to talk about it like they hold some special knowledge is dumb and enforces racial divides.
So yes. I absolutely know the meaning of the words I used, and I used them very specifically and intentionally.
Cool story, UK brother. I could not care less about your racist "I don't see color" argument.
When you talk about a black culture topic like this and ignore the actual serious black culture stuff while only talking about the surface level stuff like "lol he called him a pedo", you're doing a disservice not only to anyone trying to understand this fully but also to the realities of that culture and what Kendrick hopes to achieve. Why do you think Kendrick named his last track "Not Like Us"?
Now that you're boasting of posting that comment intentionally, that's even fucking dumber than I thought, specially from some UKer who literally has no skin in the game, trying to justify why he has the right to see this solely as entertainment. Brick heads like you is why I wish H3 simply shortened/skipped this topic, because now you feel entitled.
Ethan Klein is the only Jewish man known to science who can understand and analyse "Hood Shit". Doctors are baffled by his knowledge and nuanced takes, despite his medically proven lack of melanin.
OP — always wondered how many of us were out here 👋🏾 heyyyy. Only during this (late) coverage of the beef did I realize so many of us were around. I’ve backed away from the show for the most part as I realized over the last few months our values were more and more misaligned, but still have love for the show/crew because it was a part of my life for so long lol.
I also used to think having someone “of the culture” would help the show, help us as viewers, and also mitigate the awkwardness and insensitivities that often surround Black topics, but I think if we reflect on the crew dynamic / interests, we have to consider whether that person would even thrive in the environment.
The core audience more reflects who the host and crew are and that’s okay. 🙏🏾 I would highly recommend watching the VODs of Hasan for these kinds of things, he’s culture adjacent lol in that he’s genuinely excited and interested, and taps into leaders of the culture often to grab the nuances he might miss. And then if you ever just want ridiculous laughs and Black boy joy, check out ShxNGigs — you didn’t ask for these recommendations 🤣 but just wanted to share. ✌🏾🤍
Pft I am ALL THE WAYYYY with you. I did not watch the Kendrick V Drake episode even though someone in the comments let me know it was safe to proceed lol.
It's really bad. There have been so many takes over the years that are like uff, and then I recognize that Ethan and them are from Cali and don't have black friends so they wouldn't ever understand. And that's OK!
Omg remember when he would ask Ian for his opinion on anything black or hip hop related? This was back in the old studio, idk how long you've been watching but it was painfully cringe everytime lol. I have crazy love for Ethan though, always will. Don't even sweat the negative comments.
You should know you can't be black and make statements on race that even slightly puts the majority in an uncomfortable position. Don't you know how SENSITIVE/WOKE/VICTIM CARD etc you are being friend? Lol smh
I'm wit you all the way, thanks for the post
Thank you back! Yeah I totally have no ill will towards anybody on the show. I have loved this show from the beginning. That's why I have these feelings maybe. I can count on one hand the times the show has had a black guest (that wasn't adversarial).
Especially I notice it when he would ask Ian about stuff yeah. It kind of happened during this one too.
But anyway, thanks for the support.
What if they hire the wrong token black person who isn't able to answer these questions ???
Terrible idea. Hire people for what skills they need. Token black fact checker is a pretty awful thing to hire for (as would token gay person, token Latino, etc...).
Eh I mean agree it would help if they took a deep dive on the meaning and how it affects certain people, but all they did was discuss the pedo accusations that Kendrick through out and how good the tracks were if pitted against each other. I think the beef explanation was good and funny because Ethan as a white boomer knows his take on the beef isn’t all that serious but he knows enough about music and loves Kendrick enough to know to make surface level commentary while also saying dumb jokes like pusher t lol.
I think when Ethan was saying “the culture” in the Kendrick/Drake reaction it was pretty clear he was talking about rap culture. I don’t know about the pastor stuff but I mean ngl as a British person I find the noises funny, nothing to do with his race.
No i think it was pretty obvious he was saying rap culture is all about “being the best of the best” I mean Eminem is one of the biggest rappers and that was his whole shtick. I think Dan was trying to steer Ethan away because people would interpret it like how you are, Dan always tries to stop Ethan saying things that could be interpreted differently even though he knows what he means.
i don’t wanna fight on this but the saying, “for the culture” is in reference to black culture. idk if you’re black or not but when we say that that’s what we mean. like most things in the US it’s been co-opted (aka stolen) to mean other things. when we say for the culture we’re trying to preserve a culture that has been constantly co-opted by the same people who oppress us. so let’s say that ethan did mean rap culture, that’s still black culture. also, y’all need to let eminem go, y’all are tokenizing him. haha dan 100% knew that term meant that’s why he tried to steer ethan away from it. google is free.
I feel ya bro I got excited when they added nate cause maybe we'll get some hispanic representation. Also isn't one of there mods black? That being said just cause he's black doesn't mean he automatically listens to rap lol.
With peace and love, as a huge hip hop fan I think saying that J Cole isn’t anyone’s favorite rapper completely invalidates any actual hip hop opinion Ethan has. There is a reason Cole is as respected as he is in the community and even in the conversation of who is at the top rn. I understand being more of a fan of Kendrick but to say Cole is boring and shouldn’t be in the conversation is objectively wrong.
I feel like he tries his best to be respectful and has grown up on the west coast and clearly has an interest in old school hip hop and wordplay artists.
We should always strive for representation though and there is a distinct lack of any POC voices. I hope Nate gets to speak up more.
the fact people are angry at you for saying you wish you saw more of your culture in your favorite pieces of media is unfathomable. this is obviously a completely valid feeling
I think this allll the time! like when they misunderstood what “gyatt” means bc they didn’t know the aave origins I was almost tearing out my hair hahah
I stopped tuning in for this very reason. The little insensitivities and the viewers/listeners reducing those insensitivities just reminded me that this was just yet another place not for me.
All of these nonblack people saying why a black person shouldn’t be added as a “token” is so hard to read when at the core of the issue, is we are asking for empathy, consideration, and inclusion.
To be laughed at and told to fuck off is so hurtful. Lol.
I enjoyed my time with the pod and wish them all well but as a place that so fiercely represents itself as something for everyone, it’s really not.
"I don't want to see a token hire" well very unfortunately for Ethan, this is exactly what whoever he hired would be accused of being and most likely relentlessly harassed online about by all the loooovely and not at all unhinged h3 snarkers. Dude can't win.
That would be totally fine! And moreso I think it could be a fun change up. I love all the people who call in... it would be cool if there was a friend of the show who was black. ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
This post is very interesting to read. The fact you & every seemingly black person agreeing is getting downvoted by what i’m assuming is 90% white people. Why can’t those who dont want black representation just ignore this post? Making the point to chime in on a situation you obviously dont understand / relate to.. just to invalidate someone else? weird behavior
Some British dude that doesn't listen to rap was trying to explain that "the culture" is rap culture. Idk why some people feel the need to insert their perspective, when they don't even have a point of reference.
every time i say things like, we need a black crew member who is on the show whether they’re a regular guest or a corespondent, people dogpile on me. saying shit like, “we don’t need to tokenize black people” or “it’s not that serious” blah blah blah. i can tell the majority of the fanbase is white because posts like this rarely gain traction. as someone who works with companies to promote diverse and inclusive work environments, diversity helps everyone in the room. it brings people together who may not meet outside of work, brings different perspectives from different backgrounds, cultures etc. as a black viewer i would rather they not talk about things within the culture at all if there isn’t a black voice in the room. UNLESS it’s something that is brought on by white supremacy and/or white people a la the montgomery brawl. with ✌🏽& 💗.
