Actress Sarah Silverman has expressed regret over her use of the “n-word” in her comedy routines, believing at the time that being “liberal” exempted her from accusations of racism.
Reflecting on the cultural atmosphere during that period, she mentioned, “We thought we were all liberals, so we could say the n-word. We’re not racist, so we thought it was okay,” in an interview with Rolling Stone, as she looked back on her 2005 special, Jesus is Magic.
Silverman characterized the role she played as “rogue, aggressive, and ignorant,” attributing her usage of the term to that character. “My intentions were always good, but looking back, they were also quite ignorant,” she stated.
In the same special, she recalled hesitating to share “edgy” jokes upon noticing black audience members present, feeling a sense of apprehension. She remarked, “I didn’t do that because I was afraid of them,” acknowledging her fear in that moment.
Silverman then paused, humorously saying, “And I turned that joke into a Chinx.”
She faced backlash for a previous incident involving blackface in the early episodes of her show, The Sarah Silverman Program. In 2018, she addressed that controversy in an episode of her Hulu series, I Love You, America, where she also apologized for other past jokes.
Reflecting on her journey, Silverman remarked, “I don’t think I’m out of fear. Some people got upset by my apology, but I felt it was necessary.” She concluded with a light rule of thumb: “I’m sorry, please apologize.”
