Rob Lederman, a white radio host, recently went viral for saying he’d rather date someone like Halle Berry over a darker-toned black woman. And while Berry herself spoke out to denounce his comment, actress LisaRaye revealed that she doesn’t see the big deal and that he should be entitled to his “opinion.”
In an episode of Cocktails With Queens, Claudia Jordan introduced the topic of Lederman’s colorist comments saying, “Listen to this nonsense,” before playing the now-viral clip.
Lederman, who’s since been fired by 97 Rock, discussed the kind of black woman he’d be interested in. “I’d never go to a Serena Williams level,” he said. “But I’m very comfortable at a Halle Berry level.
“All black women are beautiful and worthy. Rob Lederman, get the eff outta here,” Jordan followed. And while co-host Syleena Johnson went in on the radio host, saying, “He ain’t sh**,” LisaRaye had a confused look on her face before she stepped in to defend Lederman.
“Wait a minute,” she interrupted. “What I heard was an opinion. I heard that he’s just saying that he doesn’t — he won’t go as far as a dark-skinned black woman. He’s comfortable with going with the color of a Halle Berry. What’s wrong with that?
After her fellow co-hosts tried explaining the colorism issue behind the conversation, LisaRaye doubled down on her defense and claimed that most people, including her co-hosts, have a “preference.” Completely missing the point and making light of Lederman’s comments, she continued, “How do you say it? I like mocha chocolate opposed to cappuccino?”
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While LisaRaye tried to defend the radio host’s comments, which some liken to him comparing black women to toast settings, she appeared unreceptive to the real issue here: colorism and white supremacy culture.
Obviously, everyone has an opinion, but a white man saying he couldn’t date a dark-skinned black woman isn’t simply a preference. It’s white supremacy enforcing the notion that white women and light-skinned black women are the most desirable.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first instance of LisaRaye putting her cape on to defend colorist comments. This year, the “Playa’s Club” star defended singer DaniLeigh over her “Yellow Bone” song.
“I do think that just because it’s Black Lives Matter, is it that Black lives matter because we’re talking about dark skin black lives matter? Or light skin and cappuccino and caramel and expresso and all of that,” she said in a January episode of “Cocktails With Queens.”
Lederman has since apologized for his disparaging comments. Watch the full video clip below and let us know if you agree with LisaRaye or her co-hosts.