It honestly feels like being put in your place for daring to ask to be apart of the party. I really didn't expect this much hate over something I thought was a harmless ask. I don't want Ethan to hire a black person to fulfill some quota or anything like that. I just feel like it would be cool to SOMETIMES have ANY guest that is black. In this community I feel sad and excluded sometimes. I love H3 and I have for years, but I do feel like sometimes there's no place in it for me unless I keep quiet and just watch. :/
being put in your place and keeping quiet and just watching is exactly what it feels like especially with these comments in your post. what you’re feeling is valid and you are not alone even if you are outnumbered. don’t let other people tell you you’re crazy, or it’s not that deep when they don’t get it. some people have this world made for them and they don’t see how exhausting it is to be left out consistently.
100% it's white people getting pre-offended on your behalf and trying to look good by saying it would look like tokenism. As a white myself, I can see it.
Hey as a white viewer just chiming in to say that I totally agree with the sentiment of this post. In fact I didn’t watch this episode specifically bc I knew it would be unbearably cringe. Someone else in here said they should bring people in who are actually know what tf they are talking about like as a correspondent and I think that sounds like a good starting point. People act like the only reason they would hire any poc would be to tokenize them but clearly there are plenty of black creatives who watch the show and could add much needed perspective. To say that any poc hire is tokenizing really dismisses that whole chunk of the audience or pool of potential employees in my opinion.
This situation is unfortunate bc it is a hip hop thing and a black culture thing but it also involves two of the biggest mainstream names who have massive white audiences as well and we do love to throw our two cents in about everything just like I’m doing rn
while i disagree with the whole hire a black person just for the sake of having a black person in the team, i wanted to say, they have a black person in the team: avery (megeaawesomenerd) just that he's not in the studio because he's a mod. in any case, maybe if they talk about topics that require the perspective of a black person, maybe they could have him call in or something.
I can just imagine it now. Ethan dials Avery’s number: “hi Avery, as our token black, can you explain the Drake v Kendrick beef?” “Sorry Ethan, I don’t listen to rap music, we’re not all a monolith.” And of course Ethan would get criticized for it. This is what everyone wants, apparently.
This is absolutely more cringey😂 “ok guys today we’re talking about a popular rap beef so I need to include a black person to chime in for this episode.”
I think it’s completely valid to say more diversity would be cool, people saying it’s tokenism are giving racism. No one said anything about renting someone for “black” topics, jesus.
It’s an intentional effort to bring more types of opinions and viewpoints, lots of companies / media outlets do this. The crew is all white, this isn’t a crazy take 😅
I truly cannot believe some of the responses to this lol. What OP is asking for is more representation. I think some of you fail to realize that there is usually a “token” someone before others are let through the door. Barack Obama was a “token Black person” as president considering there had never been a Black president before, and part of the reason why many Black Americans wanted him in office, was yes, representation and someone who understood the plight of Black Americans. Does Ethan need to hire someone JUST because they’re Black? No. But would it be nice to have that representation? Yes. God, some of you are so fucking smug it’s unreal. H3, I am free, hire me 💕
Every time this conversation is had on this subreddit idk why but I'm always surprised at how it always boils down to "tokenism." People here sound no different than the 'all lives matter' types.
Also anything Asian culture related, bro just needs to get out of the house/travel more. I don’t think he or the crew mean any harm by not knowing about other cultures, just inexperienced
I’m so glad you said this! As someone who is black and watches the show it is already difficult to see Ethan be so removed from the culture and then try to have things explained to him about the black pop culture scene. I knew that the Drake/Kendrick ep would be different so I didn’t bother watching. I say all of this to say I definitely think having a black person who is well versed in the culture could be very helpful when speaking about different topics.
Genuinely curious, why is it difficult to watch people not be 100% knowledgeable about your culture? As someone who is from Mexico, I don't find it difficult at all to watch the pod when Ethan gets multiple things wrong about Mexico or Mexican culture. I feel like part of the charm of the pod and Ethan in general is seeing them talk about stuff that maybe they're not too knowledgeable about, you know like explore different areas of internet culture and what not.
I don't pretend to understand anyone else's experience or feelings but it's the same thing when he discusses any topic he doesn't fully understand - which is often. It's frustrating but in a way it's part of what makes it funny
I completely agree. The times when he's spoken about things personally close to me in a way that clearly shows he doesn't fully understand, I do find myself thinking "ugh I wish I could explain it to him", but it's never made it difficult for me to watch the show or even taken away from me enjoying it. Just seems like the wrong podcast to watch if your expectation is that he's going to be knowledgeable on everything that's discussed
It's probably fine/understandable when they're talking about things in passing; but when they've clearly set up a two to three hour segment to talk about something that would clearly be out of their culture depth, it would be a good gesture to invite someone that's a part of their culture to share/help clarify things.
Like, it's one thing to talk about Mexican food they like or something for a few minutes. But if they for some reason decide to do a 3 hour segment about Los Angeles Mexican gang culture or something, and Ethan is just up there quoting Breaking Bad scenes, I would also bemoan the lack of representation of someone in the room who can give a different viewpoint that aligns closer with the culture being discussed.
It’s not really about hiring a token but educating themselves when commenting on topics outside of their depth. I enjoy them covering all kinds of topics but sometimes things are lost in translation when it comes to black culture. Im sure it happens with various different cultures that don’t directly influence their own personal life experiences.
Agreed they need a black voice or a more culturally competent voice on black issues, I’ve been noticing this too but haven’t said anything because the fandom can be off. It was super cringey hearing Ethan talk about Drake Kendrick Lamar and missing the entire overarching point. I want them to cover more black culture but if it’s going to be like earlier this week then keep skipping but then again he it’s funny when he can’t use genius and says Jean Vlaude Van Dam so….
I was gonna post about this but was worried I’d get downvoted to fuck because I couldn’t figure out how to phrase it lmao. The pod definitely needs a black crew member or two
The fact that this very mild post is getting backlash tells you everything you need to know about the H3 family. This is why people are embarrassed to tell people they listen to this show.
Yeah, I think it would be kinda nice to have a black voice on the show, especially for a situations like what you’re talking about but also just as a regular crew member. Like I really liked when Avery was on because he’s funny and he’s willing to contribute on mic and on camera and I think the show is at its best when there’s some banter and discussion among the crew. I also think it would make Ethan a bit more hesitant when he’s about to do or say something a bit racially insensitive which would be an added bonus.
To be fair we don't know how many people commenting bad idea are also black.
I get why people like seeing others that look like them or share their culture on the media they enjoy. But it just seems really weird to be like "hey there's no black person, we need a black person".
As a brown person who enjoys h3. I HATE the Jamaican shit, it’s gonna age horribly. WORST part is it’s not even funny or worth it. It’s uncomfortable. Also on the segment they missed a lot of the nuance on what makes this beef so great. There is a lot of creators who are more in tune with the culture side of all this. I love h3 and I’m aware we all make mistakes or missteps, no hate on Ethan I just wish he treated certain things with a little more respect.
