Lizzo’s “Grrrls” Lyric Controversy - Between The Scenes (Uncensored) | The Daily Show
Вставка
- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- Trevor on Lizzo’s “Grrrls” lyric controversy. #DailyShow #Comedy #BetweenTheScenes
Subscribe to The Daily Show:
/ @thedailyshow
Follow The Daily Show:
Twitter: / thedailyshow
Facebook: / thedailyshow
Instagram: / thedailyshow
Stream full episodes of The Daily Show on Paramount+: www.paramountpl...
Follow Comedy Central:
Twitter: / comedycentral
Facebook: / comedycentral
Instagram: / comedycentral
About The Daily Show:
Trevor Noah and The Daily Show correspondents tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and pop culture.
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah airs weeknights at 11/10c on Comedy Central.
Trevor should do a podcast that’s more like between the scenes than the actual show. The way he breaks things down is really interesting
They already do that. It's called *Beyond the Scenes.*
@@dr.braxygilkeycruises1460 *didn’t know that*
@@dr.braxygilkeycruises1460 thank you 😊
Anna Kendrick HAS TO BE a regular co-host/guest.
@@dr.braxygilkeycruises1460 so far, I see the Beyond the Scenes podcasts having the correspondents of the show discussing topics more in depth. But not Trevor himself.
Are you saying that Trevor is actually on the podcast breaking things down also?
She changed the lyric for ONE person. Not thousands of people requested it. That speaks louder then anything!
Definitely not one person. Plenty of disabled people on social media spoke up about how “spaz” has been used to bully or target them in their lives. As an Californian, I remember it being used in my time in public school to ridicule autistic or other disabled kids.
@@Lunarmor Did you listen to what he said, @0:31 Trevor said "That Someone" tweeted her. Not "Some thousand or more then one" I understand what Spaz means
@@curiousdog1207 You do get the point that she changed it because "people" other than the one person found it offensive?!
@@corabevill-thomas4632 She changed the lyric for one person that told her what the word "SPAZ" ment, then thousands of people after she changed it - Responded by berating her for ever putting the lyric word "SPAZ" in the song in the first place.
I suggest you watch the video @0:31 atleast 4-5 more times because he clearly stated this and you didn't SEE it or HEAR it @1:10 he explains what happened after she changed it and how other or THOUSANDS of people responded to her by chiming in to JUMP on her for having the lyric in the song from the first place and how "Dare She" put the lyric in the song in the first place.
I think we are all watching the same video, but i could be wrong, Who knows I'm Curious
@@curiousdog1207 She changed the lyrics after one person tweeted her, sure. But she did it for the millions who could possibly be impacted. I know what the word can mean, but I didn’t tweet her. I doubt many people did, but that doesn’t mean it was just one person who thought it was wrong.
if only half the people were as smart and wise as Trevor we would be in a perfect world
Half the people could only be half as smart and wise...and we'd still be much better off.
@@DarkPesco and if half as many owned up to it you might already be right
YES!!! He's a natural peace maker.
Not a particularly smart comment. If half the people in the world were as smart as Trevor we'd have a hard time fighting all the mean-spirited smart people among them.
And the other half would be trumpers…
As a person with a disability I applaud Lizzo! She corrected and I appreciate that and I'll continue being a fan. I also appreciate Trevor's insight. You can't know what you don't know.
You know!?
@@gkennedy3414 stop assuming people KNOW!
@@111qp2 😂 🛑
Exactly
I want that on a tee shirt: You can’t know what you don’t know!
Thank you for saying this. More people need to look at toxic internet behavior this way. It's not acceptable to let people hold themselves as the purest beings in the world when they act more like sharks seeking blood in the water. People are not asking for change like this they're just asking for something to hurt which ironically misses the point they pretend to make...
"Sharks seeking blood in the water" is the best way to describe the virtuous mob.
Especially when they are usually the biggest PoS in real life. I’m always wary of those holier than thou people
@@williamsutter8047 the reason a Black person saying the N word is different, is because as a community they decided to take an offensive term used to oppress them and turned it into something innocuous between members of that community. Anyone that isn’t Black saying the N word needs to stop immediately, as it is not their term to use. Members of a marginalized community get to decide the way in which words used as slurs may or may not be appropriate in the future. And the only time it’s even remotely acceptable is if a member of that specific marginalized community is the one using it.
A word that comes to mind is sanctimonious. I have no doubt these people who are getting outraged are normal human beings who make normal human mistakes, maybe even some they try to correct. But they expect nothing but perfection from a celebrity, and a mistake means it's cancel time.
@@williamsutter8047 Hollywood films aren't real life.
When we think we can not love Trevor even more, he proves us wrong. What a great human being you are, Mr. Noah.
Trevor is brilliant here. I’m thankful for his insightful commentary.
Lizzo is American, and she uses American English words. She did not have to change the word to begin with, but is great she tried to be inclusive, specially since her music is sold all over the world. This issue is like listening to a world wide popular Spanish song and being upset because a word sounded like a Russian insult.
Opinion: All this should be obvious, but Social Networks have a tendency to bring out the dumbest people on Earth.
You might not know this, but that word has its origins in American English, & IS derogatory. Look up its meaning & you'll see it.
Dee Dee, stop acting like you don’t know what context is. She didn’t use it in a derogatory way. It can be positive or negative based on the context in the US. What is your point.
