Birmingham’s Roy Wood Jr. weighed in on former President Donald Trump’s appearance Wednesday at the National Association of Black Journalists convention, asking his social media followers a pointed question.
The comedian was referring to Trump’s questioning of Vice President Kamala Harris’ racial background.
Harris is Black and Indian American. Trump falsely suggested Harris has changed her racial identity for political gain.
“She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage,” Trump said. “I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago, when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black. So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?”
Wood, on social media platform X, responded with a clip of Trump and a question:
“We now know Kamala’s brave story. When did the rest of you “turn” (Black)? How old were you? Where were you when the blackness finally took over your body? Share your stories. This is a safe space. #WhenITurnedBlack”
Later Wednesday, Wood appeared on CNN for a panel discussion on NewsNight with Abby Phillip. Phillip asked Wood when he “turned Black.”
“You know, I feel like I turned Black, you know, it was somewhere around in Memphis, Tenn., when I had that first piece of catfish with hot sauce,” he said. “Shout out to Catfish Cabin on Airways (Blvd.), that’s old school 1980s Memphis right there.
“Are we not allowed to be bi-racial, Abby? Does someone have to choose what race and then you file paperwork, like when you change party affiliation. Where is the Black race paperwork office?”
Wood later said he was looking forward to Maya Rudolph reprising her performance as Harris on Saturday Night Live. He called Rudolph a “heavy hitter.”
“I think that Saturday Night Live in an election year should be required reading in every school in this country,” he said.