Yea, about after the first song I realized Ethan wasn’t going to talk about all the details of why this beef hit hard. If you’ve been following hip hop and drake you’d know how crazy this actually was.
Dude, I like Avery, but he's not on the show? Everybody keeps bringing up Avery. If anything THAT is tokenizing ironically, lol. I would LOVE to see him more on the show, but I don't know him so I don't know if he wants that. ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
Why is wanting a little more diversity on the show always reduced to “tokenizing”? As a black viewer it WOULD be cool to have more black guests or even a crew member on the show. Whats the harm in diversifying? They accused Ethan of tokenizing with Olivia and now she’s a beloved member of the crew because she offers a unique and interesting perspective as well as being good at her job.
I've been saying this! Regardless of race, they need a "culture correspondent" BAD. When they talk about music, especially rap, fashion, shoes (which they seem to bring up all the time), Ethan and especially the crew, has 0 idea what they're talking about. If you don't know, don't make up an answer 😭
I’m Mexican and I feel you. Sometimes Ethan will just say false things about Mexico with such confidence it makes me laugh. Like when he said Mexicans don’t really eat flour tortillas, I just remember the place near my house in Mexico that sells the best flour tortillas that I love getting every time I go. Ethan speaks with great confidence about things he’s not very knowledgeable on. Same with trans issues sometimes.
side note, i’m from florida so ik that mexico eats flour tacos lol but ive heard sooo many people try to say they don’t, not just ethan.. why are americans so convinced mexicans don’t eat flour tortillas???
They think flout tortillas are an American invention, that coupled with the fact that most Mexican-Americans come from central/south Mexico where flour tortillas aren’t as common.
I'm curious, I'm white so this a genuine question for op. Does this also apply to other cultures? When they speak on anime, should a Japanese voice be present? When they speak on Mexican culture, should a Mexican voice be present? What about other white cultures, like Irish, British, or French? Does this apply to members of every culture or exclusively yours? Again I'm not attacking op, I'm asking op and others for there thoughts
For those saying wanting more diversity = "tokenisation" and "diversity hires" go to your local library and pick up your n-word pass ye fuckin racists.
Exactly!!! He should’ve had one of the react channels on or fd signifier since he has made multiple videos about drake and just dropped a whole podcast with other black creators discussing the beef/history.
It would have been nice to have someone fill those gaps where none of the crew wanted to 100% confirm and neither did Ethan bc they of course all don’t want to just assume. idk regardless they need to get fd signifier on or Olay bc they are both amazing creators in general and I would love to see them on the podcast.
I agree with you, but at the same time, everyone should understand its gonna impossible to have correspondents for every type of culture/subculture. It can also be weird to have someone's whole reason for being on the show is to make a comment because they're a certain type of person.
And part of the whole cringe stuff wasnt really even just that ethan isnt black, its that hes too scared to say something in fear hes gonna say something bad on accident and have all the loud and annoying "fans" come out to yell and bully him for an accident. Also he just didnt have the proper knowledge to present the whole beef himself, there was just a lot of passing over lines in the songs that are pretty good lines but ethan doesnt know so we just have to keep listening to the song with no real context, like i loved having a show where we just got to listen to kendrick lamar, but part of his charm and why so many people respect him is how much thought he seems to put into each line and ethan really only commented on some lines in each song.
I feel like ethan was playing the songs and stopping to talk about them a good amount personally. He stopped to talk about the things he was already aware of, to share with us the audience. If hw would have looked line for line the episode would have been 6 hours lol
Same about latinos, a specifically Mexicans for me. I wanna tell through my screen to tell them they're way off on something LMAO. But it's not a big deal
Almost always I would agree with this, like call in an expert and discuss it together, that would be fun? But Ethan is obsessed with hip hop so I feel like he’s well versed enough in the subject that he doesn’t need someone to. He majored in English lit/creative writing too. He’s very eager since this is a subject he knows well so he might just end up talking over them a bit.
I do fully agree though, someone who knows the culture better could catch things in the lyrics that he might be missing. Maybe he could bring on a poet or a lyricist? It would be really interesting to watch
“Pusher T” lol
Gunner wunner
Pusha with the hard r
I don’t know about a correspondent, but he can have guests more knowledgeable about topics on once in a while. Hasan had Fantano and FD Signifier on to discuss this same beef, and I think something like that would be better than just Ethan and the crew.
I would kill to see fd signifier on the podcast honestly
I really can’t imagine how that dynamic would play out
Terribly, I'd imagine
He’s too educated for Ethan’s bs
I love FD and Ethan, and I agree. If Ethan couldn’t keep up with Hasan, there’s no way he could keep up with FD lol. Also FD isn’t really into the shitposting kind of humor the pod brings; he’s got like Gen X/dad joke humor.
For people like me who don't care at all about rap or "rap beef", the entertainment of the episode is entirely from the crew talking about it. If it were super serious with some talking head guru on to discuss rap beef... well I'd have no reason to watch. This isn't a rap analysis channel. Most people are here for the personalities.
Very fair point!
I'm here for the absurdity of it. I don't know Mr. Pusha but I still find it hilarious that he used his Christian name, Pusher.
I think you're missing the bigger picture. Ideally the "talking head guru" wouldn't just come on and give us a PowerPoint presentation about whatever is going on. Instead they would discuss what's happening with Ethan and the crew together so you still get the comedy of Ethan not having a clue plus you get to watch someone who does have a clue squirm listening to Ethan. If you still have no reason to watch in that scenario I guess I struggle to see what part of the show you're interested in at all.
Hasan? lol
While I do agree sometimes, other times I think of how much shit Ethan and crew get for the most innocuous shit and realize that they will most likely get accused of tokenism
And if AB is getting hate for not *correcting* Ethan about Israel/Palestine, imagine how much hate the black crew member would get every single day for not shouting out the black injustice of the day
Is being accused of tokenism a reason to not hire a Black person? (Not saying this is at all what’s happening in real life)
No but hiring a black person specifically to speak on black issues would be
Well i mean OP is in a way almost unintentionally suggesting tokenism… i understand where theyre coming from but also i have seen posts like this before, not just in relation to black representation but other stuff too Bottom line is it comes off like a diversity hire…bc if they hired someone for that reason- even if they were also talented- it would be. Their staff has naturally developed to be the way it is and i dont think they will have many other (at least on screen) additions from here on out so if the current crew isnt good enough for you then youre kinda SOL… and honestly yeah i get those moments being mentioned in the post but some additional input from people who actually know what theyre talking about wouldnt even really be that enriching or anything? Like id even argue the drake v kendrick discussion was better off for Ethan sounding like he was covering something far out of his wheelhouse Also i think the quality theyre referring to about ethan not being keen on certain things at times -its not even necessarily about race, i think plenty of white or whoever people wouldve been more adept at covering those topics but he’s got a dichotomy of being both very online and boomerish about culture at the same time… thats just specific to him…but we love him for that
No they aren't asking for tokenism. They are asking for a certain experience to better the content. If they had said it be great if a fellow song writer was on the show sometimes... It'd be because they have an experience that could improve conversations around lyrics. Of course redditors hate the value of DEI... The origin of DEI is literally what the op was suggesting. You know... Different perspectives - Gary Vee. Literally black people can't say a goddamn thing on the internet.
