1 00:00:01,168 --> 00:00:02,202 Hey! What's going on, everybody? 2 00:00:02,236 --> 00:00:03,937 Welcome to The Daily Social Distancing Show. 3 00:00:03,971 --> 00:00:05,105 I'm Trevor Noah. 4 00:00:05,138 --> 00:00:07,774 Today is Tuesday, the eighth of December, 5 00:00:07,808 --> 00:00:11,211 which means Christmas is only 17 days away. 6 00:00:11,245 --> 00:00:12,813 And if your kids are sad 7 00:00:12,846 --> 00:00:15,415 because they can't go see Santa at the mall this year, 8 00:00:15,449 --> 00:00:17,885 remember, you can recreate that experience at home. 9 00:00:17,918 --> 00:00:21,388 Just have them stand in line in the living room for two hours 10 00:00:21,421 --> 00:00:23,056 and then tell them Santa took a lunch break 11 00:00:23,090 --> 00:00:24,358 and they have to leave. 12 00:00:24,391 --> 00:00:25,392 It's the same thing. 13 00:00:25,425 --> 00:00:27,261 Anyway, coming up on tonight's show, 14 00:00:27,294 --> 00:00:28,996 Trump finally leaves the Oval Office, 15 00:00:29,029 --> 00:00:31,331 we look at the top tech of 2020, 16 00:00:31,365 --> 00:00:34,535 and Busta Rhymes is our guest on the show. 17 00:00:34,568 --> 00:00:35,936 So let's do this, people. 18 00:00:35,969 --> 00:00:38,805 Welcome to The Daily Social Distancing Show. 19 00:00:38,839 --> 00:00:40,407 ? ? 20 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:42,376 ANNOUNCER: From Trevor's couch in New York City 21 00:00:42,409 --> 00:00:44,645 to your couch somewhere in the world, 22 00:00:44,678 --> 00:00:47,314 this is The Daily Social Distancing Show 23 00:00:47,347 --> 00:00:49,049 with Trevor Noah. 24 00:00:49,082 --> 00:00:51,051 ? ? 25 00:00:51,084 --> 00:00:53,787 Let's kick things off with Mount Everest. 26 00:00:53,820 --> 00:00:56,089 It's the reverse Grand Canyon. 27 00:00:56,123 --> 00:00:58,692 Everyone knows that it's the highest mountain in the world, 28 00:00:58,725 --> 00:01:01,695 but it turns out that, like Seth Rogen, 29 00:01:01,728 --> 00:01:03,830 it's even higher than we thought. 30 00:01:03,864 --> 00:01:06,166 NEWSWOMAN: If you were planning to scale Mount Everest 31 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:08,735 anytime soon, it just got a little bit taller. 32 00:01:08,769 --> 00:01:11,338 After more than a decade of dispute and controversy, 33 00:01:11,371 --> 00:01:13,473 China and Nepal have finally agreed 34 00:01:13,507 --> 00:01:15,809 on how tall the peak actually is. 35 00:01:15,843 --> 00:01:18,245 They agreed to add about a meter. 36 00:01:18,278 --> 00:01:21,748 The world's highest summit now climbs 29,032 feet. 37 00:01:21,782 --> 00:01:25,018 That means it is almost three feet taller now. 38 00:01:25,052 --> 00:01:26,920 Yeah. It turns out Mount Everest 39 00:01:26,954 --> 00:01:30,691 is almost three feet taller than we thought it was before 40 00:01:30,724 --> 00:01:32,893 and, technically, almost four feet taller 41 00:01:32,926 --> 00:01:34,795 when you factor in its new afro. 42 00:01:34,828 --> 00:01:36,496 And here's my question. 43 00:01:36,530 --> 00:01:39,399 Who is stretching the measuring tape 44 00:01:39,433 --> 00:01:41,134 all the way up to the top of the mountain? 45 00:01:41,168 --> 00:01:44,605 Because when I measure anything over 20 feet, 46 00:01:44,638 --> 00:01:47,040 it always lets go and then flies back at my hand. 47 00:01:47,074 --> 00:01:49,309 I can't imagine this person's bravery. 48 00:01:49,343 --> 00:01:52,779 So it turns out Mount Everest isn't just taller. 49 00:01:52,813 --> 00:01:55,816 It turns out that it keeps growing taller, 50 00:01:55,849 --> 00:01:57,784 partly because of all of the dead bodies 51 00:01:57,818 --> 00:01:59,987 from failed climbers that keep piling up 52 00:02:00,020 --> 00:02:02,589 but also because the tectonic plates beneath it 53 00:02:02,623 --> 00:02:04,224 are pushing into each other, 54 00:02:04,258 --> 00:02:05,859 pushing the mountain up. 55 00:02:05,893 --> 00:02:08,395 So, as mountains get older, 56 00:02:08,428 --> 00:02:09,963 they get bigger. 57 00:02:09,997 --> 00:02:11,932 But as people get older, 58 00:02:11,965 --> 00:02:14,168 they tend to shrink. 59 00:02:14,201 --> 00:02:16,503 I guess that's just one more way 60 00:02:16,537 --> 00:02:19,373 that mountains and people are different. 61 00:02:19,406 --> 00:02:21,308 Mountains... 62 00:02:21,341 --> 00:02:24,478 are bigger... 63 00:02:24,511 --> 00:02:26,914 than people. Huh. 64 00:02:26,947 --> 00:02:29,750 And can I just say, measuring mountains? 65 00:02:29,783 --> 00:02:31,385 I didn't even know that that was a job. 66 00:02:31,418 --> 00:02:32,586 Measuring mountains sounds 67 00:02:32,619 --> 00:02:34,755 like the worst possible job in the world. 68 00:02:34,788 --> 00:02:36,823 Do you have to climb up to the snow and then do you-- 69 00:02:36,857 --> 00:02:38,625 Like, I'm glad my mom didn't know 70 00:02:38,659 --> 00:02:40,994 that measuring mountains was a job when I was a kid, 71 00:02:41,028 --> 00:02:43,530 'cause she would have definitely used that to punish me. 72 00:02:43,564 --> 00:02:45,666 "Trevor, you didn't clean your room 73 00:02:45,699 --> 00:02:46,767 "when I told you to clean it. 74 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:48,101 "You know what your punishment is. 75 00:02:48,135 --> 00:02:49,670 You're going to measure..." 76 00:02:49,703 --> 00:02:50,771 "No, Mommy." 77 00:02:50,804 --> 00:02:52,639 -"...the..." -"Don't say it!" 78 00:02:52,673 --> 00:02:53,640 "...mountain..." 79 00:02:53,674 --> 00:02:55,042 "Please!" 80 00:02:55,075 --> 00:02:56,210 "...again." 81 00:02:56,243 --> 00:02:58,212 (wailing) 82 00:02:58,245 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaking of things that scientists 83 00:02:59,713 --> 00:03:01,014 still can't figure out-- 84 00:03:01,048 --> 00:03:02,983 Donald J. Trump. 85 00:03:03,016 --> 00:03:05,052 He's only president of the United States 86 00:03:05,085 --> 00:03:06,320 for another six weeks, 87 00:03:06,353 --> 00:03:07,855 but that's still plenty of time 88 00:03:07,888 --> 00:03:11,358 for him to embarrass everyone in super random ways. 89 00:03:11,391 --> 00:03:13,460 NEWSWOMAN: President Trump abruptly walks out 90 00:03:13,493 --> 00:03:15,395 of a Medal of Freedom ceremony, 91 00:03:15,429 --> 00:03:19,766 leaving the recipient shrugging and... at a loss of what to do. 92 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:21,301 -Thank you. Thank you very much. -(shutters clicking) 93 00:03:21,335 --> 00:03:22,970 Thank you, everybody. Appreciate it. 94 00:03:23,003 --> 00:03:25,038 -Thank you. -(applause) 95 00:03:28,242 --> 00:03:29,543 REPORTER: Mr. President, one more question 96 00:03:29,576 --> 00:03:30,744 about the inauguration. 97 00:03:30,777 --> 00:03:32,946 Thank you very much. 98 00:03:32,980 --> 00:03:35,282 REPORTER 2: Anything on Bill Barr, sir? 99 00:03:38,852 --> 00:03:40,354 (exhales) 100 00:03:40,387 --> 00:03:42,422 -MAN: Congratulations, sir. -He's gone. 101 00:03:42,456 --> 00:03:43,790 (chuckling) 102 00:03:43,824 --> 00:03:45,492 (laughs) 103 00:03:45,526 --> 00:03:46,693 Yo, guys, 104 00:03:46,727 --> 00:03:50,197 Trump has checked out from the presidency. 105 00:03:50,230 --> 00:03:53,066 Right now, he's got that energy of a T.J. Maxx employee 106 00:03:53,100 --> 00:03:54,601 on his last day. 107 00:03:54,635 --> 00:03:55,869 You know, when you're walking in, like, 108 00:03:55,903 --> 00:03:57,804 "Scuse me, do you have this in a large?" 109 00:03:57,838 --> 00:03:59,540 "Nope, try Kohl's." 110 00:03:59,573 --> 00:04:01,275 "Uh, do you want to check in the back?" 111 00:04:01,308 --> 00:04:02,509 "I already did." 112 00:04:02,543 --> 00:04:06,380 I mean, this guy walked out of a Medal of Freedom ceremony 113 00:04:06,413 --> 00:04:08,115 in his own house! 114 00:04:08,148 --> 00:04:10,150 He just left the dude in the Oval Office. 115 00:04:10,184 --> 00:04:12,252 Isn't that guy the president now? 116 00:04:12,286 --> 00:04:13,654 That's how this works, right? 117 00:04:13,687 --> 00:04:15,255 And, look, maybe if it was a different president, 118 00:04:15,289 --> 00:04:16,757 you'd be like, "Wow, there must have been 119 00:04:16,790 --> 00:04:17,958 some national emergency." 