Kudos for a smart opinion!
@@dee_dee_place you look it up, it doesn't.
It almost (not exactly) reminds me of when someone sings Korean songs and 네가 (pronounced "naega") and people get offended by it. Like, it means "I" in Korean. It doesn't mean that Koreans are allowed to freely use the N-word. Or that they are intend to mean the n-word when they say/sing "I". It just means that they have their own context, and this context is the language they're speaking.
I remember seeing a screenshot of someone getting super offended online about thisand wanted Koreans to "find a different word and change it." Like, what? This must be clearly satire, but after hearing about Lizzo, now I'm not sure.
you can't expect every artist to know all the lingo of every local, in every country all around the world
Sure…but they can use researchers.
@@bucsr.6106
For every WORD
in every SONG
by every ARTIST
around the WHOLE WORLD?
@@bucsr.6106 "researchers" ? "researchers" are humans? Researchers are people who do researchs. Why don't YOU try to *RESEARCH* more?
@@bucsr.6106 dude; that's picking the nit
@@bucsr.6106 GTFOHWTBS!
Now go Research That!
Yes, nuance is key! We should all operate under the impression that people generally aren’t walking around trying to offend others.. if you are feeling upset, get context before reacting..
I have been working on eliminating words and phrases I grew up hearing now that I understand they are racist or ableist. I made a mistake last weekend and was called out for it. I felt terrible!! I corrected my language and apologized. When we know better, we do better. That’s all Lizzo was doing 💜
what sin did you commit last weekend?
Lizzo actually showed that she would change her own song for society. Just so no one else would become offended. Now no body is happy? Weird.
Facts from the southside! Nice.
I've been using a term for Indigenous people of Alaska for years & recently I was told off by an Indigenous Alaskan who said the term was derogatory. I said, "then how come no Indigenous Alaskan has ever corrected me before"? I was totally unaware of its origin & if I had known, I would never have used it. I haven't used it since speaking to the person. You are absolutely correct... "When we know better, we do better."
Keep learning and keep growing. That’s the best thing we can do as a participant in this shared world.
When someone takes accountability and makes makes the right change - that's exactly the kind of change the world needs. Such wisdom. 🥺
@Mike Dalby She valued the feelings of those who were hurt by her words, so she took it upon herself to correct it. That's accountability, regardless of your feelings on the matter.
@Luis I didn't say a single thing that would lead someone to believe that's even close to what I was saying.
@@muntu1221 This is so meta.
@@muntu1221 You were right in the first place and you're still right. Thank you for saying it.
Let's be honest here: it has nothing to do with the lyrics and it has everything to do with the people who already disliked Lizzo to begin with, and they're using that as an excuse to dogpile her to, as Trevor said, "cover up their own shittiness".
I mean I know you're right but I have such a hard time with the fact that people can hate Lizzo at all. It's like hating unicorns and moonbeams and sparkles.
@@pothospathic not all that hard to imagine. There are people who hated My Little Pony, after all.
@@pothospathic your comment is adorable and it made me smile
It was the cleanest apology and righting of the mistake I've ever seen for a situation like this. Piling on her for that just sends the message that "there's no winning with these people" and makes the next celebrity in the same spot more likely to double down rather than listen and learn; completely counterproductive.
There will always be people who you can never please.
That is the reason an individual must have their own sense of integrity; you do what you think is correct.
Lizzo inadvertently used a word she didn't realize had another, offensive meaning. She apologized & changed the word to a non-offensive word; indeed an honorable action! Kudos to Lizzo.
It's why I hate cancel/woke culture
My thoughts exactly!
Someone had asked me who my top five favorite comedians were and were surprised when I didn't mention Trevor Noah. I had to think about it also. Why didn't I mention Trevor?! I realized that the comedians I named were only comedians to me.
Trevor, to me, is so much more than that! He is so intelligent, gracious, caring, brilliant, in mind and soul. I have followed his public career for so many years. Everything that I have seen of him makes me smile and wonder at this amazing man, and I realized that Trevor is the kind of person that I, I don't know how to word it correctly, I hope that if this planet ever makes first contact with another race/ species/ people, I hope Trevor is our representative for humanity.
Trevor Noah is my favorite public person!
You worded it perfectly absolutely agree
I understand fully what you mean and feel the same way about Trevor. He is definitely one of those people you love and revere for many things so it's easy to forget to mention him in one specific category.
Wow. This is exactly how I feel about Trevor as well. Thank you for putting it into words for me😆❤️
The word brilliant is used too often. But certainly applies to Trevor Noah.❤
Favorite TV Personality? Yeah, dude's more than a comedian. He makes me laugh but a lot of stuff is just great discussion. We definitely vibe. Come hangout, Trev
As a South African, this man makes me believe that I can achieve anything as long as I put in the work.
Keep believing
You do it!
if it's okay can I ask you something? how do you spell the word Trevor mentioned? asaan ? it was so beautiful what he described i want to learn more about it,
@@smritychoudhary2472 ey san or eish san
@@thandiswadladla930 thank you!!!!!!