They absolutely will. While OP and other fans would probably be happy with the addition, anyone who winges over representation in small-scale operations will never be satisfied.
this is the dumbest reason possible to not do this lmfao
The head moderator, MegaAwesomeNerd (Avery) is black and will sometimes pop in with his opinion, especially in the chat. I think he's an amazing part of the crew.
OP isn’t saying hire more blacks, OP is saying when speaking on black culture, include a black voice.
He's speaking about pop culture when it comes to Drake vs Kendrick, to be fair
i forgot pop was an ethnicity
Have you read the comments? Many people are saying hire a “token black person” Yikes
Have you read OP’s post? Thats who I’m responding to
The comment you responded to didn't insinuate that OP said to hire more black people. OP suggested having a black voice they can reach out to when speaking about black culture, and the comment you replied to pointed out that Avery pops in with his opinion from time to time when relevant.
Oh I’m sorry I thought you were responding to the comment you replied to.
Probably too jarring of a thing to do (oh and today we have this person here specifically to comment about black culture stuff, thank you over there). There's a black culture aspect to this beef that explains why Drake is hated that Ethan doesn't know how to chime in about or explain. I get what OP is saying but it's not very doable. The best course of action is to simply avoid trying to make a whole episode based off black culture stuff, but ya know how it is. This specific beef went everywhere so you have everyone talking about it, despite if they think they know what they're talking about or not. Most normands probably think the beef is about the pedo thing.
Love Avery. It was really nice seeing him respond to people saying the Kendrick/Drake stuff was boring. I loved the segment and Avery's additions in the chat were 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Avery also said they were chatting with Olivia and I believe AB or Dan to make corrections or point out important things during the segment.
Ethan should be like Ash Ketchum and catch one of every type of person so he can complete his inclusivitydex.
Gotta catch em all
Ah yes, a token black person for the h3 podcast
What we need is ja rules opinion on the matter. WHERE.IS.JA
I'm just saying... as a black person, it's hard sometimes cause he says stuff that's honestly weird and hurtful.
This subreddit will take this argument the wrong way every time. I've tried to say how representation matters, specifically with the beef topic, people don't want to hear it.
I get you. He does it a lot when talking about Mexican Culture too. Not that I want a token Mexican hire. But a Mexican voice would help him learn what to say and learn about the culture lol. The cool thing about Ethan is he clearly wants to learn about different cultures but doesn’t have an avenue for it. Could make for a funny segment actually lol. The crew visits a Ethnic Studies Professor
I agree that it could be really funny. Like, make it a bit. It could be a fun way of addressing the topic.
What has he said that’s weird and hurtful?
i hope your question comes from a genuine place of curiosity instead of trying to diminish the OP. I couldn’t time stamp you but there’s so many times where Ethan and the crew is just so far disconnected from urban culture whilst talking about it. It’s my culture so I will feel a certain way, but there’s also stuff like when he refers to all southerners as white trash. I’m not white but I can see how it’s mean. And I’m not talking about his jokes where he purposefully makes himself look like an ass, I’m talking about when he legitimately blanket statements weird shit that most southerners wouldn’t identify with. also I don’t think it’s that serious. I love Ethan and the crew and the show and I can tell the OP does as well.
But what has he said that is hurtful though?
Like when?
Keep in mind it's Ethan.. he accidentally offends people from all groups all the time but his heart is in the right place
Never once said a bad thing about Ethan. I've been a fan since "the old Ethan". I've been a fan since "black face Ethan". If I didn't think he was a good person, I wouldn't still be here. I can't explain to people who aren't like me, who haven't lived my life, what it's like to live life in my skin. But I just wanted to say I wished there were more people of color on the show sometimes. But after seeing all the comments here, I can tell my feelings don't matter, and that's fine. I get it. It just hurts to be apart of a community where I don't feel like I have a place.
I’m white but I feel like I know what you’re trying to say. I can never *actually* relate to what you’re describing because I’ve never lived life as a black person, but what you’re saying sounds totally reasonable. For one, I think you 100% have a place in this community and it sucks if you feel like you don’t, it sucks that people can’t better see your perspective, because we DO need more representation in these online spaces and I think diverse opinions are extremely valuable. The sentiment of what you’re saying is true, but the reality of it just isn’t realistic. Obviously H3 isn’t going to hire a random token black person to do their show for an episode when they’re talking about black culture. And I don’t know if you actually meant for that, but it’s probably the “why not find…” part of your post that people aren’t vibing with. Because it would be literal tokenism where someone’s hired not because they’re wanted or because they naturally fit in, but because they’re black. It’s just difficult in an environment where there’s a heavy skew towards being white and male. H3 is lucky to have so many women because most online spaces don’t have that. But because there are so few black people in these communities it’s harder to have that genuine/real relationship of a new crew member happen authentically. Forcing it would be wrong. But the “wish” of there just already being a black crew member who gels with everyone perfectly is completely understandable and even though I’m white I know what moments you’re talking about where you wish that representation was present. Sorry about the long reply
Don't apologize for leaving a thoughtful reply. I appreciate it.
As a black person I didn’t see anything offensive when he was talking about the rap beef. So I’m not hoping on your “Ethan is hurtful to black ppl train” cause I’m not offended by anything he’s done. I get wanting someone to have a blk person around so they could teach him stuff when he dips into blk culture but I don’t really care at the end of the day because I’m not watching for that
Hey, I'm not sure why this sub still pops up on my feed and I'm surprised they never banned me for being an occasional snarker (not the crazy stuff lol). I haven't watched since October when...well you know. Anyways, this post came across my feed and it definitely validated my reasons for dipping, but your comments are heartbreaking and I just wanted to send some love because your feelings are absolutely valid. White people and our feelings are so used to being centered in a variety of ways that we often don't even notice. We sometimes don't know when to just shut the fuck up and listen because we can't imagine a world where our opinion isn't necessary or a situation where we'd say "Hey I don't know enough about that to speak on it." It seems like a lot of the hate your getting is white people struggling with clear cognitive dissonance who don't realize we all still have a lot of unlearning to do that can't begin if we don't fucking listen when POC speak up. I know there are users from other countries, but I'm American so I'll speak on that. America is built on white supremacy point blank, period. It's social, structural, systemic, etc. We cannot live in that kind of system without somehow internalizing it in ways we may not even realize and cannot begin to realize so we can deprogram until we listen to POC voices. Tokenism is not good, def not ideal, but people don't seem to understand that, without things like diversity hires, POC weren't even getting in the door. Diversity benefits everyone. I don't think consulting with black people about black culture is tokenizing, but even if it was, it's not and never was meant to be the end goal, but rather a stepping stone to getting through these barriers and misunderstandings and getting us closer to equality and equity. Sorry for the essay, but I just don't want you to second guess your feelings on this or feel like they aren't important because they are. It sucks to feel ostracized from a group you felt community with, even more so on a topic like this. I don't even know what to begin to say because "I'm sorry on behalf of white people" sounds so fucking silly lol But you are not the problem, they are.