120 00:04:17,991 --> 00:04:19,893 But you know Trump doesn't have shit to do. 121 00:04:19,927 --> 00:04:22,563 He's like, "Oh, boy. Hannity starts in 20 minutes. 122 00:04:22,596 --> 00:04:24,164 "Got to get ready for Hannity. 123 00:04:24,198 --> 00:04:26,533 "Hannity. Hannity. Hannity's on. 124 00:04:26,567 --> 00:04:28,702 It's The Hannity Show. I can't wait!" 125 00:04:28,735 --> 00:04:31,004 You know, for a dude who refuses to leave office, 126 00:04:31,038 --> 00:04:34,241 Donald Trump is awfully eager to leave his office. 127 00:04:34,274 --> 00:04:36,844 Who knows? Maybe that's how Trump will concede. 128 00:04:36,877 --> 00:04:38,111 You know? Trump will get distracted 129 00:04:38,145 --> 00:04:40,681 and forget what he's doing and then just wanders off 130 00:04:40,714 --> 00:04:43,617 and then, boom, Biden forgets what he's doing and wanders in. 131 00:04:43,650 --> 00:04:45,752 Peaceful transition of power. 132 00:04:45,786 --> 00:04:49,756 But, once again, the big story is the coronavirus pandemic. 133 00:04:49,790 --> 00:04:51,291 You know, it's the reason you give 134 00:04:51,325 --> 00:04:53,560 for why you haven't had sex in nine months. 135 00:04:53,594 --> 00:04:56,530 So let's check out the latest news about the pandemic 136 00:04:56,563 --> 00:04:59,833 in another episode of Keeping Up with Corona. 137 00:04:59,867 --> 00:05:01,935 ? ? 138 00:05:04,338 --> 00:05:06,340 Let's begin with the United Kingdom, 139 00:05:06,373 --> 00:05:08,408 America's estranged dad. 140 00:05:08,442 --> 00:05:13,113 Today, the U.K. began giving its people the vaccine. 141 00:05:13,146 --> 00:05:14,481 Yeah. Officially. 142 00:05:14,515 --> 00:05:16,750 Starting with a 90-year-old woman. 143 00:05:16,783 --> 00:05:18,385 Which is great for her. 144 00:05:18,418 --> 00:05:19,686 Although, on the other hand, 145 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:21,555 she's the only person in the whole country 146 00:05:21,588 --> 00:05:23,223 who's now safe to go out. 147 00:05:23,257 --> 00:05:25,392 So she's just gonna be out hitting the club, like, 148 00:05:25,425 --> 00:05:28,362 (English accent): "Whoo! Where are all my party girls at? 149 00:05:28,395 --> 00:05:30,397 Seriously, where is everybody?" 150 00:05:30,430 --> 00:05:31,965 Meanwhile, in the United States, 151 00:05:31,999 --> 00:05:34,501 it might take a little longer for everyone to get vaccinated, 152 00:05:34,535 --> 00:05:36,270 because somebody-- 153 00:05:36,303 --> 00:05:39,006 and I'm not saying which president-- 154 00:05:39,039 --> 00:05:41,141 well, he done (bleep)ed up. 155 00:05:41,175 --> 00:05:43,810 NEWSMAN: With cases of COVID surging across the country, 156 00:05:43,844 --> 00:05:46,713 we're learning millions of Americans may now have to wait 157 00:05:46,747 --> 00:05:48,815 months longer to receive a vaccine 158 00:05:48,849 --> 00:05:51,985 because the U.S. opted to get fewer doses from Pfizer 159 00:05:52,019 --> 00:05:53,253 than it could have. 160 00:05:53,287 --> 00:05:56,423 The U.S. bought enough to vaccinate 50 million Americans. 161 00:05:56,456 --> 00:05:59,226 By contrast, the European Union bought enough 162 00:05:59,259 --> 00:06:02,362 for 100 million people, with an option to buy more. 163 00:06:02,396 --> 00:06:04,831 Now ABC News confirms a New York Times report 164 00:06:04,865 --> 00:06:07,167 that, over the summer, Pfizer offered to sell 165 00:06:07,201 --> 00:06:09,269 the U.S. government additional doses 166 00:06:09,303 --> 00:06:11,638 but the Trump administration turned them down. 167 00:06:11,672 --> 00:06:15,175 Now Pfizer says it might not be able to get the U.S. more doses 168 00:06:15,209 --> 00:06:17,744 until June of 2021. 169 00:06:17,778 --> 00:06:19,012 Whew! 170 00:06:19,046 --> 00:06:21,481 That's the art of the deal right there, baby. 171 00:06:21,515 --> 00:06:24,084 Pfizer thought that they could pull a fast one on Trump 172 00:06:24,117 --> 00:06:26,720 by offering to sell him lifesaving vaccines, 173 00:06:26,753 --> 00:06:29,389 but my man Trump was like, "No deal." 174 00:06:29,423 --> 00:06:32,159 So now Europe is stuck with all those vaccines, 175 00:06:32,192 --> 00:06:34,061 and that means more corona 176 00:06:34,094 --> 00:06:36,797 for everyone here in America, baby. Wait. 177 00:06:36,830 --> 00:06:38,365 Seriously though, this may seem 178 00:06:38,398 --> 00:06:40,367 like it was a dumb decision by Trump, 179 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:42,269 but if you take a moment to think about it, 180 00:06:42,302 --> 00:06:45,305 you'll realize that it was a really (bleep)ing dumb decision 181 00:06:45,339 --> 00:06:46,306 by Trump. 182 00:06:46,340 --> 00:06:47,741 And let's be very clear about something. 183 00:06:47,774 --> 00:06:50,010 Even with a vaccine, social distancing 184 00:06:50,043 --> 00:06:53,080 and wearing masks is still extremely important. 185 00:06:53,113 --> 00:06:54,448 And that's why people need to keep following 186 00:06:54,481 --> 00:06:56,383 public health guidelines. And I know, 187 00:06:56,416 --> 00:06:58,185 I know a lot of Americans are like, 188 00:06:58,218 --> 00:07:00,587 "All these rules are government oppression. 189 00:07:00,621 --> 00:07:02,256 "They're taking away our freedom. 190 00:07:02,289 --> 00:07:05,092 "It is my right to go to Walmart without a mask 191 00:07:05,125 --> 00:07:07,027 "and to legally marry my gun. 192 00:07:07,060 --> 00:07:09,830 "My gun's name is Mark. That's right. My gun and I are gay. 193 00:07:09,863 --> 00:07:11,865 Did I challenge your stereotypes?" 194 00:07:11,899 --> 00:07:13,267 But I got to tell you this. 195 00:07:13,300 --> 00:07:14,735 If Americans think 196 00:07:14,768 --> 00:07:17,271 that the rules in this country are too strict, 197 00:07:17,304 --> 00:07:20,974 Americans need to see how social distancing is being enforced 198 00:07:21,008 --> 00:07:23,143 in some other countries around the globe. 199 00:07:23,177 --> 00:07:25,812 For example, if you're upset because, oh, 200 00:07:25,846 --> 00:07:29,249 people give you dirty looks when you go outside without a mask, 201 00:07:29,283 --> 00:07:30,884 imagine if, instead of that, 202 00:07:30,918 --> 00:07:33,220 the police pulled up in their cars 203 00:07:33,253 --> 00:07:35,856 and then roasted you over the P.A. system. 204 00:07:35,889 --> 00:07:38,125 Because that's what's going on in South Africa, 205 00:07:38,158 --> 00:07:40,928 where videos like this one are going viral. 206 00:07:40,961 --> 00:07:42,429 (reverb) 207 00:08:05,719 --> 00:08:07,354 Yeah. That's right. In South Africa, 208 00:08:07,387 --> 00:08:08,922 the police and the military 209 00:08:08,956 --> 00:08:10,858 are being tasked with enforcing the lockdown, 210 00:08:10,891 --> 00:08:12,793 which is basically a recipe for disaster. 211 00:08:12,826 --> 00:08:14,728 Oh, and in case you're wondering, yes, 212 00:08:14,761 --> 00:08:16,630 the South African version of Law & Order 213 00:08:16,663 --> 00:08:18,232 is a very different show. 214 00:08:18,265 --> 00:08:19,967 "In the criminal justice system, 215 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,169 "the people are represented by two separate 216 00:08:22,202 --> 00:08:23,737 "yet equally important groups, 217 00:08:23,770 --> 00:08:25,973 "the police who roast your ass hard 218 00:08:26,006 --> 00:08:28,442 "and the district attorneys who stand behind them, going, 219 00:08:28,475 --> 00:08:30,644 "'Damn, son, he got you good.' 220 00:08:30,677 --> 00:08:33,514 -These are their stories." -(Law & Order clang) 221 00:08:33,547 --> 00:08:35,015 Here's an interesting fact. 222 00:08:35,048 --> 00:08:38,619 That cop is also South Africa's top hostage negotiator. 223 00:08:38,652 --> 00:08:39,786 -(walkie hisses, squeaks) -(with accent): Hey! 224 00:08:39,820 --> 00:08:41,321 Hey, why you kidnapping that guy? 225 00:08:41,355 --> 00:08:43,790 Let him go! What would your mother say about you, huh? 226 00:08:43,824 --> 00:08:45,993 Look at you with that funny haircut. 