I grew up hearing the word in American TV shows and movies where the meaning went from teens basically referring to another kid as a "loser" or varsity kids who party too much using it as a "let's have some fun" type of word. I'm in my 30's now and it's the first time I hear of it being a derogatory word towards disabled people. My point is, the people dumping on Lizzo need to take a seat. She used a word she probably grew up knowing it to mean one word, but changed it because she learned that it means another to others. People really do enjoy creating unnecessary drama to dump on people because they have nothing better to do. Most artist wouldn't have even bothered changing it let alone acknowledge the tweet that informed Lizzo about it.
I didn't know that word meant something negative towards another group, I learned something new from that exchange. At the end of the day, she rectified her mistake and didn't deserve fake "woke" people bullying her. Based upon their responses, I'm sure they aren't perfect humans either and wouldn't have handled that issue as graciously as she did.
I wouldn't call Lizzo gracious; I would call her honorable. She changed it after being told it was considered offensive to some people & she didn't want to offend anyone else... that's pure honorability. I applaud Lizzo.
BTW- the definition of honorable: is to be kind, genuine, & empathetic without expecting a reward for your behavior. And, to be deserving of respect or high regard.
Yeah I didn't know the word can be used in a derogatory way. I actually say it sometimes to mean something totally different. But now that I know, I'm going to make a conscious effort to not use the word again. Just out of basic compassion, empathy and decency. Perhaps I can say "having a moment." 🤔💯
It is the shortened version of "spastic" in a lot of Commonwealth countries in the past. It is considered offensive now, rightly so. Lizzo behaved like a mature and evolved human. She gives me hope.
I learned this today as well.
I only learned this earlier this year myself. Always thought it had kind of and electric buzz sound like getting zapped. A “spazz” was like a live wire energy type of person. Not so wholesome everywhere, it turns out 😣
While I don't always agree with Trevor's opinions or perspectives on some topics, he is a gentleman whom I respect and encourages me to be a better person. From what I've seen on The Daily Show, he is a great role model, whom I can learn a lot from. Thank you for being who you are.
The song “Grrrls” was released on a Friday and removed the derogatory word/was updated a few days later (on Monday).
She apologized, owned it, and fixed it. More people should be like her.
All languages have dialects. Even in the States you say soda in the north and pop in the south. German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Italian. Go to a different region within any country and you will find not only different pronunciation, but different meanings. Language, as everything in this universe, is in constant evolution through change.
you'd be surprised how often the Osakan Japanese tend to clash with the Kansai-ben Japanese not in dialect alone, but in formal and informal grammar.
This. Even the way my partner and I pronounce French words (he is Canadian, and I studied Parisian French growing up) we use different words for different meanings.
Also, just to inform/educate, Chinese is not a language: there are actually many (302!!) different languages that Chinese people speak. If you are able to take the time to listen to the more popular ones, they actually do sound different and they are linguistically distinct languages. It's actually quite cool :)
I had a Puerto Rican friend who went into a Cuban bakery & asked for a specific type of bread. The owner jumped over the counter at her & when she jumped backward & said, "what the heck is wrong with you", he dropped back behind the counter & said, "you're not Cuban, are you"? She said, "no, I'm Puerto Rican". Well, the word she used for the bread (as used by Puerto Ricans) is actually testicles to a Cuban. She had no idea.
A great example of this very thing is the word "Okay." Seems simple enough, right? But if I make a specific request (i.e., "Would you put this plate in the sink please?"), and the person responds "okay," I sometimes giggle. *In Spanish, the sounds "Ooh kay" (¿o que?) mean "Or What?!"* I've heard "okay" sung in songs and never felt the need to attack someone online because of it. 🙄
I say soda, because my boyfriend when I was 17 he was from the Northeast and he would say soda
I'm from the bay area and grew up during the hyphy movement.
The definition for spazz in my area is exactly what Trevor described.
When this story broke, I was so confused until the word was defined as offensive in other cultures. Lizzo did the right thing!! 💕 I'm always going to be her fan
It’s offensive in most English speaking cultures including America. I think it’s great that she was so willing to change the lyrics and how quickly she made the change. She should absolutely be commended for that. However, I also think it is indicative of a widespread issue of able bodied people using seriously ableist language and thinking it’s innocuous. I’m not sure why, but it’s especially common in hip hop music (and related genres) to hear the s, cr, r, and g words used and no one blinks an eye.
@@Tinyvalkyrie410 Have you ever heard of African American Vernacular English (AAVE)? It's been appropriated in White spaces for profit and cultural cache for years. The hyphy movement has hip hop roots. I think what Lizzo did was great, she did not have to do it as the context of language does matter. We should all aim to learn and grow from one another but the assumption that the word "spaz" is offensive to all Americans is simply untrue because America includes people who use language differently as exhibited in Trevor's example above. What I found annoying about the social media response, was that there was no mention of how intersecting identities affect how we perceive language. Ableist language should be eradicated, but folks must be given the time and space to have nuanced conversation to learn about ableist language and should not be punished for their lack of knowledge. Speaking as an AA, I find your singling hip hop out as if ablist language doesn't exist in genres to be unfortunate. It's extremely triggering to be told by non-African Americans (able-bodied or otherwise) that the language I'm using is wrong without them acknowledging their positionality and privilege. I want to hear from the African American disabled community as their voices should be front and center in this conversation. No one is above correction or critique, but as Trevor said it often dips in to misogynoir territory where Black women are being unfairly targeted.
TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU TREVOR, WELL SAID 👌
Trevor basically described Twitter. The most toxic "holier than thou" attitude.
Trevor is so extravagant n brilliant on what he really does🙌
As a disabled person, who has palsy, I didn't take offense. But she still changed the lyrics and I applaud her for that. Internet warrior need to take a seat!
Thank you Trevor for once again being a voice of reason in an increasingly chaotic word.
Your comedy shows your heart and does what all great comedy should do. By giving the raw information and putting it into an honest, approachable context you make a tense subject into one we should all be able to laugh at together.
Tha k you again.
love the way Trevor thinks, its just honest and i appreciate it
Lots of people think this way, but we just don't have a huge platform.
@@ChineduOpara well, thats okay. we got this
Lizzo did exactly the right thing. A slight correction though Trevor, the origin of the word is the same in both UK English speaking and US speaking areas. It's short for spastic ie a muscle spasm. There are conditions with spastic in the name, the slur came out of those conditions. It mocks people with disabilities which affect their movement I.e. spastic motions. The slur often got used with the sort of motions your orange Cheeto in Chief used to mock that disabled reporter. I.e. "crazy" motions. Going "spaz" comes from the same word.
It seems many in the US didn't know that and I saw a lot of people trying to justify it as a different usage but it's not, it just evolved. It gets used in the same way in other English speaking countries like Australia and NZ (where I am from.)
As a parent of a disabled child whose condition affects their movements (Tourette Syndrome) I was really heartened by Lizzo's swift address of the issue but frustrated by people defending the use of the word because "it doesn't mean that." It very much does mean that because when I was younger it was widely used here by kids in the same way but we grew up and realised it was hurtful and stopped using it.
Anyway thanks for coming to my TED Talk!
P.S. Weird Al, I'd really love it if you updated Word Crimes to remove the same word for the same reason! Otherwise no notes!
You said what I wanted to say better!
@@scarletspidernz aw thanks! I'm usually the person saying what you said!
Exactly. If a Chinese person used their word ohm in front of a Black person I would lay odds the Chinese person wouldn't be allowed to continue using ohm because 'it doesn't mean that', to them.
We, so have to stop living in: a me, myself, & I world. If someone tells you what you said was offensive to them (& the reason they found it offensive) Just Stop Saying IT!
In India we call this kind of an activity ' Timepass'. It literally means people passing time doing useless nonsense.
Thanks for sharing. I will use this term from now on
Yep there you go was just going to say that… but yeah that’s absolutely true….
Like...US Congress is a timepass ?🤔hehe
@@CLYMA1.5CHAINZ TRUTH!
We have a similar saying in Romanian 😁
Trevor, if you read this..I can not thank you enough for being the person who "has dialog" about balance. So much of people's conversations end up in going to extreme to prove a point.
Context and kindness!!! Thank you Trevor
Seriously? I didn’t know it was a derogatory word. People appear to WANT to be angry. Kudos to Lizzo!
We all need to work on our ability to *FORGIVE*
But IS IT a derogatory word???
Crazy how in the same song she sing about involuntary castration and spaz is the only thing that people find offensive 🤯
Heard, KelZ X. People want to be angry and will take any/every opportunity in which to be so.
@@derkeheath5172 if it is ( I don't think it is) , it isn't the only one in the song. Is she going to change all the derogatory terms in her song? The whole thing is ridiculous and a non issue
@@derkeheath5172 Yes, I can definitely attest to that being derogatory, although most commonly as a noun. But her response seems like the right thing to do, so I agree that the pile-on is unhelpful.
Im disabled. Lizzo did everything right. We all make (mistakes/asan); we all learn and grow. It's part of being human. She apologized and even corrected her mistake; that makes up for it, the end.
Exactly!
It's not a mistake. If she was from that country then it's a mistake. She can't possibly know how words are used in other countries. That is just dishonest expectations from those people. Now imagine if we also expected artist to know the same for multiple languages? Impossible and then people are going to complain about words that sound similar to offensive words in other languages anyway. The point is you can't ever satisfy online trolls.
@@alexisrivera200xable Look up the word in an English dictionary. The word IS offensive in the USA & has been offensive in the USA since I was a kid, & I'm 63.
More like Eisaan!
@@dee_dee_place how many people do you know look up the word spaz tho? I heard it from friends and so did they. People hear the word in context and then use it themselves. That's slang. IDC what country it's from. If she didn't know, she didn't know. Simple as that.
Thank you for your key points! People forget this. Honestly, they're not trying to think about the context or details. It's the internet and they want to be enraged
As a disability advocate and actual disabled person with spastic nerve issues, Yes to everything you said. It was handled with grace and positivity and there are just people in the world that get giddy pointing out others mistakes because of the way it makes them feel superior. Superiority is the often the American version of self esteem.
Great Job! The nuances of language are what makes communication such an art form. A word can have multiple meanings depending on the context and your power of highlighting this Is GREAT. Everyone hears a new concept or word or idea daily. No one should be punished or bashed for learning. Thanks Trevor
I love how genuine Trevor is - I feel like he makes me a better person
She didn’t know that was offensive, she learned about it, then she changed it, & some ahs still went after her 🙄 🤦🏻♀️ clearly they don’t know how awesome she is.