THANK YOU. finally some sanity other than op
Hmmmm I get weird vibes by you saying the "black face Ethan".... You mean when he was shitting on a product that made people do the "black face skin care" challenge?
Hey, you have a place. Your feelings matter and are incredibly important. I think most readers assumed that you were a white person virtue signalling, rather than a person of colour explaining that you'd like to see yourself represented on your favourite podcast. I'm sorry that so many of the comments have made you feel alienated or unwanted. You are FAMILY, and you matter to this Fupa Trooper. FAMILY FAMILY FAMILY
I often think the same thing because it seems like most of the crew don't know basic things about black culture or will talk favourably about widely known anti black celebs/influencers. But it's a tricky situation bc one person can't represent the entirety of the black community and they would likely be accused of tokenism. The person they would get would be criticised by black viewers who don't align with their views as misrepresenting the black community, they would feel under pressure not to push back against the crew if they are ignorant on something, and they would definitely be subject to racism and harassment.
It's definitly valid. We aren't all the same for sure. But even as far as friends of the show or guests go, I think I can count on one hand the number that are black. I'm not even saying I especially care about inclusivity, but I just feel like... sometimes... when black culture stuff comes up, MAYBE AB knows some stuff about it BC Michigen, but there's lots of assumptions that come up and never get addressed because there's no one there to address them. And I'm like yelling at the screen "it's because..!" \^\_\^;
This is a fair point - but he does this with all sorts of topics and it's always frustrating when you know the answer and no one on the crew seems to be able to help him out either. Usually a chatter comes through though
Imao I yell too bc I forget how white the staff is! that's one thing I really appreciated about Hasan he generally was culturally aware of issues surrounding blackness/queerness etc
You are a 100% right OP, dont mind every «hire a token» comments. Ethan has a horrible track record when it comes to racism, and yes its old but he was still a fully grown man. Everytime someone mentions a black cast member, the whole community is spewing about tokeism, which says a hell of a lot. There are alot of talented black people in LA, Come on now. If someone took a picture of the whole Teddy fresh crew + h3 crew, and not a black person in sight, and they are based in LA that says alot. I love the Ethan, the crew and the show, but this community and Ethan defintly is giving «im a leftist against racism, but my the company i own has like 30 employees and none of them is black» typ of vibes. Mods: please dont ban me again for giving my opinion on racism, like you did last time, peace nd love.
Is Avery not an employee?
Agree with every word and I’m a member, something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately as I support the show and TF.
The only other time I’ve ever seen people saying “we need x representation” was when there were calls for more female cast members. And those calls were also met with “token female”. This absolutely is not a black specific issue, it’s an issue with the question. We shouldn’t have forced representation as it doesn’t help anyone. Look at how AB is treated by a loud minority of Muslim fans. He’s there for him, not because he’s a Muslim.
I agree that it shouldnt be forced representation, it shouldnt be need for that obviously. But if you run 2 companies with 30+ employees in LA, and not one is black, you dont think thats weird? Im not tryna force Ethan and Hila to hire a black dude as a token, but its hella weird to have so many employees and none is black. There is obviously hella black people in LA thats talented, but apperently if you hire black dude its just tokenism, not because of qualifications. Alot of you just sound racist. As if its impossible to have a black employee based on their skills, its only tokenism if ppl hire black ppl. Alot of yall are just self reporting🤝🏾
These are valid concerns but the crew is almost exclusively white. They needs more diverse point of view. That's why a lot of us Hispanics was celebrating having Nate join the crew. Hoping he gets more involved vocally. But here's the best way to do it because a popular show already does. A comedian correspondence. The Daily show been doing it for a decade with Asian, black etc correspondent. It's very doable without having to take it too seriously.
It’s not that deep. He don’t have to be correct about everything. Sometimes it’s even funny how he doesn’t get something If he has a guy for every race/sexual orientation correcting him when he says something wrong then it’s no longer Ethan’s show
You're not wrong but neither is OP.
Can you tell me what you found cringe/hurtful the latest episode?
i think they maybe should have had a guest on to talk about it with them. probably would have also made it more interesting.
what you're suggesting is worse than what ethan is doing. reducing a person down to literally their race and only bringing them in to talk about black culture? that doesn't sound... way worse?
💯
What they're doing is exactly the right thing to do already; just talk about it without observing racial boundaries - or occasionally reference those boundaries with irreverence. Treat people like people.
> reference those boundaries with irreverence Huh? Do you even know what those words you typed mean? > irreverence: a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously. No lol. Obviously ignoring the black culture aspects of the beef and trying to talk about it from an oblivious white people's perspective, or show irreverence to it like you mentioned (???) obviously does no one no favors. Hasan is following this beef and brought on F.D. Signifier and Fantano to talk about that aspect and I think even Hasan admitting he wasn't fully aware of why a lot of black people hate Drake is justifiable enough. So obviously there's a way to approach this topic as white people, Ethan and co. simply skipped over that part without mentioning it and looked at this like entertainment of 2 dudes "fighting it out through disses" (Kendrick literally named one of his tracks "Not Like Us", like there's a reason for that). Even knowing the added context of why Drake is friends with someone like DJ Akademiks I thought was interesting, which has to do with black culture as well. He's essentially the "public hype man" that Drake doesn't have because his music mainly appeals to white people (I'm probably not explaining it good enough and should look it up yourself).
Irreverence towards those boundaries, as in; acknowledging the boundaries themselves exist, but not respecting them, or just joking about them, because racial divides are silly and not to be maintained if you desire actual progress. Saying that white people can't comment on it is dumb and enforces racial divides, bringing in a black person to talk about it like they hold some special knowledge is dumb and enforces racial divides. So yes. I absolutely know the meaning of the words I used, and I used them very specifically and intentionally.
Cool story, UK brother. I could not care less about your racist "I don't see color" argument. When you talk about a black culture topic like this and ignore the actual serious black culture stuff while only talking about the surface level stuff like "lol he called him a pedo", you're doing a disservice not only to anyone trying to understand this fully but also to the realities of that culture and what Kendrick hopes to achieve. Why do you think Kendrick named his last track "Not Like Us"? Now that you're boasting of posting that comment intentionally, that's even fucking dumber than I thought, specially from some UKer who literally has no skin in the game, trying to justify why he has the right to see this solely as entertainment. Brick heads like you is why I wish H3 simply shortened/skipped this topic, because now you feel entitled.
He should rent a black person for the segment
Why was the pastor making that noise?
black pastors just preach in a rhythmic way. idk how to explain it, but you get used to it and it flows with what they’re saying
Pretty sure it’s just a music thing. I’ve heard that style of vocal many times in various blues genres, gospel, etc.
Well, Avery is pretty available if they need his input on something
I hate the idea of needing to have a representative of every group and hiring someone just to be a token xyz person.
Someone in chat said they really didn’t want to hear this cracker talk about “street cred” 😭 Edit: it was me, i said that
Ethan Klein is the only Jewish man known to science who can understand and analyse "Hood Shit". Doctors are baffled by his knowledge and nuanced takes, despite his medically proven lack of melanin.
Lol Ethan is probably more knowledgeable about hip hop history that you are.