227 00:08:46,026 --> 00:08:48,128 Look like you (bleep) a lawnmower, yeah? 228 00:08:48,161 --> 00:08:50,831 Then you lost. Huh? Just go home. 229 00:08:50,864 --> 00:08:53,867 But as harsh as South Africa's mask justice might seem, 230 00:08:53,901 --> 00:08:56,870 what they do in Rwanda can be even worse. 231 00:09:24,765 --> 00:09:26,900 Man, that is intense. 232 00:09:26,934 --> 00:09:30,470 Rwandans are being forced to attend night school 233 00:09:30,504 --> 00:09:32,806 if they broke some COVID rules. 234 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:35,309 Imagine that. If you don't like watching Dr. Fauci come on TV 235 00:09:35,342 --> 00:09:37,544 and ask you to wear a mask for 30 seconds, 236 00:09:37,578 --> 00:09:38,912 if you lived in Rwanda, you'd be forced 237 00:09:38,946 --> 00:09:40,981 to listen to Dr. Fauci all night 238 00:09:41,014 --> 00:09:42,583 in a cold stadium! 239 00:09:42,616 --> 00:09:44,585 The only way that could be more boring is 240 00:09:44,618 --> 00:09:47,054 if there was also a baseball game going on at the same time. 241 00:09:47,087 --> 00:09:48,956 Although, one benefit of teaching about COVID rules 242 00:09:48,989 --> 00:09:51,625 in a sports stadium is that you can use the kiss cam 243 00:09:51,658 --> 00:09:53,760 to test how much everyone has learned. 244 00:09:53,794 --> 00:09:56,496 Joseph, you and Keza are on the kiss cam. 245 00:09:56,530 --> 00:09:57,998 Why don't you kiss? 246 00:09:58,031 --> 00:09:59,466 No, you shouldn't have kissed. It was a trap. 247 00:09:59,499 --> 00:10:01,235 You must come back tomorrow night, huh? 248 00:10:01,268 --> 00:10:03,403 By the way, I love how that guy pulled down his mask 249 00:10:03,437 --> 00:10:07,641 to show how he broke the rules by pulling down his mask. 250 00:10:07,674 --> 00:10:09,810 It's a good thing he wasn't arrested for public indecency. 251 00:10:09,843 --> 00:10:13,313 I was arrested for exposing myself like this, 252 00:10:13,347 --> 00:10:17,251 and everyone was so upset, just like everyone is right now. 253 00:10:17,284 --> 00:10:19,319 And finally, to any American who's upset 254 00:10:19,353 --> 00:10:22,189 because they can't go to the gym to work out during COVID, 255 00:10:22,222 --> 00:10:23,957 imagine if, instead of that, 256 00:10:23,991 --> 00:10:27,160 you were forced to work out in front of all your neighbors. 257 00:10:27,194 --> 00:10:28,362 NEWSMAN: Like many countries 258 00:10:28,395 --> 00:10:29,763 battling the coronavirus pandemic, 259 00:10:29,796 --> 00:10:32,232 India is in lockdown. 260 00:10:32,266 --> 00:10:34,034 The police here have resorted to physical punishments 261 00:10:34,067 --> 00:10:35,836 for those who breach it. 262 00:10:35,869 --> 00:10:39,406 At one point, police are seen ordering locals to do squats. 263 00:10:39,439 --> 00:10:42,342 Some were made to do press-ups at the side of the street. 264 00:10:42,376 --> 00:10:44,378 (shouting in native language) 265 00:10:48,849 --> 00:10:50,717 Goddamn, guys. 266 00:10:50,751 --> 00:10:53,253 That is humiliating and unnecessary. 267 00:10:53,287 --> 00:10:54,688 I mean, what happened 268 00:10:54,721 --> 00:10:56,790 to just shouting at people to wear a mask? 269 00:10:56,823 --> 00:10:59,526 Forced exercise is so extreme. 270 00:10:59,560 --> 00:11:01,061 And let me tell you something now. 271 00:11:01,094 --> 00:11:04,131 I would rather staple a mask onto my face 272 00:11:04,164 --> 00:11:05,899 than have to exercise in public. 273 00:11:05,933 --> 00:11:08,068 That's like all your grade-school nightmares 274 00:11:08,101 --> 00:11:09,303 coming back to life. 275 00:11:09,336 --> 00:11:11,271 You couldn't be bothered to wear a mask, 276 00:11:11,305 --> 00:11:13,707 and now all your friends know you can't do five push-ups? 277 00:11:13,740 --> 00:11:15,475 On the other hand, it's a good alternative 278 00:11:15,509 --> 00:11:16,977 for people who can't afford a gym membership. 279 00:11:17,010 --> 00:11:18,545 Just pull down your mask, 280 00:11:18,579 --> 00:11:20,480 and the next thing you know, you got a personal trainer. 281 00:11:20,514 --> 00:11:22,716 In fact, if they keep this up, people from all over the world 282 00:11:22,749 --> 00:11:23,951 are gonna be flying to India 283 00:11:23,984 --> 00:11:25,819 just to take advantage of this policy. 284 00:11:25,853 --> 00:11:27,621 Oh, my God, Deborah, you look amazing. 285 00:11:27,654 --> 00:11:28,956 What are you doing? 286 00:11:28,989 --> 00:11:32,926 Let's just say I ignored a few rules in India. 287 00:11:34,494 --> 00:11:36,463 What? What does... what does that even mean? 288 00:11:36,496 --> 00:11:37,865 All right, we're gonna take a quick break, 289 00:11:37,898 --> 00:11:40,367 but when we come back, Ronny Chieng will look back 290 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:43,504 on the technology that made 2020 so amazing. 291 00:11:43,537 --> 00:11:46,340 And Busta Rhymes is still joining us on the show, 292 00:11:46,373 --> 00:11:46,440 so stick around. 293 00:11:49,475 --> 00:11:51,577 Welcome back to The Daily Social Distancing Show. 294 00:11:51,610 --> 00:11:55,114 2020 is almost over, and we can all agree 295 00:11:55,147 --> 00:11:57,917 that it has pretty much been a perfect year. 296 00:11:57,950 --> 00:12:00,753 I mean, did anything bad happen? 297 00:12:00,786 --> 00:12:02,988 No. I can't think of anything. 298 00:12:03,022 --> 00:12:04,290 And, so, for the rest of the month, 299 00:12:04,323 --> 00:12:07,726 we'll be remembering all of 2020's best moments. 300 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:09,662 Today, Ronny Chieng takes a look back 301 00:12:09,695 --> 00:12:11,564 at the year in technology. 302 00:12:11,597 --> 00:12:13,799 (fanfare plays) 303 00:12:18,537 --> 00:12:20,005 2020 has been a year 304 00:12:20,039 --> 00:12:22,875 where people have depended on technology more than ever. 305 00:12:22,908 --> 00:12:24,710 I mean, I don't know how I would have made it 306 00:12:24,743 --> 00:12:26,946 living through the pandemic in 1918. 307 00:12:26,979 --> 00:12:29,582 What were you supposed to do back then while quarantining? 308 00:12:29,615 --> 00:12:32,384 Read? Ugh! Gross. 309 00:12:32,418 --> 00:12:34,186 Listen to a gramophone? 310 00:12:34,220 --> 00:12:35,754 Music sucked back then. 311 00:12:35,788 --> 00:12:37,223 It was all guys with weird voices 312 00:12:37,256 --> 00:12:40,459 singing about how their sweetie loves apples or whatever. 313 00:12:40,493 --> 00:12:44,063 The biggest tech product this year by a mile was Zoom. 314 00:12:44,096 --> 00:12:46,765 And if it took a pandemic to get rid of Skype, 315 00:12:46,799 --> 00:12:49,702 then I say, worth it. 316 00:12:49,735 --> 00:12:53,138 Skype was great if your goal was to not have a meeting. 317 00:12:53,172 --> 00:12:54,406 And some people complain 318 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:56,008 that Zoom charges you for longer sessions. 319 00:12:56,041 --> 00:12:59,145 But you know what? I say, thank God. 320 00:12:59,178 --> 00:13:01,313 The only thing getting me through a call with my family 321 00:13:01,347 --> 00:13:03,883 is knowing that's there's a 45-minute escape hatch. 322 00:13:03,916 --> 00:13:06,619 I mean, I'd pay a premium for even shorter sessions. 323 00:13:06,652 --> 00:13:08,554 Is there a five-minute plan, Zoom? 324 00:13:08,587 --> 00:13:11,724 Because if so, shut up and take my money. 325 00:13:11,757 --> 00:13:13,726 But 2020 didn't just bring us Zoom. 326 00:13:13,759 --> 00:13:17,062 It also brought us Zoom terrorism. 327 00:13:17,096 --> 00:13:20,466 NEWSWOMAN: Zoom. So many of us are using it to stay in touch. 328 00:13:20,499 --> 00:13:23,269 But now, some are having major issues, 329 00:13:23,302 --> 00:13:25,538 as Zoom meetings are getting hijacked 330 00:13:25,571 --> 00:13:29,008 in a new trend called "Zoom bombing." 331 00:13:29,041 --> 00:13:32,444 NEWSMAN: Zoom bombings range from pranks to pornography. 332 00:13:32,478 --> 00:13:34,547 It even happened during a streaming news conference 333 00:13:34,580 --> 00:13:36,849 in which pornography popped up on the screen 334 00:13:36,882 --> 00:13:38,250 as health authorities 335 00:13:38,284 --> 00:13:40,786 and elected officials discussed the pandemic. 