I am a white person and I’m here to say that: White people can be really, really stupid. Enter the recent criticism of Beyoncé‘s “Formation” video.

And that, my friends, is why SNL exists: To burn the fools who deserve it. Watch SNL’s spectacular skit below.

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White privilege is real, and all white people know it. But just how real is it? This comedian tried to find out.

In the video below, Jessie Kahnweiler, a white comedian, attempts to find out what would happen if she broke the law. Would she get arrested? Get beaten to the ground? Watch the video to find out the unsurprising results. Thanks to Mic.com for the tip.

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White privilege is real. And while I don’t think that the MTV documentary about white privilege looks too compelling, it’s at least… something.

I’m white and I am well aware that there are inherent things I will never have to deal with. I’ll admit that as a teenager, or even as a young woman in college, I wasn’t nearly as aware of this privilege as I am today.

I grew up in a family that was incredibly open about all human rights issues, so I was well aware that certain people, especially white people, have it much easier than others. But I still couldn’t fathom just how good white people had it until the advent of cell phone cameras. Sure, I learned about apartheid and racial discrimination in school, but I had never seen police officers brutally throw a young black woman to the ground at a pool party until just a few months ago.

Since the creation of the hashtag #blacklivesmatter and the sickening number of shootings that have happened in the black community this year, the topic of white privilege has been broached more than a few times. I, for one, want it to be. I want people to call me out if I say something ignorant about the black experience. However, not all white people think that white privilege is an actual thing. I suppose I get that — it’s easy to hide from uncomfortable truths.

I think that this NPR piece hit the nail on the head about white privilege. Many white people get uncomfortable when the topic of race comes up. This is silly. Whenever we treat anything as a taboo (hello, American sex ed), people shy away for the topic. Whites need to get over their insecurities and listen. Because after all, no one is going to hate you for not knowing something — but people will disrespect you if you refuse to listen or learn. (On that note, take a listen to the first 10 minutes of a recent episode of the Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast — it’s a great example of how people can have a conversation about #blacklivesmatter and white privilege respectfully.)

The NPR piece also states something about white privilege that makes a lot of sense: Many white people think when you say they are privileged, you are talking about how financially well off they are. Having inherent privileges because of the color of your skin does not mean everything is good for you — it’s a hard concept for many to grasp.

And that’s why I don’t think this MTV “documentary” looks so bad. These kids remind me of the teens I went to high school with. They all live in a bubble that allows them to think that white people are being discriminated against, and that they are always in danger of saying something racist. People who think like this should have a mirror put up to their actions and not be mocked, but be challenged to think about the topic at hand. So, while I don’t think this MTV doc will be talked about for years to come, it at least is one piece of media that is examining white privilege, and we do need more of that.

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I don’t think anyone would be shocked by Chris Rock’s recent commentary concerning black actors, comedians and women in Hollywood. And to those who are shocked – it’s time to listen.

In early December 2014, Rock penned a piece for the Hollywood Reporter that discusses the how Hollywood is a “white industry,” Hollywood’s strange infrastructure, and about Hollywood’s “racial double standard” when it comes to casting black actors in roles.

Rock on black comedians

Rock points out that most young black comedians don’t have the resources or connections that many young white comedians have. He makes an example by describing the role he played in getting Leslie Jones on Saturday Night Live.

On white people in LA

He describes how it’s just kind of “accepted” that Mexicans work for white people in Hollywood. He said that it’s an odd acceptance that he’s never seen anywhere else. He points out that most Mexicans work in white people’s homes, or perform labor jobs. Rock says:

“You’re telling me no Mexicans are qualified to do anything at a studio? Really? Nothing but mop up? What are the odds that that’s true? The odds are, because people are people, that there’s probably a Mexican David Geffen mopping up for somebody’s company right now.”

On black women

Rock points out that black women are missing from some of the top films and shows in Hollywood. He also says their absence makes no sense. Most roles, after all, don’t have to be played by white women – race really shouldn’t matter, but for some reason, it still does. He makes his point quite clearly by saying that nearly every white woman was up for the role of Colin Farrell’s wife in the upcoming season of “True Detective.” He says: “I didn’t hear one black girl’s name on those lists. Not one.”

You can read Jezebel’s take on the essay here, and the original op-ed piece over at the Hollywood Reporter.

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