I love Lizzo. I applaud her amazingly gracious behavior in her life. For me, as a little white boy in the 1960s in Southern California, I used spaz knowing it was in reference to people who had a condition that made them fall on the floor and move around uncontrollably. When we called someone that word, it was to indicate that that was what that person was doing. We were not aware that someone other than the intended victim would be hurt by that. We know now that it is extremely offensive. I don't use that word now. We can all get better. We are all works in progress. When we are perfect we drop dead.
I think it also matters the context, who you're talking to. If you're not talking to a disabled person, it's probably fine to use a disability as an idiom and the person you're with probably won't be offended.
I grew up in the 1950s and kids commonly called each other that word, mostly in a joking way. It's actually short for the word spastic which is a medical term meaning abnormal muscle tightness due to prolonged muscle contraction. There were a lot of those kind of terms used frequently like the "R" word that for decades now have been considered derogatory and impolite to use.
I seriously wish I could like this twice. Thank you Trevor for saying all this out loud. I’m constantly having convos with my teenager about the development of language and how words that are offensive or hurtful to particular groups now used to mean something completely innocuous or were actually accepted terms within that community 20 years ago. I think a lot more people are really *trying* to be inclusive and caring but they need some slack to catch up with all of the changes that are happening around us. Lizzo is the bomb for working so hard to support everyone in her orbit.
Trevor, thanks for being the true voice of reasoning. We've come to an age that no one is grateful when people admit their mistake and tries to fix it. I'm almost ashamed to be born human in this time period.
I grew up in Southern California. In the '70s, spazz was a term the white surfer kids used.
Spazz comes from spastic paralysis, one of the symptoms of cerebral palsy. I'm guessing most of those kids didn't know that and just thought it was something cool friends say to mean clumsy. That's how words get their connotations and it's very regional. The word becomes something different or loses its connection to the original meaning entirely. Trevor illustrates this beautifully, as usual. As someone who was clumsy due to visual problems, it did hurt. What Lizzo did is how you begin to heal such wounds. As an aware and sensitive person, of course she didn't want to be unintentionally hurtful. Or as
Black folks say, her momma raised her right.
Hopefully she also found out what it actually means and why it was problematic. Props to her.
This is what I know of it as well. Kids, I myself, used to use 'spaz' in the terms of 'don't spaz out' meaning to say don't freak out or 'you're a spaz' when someone did something clumsy. It's derived from 'spastic' and is derogatory. People just need to learn and be better. There are enough people who know better and refuse to be better. Give props to those trying to be best.
Sorry, couldn't help myself. 😝
Great insight Trevor!
I think I would add two things:
1) spaz, historically, comes from the word spastic, which has been around a while. So I'm not sure that it's fair to call this a niche meaning. I think your points still stand. People make mistakes and don't know the history of every word. And sometimes you just forget stuff. There's got to be room for mistakes.
2) The way you talk about Lizzo being gracious, it makes it sound like she went above and beyond. Relative to her peers, yes. But I think this should be the standard. And this isn't to drag Lizzo at all. She seems to be the first person to create a perfect response: "Sorry, my bad, here's the fix."
I think the only "danger" of calling it being gracious is that it makes it seem like this isn't exactly what every artist should do. That said, perhaps I'm misinterpreting what you're saying, because I do think they showed incredible grace in how she acknowledged and corrected the problem. But I don't know that it should extend to benevolence.
It was indeed gracious on Lizzo's part because the word meant something entirely different to her. Any word could mean something derogatory in another culture. Does that mean people don't have the right to speak their language in the way they understand unless every word in the language has been vetted and shown to not be derogatory in another culture? How ridiculous is this? She did nothing wrong!!! She spoke her language and when it was brought to her knowledge that a word in her language meant something derogatory in another culture, she changed her language not for her, but for them. That was indeed most gracious of because she didn't owe anyone that. People will use any excuse to take offense and act out their own biases under the umbrella of being "woke"
I agree with you on the choice of the word, gracious. Personally, I feel what Lizzo did was honorable.
The point is a lot of white disabled people went overboard from the beginning demanding this from Lizzo when they don't do that to white singers who use ableist language or people more popular/ powerful. A new album just came out where the same word is used, by a much more popular artist so the album is everywhere, I haven't heard word one from these same people about the same exact word. One person who initially made this complaint on social media claiming to be so offended used the word crazy in her request for Lizzo to change her lyrics, and crazy is also regarded as an ablelist slur. So how offended were you really? Many of these people just wanted a reason to dogpile.
I would not be surprised if the people complaining about Lizzo knew nothing about the word before it became a story. They are probably less concerned about how words hurt people, and more interested in trashing someone who does care.
I know of a band that recently changed their name because it is offensive (something I think they knew when they chose it) and also decided to remove early songs that contained slurs. While some people supported them for this, it seems like way more people were furious that the band was trying to move away from being offensive.
Are you talking about Lady Antebellum changing their name to Lady A?
What band?
@@gavinmitchell1328 No, they are not an American band. I do not really follow country music, so I am not sure of the reaction to Lady Antebellum changing their name. I think Dixie Chicks did the same thing?
I wanted to avoid naming the band specifically and triggering more negativity - just pointing out that a certain segment of the population gets just as angry every time someone tries to be considerate of others.
As kids in the 70's and 80's (in the U.S.), we said "spaz" or "spastic" on a regular basis. Haven't used the word since it went out of style and never knew it was derogatory in the other countries.
