Marc Lamont Hill, a nationally recognized black political commentator, admitted during a panel discussion on CNN about pop star Justin Bieber’s use of a racial slur that he’s said the same himself — on more than one occasion.
The conversation began with Mr. Hill saying that Mr. Bieber shouldn’t be granted a free “pass” for a recently unearthed five-year-old video of him using the N-word while telling a racial joke. But “you can’t hold someone prisoner” for something they said when they were 15 years old, he said, adding that Mr. Bieber’s statements were nowhere near as offensive as those made by Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling.
A fellow panelist, CNN legal analyst Sunny Hostin, disagreed, saying it’s actually worse for someone like Mr. Bieber to use that word, after which Mr. Hill accused her of being an “N-word fundamentalist.”
“You use the N-word, I think we should get that out there,” Miss Hostin retorted.
“I don’t use it in public, I don’t use it on TV, that’s how I keep a job,” Mr. Hill replied. “But in my house, I use the N-word promiscuously.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.