While the rest of us were catching flights, rocking ugly sweaters at holiday parties, or reuniting with loved ones yesterday, Twitter was in shambles after a 2011 clip from HBO’s unscripted talk show “Talking Funny” resurfaced.
In the clip in question, we get a sneak peek into the uncensored workplace dynamic between comedy legends Jerry Seinfeld, Ricky Gervais, Louis C.K., and the lone Black Delegation spokesperson Chris Rock.
While the clip starts off innocuous, things inexplicably go left when they explore the differences between “Black Rich” (which still includes copious amounts of top ramen of course) and “White Rich” (which includes generational wealth in place of 20 cent noodles).
That’s when the following exchange occurred:
Rock: “[Louis C.K.] is the blackest white guy I know.”
Louis C.K.: *bursts into laughter*
Rock: “And then all the negative things we think about black people, this fucker—”
Louis C.K.: “You’re saying I’m a nigger.”
Seinfeld: *insert pained “Why isn’t Chris throwing hands?” face*
Gervais: *laughing hysterically*
Rock: “Yes. You are the niggerest fucking white man I have ever—”
Seinfeld: “I don’t think he could do that.”
Rock: *insert pained “Is Jerry about to throw hands?” face*
Seinfeld: “I don’t think he has those qualities.”
Those qualifies, of course, being graceful aging, impeccable rhythm, and the uncanny ability to attend social gatherings draped in white linen. Oh, and that whole black thing.
But the exchange gets even more asinine when Rock rushes to Louis C.K.’s defense and vouches for his affinity for Frankie Beverly and Maze and grape Kool-Aid.
“You don’t even understand,” Rock tells Seinfeld. “You don’t really know him like that. I work with him.”
But Seinfeld is still like “Nah, fam”—which is exactly why Twitter spared him the dragging of the century and instead poured that energy into destroying everyone else:
While others used this as an opportunity to remind folks why cookout invites have been suspended indefinitely:
Meanwhile, Chris Rock is apparently unbothered by all of this. Because instead of taking to social media to explain why he believes Louis C.K. was an Earth, Wind and Fire trumpeter in a past life, he posted this instead on Instagram this morning:
“New Ellen special on Netflix is So [sic] fun and funny,” he wrote. “It just makes you feel good.”
Almost as good as calling Louis C.K. “the niggerest fucking white man I have ever known” apparently.