All over the internet, people have been blasting the dead-behind-the-eyes Dollar Tree version of a pop princess known as Katy Perry for the shade she threw at former President Barack Obama in a recent social media post.
In an Instagram Live post last week, Perry was addressing the criticism surrounding her recent Justin Beiber-like haircut:
“Someone said, ‘I miss your old black hair,’” the singer said from a car. “Awwww. Do you miss Barack Obama as well?”
The black Twitterverse immediately called out the misfired joke for its reference to “black hair” and Barack Obama as being racist or—at the very least—insensitive.
Others tried to point out that Perry’s joke may have been poorly executed and brought up the fact that she has previously announced her support for Black Lives Matter:
So, does Perry’s confusing attempt at humor make her a racist? Does dropping a few dollars on some T-shirts mean she is down for the cause?
Even though she showed up at the Met Gala looking like Satan’s cellphone tower, Perry probably isn’t the devil. Maybe she just doesn’t understand how protective black people are of Obama. Ever since the authoritarian with skin the color of a highway cone became president, any shade about the previous commander in chief is automatically unfunny. Comparing her old hairstyle to the existence of the first black president might be the apex of celebrity narcissism, but it probably isn’t an indicator that she hates black people.
There probably aren’t a lot of people who follow Perry for her intelligence and wit. She is a multimillionaire white woman who warbles to 15-year-old white girls for a living, so she probably has no idea that black America is a little sensitive about the Obamas. Maybe she isn’t a racist. Maybe she’s just an asshole.
But she’s probably lost her invitation to the cookout.
And she definitely can’t bring any potato salad.