336 00:13:40,820 --> 00:13:42,721 At first, it just seemed like people were checking in, 337 00:13:42,755 --> 00:13:45,624 and then, very quickly, it devolved 338 00:13:45,658 --> 00:13:47,560 into a lot of pornographic images 339 00:13:47,593 --> 00:13:50,162 being dumped as screen... screen shots. 340 00:13:50,196 --> 00:13:53,966 Yeah. Of course Zoom meetings got hit with dick pics. 341 00:13:53,999 --> 00:13:55,367 Each new form of technology 342 00:13:55,401 --> 00:13:57,937 is just another way to send dick pics. 343 00:13:57,970 --> 00:13:59,605 I mean, if you look close enough, you can see the dick 344 00:13:59,638 --> 00:14:02,141 Neil Armstrong drew on the moon. 345 00:14:02,174 --> 00:14:04,176 -? ? -One small dick for man. 346 00:14:04,210 --> 00:14:06,979 One giant dick we all have to see at night. 347 00:14:08,147 --> 00:14:09,281 Inspiring. 348 00:14:09,315 --> 00:14:11,317 2020 also left us with more free time 349 00:14:11,350 --> 00:14:13,285 than ever to improve ourselves, 350 00:14:13,319 --> 00:14:16,155 like learning a new language or baking your own bred. 351 00:14:16,188 --> 00:14:18,157 But thankfully, video games were there 352 00:14:18,190 --> 00:14:20,392 to save us from all that crap. 353 00:14:20,426 --> 00:14:22,094 Nintendo saw a big boost in sales 354 00:14:22,127 --> 00:14:23,896 as more people need to be entertained at home 355 00:14:23,929 --> 00:14:25,364 because of the pandemic. 356 00:14:25,397 --> 00:14:27,533 Animal Crossing: New Horizons-- 357 00:14:27,566 --> 00:14:32,037 26 million copies have been sold of this wildly popular game. 358 00:14:32,071 --> 00:14:35,708 Yes, 2020 gave us the video game Animal Crossing, 359 00:14:35,741 --> 00:14:37,843 which let us create our own perfect little world 360 00:14:37,877 --> 00:14:40,146 while the real world was going to shit. 361 00:14:40,179 --> 00:14:42,381 Although, we all ended up making the same mistakes 362 00:14:42,414 --> 00:14:45,050 in Animal Crossing that we did in real life. 363 00:14:45,084 --> 00:14:47,553 You start the game free and happy on an unspoiled island. 364 00:14:47,586 --> 00:14:49,522 But then, three raccoons convince you 365 00:14:49,555 --> 00:14:51,257 to become a land developer. 366 00:14:51,290 --> 00:14:52,658 One things leads to another, 367 00:14:52,691 --> 00:14:54,927 and let's just say my residents were not happy 368 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:58,297 when I let BP start fracking on my island. 369 00:14:58,330 --> 00:15:00,299 But, hey, sorry, guys. 370 00:15:00,332 --> 00:15:02,701 Daddy's got to get those turnips somehow. 371 00:15:02,735 --> 00:15:04,170 (inhales sharply) Whew. 372 00:15:04,203 --> 00:15:06,705 So while technology did a lot of great things for 2020, 373 00:15:06,739 --> 00:15:09,875 just like everything else this year, it got politicized. 374 00:15:09,909 --> 00:15:11,210 We've got breaking news this morning. 375 00:15:11,243 --> 00:15:12,978 The Trump administration announcing 376 00:15:13,012 --> 00:15:16,182 it will block downloads of Chinese-owned apps 377 00:15:16,215 --> 00:15:19,018 TikTok and WeChat starting Sunday. 378 00:15:19,051 --> 00:15:21,720 Yeah, President Trump tried to ban TikTok. 379 00:15:21,754 --> 00:15:24,957 And you know what? I'm with Trump on this one. 380 00:15:24,990 --> 00:15:26,125 It's a horrible app. 381 00:15:26,158 --> 00:15:27,426 TikTok is more responsible 382 00:15:27,459 --> 00:15:29,361 for convincing white people they can dance 383 00:15:29,395 --> 00:15:31,697 than the DJ throwing on "Cotton Eye Joe." 384 00:15:31,730 --> 00:15:33,332 White people used to be ashamed to dance, 385 00:15:33,365 --> 00:15:36,135 and now they all think they're Jabbawockeez. 386 00:15:36,168 --> 00:15:39,238 But if Trump was smart, he wouldn't ban TikTok. 387 00:15:39,271 --> 00:15:40,973 He'd just get on TikTok. 388 00:15:41,006 --> 00:15:43,542 It's a perfect showcase for how he dances. 389 00:15:43,576 --> 00:15:45,644 ? Y, M, C, A... ? 390 00:15:45,678 --> 00:15:48,914 Ugh! This makes me want to follow his advice 391 00:15:48,948 --> 00:15:51,784 of injecting bleach, but into my eyes. 392 00:15:51,817 --> 00:15:53,986 But tech companies got the last laugh in 2020, 393 00:15:54,019 --> 00:15:56,455 because while Trump was trying to ban TikTok, 394 00:15:56,489 --> 00:16:00,192 Twitter and Facebook were trying to ban Trump's bullshit. 395 00:16:00,226 --> 00:16:02,528 Facebook has taken action against what it calls 396 00:16:02,561 --> 00:16:04,897 harmful misinformation from President Trump. 397 00:16:04,930 --> 00:16:07,199 The company deleted a post by the president 398 00:16:07,233 --> 00:16:11,103 that included a false statement about children and the virus. 399 00:16:11,136 --> 00:16:12,938 And Twitter hit President Donald Trump 400 00:16:12,972 --> 00:16:15,641 with a warning label on one of his tweets about vote-by-mail, 401 00:16:15,674 --> 00:16:17,610 saying the post violated the company's rules 402 00:16:17,643 --> 00:16:18,978 around elections. 403 00:16:19,011 --> 00:16:20,613 I'm glad they finally get around 404 00:16:20,646 --> 00:16:22,481 to fact-chucking Trump's new lies. 405 00:16:22,515 --> 00:16:24,116 But don't expect credit for standing up 406 00:16:24,150 --> 00:16:26,118 to the president after five years of this shit. 407 00:16:26,152 --> 00:16:29,321 That's like claiming you beat up The Rock when he's 90 years old. 408 00:16:29,355 --> 00:16:31,991 That's not winning a fight. It's elder abuse. 409 00:16:32,024 --> 00:16:33,993 Okay? I'm just saying, social media companies 410 00:16:34,026 --> 00:16:35,694 should've been fact-checking Trump earlier. 411 00:16:35,728 --> 00:16:37,563 He's spread so much damaging false information 412 00:16:37,596 --> 00:16:38,964 over the years. 413 00:16:38,998 --> 00:16:41,600 From saying Obama's a secret Muslim born in Kenya 414 00:16:41,634 --> 00:16:44,436 to claiming Meryl Streep is overrated. 415 00:16:44,470 --> 00:16:48,407 She is the greatest living actress. 416 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:50,509 And I know all about good acting, okay? 417 00:16:50,543 --> 00:16:52,044 After my critically acclaimed performance 418 00:16:52,077 --> 00:16:54,647 in Crazy Rich Asians. 419 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:56,649 Shut up, Twitter. 420 00:16:56,682 --> 00:16:59,752 But many people would say the greatest tech news this year 421 00:16:59,785 --> 00:17:02,321 is that we have several vaccines in development 422 00:17:02,354 --> 00:17:04,190 that actually seem to work. 423 00:17:04,223 --> 00:17:05,658 And, of course, we all know 424 00:17:05,691 --> 00:17:08,460 the people who need to get a vaccine first are the elderly. 425 00:17:08,494 --> 00:17:10,196 Like my grandma, 426 00:17:10,229 --> 00:17:12,198 Ronnyella Chieng. 427 00:17:12,231 --> 00:17:14,366 No, that is not me in a wig, okay? 428 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:15,901 I just take after her. 429 00:17:15,935 --> 00:17:18,337 Now, give her the vaccine-- preferably in her right arm, 430 00:17:18,370 --> 00:17:19,572 because I'm left-handed. 431 00:17:19,605 --> 00:17:21,674 But just in case the vaccines don't work out, 432 00:17:21,707 --> 00:17:23,943 there's still the option of hitting the eject button 433 00:17:23,976 --> 00:17:25,311 on this whole planet. 434 00:17:25,344 --> 00:17:28,414 NEWSWOMAN: A giant leap for Elon Musk's SpaceX. 435 00:17:28,447 --> 00:17:32,651 The company has launched four astronauts into orbit. 436 00:17:32,685 --> 00:17:35,154 Elon Musk says he is highly confident 437 00:17:35,187 --> 00:17:38,224 he is gonna put people on Mars by 2026. 438 00:17:38,257 --> 00:17:40,926 The key to achieving this goal is SpaceX's development 439 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:42,495 of its Starship rocket. 440 00:17:42,528 --> 00:17:44,430 The vehicle's being built to launch cargo 441 00:17:44,463 --> 00:17:47,600 and as many as a hundred people at a time to the Moon and Mars. 442 00:17:47,633 --> 00:17:49,969 Yes. Private citizens without astronaut training 443 00:17:50,002 --> 00:17:52,171 will be able to travel to space. 