He got this exactly right. When it comes to most moments of ignorance, the best thing to do is apologize, change behavior, and move on. You cannot change the past and you cannot undo what you have done, but how you react to it and deal with the aftermath is what counts. To learn from and change.
Daniel Sloss has a great bit in one of his stand up specials about how it's messed up to get offended on behalf of someone without even knowing that person's opinion.
These are my favorite segments by Trevor... Beautiful thought and expression
Lizzo deserves credit for changing lyric. As to the rest, my dad always told me if you are looking to be offended u will be.
Trevor you caught my attention this year with your hilarious act at the White House correspondents dinner but now ...you have my respect 🙏
More people need to speak out on this aspect of language and culture.
This is how I discuss things with my friends. We are always quick to get offended, taking things out of context, making assumptions, especially about ppls intentions or actions in a moment. And it’s mostly through a device. This also speaks to the negativity bias we carry and could be managed if we practice more conscious awareness of it when these moments occur.
I think all of us are too quick in making assumptions. We assume that if we know something, everyone else should know it too. That, is virtually impossible. We need to give people the benefit of the doubt & ask them what their meaning was for saying or doing something.
If you’re upset because you are disabled and hurt by the use of the word, that’s ok. Bullying someone who has gone through the effort of changing helps no one. To be clear, spaz is also used as an ableist insult in America. I can attest as someone who went to public school disabled,
It is meant with intent.
There is a difference between someone sayin “let’s go Brandon” intending for it to say F Joe…
And someone saying Spaz and meaning party etc.
The intent was not there and the knowledge of the hurt was not there.
@@MK-tq5ec I know Lizzo meant no harm and she handled the situation extremely well. I was just sharing because these discussions should have more nuance
Context is everything. I used the word all of the time when I was younger but never knew it meant anything else. I agree with this 100%.
Wow, people really do be gettin mad at Lizzo just for being Lizzo. The fact that people jumped to ridicule her instead of even trying to look for context is bs. Spazzin has been a consistent word for American youth within the last decade, and has always been popular use in the Black community. Synonymous with wildin, & can be synonymous with buggin. It sounds to me, other than the misunderstanding, they’re really trying to make a word mean one thing when it’s already been known it doesn’t mean just one thing. Making an issue bigger than it needs to be.
So people are somehow more mad at Lizzo bc of cross culture mishaps, but not mad at their own country for appropriation- ykno what? We just not gonna go there today.
DecadeSSSSSSSS I'm in my mid 30s and it was used the same as now when I was a kid
I'm in my 40's and that word always meant what you described it as. Never anything more. You got it. 💯
Trevor, you are everything that is right with the World…
Thank you Trevor and Love you Lizzo !!!!!!!!!
Great speech by Trevor. He explained it all with the clarity of a scholar and made it clear that only hypocrites could blame Lizzo for anything. He is even better when he doesn't try to get a laughter out of the crowd every 15 seconds.
The lesson learned here: You can't please everyone. If they still use the word f@g to describe cigarettes in London, then people need to have several seats. She's an AMERICAN performer singing her songs in AMERICAN ENGLISH with it's context. If people from other nations can't get that and don't like it, then don't listen. Mark my word that if the opposite were true in THEIR country, they wouldn't (AND DON'T) hesitate to tell us the same. WE'D have to deal with it.
That word IS considered derogatory in the USA. Look up its definition.
It's an ableist slur in the US as well. It comes from the word "spastic." It's used to dehumanize anyone who has motor control issues, stutters, basically anyone who has a mental or physical disability that affects their speech or motion has been called this. She did everything right once she knew that and people should move on, but this isn't an "it's offensive in a foreign language" thing. It's offensive here too.
Seriously, pretending Lizzo is like some small American artist whose songs get only played in America is BS. She has fans worldwide and knows it and was so kind to account for that.
Also, this isn't even a discussion about whether she must do that. She herself did that kind guesture and you are literally censuring her freedom to change her lyric as she sees fit. Or is American English now mandated for American song writers?
@@dee_dee_place that fact that you had to look up means it's not offensive to everyone in America. Where I am from, it is not offensive. Get over yourself!
@@dee_dee_place Yeah, not once have I ever seen the word be meant in an actual derogatory manner. I get that meanings change, and I get that your mileage may vary, but not once in my 36 years of living have I ever seen the word spaz actually imply something derogatory or be used in a derogatory manner.
This was one of the best Between The Scenes I've watched - the passion in Trevor's voice is next to none. Thank you for speaking out on this and understanding the WHOLE picture. We need more Trevor's in this world.
Well said Trevor!
They probably didn’t ever appreciate her as a person or artist. Haters hate!
On a lighter note, there are so many stories regarding words having different meanings. Sometimes a word sounds the same but means something different in another language.
Example: Chevrolet tried to sell their car, named in English “Nova,” in Latin America. The story says that it was more than a year before Chevy pulled the model back due to poor sales, and only later finding out they were trying to sell a car named no go…no va…
That reminded me of the Mitsubishi Pajero (which is slang for masturbator)
I approve of what she did, and I do not care for her music or any in that genre. so it seems fans of that genre can learn a lesson, especially her fans.
