Fresh off of her repeat Emmy nomination for her role in Apple TV+’s Shrinking, Jessica Williams popped by her old haunt at The Daily Show to discuss how president Donald Trump is scapegoating famous Black people to distract from the mounting pressure over the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
“Trump is trying to throw every Black person he can think [of] in front of the scandal to distract us,” the actress and comedian began. “First, he released the Martin Luther King Jr. files. Then he accused Obama of treason. And now he wants to prosecute Oprah and Beyoncé?”
Williams — who departed The Daily Show as a regular in 2016, but has made guest appearances as recently as last year — continued, saying that the GOP leader is targeting “all of our greatest Black people.”
“Who’s next? Michael Jordan? Michael B. Jordan? Michael C. Jordan?” she questioned.
The Booksmart alumna added, “We’re about a week away from him saying that Urkel did 9/11. Urkel? Did he do that?”
Williams’ tone did shift slightly as she considered that, as a famous Black person herself, she too could be a future target. When host Jon Stewart assured her there was nothing to be “nervous” about, she hit back: “Excuse me? He won’t come after me? What, I’m not an exceptional enough Black person for Trump? Hmm? I’m not famous enough to be publicly accused of treason or doing 9/11? You don’t know where I was that day. You don’t know me. I’m sorry, but I’m nominated for an Emmy for Supporting Actress in a Comedy.”
She quipped that she was famous enough to “at least be accused of misdemeanor election fraud, you butthead.”
When Stewart acquiesced and questioned whether the idea of being targeted worried her, Williams didn’t sweat it: “Because if there’s one thing old white guys love, it’s getting a compliment from a Black person.”
Well, let’s not generalize, Stewart said, before Williams proved her point by complimenting his haircut; naturally, Stewart folded immediately.
Watch the segment in full below:
