- Stiller made the comment in a ‘Comedians for Kamala’ zoom fundraiser’
- ‘She’s Indian, she’s Black, she’s everything. You can be more than one thing’
Comedian Ben Stiller made a bizarre joke during an online fundraiser for Kamala Harris, first commenting on her heritage and then on his own.
He did so after calling the vice president and Democratic nominee a ‘historic candidate.’
‘It’s going to be the first woman president and that’s incredibly exciting. She’s Indian, she’s Black, she’s everything. You can be more than one thing, it’s incredible,’ he said Monday.
Then, the child of two successful comedians spoke about his own ethnic background.
‘You know, I’m Jewish and Irish,’ he said. ‘I wish I was Black. Every White Jewish guy wishes he was Black. You know, get out there and vote and donate and take advantage.’
The odd comment came at an online event called ‘Comics for Kamala.’ It was introduced by California Rep. Eric Swalwell, and featured appearances by Whoopi Goldberg, Nick Offerman, and Patton Oswalt, as ABC7 reported.
Stiller also announced that he would make his own $150,000, in an event that topped $500,000 before it was over.
‘I’m not a comic. I’m an actor. I played Derek Zoolander. I was in Dodge Ball. I got my d—stuck in my zipper 25 years ago if you’re old enough to get that reference,’ he said summing up his filmography.
Actor Ben Stiller made a bizarre joke during his time speaking in a ‘Comedians for Kamala’ event
Stiller’s late parents are the performers Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. He joked about getting a fundraising email from the candidate during his pitch. ‘Was it ten [minutes]?’ he asked. ‘It felt like 20.’
Swalwell said Joe Biden belonged on the ‘Mount Rushmore of Democratic presidents,’ weeks after urging Biden to step aside.
‘I’ve known Kamala for 20 years … She’s tough. She’s really, she’s ready. But she’s also funny. It’s really refreshing right now who’s funny. She’s serious, but she doesn’t take herself too seriously,’ he said.
A group of comedians gathered online to haul in funds for VP Kamala Harris
‘You know, I’m Jewish and Irish,’ he said. ‘I wish I was Black. Every White Jewish guy wishes he was Black,’ Stiller said during his comments on the zoom
Offerman, of Parks and Recreation and a rang of film projects, wrote a song from the point of view of a Harris-curious Republican to the tune of ‘Proud to be an American.’ He mentioned a ‘spray-tan tool denying a girl her ethnic identity.’
‘And while I’m no theologian, I thought it rather queer when they said that God let that fireman die but only nicked Don’s precious ear,’ he sang.
Stiller’s comments come in a campaign sprint where Donald Trump openly questioned Harris’ identity during an interview with a Black journalists association.
‘She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago, when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black. So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?’ Trump said.