@@eric2500 you are of course free to like or dislike whatever genres you wish. But this isn’t about that, or you. this is not a discussion about anyone except Lizzo, and those who criticized her after she made amends for an error.
It makes me think of whenever I run into someone casually throwing around the R-word.
I usually explain to people that yes, this is a medical word- but this term refers to a symptom in development and the two important things to know are:
1- A person is not a symptom, and should not be defined by a symptom
2- Even if this was a diagnosis- a medical diagnosis should never be an insult (ie: Stop using Autistic as an insult)
Someone using it incorrectly as "just a medical term", or "just as an insult"- without proper knowledge or context is common- and the correct response is to explain and move on. People slip up- unexamined habits are hard to break.
People who insist even after this conversation to defend it as both a kosher medical term and a casual insult.... are where I get impatient.
I have always known that word to be derogatory but when I heard about the song and saw that it wasn’t being used in the way I had grown up with, I didn’t feel any sort of way about it. And the fact that she was well in her rights not to change it but did so after someone respectfully informed her is so commendable. I fecking love her!! People really need to just chill out, and stop wasting their own time. Change never happens when you are yelling at someone to change. If anyone yells at me, I tend to dig my heels in and it becomes a point of pride not to change for anyone who treats me disrespectfully. But I have made an effort to change many things and improve on myself after some genuine conversations. Hope they learn this lesson soon and live their lives in peace and compassion
1. Lizzo is great as a person and a musician. 2. Spaz means the same thing in America, at least for the older generations (those who were in high school in the 80's and 90's). It evolved into the current definition. 3. It is frustrating in this country that we want to punish people instead of help them grow. Lizzo didn't have all the information and once she did, she corrected her mistake. She did what we should expect people to do: own their mistake and fix it.
Trevor speaking the truth as usual
Between the Scenes is my favorite part of the show. Bravo, Trevor!
This is like what Kevin Hart went through with the Emmy’s. It’s all a bunch of stuff that the person has already corrected. You can’t dump on people AFTER they’ve done better.
Trevor got me into late night shows, I’ve drifted away bc news can be a bit trying as depressing, this clip reminds me of his great insight!
Growing up in Massachusetts in the '70s we used that word a lot, usually jokingly when somebody did something awkward or missed an easy catch, etc. I knew it came from the word spastic, and on occasion I did hear it used to disparage someone with muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, etc. In my mind I just separated that from the way I used it which I now know we shouldn't do, which is why I no longer use that word along with a number of other words that we used to use. But I can understand how a young person like Lizzo might have no idea of that connection and just be using it in a totally new, innocent way...
As a disabled person in a wheelchair, let me tell you that Lizzo’s response is extremely unusual, and I applaud her for it. I cannot tell you how often I have pointed out seriously ableist language to people (often friends and family which makes it so much worse) only to have them take it as an excuse to ridicule me and use that language even more. That I take issue with. Most people know nothing about the disabled community, so it’s not surprising people make mistakes. It’s only unacceptable if they continue to do it once they know better. I get the most push back on “differently abled” and “you’re such an inspiration.” I have yet to meet a single disabled person that doesn’t find those offensive, and yet, able bodied people will fight me tooth an nail, convinced that that I don’t know what I’m talking about. It’s especially common in older people and able bodied parents of young disabled children. On the other hand, Lizzo unequivocally did the right thing here. I honestly suspect that the people still dragging her for it are not disabled themselves, since we deal with so much worse on a day to day basis and never receive apologies for it.
Lizzo's too young to remember that 'spaz' was a derogatory term commonly used in the US back in the 1970s and 1980s for people with seizure issues (Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, etc.).
As a person with a disability, I agree with Trevor that Lizzo did nothing wrong and I appreciate her changing the lyric even though she does not has to. Those people who used the excuse of "defending people with disabilities " are the worse. They are not defending us, they are just using us and looking down on us. Those people are the ones that discriminate against us. Not Lizzo or anyone who does not know a word that is sensitive toward a disability community.
When I heard Noah mention that word, I was incensed. I'm not disabled, so does that make me a terrible person?
Thanks Trevor. Stand up for what is right
Love how he explains things!! That why I enjoying watching you!
I cannot recall a time in the US that I've heard "spaz" used in any connotation or context that would make it a slight against someone that is disabled. From when I first heard it in the 80s until watching this video, it was used as "don't spaz out" or "be a spaz", but it was more to say chill. No need to go nuts. (I apologize for using the words nuts as that may have offended some squirrels.).
Agreed 🤓!
Thank you so much for this Trevor. I was surprised when this came out, because I have worked with the disabled community in America for over a decade, and NEVER heard "spaz" have that definition. Here, in the midwest, it just means someone who has a lot of energy, or someone who is really excited about something. Words don't mean the same thing everywhere, and there is no reason why she would have known this had a different definition on another continent. She did the kind and caring thing, and changed the lyrics, as to not hurt anyone, and this should be applauded and embraced. I wish we all had a bit more of this kindness and caring that Lizzo had when she made this decision.
Lead with love, not with authority. That’s how oppression happens. It defeats the purpose of trying to end oppression, by becoming the oppressor. We need to Love, fight for our humanity taken away from us by an oppressive society, while simultaneous giving humanity back to the oppressor(not that Lizzo is that at all, I’m talking on a grander scale now). Because in the process of oppressing people, the oppressors themselves have lost there humanity.