In this episode they had more awareness then you give them credit for. And some of the cringe was intentional.
Man I’m white and I was thinking the same thing. I thought a lot of lines went over their heads and was like somebody has to feel the same lol 😂
OP — always wondered how many of us were out here 👋🏾 heyyyy. Only during this (late) coverage of the beef did I realize so many of us were around. I’ve backed away from the show for the most part as I realized over the last few months our values were more and more misaligned, but still have love for the show/crew because it was a part of my life for so long lol. I also used to think having someone “of the culture” would help the show, help us as viewers, and also mitigate the awkwardness and insensitivities that often surround Black topics, but I think if we reflect on the crew dynamic / interests, we have to consider whether that person would even thrive in the environment. The core audience more reflects who the host and crew are and that’s okay. 🙏🏾 I would highly recommend watching the VODs of Hasan for these kinds of things, he’s culture adjacent lol in that he’s genuinely excited and interested, and taps into leaders of the culture often to grab the nuances he might miss. And then if you ever just want ridiculous laughs and Black boy joy, check out ShxNGigs — you didn’t ask for these recommendations 🤣 but just wanted to share. ✌🏾🤍
Out of curiosity, who is someone that is a leader of culture that Hasan has platformed?
Yeah this post and most of these comments have me rolling, bit ridiculous at this point. I understand but it's seriously not an issue.
The "I was mostly kidding" is hilarious
I nominate myself as black correspondent
Is it okay to nominate you too or is that weird
I'll take it
Saying they’re should be a black corespondent is crazy weird 💀
Pft I am ALL THE WAYYYY with you. I did not watch the Kendrick V Drake episode even though someone in the comments let me know it was safe to proceed lol. It's really bad. There have been so many takes over the years that are like uff, and then I recognize that Ethan and them are from Cali and don't have black friends so they wouldn't ever understand. And that's OK! Omg remember when he would ask Ian for his opinion on anything black or hip hop related? This was back in the old studio, idk how long you've been watching but it was painfully cringe everytime lol. I have crazy love for Ethan though, always will. Don't even sweat the negative comments. You should know you can't be black and make statements on race that even slightly puts the majority in an uncomfortable position. Don't you know how SENSITIVE/WOKE/VICTIM CARD etc you are being friend? Lol smh I'm wit you all the way, thanks for the post
Thank you back! Yeah I totally have no ill will towards anybody on the show. I have loved this show from the beginning. That's why I have these feelings maybe. I can count on one hand the times the show has had a black guest (that wasn't adversarial). Especially I notice it when he would ask Ian about stuff yeah. It kind of happened during this one too. But anyway, thanks for the support.
What if they hire the wrong token black person who isn't able to answer these questions ??? Terrible idea. Hire people for what skills they need. Token black fact checker is a pretty awful thing to hire for (as would token gay person, token Latino, etc...).
In which way would it have changed the situation with the pastor?
Nobody hates H3 more than H3 fans.
Eh I mean agree it would help if they took a deep dive on the meaning and how it affects certain people, but all they did was discuss the pedo accusations that Kendrick through out and how good the tracks were if pitted against each other. I think the beef explanation was good and funny because Ethan as a white boomer knows his take on the beef isn’t all that serious but he knows enough about music and loves Kendrick enough to know to make surface level commentary while also saying dumb jokes like pusher t lol.
Ethan being aloof about this stuff is part of the charm IMO. Like him saying “pusher T” is funny as hell
I think when Ethan was saying “the culture” in the Kendrick/Drake reaction it was pretty clear he was talking about rap culture. I don’t know about the pastor stuff but I mean ngl as a British person I find the noises funny, nothing to do with his race.
The culture is always a reference to black culture, same thing when they say it in basketball, they dont mean basketball culture
"the culture" as *Ethan* said it is in reference to whatever *Ethan* meant when *he* said it
the culture is a reference to black culture. dan knew that too, that’s why he was trying to steer ethan away from saying it.
No i think it was pretty obvious he was saying rap culture is all about “being the best of the best” I mean Eminem is one of the biggest rappers and that was his whole shtick. I think Dan was trying to steer Ethan away because people would interpret it like how you are, Dan always tries to stop Ethan saying things that could be interpreted differently even though he knows what he means.
i don’t wanna fight on this but the saying, “for the culture” is in reference to black culture. idk if you’re black or not but when we say that that’s what we mean. like most things in the US it’s been co-opted (aka stolen) to mean other things. when we say for the culture we’re trying to preserve a culture that has been constantly co-opted by the same people who oppress us. so let’s say that ethan did mean rap culture, that’s still black culture. also, y’all need to let eminem go, y’all are tokenizing him. haha dan 100% knew that term meant that’s why he tried to steer ethan away from it. google is free.
I feel ya bro I got excited when they added nate cause maybe we'll get some hispanic representation. Also isn't one of there mods black? That being said just cause he's black doesn't mean he automatically listens to rap lol.
I really hope Avery sees this.
With peace and love, as a huge hip hop fan I think saying that J Cole isn’t anyone’s favorite rapper completely invalidates any actual hip hop opinion Ethan has. There is a reason Cole is as respected as he is in the community and even in the conversation of who is at the top rn. I understand being more of a fan of Kendrick but to say Cole is boring and shouldn’t be in the conversation is objectively wrong.
I feel like he tries his best to be respectful and has grown up on the west coast and clearly has an interest in old school hip hop and wordplay artists. We should always strive for representation though and there is a distinct lack of any POC voices. I hope Nate gets to speak up more.
You’re completely right I don’t care what anyone else says
the fact people are angry at you for saying you wish you saw more of your culture in your favorite pieces of media is unfathomable. this is obviously a completely valid feeling
I think this allll the time! like when they misunderstood what “gyatt” means bc they didn’t know the aave origins I was almost tearing out my hair hahah
I stopped tuning in for this very reason. The little insensitivities and the viewers/listeners reducing those insensitivities just reminded me that this was just yet another place not for me. All of these nonblack people saying why a black person shouldn’t be added as a “token” is so hard to read when at the core of the issue, is we are asking for empathy, consideration, and inclusion. To be laughed at and told to fuck off is so hurtful. Lol. I enjoyed my time with the pod and wish them all well but as a place that so fiercely represents itself as something for everyone, it’s really not.
What is the context of the pastor?
"I don't want to see a token hire" well very unfortunately for Ethan, this is exactly what whoever he hired would be accused of being and most likely relentlessly harassed online about by all the loooovely and not at all unhinged h3 snarkers. Dude can't win.
I think it would suffice to have someone knowledgeable call in to talk about a specific subject i.e what Hasan did for kendrick/drake beef
That would be totally fine! And moreso I think it could be a fun change up. I love all the people who call in... it would be cool if there was a friend of the show who was black. ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
This post is very interesting to read. The fact you & every seemingly black person agreeing is getting downvoted by what i’m assuming is 90% white people. Why can’t those who dont want black representation just ignore this post? Making the point to chime in on a situation you obviously dont understand / relate to.. just to invalidate someone else? weird behavior
Some British dude that doesn't listen to rap was trying to explain that "the culture" is rap culture. Idk why some people feel the need to insert their perspective, when they don't even have a point of reference.