444 00:17:52,204 --> 00:17:54,740 Which means I can finally add the balls 445 00:17:54,773 --> 00:17:56,475 to Armstrong's Moon dick. 446 00:17:56,509 --> 00:17:59,278 Everyone always forgets the balls. 447 00:17:59,311 --> 00:18:01,347 So 2020 was a bullshit year, 448 00:18:01,380 --> 00:18:04,150 but at least technology made it a little bearable. 449 00:18:04,183 --> 00:18:06,218 And, hey, we made it through. 450 00:18:06,252 --> 00:18:07,987 It's almost 2021. 451 00:18:08,020 --> 00:18:12,224 Things can only get better from here. 452 00:18:12,258 --> 00:18:13,759 (sighs) Goddamn it. 453 00:18:13,792 --> 00:18:15,261 Thank you so much for that, Ronny. 454 00:18:15,294 --> 00:18:17,730 All right, when we come back, I'll talk about race 455 00:18:17,763 --> 00:18:19,798 with the best-selling author of the book, 456 00:18:19,832 --> 00:18:21,901 So You Want to Talk About Race. 457 00:18:21,934 --> 00:18:23,369 Huh. That makes sense. 458 00:18:23,402 --> 00:18:26,172 And then Busta Rhymes will be joining us on the show. 459 00:18:26,205 --> 00:18:26,272 Stick around. 460 00:18:29,141 --> 00:18:31,109 Welcome back to The Daily Social Distancing Show. 461 00:18:31,143 --> 00:18:33,078 Earlier today, I spoke with acclaimed writer, 462 00:18:33,111 --> 00:18:34,279 Ijeoma Oluo. 463 00:18:34,313 --> 00:18:35,681 We talked about her new book, 464 00:18:35,714 --> 00:18:38,116 Examining White Male Supremacy in America, 465 00:18:38,150 --> 00:18:39,284 and so much more. 466 00:18:39,318 --> 00:18:40,953 Check it out. 467 00:18:40,986 --> 00:18:44,256 Ijeoma Oluo, welcome to The Daily Social Distancing Show. 468 00:18:44,289 --> 00:18:45,757 Thanks for having me. 469 00:18:45,791 --> 00:18:50,329 You wrote a book entitled So You Want to Talk About Race. 470 00:18:50,362 --> 00:18:52,397 This was in 2018. It was a hit. 471 00:18:52,431 --> 00:18:53,899 People loved it. 472 00:18:53,932 --> 00:18:57,503 But I think it is fair to say that 2020 saw a resurgence 473 00:18:57,536 --> 00:19:01,139 of not just the book, but the conversations of the book, 474 00:19:01,173 --> 00:19:03,475 in a really interesting and unique way 475 00:19:03,509 --> 00:19:05,477 because of what the country was going through 476 00:19:05,511 --> 00:19:07,112 post George Floyd. 477 00:19:07,146 --> 00:19:08,747 What do you think it is about America 478 00:19:08,780 --> 00:19:10,382 that that book will stay consistent, 479 00:19:10,415 --> 00:19:13,152 -unfortunately, for a while? -You know, I think a lot of it 480 00:19:13,185 --> 00:19:16,121 is, is that people are very afraid 481 00:19:16,155 --> 00:19:18,757 to have honest conversations about race. 482 00:19:18,790 --> 00:19:21,693 Um, it's been such a fraught, you know, subject, 483 00:19:21,727 --> 00:19:24,463 and unfortunately, that means that people put it off, 484 00:19:24,496 --> 00:19:26,465 until they feel like they can't anymore, 485 00:19:26,498 --> 00:19:27,900 especially white people. 486 00:19:27,933 --> 00:19:30,769 And so what happens then is, something happens, 487 00:19:30,802 --> 00:19:33,205 like the, you know, horrific killings of George Floyd 488 00:19:33,238 --> 00:19:35,240 and Breonna Taylor, and people realize, 489 00:19:35,274 --> 00:19:37,042 "Oh, we have to talk about this," 490 00:19:37,075 --> 00:19:39,511 and my book is, you know, one that talks 491 00:19:39,545 --> 00:19:42,214 about how to make that a little easier if people turn to it. 492 00:19:42,247 --> 00:19:45,050 And it's sad, because I want people to talk about this 493 00:19:45,083 --> 00:19:46,618 so we can move on to action. 494 00:19:46,652 --> 00:19:48,854 And, you know, this is one of the earlier steps, 495 00:19:48,887 --> 00:19:51,223 is figuring out what's going on and talking about it. 496 00:19:51,256 --> 00:19:54,126 And I would hope, in 2020, we would be further along, 497 00:19:54,159 --> 00:19:56,495 but we're not-- that's why I do the work. 498 00:19:56,528 --> 00:19:59,131 There's also no denying that your writing 499 00:19:59,164 --> 00:20:02,367 has, I mean, made a lot of people feel uncomfortable. 500 00:20:02,401 --> 00:20:04,403 A lot of white people, a lot of white men, 501 00:20:04,436 --> 00:20:05,771 in particular, uncomfortable, 502 00:20:05,804 --> 00:20:07,539 and that was before your current book, 503 00:20:07,573 --> 00:20:10,509 Mediocre, which is about the dangers 504 00:20:10,542 --> 00:20:13,579 of white male mediocrity. 505 00:20:13,612 --> 00:20:15,814 Talk me through what that means. 506 00:20:15,848 --> 00:20:17,316 Absolutely. So, this was a book 507 00:20:17,349 --> 00:20:19,017 kind of written out of frustration. 508 00:20:19,051 --> 00:20:21,687 If you write on issues of race and gender in America, 509 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:25,190 especially since 2016, you see all these think pieces. 510 00:20:25,224 --> 00:20:27,192 You know, "Why is Chad so angry?" 511 00:20:27,226 --> 00:20:29,495 "Why is this white man so upset?" 512 00:20:29,528 --> 00:20:32,564 And what I wanted people to look at was the political structure 513 00:20:32,598 --> 00:20:35,000 behind the time that we're in. 514 00:20:35,033 --> 00:20:37,836 I wanted people to understand that this rise in, like, 515 00:20:37,870 --> 00:20:41,373 you know, hate-filled, racist, violent, 516 00:20:41,406 --> 00:20:44,443 white male political ideology is by design. 517 00:20:44,476 --> 00:20:46,478 And so I wanted people to look at that, 518 00:20:46,512 --> 00:20:50,115 because we have to change how we act and what we value 519 00:20:50,149 --> 00:20:52,317 as a society if we want to solve this problem. 520 00:20:52,351 --> 00:20:54,453 So that's really what we're looking at 521 00:20:54,486 --> 00:20:55,921 is a history in America 522 00:20:55,954 --> 00:21:00,025 of how we have actually made it beneficial, 523 00:21:00,058 --> 00:21:02,194 or at least seem beneficial, to white men 524 00:21:02,227 --> 00:21:04,663 to act like the only definition of success 525 00:21:04,696 --> 00:21:06,932 is power over women and people of color, 526 00:21:06,965 --> 00:21:10,102 and, really, what it's cost us over multiple generations. 527 00:21:10,135 --> 00:21:11,970 When you... when you look at this conversation, though, 528 00:21:12,004 --> 00:21:14,006 I mean, obviously, there's so much resistance. 529 00:21:14,039 --> 00:21:15,774 There are a lot of white men who are like, 530 00:21:15,808 --> 00:21:18,076 "I have nothing, so how dare you say that I have 531 00:21:18,110 --> 00:21:20,646 "any of this mediocrity or this power that comes with it. 532 00:21:20,679 --> 00:21:22,648 "How can you say... I don't see any of this power. 533 00:21:22,681 --> 00:21:25,050 "I live in West Virginia. I have no... no money. 534 00:21:25,083 --> 00:21:27,486 "I have barely any food. Where is this 'white power' 535 00:21:27,519 --> 00:21:29,188 that you are speaking of?" 536 00:21:29,221 --> 00:21:31,690 How do you try and... and-and-- 537 00:21:31,723 --> 00:21:34,593 if you even do try-- explain that to white people 538 00:21:34,626 --> 00:21:36,028 in those situations? 539 00:21:36,061 --> 00:21:38,463 'Cause oftentimes, I find that will be some of the base 540 00:21:38,497 --> 00:21:40,532 that is riled up, where they're told... 541 00:21:40,566 --> 00:21:42,534 "You have this 'privilege' and these positions," 542 00:21:42,568 --> 00:21:44,369 and they go, "But I don't see it"? 543 00:21:44,403 --> 00:21:46,371 Absolutely. And I think it important to recognize, 544 00:21:46,405 --> 00:21:49,908 first and foremost, privilege is relative. Right? 545 00:21:49,942 --> 00:21:51,910 So if you're standing... if you're an average, 546 00:21:51,944 --> 00:21:54,313 everyday white man standing in a room with Oprah Winfrey, 547 00:21:54,346 --> 00:21:57,850 chances are, in many areas she has more privilege than you. 548 00:21:57,883 --> 00:22:01,954 But if she is standing next to a white millionaire 549 00:22:01,987 --> 00:22:04,089 or billionaire, chances are she has less privilege. 550 00:22:04,122 --> 00:22:06,658 It's situational, depending on where you're at. 551 00:22:06,692 --> 00:22:08,427 But I think it's really important to recognize 552 00:22:08,460 --> 00:22:10,696 that white supremacy in this country 553 00:22:10,729 --> 00:22:12,431 is a pyramid scheme. 