Yvonne’s Team Pick:
We should all give Jessica Williams, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart’s first black woman correspondent, a standing ovation for her on-point realness on last night’s show. In a segment regarding Michael Dunn’s verdict and Stand Your Ground laws, Jessica delivered one kickass tirade about how black teens should protect themselves and the problem with Stand Your Ground laws all while wearing a snazzy suit.
Her advice to black teens include to stay in school — like just literally stay in the building, any building really —don’t hang out with friends, and to turn off their music. It’s her last line commenting on Stand Your Ground Laws though, really that last line, made me want to hug her or give her a high five after saying, “ooooo, burrrnn.” (do people even say that in real life?). She finishes with a literal mic drop that really is deserving of a mic drop.
Word.
Williams has been rocking every segment on The Daily Show, but really it’s the ones dealing with race that have shone. She recently spoke with Mother Jones about how she feels about race and comedy.
MJ: Sure, but your segments on race, racism, and privilege are some of your most popular. Why do you suppose that is?
JW: Because we don’t necessarily get to talk about that. Honestly, I love that that’s something where my race does come into play. I love being a black woman and being able to say those things. There’s truth in comedy, and that resonates with people of all races. You don’t have to be African American to really enjoy “Frisky Business.” But as far as being black, a lot of people in New York have been stopped and frisked, so that hits home for them. A lot of this stuff just pisses me off and makes me so mad that there’s something behind the eyes—the delivery is a bit more biting, and I think people can tell.
Williams is a rising star and I can’t wait to see what she does next.
The Daily Show
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People, I lover this woman, a lot.
My crush for her is ridiculous, I just want to stare at her face while she makes wonderful, funny and astute words observing today’s pop culture.
Plus I watched this clip like 10 times, WHAT THESIS!?! I’M IN *CONSENSUAL* LEG-HUG LOVE!
i love her so much
Also, also…
I’m thinking about getting similar braids, it’s not creepy right?
*googles Jessica Williams braids pics*
Ah, you are experiencing the eternal lesbian “do I want to be her or do I want to do her” conundrum. (Somebody needs to come up with a name for this phenomenon.) In this case, I’d say matching hairstyles is fine since you’re not actually dating her.
We can call it the Jessica Williams Conundrum. But substitute any celebrity crush/rolemodel name in there.
I feel you. I just want to oil her scalp and braid her new growth or something.I can’t even braid but I’ll learn.
I generally support gun rights, and this video is making me rethink my stance on stand-your-ground laws. Glad I could hear those statistics about racial bias, I never really put two and two together with the institutionally racist courts of the US and SYG. Thank you for posting it.
Also, Jessica Williams’ voice is beautiful, I could listen to her talk all day.
I ADORE JESSICA WILLIAMS and not just because she’s easy on the eyes. From the moment she started at TDS I knew she was going to be incredible and she has delivered time and time again. She’s up there with Samantha Bee.
Whoops, looks like that went as a reply instead of a regular comment…
I’m having a moment of fan-girling vulnerability:
My sister and I watched this clip together when it aired and I look at my sister and earnestly said, “I wish she was my girlfriend, like she is perfect! Am I asking for too much to date and have dog babies with some like her?”
My sister looks me up and down and says, “Yes, you are not wearing any pants, girl bye.”
Since then I have *tried* to become a better person who wears pants (most of the time).
#foreveralonewearingnopants #ASconfessions
Yes! I’m so happy this was team picked! I watched this clip and was hoping we would talk about it. (by the way, Yvonne, you’re killing it with the team picks lately)
This segment was brilliant. Jessica Williams has been my favorite TDS correspondent since her first appearance, she should be in all the things.
BAMF.
For the fellow Canucks wanting to watch: http://www.thecomedynetwork.ca/shows/thedailyshow?videoPackage=143073
Thank you! I was just about to say we need a Comedy Network foreign-correspondent-elf who pops into the comments with links that us non-Americans can watch. And here you are, being that elf.
Jessica Williams hits it out of the park again! I really can’t deal with news-related TV shows or too much news online because my anxiety disorder is basically out of control now and the constant “EVERYTHING IS AWFUL. OH GOD, SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING!” of the news does NOT help.
But I do make an exception for Jessica Williams’ TDS clips whenever I run across them, because she is amazing and hilarious.
I love Jessica Williams so much. her segments are so so good. plus that suit rocks.
Bless whoever made the mic drop gif.
when she dropped the mic, i knew she was the one who’s scalp i wanted to oil for the rest of our lives.
This was in the comments section on Jezebel about Jessica,
“I would like to have a three-way with Jessica Williams and her suit. The tie can watch.”
Even though it’s not my quote, I whole-heatedly agree.
She’s so incredibly funny, I can’t stand it combined with her hottness. I thought I’d share my favorite segment on the Daily Show ever (spoiler alert: it includes Jessica Williams in a green tie):
http://m.comedycentral.com/tds_video.rbml?id=war-on-christmas—s–t-s-getting-weird-edition—black-santa&alt=http%3a%2f%2fm.comedycentral.com%2ftds_video_index.rbml
*SHOTS FIRED*
Good thing the kids are all in school. Or in any building.
I cannot get enough of this woman in a tie.
Yaww! Tell it like it is grrrl <3
I have loved Jessica Williams since her first appearance on TDS, and I REALLY love her look in the suit and tie that she’s been rocking lately.