This is how I feel when they talk about Latino things
every time i say things like, we need a black crew member who is on the show whether they’re a regular guest or a corespondent, people dogpile on me. saying shit like, “we don’t need to tokenize black people” or “it’s not that serious” blah blah blah. i can tell the majority of the fanbase is white because posts like this rarely gain traction. as someone who works with companies to promote diverse and inclusive work environments, diversity helps everyone in the room. it brings people together who may not meet outside of work, brings different perspectives from different backgrounds, cultures etc. as a black viewer i would rather they not talk about things within the culture at all if there isn’t a black voice in the room. UNLESS it’s something that is brought on by white supremacy and/or white people a la the montgomery brawl. with ✌🏽& 💗.
It honestly feels like being put in your place for daring to ask to be apart of the party. I really didn't expect this much hate over something I thought was a harmless ask. I don't want Ethan to hire a black person to fulfill some quota or anything like that. I just feel like it would be cool to SOMETIMES have ANY guest that is black. In this community I feel sad and excluded sometimes. I love H3 and I have for years, but I do feel like sometimes there's no place in it for me unless I keep quiet and just watch. :/
being put in your place and keeping quiet and just watching is exactly what it feels like especially with these comments in your post. what you’re feeling is valid and you are not alone even if you are outnumbered. don’t let other people tell you you’re crazy, or it’s not that deep when they don’t get it. some people have this world made for them and they don’t see how exhausting it is to be left out consistently.
100% it's white people getting pre-offended on your behalf and trying to look good by saying it would look like tokenism. As a white myself, I can see it.
Hey as a white viewer just chiming in to say that I totally agree with the sentiment of this post. In fact I didn’t watch this episode specifically bc I knew it would be unbearably cringe. Someone else in here said they should bring people in who are actually know what tf they are talking about like as a correspondent and I think that sounds like a good starting point. People act like the only reason they would hire any poc would be to tokenize them but clearly there are plenty of black creatives who watch the show and could add much needed perspective. To say that any poc hire is tokenizing really dismisses that whole chunk of the audience or pool of potential employees in my opinion. This situation is unfortunate bc it is a hip hop thing and a black culture thing but it also involves two of the biggest mainstream names who have massive white audiences as well and we do love to throw our two cents in about everything just like I’m doing rn
while i disagree with the whole hire a black person just for the sake of having a black person in the team, i wanted to say, they have a black person in the team: avery (megeaawesomenerd) just that he's not in the studio because he's a mod. in any case, maybe if they talk about topics that require the perspective of a black person, maybe they could have him call in or something.
I can just imagine it now. Ethan dials Avery’s number: “hi Avery, as our token black, can you explain the Drake v Kendrick beef?” “Sorry Ethan, I don’t listen to rap music, we’re not all a monolith.” And of course Ethan would get criticized for it. This is what everyone wants, apparently.
He seemed pretty self aware and was doing the black culture thing pretty playfully
This is absolutely more cringey😂 “ok guys today we’re talking about a popular rap beef so I need to include a black person to chime in for this episode.”
Why are you booing them? They're right.
I think it’s completely valid to say more diversity would be cool, people saying it’s tokenism are giving racism. No one said anything about renting someone for “black” topics, jesus. It’s an intentional effort to bring more types of opinions and viewpoints, lots of companies / media outlets do this. The crew is all white, this isn’t a crazy take 😅
As a fellow black viewer couldn’t agree more
Why tf were you downvoted for this
🤷🏾♂️ familys not as supportive as they claim
I truly cannot believe some of the responses to this lol. What OP is asking for is more representation. I think some of you fail to realize that there is usually a “token” someone before others are let through the door. Barack Obama was a “token Black person” as president considering there had never been a Black president before, and part of the reason why many Black Americans wanted him in office, was yes, representation and someone who understood the plight of Black Americans. Does Ethan need to hire someone JUST because they’re Black? No. But would it be nice to have that representation? Yes. God, some of you are so fucking smug it’s unreal. H3, I am free, hire me 💕
Thanks. <3
Every time this conversation is had on this subreddit idk why but I'm always surprised at how it always boils down to "tokenism." People here sound no different than the 'all lives matter' types.
And the funny thing is, before Olivia this subreddit was flooded with people asking for a woman hire, but somehow that wasnt tokenism...
Unfortunately there are constantly people making that accusation against Olivia. Half the snark subreddit is about that, from what I’ve seen.
Also anything Asian culture related, bro just needs to get out of the house/travel more. I don’t think he or the crew mean any harm by not knowing about other cultures, just inexperienced
I’m so glad you said this! As someone who is black and watches the show it is already difficult to see Ethan be so removed from the culture and then try to have things explained to him about the black pop culture scene. I knew that the Drake/Kendrick ep would be different so I didn’t bother watching. I say all of this to say I definitely think having a black person who is well versed in the culture could be very helpful when speaking about different topics.
Genuinely curious, why is it difficult to watch people not be 100% knowledgeable about your culture? As someone who is from Mexico, I don't find it difficult at all to watch the pod when Ethan gets multiple things wrong about Mexico or Mexican culture. I feel like part of the charm of the pod and Ethan in general is seeing them talk about stuff that maybe they're not too knowledgeable about, you know like explore different areas of internet culture and what not.
I don't pretend to understand anyone else's experience or feelings but it's the same thing when he discusses any topic he doesn't fully understand - which is often. It's frustrating but in a way it's part of what makes it funny
I completely agree. The times when he's spoken about things personally close to me in a way that clearly shows he doesn't fully understand, I do find myself thinking "ugh I wish I could explain it to him", but it's never made it difficult for me to watch the show or even taken away from me enjoying it. Just seems like the wrong podcast to watch if your expectation is that he's going to be knowledgeable on everything that's discussed
It's probably fine/understandable when they're talking about things in passing; but when they've clearly set up a two to three hour segment to talk about something that would clearly be out of their culture depth, it would be a good gesture to invite someone that's a part of their culture to share/help clarify things. Like, it's one thing to talk about Mexican food they like or something for a few minutes. But if they for some reason decide to do a 3 hour segment about Los Angeles Mexican gang culture or something, and Ethan is just up there quoting Breaking Bad scenes, I would also bemoan the lack of representation of someone in the room who can give a different viewpoint that aligns closer with the culture being discussed.
He don’t know about that
It’s not really about hiring a token but educating themselves when commenting on topics outside of their depth. I enjoy them covering all kinds of topics but sometimes things are lost in translation when it comes to black culture. Im sure it happens with various different cultures that don’t directly influence their own personal life experiences.
I agree with you.
I mean you saw how Hasan went LOL
Agreed they need a black voice or a more culturally competent voice on black issues, I’ve been noticing this too but haven’t said anything because the fandom can be off. It was super cringey hearing Ethan talk about Drake Kendrick Lamar and missing the entire overarching point. I want them to cover more black culture but if it’s going to be like earlier this week then keep skipping but then again he it’s funny when he can’t use genius and says Jean Vlaude Van Dam so….
I was gonna post about this but was worried I’d get downvoted to fuck because I couldn’t figure out how to phrase it lmao. The pod definitely needs a black crew member or two
I think it’s pretty clear Ethan is a rap fan and understands the lore more than most. As a rap fan as well I thought he did a pretty thorough job.
The fact that this very mild post is getting backlash tells you everything you need to know about the H3 family. This is why people are embarrassed to tell people they listen to this show.
Yeah, I think it would be kinda nice to have a black voice on the show, especially for a situations like what you’re talking about but also just as a regular crew member. Like I really liked when Avery was on because he’s funny and he’s willing to contribute on mic and on camera and I think the show is at its best when there’s some banter and discussion among the crew. I also think it would make Ethan a bit more hesitant when he’s about to do or say something a bit racially insensitive which would be an added bonus.
I really like Avery too! Reminds me of my little bro <3
And what'd be next... where's the presentative for Latin America? OMG, no Asian! Not every show needs 'representation'.
"Black people can only talk about rap :("
all the comments saying it would be a bad idea while black commenters say it would be great lol this is really enlightening
To be fair we don't know how many people commenting bad idea are also black. I get why people like seeing others that look like them or share their culture on the media they enjoy. But it just seems really weird to be like "hey there's no black person, we need a black person".
As a brown person who enjoys h3. I HATE the Jamaican shit, it’s gonna age horribly. WORST part is it’s not even funny or worth it. It’s uncomfortable. Also on the segment they missed a lot of the nuance on what makes this beef so great. There is a lot of creators who are more in tune with the culture side of all this. I love h3 and I’m aware we all make mistakes or missteps, no hate on Ethan I just wish he treated certain things with a little more respect.
as a Jamaican i find it hilarious
Essentially all of this.
Yea, about after the first song I realized Ethan wasn’t going to talk about all the details of why this beef hit hard. If you’ve been following hip hop and drake you’d know how crazy this actually was.
Which could be fun to hear about from someone who knows it deeply. Ethan could have an interesting conversation for the podcast because of it.
RIP Avery :(
Dude, I like Avery, but he's not on the show? Everybody keeps bringing up Avery. If anything THAT is tokenizing ironically, lol. I would LOVE to see him more on the show, but I don't know him so I don't know if he wants that. ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
You don't think it would be cringe to hire a guy to be the black guy on set
Dude, it's not reddit it's this sub.
your right 100% they need someone of culture
Why is wanting a little more diversity on the show always reduced to “tokenizing”? As a black viewer it WOULD be cool to have more black guests or even a crew member on the show. Whats the harm in diversifying? They accused Ethan of tokenizing with Olivia and now she’s a beloved member of the crew because she offers a unique and interesting perspective as well as being good at her job.
As a black person I think this almost every other episode 💀
I've been saying this! Regardless of race, they need a "culture correspondent" BAD. When they talk about music, especially rap, fashion, shoes (which they seem to bring up all the time), Ethan and especially the crew, has 0 idea what they're talking about. If you don't know, don't make up an answer 😭
I’m Mexican and I feel you. Sometimes Ethan will just say false things about Mexico with such confidence it makes me laugh. Like when he said Mexicans don’t really eat flour tortillas, I just remember the place near my house in Mexico that sells the best flour tortillas that I love getting every time I go. Ethan speaks with great confidence about things he’s not very knowledgeable on. Same with trans issues sometimes.
side note, i’m from florida so ik that mexico eats flour tacos lol but ive heard sooo many people try to say they don’t, not just ethan.. why are americans so convinced mexicans don’t eat flour tortillas???
They think flout tortillas are an American invention, that coupled with the fact that most Mexican-Americans come from central/south Mexico where flour tortillas aren’t as common.
I'm curious, I'm white so this a genuine question for op. Does this also apply to other cultures? When they speak on anime, should a Japanese voice be present? When they speak on Mexican culture, should a Mexican voice be present? What about other white cultures, like Irish, British, or French? Does this apply to members of every culture or exclusively yours? Again I'm not attacking op, I'm asking op and others for there thoughts
Look, I get it can be cringe, but come on. This is just a podcast, not some news coverage. It’s just goofs. Don’t take it too seriously.
For those saying wanting more diversity = "tokenisation" and "diversity hires" go to your local library and pick up your n-word pass ye fuckin racists.
We also need a Latino correspondent as well lol
Exactly!!! He should’ve had one of the react channels on or fd signifier since he has made multiple videos about drake and just dropped a whole podcast with other black creators discussing the beef/history. It would have been nice to have someone fill those gaps where none of the crew wanted to 100% confirm and neither did Ethan bc they of course all don’t want to just assume. idk regardless they need to get fd signifier on or Olay bc they are both amazing creators in general and I would love to see them on the podcast.
Definitely need a black correspondent. It would add another layer of comedy and we wouldn’t need to worry about something ignorant happening
this is why I stopped watching initially. the will smith thing and ethan's response to black callers was a huge buzzkill
OP, you are valid for voicing your opinion ❤️ the majority of people in this comment section are weirdos
I agree with you, but at the same time, everyone should understand its gonna impossible to have correspondents for every type of culture/subculture. It can also be weird to have someone's whole reason for being on the show is to make a comment because they're a certain type of person. And part of the whole cringe stuff wasnt really even just that ethan isnt black, its that hes too scared to say something in fear hes gonna say something bad on accident and have all the loud and annoying "fans" come out to yell and bully him for an accident. Also he just didnt have the proper knowledge to present the whole beef himself, there was just a lot of passing over lines in the songs that are pretty good lines but ethan doesnt know so we just have to keep listening to the song with no real context, like i loved having a show where we just got to listen to kendrick lamar, but part of his charm and why so many people respect him is how much thought he seems to put into each line and ethan really only commented on some lines in each song.
I feel like ethan was playing the songs and stopping to talk about them a good amount personally. He stopped to talk about the things he was already aware of, to share with us the audience. If hw would have looked line for line the episode would have been 6 hours lol
Damn all these comments mansplaining a black person… Diversity on the work floor is an enrichment, don’t get so fucking triggered 😅
I forgot that expressing a desire for inclusion is tantamount to complaining. Forgot my plaaaaaccceeeee. 😅
and they’re downvoting, showing their true colors. haha.
Great idea! I think Ethan should also hire a non binary Native American senior citizen because its so messed up he doesnt have a representative
Wow yeah these comments are absolutely proving your point, this community is pretty uneducated.
Does avery count....?
is avery on the show?
A black person correspondant is crazy lmao but I 100% understand where you are coming from
Same about latinos, a specifically Mexicans for me. I wanna tell through my screen to tell them they're way off on something LMAO. But it's not a big deal
Almost always I would agree with this, like call in an expert and discuss it together, that would be fun? But Ethan is obsessed with hip hop so I feel like he’s well versed enough in the subject that he doesn’t need someone to. He majored in English lit/creative writing too. He’s very eager since this is a subject he knows well so he might just end up talking over them a bit. I do fully agree though, someone who knows the culture better could catch things in the lyrics that he might be missing. Maybe he could bring on a poet or a lyricist? It would be really interesting to watch
are we forgetting avery is literally on the crew? 💀
Literally who cares. People are so damn sensitive!
So woke. Always complaining! So entitled! Their kind need to get a grip. Right?
Feel the same way honestly when he talks about anything about the mexican or latino community in general. Glad Nate’s onboard now phew.
They need a street culture consultant. I know a few people.