554 00:22:12,464 --> 00:22:13,799 So it's really the idea: 555 00:22:13,832 --> 00:22:15,567 You play along, and you will have more, 556 00:22:15,601 --> 00:22:17,369 you will have more than black people, 557 00:22:17,402 --> 00:22:18,837 you will have more than women. 558 00:22:18,871 --> 00:22:21,039 -Right. -And often it doesn't work out that way. 559 00:22:21,073 --> 00:22:23,108 And that's part of why we see the anger, 560 00:22:23,142 --> 00:22:25,110 is that people bought into this system. 561 00:22:25,144 --> 00:22:26,912 They're playing along. They've been promised. 562 00:22:26,945 --> 00:22:30,182 And they voted accordingly, they spent their money accordingly, 563 00:22:30,215 --> 00:22:32,684 that their greatness is coming, and when it doesn't, 564 00:22:32,718 --> 00:22:34,353 who do they blame, often? 565 00:22:34,386 --> 00:22:37,289 People like me. People like you. Because they've been told, 566 00:22:37,322 --> 00:22:39,158 "You're supposed to be better off." 567 00:22:39,191 --> 00:22:41,593 And so a lot of that anger that says, "I don't have that, 568 00:22:41,627 --> 00:22:43,362 I don't have it," ignores the fact 569 00:22:43,395 --> 00:22:45,664 that you weren't probably ever going to get it, 570 00:22:45,697 --> 00:22:47,199 but you were promised that, 571 00:22:47,232 --> 00:22:48,934 and that becomes a political problem, 572 00:22:48,967 --> 00:22:50,769 and it becomes part of the violence 573 00:22:50,802 --> 00:22:53,138 that often some white men end up supporting. 574 00:22:53,172 --> 00:22:56,809 There's no denying, as America becomes more and more diverse, 575 00:22:56,842 --> 00:22:59,678 the group of white men that we are talking about 576 00:22:59,711 --> 00:23:01,747 are going to become more and more resistant, 577 00:23:01,780 --> 00:23:04,049 'cause they're going, "Oh, I'm losing my grip on," 578 00:23:04,082 --> 00:23:07,419 as you said, "that promise of my place in America." 579 00:23:07,452 --> 00:23:10,489 So how do we get to a place where we invite people 580 00:23:10,522 --> 00:23:12,624 into the conversation, without pandering, 581 00:23:12,658 --> 00:23:15,594 but still invites people in and going like, "Oh, no, hey, 582 00:23:15,627 --> 00:23:17,596 "this is for everybody's benefit. 583 00:23:17,629 --> 00:23:19,598 "It's not about you losing and me winning. 584 00:23:19,631 --> 00:23:21,300 "It's about everybody winning 585 00:23:21,333 --> 00:23:22,935 as opposed to buying into the pyramid scheme." 586 00:23:22,968 --> 00:23:24,503 You know, it's definitely something I talk about 587 00:23:24,536 --> 00:23:26,071 a bit in the book, right? 588 00:23:26,104 --> 00:23:29,274 The real harm that this actually does to white men, this system. 589 00:23:29,308 --> 00:23:31,410 Being told that, you know, your payout's coming, 590 00:23:31,443 --> 00:23:33,512 and it never does, and the sense of failure 591 00:23:33,545 --> 00:23:37,249 that often accompanies white men when they've bought into this. 592 00:23:37,282 --> 00:23:39,251 But I think it's also really important to recognize 593 00:23:39,284 --> 00:23:42,254 that I, personally, am not writing to create 594 00:23:42,287 --> 00:23:44,022 kinder, gentler white men. 595 00:23:44,056 --> 00:23:45,891 I'm writing because I am a black woman 596 00:23:45,924 --> 00:23:48,660 being harmed by this system and the way it works. 597 00:23:48,694 --> 00:23:51,230 But I do hear from white men who say, 598 00:23:51,263 --> 00:23:53,532 "You know, you've named a thing I couldn't name. 599 00:23:53,565 --> 00:23:56,435 "You've named a disappointment, a constant, you know, 600 00:23:56,468 --> 00:23:58,937 -yearning for more that I couldn't name." -Right. 601 00:23:58,971 --> 00:24:01,507 But I don't expect that, you know, a white man 602 00:24:01,540 --> 00:24:03,008 who's angry and, you know, 603 00:24:03,041 --> 00:24:05,043 is completely a political opposite from me 604 00:24:05,077 --> 00:24:06,411 is gonna pick up my book. 605 00:24:06,445 --> 00:24:08,247 But what I do expect is that people 606 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:10,349 who know something's wrong are gonna start looking 607 00:24:10,382 --> 00:24:12,518 at our values, at our systems, and changing it. 608 00:24:12,551 --> 00:24:15,420 And then the white men who come up in these systems 609 00:24:15,454 --> 00:24:17,022 come up differently, right? 610 00:24:17,055 --> 00:24:20,559 The way in which the power that this violence has is lessened. 611 00:24:20,592 --> 00:24:22,494 And that's really what my goal is. 612 00:24:22,528 --> 00:24:24,930 2020 was one of the hardest years for everybody. 613 00:24:24,963 --> 00:24:28,267 For yourself, I feel like it was an extreme version. 614 00:24:28,300 --> 00:24:30,536 You had a fire that burned down your home 615 00:24:30,569 --> 00:24:31,970 and everything that you owned. 616 00:24:32,004 --> 00:24:33,438 Um, you escaped 617 00:24:33,472 --> 00:24:35,874 with only the clothes on your back with your partner. 618 00:24:35,908 --> 00:24:38,811 The next day, you got a call from your son 619 00:24:38,844 --> 00:24:41,814 saying that he had tested positive for COVID-19. 620 00:24:41,847 --> 00:24:43,882 And in the midst of all of this, 621 00:24:43,916 --> 00:24:46,285 you're dealing with the death threats that you get 622 00:24:46,318 --> 00:24:49,888 and people calling SWAT teams to your house, 623 00:24:49,922 --> 00:24:52,124 faking it and saying, like, "Oh, there's somebody with a gun" 624 00:24:52,157 --> 00:24:53,392 and trying to SWAT you. 625 00:24:53,425 --> 00:24:56,795 How do you process all of that, 626 00:24:56,829 --> 00:24:58,197 and how do you exist in a state 627 00:24:58,230 --> 00:25:00,833 of not being perpetually enraged or terrified 628 00:25:00,866 --> 00:25:03,068 but also still being a human being 629 00:25:03,101 --> 00:25:06,205 who writes and, I mean, informs so many of us? 630 00:25:06,238 --> 00:25:07,673 I had to make peace with the fact 631 00:25:07,706 --> 00:25:11,009 that, yes, my work can make me a target in many ways, 632 00:25:11,043 --> 00:25:12,578 but being a Black woman in this country 633 00:25:12,611 --> 00:25:14,513 can make you a target no matter what. 634 00:25:14,546 --> 00:25:16,081 And at least I have a platform. 635 00:25:16,114 --> 00:25:17,816 At least I can call it out. 636 00:25:17,850 --> 00:25:19,918 And I believe that we can change these systems. 637 00:25:19,952 --> 00:25:21,520 You know, when you know these systems 638 00:25:21,553 --> 00:25:23,388 and you know these systems were built by people, 639 00:25:23,422 --> 00:25:24,823 if you believe in people, 640 00:25:24,857 --> 00:25:27,192 then you have to believe that we can change them, 641 00:25:27,226 --> 00:25:28,694 and I've seen evidence we can. 642 00:25:28,727 --> 00:25:31,230 And, you know, yes, absolutely, it's a huge battle, 643 00:25:31,263 --> 00:25:33,031 but I believe in us, 644 00:25:33,065 --> 00:25:35,567 and I believe that Black people are worth fighting for. 645 00:25:35,601 --> 00:25:37,469 I believe that people of color are worth fighting for, 646 00:25:37,503 --> 00:25:39,171 that women of color are worth fighting for. 647 00:25:39,204 --> 00:25:41,874 I love what we create. I love that we're still here. 648 00:25:41,907 --> 00:25:44,510 I am a survivor like so many other Black women are, 649 00:25:44,543 --> 00:25:46,378 and that gives me strength. 650 00:25:46,411 --> 00:25:48,580 I take strength in the fact that I am still here 651 00:25:48,614 --> 00:25:51,683 and I can still do this work, and I absolutely believe 652 00:25:51,717 --> 00:25:54,586 that we can make real, meaningful change to our systems 653 00:25:54,620 --> 00:25:56,288 that can improve our lives. 654 00:25:56,321 --> 00:25:58,257 Well, I will say this to you over and over again. 655 00:25:58,290 --> 00:25:59,491 I'm eternally grateful. 656 00:25:59,525 --> 00:26:01,093 I think everyone is who reads your books 657 00:26:01,126 --> 00:26:03,996 because, um, they don't come from a place of hate 658 00:26:04,029 --> 00:26:05,531 but rather a place of determination. 