“Once again, a bunch of internet racists are upset”: Trevor Noah Trolls Racists Attacking The Little Mermaid, Says Everyone Whose Name Starts With ‘Little’ is Black

In his The Daily Show segment, Trevor Noah had to once again don the advocate’s cap as he ranted about the trolling accompanying Disney’s recent project, The Little Mermaid. Ever since the announcement of the film, some of the internet demography has been divided and biased over the Black inclusion in the casting of the lead protagonist, Ariel. Halle Bailey’s portrayal although a pleasant surprise to some seemed a move too radical for others.

Also read: “I was just sobbing”: The Little Mermaid Star Halle Bailey Target of Relentless Racist Attacks, Says Playing Ariel Changed Her Life

The Internet Divides Itself Over Black Inclusion in Fairy Tales

The character of Ariel, the little mermaid, has been an inherently intrinsic piece of our childhoods and those of the numerous generations that came before us. Created by the father of fairy tales, Han Christian Anderson in 1837, The Little Mermaid tells the all-too-familiar story of a girl who wished to trade away her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a human soul and be with the man she loves. The tale carries an intergenerational theme of love and sacrifice and has persisted for almost two centuries for its strong and resounding message.

Also read: “I love Storm… That would just be cool”: Little Mermaid Star Halle Bailey Wants To Show Racists the Bird, Expresses Interest in Playing Storm of the X-Men in Future MCU Films

However, in all this time, the world has come a long way. There have been revolutions that have witnessed the unravelling of a societal hierarchy. With so much advancement and progressive ideologies now practiced among the masses, the casting of a Black woman as Ariel still comes off as offensive to a faction of the Disney audience. Since the announcement of American singer Halle Bailey’s casting, the trolls have kicked up a storm criticizing Disney’s decision to hire the singer-actor.

Trevor Noah Defends Halle Bailey’s Casting in Disney Film

The comedian and talk show host, Trevor Noah has spoken out about the racist slamming of Halle Bailey and her Disney musical fantasy film, The Little Mermaid. During his segment on The Daily Show, Trevor Noah claimed,

“Really, people? We’re doing this again? Once again, a bunch of internet racists are upset that a fictional character is being played by a Black person. Honestly, I don’t know what the big deal is. You guys realise that Nemo was black, too, right? That whole movie was about a fish who can’t find his dad. I can say that ’cause my dad left, and he’s white, so who’s racist now?

This is so ridiculous. I mean of course ‘The Little Mermaid’ is Black. Everyone whose name starts with ‘Little’ is Black. If you heard there’s a woman named Little Mermaid, you’d just assume she’s on a track with Cardi B.

I hope this scandal doesn’t overshadow the rest of the movie. ‘The Little Mermaid’ is a beautiful story about a young woman changing her core identity to please a man.”

Also read: “Cried the other day”: Halle Bailey Says Playing Ariel in The Little Mermaid Was ‘Overwhelming’, Praises Fans Supporting Her Amidst Racist Backlash

In response to the announcement of Disney’s The Little Mermaid and its casting of the R&B singer, several other celebrities have shown their incredible support for Bailey, including Zendaya, Willow Smith, Chrissy Teigen, and Halle Berry. Halle Bailey finally tweeted her reply to the support shown in her favor saying, “People have been sending these reactions to me all weekend and I’m truly in awe. This means the world to me.”

The Little Mermaid premieres on 26 May 2023.

Source: The Daily Show