Last of three parts –
Comedian and author D.L. Hughley has made the rounds to promote his new book “How Not To Get Shot and other advice from white people.” In part one he writes he finds nothing funny about racism. Here is part of his interview from his appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe Show.
“I feel bad about the things that I left in my wake. Like both my daughters have said, ‘I want a man who’s just like you and nothing like you at the same time.’
“But I don’t feel as if that is all I am, and I don’t let myself off the hook for it. I understand I’ve caused pain. But I know that I love my woman and I love my family. And I’m a flawed individual who at least gives them the courtesy of not pretending to be something I’m not.”
On the MeToo movement and his own actions toward women in the past:
“Here’s what I’ll tell you. I am not unaware of who I’ve been and the things I’ve done. I would like to believe that nothing I’ve done would border on illegality.
“But I’ll say this. I feel if somebody committed a murder in front of you, you would — as the only witness — have to take the stand. And say, ‘Even though this horrible human being did this in front [of me] and is bringing up these horrible memories, I’ve got to face my accuser and say I did this.’
“I think the standard is different. You shouldn’t be able to make an allegation unless you’re willing to take the other step and say those allegations out loud — which is what I definitely commend [Bill Cosby’s accusers for doing], whether people like that or not.
“But I do think at a certain level you have to have clarity. There are gradations of murder. They’re lumping them all together now.”
On whether he’s changed his behavior in light of the MeToo movement:
“I have not. I can’t think of a way I act now that I wouldn’t have before.
“Before there was a MeToo, there was a me. I’m a man, and there are certain things I wouldn’t allow men to do around me. And anybody who knows me, any woman who’s been in my presence, knows there are a lot of things you ain’t going to be able to do around me.
“I don’t think I never needed a movement. I don’t act any differently because I believe the way I’ve done things is at least honorable enough to hold my head up. I’m not saying I should have a statue, but I ain’t got to hang my head in shame for a lot of the things I’ve done.”
On supporting artists like R. Kelly or Kanye West:
“I talk about this all the time. If you make an album that’s good enough, black people will make excuses for you.
“Like I’ll never buy Kanye West’s music again. I don’t care what he says. I’ll never do it. But if you make an album good enough, black people will be like, ‘You know he ain’t been the same since his mamma died.’
“I think that black people, in my experience, have made a lot of excuses for people just cause — if you make us feel, evoke some emotion in us — like Michael Jackson, O.J. Simpson, Bill Cosby — that’s how bad we need to feel good.”
Brent Baughman produced and edited this interview for broadcast and adapted it for the Web.