Matt Walsh did it again.
The Daily Wire podcaster dove head first into the most controversial topic in America, the trans debate, and let its proponents reveal themselves via 2022’s “What Is a Woman?”
He deploys similar tactics with “Am I Racist?” The documentary finds Walsh going undercover to expose DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) proponents.
The result? A devastating peek behind the curtain of the Identity Politics racket. “Racist?” doubles as the year’s funniest comedy.
“Woman?” made its interview subjects squirm. This time, it’s the audience that might wriggle in their seats between the laughter.
Walsh plays a version of himself far different than his Daily Wire persona. He’s a straight white male eager to bone up on all things DEI. He’s on a “journey,” and he wants to take us with him.
It’s a scam, of course. The ruse lets him infiltrate DEI meetings with one explicit goal – reveal its rotten underbelly. You need a scam to expose a scam is the not-so-secret premise.
The scheme won’t be easy. He’s become more recognizable following the success of “Woman.”
So he dons a man bun and geeky glasses. He even snags a DEI certification. And away he goes to de-colonize his White Privilege.
Walsh’s demeanor makes him the anti-Borat, at least on the surface. He’s calm and stoic, so when he’s commandeering the debate few suspect his real intentions.
Like Borat, Walsh’s shtick hopes to reveal something unsettling about his subjects. The 2006 smash “Borat” found Sacha Baron Cohen targeting so-called flyover country. The comedy mostly showed how patient the average American is when dealing with a simpleton.
Walsh’s DEI cover proves more revelatory. And the timing couldn’t be sweeter given the collapse of DEI-style programs in Hollywood, academia and the corporate world.
Cohen is a world-class comic who let his partisan biases get the better of him in “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.” Walsh lacks his Hollywood chops but proves how innately funny he can be in the right situation.
Sure, plenty of zingers can be pre-planned, but deploying them at the precise time is an art unto himself.
‘White Fragility’ author Robin DiAngelo gets tricked into paying reparations to Matt Walsh’s producer in ‘Am I Racist?’ documentary https://t.co/sjIuxL3UMO pic.twitter.com/K5gnzs7bUP
— New York Post (@nypost) September 8, 2024
Some segments feel calculated but still find their mark. Consider Walsh quizzing blue-collar Americans about their White Privilege. Watching these Average Joes and Janes dismiss his faux-DEI rhetoric is a thing of beauty.
One scene showing a black man dismissing racism in today’s world is a double-edged sword. Yes, it’s a positive attitude given the racial progress over the decades. It still threatens to diminishes real racism and leaves “Racist” open to attacks from the Left.
The film quickly recovers its footing, including a killer segment featuring “White Fragility” author Robin DiAngelo.
Buckle in.
Director Justin Folk, re-teaming with Walsh following their “What Is a Woman?” breakthrough, is patient to a fault. He understands the need to build tension, allowing the various set-ups to play out to their natural conclusions.
It renders some sequences a tad pokey, but the payoff is almost always worth the wait.
Satire sears when it’s based on unassailable truths. The cruelty built into DEI should be plain to see, but cultural scolds have prevented many from connecting the dots.
“Am I Racist?” does the heavy lifting for us. It’s hysterical, but the overall message is never far from the surface. We now have permission to laugh at DEI and its devotees, a welcome hangover from a banger of a comedy.
HiT or Miss: “Am I Racist?” does more than expose DEI Nation. It delivers the year’s biggest laughs.
Laughed out loud several times, but also did cringe a bit. I think Walsh overdid it and became obnoxious more than he needed to, and could have made the point more effectively.
The George Washington/Floyd Monument segment was sickeningly sad at how White Guilt and self-hatred dominate so many people’s lives.
I wish at some point he actually defined what a racist is. For instance, “Racism is the lowest, most primitive form of collectivism,” said a genius of the ages, back in 1967.
Free will versus determinism was implicit but I wish it was more explicit. The southern gent who said he grandfather and father were Klansmen, but he is not was the best example.
I didn’t think he treated the author of Hate Crime Hoax with the respect that Wilfred Reilly deserved. I grant that it’s hard to stay in character even when you’re dealing with one of the good guys in the film.
