Election Day 2020 was always going to be a weird one, but I don’t think anyone could have predicted “Star Trek actor scolds former-SportsCenter host for comparing the reality show president to a character in a 1977 TV mini-series.” But if you did, please tell me how tonight goes. I would rather watch the nice chess show, thank you very much.
On Tuesday morning, Keith Olbermann tweeted a clip from Donald Trump’s tired-sounding interview on Fox & Friends, in which the president complained about Fox News being unfair to him. “Yes @realDonaldTrump has always been, will always be, and on the day of his bid for re-election, still is: a whiny little Kunta Kinte,” he wrote.
The comparison between Kunta Kinte, the protagonist of Alex Haley’s novel-turned-miniseries about slavery, and Trump was lost on everyone but Olbermann (and Dennis Miller, probably), who deleted the tweet. “Just logged back in: I apologize for my previous subtweet of this,” he later tweeted. “I was using an old 70’s-80’s technique for calling somebody a c*** without writing/saying c***, just using a sound-alike to call Trump a c***. Deleting previous, largely because this one clarifies the c*** part.” (If you’re going to make a big deal out of saying the c-word, say the c-word. Or better yet, and this would be my suggestion, use another word! Also maybe don’t be a white guy comparing another white guy to a Black slave.) Twitter collectively agreed “nope” to Olbermann’s confusing tweet, but it’s Roots star LeVar Burton who had the best response.
#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/sGjjKcXvrw
— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) November 3, 2020
The Star Trek: The Next Generation actor added, “Dear @KeithOlbermann, #Kunta is pronounced with a long “u” as in unity, not a short “u” as in cup. Try again! Love, Kunta.”
Dear @KeithOlbermann, #Kunta is pronounced with a long “u” as in unity, not a short “u” as in cup.
Try again!
Love,
Kunta— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) November 3, 2020
It’s going to be a looong Election Day (and night), folks. Hang in there.