659 00:26:05,564 --> 00:26:07,733 They come from a place of, um, of forcefulness 660 00:26:07,766 --> 00:26:09,268 where you go, "Something needs to happen," 661 00:26:09,301 --> 00:26:11,937 and you-you present the ideas and the solutions. 662 00:26:11,970 --> 00:26:13,438 So, um, thank you for taking the time. 663 00:26:13,472 --> 00:26:15,107 Thank you for writing another amazing book, 664 00:26:15,140 --> 00:26:16,608 and hopefully, we'll have you again on the show. 665 00:26:16,642 --> 00:26:19,378 -Thank you. It's a real pleasure. -Take care. 666 00:26:19,411 --> 00:26:21,847 Don't forget, Mediocre: the Dangerous Legacy 667 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:24,183 of White Male America is available now. 668 00:26:24,216 --> 00:26:26,018 All right, stick around, because when we come back, 669 00:26:26,051 --> 00:26:26,118 Busta Rhymes joins us on the show. 670 00:26:31,122 --> 00:26:32,790 Welcome back to The Daily Social Distancing Show. 671 00:26:32,824 --> 00:26:34,225 Earlier today, I spoke 672 00:26:34,258 --> 00:26:37,161 with multiplatinum rap star Busta Rhymes. 673 00:26:37,195 --> 00:26:39,664 We talked about his prolific career 674 00:26:39,697 --> 00:26:42,567 and why we've waited 11 years 675 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:44,235 for a brand-new album. 676 00:26:44,268 --> 00:26:46,604 What's going on, Busta Bust? 677 00:26:46,637 --> 00:26:48,906 (chuckles) What's happening, brother? 678 00:26:48,940 --> 00:26:52,510 Oh, man. A dream is what's happening right now for me, man. 679 00:26:52,543 --> 00:26:53,911 Thank you so much for joining us. 680 00:26:53,945 --> 00:26:55,513 Welcome to The Daily Social Distancing Show. 681 00:26:55,546 --> 00:26:57,615 And thanks for having me. 682 00:26:57,648 --> 00:26:59,484 It's-it's an honor and a pleasure. 683 00:26:59,517 --> 00:27:01,786 I'm a huge fan, brother. 684 00:27:01,819 --> 00:27:03,821 Are you kidding me, man? 685 00:27:03,855 --> 00:27:06,491 All of the honor is mine. All of the pleasure is mine. 686 00:27:06,524 --> 00:27:08,693 You are one of the greatest rappers of all time. 687 00:27:08,726 --> 00:27:10,695 You are, in my world, 688 00:27:10,728 --> 00:27:12,930 in my world, the greatest rapper of all time. 689 00:27:12,964 --> 00:27:15,233 Um, and I'm excited to have you on 690 00:27:15,266 --> 00:27:17,635 because we're talking about your brand-new album, 691 00:27:17,668 --> 00:27:19,637 Extinction Level Event 2. 692 00:27:19,670 --> 00:27:21,305 And can I say, on a personal level, 693 00:27:21,339 --> 00:27:22,673 Busta, I'm-I'm... 694 00:27:22,707 --> 00:27:26,210 Why did we wait 11 years for a new album? 695 00:27:26,244 --> 00:27:28,045 11 years I've been waiting. 696 00:27:28,079 --> 00:27:30,581 (chuckles) 697 00:27:30,615 --> 00:27:33,417 Um, 698 00:27:33,451 --> 00:27:36,587 I think the first, most important part 699 00:27:36,621 --> 00:27:39,590 of the delay was, um, 700 00:27:39,624 --> 00:27:42,160 not so much the creative 701 00:27:42,193 --> 00:27:45,897 but more so 702 00:27:45,930 --> 00:27:48,065 me just making sure that I was comfortable with them 703 00:27:48,099 --> 00:27:51,836 that I was gonna put this body of work in the hands of. 704 00:27:51,869 --> 00:27:54,806 You know, I'm at a point in my life 705 00:27:54,839 --> 00:27:56,774 where, you know, 706 00:27:56,808 --> 00:27:59,043 having the-the blessed opportunity 707 00:27:59,076 --> 00:28:00,545 to be able to experience 708 00:28:00,578 --> 00:28:04,515 what many different support systems felt like. 709 00:28:04,549 --> 00:28:06,417 Right. 710 00:28:06,450 --> 00:28:10,354 Being-being able put albums out 711 00:28:10,388 --> 00:28:12,890 at six different record companies, 712 00:28:12,924 --> 00:28:15,359 I've been able to learn a lot 713 00:28:15,393 --> 00:28:17,595 as far as the difference 714 00:28:17,628 --> 00:28:21,933 between when your support system is right 715 00:28:21,966 --> 00:28:24,569 and when it's wrong. 716 00:28:24,602 --> 00:28:27,472 -Yeah, I feel you. -And, you know, 717 00:28:27,505 --> 00:28:31,509 a lot has changed since the last album 718 00:28:31,542 --> 00:28:34,645 that I dropped at retail, 719 00:28:34,679 --> 00:28:37,348 um, in 2009. 720 00:28:37,381 --> 00:28:40,885 So, you know, just trying to navigate 721 00:28:40,918 --> 00:28:44,322 and-and see and like 722 00:28:44,355 --> 00:28:47,592 I was putting this body of work 723 00:28:47,625 --> 00:28:50,862 in the hands of the right people 724 00:28:50,895 --> 00:28:53,931 that were going to be deemed worthy to me 725 00:28:53,965 --> 00:28:57,268 and to the standards of what I know I deserve 726 00:28:57,301 --> 00:28:59,337 at this stage in my career 727 00:28:59,370 --> 00:29:01,639 and what this project deserved. 728 00:29:01,672 --> 00:29:04,142 What's been amazing has been seeing 729 00:29:04,175 --> 00:29:07,111 how you've maintained Busta Bust's flow 730 00:29:07,145 --> 00:29:09,881 and-and what makes you such a great rapper 731 00:29:09,914 --> 00:29:11,916 whilst at the same time 732 00:29:11,949 --> 00:29:13,818 changing what needs to be changed 733 00:29:13,851 --> 00:29:15,686 for the times that we're living in today. 734 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:18,089 Because there's no denying, Extinction Level Event, 735 00:29:18,122 --> 00:29:20,057 man, there was... there was a bounce, 736 00:29:20,091 --> 00:29:21,492 and there was a joy to it, you know? 737 00:29:21,526 --> 00:29:23,027 Every-every piece of it, you know? You know... 738 00:29:23,060 --> 00:29:25,329 ? We were keepin' it comin,' keepin' it movin' ? 739 00:29:25,363 --> 00:29:26,864 ? Keepin' it wylin', we gettin' the paper ? 740 00:29:26,898 --> 00:29:28,533 ? Let's keep the cheddar stacking and piling ? 741 00:29:28,566 --> 00:29:30,568 ? And now we happy and smiling 'cause now we living good. ? 742 00:29:30,601 --> 00:29:31,969 You know what I mean? That's what it was. 743 00:29:32,003 --> 00:29:33,504 -Wow. Wow. -2009. 744 00:29:33,538 --> 00:29:34,906 That's what we were doing, you know? 745 00:29:34,939 --> 00:29:36,741 That was 2009. 746 00:29:36,774 --> 00:29:38,943 And then 2020 comes along, 747 00:29:38,976 --> 00:29:40,812 and it's different. 748 00:29:40,845 --> 00:29:42,213 It's like... It-it feels like... 749 00:29:42,246 --> 00:29:45,149 It really feels like an extinction level event now 750 00:29:45,183 --> 00:29:48,386 in a very different way, and you rap about that. 751 00:29:48,419 --> 00:29:50,221 You know, you rapped about George Floyd. 752 00:29:50,254 --> 00:29:52,790 You rap about police brutality. You rap about what's going on. 753 00:29:52,824 --> 00:29:54,926 Talk me through how Busta Rhymes went 754 00:29:54,959 --> 00:29:57,161 from the joy that we know Busta Bust has-- 755 00:29:57,195 --> 00:29:58,362 and there's still songs of joy in here-- 756 00:29:58,396 --> 00:30:00,198 but also talking about the current moment 757 00:30:00,231 --> 00:30:01,966 that people are experiencing. 758 00:30:01,999 --> 00:30:04,068 I think that it's always important 759 00:30:04,101 --> 00:30:06,537 to be informative in the music. 760 00:30:06,571 --> 00:30:08,639 I think we have a duty and a responsibility. 761 00:30:08,673 --> 00:30:11,008 At least the way I was raised. 762 00:30:11,042 --> 00:30:14,712 You know, I was fortunate to get my-my grooming firsthand 763 00:30:14,745 --> 00:30:17,081 and, you know, my teaching firsthand 764 00:30:17,114 --> 00:30:18,649 on how to be a well-rounded artist 765 00:30:18,683 --> 00:30:21,419 from the likes of the incredible Chuck D 766 00:30:21,452 --> 00:30:23,421 and Public Enemy and those type of guys. 767 00:30:23,454 --> 00:30:26,657 Like, you know, when we was trying to do it 768 00:30:26,691 --> 00:30:28,526 and when we was coming up, you know, 769 00:30:28,559 --> 00:30:32,563 being informative in the music was-was important. 770 00:30:32,597 --> 00:30:34,165 It was valued. 