The brilliant Thomas Sowell quotation at the end should have stayed on the screen for 15 minutes. 🙂
That said, we need more films like this and I’m thankful to Walsh and the Daily Wire for creating it.
Like Clark Kent, glasses-wearing Walsh uses glasses to help make his impenetrable disguise:
“So he dons glasses, a man bun and geeky glasses.“
Oy. Fixed. Thank you. When you run a web site, podcast and freelance career you end up making horribly embarrassing mistakes. Like this.
I’ve always thought that the best way to fight authoritarian impulses in democracies is by laughing at them.
I saw the movie tonight. Genius. Hilarious. Thought provoking. A must see especially in a country influenced by 2024 media and politics. I was hesitant going in but giddy coming out.
I gots ta know. Ima go to the movie.
TWO THINGS can be true at the SAME TIME. Liberals are stupid moronic fools and Matt Walsh IS a racist. Jesus said
John 8:15
Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
IT’S CLEAR THAT ALL MATT WALSH DOES IS “JUDGE AFTER THE FLESH”!
Who’s BUTT HURT that the RACE (flesh) of some CARTOON was changed from WHITE TO BLACK? Matt Walsh! He’s butt hurt about “race swaps” EVEN THOUGH THE ORIGINAL VERSION IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR HIS PERUSAL!
Luke 6:45
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
“I DON’T THINK THAT ROLE SHOLD BE BLACK” is something ONLY A RACIST COULD SAY. If skin color is your hang up YOU ARE A RACIST and HAVE CLEARLY NOT BEEN SAVED BIBLICALLY BY JESUS CHRIST (ACTS 2:38, ACTS 2:4).
Example: Years ago I worked on a show called LAX starring Blair Underwood . He produced an Independent Film based on the song “What If God Was One of Us”, wherein he imagined the 2nd coming of CHRIST as some black homeless guy. The guy is thrown in jail etc. Film wasn’t bad. Afterwards when it was just us he asked me what I felt. I believe he felt that because I am black I should have had some affinity for the messaging.
I told him that TWO THINGS WERE CLEAR he hadn’t read the BIBLE where JESUS SPECIFICALLY said he would NOT return the SAME WAY (Preaching ,Gathering Followers etc) as he did the first time and that anyone at all CONCERNED with the COLOR OF JESUS CHRIST had not yet been saved by Him. I then tried to show him he BIBLES’ definition of SALVATION ie, BAPTISM IN JESUS’ NAME ,, ACTS 2:38 AND THE RECEPTION OF THE HOLY GHOST , just like the APOSTLES AND EVERYONE ELSE SAVED IIN NEW TESTAMENT, ACTS 2:4, ACTS 10:44-48, Acts 19:1-6. He was unreceptive and I never heard from him again.
Black Jesus, eh?
Blames Walsh for “judging” while hypocritically judging Walsh. Should probably bone up on a thing called context in your Bible reading, buddy. (Note: I am absolutely and unapologetically judging the way you interpret things.)
Dude, you quote the Bible and then never cease with the name-calling. Among many things, Jesus said to call no person a fool because they are a creation of God. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female—for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.
Be a little more receptive.
What’s racist is colleges, corporations, and Hollywood discriminating against white people in favor of every group. Walsh talks about the stupidity of changing the races of a character, like a historical figure or a story set in a place and time when there were no black people because it makes no sense and is done purely for racial/racist reasons. Otherwise, they’d just cast accurately on race. No one would allow MLK to be played by a white guy, but why not? Loads of shows do the reverse and Libs love it. You are a moron.
Thus quoteth the raven. You quote the bible then proceed to do the thing you said should not be done. Can’t fix stupid. Keep voting blue no matter who, moron.
Wow!
You have a knack for making yourself look like a fool. Top tier moron.
Going to see this on Saturday.
I was able to see a preview of this film last week. You nailed its LOL nature. I never expected to be laughing at a DEI takedown.
BTW, while he is completely deadpan on his DailyWire show, Walsh actually laughs multiple times in this movie, albeit while playing his character.