@Mike Dalby ok I’ll use a different explanation for your benefit, how about “exploiters” -in that there are people of a certain class, and historically a certain race, who exploit the labor of others in order to gain power/money.
Thank you for bringing this up! She just gained a follower here!
Trevor Noah is truly the modern day king Solomon. He’s so wise and fair.
Congratulations on 10 million
And yet I must say, this is why Trevor will have my respect and love always! Fair is fair and he makes certain to show us where it stands and never backing down. Thanks, Trevor!
Love Trevor for these kind of conversations luv u man
Love Trevor Noah. You know they say you should never meet your heroes because you'll just be disappointed. I don't get that from him. Honestly, I feel like he's one of the most genuine intellectual thought leaders of our time.
What's most interesting about this is usually those who make biggest deal about certain things aren't from the community in which the issue pertains to. A lot of folks within the community use moments like this to educate people... it's other people outside of the situation who become irate and disrespectful toward the person who made the mistake. Not saying those who are apart of the conversation can't be sensitive because some can be but usually their the ones who show a lot of grace and forgiveness and are willing to let things slide in order to educate and grow from the situation
You're totally right about the toxicity of piling on people after they've corrected behavior. Especially when it's not intentional, and that correction is both swift and fully acknowledged.
I do want to point out that there actually IS an instance where the "N-word" is in common use as something with a totally different meaning. Ask any native Chinese person what the equivalent of "uhm" is. They'll tell you it's the Chinese word 那个, which when pronounced quickly (and repetitively) as is common in normal Chinese speech, sounds VERY much like the N-word. One of the first things a Chinese person needs to unlearn when speaking Chinese in primarily spoken English locales is to avoid using "uhm", which is VERY hard to unlearn if you've been doing it most of you life.
As for "Esanee!"🤣😂😭😭🇿🇦🇿🇦
These no day, I don't say that🤣🤣🤣
She did make a mistake, and that's fine. A mistake doesn't require intent. We need to normalize the fact that it's ok to be wrong, that it doesn't make you a horrible person. What matters is how you act when you have gained awareness of the mistake.
Thank You!
Lizzo handled this in the best way possible. BUT: As an older white American I have never heard "spaz" used to describe having fun. The only way I've heard it is as a shortened form of "spasmodic." "Spazzing out" meant having a seizure, or colloquially, overreacting. "Don't have a spaz man!" People who suffered from seizure disorders or certain neuromuscular disorders were derogatorily called "spazs" by some Americans.
Context is so important. My grandmother always asked me about "that little colored girl" I hung out with, and then colored was a racist word for a while, and now we say "people of color." It can be hard to keep up with the woke linguistics.
Yep, context. Semantics, linguistics, phrasing, etc may be something to keep in mind, but... IMO intent is almost always the key factor. Did the person mean to cause offense or harm?
Like others there are many words I'm working on removing from my vocabulary because of their past. However there was a time when I wasn't aware of the harm some of those words caused. We need to be open to people growing, learning and forgiving, especially from ignorance.
Right on man.. context is everything... no one wants to admit they're wrong, no one wants to forgive anymore... all this righteousness is turning into hate.. I blame the way we communicate, we barely speak to eachother. Everything is texted, tweeted, snapped- no ones listening to nuance and tonality so they don't know how to recognize and identify the differences between true evil/hate and simple misunderstandings and ignorant mistakes.
Not only did she change her lyrics, she did it fast. Like in a weekend fast.
In russian, the word "book" sounds like [kni:ga], and the k is almost silent. A friend of mine got confronted in the USA for having a conversation in Russian about books. I think everybody at this moment in human history has to calm down the desperate need to unleash all the accumulated hate on the flimsiest of grounds.
Actually, the prononciation for the n-word sounds v similar to “that” in Chinese (na-ge). So honestly the context in which Trevor used it in actually does make sense in Chinese. It also becomes hilarious when ppl stutter on that word because it is used basically as a “um” in Chinese
I think I've seen Russell Peters do a skit on that
It makes me remember of this sketch by Trevor. He went to a taco truck for the first time and was shocked to be asked if he wanted a "napkin" because this is how they call diapers in South Africa.
I actually can't believe she changed the song for that. I would just explain how we use the word where I come from and let them learn that people use words differently.
I appreciated that she changed the lyric! It's a great example of restorative justice. BTW spazz is used to put down disabled people here too.
When people did the same thing to Eminem years back, it only propelled his level of success and I hope this same kind of publicity does the same for her! Lizzo is an amazing musician! If you don’t like her! Don’t listen to her!
You can't compare what Eminem did: he was knowingly, deliberately homophobic & his fans used him as an excuse to air their own bigotry.
For the record I’m a huge Eminem and Lizzo fan! Im also a mature audience member!
Thank you for this. People online just shout and take things out of context. It’s like people are always on edge and just waiting to yell at someone. It’s pure ego and toxicity.
Absolutely, always heard/used "spaz" as someone a little high strung and reactionary, hyper emotional. Really not a big deal.
Esan😂😂😂....I never thought I would ever hear Esan on the daily show
Trevor, I am offend you used the phrase, "everything, everywhere, all at once". That's a misconception about the omnipresent and I find it hurtful!
I'm offended that you're offended😎
@@Melanin_King895 I know. I'm omnipotent, too.