771 00:30:34,198 --> 00:30:36,868 It was a significant part 772 00:30:36,901 --> 00:30:39,637 of the way artists contributed to the culture 773 00:30:39,670 --> 00:30:41,105 and to the art. 774 00:30:41,139 --> 00:30:44,342 And, you know, it was something that was done with grace, 775 00:30:44,375 --> 00:30:47,245 and it was success that was garnished 776 00:30:47,278 --> 00:30:49,413 from being informative through your music. 777 00:30:49,447 --> 00:30:51,082 You know, it was a standard. 778 00:30:51,115 --> 00:30:52,850 It wasn't like... You couldn't just come out 779 00:30:52,884 --> 00:30:55,786 and just put out a bunch of nonsense 780 00:30:55,820 --> 00:30:59,257 and think that it was gonna help you establish credibility. 781 00:30:59,290 --> 00:31:01,559 Like, you might have had a record that was nonsense, 782 00:31:01,592 --> 00:31:03,828 and it might have been, you know, cool for a moment, 783 00:31:03,861 --> 00:31:07,498 but, you know, credibility has always been important to me. 784 00:31:07,532 --> 00:31:10,902 And it was also a key component 785 00:31:10,935 --> 00:31:14,872 to what validated you as a... as a real artist 786 00:31:14,906 --> 00:31:17,975 in the eyes of the public, the consumer 787 00:31:18,009 --> 00:31:21,946 and your-your other peers as other artists. 788 00:31:21,979 --> 00:31:24,649 You know, you've got the legends of hip-hop on this album. 789 00:31:24,682 --> 00:31:27,418 You know, you've got the Q-Tips. You've got the Rakims. 790 00:31:27,451 --> 00:31:30,988 But then one of the most, in my opinion, prolific tracks 791 00:31:31,022 --> 00:31:33,724 is, um, "Look Over Your Shoulder" 792 00:31:33,758 --> 00:31:35,193 featuring Kendrick Lamar. 793 00:31:35,226 --> 00:31:36,594 And then on top of that, 794 00:31:36,627 --> 00:31:38,396 you've got another legend, Michael Jackson. 795 00:31:38,429 --> 00:31:39,797 And you-you've sampled... 796 00:31:39,831 --> 00:31:41,666 I don't even know how you did it, but you, like, 797 00:31:41,699 --> 00:31:45,136 you-you isolated his lyrics from the Jackson 5, 798 00:31:45,169 --> 00:31:46,571 and it's crystal clear. 799 00:31:46,604 --> 00:31:48,573 It's almost like he was there in the studio with me. 800 00:31:48,606 --> 00:31:50,708 Walk me through how that song came together. 801 00:31:50,741 --> 00:31:54,445 Nottz, which is an incredible producer from Virginia. 802 00:31:54,479 --> 00:31:56,981 I was going through a bunch of music that I had 803 00:31:57,014 --> 00:31:58,783 that I never got the opportunity to get to, 804 00:31:58,816 --> 00:32:00,918 and I finally heard this track. 805 00:32:00,952 --> 00:32:04,722 Nottz put it together in an amazing way, 806 00:32:04,755 --> 00:32:07,859 and it just blew my mind when I heard it. 807 00:32:07,892 --> 00:32:11,162 And I took the extra step 808 00:32:11,195 --> 00:32:13,264 in getting my hand 809 00:32:13,297 --> 00:32:17,201 on the actual original two-inch, 810 00:32:17,235 --> 00:32:20,037 16-track multi of the original recording 811 00:32:20,071 --> 00:32:21,339 -of the song. -Wow. 812 00:32:21,372 --> 00:32:23,374 And Kendrick heard it. 813 00:32:23,407 --> 00:32:25,076 And when he heard it, 814 00:32:25,109 --> 00:32:27,178 in about a couple of days, 815 00:32:27,211 --> 00:32:30,214 I got back that monster verse that he put on there, 816 00:32:30,248 --> 00:32:32,783 and it was like, "All right, 817 00:32:32,817 --> 00:32:36,654 we're sitting on a different type of gem with this piece." 818 00:32:36,687 --> 00:32:39,023 And once I heard his version, 819 00:32:39,056 --> 00:32:42,160 I heard the beat and just realized 820 00:32:42,193 --> 00:32:44,562 the-the way the blend felt 821 00:32:44,595 --> 00:32:48,466 with the Michael Jackson sample and Kendrick's verse 822 00:32:48,499 --> 00:32:51,402 and the music and my verse, 823 00:32:51,435 --> 00:32:52,837 I just was like, 824 00:32:52,870 --> 00:32:56,374 "This is such a defining moment 825 00:32:56,407 --> 00:32:57,742 in this body of work." 826 00:32:57,775 --> 00:33:01,312 And, interestingly, this record didn't get done 827 00:33:01,345 --> 00:33:04,448 until probably, like, eight or nine years 828 00:33:04,482 --> 00:33:07,185 into the recording of the whole project. 829 00:33:07,218 --> 00:33:10,421 So it was kind of like a testament to how incredible, 830 00:33:10,455 --> 00:33:13,825 you know, patience can be. 831 00:33:13,858 --> 00:33:16,861 Understand how to appreciate patience. 832 00:33:16,894 --> 00:33:19,363 I kind of learned how to appreciate patience 833 00:33:19,397 --> 00:33:21,799 through the experience of working with Dr. Dre 834 00:33:21,833 --> 00:33:23,201 on The Big Bang album. 835 00:33:23,234 --> 00:33:25,436 And I applied all of that to this album. 836 00:33:25,470 --> 00:33:27,805 And I'm super grateful, 'cause again, 837 00:33:27,839 --> 00:33:30,575 like, we was talking about earlier why it took so long. 838 00:33:30,608 --> 00:33:33,277 I didn't necessarily choose to take this long. 839 00:33:33,311 --> 00:33:36,113 But in the process of taking this long, 840 00:33:36,147 --> 00:33:40,017 I was able to get all of these magical moments 841 00:33:40,051 --> 00:33:42,053 on one body of work. 842 00:33:42,086 --> 00:33:44,255 Everyone who's on it, every beat, 843 00:33:44,288 --> 00:33:46,257 every moment feels like it was curated. 844 00:33:46,290 --> 00:33:48,326 It feels like Bus-a-Bus exploded. 845 00:33:48,359 --> 00:33:50,928 Everyone who's waited so many years 846 00:33:50,962 --> 00:33:52,396 for Extinction Level Event 2 847 00:33:52,430 --> 00:33:54,265 finally got what they waited for. 848 00:33:54,298 --> 00:33:56,100 And as you said, man, the patience paid off. 849 00:33:56,134 --> 00:33:57,935 Busta Rhymes, thank you so much for joining me on the show. 850 00:33:57,969 --> 00:33:59,837 -I appreciate you, man. -I salute you. 851 00:33:59,871 --> 00:34:02,940 Thank you... keep it going and keep it growing, my brother. 852 00:34:02,974 --> 00:34:04,675 Thank you, my dude, thank you so much. 853 00:34:04,709 --> 00:34:06,544 Extinction Level Event 2: 854 00:34:06,577 --> 00:34:08,546 The Wrath of God is available now. 855 00:34:08,579 --> 00:34:09,914 We're gonna take a quick break, 856 00:34:09,947 --> 00:34:10,014 but we'll be right back after this. 857 00:34:12,916 --> 00:34:14,618 Well, that's our show for tonight, but before we go, 858 00:34:14,651 --> 00:34:18,655 please don't forget to support your local restaurants. 859 00:34:18,688 --> 00:34:21,625 They are struggling to stay open during this pandemic 860 00:34:21,658 --> 00:34:23,560 and if they don't get the help that they need, 861 00:34:23,593 --> 00:34:26,129 they might be shut down for good. 862 00:34:26,162 --> 00:34:28,932 If you want to help them even more than just buying food, 863 00:34:28,965 --> 00:34:32,836 then please consider a donation to the James Beard foundation's 864 00:34:32,869 --> 00:34:35,772 Open for Good campaign, which helps independent restaurants 865 00:34:35,805 --> 00:34:38,308 to survive this pandemic. 866 00:34:38,341 --> 00:34:40,677 Until tomorrow, stay safe out there, 867 00:34:40,710 --> 00:34:43,480 wear a mask, and if you don't wear a mask, 868 00:34:43,513 --> 00:34:45,749 you might want to practice your pushups. 869 00:34:45,782 --> 00:34:48,084 Now here it is, Your Moment of Zen. 870 00:34:48,118 --> 00:34:50,987 Mr. Kenyon is 91 years old. 871 00:34:51,021 --> 00:34:53,189 And I'd like you to tell us 872 00:34:53,223 --> 00:34:56,159 how you came to get the vaccine this morning. 873 00:34:56,192 --> 00:34:57,961 How it happened. 874 00:34:57,994 --> 00:35:00,263 I rang up, uh, Guy's Hospital. 875 00:35:00,297 --> 00:35:02,966 And they said, "Well, come at half past 12." 876 00:35:02,999 --> 00:35:05,168 Of course, I couldn't damn well find anybody to park my car, 877 00:35:05,201 --> 00:35:08,538 so I was late, went off and had a rather nasty lunch, 878 00:35:08,571 --> 00:35:12,075 and then came back and, um, they were ready for me. 879 00:35:12,108 --> 00:35:15,111 How do you feel that you're now one of the first people 880 00:35:15,145 --> 00:35:17,914 in the country to have received the first dose of this vaccine? 881 00:35:17,948 --> 00:35:20,150 Thrilled, well, there's no point to dying now, 882 00:35:20,183 --> 00:35:20,250 when I have lived as long as I have.