Media Moment, "Shit White Girls Say . . . to Black Girls"

Comedian Franchesca Ramsey posted her "Shit White Girls Say . . . to Black Girls" video to YouTube on January 4, 2012. Now, almost two months later, it has around 8.5 million views and 32,829 online comments. It's become one of the most viewed and most famous videos from the "Shit People Say" meme.

Franchesca got a lot of media attention for this video. The video's online comments made charges of racism, stereotyping and divisiveness, and media outlets covered the responses as a controversy. Franchesca pushed back. In this appearance on the Anderson Cooper Show she defends her video and her position.




For the class discussion tomorrow, think about these questions:

1. How do you read the "Shit White Girls Say . . . to Black Girls" video? Who is the intended audience? What is the video trying to say? Is it effective?

2. On the Anderson Cooper Show, how is Franchesca put on the defensive? What arguments does she make to defend herself?

3. Why did Anderson Cooper bring Franchesca's white friend on the show? What role does she play?

4. What is the ideology at play in this clip from the Anderson Cooper Show? How is racism treated and/or defined?

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