I’m sure we all pretty much expected some sort of ripple effect to come after last weekend’s interview special featuring Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and Oprah Winfrey, but it’s seriously been a next-level nuclear bomb of news! Not a day (or moment) goes by without something else spawning from that interview and going viral!
Hell, earlier this week, Harper’s Bazaar Royal Editor Omid Sobie revealed that the palace wouldn’t allow Meghan and her mother Doria Ragland to go out for coffees, supporting the general statement Meghan made about how isolated she was in her new role as the Duchess of Sussex.
Then, there’s the (latest) royal round of racism! To refresh your memories, this week’s news has been dominated by the royal family attempting to clean up public relations after the interview special placed a microscope on their racist ways (you know, other than the general historical white supremacy that explains their very existence). In addition to that, Piers Morgan and Sharon Osbourne are involved in some kind of a racism circle-jerk.
So, let’s unpack the latest with those two storylines, shall we?
I’m Not Royally Racist! I Have Black Commonwealth Friends Who Sing for Me!
Remember when the world was introduced to the soothing sounds of the all-Black choir singing “Stand By Me” and other songs at Meghan and Harry’s wedding? Well, that choir—called The Kingdom Choir—are also “standing by” the Prince of Wales. Per TMZ, the choir’s well-known conductor Karen Gibson said “Charles came off as very sincere in his invitation, and he’s gone out of his way to personally congratulate them on their success since the wedding.” Gibson said because of this, she finds it difficult to believe that he would make the racist and colorist comments about the Sussexes’ baby son Archie.
So, basically, this is another case of the royal family being able to prop up Black folks as a shield from racism accusations (even to the point where commentators are using the colonization version of “I have Black friends!” to defend the royals)—but this time, with a soundtrack!
I’m not Royally Racist! That’s the Worst Thing You Can Call Someone—Not Actually Being Racist!
On Thursday night, Sharon Osborne took to Twitter to clarify—I guess—the way she conducted herself on The Talk in defense of Piers’s freedom of speech. Said speech, however, was riddled with racism, so there’s that! But Sharon had to clean that up because you know, the worst thing to ever happen to a white person is to be called racist! Shout-out to privilege!
“After some reflection, after sitting with your comments & sitting with my heart I would like to address the discussion on The Talk this past Wednesday,” she tweeted. “I have always been embraced with so much love & support from the Black community & I have deep respect & love for the Black community. To anyone of color that I offended and/or to anyone that feels confused or let down by what I said, I am truly sorry.”
Notably missing, however, was a public apology to co-host Sheryl Underwood, especially after that ridiculous display of white woman tears...not to mention the highly disrespectful tone she took toward Sheryl, who admittedly gave her grace because she considers them to be friends. Also, despite Sharon saying that racism “hurts [her] heart,” former The Talk co-host and actress Holly Robinson Peete revealed on Friday that Sharon once complained that she was “too ghetto” to be on the show.
Soon after Sharon posted her explanation of her recent behavior on The Talk on, her good ‘ol buddy Piers decided to double-down on his hatred.
“Sharon’s been shamed & bullied into [apologizing] for defending me against colleagues accusing me of racism because I don’t believe Meghan Markle’s bullshit,” Piers tweeted, following Sharon’s backtracking statement. “This is where we’ve reached. I demand an apology from those @TheTalkCBS bullies for their disgraceful slurs against ME.”
Speaking of the man who has been silenced and cancelled so much, he has to constantly talk about it to his nearly eight million followers: he also used this opportunity to note that he had been nominated for a Society of Editors award and suggested he be removed like some narcissistic nobleman or something. I guess!
If you notice in the list of nominees, there are reporters listed from the Daily Mail. Well, there’s some new tea about that publication, as well. See how I smoothly transitioned to that?! Please clap! (Editor’s note: *daintily applauds*—because royal)
Anyway, according to Deadline, the Daily Mail is demanding that CBS remove “inaccurate, misleading and divisive” content from the Oprah special, specifically citing a montage featuring headlines from the publication to showcase the press attacks on Meghan. Huh, funny how the very tabloid publication that Meghan had to sue for publishing misleading information is pretty damn haughty about potential misleading information against them. Welp.
That’s all...for now! Oh, and in case you need an update on how this year is going so far: